Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Wise People Pursue God | December 21, 2024
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- Allen jackson: the series we've worked on through the holidays
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- Has been "holiday gifts."
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- We started back at thanksgiving time.
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- The real impetus for it, the premise of the whole study
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- Was jesus's discussion with his disciples just before he left.
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- He said it's better for you if i go away because if i go,
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- The father will send you another comforter, a counselor,
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- A helper, the holy spirit.
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- I'm pretty confident, peter and james and john didn't believe
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- They were better off with jesus absent.
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- But if you keep reading the story, by the end of the book
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- Of acts, it's very apparent that what god had begun
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- In jesus's life has been multiplied through the lives
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- Of his closest friends.
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- Well, the spirit of god is still present in the earth, active
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- In a work to help the church of jesus christ complete
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- Our assignment.
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- And it's increasingly important for us to understand him,
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- Recognize him, cooperate with him as more than a theory
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- Or a theological abstraction, he's a person.
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- In the new testament, there are three general categories used
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- For discussion.
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- They're by no means inclusive, you can't put the holy spirit
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- Into categories, but it provides for us a context for having
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- The dialogue.
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- It's a beginning point for our understanding and to help us
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- Identify the activity of the spirit of god in our midst.
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- One of the categories is the fruit of the spirit.
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- In galatians, paul talks to the church in galatia and he
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- Contrasts the acts of our carnal nature, our sinful nature,
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- With the acts directed by the spirit of god.
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- We talk about the fruit of the spirit, we're talking about our
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- Character and a choice we make to cooperate with the spirit
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- Of god to say no to ungodliness and yes to godliness.
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- Paul identifies 16 aspects of our old earthly carnal, selfish,
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- Sinful nature that we all battle with on some level or another.
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- And we have to intentionally say no to those and yes to the
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- Spirit of god to let the fruit of the spirit emerge in us.
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- The best single indicator of maturity in your faith
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- Is the fruit of the spirit in your life.
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- The love, joy, peace, those nine things listed in galatians,
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- They're not automatic, it's the change that the spirit of god
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- Brings to us from the inside out.
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- We're not transformed from the outside in.
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- It's not about our haircut or our clothing style,
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- It's about the transformation of our character.
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- And they're not related to tenure.
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- You can sit in church for decades and still be a selfish,
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- Carnal christian.
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- Or you can be a new christ follower and begin to cooperate
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- With the spirit of god and let the fruit of the spirit emerge
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- In your life.
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- Neither is it a singular one-time decision.
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- A decade ago, you may have been in a place where you were
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- Cooperating with the spirit of god and your life was--
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- Gave evidence to the fruit of the spirit.
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- But the question is, what are you doing now?
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- So the fruit of the spirit is one of the categories, another
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- Is the gifts of the spirit, the manifestations of the spirit,
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- It's the power of the spirit of god in our lives.
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- These are not character-based, these are grace-based,
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- They reflect god's desire to help his people.
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- And it gives us some ways to imagine it, what would it
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- Look like for the spirit of god to interact with us?
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- Well, it talks about a word of wisdom, god's direction into our
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- Lives; a word of knowledge, god's understanding in our
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- Lives; the workings of miracles, or the gifts of healing,
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- How we would see god's spirit moving in our midst.
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- And this is not about us, these aren't merit badges
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- That we earn.
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- They're not like frequent flyer points.
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- If you endure seven sermons, you get a gift.
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- These are an expression of god's desire to help his people,
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- And his desire is so great, that he will move through a donkey,
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- Gives me hope every weekend.
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- And those nine that are listed in corinthians is not
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- The inclusive list, but it's a doorway for the dialogue.
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- And then finally, we've looked at the third category
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- And that's the ministry gifts.
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- In ephesians it says that god's given to the church, apostles,
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- Prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
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- Now, these reflect more than a momentary expression
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- Of the power of god or a moving of the spirit of god,
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- They're offices that god has established
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- Within the context of the body of christ,
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- The church with a capital c, and it says that they're there
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- To help us reach maturity, to fulfill the purpose
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- For which we were created.
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- They reflect a life laid down.
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- They're not job descriptions.
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- I think sometimes the professionalization of
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- Christianity has diminished our imagination of the moving
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- Of the spirit of god.
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- This isn't an occupation that you choose, it's the call of god
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- That you respond to and you spend a life yielding to.
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- I can't imagine trying to fulfill one of those
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- Ministry gifts without the fruit of the spirit or the gifts
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- Of the spirit and evidence in your life.
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- But collectively, it gives us the beginning point or at least
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- To have some talking points and an imagination of how we could
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- Conceive of the spirit of god moving in our midst.
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- Now, i've chosen this season to do this because in the familiar
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- Characters of the christmas narrative, we can see the moving
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- Of the spirit of god.
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- And because you know the story and you know the individuals
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- Involved, it makes it easier to form the imagination.
- 00:05:09.558 --> 00:05:14.162
- You see, there could be no christmas story without the
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- Activity of the spirit of god.
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- I think we all understand fundamentally, it'd been
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- Nonsense for mary and joseph to have gotten together with their
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- Small group in nazareth and said, you know, we really need
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- A revival.
