Beyond a Better Life: Finding True Treasure in the Christmas Story

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
House of the Lord this morning just a couple reminders this Wednesday night there will be no service as it will be New Year's Eve so just remember that and just remember our blessing box there if you have some things you want to bring and and donate that the the students will take up there and fill it and they'll be back January 5th so they got a little bit more time
[00:03:37] and then we're still got our blessing jar out there but we have almost met our goal so thank y'all for that and thank you for the the prayers on that yes amen but yeah so just remember those things and remember again no Wednesday night service this Wednesday but then we will be back in the new year and we're looking forward all that God has for us amen amen so we're just gonna
[00:04:07] Take up our morning offering.
[00:04:09] So, Brother James, if you'll come and take up that.
[00:04:14] We're going to sing joy to the world while we do that.
[00:04:17] So if y'all will stand.
[00:04:20] Amen.
[00:04:20] How many is glad that the King has come?
[00:04:22] Amen.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing
[00:05:22] The Lord comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the
[00:05:52] God makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Oh, amen.
[00:06:23] We're going to do something a little bit different this morning.
[00:06:25] We're going to sing that third verse again.
[00:06:27] He rules the world with truth and grace.
[00:06:29] I'd like for you to get out of your comfort zone and go shake somebody's hands this morning.
[00:06:34] Just let people know that you appreciate them and love to see them this morning.
[00:06:37] So let's just reach out to one another and shake hands as we sing.
[00:06:40] He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love and wonders of His love and wonders of His love.
[00:06:52] Amen.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
He rules the world with truth and grace
[00:07:11] God is righteousness and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders and wonders of his love.
[00:07:31] Joy to the world!
[00:07:49] and Heaven and Nature sing.
[00:07:53] And Heaven and Nature sing.
[00:07:56] And Heaven and Nature sing.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Amen.
[00:08:11] Amen.
[00:08:11] Thank you Lord.
[00:08:12] Thank you Lord.
[00:08:12] We bless you Lord.
[00:08:12] We bless you Lord.
[00:08:13] Hallelujah.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
You are here Moving in our midst I worship You I worship You You are here
[00:08:49] I worship you, I worship you You are here moving in our midst I worship you, I worship you
[00:09:16] You are the way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are.
[00:09:42] You are the
[00:09:43] Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness, My God, that is who You are.
[00:09:58] Touching every heart I worship you I worship you You are here Healing every heart I worship you I worship you You are the
[00:10:24] Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God, that is who You are.
[00:10:36] You are the Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God, that is who You are.
[00:10:51] I am here turning lives around I worship you, I worship you You are here bending every heart I worship you, I worship you
[00:11:17] Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God, that is who You are Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God, that is who You are
[00:11:46] That is who you are.
[00:11:53] That is who you are.
[00:11:56] That is who you are.
[00:12:03] That is who You are.
[00:12:06] That is who You are.
[00:12:10] You are the Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness, my God.
[00:12:20] That is who You are.
[00:12:23] You are the Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness My God, that is who You are
[00:12:38] Even when I don't see it, you're working Even when I don't feel it, you're working You never stop, you never stop working You never stop, you never stop working Even when I don't see it, you're working Even when I don't feel it, you're working You never stop, you never stop working You never stop, you never stop working
[00:13:20] That is who you are.
[00:13:23] That is who you are.
[00:13:27] That is who you are.
[00:13:32] That is who you are.
[00:13:38] Hallelujah.
[00:13:39] We bless you, Lord Jesus.

[00:13:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Thank you, Lord.
[00:13:42] We bless you, Lord.
[00:13:44] We honor you.
[00:13:44] You are the Waymaker.
[00:13:46] When it seems impossible, you were there, and I thank you, Lord.

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Even when I don't see that you're working Even when I don't feel that you're working You never stop, you never stop working You never stop, you never stop working Even when I don't see that you're working Even when I don't feel that you're working You never stop, you never stop working You never stop, you never stop working
[00:14:24] That is who you are.
[00:14:28] That is who you are.
[00:14:32] That is who you are.
[00:14:36] That is who you are.

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Hallelujah.
