Greg Laurie recounts the story of Jesus' birth, focusing on his genealogy, the prophecies foretelling his coming, and the humble circumstances of his birth in Bethlehem. Through a mix of biblical references and personal reflection, Laurie highlights the significance of Christ's arrival amidst a dark and troubled time, emphasizing the message of hope and redemption that Jesus brings to those in need. The narrative follows Mary and Joseph's journey, culminating in the humble birth of the Savior in a manger, underscoring the eternal impact of his life and mission on humanity.
#Christmas
#Jesus
#VirginBirth
#Messiah
#Savior
#Prophecy
#Stress
#Worry
#Rest
#RestofGod
#GregLaurie
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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - A Real Christmas | December 11, 2025
- ...
- 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:01.334
- Greg laurie: i think it's fascinating that luke's gospel
- 00:00:05.138 --> 00:00:07.073
- Starts with a genealogy, because it shows us
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- The family tree of christ.
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- And listen, the family tree of our lord
- 00:00:13.613 --> 00:00:16.049
- Was gnarled and crooked.
- 00:00:16.149 --> 00:00:16.549
- There were some pretty unsavory characters in the family tree of
- 00:00:18.351 --> 00:00:22.255
- Jesus, starting with tamar who was abandoned,
- 00:00:22.255 --> 00:00:26.292
- Rahab who was a harlot, david who was an adulterer,
- 00:00:26.292 --> 00:00:29.796
- Solomon who was a philanderer,
- 00:00:29.796 --> 00:00:32.665
- Yet they all made it into the most exclusive genealogy
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- In all of human history, reminding us
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- You're not the only one with a messed-up family.
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
- 00:00:51.684 --> 00:00:54.087
- ♪ the day when life begins ♪♪
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- Greg: so, today, i want to talk a little bit about when jesus
- 00:01:02.195 --> 00:01:06.199
- Came, where jesus came, and then most importantly why jesus came.
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- Let's start with the first point, number one,
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- When did jesus come?
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- Answer: he came at the appointed time.
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- He came at the perfect time.
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- Galatians 4:4 says, "when the time was just right, god sent
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- Forth his son, born of a woman, made under the law to redeem
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- Those that are under the law.
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- Understand, things are very dark in israel
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- At this particular time.
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- They were living under the bondage of the roman empire,
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- Who bludgeoned everyone into submission through
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- Their pax romana forced peace.
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- You did what rome said, or you paid the price.
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- Things weren't this bad since the days of egypt
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- Under the pharaoh.
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- And the people of israel were crying out, "when is our messiah
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- Going to come to us?"
- 00:01:59.285 --> 00:02:00.920
- And then add to this there had been 400 years of an icy silence
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- From heaven, no prophet speaking for god, no angels bringing
- 00:02:05.391 --> 00:02:10.396
- Messages from god, no miracles being performed,
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- Nothing was happening, 400 years of silence.
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- And then there was just chaos, and violence, and misery.
- 00:02:18.204 --> 00:02:22.142
- And it's interesting, because speaking of this time,
- 00:02:22.142 --> 00:02:24.377
- Isaiah 9:6 says, "the people who are living in darkness,
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- But they've seen a great light, and those living in the land
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- Of the shadow of death, a light has dawned."
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- And that phrase there, "for darkness"
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- Speaks of evil and ignorance.
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- The people are living in a time filled with evil
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- And untold suffering, violence, and oppression, and injustice,
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- And families ripped apart.
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- Sounds a lot like today.
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- And they were waiting for something to happen,
- 00:02:49.636 --> 00:02:52.071
- And something happened at the right moment.
- 00:02:52.071 --> 00:02:54.240
- This was the time that god was gonna send his son,
- 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.610
- But first he sent gabriel.
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- Now listen, there's all kinds of angels in the bible,
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- And all of them are powerful, but there's only three
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- That are named for us.
- 00:03:05.151 --> 00:03:06.953
- One is michael the archangel,
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- Who we presume is angel numero uno.
- 00:03:08.721 --> 00:03:11.891
- Then there's lucifer, who was once an angel that worshiped
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- God, but then turned against god and became the devil.
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- And finally, there's gabriel.
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- Gabriel's mentioned in the old testament, so he is a heavy-duty
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- Angel, and gabriel shows up and appears to the godly zacharias
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- And elizabeth and tell them that they're gonna have the privilege
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- Of giving birth to the greatest prophet who has ever lived,
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- John the baptist,
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- Who will be the direct forerunner of messiah.
- 00:03:38.451 --> 00:03:42.255
- So, messiah was coming, and the christmas story really starts
- 00:03:42.255 --> 00:03:46.226
- With the tree--not a christmas tree, but a family tree.
- 00:03:46.226 --> 00:03:50.263
- It's interesting to note that both matthew and luke start
- 00:03:50.263 --> 00:03:54.300
- Their gospels with a genealogy.
- 00:03:54.300 --> 00:03:56.669
- By the way, for those that say those genealogies don't match,
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- It's not hard to explain.
- 00:03:59.872 --> 00:04:02.008
- One is a genealogy of mary, the other is a genealogy of joseph,
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- And both were descendants of king david.
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- But this tree was important.
- 00:04:10.149 --> 00:04:11.951
- For the jews, a genealogy was sort of like a resume.
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- You wanted to have an impressive genealogy.
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- So, it mattered a lot to them, but i think it's fascinating
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- That luke's gospel starts with a genealogy,
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- Because it shows us the family tree of christ.
- 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.070
- So, listen, the family tree of our lord
- 00:04:31.070 --> 00:04:33.906
- Was gnarled and crooked.