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- What do you think we should do?
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- I know, a baby!
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- When you read the story, we all understand fundamentally that
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- There's something supernaturally happening, or the whole
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- Context unravels.
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- Well, just as certainly as the activity of the spirit of god
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- Was necessary to make jesus's first coming a possibility,
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- I wanna assure you that the activity of the spirit of god
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- Will be necessary for the second coming of the king to the earth.
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- We're not gonna out-organize evil or outthink evil or outwork
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- Evil, we will need the help of the spirit of god.
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- So recognizing him, understanding his voice, how
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- He leads, how to interact with him is of a significant priority
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- In the life of the church if we're to complete
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- What god has put us here for.
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- I wanna use matthew 2, it's the story of the visit of the magi,
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- The wise men that came to worship
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- The newborn christ child.
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- In fact, if you've looked ahead at your notes,
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- The entire cha-2nd chapter of matthew is there.
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- It's caused some of you great grief.
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- I highlighted for you several words through that passage,
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- They're all timing words.
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- And maybe for some reflection later, i'll highlight them
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- As we read through it.
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- But there's a very precise, a very intricate collection
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- Of both instructions and interactions in this chapter.
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- And if you rearrange the blocks in any other way, or you made
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- The precision of it any less pre--intricate, the whole story
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- Would unravel.
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- It is a display of the wisdom of god and his willingness and
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- Desire to communicate with us.
- 00:07:05.707 --> 00:07:09.211
- Now, before we read it, i wanna tell you on the front end, if i
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- Had been responsible for writing this narrative, if you'd asked
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- Me to have scripted a visit of three magi, these wise men,
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- These kingmakers from the east, i would have written it
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- Entirely differently.
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- In fact, i know it's in the bible and we wanna treat it with
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- Respect, but much of this story, to me, is illogical.
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- But the point of having the scripture is, it helps you
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- And me learn how to recognize how god deals with adam
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- And his descendants.
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- The point of reading the bible is to help us understand the
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- Character of god and the nature of god and how he interacts
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- With us.
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- So i wanna invite you into the story, not because of
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- Its familiarity, i wanna invite you into it because, in a lot
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- Of cases, if it wasn't in the bible, i'd say, that's just not
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- The way it should have happened.
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- Are you with me?
- 00:08:01.196 --> 00:08:02.697
- Let's read the text, first of all, matthew chapter 2
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- And verse 1: "after jesus was born"--something happened
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- Before this, and you know the backstory, there've been angelic
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- Visits in nazareth and gabriel talked to mary, and gabriel
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- Talked to joe, and they've been to see elizabeth and zechariah,
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- And zach isn't saying much.
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- But: "after," after all of that, "jesus was born in bethlehem in
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- Judea, during the time of king herod, and magi from the east
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- Came to jerusalem and asked, 'where is the one who's been
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- Born king of the jews?
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- We saw his star in the east and we've come to worship him.'
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- When king herod heard this he was disturbed, and all
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- Jerusalem with him.
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- When he'd called together all the people's chief priests and
- 00:08:41.970 --> 00:08:44.406
- The teachers of the law, he asked them where the christ was
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- To be born.
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- 'in bethlehem in judea, for this is what the prophet
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- Has written.'"
- 00:08:50.979 --> 00:08:52.347
- And then they quote from micah: "but you, bethlehem, in the land
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- Of judah, are by no means least among the rulers of judah;
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- For out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd
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- Of my people israel."
- 00:09:00.488 --> 00:09:02.190
- It's worth noting that the religious scholars knew
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- The messiah was gonna be born in bethlehem.
- 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:08.763
- Verse 7: "then herod called the magi secretly and found out
- 00:09:08.763 --> 00:09:12.601
- From them the exact time the star had appeared."
- 00:09:12.601 --> 00:09:14.669
- They'd been with herod a while, we don't really have the
- 00:09:14.669 --> 00:09:16.671
- Timeline here and its fullness.
- 00:09:16.671 --> 00:09:19.274
- But they arrive in jerusalem, they make their entry, they get
- 00:09:19.274 --> 00:09:22.310
- An audience with the king.
- 00:09:22.310 --> 00:09:24.279
- They say, we're looking for the king of the jews.
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- This is the capital, the city, where's the new king
- 00:09:26.181 --> 00:09:28.416
- Of the jews?
- 00:09:28.416 --> 00:09:29.784
- And herod sends them away, then he brings in his counselors
- 00:09:29.784 --> 00:09:32.721
- And says, what's the story with the messiah?
- 00:09:32.721 --> 00:09:35.624
- And they say, oh, that's bethlehem, and they quote
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- The prophets to him.
- 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:39.694
- So then he gets rid of his counselors and his wise men
- 00:09:39.694 --> 00:09:42.030
- And he brings the magi back in.
- 00:09:42.030 --> 00:09:44.132
- So there's some period of time here, we don't know how long
- 00:09:44.132 --> 00:09:46.101
- They were herod's guests.
- 00:09:46.101 --> 00:09:47.435
- But "herod called the magi secretly, found out from them
- 00:09:47.435 --> 00:09:50.005
- The exact time the star had appeared.