[00:14:42] We bless you, Lord.
[00:14:44] Hallelujah.

[00:14:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Oh, thank you, Jesus.
[00:14:45] Thank you, Lord.
[00:14:45] Hallelujah.
[00:14:53] Hallelujah.

[00:14:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah Lord we know you're working all things out for our good that is the promise you've made us Lord we trust you but Lord even now we cry out Lord come quickly Lord Jesus and sometimes I fall

[00:15:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
To my knees and pray Come Jesus come Let today be the day Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna break
[00:15:50] But I'm holding on to a hope that won't fade Come, Jesus, come Yes, Lord Jesus, we've been waiting so long For the day you return, heal every hurt
[00:16:18] We need you right now Come and turn this around Deep down I know This world isn't home Come, Jesus, come Come, Jesus, come
[00:16:52] There'll be no war And there'll be no change When Jesus comes Let today be the day He'll come for the weak And the strong just the same
[00:17:24] and all who believe in the power of His name.
[00:17:33] Oh, sing it, church.
[00:17:35] Come, Jesus, come.
[00:17:40] Oh, yes, Lord Jesus.
[00:17:40] We've been waiting so long for the day You return.
[00:17:49] To heal every hurt and right every wrong We need you right now Come and turn this around Deep down I know This world isn't home Come Jesus come
[00:18:19] Come Jesus come One day you'll come And we'll stand face to face Come and lay it all down Cause it might be today
[00:18:47] The time is right now There's no need to wait Your paths will be washed By the rivers of grace Oh, sing it out, yes, Lord Come, Jesus, come
[00:19:14] We've been waiting so long For the day you return To heal every hurt, right every wrong We need you right now Come and turn this around
[00:19:43] Deep down I know this world is my home Come Jesus come Come Jesus come

[00:20:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah.
[00:20:24] It's so good to see you in the house of the Lord this morning.
[00:20:29] Thank you for being part of the Wave Church family where we are victorious every day and just want to thank you for being here.
[00:20:38] We know that we have some out.
[00:20:40] Some we know is out traveling and we pray for traveling graces.
[00:20:44] Others are sick in body and we ask for healing for them and
[00:20:48] Some we don't know, but we're glad you were here and made a choice to be in the house of God.
[00:20:53] Thank you.
[00:20:53] And we want to pray for those that's closest to eternity today and pray for their families for the upcoming days.
[00:21:00] And we know God has everything under control, right?
[00:21:03] God is so good.
[00:21:04] And I want to talk to us just for a few minutes this morning about hidden treasures.
[00:21:10] You know, there's so many things that we take lightly that we shouldn't take for granted.
[00:21:18] We need to look at the Christmas story in such detail and so much that we need to understand that God laid out a plan.
[00:21:30] And He has a plan for your life regardless how old or how young or middle-aged you may be.
[00:21:37] God has a plan for your life.
[00:21:39] And the enemy doesn't want you to have that life.
[00:21:42] He wants your life to be in chaos.
[00:21:45] He wants your life to be miserable so that in the back of your mind He can talk to you and say that you need to just give up on God.
[00:21:55] But let me tell you, now, today is not the day to give up on God.
[00:21:59] Today is the day to move forward.
[00:22:01] Today is to lay it all down.
[00:22:04] Lay all the sins and the regrets and the failures.
[00:22:07] Lay it all down because today could be the day.
[00:22:11] You know, after all the excitement of Christmas, we tend to let the birth of Jesus Christ go into the wayside until December rolls around again the next year.
[00:22:23] You know, there's so much that the Christmas story reveals to us.
[00:22:27] Thank you.
[00:22:28] Throughout the year, we all need forgiveness from the one who came to this world, this earth as a baby.
[00:22:39] Divine yet human, so he came that way so he could experience our pain and our suffering.
[00:22:48] He experienced all things that you and I experience.
[00:22:52] That was the way God had ordained it.
[00:22:55] Divine yet human.
[00:22:59] Jesus came to us so that we didn't have to guess how to make it in this life.
[00:23:05] He wanted to guide us and direct our path, but you know, it is up to us to follow Him in the path that He's laid before us.