- 00:04:33.906 --> 00:04:36.409
- There were some pretty unsavory characters in the family tree of
- 00:04:36.409 --> 00:04:40.179
- Jesus, starting with tamar, who was abandoned,
- 00:04:40.179 --> 00:04:43.783
- Rahab who was a harlot, david who was an adulterer,
- 00:04:43.783 --> 00:04:47.787
- Solomon who was a philanderer,
- 00:04:47.787 --> 00:04:50.523
- Yet they all made it into the most exclusive genealogy
- 00:04:50.523 --> 00:04:54.193
- In all of human history, reminding us you're not
- 00:04:54.193 --> 00:04:56.996
- The only one with a messed-up family.
- 00:04:56.996 --> 00:04:59.932
- This is the tree christ came from, and it's to remind us
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- That messiah was not born because of his ancestors,
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- But in spite of his ancestors.
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- This was his lineage.
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- This was his genealogy that he came from, but the fact that
- 00:05:12.845 --> 00:05:17.517
- It starts with a genealogy just shows us that this is a real
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- Story that happened in a real place at a real time.
- 00:05:21.587 --> 00:05:27.427
- Well, gabriel has already informed zacharias and elizabeth
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- That they're gonna have a forerunner as their son.
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- Now gabriel shows up in nazareth, but here living in
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- This godless place was a godly girl who was a direct descendant
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- Of king david.
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- Royal blood flowed in her veins.
- 00:05:45.244 --> 00:05:48.281
- And the angel gabriel makes this announcement to mary
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- In luke 1:28.
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- Gabriel appeared to her.
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- And said, "'greetings, favored woman, the lord is with you.'
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- Confused and disturbed, mary tried to think
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- What the angel could mean.
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- 'don't be frightened, mary,' the angel said,
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- 'for god has decided to bless you.'"
- 00:06:03.096 --> 00:06:06.399
- Now, that's an accurate translation.
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- Sometimes we hear it said, "hail, mary, full of grace.
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- The lord is with you.
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- Blessed are you among women."
- 00:06:12.405 --> 00:06:13.740
- And that is sort of a king james translation, and it's also for
- 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:16.576
- Some a prayer that they will offer.
- 00:06:16.576 --> 00:06:19.011
- But gabriel was not saying, "hail, mary," as in,
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- "praise you, mary," or "you're exalted, mary."
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- Hail is just another word for hi or hey,
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- If you're from the south.
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- "greetings, mary.
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- Hello, mary. hi, mary.
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- Hey, mary. how's it, mary?
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- How's it going?
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- Listen, god has chosen you."
- 00:06:36.462 --> 00:06:39.665
- It's an amazing thing.
- 00:06:39.665 --> 00:06:41.167
- Sally lloyd-jones wrote a wonderful little book called
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- "the jesus storybook bible."
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- And it's written for kids, and i've read parts of it
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- To my grandchildren, and i like the way
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- That she summed up what happened.
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- And i quote from her book, "the god who flung planets
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- Into space and kept them from whirling around and around,
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- The god who made the universe with just one word,
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- The one who could do anything at all was making himself small
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- And coming down as a baby," end quote.
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- And that's exactly what was happening.
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- So, the lord tells--or excuse me--the angel tells mary,
- 00:07:14.434 --> 00:07:17.537
- "you are a fulfillment of bible prophecy."
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- I mean, imagine that, girls.
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- To be chosen, to be the one who would fulfill isaiah 9:6.
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- "behold, a virgin will conceive and bring forth a son, and you
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- Will call his name immanuel."
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- I don't think mary, in her wildest dreams, ever thought,
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- "i know i'm gonna be that girl," but she was.
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- But here's the problem.
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- That which was going to be conceived in her
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- Would come from the holy spirit.
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- That wasn't the problem.
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- The problem was getting joseph to believe it.
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- And when she told him, he wasn't buying it.
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- He said, "mary, you got a lot of 'splainin' to do."
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- No, that was ricky ricardo to lucy.
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- Remember?
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- 'splainin' he always said.
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- "no, honey, the angel gabriel appeared to me
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- And said it was from god.
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- I have the messiah."
- 00:08:05.885 --> 00:08:07.253
- "yeah, right."
- 00:08:07.253 --> 00:08:10.323
- But then an angel of the lord appeared to joseph and confirmed
- 00:08:10.323 --> 00:08:14.160
- That she would be the mother of the messiah, and then went on
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- To say, "and you shall call his name jesus."
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- Now, there were a lot of little boys named jesus
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- Back in those days.
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- It was a popular name.
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- It just meant jehovah saves.
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- Joshua or yeshua are variations of it,
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- But this wasn't just any jesus.
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- This was jesus who would save his people from their sins.
- 00:08:33.779 --> 00:08:39.485
- And in case he wasn't getting the picture, he was told,
- 00:08:39.485 --> 00:08:42.522
- "the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and
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- You'll call his name immanuel, which means god is with us.
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- Joseph, listen, not only is your betrothed wife
- 00:08:49.395 --> 00:08:53.666
- Carrying the son of god.
- 00:08:53.666 --> 00:08:56.402
- She's carrying the messiah of israel.
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- She's fulfilling a prophecy."
- 00:09:00.239 --> 00:09:02.475
- So now fast forward.
- 00:09:02.475 --> 00:09:04.010
- Mary's 9 months pregnant.
- 00:09:04.010 --> 00:09:06.012
- And when you're 9 months pregnant,
- 00:09:06.012 --> 00:09:07.680
- You don't want to go anywhere.
- 00:09:07.680 --> 00:09:09.715
- You want to just wait and have that baby.
- 00:09:09.715 --> 00:09:12.285
- You girls know this very well.