- 00:09:50.005 --> 00:09:52.140
- And he sent them to bethlehem, 'go and make a careful search
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- For the child.
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- And as soon as you find him, report to me, so i can go
- 00:09:56.311 --> 00:09:58.747
- And worship him too.'
- 00:09:58.747 --> 00:10:00.849
- After they heard the king, they went on their way, and the star
- 00:10:00.849 --> 00:10:04.319
- They had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped
- 00:10:04.319 --> 00:10:06.721
- Over the place where the child was.
- 00:10:06.721 --> 00:10:13.161
- And when they turned the page and saw the star,
- 00:10:13.161 --> 00:10:15.964
- They were overjoyed.
- 00:10:15.964 --> 00:10:17.766
- And on coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother
- 00:10:17.766 --> 00:10:20.535
- Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
- 00:10:20.535 --> 00:10:22.804
- Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts
- 00:10:22.804 --> 00:10:25.540
- Of gold and incense and of myrrh.
- 00:10:25.540 --> 00:10:28.243
- And having been warned in a dream not to go back to herod,
- 00:10:28.243 --> 00:10:30.578
- They returned to their country by another route.
- 00:10:30.578 --> 00:10:33.915
- When they had gone, an angel of the lord appeared to joseph in
- 00:10:33.915 --> 00:10:36.518
- A dream.
- 00:10:36.518 --> 00:10:37.886
- 'get up,' he said, 'take the child and his mother
- 00:10:37.886 --> 00:10:39.220
- And escape to egypt.
- 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:40.588
- Stay there until i tell you, for herod's going to search
- 00:10:40.588 --> 00:10:42.190
- For the child to kill him.'
- 00:10:42.190 --> 00:10:44.259
- So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and
- 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:46.928
- Left for egypt, where he stayed until the death of herod.
- 00:10:46.928 --> 00:10:50.165
- And so was fulfilled what the lord had said through
- 00:10:50.165 --> 00:10:52.434
- The prophet: 'out of egypt i called my son.'
- 00:10:52.434 --> 00:10:55.570
- When herod realized that he'd been outwitted by the magi,
- 00:10:55.570 --> 00:10:58.673
- He was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in
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- Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under,
- 00:11:01.009 --> 00:11:05.780
- In accordance with the time he had learned from the magi.
- 00:11:05.780 --> 00:11:09.084
- Then what was said through the prophet jeremiah was fulfilled:
- 00:11:09.084 --> 00:11:12.654
- 'a voice is heard in ramah, weeping and great mourning,
- 00:11:12.654 --> 00:11:16.224
- Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted,
- 00:11:16.224 --> 00:11:18.993
- Because they were no more.'"
- 00:11:18.993 --> 00:11:20.361
- Jeremiah had written that hundreds of years before herod
- 00:11:20.361 --> 00:11:22.864
- Ever lived.
- 00:11:22.864 --> 00:11:25.066
- "after herod died, an angel of the lord appeared in a dream
- 00:11:25.066 --> 00:11:27.902
- To joseph in egypt and said, 'get up, and take the child and
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- His mother and go to the land of israel, those who were trying
- 00:11:30.638 --> 00:11:32.841
- To take his life are dead.'
- 00:11:32.841 --> 00:11:35.009
- So he got up, he took the child and his mother and went
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- To the land of israel.
- 00:11:37.479 --> 00:11:39.080
- But when he heard that archelaus," that's herod's son,
- 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:43.084
- "was reigning in judea in place of his father herod,
- 00:11:43.084 --> 00:11:45.520
- He was afraid to go there.
- 00:11:45.520 --> 00:11:47.288
- Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of
- 00:11:47.288 --> 00:11:49.724
- Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called nazareth.
- 00:11:49.724 --> 00:11:52.794
- So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, he'll be
- 00:11:52.794 --> 00:11:55.764
- Called a nazarene."
- 00:11:55.764 --> 00:11:57.799
- If you come from the village of nazareth, you're called
- 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:00.668
- A nazarene.
- 00:12:00.668 --> 00:12:02.003
- If you come from tennessee, you're a tennessean.
- 00:12:02.003 --> 00:12:04.205
- There's another word that's used in scripture that's similar,
- 00:12:04.205 --> 00:12:06.741
- But it's different, it's called a nazarite.
- 00:12:06.741 --> 00:12:08.943
- That is a sect within judaism.
- 00:12:08.943 --> 00:12:11.045
- There were different means of observing judaism, just like
- 00:12:11.045 --> 00:12:13.915
- There are different approaches to observing christianity.
- 00:12:13.915 --> 00:12:17.786
- There are some differences, may be subtle, but there's
- 00:12:17.786 --> 00:12:20.321
- Some differences in the way an episcopalian and a presbyterian
- 00:12:20.321 --> 00:12:23.825
- Serves the lord.
- 00:12:23.825 --> 00:12:25.894
- Well, a nazarite is different from a nazarene.
- 00:12:25.894 --> 00:12:28.129
- A nazarite made a vow to god to not cut their hair or to take
- 00:12:28.129 --> 00:12:31.733
- Strong drink, fermented drink.