[00:23:14] Jesus came to use us to father his kingdom.
[00:23:17] Do you know that you and I have a responsibility to share the good news?
[00:23:22] It is up to us and how do we share it?
[00:23:25] We may not be on the platform preaching or we may not be on the streets preaching or a Sunday school class teaching but people see your life every day.
[00:23:34] They know how you live and it is up to us to father the kingdom by our lives and the lives that we live.
[00:23:43] And you know when life seems impossible, Jesus came to make it possible for us.
[00:23:51] Jesus is the peacemaker in the chaos of our time of life when it's the hectic and everything seems like it's coming apart.
[00:24:01] Jesus came to speak peace into your life.
[00:24:06] Jesus knew that the world would get dimmer.
[00:24:10] We was talking about this earlier this morning, how the world has changed and it seems like there's darkness all around.
[00:24:17] That is why it is important that you and I be the light for Jesus Christ.
[00:24:23] Today is the day of salvation.
[00:24:26] Today is the day that we need to walk for the Lord.
[00:24:30] He wanted to give you and me a way to escape a crazy life here.
[00:24:35] We're here for just a short time.
[00:24:38] The Bible tells us that life is like a vapor.
[00:24:42] We are here today and gone tomorrow.
[00:24:45] But it is our responsibility in knowing who Jesus Christ is that we make a difference in the time that we're here.
[00:24:54] The enemy will try to stop you.
[00:24:56] The enemy will try to hinder you.
[00:24:59] He will tempt you to sin against God.
[00:25:02] But today is the day we make a change because there's hidden treasures in the Word of God.
[00:25:09] First of all, Jesus came to give forgiveness to all men.
[00:25:13] In Isaiah, Isaiah 11 verses 1 and 2,
[00:25:22] Isaiah, there we go.
[00:25:24] And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
[00:25:33] and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
[00:25:46] The underlining message that's woven throughout the Christmas story is God and sinners reconciled.
[00:25:55] The time had come when the sacrificial offerings was no longer enough to pay the debt that man would make.
[00:26:04] The sin debt that was too burdensome and could not be overcome, there had a way to reconcile God and sinners, and that was through Jesus Christ.
[00:26:15] The Messiah, the Redeemer, would come to this earth not just as a baby, but He came to be the Savior of the world.
[00:26:25] He came to reconcile me and you, average day Joes, just to be in right standing with God.
[00:26:34] This baby that was born brought forgiveness for all mankind.
[00:26:39] We all need forgiveness.
[00:26:41] Oh no, I'm perfect in every way.
[00:26:43] No, we are not.
[00:26:44] We fail God every day of our life.
[00:26:47] But through Jesus Christ, we can have the forgiveness of our sins.
[00:26:52] You know, Jesus Christ's humanity came from a sinful lineage.
[00:26:58] Not on his father's side, of course, but on his mother's side.
[00:27:01] So Jesus had some sin in his family history.
[00:27:05] Why?
[00:27:06] Because we've all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
[00:27:11] Jesus being Son of God knew no sin, but His lineage needed salvation.
[00:27:17] His earthly family needed saving too.
[00:27:20] Think about this.
[00:27:23] Here Jesus came from the bloodline of King David.
[00:27:28] The one that loved God with all his heart.
[00:27:33] The man that was after God's own heart.
[00:27:36] Yet David, the man who committed adultery.
[00:27:40] The man who had someone innocently murdered.
[00:27:43] The one who loved God but allowed his flesh to override the love that he had for God.
[00:27:50] See, this speaks of our Father's abundant mercy, that He cared enough, that He allowed Mary's family, even though there was sin in their family as well, that the Savior of the world would be there to be born of that lineage.
[00:28:09] You know, His own family had issues.
[00:28:13] Yet God used this family line for Jesus to come to this earth.
[00:28:18] The Bible says that not all of his immediate family even believed that he was the Messiah.
[00:28:24] Think about that!
[00:28:26] The Messiah descended from a royal human bloodline.
[00:28:31] But one riddle with that was with human faults and failures.
[00:28:36] Christ's heavenly ancestry rang pure and perfect and holy, yet God used mankind, human flesh, to come so that He would know what we have to go through in this life.