- 00:09:12.285 --> 00:09:14.554
- And but what happens is they're all taxed, and they have to
- 00:09:14.554 --> 00:09:18.391
- Move, and that's where the very familiar christmas story begins
- 00:09:18.391 --> 00:09:21.827
- In luke chapter 2, starting in verse 1.
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- "it came to pass in those days a decree went out
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- From caesar augustus that all the world should be taxed.
- 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:30.002
- This census first took place when quirinius
- 00:09:30.002 --> 00:09:33.139
- Was governing syria.
- 00:09:33.139 --> 00:09:34.874
- So, all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
- 00:09:34.874 --> 00:09:37.643
- Joseph also went up from galilee out of the city of nazareth
- 00:09:37.643 --> 00:09:41.614
- Into judea to the city of david, which is called bethlehem,
- 00:09:41.614 --> 00:09:45.718
- Because he was of the house and lineage of david,
- 00:09:45.718 --> 00:09:48.888
- To be registered with mary, his betrothed wife,
- 00:09:48.888 --> 00:09:51.958
- Who was with child.
- 00:09:51.958 --> 00:09:53.693
- So it was, while they were there, the days were completed
- 00:09:53.693 --> 00:09:56.295
- For her to be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son,
- 00:09:56.295 --> 00:09:59.599
- And wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him
- 00:09:59.599 --> 00:10:03.035
- In a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
- 00:10:03.035 --> 00:10:08.674
- Greg: hey, everyone.
- 00:10:12.178 --> 00:10:13.512
- Greg laurie with some christmas thoughts.
- 00:10:13.512 --> 00:10:14.847
- You know, as you're out and about in this christmas season,
- 00:10:14.847 --> 00:10:17.116
- Going to christmas events, parties, christmas shopping,
- 00:10:17.116 --> 00:10:20.653
- Et cetera, i want you to remember why jesus came.
- 00:10:20.653 --> 00:10:24.056
- Why did he come?
- 00:10:24.056 --> 00:10:25.391
- So, we could go shopping and shop till we drop?
- 00:10:25.391 --> 00:10:27.793
- No.
- 00:10:27.793 --> 00:10:29.128
- Jesus said, "i have come that you might have life and that
- 00:10:29.128 --> 00:10:32.031
- More abundantly."
- 00:10:32.031 --> 00:10:33.699
- So, jesus was born in that manger so you could find life in
- 00:10:33.699 --> 00:10:37.103
- All of its fullness.
- 00:10:37.103 --> 00:10:38.771
- You know, people put a lot of pressure on gift giving.
- 00:10:38.771 --> 00:10:42.241
- You want to give the perfect gift.
- 00:10:42.241 --> 00:10:43.909
- Maybe there's a certain thing you want to receive.
- 00:10:43.909 --> 00:10:46.112
- Here's a thought for you.
- 00:10:46.112 --> 00:10:47.480
- Don't put your focus on the present under the tree.
- 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:51.250
- Put your focus on god's presence in your life.
- 00:10:51.250 --> 00:10:55.054
- The message of christmas is immanuel,
- 00:10:55.054 --> 00:10:57.723
- Which means god is with us.
- 00:10:57.723 --> 00:10:59.725
- God is with you but even more, christ can live in you if you
- 00:10:59.725 --> 00:11:03.596
- Put your faith in him.
- 00:11:03.596 --> 00:11:04.964
- Merry christmas.
- 00:11:04.964 --> 00:11:06.432
- Greg: greg laurie here, you know, right now
- 00:11:06.499 --> 00:11:08.634
- There is a growing spiritual hunger in our nation.
- 00:11:08.634 --> 00:11:11.937
- Everywhere you look you see signs of, well,
- 00:11:11.937 --> 00:11:14.707
- What we might call revival.
- 00:11:14.707 --> 00:11:16.809
- Let's start with the harvest crusade at angel stadium
- 00:11:16.809 --> 00:11:19.612
- Where the fire marshal not only had to stop thousands
- 00:11:19.612 --> 00:11:22.581
- At the door but also when the people came forward to make
- 00:11:22.581 --> 00:11:25.885
- A profession of faith to follow christ
- 00:11:25.885 --> 00:11:28.220
- The fire marshal shut that down as well.
- 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:31.323
- But then we just had a crusade in utah.
- 00:11:31.323 --> 00:11:34.293
- We called it hope for america.
- 00:11:34.293 --> 00:11:36.462
- And this was a community that needed hope
- 00:11:36.462 --> 00:11:39.131
- And so we went there with the message of the gospel
- 00:11:39.131 --> 00:11:41.600
- And we saw 2500 people say yes to jesus.
- 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:46.772
- God has done some amazing things in the last few months
- 00:11:46.772 --> 00:11:49.942
- And he's opened some amazing doors.
- 00:11:49.942 --> 00:11:52.511
- And i'm going to ask you to be generous for the days ahead.
- 00:11:52.511 --> 00:11:55.948
- Who knows what opportunities are going to come our way?
- 00:11:55.948 --> 00:11:59.552
- So i want to thank you in advance for whatever you can do.
- 00:11:59.552 --> 00:12:02.822
- Every gift matters.
- 00:12:02.822 --> 00:12:04.890
- God bless you.
- 00:12:04.890 --> 00:12:06.826
- Greg: i want you to notice that the author of this gospel,
- 00:12:10.963 --> 00:12:14.066
- Dr. luke, he was a physician by trade,
- 00:12:14.066 --> 00:12:17.103
- Was very meticulous in his reporting.
- 00:12:17.103 --> 00:12:20.740
- Now, luke is very poetic.
- 00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:22.742
- The way he writes is beautiful,
- 00:12:22.742 --> 00:12:24.977
- But he's also a stickler for the facts.
