Christ Is What Christmas Is About

December 11, 2011

Scripture referenced 9 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Luke 2:8-11 read by the Swink family at the lighting of the third Advent candle of joy

8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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Luke 1 (Mary's prayer)

quoted at the opening of worship: 'My soul glorifies the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God, my savior for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant'

1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,

2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,

3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division,

9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.

17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.

22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.

23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

24 After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,

25 “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

36 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.

39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

46 Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.

51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”

56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.…

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2 Chronicles 16 (partial)

Marlon quoted it in sharing about China: 'the eyes of the Lord range throughout the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him'

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,

3 “Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.”

4 Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

5 When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Rama, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.

7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.

8 Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.

9 For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”

10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great: yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but just the physicians.

13 Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in David’s city, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art; and they made a very great fire for him.

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Psalm 31:14-15

Marlon cited it as a verse she took to China: 'I trust in you, oh Lord, I say, you are my God. My times are in your hands'

14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

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Mark 13 (partial)

Marlon read it as preparation for China: 'the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. Whatever is given you in that hour, speak that. For it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Spirit'

1 As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!”

2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.”

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,

4 “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

6 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray.

7 “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

10 The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.

11 When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

13 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

14 But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

15 and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.

16 Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.

17 But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!

18 Pray that your flight won’t be in the winter.

19 For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.

20 Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.

21 Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.

22 For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

23 But you watch. “Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

24 But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,

25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

27 Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

28 “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near;

29 even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.

30 Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is.

34 “It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

35 Watch therefore, for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

36 lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping.

37 What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.”

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Colossians 3:12-17

Marlon recalled it at the close of her China reflections, including 'let the word of Christ dwell in you'

12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

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2 Peter 1 (partial)

Marlon referenced it from a missions meeting: 'make sure your election and calling are sure'

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;

4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness;

7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

12 Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth.

13 I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you;

14 knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

15 Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.

21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

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Psalm 107:9, 13-14

Marlon cited it as coming alive through Amanda's story: 'as she cried out to the Lord, he delivered and saved her out of her distresses'

9 For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

13 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.

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Isaiah 58:10

Amy shared it as the scripture the Lord gave her before her ministry meetings in China: 'If you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness'

10 and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday;

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent, and rather than a single sermon, the service centered on reports from a mission trip to Beijing and moved into a Communion meditation on what it means to celebrate, not just mourn, what Jesus did. Pastor Don tied the China stories directly to Communion and to the church's own life together in Jackson Hole. The thread running through everything was that Christmas, like Communion, is not about us.

What was said

Marlon opened the China report by describing what she saw as the dominant lesson of the trip: that God hears and answers prayer. She pointed to committed young believers and women who wanted to be prepared for ministry, and to the constant rhythm of small gatherings, English classes, parenting classes, and one-on-one counseling that filled every day they were there. She drew on 2 Chronicles 16 to say that God's eyes range throughout the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him, and that she saw that lived out in Beijing.

Amy followed and described the same weeks from her angle. She talked about Amanda, a pregnant woman from an abusive background who had spent a day receiving prayer and ministry before she gave birth. Amy said the change in Amanda was not a mood lift but a visible transformation, and that she and Marlon got to visit her and the baby in the hospital afterward. She also described the church they attended, packed with 25-to-45-year-old professionals, many of them praying for a marriage partner, hungry and open.

Amy spoke about the difference in freedom between going to China as an American and what the Chinese believers actually live with. She said that for many of them, the only freedom they have is the freedom they have in Christ. She asked the congregation to pray for the country's coming leadership transition in April 2012, because people in positions of influence who are hostile to Christianity could come to power, and the freedoms believers have seen in recent years are not guaranteed.

She closed her report with a passage from Isaiah 58 that she said the Lord gave her before one of the meetings. Her point was simple: the things God gives us to sustain our own lives are exactly what will sustain anyone else, because the answer is him. She echoed what Marlon had said from Mark 13, that the Holy Spirit would give them what to say, and called that the one word she would put over the entire trip.

Pastor Don picked the thread back up and moved the congregation into Communion by describing how the underground and above-ground churches in Beijing gather. He said worshipers come in one or two at a time so the government will not shut them down, and that the worship he witnessed was something he wished he could put on a DVD and bring home, but that it has to come from the heart, not a recording. He said those six visitors who stood up at the end of the service and said they were not believers but wanted to be were there because someone had invited them and they had heard about Jesus.