- 00:12:31.733 --> 00:12:33.835
- Can you think of a nazarite you know from scripture?
- 00:12:33.835 --> 00:12:37.005
- Samson is probably the most obvious, there are others.
- 00:12:37.005 --> 00:12:40.375
- Well, jesus is from the village of nazareth, so we call him
- 00:12:40.375 --> 00:12:42.944
- A nazarene.
- 00:12:42.944 --> 00:12:44.279
- Now, i wanna take that chapter and offer you just a handful of
- 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:46.681
- Observations on how the story unfolded, to see what you and i
- 00:12:46.681 --> 00:12:49.884
- Can learn about the activity of the spirit of god
- 00:12:49.884 --> 00:12:53.388
- In the 21st century.
- 00:12:53.388 --> 00:12:54.722
- What can we expect from him?
- 00:12:54.722 --> 00:12:56.858
- In those first verses, it says: the "magi came from the east
- 00:12:56.858 --> 00:13:00.361
- To jerusalem."
- 00:13:00.361 --> 00:13:02.197
- It's a long journey.
- 00:13:02.197 --> 00:13:03.565
- In fact, this journey, we're told--we're given a context
- 00:13:03.565 --> 00:13:05.533
- Of time, it's a two-year trip.
- 00:13:05.533 --> 00:13:07.802
- So i think it's safe to say that this particular invitation
- 00:13:07.802 --> 00:13:11.139
- From god into their lives was disruptive.
- 00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:16.177
- We invite you to share in ministry frequently.
- 00:13:16.177 --> 00:13:18.213
- We have yet to invite you for a two-year commitment,
- 00:13:18.213 --> 00:13:20.982
- Uninterrupted.
- 00:13:20.982 --> 00:13:23.952
- It's a very disruptive invitation, and not only that,
- 00:13:23.952 --> 00:13:27.222
- It's costly in both time and treasure.
- 00:13:27.222 --> 00:13:30.758
- Imagine a two-year vacation in the name of the lord, think
- 00:13:30.758 --> 00:13:34.629
- Of all they're gonna step away from, all they're gonna leave
- 00:13:34.629 --> 00:13:36.831
- Undone, and all of this in search of something or following
- 00:13:36.831 --> 00:13:41.669
- Something no more concrete than something they have discerned
- 00:13:41.669 --> 00:13:45.006
- From the stars.
- 00:13:45.006 --> 00:13:47.508
- But i think we could safely call it they're willing to follow
- 00:13:47.508 --> 00:13:49.911
- Unconventional wisdom.
- 00:13:49.911 --> 00:13:52.280
- Conventional wisdom is a metaphor for what the majority
- 00:13:52.280 --> 00:13:55.116
- Of the people are doing, what the herd is going to do.
- 00:13:55.116 --> 00:13:58.553
- And these particular characters are following
- 00:13:58.553 --> 00:14:00.855
- Very unconventional wisdom.
- 00:14:00.855 --> 00:14:02.724
- There's only three, i have no doubt there's an entourage
- 00:14:02.724 --> 00:14:05.960
- Traveling with them to make it easier, but--and when i read
- 00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:09.530
- The story, i wonder how many declined the opportunity,
- 00:14:09.530 --> 00:14:13.334
- How many people in their sphere of influence?
- 00:14:13.334 --> 00:14:14.769
- They're wealthy people, they're powerful people,
- 00:14:14.769 --> 00:14:16.771
- They're influential people.
- 00:14:16.771 --> 00:14:18.106
- There are, no doubt, other people in their sphere
- 00:14:18.106 --> 00:14:19.674
- Of influence that they extended the invitation to.
- 00:14:19.674 --> 00:14:21.809
- I wonder how many people said, no, not a good time for us,
- 00:14:21.809 --> 00:14:26.781
- We're too busy, it's too expensive, you're too weird, no.
- 00:14:26.781 --> 00:14:32.153
- So here's the first piece, do you have room in your
- 00:14:32.153 --> 00:14:34.589
- Imagination that an invitation from god could be disruptive?
- 00:14:34.589 --> 00:14:41.596
- Allen: i wanna take just a moment to say thank you.
- 00:14:45.667 --> 00:14:48.336
- In a year of political turmoil and confusion and wars and
- 00:14:48.336 --> 00:14:52.206
- Rumors of wars, because of your partnership, your generosity,
- 00:14:52.206 --> 00:14:55.743
- Your prayers, your encouragement, we have done more
- 00:14:55.743 --> 00:14:58.813
- For the gospel than any year in our ministry so far.
- 00:14:58.813 --> 00:15:01.716
- We started a whole new genre of programming.
- 00:15:01.716 --> 00:15:04.052
- "allen jackson now" does a daily review of headlines
- 00:15:04.052 --> 00:15:07.155
- From a biblical world view.
- 00:15:07.155 --> 00:15:08.523
- We started a new podcast, "culture & christianity," to
- 00:15:08.523 --> 00:15:11.125
- Help stabilize god's people in the midst of all the confusion.