[00:28:50] But He came for one thing, for forgiveness of our sins, forgiveness of our failures, forgiveness of when we failed God, and to reconcile us to the God, the Holy God.
[00:29:03] He provided a way so that we could know Him.
[00:29:06] This love that covers our lives, our problems, and our sins.
[00:29:11] He covers even the generations before us.
[00:29:14] Listen, this ministry of reconciliation, God sent Emmanuel, God is with us.
[00:29:22] Why?
[00:29:23] To save this people from their sins.
[00:29:27] No matter who we are or what we've done, the love of God will cover a multitude of sin.
[00:29:35] He's seen us, He knows us, and yet He loves us.
[00:29:40] You know, we can't help what our family's done.
[00:29:44] We can't do one thing about choices that they've made.
[00:29:48] But one thing is true.
[00:29:50] We can see our own faults and failures.
[00:29:52] We can see where we have failed God.
[00:29:55] And we can know that Jesus has come to this fallen world to save us from our sins, but also save our family and our friends.
[00:30:05] too many people are blaming their sins on things that's happened to them or what their family has done no ma'am and no sir let me tell you our sins is on ourselves the things that we do we're not responsible for what other people do but God is calling us through Jesus Christ to understand that we need our sins under the blood
[00:30:28] We need our habits under the blood.
[00:30:30] We need our problems under the blood.
[00:30:33] Not for us but for those around can see God can save and God can deliver and set us free.
[00:30:41] You know, in the new year we must accept we've all sinned.
[00:30:47] and that this relationship with Jesus can be life altering.
[00:30:53] It can be amazing if we will repent and surrender everything we have to God.
[00:31:00] God came as Jesus Christ on this earth.
[00:31:05] God sent His Son.
[00:31:07] God is with us through His Son, Jesus Christ to reconcile, to make a way of forgiveness so that we can go to the Father.
[00:31:17] But Jesus also came that he might be our shepherd in Luke 2, Luke 2, 13 and 14.
[00:31:25] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying,
[00:31:40] Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.
[00:31:48] As we talked about the priestly shepherds thought that their job or their calling wasn't important.
[00:31:54] Remember that?
[00:31:56] They thought they was just ordinary shepherds working in a field.
[00:32:01] They handled the sheep, the care, the love, the medical, the feeding, the washing, the inspections, everything for the sheep.
[00:32:09] And they thought we're just ordinary shepherds.
[00:32:13] But God's message was clear.
[00:32:16] This hope that God sent to earth was for all people regardless where you are in your life.
[00:32:24] Regardless if you think you're doing good, if you think you're doing great, or if you think you're doing bad and you think you're doing worse, God sent Jesus to shepherd you and bring you back into right standing.
[00:32:37] Whatever your call is, you can find forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
[00:32:43] Wherever you stand, you can find hope.
[00:32:47] You can complete what your calling is.
[00:32:49] You can complete your task.
[00:32:52] Listen, your life matters and you have a purpose.
[00:32:56] Can you say that?
[00:32:58] My life matters and I have a purpose.
[00:33:02] God wants you to have peace.
[00:33:07] This life is full of trouble.
[00:33:10] This life is full of chaos.
[00:33:12] And God wants you to be shepherded by the true shepherd.
[00:33:18] He wants you to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate shepherd.
[00:33:25] Peace on earth, good will to all men.
[00:33:29] God wants you to have a life of peace in a fallen world.
[00:33:34] We're not responsible for what everybody else does.
[00:33:37] We're responsible for what we do.
[00:33:40] We will be held accountable to God.
[00:33:42] And listen, even though everything around us is chaos, everything is crazy, we can still have the peace of God in our life because we know the Good Shepherd.
[00:33:54] In Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel 34,
[00:34:01] And the scripture says, I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
[00:34:10] Hallelujah.
[00:34:11] I will seek that which was lost and bring again to which was driven away and bind up which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick.
[00:34:23] But I will destroy the fat and the strong and I will feed them with judgment.
[00:34:29] See,
[00:34:31] The Old Testament has many passages referring to Jesus Christ as our shepherd.