On the bread, Pastor Don said the broken body is personal, not just corporate. He prayed that the congregation would receive it in a way that changes how they love others, the same way it was changing people in Beijing and around the world.

On the cup, he pushed back against treating Communion as only a somber occasion. He said that because Jesus gave a second chance, because forgiveness and new life are real, Communion is a celebration. He came back to the image of Amanda holding her baby and smiling, and said that smile is what victory and cleansing look like. He closed by asking God for the same joy in Jackson Hole that the church in China was already experiencing that very Sunday evening.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Chuck from the Good Samaritan Mission described people who came in 'rejected and dejected' and were changed by God working through the mission. Has there been a time when you saw God meet someone in a low point through the practical help of other believers? What did that look like?
Marlon shared that one of the main things God taught her in China was that He hears, understands, and answers prayer, and she leaned on the verse 'my times are in your hands.' How does that truth actually change the way you pray, especially when circumstances feel overwhelming or unpredictable?

and 3 more questions in the guide

Open the study guide

Read the full transcript 6,104 words

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0:00 The youth groups are are meeting at the town square to serve hot chocolate. There's a number of kind of tweaks to the especially to the youth schedule that are mentioned in your bulletin also. So take a close look there, especially if you're involved with the the junior and senior high ministries. On the eighteenth, we have a very special Sunday. There'll be a children's program in the morning on Sunday here.

0:26 And then in the evening, we've got our, our, buzzard breath chili cook off. And then after that, we'll be going caroling. So after you've had a chance to eat all the onions and the the the chili spices, we'll go out and share that with the neighbors through song. There will be Awana here that evening. So if you want to come enjoy the enjoy the chili and then drop the kids off at Awana, that'll that'll be happening.

0:55 On Christmas Eve, there's a there's a schedule change here that you need to be aware of. We'll have two candlelight services. The the cantata or the choir is gonna be presenting a cantata, which we're very excited about. But note that the the time has changed. It's now 5PM and 06:30PM.

1:15 We're doing a little bit earlier. It's on a Saturday. Hopefully, that'll give you time to spend as a family in the evening after you join us here for the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. So this is a great time to reach out to people in our community also that don't typically attend church. A lot of folks are very open to coming in on on Christmas Eve.

1:39 They'll hear the gospel when they're here. So make a point to invite your friends, neighbors, your coworkers. This is a it's a fantastic time to do that on Christmas Eve. Then on on Christmas day, we'll have one service, for the whole church at 10:00 here. So busy schedule between between now and Christmas, but I want you, and your families to really remember that it's about it's about Christ's birth and his his coming to save us.

2:11 With that said, this is the third Sunday of Advent. The Swink family is gonna do our our third advent candle and a reading. So, this is Craig and Jenny Swink and their children.

2:25 Good morning. Good morning. On this third Sunday in Advent, the candle of joy is lit. Jesus came to give us fullness of joy and abundant life. Joy is ours because of Jesus.

2:39 His presence brings the promise of joy. Luke two eight through 11 says, and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord showed around them And they were terrified. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

3:08 Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.

3:27 For those of you that are new here, I really hope you feel welcome this morning. I wanted to start our morning off with a a scripture. This comes from Luke chapter one. Mary is is praying. She says, my soul glorifies the Lord My spirit rejoices in God, my savior for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

4:00 I hope as we worship here this morning that we're able to do that with with humble hearts and with putting God first and foremost in our worship.

4:12 Alright. Please stand with me again. Alright. Why don't you guys take a minute to greet one another now that we filled up? Alright.

7:35 We'll continue on with some more worship. You guys are great at greeting one another. Well done. Well done. You may be seated.

11:10 A couple of weeks ago, we had a my small group and I had a opportunity to share in the ministry of the Good Samaritan Mission here in town and we help them with with mealtime. This morning, we have we have Chuck and Carol from the Good Samaritan Mission that are here to share just a little bit.

11:33 Yeah, I'm Chuck. I'm the Executive Director. I know a lot of you because a lot of you come over and help the Good Samaritan Mission. First Baptist Church is one of our biggest supporters, and we thank you for everything that you do. You might have saw a little blue thing in the newspaper.

11:48 It was just a plea for support. And that's, I think, where we can go right now. We've had a loss for the last couple of years, and we're projecting another one for the third year. So the help financially is really, really needed right now. And that would be good.

