Christmas Eve Service 6pm

December 25, 2021

Scripture referenced 13 passages

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

John 8:12 Jesus declares himself the light of the world; quoted twice, once at candle lighting and once near the close

12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

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Isaiah 7:14

prophecy of the virgin bearing a son called Emmanuel, read as part of the nativity narrative

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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Isaiah 9:6-7

child born to us, wonderful counselor, mighty God, eternal father, prince of peace, read as part of the nativity narrative

6 For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.

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Micah 5:2

Bethlehem named as birthplace of the coming ruler, attributed explicitly to Micah 5:2

2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.

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Matthew 1:18-24

Joseph's dream, the angel's announcement, and his obedience read as part of the nativity story

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;

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Luke 2:1-20

census, birth in Bethlehem, shepherds and angels, shepherds finding Jesus and praising God

1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.

7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

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.

12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”

13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”

15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

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Luke 2:10

angel's announcement of good news of great joy for all people, cited as the verse most on the preacher's mind that Christmas season

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.

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Matthew 2:1-11

Magi from the East, Herod troubled, Magi following the star, worshiping Jesus and presenting gifts

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

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Galatians 4:4-5

fullness of time, God sent His Son, so that we might receive adoption as sons

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

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2 Corinthians 8:9

though He was rich He became poor so that through His poverty we might become rich

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

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John 3:16

God loved the world and gave His Son so that whoever is putting their trust in Him might not perish but have eternal life, translated directly from the Greek to highlight the hina clause

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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John 1:5

the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it, quoted at the candle-lighting close

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.

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Matthew 5:14-16

you are the light of the world, a town on a hill, let your light shine before others

14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.

15 Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.

16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

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Recap

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

This Christmas Eve service centered on the nativity story read in full, with the preacher tracing the responses of every person who encountered the news of Christ's birth. That thread of responses carried the service into a close reading of three New Testament passages built around a single grammatical phrase, showing what God's purpose was in sending His Son. The message closed with a candle lighting and an open invitation to receive that purpose.

What was said

The nativity readings moved through the prophets Isaiah and Micah, then into Matthew and Luke, and the preacher kept returning to one question: how did each person or group respond when they met the news? Mary said yes. Joseph woke from his dream and did exactly what the angel told him. The shepherds, minding their own business on a hillside, were terrified at first, then went to Bethlehem in a hurry and came back praising God for everything they had seen and heard. The Magi followed the light they had been given, found the child, fell down and worshiped, and gave their gifts.

Herod sat in contrast to all of them. He knew the right information, gathered the chief priests and scribes, and found out the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. He knew his Bible. But his reason for wanting to know was fear of losing power, not worship, and that mattered.

After the offering, the preacher turned to three passages that he said share a common grammatical structure, a "so that" clause that states God's purpose in acting. He called it the hina clause, from the Greek, and said it functions as God's own purpose statement: it tells you what God did and why He did it.

The first passage, from Galatians, says God sent His Son in the fullness of time so that we might receive adoption as sons. The second, from Second Corinthians, says Christ became poor, born homeless in a stable, so that you through His poverty might become rich, meaning brought into communion with the Father. The third is John 3:16, read closely from the Greek: God loved and He gave, so that whoever is putting their trust in Him might not perish but might be having eternal life.

The preacher paused on the word "might" in each of those clauses. He said it is not weak language, it is intentional. The subjunctive mood leaves room for a second will. God acted, God's purpose is clear, but the "might" means the gift requires acceptance. He put it plainly: if you receive it, the might means yes; if you pass on it, the might means no for you.

He closed with a C.S. Lewis line, that the Son of God became a son of man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God, and asked whether this might be the fullness of time for someone in the room to believe and receive that gift. The candle lighting followed, passing light from the Christ candle outward through the congregation, and the service ended with John 1:5, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it, and with Jesus' words from Matthew 5 that those who follow Him are themselves the light of the world.

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.

The message drew attention to how different people in the Christmas story responded to the news of Jesus: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi, and Herod. Which of those responses do you find yourself most identifying with, and why?
The shepherds were described as ordinary, hardworking people minding their own business when the angel appeared to them, and the message was said to be specifically crafted for them. Has there been a moment in your own life when the good news of Jesus felt like it was addressed directly to you?

and 3 more questions in the guide

Open the study guide

Read the full transcript 4,796 words

Find in this transcript

Speaker 1Sweet video. Welcome, everybody, and Merry Merry Christmas. How are you? Good to see you. Good to see you.

We're glad you're here to worship with us. Couple of things before we get started. We would love to give you a little gift. They're they're in the back and please accept this gift that we would like to give to you. Before you go, there'll be somebody to hand them out to you but just know that that's available if you'd like.

There is overflow down the hall. If for any reason you just need to step out of this room or and there's also a nursery downstairs, this is all broadcasted on those. So if you choose, know that it's available. But tonight is meant to just be a fun, reflective, and worshipful night. We're here to put Christ in Christmas.

Amen? Amen. So we'll read the nativity story. We're gonna sing some Christmas songs. We'll light some candles.

And to begin the candle lighting, I'm gonna invite up... Let's see. We have got Mark Mark and Mark and Lindsey. Right? I think it is.

They're gonna light the Christ candle on the in bed. So at the end of the service, not quite yet, we're going to use that candle to light our candles. If you didn't grab a candle when you came in, please raise your hand, and we'll have somebody grab one for you.

Speaker 3Today marks the end of our advent journey. We prepared our hearts, our minds, and our spirits for the celebration of Christ's entrance into the world. As we light the Christ candle, may we devote our lives to reflecting his light because he is the light of the world.