[00:34:38] He wants to take care of you.
[00:34:40] He wants to lead you that you may lay down in peace and rest.
[00:34:46] Jesus Christ came to bring you peace.
[00:34:50] And how do we get that peace?
[00:34:53] As when we are led back to Jesus Christ.
[00:34:56] When we come back to Him, you know, we wonder, we get so far away, and we think we can do life on our own, but my friends, let me tell you, we can't do life by ourselves.
[00:35:09] We must have the Good Shepherd to guide us and to reconcile us back to God.
[00:35:15] What a comfort to know that you are loved.
[00:35:18] You are wanted.
[00:35:19] You are desired.
[00:35:20] He wants to give you peace.
[00:35:24] You don't have to find your way in this life.
[00:35:27] Your Heavenly Father wants to guide you.
[00:35:29] He wants to bring you peace.
[00:35:31] He wants to restore your purpose.
[00:35:33] See, that's what's happened.
[00:35:35] The enemy has come into the flock and tried to destroy your purpose.
[00:35:39] But let me assure you that Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, wants to take care of you.
[00:35:45] He wants to lead you.
[00:35:47] He wants to guide you in this journey called life.
[00:35:51] But it's up to you and I to decide if we want to follow Jesus Christ.
[00:35:57] But Jesus can also perform the impossible.
[00:36:01] In Luke 1, 46, starting with the 46th verse, And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.
[00:36:11] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
[00:36:21] For he hath regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden.
[00:36:24] For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
[00:36:32] For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name.
[00:36:40] And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
[00:36:46] Cousins Mary and Elizabeth each had a miraculous reason to rejoice.
[00:36:53] God had honored their everyday faithfulness by granting them pregnancies.
[00:36:58] Both of them seemed to be in possibilities.
[00:37:01] One an old woman, as history says, around 80 years old.
[00:37:05] The other had never known a man.
[00:37:07] And yet the angel said unto Mary that whenever he spoke upon her, he says, For nothing shall be impossible with God.
[00:37:16] If you and I will surrender our lives to the will of God, He can perform the impossibility into your life.
[00:37:27] What do you feel this morning is impossible in your life?
[00:37:30] Are there goals you want to achieve that seem that will never be fulfilled?
[00:37:35] Are there relationships that you feel can never be restored?
[00:37:38] Is there a ministry you don't think will ever come?
[00:37:42] Let me tell you this morning, surrender to the call and believe that the impossible can be supernaturally formed into a miracle in your life.
[00:37:53] I feel that in 2026 we all need a miracle.
[00:37:57] We need to see the impossible manifested into a divine appointment with God.
[00:38:04] Are you ready?
[00:38:05] Can you say, Your will be done?
[00:38:08] Can the Lord, do you trust the Lord to come in and make what seems impossible possible?
[00:38:16] That's the reason He was born.
[00:38:19] But He also came to provide a way.
[00:38:23] and Luke 2, 6 and 7.
[00:38:25] Luke 2, 6 and 7.
[00:38:29] And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should deliver.
[00:38:36] And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
[00:38:44] You know, we tend to glance over the stable birth forgetting how traumatizing this would be for an expectant mother.
[00:38:53] But you can be sure that Mary, a teenager, probably was concerned about all the facts.
[00:39:00] I'm sure there were still questions in her mind.
[00:39:03] I'm sure she had confusion and even a little bit of doubt going on.
[00:39:08] But yet her faith remained in the One who brought her to this place.
[00:39:13] Her faith remained in the One who said, I will make the impossible possible, for with Him nothing is impossible.
[00:39:23] With all the uncertainty of what had happened in her life over the last nine months, she couldn't even find a decent room in her mind in which to have a baby.
[00:39:33] Little did she understand the importance of the place of his birth.
[00:39:38] She had to also lay him in a place where animals fed and were inspected.
[00:39:43] Here the Savior of the world, born not in a way you and I would expect, but the way God intended.
[00:39:52] You and I have made some choices.
[00:39:55] Some of us has made good and some of us has made bad.
[00:39:59] And we've all failed and we know that.
[00:40:02] You and I have made those choices.