12:05 One quick story. Right here we've got one of the stories that make the mission what it is. Ruth is with us. Ruth, when she came in, just really rejected, dejected. Came out of the hospital.

12:20 Came into the mission. Sad and lonely. But you'll see the Spirit of God working in and through her. That's what the Good Samaritan mission's all about. Seeing change lives.

12:29 People go, Once was lost, but now I'm found. So say hi to Ruth, and that's what it's all about. And I just thank you for making that possible.

12:45 If we could have the offering team come forward please. Lord, thank you for how abundantly you've blessed us. We pray that we would give with cheerful hearts. We thank you for how you're moving in and through your church here through the various missions that we support. We pray specifically for the Good Samaritan Mission here in town and the Open Door Mission in Denver.

13:32 We ask that as we give this morning that you would by your Holy Spirit enable us to give cheerfully and joyfully and we pray that you would bless the tithes that we receive that your kingdom would be multiplied. Pray these things in your name. Amen.

19:35 Thank you Carol and Chuck. Nice job. Alright. Will you guys stand with me one more time? Keeper of the stars, a load of time and space.

20:07 I will live my life lifting up your Alright. You may be seated.

24:15 Amen. Wow. Great singing. Good to see you this morning. Wow.

24:18 You're looking good. Hi. Do you like this cold weather? Yeah. When when I left, Beijing, it was freezing, but it was and freezing in Beijing is only 26.

24:28 Freezing in Jacklyn Ho is minus 26. So, I mean, it just felt good to get back to good old ice. But glad to see you this morning. We praise God for the great, leadership that our elders showed during the, three weeks that we were gone. So thank you elders for a tremendous job and caring for the heavy leadership load here.

24:45 And Pastor Carl and, all that was done. We just, thank you so much. And, we appreciate Ron Turpin, sharing the word of God. I got emails in China about this dramatic presentation that, that Ron gave both Sundays that was here. And so that's exciting.

25:00 When you hear from China what's happening in, Jacklyn Hole, you know God's working. So it's cool. Glad to hear all of that. Well, and thank you very much, Chuck and Carol for being here, and thank you for being here. That's really what it's all about.

25:13 And and I think that sometimes Christmas gets all caught up in the tinsel of things, doesn't it? We lose the focus. We we think you know what? We think Christmas is about us. We really do.

25:22 We think it's about the gifts that we're gonna get or that we're gonna but Christmas isn't about us. Never was. It's about Jesus. And so if we can get our focus back to where it belongs, what a wonderful Christmas we can have. What an impact we can have on people's lives.

25:37 What a joy we can have in our own heart. As we see God doing something new in us, then we're gonna do something new in someone else's life. We're gonna impact somebody. And so we're glad you're here this morning, and we we can see the smile of Jesus in you. And so thank you for being here because that's what we want this to be about and not about anything else.

25:54 And and thank you for sharing. And and I wanna encourage you. You know, my wife and I, we always do our at the end of year giving, we look at what and ask what would God have us give to. We look at missions projects. We look at our church.

26:03 We look at other things, and and then we give a lecture, at the end of the year. And so, think about Good Samaritan Mission and and the need that they have and and what God's doing in our own local area, in meeting people and, be great of God, put that on your heart. Well, this morning, before we go to communion, I wanted to have an opportunity to share with you about China because we won't give that opportunity and because we go right into Christmas activities and there's so much going on this year, and then we start the New Year. So I've asked Marlon to say a word and and then Amy. And Matt went Matt and Amy and Marlon went with us to China this particular trip.

26:35 And Matt, is sick. I got sick when I first came back. For three days, I was gone. I didn't know anything. I didn't know who what life was about till Friday morning.

26:43 But, now Matt, he went right to work at sub zero weather and he's sick today. But, Amy's here and Marlon, so if you'll start and then Amy and you will see some pictures as we go along and then I'll sum it up as we go into communion.

27:07 Hi, everybody. It's good to be home and see all my friends again and it's Christmas time, a special time of celebration. I wanted to share with you a couple of things that really impacted me. And here goes. Let's see.

27:38 I have to have these cheat sheets or I'll go off on a bunny trail and spend an hour talking. Anyway,

27:47 the Lord

27:48 taught us lots of things while we were in China. He always does because he is the teacher. But especially for me, One of the main things that he taught me and is continually talking to me about is that he hears. God hears and understands and answers prayer over and over again. This was certainly true the three weeks that we were away.