- 00:12:24.977 --> 00:12:27.780
- You see, luke was not an eyewitness
- 00:12:27.780 --> 00:12:29.949
- Of the life and ministry of christ.
- 00:12:29.949 --> 00:12:31.884
- Luke wrote the gospel of luke and the book of acts.
- 00:12:31.884 --> 00:12:35.187
- He came along a little bit later.
- 00:12:35.187 --> 00:12:37.556
- Matthew, the author of the gospel of matthew, and john,
- 00:12:37.556 --> 00:12:40.559
- Author of the gospel by his name, both were eyewitnesses,
- 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:44.363
- So they could speak from experience,
- 00:12:44.363 --> 00:12:46.265
- But luke didn't have that privilege.
- 00:12:46.265 --> 00:12:48.267
- So, he went and interviewed the people that were
- 00:12:48.267 --> 00:12:51.837
- The key players in this story.
- 00:12:51.837 --> 00:12:54.373
- No doubt, he sat down with mary and heard the story from her,
- 00:12:54.373 --> 00:12:58.711
- And talked to other people that were actually there, and then
- 00:12:58.711 --> 00:13:02.782
- He put it all together to record for us an accurate record
- 00:13:02.782 --> 00:13:07.486
- Of what took place, because this was a real event.
- 00:13:07.486 --> 00:13:10.222
- It happened in a real place in real time.
- 00:13:10.222 --> 00:13:12.958
- In fact, luke writes in luke 1:3,
- 00:13:12.958 --> 00:13:15.628
- "i carefully investigated everything from the beginning.
- 00:13:15.628 --> 00:13:19.031
- It seemed good to me to write an orderly account to you."
- 00:13:19.031 --> 00:13:22.868
- And to show the authenticity of luke's writing and to pinpoint
- 00:13:22.868 --> 00:13:27.072
- It in time historically, notice he mentions both caesar augustus
- 00:13:27.072 --> 00:13:32.411
- And quirinius in verses 2 and 3.
- 00:13:32.411 --> 00:13:36.115
- These were actual people.
- 00:13:36.115 --> 00:13:38.117
- Caesar augustus was the first real roman emperor.
- 00:13:38.117 --> 00:13:41.887
- His actual name was gaius octavius.
- 00:13:41.887 --> 00:13:44.924
- He was the great nephew of julius caesar.
- 00:13:44.924 --> 00:13:48.561
- Julius caesar, that was his real name, but after caesar
- 00:13:48.561 --> 00:13:52.798
- Passed from the scene, they took the name of caesar
- 00:13:52.798 --> 00:13:55.434
- And turned it into a title.
- 00:13:55.434 --> 00:13:57.670
- So, gaius octavius now became the caesar of rome,
- 00:13:57.670 --> 00:14:01.740
- But he added another thing to it.
- 00:14:01.740 --> 00:14:04.109
- He started calling himself augustus caesar, and the phrase
- 00:14:04.109 --> 00:14:08.047
- Augustus means to be worshiped and to be revered.
- 00:14:08.047 --> 00:14:12.551
- So, this is when the caesars were now accepting and then
- 00:14:12.551 --> 00:14:16.055
- Later demanding worship from the people, that they would worship
- 00:14:16.055 --> 00:14:19.859
- Caesar as a god.
- 00:14:19.859 --> 00:14:23.028
- So, caesar augustus, this is a man saying, in effect,
- 00:14:23.028 --> 00:14:27.433
- "i am god."
- 00:14:27.433 --> 00:14:29.201
- And they found--archeologists discovered, i should say--
- 00:14:29.201 --> 00:14:31.770
- An actual monument that was dedicated to caesar that said,
- 00:14:31.770 --> 00:14:36.275
- "augustus caesar, the savior of rome."
- 00:14:36.275 --> 00:14:40.279
- So, they found this statement, and now this makes sense
- 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:44.583
- When we look at the angels' statement to the shepherds
- 00:14:44.583 --> 00:14:46.819
- Keeping watch over their flocks by night.
- 00:14:46.819 --> 00:14:48.921
- They said, "unto you is born this day into
- 00:14:48.921 --> 00:14:50.589
- The city of david a savior, who is christ the lord."
- 00:14:50.589 --> 00:14:53.893
- So, effectively, god was saying,
- 00:14:53.893 --> 00:14:55.361
- Augustus caesar is not the savior.
- 00:14:55.361 --> 00:14:57.863
- Jesus christ is the savior.
- 00:14:57.863 --> 00:15:00.032
- The savior is not wrapped in royal robes.
- 00:15:00.032 --> 00:15:02.768
- He's wrapped in strips of cloth lying on the floor of a barn.
- 00:15:02.768 --> 00:15:08.774
- So, really, when you look at the life of christ,
- 00:15:08.774 --> 00:15:11.043
- It's not a rags to riches story.
- 00:15:11.043 --> 00:15:13.646
- It's a riches to rags story.
- 00:15:13.646 --> 00:15:16.015
- He went from being a sovereign to a servant, from the glory of
- 00:15:16.015 --> 00:15:20.252
- Heaven to a stable for animals.
- 00:15:20.252 --> 00:15:22.955
- All of that he did for us.
- 00:15:22.955 --> 00:15:25.891
- It's an incredible thing to think about.
- 00:15:25.891 --> 00:15:28.661
- And so god wanted to move joseph and mary from point a to b,
- 00:15:28.661 --> 00:15:34.566
- Because a messiah was not to be born in nazareth
- 00:15:34.566 --> 00:15:38.003
- Or any other place.