[00:40:05] but all the choices that we have made whether good whether bad has brought us to this place we're at today and the only choice today that we have is to trust God and follow not follow his son Jesus on our way to our destiny just because we fail God just because we've made bad choices does not mean our destiny has ended it means that he can make the wrong right
[00:40:35] He can take the things of hardship and make them easier He can make something beautiful out of all the pain we have endured He can take the questions that you and I have and bring us divine answers God can mend the brokenness of your failed dreams
[00:40:55] God used Mary, an unwed teenage girl, to deliver a Christmas gift that they were on a trip in a foreign place, in a barn or a stable.
[00:41:08] And He provided in His way and in His time and where it needed to happen at.
[00:41:15] But He needed someone to trust Him.
[00:41:18] Someone that would follow Him regardless of what has happened in the past.
[00:41:23] We cannot change the past.
[00:41:25] I'm asking you, can you trust the Good Shepherd this morning to lead you to a place He wants you to be?
[00:41:32] Can you trust the Shepherd to take care of you and make a way when there seems no way?
[00:41:38] Can you trust the Shepherd when it looks impossible?
[00:41:42] Can you trust Jesus to take that impossible in your life and make it possible?
[00:41:52] The next reason God sent Jesus Christ is because Jesus brings peace when we wait on Him.
[00:42:00] In Luke 2 and 19,
[00:42:04] But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in where?
[00:42:09] Her heart.
[00:42:10] She kept the faith.
[00:42:12] She followed Jesus.
[00:42:13] Mary had just experienced an unexpected excitement.
[00:42:18] Can you imagine the chaos with the shepherds running in and out checking on this newborn baby then going out and so excited they were telling everyone about this baby that was born.
[00:42:31] Not only was Mary processing what was taking place, but she also had to be going through physical pain and trying to just grasp a hold what had happened.
[00:42:44] She was probably processing everything.
[00:42:48] But she was experiencing also a protective maternal instinct.
[00:42:53] Yet Mary recalled the words the angels spoke unto her and said, Blessed are you among women.
[00:43:00] and the Son of God.
[00:43:02] And nothing shall be impossible came back to our mind.
[00:43:08] Nothing shall be impossible to us when we allow the Spirit to speak.
[00:43:14] More than ever in 2026, I'm asking the Holy Spirit to come down at the Wave Christian Church and the Wave Christian Academy and that Holy Spirit fill this place like never before.
[00:43:27] Speak to us, give us a divine understanding and lead us where things seem impossible and make them possible.
[00:43:35] Because nothing shall be impossible when we allow the Spirit of God to speak.
[00:43:42] We can also reflect on the wonder of our personal God, the God of possibility.
[00:43:50] Real peace comes from knowing Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer.
[00:43:56] I love that old song that says, He may not show up when you want Him, but He'll show up right on time.
[00:44:02] But we've got to keep the faith.
[00:44:05] We've got to be strong.
[00:44:06] We've got to seek Him.
[00:44:07] We've got to trust Him.
[00:44:09] We've got to keep the faith.
[00:44:12] Listen, having peace means you can understand it.
[00:44:19] Maybe not now, but there will be a time you will see the answer.
[00:44:23] Having peace is accepting you might not understand what's going on, but having peace means I can trust in God.
[00:44:32] I can trust in the Good Shepherd that's going to guide me and direct me and lead me to a place so I can carry on my destiny.
[00:44:44] God is in control.
[00:44:48] And Jesus is over all things, including leadership and world events.
[00:44:56] In Matthew 2, 3 and 4, Matthew 2, 3 and 4, it says, "...and all went to be taxed, every one into their own city."
[00:45:07] And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth unto Judea unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and the lineage of David.
[00:45:23] Harold was a jealous king.
[00:45:28] and God knew it.
[00:45:30] In fact, God allowed the wise men to go straight to this king in search of the real king.
[00:45:37] Why?
[00:45:39] The Creator set a star in the sky.
[00:45:43] See, they had to go to Bethlehem to pay their taxes.
[00:45:46] See, God ordained the place, the destiny.
[00:45:50] Everything was lined up including King Herod who was a jealous king.