28:19 The Lord taught me that the call in people's lives is strong and the young people and the women I spoke with in China want to be prepared. They have a deep desire to be prepared for ministry and to follow that call with great passion. I was reminded of the verse in in second Chronicles 16. It says, the eyes of the Lord range throughout the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Throughout the whole earth.

28:56 I learned that God works in and through personal relationships as many groups met daily and connected and shared with one another a mutual issues and concern. It is definitely a wide open harvest there. This happened every single day that we were there as we were hosted by one Chinese couple, a pastor and his wife and little child who had small groups of friends over from church and the neighborhood three or four times a week. Constant interconnection. English classes, parenting classes, premarital classes, marital counseling on one to one, training servant leaders as the in the marketplace of which we were a part.

29:43 We're going on every day that we were there. I had the opportunity to speak on pride. It's a stronghold, you know, and forgiveness which is the antidote. For over an hour at a church the first week and resulted in several hours of counseling and prayer with three specific individuals. Families in separate times in people's homes.

30:08 There was spiritual aftercare given and several women healed emotionally and spiritually. The Lord showed me several things while I was in Beijing. That what I believe must go from my heart to from my head to my heart. Ever heard of that before? From your head to your heart.

30:33 It's all about loving. That my trusting him is necessary in the face of overwhelming and unpredictable circumstances. Whether it be with the family or in the workplace. I have taken this verse of course for this. Psalms three thousand one hundred fourteen and fifteen but as for me, I trust in you, oh Lord, I say, you are my God.

30:57 My times are in your hands. And that the treasure that we have as believers is knowing him and making him known to others. That is what the Lord showed me. That we have great treasure. And young families, I I I saw this through the young families and working people, meeting and visiting each other a lot with their cellphones, of course, and texting each other, producing a million for sharing God's truth.

31:30 Many come to Christ easily. I'm sure that you'll hear exactly how that happens. The forest, the harvest is so great. Conversions at every meeting and desire to counsel and pray on one to one. It's really neat to work there.

31:47 And then to finish up, I just wanted to say a couple things. Let's see. As I was leading leaving for China, I got prepared a little bit and I read the gospel again. In March, in Mark, in Mark 13, it says, and the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. Whatever is given you in that hour, speak that.

32:19 For it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Spirit. He indeed helped our meeting times and people while we were in Beijing. So he says to me again, gird yourself in prayer and press forward into service these days. Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. The church indeed in Beijing is alive at all levels and the body is one in him.

32:53 The united body of Christ is indeed a powerful force and I came away thinking again of Colossians three twelve through 17. There was a special person in in my particular life that we were able to help. Her name is Amanda and so during that time, Psalms a hundred and seven nine and thirteen and fourteen came alive once to me as I saw it lived out in the life of Amanda. It says, specifically, as she cried out to the Lord, he delivered and saved her out of her distresses. Huge story behind that particular incident.

33:33 I came away with a picture of the various groups there. Still processing all that. And was reminded again of let the word of Christ dwell in you. In all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and then, today, which was probably three or four days after I got here, I was totally touched by the missions meeting. Second Peter one passage that we read just about an hour or so ago.

34:13 Make sure your election and calling are sure. Great reminder for the church today. I was so blessed by China and I'm going to let my friend and partner in the missions trip come forward. She'll talk a little bit about what happened there too.

34:44 Good morning. There's so much as you can see from the pictures. That's like I think Dawn said there were 59 out of hundreds of pictures that we took. And so as we were trying to put together what we wanted to share, it was almost overwhelming because there was so much. Matt and I went and we're only there for twelve days.

35:09 Everybody, Don and Marlin were there for three weeks. So they were there even longer than we were but our days were so full of everything from going into personal homes and ministering. The very first picture when they started the series again with the pregnant woman, that was Amanda that Marlon was talking about. Special, I mean her husband shared his testimony the first Sunday that we were there and just left you just with your mouth open just what the spirit has been doing in his life as a young Christian, as a new believer. Then his wife asked if Marlon and I would go one day and do some inner healing and some deliverance ministry to her.

35:57 She came from a very abusive background and was just about to give birth. She was due that week to give birth and wanted to take care of some things spiritually before her baby was born. And so we did. It's been a whole day with her ministering and just praying and loving her. And before we left, we got to go to the hospital and see her baby being born.