- 00:15:38.003 --> 00:15:40.839
- He was to be born in bethlehem, because micah 5:2 said, "thou
- 00:15:40.839 --> 00:15:45.678
- Bethlehem, though you be little among the thousands of judah,
- 00:15:45.678 --> 00:15:49.181
- Yet out of you shall come forth one whose origins
- 00:15:49.181 --> 00:15:51.717
- Have been from everlasting."
- 00:15:51.717 --> 00:15:53.953
- It was prophesied.
- 00:15:53.953 --> 00:15:55.754
- When the wise men came later to king herod, saying,
- 00:15:55.754 --> 00:15:58.958
- "oh, there's one that's born called the king of the jews."
- 00:15:58.958 --> 00:16:02.094
- He said to his scholars, "figure out where the messiah
- 00:16:02.094 --> 00:16:04.730
- Is gonna be born."
- 00:16:04.730 --> 00:16:06.165
- And they accurately pinpointed it's bethlehem,
- 00:16:06.165 --> 00:16:08.867
- And that's why herod went in and killed all those baby boys.
- 00:16:08.867 --> 00:16:11.804
- So, this was something that could be determined, but mary
- 00:16:11.804 --> 00:16:14.740
- And joseph had to get there, so they make that long, difficult
- 00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:17.943
- Journey, and they arrive in the city, but god was moving events
- 00:16:17.943 --> 00:16:23.115
- To get them there.
- 00:16:23.115 --> 00:16:24.516
- So, there they are now, and they come into town.
- 00:16:24.516 --> 00:16:26.986
- And the story is so familiar, but there's no room in the inn.
- 00:16:26.986 --> 00:16:30.756
- Sounds like there was no room in the innkeeper's heart.
- 00:16:30.756 --> 00:16:34.560
- What was this guy's problem?
- 00:16:34.560 --> 00:16:36.895
- But this phrase, "no room in the inn," in many ways became
- 00:16:36.895 --> 00:16:40.399
- Prophetic of the reception that christ received
- 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.802
- While he walked this earth.
- 00:16:43.802 --> 00:16:45.738
- Ironically, there was no room for jesus, yet jesus said,
- 00:16:45.738 --> 00:16:49.008
- "in my father's house are many mansions."
- 00:16:49.008 --> 00:16:52.378
- You know, we don't have any room for him,
- 00:16:52.378 --> 00:16:55.581
- But he has many rooms for us.
- 00:16:55.581 --> 00:16:58.517
- Ironic.
- 00:16:58.517 --> 00:17:00.219
- And so here he is coming to--or mary and joseph are coming
- 00:17:00.219 --> 00:17:03.889
- To this innkeeper's place, and he's rubbing
- 00:17:03.889 --> 00:17:07.393
- The sleep out of his eyes.
- 00:17:07.393 --> 00:17:08.861
- And you think when he opened the door,
- 00:17:08.861 --> 00:17:10.496
- There was like a spotlight on them?
- 00:17:10.496 --> 00:17:12.698
- You know.
- 00:17:12.698 --> 00:17:14.033
- No, i think they looked like any other poor family, poor couple.
- 00:17:14.033 --> 00:17:17.736
- Looked at them like they don't have any money.
- 00:17:17.736 --> 00:17:19.872
- "i don't have any room in the inn.
- 00:17:19.872 --> 00:17:22.207
- Well, you can go out in the barn.
- 00:17:22.207 --> 00:17:24.109
- Have your baby there." how heartless can a man be?
- 00:17:24.109 --> 00:17:26.979
- But what an opportunity he missed.
- 00:17:26.979 --> 00:17:29.481
- Here was god coming to him.
- 00:17:29.481 --> 00:17:31.183
- And, you know, god up and comes to us in unexpected ways.
- 00:17:31.183 --> 00:17:35.154
- Jesus said, "if you did it to the least of these,
- 00:17:35.154 --> 00:17:37.990
- You did it for me."
- 00:17:37.990 --> 00:17:39.725
- He says, "when i was hungry, you fed me.
- 00:17:39.725 --> 00:17:41.560
- When i was thirsty, you gave me drink.
- 00:17:41.560 --> 00:17:43.462
- When i was in prison, you visited me."
- 00:17:43.462 --> 00:17:45.764
- They said, "well, when did we visit you in prison?
- 00:17:45.764 --> 00:17:48.333
- When did we feed you? when did we give you water?"
- 00:17:48.333 --> 00:17:51.003
- He said, "when you did it to the least of these,
- 00:17:51.003 --> 00:17:53.172
- You did it to me."
- 00:17:53.172 --> 00:17:55.007
- So, here was god in human form in the womb of this woman,
- 00:17:55.007 --> 00:17:59.311
- Ready to be born.
- 00:17:59.311 --> 00:18:01.080
- I mean this guy could've rolled out the red carpet
- 00:18:01.080 --> 00:18:03.782
- And been the spot where christ was born,
- 00:18:03.782 --> 00:18:06.685
- But instead he heartlessly turns them away.
- 00:18:06.685 --> 00:18:10.823
- We can say, "oh, he's so bad."
- 00:18:10.823 --> 00:18:12.191
- But wait a second. do we turn him away sometimes?
- 00:18:12.191 --> 00:18:15.360
- Sometimes even in the celebration of christmas,
- 00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:18.197
- We forget all about jesus 'cause we're in such a rush
- 00:18:18.197 --> 00:18:22.668
- Going here and there.
- 00:18:22.668 --> 00:18:24.470
- And, you know, christmas does not bring the best
- 00:18:24.470 --> 00:18:26.772
- Out of people many times.
- 00:18:26.772 --> 00:18:28.173
- It brings the worst out of them.
- 00:18:28.173 --> 00:18:30.008
- If you don't believe me, go to a mall.