[00:45:57] And here, the wise men are following the star.
[00:46:02] They're looking.
[00:46:03] They're seeing the signs and the wonders in heaven.
[00:46:05] And all of a sudden, they could not see the star.
[00:46:08] And what did they do?
[00:46:09] They thought, oh, the king will know where this baby is.
[00:46:14] Let us go to the king's house.
[00:46:16] He could tell us where the king child was born.
[00:46:20] But that's not the case.
[00:46:23] When they got there, they found out Herod was jealous.
[00:46:27] He didn't want another king taking his place.
[00:46:31] Sometimes we put our trust in government.
[00:46:34] Sometimes we put our trust and put our hope in job or finances.
[00:46:40] These wise men thought that the king would be happy about the Messiah.
[00:46:44] Instead, he wanted to find Jesus and destroy Him.
[00:46:48] Listen, I want to tell you something.
[00:46:50] If you didn't know this, the world does not want you happy.
[00:46:55] The world don't want you trusting in a good shepherd that will take care of you and direct your path.
[00:47:02] The world is out to destroy you.
[00:47:04] The world wants you to turn your back on Jesus Christ.
[00:47:09] But listen, your happiness comes in trusting the Good Shepherd who will guide you through this crazy world.
[00:47:16] In every twist and turn of the story surrounding the birth of Jesus, God's hand was in every step of the way.
[00:47:26] Sometimes it's hard for us.
[00:47:28] It is hard as human beings to see the end results because our flesh gets weak.
[00:47:35] But let me tell you, our God who made the earth, the sky, the stars, had a plan, had plans for you, has a plan for me.
[00:47:43] Let's take age out of the complex here.
[00:47:47] It does not matter until you take your last breath, God can use you.
[00:47:52] He has a plan for your life.
[00:47:55] Our world is in so much chaos as it back in the day of Herod.
[00:48:00] People, I don't know if you understand this, but people, they don't like Jesus.
[00:48:05] It is so obvious.
[00:48:07] They are against Him.
[00:48:08] It's hard.
[00:48:10] It is hard to trust in a God we cannot see while we see people that's growing hatred more towards the Christians every day.
[00:48:18] We see these things happening more and more.
[00:48:21] And it is hard, but we must trust in the Savior that came to deliver us and to guide us through this.
[00:48:30] God is in control, just like everything.
[00:48:34] And peace lies in trusting the Prince of Peace.
[00:48:39] Like most Hallmark movies, this one does have a happy ending, yet with a more complex meaning.
[00:48:46] Even though we are sinful people, God regards our lowliness, desires to lead us.
[00:48:53] He forgives us and makes the impossible possible through life.
[00:48:58] As the shepherds returned to the hillside, they carried with them a joy like they had never known.
[00:49:05] Now they knew they had a purpose.
[00:49:07] Now they knew God had a plan for them.
[00:49:10] The wise men experienced God's sovereignty in being directed safely home.
[00:49:17] Our personal God used each character of the Bible's story to reveal the hidden truths.
[00:49:24] But if we're not careful, we'll miss the Christmas story and all about the hidden treasures.
[00:49:31] We can rest and reflect like Mary, assured that God knows our story and that God has a plan.
[00:49:37] We can't explain it, but we know the one who guided the star.
[00:49:42] and we know the one who made a difference in the lives of those shepherds that day we know the one who makes a difference in our lives when we can trust him and there will be a happy ending there will be a happy ending for serving Jesus Christ there will be a happy ending for keep going on when you don't feel like you can go on there will be a happy
[00:50:09] A happiness that will bring us inner peace.
[00:50:13] A happiness that will get us through the storms of life.
[00:50:16] A peace that will make a difference when it seems all hell is breaking loose in this world.
[00:50:22] We've got a shepherd we can count on.
[00:50:25] So we begin 2026.
[00:50:27] I pray that in a world of chaos,
[00:50:31] where the politicians and politics are taking Jesus out of this great country that we will stand for the beliefs of the Word of God that we will not give up that we will hold on and trust into Jesus Christ this baby that came into a world that had sin in his lineage but he died that they could be saved he died for you and me that we could be saved see
[00:51:00] I know that we are living in the book of Revelations we talked about this before church we can see it and we've got to hold on church we've got to put our trust in Jesus Christ we've got to believe that he will make the impossible possible for with God what all things are possible
[00:51:26] Believing that Jesus is the way.