- 00:15:11.125 --> 00:15:15.163
- All of that because of your faithfulness, your generosity,
- 00:15:15.163 --> 00:15:18.099
- Your prayers, thank you so much.
- 00:15:18.099 --> 00:15:20.435
- As we come to the end of this year, i wanna ask you
- 00:15:20.435 --> 00:15:22.503
- To prayerfully consider making a sacrificial investment
- 00:15:22.503 --> 00:15:26.074
- In what's next.
- 00:15:26.074 --> 00:15:27.408
- We wanna take those programs, share them in new places
- 00:15:27.408 --> 00:15:30.545
- With more people.
- 00:15:30.545 --> 00:15:31.879
- We wanna continue to be creative in how we share the good news of
- 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:35.416
- Jesus christ, a generous partner makes it possible.
- 00:15:35.416 --> 00:15:38.519
- Every gift you give will be matched, it doubles your gift
- 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:41.155
- Between now and the end of the year.
- 00:15:41.155 --> 00:15:42.790
- Let me thank you in advance for what we've been doing
- 00:15:42.790 --> 00:15:45.593
- And what god's going to do with our lives and our partnership
- 00:15:45.593 --> 00:15:48.496
- Together in 2025.
- 00:15:48.496 --> 00:15:50.665
- Thank you, and god bless you.
- 00:15:50.665 --> 00:15:52.867
- Female announcer: god is moving in major ways in the ministry
- 00:15:52.867 --> 00:15:56.037
- And our world.
- 00:15:56.037 --> 00:15:57.672
- As we watched the 2024 election unfold, we witnessed a miracle.
- 00:15:57.672 --> 00:16:02.377
- God has heard our prayers, he has shown us his mercy.
- 00:16:02.377 --> 00:16:06.814
- We're entering a new era with new leaders, but it's not a time
- 00:16:06.814 --> 00:16:11.119
- To rest.
- 00:16:11.119 --> 00:16:12.453
- Our assignment hasn't changed.
- 00:16:12.453 --> 00:16:14.422
- In fact, it's as urgent as ever.
- 00:16:14.422 --> 00:16:17.191
- You and i have been set apart by god for his purposes,
- 00:16:17.191 --> 00:16:20.795
- And there's a lot for us to do.
- 00:16:20.795 --> 00:16:22.964
- Allen: i believe when god shows you mercy, he gives with it
- 00:16:22.964 --> 00:16:28.102
- An opportunity.
- 00:16:28.102 --> 00:16:29.971
- I want us to quietly say to the lord, here am i,
- 00:16:29.971 --> 00:16:39.647
- Let me go.
- 00:16:39.647 --> 00:16:42.083
- Let me go back to where i work in the name of jesus.
- 00:16:42.083 --> 00:16:45.953
- Let me go back into my neighborhood in the name
- 00:16:45.953 --> 00:16:48.189
- Of jesus.
- 00:16:48.189 --> 00:16:49.924
- God himself has shown us grace, and it will require of us
- 00:16:49.924 --> 00:16:57.932
- Greater strength and greater courage than we have ever had
- 00:16:57.932 --> 00:17:02.303
- To attach to our faith before, let's go, let's go.
- 00:17:02.303 --> 00:17:09.410
- Announcer: let's set our hearts on preparing for what's next
- 00:17:09.410 --> 00:17:12.447
- With pastor allen's brand new 90-day devotional called
- 00:17:12.447 --> 00:17:16.284
- "set apart for his purposes."
- 00:17:16.284 --> 00:17:18.453
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- 00:17:18.453 --> 00:17:21.722
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- Followed by a journaling prompt and room to write and reflect.
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- 00:18:10.938 --> 00:18:13.474
- Allen: see, i think we've kind of flipped the script,
- 00:18:16.410 --> 00:18:18.312
- And we think god should pay attention to what i'm doing
- 00:18:18.312 --> 00:18:20.681
- And what i want to do and what i intend to accomplish,
- 00:18:20.681 --> 00:18:23.784
- And he should help me.
- 00:18:23.784 --> 00:18:25.653
- After all, that's what i want him to do, do my business
- 00:18:25.653 --> 00:18:28.156
- To make it easier.
- 00:18:28.156 --> 00:18:30.024
- And when i read my bible, the invitation that god extends
- 00:18:30.024 --> 00:18:33.294
- To human beings is that we might join him in what he's doing,
- 00:18:33.294 --> 00:18:38.499
- Which is something of a realignment.
- 00:18:38.499 --> 00:18:41.936
- No matter what your day job is or what your job description is,
- 00:18:41.936 --> 00:18:45.173
- We can be engaged in god's purposes.
- 00:18:45.173 --> 00:18:47.475
- The second observation is in verse 3, it says, all jerusalem
- 00:18:47.475 --> 00:18:50.711
- Was disturbed.
- 00:18:50.711 --> 00:18:53.981
- All jerusalem.
- 00:18:53.981 --> 00:18:55.316
- Herod and all jerusalem are disturbed.
- 00:18:55.316 --> 00:18:57.151
- Now, no doubt, the three wise men roll in with
- 00:18:57.151 --> 00:18:59.287
- Their entourage, there's some pomp and circumstance.