36:20 Not being born, but after it was born we got to go and visit her. We kind of got to see the before and after and just seeing sure most of you have seen it. It's such a tangible, real change in people's lives. It's not something, it's not a pep talk where you just give them a pep talk and then they're in a good mood for a few days and then they're still dealing with it. It's like you go and you pray and you minister.

36:51 God meets them. The God that holds the universe by his word, reaches down by his spirit and changes hearts, sets them free. And they're different people. And it's amazing. And we saw that over and over again.

37:06 We spent a lot of time in the classes with Don. And Matt was part of that. And if he was here, one of the things he wanted to share was he was so blessed in getting to spend time with Don. Just seeing him in that element was amazing just to see the gifts that that God has put in him to draw these young men and women who are A lot of them are believers, some of them are not. They're 25 to 45 professional people.

37:41 Mean, some of them have PhDs, they have their own businesses and whatever, but just drawing out of them who God has made them to be and the joy that's in them. They're an amazing people because they're almost dramatic and funny in their personal lives when you're out with them in the market. They're funny and they're good. But when they get into a classroom situation, they're much more stoic and reserved. And Don is not stoic or reserved in any means.

38:13 And he was just hilarious in his classes and just drawing them out and encouraging them to step into who God had created them to be. It was awesome. And yes, we did eat scorpions

38:28 all kinds of

38:31 Matt loved the street food. We had a lot of experiences with different kinds of food. Some of it very good, a few things I wouldn't eat again. It was awesome just to be a part of the culture and see what the people are like and who they are. It was my first impression of Beijing.

38:51 We arrived there at 09:00 on a Friday night. Even when we came home, Jackson's a little bitty town and you see the lights from far away. They're bright. This is a city of 20,000,000 people. You can't even comprehend.

39:10 It's like you drive an hour and you're still in skyscrapers. I mean it's just and there was no lights. We couldn't see the lights when we were landing and I'm like, I didn't know if the airport was out in the middle of nowhere, I didn't understand. And it wasn't until the next morning when we woke up and looked out the window and the smog is so thick that you can't even see. You can see a couple miles maybe, but you can't see the skyline.

39:35 And there were a couple of days that it kind of cleared off and we had some sunshine, but the smog is just, it's so thick and you just realize what these people are living in day after day in a very urban, very busy place. And yet, every time that we would get in groups with people and sit down and talk to them, they're just like everybody else. They have their family issues, they have their parenting questions, they have their spiritual issues. Many of them, we were around a lot of single young people. The church that we went to with Josh and Sabina is made up mostly of the 25 45 age group.

40:29 Almost everybody we prayed for asked us to pray for a marriage partner. They're all that's kind of where they are in life. I think Sabina said there had been 13 marriages and seven births in their church in four years. So that's kind of where that group of people really is in that part of life. But they're hungry.

40:53 And the differences about being there and being here, some of them that really stood out to me were for us to get a passport to go over there, all we had to do was send our money in and our picture. To get a visa, had to fill out the paperwork and send it in. They can't do that. I asked some of them, Can you come see us? And they're like, No, we probably can't.

41:32 For the most part, the only freedom that they have is the freedom they have in Christ. And it's amazing to see the answer. There are answered prayers that the underground church, you do see it. The church that we went to is above ground and they are worshiping their hearts out for two hours. The music and the teaching and the ministry was amazing for two hours.

41:59 And they're not quiet about it. The bookstore that you saw a picture at one point. This is Josh in the church that we went to. But the bookstore at one point that was shown on here, I mean that's above ground and that's only been in the last few years that they could have above ground books. It's still censored what they can sell.

42:18 There are Bibles there. There are some Christian books. There's marriage books and business books and different things. But it is There are You see answers to prayers. But there are also still restrictions.

42:32 And this April, in 2012, they are getting new leadership in their country. And it's not like we can vote for. They don't have a whole lot of input into who comes up into leadership. And just talking to Sabina, the pastor's wife there. Just talking to her about it and there's it's a concern.

42:55 It's something that we can join them in prayer for because it could go one of two ways. Right now, they've seen a lot of freedoms that they haven't seen in the past. I mean, people are coming to the Lord like crazy and the service that we that last Sunday we were there. At the end of the service the pastor asked if there were any visitors just wanting to have visitors stand up and introduce themselves. And about six or seven people stood up and every one of them said, with no prompting from anybody, they just each one stood up and said, I'm not a believer but I wanna be.