[00:51:29] He's the truth.
[00:51:31] He's the light.
[00:51:33] He's the way maker.
[00:51:35] Trusting that He will lead us through the deepest, darkest places in our life.
[00:51:41] But most of all, through Jesus Christ we can have forgiveness of our sins.
[00:51:47] There's nobody that's too sinful that God can't forgive.
[00:51:51] There's no one that has a past that God can't take that past and make something beautiful out of it.
[00:51:59] But most of all, we've got to know that we have a choice to make.
[00:52:04] We have a choice to keep on giving Him everything that we've got.
[00:52:09] We have a choice to accept Him as our personal Savior.
[00:52:12] We have a choice to trust in what we cannot see and know that we can live a life that He will find favor with.
[00:52:24] If you know Jesus and have accepted Him as your payment of your sin, you've experienced that forgiveness that He came to bring.
[00:52:35] Jesus wants to shepherd you.
[00:52:38] He wants to guide you in all your ways.
[00:52:42] He wants to protect you, provide for you, and show you the things of how to go through this life.
[00:52:51] And knowing Jesus, He will make that impossible possible.
[00:52:57] He will make a way when you don't see how.
[00:53:01] You've got to trust Him.
[00:53:03] You've got to believe Him.
[00:53:05] He is the way maker.
[00:53:07] He'll make a way out of things that you don't even understand.
[00:53:11] But you've got to trust Him.
[00:53:13] You've got to believe in Him.
[00:53:15] He'll bring you peace in the middle of your chaos that no man can understand unless they've felt the peace of God.
[00:53:24] Jesus is in control.
[00:53:25] He's in control of this world.
[00:53:27] You might not think He is, but it's all in His timetable.
[00:53:30] He has final control.
[00:53:32] It is up for us to trust Him in this world of chaos.
[00:53:37] Everything you're going to face, He already knows you're going to face it.
[00:53:39] But how are you going to react?
[00:53:41] How are you going to handle it?
[00:53:43] You have to make a decision from finding the hidden treasures in this Christmas story that you're going to follow Jesus.
[00:53:52] Do you know the Christmas story?
[00:53:55] Do you know Jesus Christ?
[00:53:58] Do you know that the Savior of this world came to save you and redeem you and set you free?
[00:54:07] He loves you more than anything, but you've got to trust in Him.
[00:54:14] In Jesus' name, let us pray.
[00:54:20] Heavenly Father, I thank you so much that there is so much more in the story of Christmas.

[00:54:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Morning, beloved.
[00:54:39] You may have a seat if you can.
[00:54:41] This is the day the Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it.
[00:54:45] This morning I'd like to share a very familiar story with you.
[00:54:49] A few years back, a young lady went off to college.

[00:54:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Great.
[00:54:53] Here we go again with that story about the elephant.
[00:54:57] I mean, don't you have another story to prove your point?
[00:55:00] I've heard it like three times this year already.
[00:55:03] And you know what?
[00:55:06] It's not even that funny.
[00:55:09] Yeah, I said it.
[00:55:11] Not even funny.
[00:55:16] Maybe I should fill out one of those comment cards.
[00:55:19] It's not like I'm asking all that much.
[00:55:21] I come here every Sunday or so for some coffee, fellowship, and to hear a new message.
[00:55:30] The least you can do is make it fresh and insightful and funny and moving and theologically sound and historically accurate every week.
[00:55:47] Maybe I am asking too much.
[00:55:50] Probably way too much.
[00:55:53] I mean, Pastor did visit Joe in the hospital and celebrated with us when Michelle was born and was there when Susan lost her mom and encouraged me to fight for my family when we were on the brink of separation.
[00:56:15] Now that I think about it, Pastor's been like a counselor, a mentor, and a friend when I needed it the most.
[00:56:29] Pastors are awesome.
[00:56:33] Go ahead, Pastor.
[00:56:35] Tell that story again.