- 00:18:59.287 --> 00:19:01.622
- Jerusalem's a relatively small city.
- 00:19:01.622 --> 00:19:03.491
- They've come to the capital city searching for the king of
- 00:19:03.491 --> 00:19:05.893
- The jews that's just been born.
- 00:19:05.893 --> 00:19:10.831
- Herod's disturbed, the whole city is disturbed.
- 00:19:10.831 --> 00:19:13.234
- What are they disturbed by?
- 00:19:13.234 --> 00:19:15.836
- I would submit to you they're disturbed by the spirit of god,
- 00:19:15.836 --> 00:19:19.640
- That it's a heavenly prompt.
- 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:22.276
- That the disruption in jerusalem, the disruption
- 00:19:22.276 --> 00:19:24.812
- For herod is an awareness that's been brought to them
- 00:19:24.812 --> 00:19:28.015
- By the spirit of god.
- 00:19:28.015 --> 00:19:29.383
- They had the prophets to give them dozens of reasons to
- 00:19:29.383 --> 00:19:32.420
- Understand the birth of jesus, but they're oblivious, they're
- 00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:36.057
- Unaware, they're disinterested.
- 00:19:36.057 --> 00:19:38.793
- So what i wanna invite again into our imagination is
- 00:19:38.793 --> 00:19:41.896
- This disruptive role of the holy spirit.
- 00:19:41.896 --> 00:19:46.400
- That when the spirit of god interaction with--interacts
- 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:48.869
- With you and your life, there are times and seasons
- 00:19:48.869 --> 00:19:51.472
- When it will be felt and understood to be disruptive.
- 00:19:51.472 --> 00:19:54.275
- One of the words we use for that is conviction, he convicts us.
- 00:19:54.275 --> 00:19:58.346
- He makes us a little ill at ease with our life circumstances,
- 00:19:58.346 --> 00:20:02.083
- With some aspect of our life, maybe not blatantly immoral
- 00:20:02.083 --> 00:20:05.119
- Or wicked, but he begins to deal with us about some aspect
- 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.289
- Of our life.
- 00:20:08.289 --> 00:20:09.624
- And what i've come to understand from the spirit of god is that
- 00:20:09.624 --> 00:20:11.492
- Is an emerging process.
- 00:20:11.492 --> 00:20:14.695
- When he disrupts my life, he may be disrupting me about something
- 00:20:14.695 --> 00:20:17.498
- That's been a part of my life for a long time and i was great
- 00:20:17.498 --> 00:20:19.767
- With it two years ago, but now i'm a little less at ease with
- 00:20:19.767 --> 00:20:23.971
- It, it's just not okay anymore.
- 00:20:23.971 --> 00:20:27.441
- That god is inviting me to a new place with him, to a new walk
- 00:20:27.441 --> 00:20:31.312
- With him.
- 00:20:31.312 --> 00:20:32.647
- See, i think we probably have a little prayer we ought to offer.
- 00:20:32.647 --> 00:20:35.783
- I don't mean right now, but in the privacy of your own life,
- 00:20:35.783 --> 00:20:38.919
- We've wanted to do business with god on kind
- 00:20:38.919 --> 00:20:40.488
- Of a one and done basis.
- 00:20:40.488 --> 00:20:42.490
- We've wanted to repeat a sinner's prayer, make
- 00:20:42.490 --> 00:20:44.158
- A profession of faith and think, okay, the rest of the journey is
- 00:20:44.158 --> 00:20:46.794
- Mine, i can do whatever i want.
- 00:20:46.794 --> 00:20:50.831
- I wanna go to heaven, i don't wanna go to hell.
- 00:20:50.831 --> 00:20:53.067
- Where's the contract?
- 00:20:53.067 --> 00:20:54.402
- I'll sign.
- 00:20:54.402 --> 00:20:55.770
- What do you need me to do?
- 00:20:55.770 --> 00:20:57.104
- But i wanna submit to you that the scripture suggests to us
- 00:20:57.104 --> 00:20:59.674
- That the spirit of god will continue to engage us,
- 00:20:59.674 --> 00:21:04.145
- To disrupt us, to redirect our attention towards
- 00:21:04.145 --> 00:21:07.281
- What god is doing.
- 00:21:07.281 --> 00:21:09.083
- Herod got the prompt, all jerusalem got the prompt.
- 00:21:09.083 --> 00:21:12.353
- See, at this point in the narrative, i'm thinking
- 00:21:12.353 --> 00:21:13.988
- There'll be a parade, there'll be hundreds of people who want
- 00:21:13.988 --> 00:21:17.258
- To stream from jerusalem to bethlehem.
- 00:21:17.258 --> 00:21:20.061
- Not so much.
- 00:21:20.061 --> 00:21:24.031
- The spirit of god will redirect our attention towards what god
- 00:21:24.031 --> 00:21:27.201
- Is doing, the real question is, will it hold our attention?
- 00:21:27.201 --> 00:21:32.506
- Will he elicit our cooperation, or will it make us angry?