43:36 I mean they're just hungry. And so there's a lot of freedoms that they're seeing right now but there are leaders that are coming up in the ranks that are very much against Christianity and that could be put into leadership over China in April. And so if you think about that, keep them in your prayers that the kingdom of God would continue to grow in that place and that God's will would be done in their hearts individually and as a nation. Let's see. Let me look here and see if there's anything else.

44:25 I think for me, the scripture, I taught a couple of times, I did some on worship one night for a couple of hours and then I met a couple of nights later and we just did some worship and some ministry. The scripture that the Lord gave me as I was just waiting for him before I went to the meeting was one that he's given to me before. It's in Isaiah 5eight 10. And it just says, If you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness. And that's really all I had to give, was what he had given me.

45:12 The things that he gives me that sustain me every day as I walk are the very things that will sustain anybody because it's him. That's the only answer that we have. And so that was really, that was my heart while I was there was just to pour out the things that he had poured into me.

45:42 One of the keys of the week was what Marlon said earlier in Mark chapter 13. When you go, you might not know what you're gonna say, but the Holy Spirit will say it. And if there's if there's one word that I would put over that trip, it was the Holy Spirit said it. And when the Holy Spirit says something, he works in people's hearts and brings them to draws them to the king. It was a powerful time to see many come to Jesus.

46:13 Many healed, transformed. That little gal you saw there with her baby was totally a mess a couple days before she had that baby. The abuse story would make the hair in the back of your head stand up, what she had to go through as a little child all the way up through her life to the point where she could not trust any man. And now she's married and and she doesn't trust her husband and doesn't trust anyone, doesn't trust God, doesn't trust anything. The Holy Spirit came, healed her broken heart, healed those areas of pain that caused her to distrust.

46:44 And then the power of God came upon her in a powerful way, and you saw the smile, not just the smile of a new mother, but a smile of a free person. And that comes from the heart. So throughout that whole period, it was what the Holy Spirit was doing. That's what the church is about. This morning as we move into communion, it's a beautiful picture of what I see in the church of China.

47:05 As they gathered together, they would come in one of the time much like we do here. When you commit at 09:00, there's no one here, but at 09:10, everybody's here. Now in China, it's because, they can't get there. They have to go quietly here. It's because you're all outside talking.

47:18 But but there, the they they would come in one at a time. One at a time. One at time. Because if you come in a large group, the government will shut you down. So they come in one at a time, one at a time, two at a time, three at a time.

47:28 And 09:00, ones there are handful, 09:30. By a quarter of it's packed. And the worship that goes on over the next hour, an hour and a half. I I said to them last Sunday, wish that I could just pocket that and put it into a DVD and bring it and and let our church feel it and see it. But you can't do that.

47:47 You you can't grab something like that and bring it. It has to come from the heart. You can't show that. You have to live it. And so as these people were worshiping, crying, and and singing praises to the Lord, it was because of what the Lord was doing in their life.

48:00 And that's why those six people stood up and said, I'm we're not believers. We came. I came today because I'm searching. I don't know anything about God, but I came today. I was invited and I heard about Jesus and I want him.

48:13 I want him. When you know Jesus and know about him, you want him. And so this morning as we take communion, let's be reminded of the one who we're taking communion about. What it means to us together. So I'll ask the elders to come, as we move into communion this morning.

48:31 And if you know Christ's personal savior, you are invited to take communion with us. It's not about being a member of First Baptist Church, it's about being a member of the family of God. If you know Christ as savior, we welcome you this morning to be able to take that with us and, hold the elements until all have been served, We'll and take them together. And let's this morning remember what Jesus has done for us. Remember that.

48:52 And the impact it is on your own personal life, as we take these elements. The the bread that represents the broken body of Jesus and and the cup represents the blood that was shed to forgive us our sins, to to take care of those sins, wipe it away, cleans us. Let's remember that this morning as we take communion together. Jesus, the night he was betrayed, took the bread and broke it, and he said, this is my body broken for you. And so this morning as we take this communion together, let's remember the broken body.

52:18 Broken for you. That's very personal. Broken for me. Broken for us, but broken for me. As you take it this morning, remember it was broken for you.