- 00:18:30.008 --> 00:18:32.711
- Some of you are planning on doing that today.
- 00:18:32.711 --> 00:18:35.547
- And, you know, people are very aggressive,
- 00:18:35.547 --> 00:18:38.250
- And they want that parking spot.
- 00:18:38.250 --> 00:18:40.819
- And they're grabbing this, and rushing over here, and fighting
- 00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:44.890
- Over things, and, you know, it can be a very stressful time,
- 00:18:44.890 --> 00:18:48.894
- And we can forget all about the lord
- 00:18:48.894 --> 00:18:51.163
- And not be listening to him.
- 00:18:51.163 --> 00:18:52.664
- I think a great verse to think about is what christ said in
- 00:18:52.664 --> 00:18:55.367
- Matthew 11 when he said, "come to me, all of you who
- 00:18:55.367 --> 00:18:59.037
- Are weary and heavily burdened, and i will give you rest.
- 00:18:59.037 --> 00:19:03.208
- Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for i am gentle
- 00:19:03.208 --> 00:19:06.245
- And humble in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls.
- 00:19:06.245 --> 00:19:09.348
- For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
- 00:19:09.348 --> 00:19:12.584
- These words of jesus are for any person who is stressed out.
- 00:19:12.584 --> 00:19:16.555
- Are you stressed out right now?
- 00:19:16.555 --> 00:19:19.358
- How many of you are feeling a little bit stressed?
- 00:19:19.358 --> 00:19:21.093
- Yeah--the rest of you, liars.
- 00:19:21.093 --> 00:19:23.996
- Come on. that's all right.
- 00:19:23.996 --> 00:19:26.165
- Maybe you're not stressed out, but you're certainly hurried
- 00:19:26.165 --> 00:19:28.934
- And worried about many things.
- 00:19:28.934 --> 00:19:31.637
- And so jesus says, "just come here and find rest from me."
- 00:19:31.637 --> 00:19:35.941
- Another translation puts it this way.
- 00:19:35.941 --> 00:19:38.243
- Christ speaking, "are you tired, worn out,
- 00:19:38.243 --> 00:19:41.213
- Burned out on religion?
- 00:19:41.213 --> 00:19:43.182
- Come to me, get away with me, and you'll recover your life.
- 00:19:43.182 --> 00:19:46.552
- I'll show you how to take a real rest."
- 00:19:46.552 --> 00:19:49.621
- I like that.
- 00:19:49.621 --> 00:19:51.390
- That's written not to lazy people, but to weary people,
- 00:19:51.390 --> 00:19:55.294
- People who are at the point of exhaustion, people that are
- 00:19:55.294 --> 00:19:59.565
- Coming loaded down with weight, and sometimes that weight is
- 00:19:59.565 --> 00:20:03.001
- Because of all those christmas cookies and candies and things
- 00:20:03.001 --> 00:20:07.272
- People give to us.
- 00:20:07.272 --> 00:20:08.840
- Oh, my goodness.
- 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:10.676
- But maybe it's the weight of sin.
- 00:20:10.676 --> 00:20:13.212
- Maybe you're here today with just a burden of sin,
- 00:20:13.212 --> 00:20:16.448
- Something you've done.
- 00:20:16.448 --> 00:20:18.217
- Maybe it's a burden of pain.
- 00:20:18.217 --> 00:20:21.587
- You know, you're having physical pain right now.
- 00:20:21.587 --> 00:20:24.022
- Maybe it's the burden of family conflict.
- 00:20:24.022 --> 00:20:26.425
- You know, christmas often brings that out,
- 00:20:26.425 --> 00:20:28.860
- Because it brings us together.
- 00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:30.929
- Jesus is saying, "come to me.
- 00:20:30.929 --> 00:20:33.265
- Come to me with your problems.
- 00:20:33.265 --> 00:20:35.100
- Come to me with your worries."
- 00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.902
- Have you ever noticed that your problems often hit you
- 00:20:36.902 --> 00:20:39.471
- Like at 3 o'clock in the morning?
- 00:20:39.471 --> 00:20:41.840
- Right? you wake up for a moment.
- 00:20:41.840 --> 00:20:44.343
- All of a sudden, pfft, pfft, pfft, four or five of them.
- 00:20:44.343 --> 00:20:46.411
- That's the sound effect of problems hitting.
- 00:20:46.411 --> 00:20:48.146
- I'll do it again.
- 00:20:48.146 --> 00:20:49.581
- Pfft, pfft, pfft, yeah, just like that.
- 00:20:49.581 --> 00:20:51.450
- One more, pfft, there.
- 00:20:51.450 --> 00:20:53.652
- Then that really big one, whoosh, yeah.
- 00:20:53.652 --> 00:20:56.922
- Oh, worrying about this, worrying about that.
- 00:20:56.922 --> 00:21:00.192
- What am i gonna do about all this stuff?
- 00:21:00.192 --> 00:21:01.860
- And do you know what i do?
- 00:21:01.860 --> 00:21:03.195
- I just commit each one to the lord.
- 00:21:03.195 --> 00:21:05.097
- "lord, there's nothing i can do, but you can handle it.
- 00:21:05.097 --> 00:21:07.799
- And i'm gonna sleep.
- 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:09.167
- So, you worry about it."
- 00:21:09.167 --> 00:21:13.572
- But god isn't gonna worry about it at all, is he?
- 00:21:13.572 --> 00:21:16.508
- But what does scripture tell us to do?
- 00:21:16.508 --> 00:21:18.543
- Cast all our care upon him, for he cares for us.
- 00:21:18.543 --> 00:21:22.481
- So, just put it on the lord.