- 00:21:32.506 --> 00:21:38.913
- Very frequent response when you first bump into the activity
- 00:21:38.913 --> 00:21:42.249
- Of the spirit of god, is it makes you angry
- 00:21:42.249 --> 00:21:45.353
- Because it confronts you a bit
- 00:21:45.353 --> 00:21:46.954
- With the holiness of god and the purity of god
- 00:21:46.954 --> 00:21:50.057
- And the call of god.
- 00:21:50.057 --> 00:21:52.660
- Verses 4 and 5, matthew quotes for us the prophecy from micah.
- 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:57.765
- There's actually instructions provided, there was advance
- 00:21:57.765 --> 00:22:00.968
- Warning of jesus's birthplace.
- 00:22:00.968 --> 00:22:03.504
- Hundreds of years earlier, micah had said: "but you, bethlehem,
- 00:22:03.504 --> 00:22:06.474
- In the land of judah, are by no means least among the rulers of
- 00:22:06.474 --> 00:22:09.176
- Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who'll be the shepherd
- 00:22:09.176 --> 00:22:11.912
- Of my people israel."
- 00:22:11.912 --> 00:22:13.814
- It wasn't unknown, this wasn't hidden.
- 00:22:13.814 --> 00:22:16.650
- When herod asked the scholars in the palace that he had access
- 00:22:16.650 --> 00:22:20.154
- To, they said, oh no, messiah is coming from bethlehem.
- 00:22:20.154 --> 00:22:24.525
- I know i'm reading it from a long way away,
- 00:22:24.525 --> 00:22:26.527
- But i'm thinking if i had lived in the 1st century
- 00:22:26.527 --> 00:22:29.397
- And i knew the prophet said the messiah was coming
- 00:22:29.397 --> 00:22:31.766
- To bethlehem, it's a small village,
- 00:22:31.766 --> 00:22:35.069
- I'm thinking every monday morning, i would have wanted
- 00:22:35.069 --> 00:22:37.004
- To review a list of the new births in bethlehem.
- 00:22:37.004 --> 00:22:39.707
- Just give me a list of the new baby boys born, and i'd like
- 00:22:41.675 --> 00:22:44.245
- To review the list.
- 00:22:44.245 --> 00:22:45.679
- Anybody from the house of david?
- 00:22:45.679 --> 00:22:49.884
- It'll narrow the list.
- 00:22:49.884 --> 00:22:51.252
- Maybe it'd even be better--can we put up a video camera in the
- 00:22:51.252 --> 00:22:53.687
- Nursery in the hospital in bethlehem?
- 00:22:53.687 --> 00:22:56.123
- I'd just like to see those little rascals when they put
- 00:22:56.123 --> 00:22:58.058
- Them in there.
- 00:22:58.058 --> 00:22:59.894
- Somebody's assigned to watching the birth records in bethlehem
- 00:22:59.894 --> 00:23:03.364
- So we don't miss the messiah.
- 00:23:03.364 --> 00:23:07.034
- These are god's covenant people, the chosen people of god.
- 00:23:07.034 --> 00:23:10.304
- The temple is in jerusalem, the daily sac--i mean, it's all a
- 00:23:10.304 --> 00:23:13.040
- Part of their life, and they have the word of the prophets
- 00:23:13.040 --> 00:23:16.744
- And they're paying very little attention.
- 00:23:16.744 --> 00:23:19.613
- It's why in 2 peter chapter 1, the fisherman that jesus
- 00:23:19.613 --> 00:23:22.850
- Recruited gives you and me some counsel.
- 00:23:22.850 --> 00:23:25.085
- He said: "we have the word of the prophets made more certain,
- 00:23:25.085 --> 00:23:27.721
- And you'll do well to pay attention to it, as a light
- 00:23:27.721 --> 00:23:31.091
- Shining in a dark place."
- 00:23:31.091 --> 00:23:32.560
- That it would be good for us to pay attention to the prophets.
- 00:23:32.560 --> 00:23:35.963
- Now, we've been reading our bibles around here
- 00:23:35.963 --> 00:23:37.631
- For a few years now.
- 00:23:37.631 --> 00:23:39.333
- What's the one part of the reading that we get
- 00:23:39.333 --> 00:23:42.336
- The most--what, the least enthusiasm for?
- 00:23:42.336 --> 00:23:47.374
- It's the prophets.
- 00:23:47.374 --> 00:23:49.743
- We don't know the words.
- 00:23:49.743 --> 00:23:51.078
- We don't know the names.
- 00:23:51.078 --> 00:23:52.413
- We don't know if they're people or insects we should spray for,
- 00:23:52.413 --> 00:23:55.983
- Just doesn't matter that much to us.
- 00:23:55.983 --> 00:23:57.585
- And peter is saying we should pay attention, it will help us.
- 00:23:57.585 --> 00:24:00.454
- Let me ask you a question, what do you know of prophecy
- 00:24:00.454 --> 00:24:03.557
- That could impact the season in which we're living?
- 00:24:03.557 --> 00:24:07.695
- It's not a trick question.
- 00:24:07.695 --> 00:24:09.763
- The counsel of scripture is there would be a benefit for us
- 00:24:09.763 --> 00:24:12.233
- To be aware of it.