52:30 Let's do that. Jesus, thank you. Thank you that you loved us so much that you gave your body to go through such pain that we could not even imagine. We cry when we stub our toe, when we prick our finger, when we hit our head on something. Lord Jesus, you were beaten to the point of hardly being recognized.

53:06 It's impossible for us to be a fathom what you went through. Your body was broken for us, every bone, every tissue ripped apart because you loved us. Lord Lord, we don't understand that really. We desperately need to understand it because it would change how we love others. But we ask you this morning as we remember what you did for us that we receive that in a powerful way in our life this morning.

53:37 That as we seek communion change so many people's lives around the world, may it do the same to us here in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. And we thank you for your love in Jesus' name. Amen. IT took the cup and he said this is a new beginning. That that really ought to put a smile on our face.

57:34 You know, sometimes we we go through communion and it and it it's sad, and it is because we realize what Jesus did for us. And the broken body and the pain is beyond our conception. But to know that we get a second chance, to know that he did it because he loved you and I so much ought to put a smile on our face. That's why we celebrate communion. We don't mourn communion.

57:55 We we celebrate it. We celebrate it because of the change it makes in our life when we understand what Jesus did for us. That's celebration. The picture see the picture again of that dear lady holding her baby and seeing the smile on her face. That's celebration.

58:11 That's victory. That's cleansing. That's getting rid of the junk. That's a new life. It's not the same as it was before.

58:19 That that's celebration. See, we're we're way down. We're we're feeling kinda bummed when we stay in the same pit that we've always been in. But there's victory and celebration when we're out of that. When our life is different, when the things that we say and do and where we go and how we act are totally different because of who's inside of us.

58:35 That that's to celebrate. That's not to mourn. So let's celebrate this morning as we take this cup realizing that it's because he gave us a second chance that we can celebrate. That he gave us an opportunity to receive forgiveness that we can celebrate. That he gave us an opportunity to to receive new life, we can celebrate.

58:53 That he gave us an opportunity to get out of the pit in the mess, we can celebrate. Let's do that together as we take this cup. Lord Jesus, thank you. Our hearts are blessed this morning. As we realize how powerful you are and and how wonderful and awesome you are and how loving and caring you are and what this celebration means to all of us.

59:18 We celebrate your love for us today and we recommit our love for you and we ask Lord Jesus that as we remember this morning, as we see what you're doing around the world, we see what you're doing at church in China. And Lord, as we are here now this morning already, it's Sunday evening there in in China. And they've already had their service. They've already had the joy today of seeing people come to you today. Oh, God, we thank you.

59:49 Today, may you give us the joy of seeing people come to you. May you give us a joy of seeing people be reunited and renewed in their faith and trusting you and being able to love on them. And we thank you for that in Jesus' holy name. Amen. And all God's people said, Amen.

1:00:05 I said all God's people said? Amen. Alright. Alright. Be happy today, will you?

1:00:11 Celebrate today on what goodness of God is doing for you. Let's stand together.

1:03:55 Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death. Come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave. Christ is risen from the dead, we are one with the dead. We are one with him again. Come awake.

1:04:39 Come awake. Come and rise up from the grave

1:04:48 Amen. Amen. What a joy to worship together. I want you to know that, the kids are gonna come in in a few minutes and and practice here. We have the fellowship hall that's got, donuts and coffee.

1:05:05 Please continue to celebrate, over in fellowship down there. If you celebrate in fellowship here, can get run over by a bunch of kids. One last thing, there's we're doing church directory. It's probably been going around here. Make sure that your name and address and all your kids and everything are updated in there and that they have the correct information.

1:05:27 Keep an eye out for that. And finally, our brothers and sisters in Christ in China, in South Africa, in Kenya, all over the world celebrate Christmas not because they have a long cultural tradition of Christmas trees and putting lights on their house and giving presents to each other. They celebrate because Christ has come to the world because we need a savior. We can all celebrate that. Let me pray.

1:05:51 Father God, thank you that you sent your son because we need a savior. Thank you that thank you that you didn't stay a little baby but he grew to be a man. That he died on the cross and that he rose again. And Lord for that we say thank you. And we just we praise you from the bottom of our hearts.

1:06:12 We pray that would be first and foremost in our mind throughout Christmas season. Amen.

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China Missions Christmas Meaning Communion Inner Healing Joy

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