- 00:21:22.481 --> 00:21:24.082
- "lord, i give this problem to you.
- 00:21:24.082 --> 00:21:25.517
- I give that conflict to you.
- 00:21:25.517 --> 00:21:26.918
- I give this need to you.
- 00:21:26.918 --> 00:21:28.687
- I give this other issue to you.
- 00:21:28.687 --> 00:21:30.722
- I put it in your hands, and i ask you to help me with it.
- 00:21:30.722 --> 00:21:33.625
- And i'm gonna sleep, and i'll talk to you in the morning."
- 00:21:33.625 --> 00:21:35.961
- Right?
- 00:21:35.961 --> 00:21:37.296
- So, that's what jesus is saying that we should do:
- 00:21:37.296 --> 00:21:39.731
- Give those burdens over to him.
- 00:21:39.731 --> 00:21:41.900
- But we can be so busy in the celebration.
- 00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:45.270
- You know, it's a funny thing.
- 00:21:45.270 --> 00:21:47.272
- A lot of times during christmas, people don't go to church.
- 00:21:47.272 --> 00:21:51.910
- I mean, that's strange to me.
- 00:21:51.910 --> 00:21:53.812
- It's like, do we have to go out and celebrate
- 00:21:53.812 --> 00:21:55.314
- The birth of christ?
- 00:21:55.314 --> 00:21:56.682
- So, let's not go to church.
- 00:21:56.682 --> 00:21:58.450
- But to me i'm thinking, "gosh, if there's one thing i want to
- 00:21:58.450 --> 00:22:00.686
- Do on christmas day, it's go and honor the one
- 00:22:00.686 --> 00:22:03.955
- Who was born with god's people.
- 00:22:03.955 --> 00:22:06.591
- Think of what he did for us.
- 00:22:06.591 --> 00:22:09.261
- Think of all that he gave up for us.
- 00:22:09.261 --> 00:22:12.464
- You know, the bible tells us that he was god.
- 00:22:12.464 --> 00:22:15.701
- He did nothing of robbery to be equal with god,
- 00:22:15.701 --> 00:22:17.969
- But he made himself a servant and emptied himself.
- 00:22:17.969 --> 00:22:22.040
- Now, he didn't empty himself of his divinity,
- 00:22:22.040 --> 00:22:25.377
- But he emptied himself of the privileges of divinity.
- 00:22:25.377 --> 00:22:29.681
- He walked among us as a man.
- 00:22:29.681 --> 00:22:32.384
- He lived among us as a man, a sinless man,
- 00:22:32.384 --> 00:22:35.587
- But yet one who felt the pressure and presence of sin,
- 00:22:35.587 --> 00:22:39.558
- And he walked in our shoes.
- 00:22:39.558 --> 00:22:41.660
- And then, of course, he lived our life, and he died our death.
- 00:22:41.660 --> 00:22:46.298
- And, you know, he did come to this earth, and that's what we
- 00:22:46.298 --> 00:22:49.000
- Celebrate when we come to christmas, but the bible tells
- 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:52.037
- Us one day he will come again.
- 00:22:52.037 --> 00:22:55.640
- He'll come again, and this time he's not gonna come to a manger.
- 00:22:55.640 --> 00:22:59.344
- He's gonna return in glory.
- 00:22:59.344 --> 00:23:01.713
- At his first coming, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
- 00:23:01.713 --> 00:23:05.083
- At his second coming, he'll be clothed royally
- 00:23:05.083 --> 00:23:07.986
- In a robe dipped in blood.
- 00:23:07.986 --> 00:23:10.422
- At his first coming, he was surrounded
- 00:23:10.422 --> 00:23:12.357
- By animals and shepherds.
- 00:23:12.357 --> 00:23:14.760
- In his second coming, he'll be accompanied
- 00:23:14.760 --> 00:23:16.728
- By saints and angels.
- 00:23:16.728 --> 00:23:19.064
- In his first coming, we know that he had no place to go.
- 00:23:19.064 --> 00:23:25.737
- There was no room for him in the inn, but in his second coming,
- 00:23:25.737 --> 00:23:29.007
- The door of the heavens will be opened to him.
- 00:23:29.007 --> 00:23:32.010
- In his first coming, he was the lamb of god coming to die
- 00:23:32.010 --> 00:23:35.580
- For the sins of the world.
- 00:23:35.580 --> 00:23:37.416
- In his second coming, he'll be the ferocious lion of the tribe
- 00:23:37.416 --> 00:23:41.086
- Of judah bringing judgment.
- 00:23:41.086 --> 00:23:43.955
- And this is the day the bible speaks of when it says every
- 00:23:43.955 --> 00:23:47.692
- Knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that jesus christ
- 00:23:47.692 --> 00:23:51.797
- Is lord to the glory of god the father.
- 00:23:51.797 --> 00:23:55.200
- He's coming again.
- 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.369
- Greg: maybe god has spoken
- 00:24:00.972 --> 00:24:02.707
- To your heart and you have seen your need for jesus christ.
- 00:24:02.707 --> 00:24:07.612
- Jesus christ is the son of god who came from heaven
- 00:24:07.612 --> 00:24:11.450
- To this earth.
- 00:24:11.450 --> 00:24:12.951
- He was born in a manger, he died on cross,
- 00:24:12.951 --> 00:24:16.321
- He rose again from the dead; why?
- 00:24:16.321 --> 00:24:18.590
- Because he loves you and he wants a relationship with you.
- 00:24:18.590 --> 00:24:22.227
- Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
- 00:24:22.227 --> 00:24:24.296
- I don't wanna be a religious person,
- 00:24:24.296 --> 00:24:26.298
- I don't think you wanna be one either,
- 00:24:26.298 --> 00:24:28.233
- I'm talking about relationship with god.