- 00:24:12.233 --> 00:24:13.601
- Ask a different question in a different way, what's the next
- 00:24:13.601 --> 00:24:16.270
- Big rock item in god's prophetic calendar?
- 00:24:16.270 --> 00:24:20.875
- Not the subtleties in the new, what's the next big rock issue
- 00:24:20.875 --> 00:24:23.744
- That we know is ahead of us?
- 00:24:23.744 --> 00:24:26.280
- It'd be the return of jesus.
- 00:24:26.280 --> 00:24:28.949
- He's coming back, the king is coming back.
- 00:24:28.949 --> 00:24:30.985
- Now, the skeptics will go, well, that's been the next big rock
- 00:24:30.985 --> 00:24:33.754
- Issue since he left in the 1st century.
- 00:24:33.754 --> 00:24:35.623
- Not really, obi-wan.
- 00:24:35.623 --> 00:24:39.193
- Because one of the things we knew from scripture was
- 00:24:39.193 --> 00:24:41.462
- The nation of israel had to be reformulated, and the jewish
- 00:24:41.462 --> 00:24:44.231
- People had to be collected onto that piece of land that god gave
- 00:24:44.231 --> 00:24:47.701
- To abraham way back in the book of genesis.
- 00:24:47.701 --> 00:24:50.504
- And for 2,000 years, that was not a historical reality.
- 00:24:50.504 --> 00:24:55.876
- In fact, the jewish people said a prayer annually that said,
- 00:24:55.876 --> 00:24:58.412
- "next year in jerusalem."
- 00:24:58.412 --> 00:25:00.147
- And for two millennia, that was for them like saying once upon
- 00:25:00.147 --> 00:25:02.850
- A time or long, long ago and far, far away.
- 00:25:02.850 --> 00:25:05.553
- And today, the nation of israel exists and within the--in
- 00:25:05.553 --> 00:25:10.190
- The--in recent history, within the last two years, jerusalem
- 00:25:10.190 --> 00:25:13.427
- Has been recognized by the united states as the united
- 00:25:13.427 --> 00:25:16.664
- Capital of the jewish people in the land of israel and put
- 00:25:16.664 --> 00:25:20.768
- Our embassy there.
- 00:25:20.768 --> 00:25:25.072
- That's a big deal.
- 00:25:25.072 --> 00:25:26.407
- However you feel about the politics, from a biblical
- 00:25:26.407 --> 00:25:28.375
- Perspective, that's a big deal.
- 00:25:28.375 --> 00:25:31.145
- And it's a precursor, it was a necessary occurrence before
- 00:25:31.145 --> 00:25:35.049
- We could talk about next up, being the return of the king.
- 00:25:35.049 --> 00:25:38.819
- Not making the jewish people a means to an end, just a way
- 00:25:38.819 --> 00:25:42.189
- To understand what god is doing in the earth.
- 00:25:42.189 --> 00:25:45.759
- It might be worthwhile knowing what scripture tells us about
- 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:49.663
- The season before jesus returns.
- 00:25:49.663 --> 00:25:53.233
- Some of you who wanna do a little extra reading,
- 00:25:53.233 --> 00:25:55.469
- Matthew chapter 24.
- 00:25:55.469 --> 00:25:57.137
- The greatest of all the hebrew prophets is jesus,
- 00:25:57.137 --> 00:25:59.707
- And in matthew 24, jesus gives you more
- 00:25:59.707 --> 00:26:01.809
- Than a dozen characteristics of the season before he comes back.
- 00:26:01.809 --> 00:26:06.180
- And for you overachievers, luke 21 is the corresponding
- 00:26:07.781 --> 00:26:10.951
- Chapter in luke's gospel.
- 00:26:10.951 --> 00:26:14.588
- I brought you a prayer.
- 00:26:14.588 --> 00:26:19.093
- Why don't you stand with me?
- 00:26:19.093 --> 00:26:21.762
- It's really a prayer of commitment.
- 00:26:21.762 --> 00:26:25.933
- If i weren't interested in the commitment, i probably wouldn't
- 00:26:25.933 --> 00:26:28.168
- Read the prayer because i have this notion that god
- 00:26:28.168 --> 00:26:32.339
- Takes us seriously.
- 00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:37.778
- Let's read it together.
- 00:26:37.778 --> 00:26:39.513
- Heavenly father, i choose to listen, to follow, to obey,
- 00:26:39.513 --> 00:26:44.518
- To cooperate, to participate and in all of these things--
- 00:26:44.518 --> 00:26:48.722
- To honor you.
- 00:26:48.722 --> 00:26:50.057
- I turn away from ungodliness and repent of those things
- 00:26:50.057 --> 00:26:53.927
- Which i have withheld from you.
- 00:26:53.927 --> 00:26:56.163
- I want to know christ in the power of his resurrection
- 00:26:56.163 --> 00:27:00.134
- And the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.
- 00:27:00.134 --> 00:27:02.936
- Holy spirit, you are welcome in my life, amen, hallelujah,
- 00:27:02.936 --> 00:27:08.375
- God bless you.
- 00:27:08.375 --> 00:27:09.943
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:09.943 --> 00:27:09.943