- 00:24:28.233 --> 00:24:31.903
- Jesus who died and rose again stands at the door of your life
- 00:24:31.903 --> 00:24:36.141
- And he knocks and he says, "if you'll hear his voice
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- And open the door, he will come in."
- 00:24:38.944 --> 00:24:41.146
- Question:
- 00:24:41.146 --> 00:24:42.647
- Have you asked jesus christ to come and live inside of you?
- 00:24:42.647 --> 00:24:45.383
- You might say, "well, i think so, i'm not sure."
- 00:24:45.383 --> 00:24:47.552
- Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle
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- Of the night, do you think you would be aware of it?
- 00:24:49.754 --> 00:24:52.657
- I'm sure you would.
- 00:24:52.657 --> 00:24:54.392
- And in the same way, if christ has come to live inside of you,
- 00:24:54.392 --> 00:24:57.229
- You will know, and if you don't know,
- 00:24:57.229 --> 00:24:59.798
- Maybe he has not come in yet, he's just a prayer away.
- 00:24:59.798 --> 00:25:03.602
- All you need to do is say, "jesus, i want this relationship
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- With you, i want you to forgive me of my sin,
- 00:25:07.172 --> 00:25:10.008
- I wanna go to heaven when i die."
- 00:25:10.008 --> 00:25:12.544
- Would you like to do that?
- 00:25:12.544 --> 00:25:14.112
- Would you like christ to come into your life?
- 00:25:14.112 --> 00:25:16.047
- If so, why don't you just pray the simple prayer with me.
- 00:25:16.047 --> 00:25:19.384
- You can pray it out loud or you can pray it in the quietness
- 00:25:19.384 --> 00:25:22.654
- Of your heart.
- 00:25:22.654 --> 00:25:23.989
- But this is a prayer where you're asking jesus christ
- 00:25:23.989 --> 00:25:26.458
- To be your savior and lord, pray this with me now.
- 00:25:26.458 --> 00:25:29.995
- "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner,
- 00:25:29.995 --> 00:25:33.265
- But i know that you're the savior.
- 00:25:33.265 --> 00:25:35.667
- Who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.
- 00:25:35.667 --> 00:25:39.871
- Now come into my life.
- 00:25:39.871 --> 00:25:42.140
- I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
- 00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:46.478
- Thank you for hearing this prayer
- 00:25:46.478 --> 00:25:49.014
- And answering this prayer.
- 00:25:49.014 --> 00:25:50.849
- In jesus's name, amen."
- 00:25:50.849 --> 00:25:53.585
- Did you just pray that prayer with me?
- 00:25:53.585 --> 00:25:55.954
- If so, i want you to know in the authority of scripture that
- 00:25:55.954 --> 00:25:59.024
- Christ himself has come to live inside of you.
- 00:25:59.024 --> 00:26:02.294
- And i would love to send to you,
- 00:26:02.294 --> 00:26:04.095
- At no charge, something called
- 00:26:04.095 --> 00:26:06.097
- "the new believer's bible."
- 00:26:06.097 --> 00:26:07.832
- It's a very friendly translation of
- 00:26:07.832 --> 00:26:09.834
- The new testament you'll find very understandable, and it's
- 00:26:09.834 --> 00:26:13.238
- Filled with hundreds of notes that i wrote that will encourage
- 00:26:13.238 --> 00:26:17.075
- You in this commitment you've just made to follow jesus.
- 00:26:17.075 --> 00:26:20.378
- Let me send that to you at no charge, and let me be
- 00:26:20.378 --> 00:26:23.582
- The first to say to you, "congratulations
- 00:26:23.582 --> 00:26:26.918
- And welcome to the family of god."
- 00:26:26.918 --> 00:26:29.120
- Greg: greg laurie here, you know, right now
- 00:26:31.056 --> 00:26:33.191
- There is a growing spiritual hunger in our nation.
- 00:26:33.191 --> 00:26:36.494
- Everywhere you look you see signs of, well,
- 00:26:36.494 --> 00:26:39.264
- What we might call revival.
- 00:26:39.264 --> 00:26:41.366
- Let's start with the harvest crusade at angel stadium
- 00:26:41.366 --> 00:26:44.169
- Where the fire marshal not only had to stop thousands
- 00:26:44.169 --> 00:26:47.138
- At the door but also when the people came forward to make
- 00:26:47.138 --> 00:26:50.442
- A profession of faith to follow christ
- 00:26:50.442 --> 00:26:52.777
- The fire marshal shut that down as well.
- 00:26:52.777 --> 00:26:55.880
- But then we just had a crusade in utah.
- 00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:58.850
- We called it hope for america.
- 00:26:58.850 --> 00:27:01.019
- And this was a community that needed hope
- 00:27:01.019 --> 00:27:03.688
- And so we went there with the message of the gospel
- 00:27:03.688 --> 00:27:06.157
- And we saw 2500 people say yes to jesus.
- 00:27:06.157 --> 00:27:11.329
- God has done some amazing things in the last few months
- 00:27:11.329 --> 00:27:14.499
- And he's opened some amazing doors.
- 00:27:14.499 --> 00:27:17.068
- And i'm going to ask you to be generous for the days ahead.
- 00:27:17.068 --> 00:27:20.505
- Who knows what opportunities are going to come our way?
- 00:27:20.505 --> 00:27:24.109
- So i want to thank you in advance for whatever you can do.
- 00:27:24.109 --> 00:27:27.379
- Every gift matters.
- 00:27:27.379 --> 00:27:29.447
- God bless you.
- 00:27:29.447 --> 00:27:29.447