Speaker 2In John eight twelve, Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Speaker 1Thanks, Mark. Let's stand together. We'll sing. Oh, come all ye faithful. Hey, that's kinda fun.

So from Luke two, Luke two ten, this is probably the verse that's been sticking with me most this, this Christmas season. It's the angels, announcement to the shepherds. They said, don't be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. Good news, great joy, all people.

It is still good news of great joy, and it's still for all people. Amen?

Speaker 2We said these services weren't gonna be any different, but they are. Are different people here. It's a different mood, but the the story is the same. There's no new characters. There's nothing new that you're gonna hear tonight, but it's pretty awesome.

Whatever rhythm Carl plays with,

Speaker 1we're gonna follow it. I I just... I gave them a completely different rhythm than I've ever played. Fun. That was weird.

Speaker 2It was fun. No problem. There we go.

Speaker 1Yeah. Y'all can have a seat.

Speaker 2Y'all can have a seat. We're gonna read the Christmas story. And like I said, we're not gonna add new characters or anything but this is from the prophets Isaiah and Micah and therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child and will bear a son and she will call his name Emmanuel. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders.

His name will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, eternal father, and prince of peace. There will be no end to the increase of his government or of his peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness. From then on and forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will bring this to pass. But as for you, Bethlehem, Epaphra, too little to be among the clans of Judah from you or from out of you, one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago from the day of eternity.

That's Micah five two.

Speaker 1You can stay seated but I'd love for you to just continue singing with us. This this... The words will be on the screen.

Speaker 2Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When his mother, Mary, had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, had planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.

Jesus, Yeshua actually means salvation. So, that's why that makes sense. Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which translated means God with us and Joseph awoke from his sleep and he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and he took Mary as his wife. I want you to watch as we're going through this story. Watch the response of the people to the message, this Christmas message.

Joseph would being advised by God in a dream, by an angel in a dream. He woke from the dream and he did exactly what the angel told him to do. Mary, if you go back to Mary's story, when she was visited by Gabriel, the angel, and he told her what was gonna take place and she said, may it be to me just as you have said. So, response was positive. Joseph's response was positive but keep up as we go through each of the responses from each the groups of people tonight.

Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of all the inhabited earth and this was the first census that was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria and everyone was on his way to register for the census each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house of the family of David. In order to register along with Mary who was engaged to him and was with child. So while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region, there were some shepherds and there's another response coming, right? There are another group of people. In the same region, there were some shepherds and they were staying out in the fields and they were keeping watch over their flock by night. They were minding their own business. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them.

Just one at first and the glory of the Lord shown round about them and they were all terribly frightened. That's a response. That was involuntary, I think, at the sight. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.

Now, do not be afraid for I bring you good news for great... Of great joy. That was a message specifically for those guys who are minding their own business. Then he says this, for today, in the city of David, there's been born for you, a savior, who is Christ the Lord. These humble guys, hardworking, blue collar folk out on the hillside and he have a special man...

Message directly to them and it is this, this will be a sign for you. You. You will find a baby that's wrapped in claws and lying in a manger. And suddenly, there appeared with that angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom his favor rest. There are a lot of different translations and that spelling on that was not even close to any of them.

If you got an old King James translation, it's this, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. That's a good translation. That is with a squiggly. Without a squiggly, it is glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace may rest on those with whom God is pleased and those two things, there is a movement of God towards but it requires acceptance. So, both of them are true.

These guys, it says what they did. Their response was this, when the angels had gone away from them back up into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, let us go straightway now to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. It's a specific message, specifically crafted for them and he said, it's good news that will be for all the peoples but I'm telling you first. So they came in a hurry, and they found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as he lay in the manger. And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this child, and all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary treasured all of these things, pondering them in her heart, and the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen just as it had been told them. So, they got this message direct from this angel and they acted on it and the result was that they praised and glorified God for everything that they've seen and heard.

Speaker 1Would you stand with and let's let's stand and sing in this next couple. Angels we've heard Noel. What does that mean? It's a birth announcement. The good news that Jesus Christ was born to sing.

First Noel. You can have a seat.

Speaker 2Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king. Now, here's another character, not a good character. Herod the king was known for two things, building projects and brutality. Herod the great is what you might hear him called on Wikipedia. He was known for being absolutely brutal and building great big projects.

In fact, Herod's Temple, the second temple that that people just kind of worshiped in the time of Jesus was Herod's Temple. Masada was one of his palaces. He was known for his building projects and he was known for his brutality. He had, by this point, already killed his wife and his mother-in-law and three of his own kids. He's a bad dude, bad character.

Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem Of Judea in the days of Herod the king, Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem saying, where is he who has been born, king of the Jews? Now, Herod, just so you know, was the king of the Jews. So, these guys showing up from the East who had seen this great light and had read outside of their tradition. These were not even Jewish guys. They had read about this and they saw a sign from God and they followed after that light that he had given them.

So, that's a response. They came and they inquired of the actual currently ruling king of the Jews, Herod, and said, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and we have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled. That's a response.

To be troubled by the news of Jesus. And he was troubled because he thought that he would lose power. He thought he might be dethroned. And it says, all Jerusalem with him were troubled because political tension is bad for everybody. Gathering together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he, Herod, inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

He's the king of the Jews. Looks like he'd know this stuff. They said to him in Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet and you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel. So, they knew down to the very city exactly where it was that the Messiah would be born. They knew their Bible and they knew it but it's interesting.

Herod wanted to know for a different reason than the kings from the East or the Magi. When Herod secret... Then Herod secretly called the Magi and determined from them the exact time the star had appeared. And he wanted to know for a reason. He was fearing losing power.

So he wanted to know when this dude was born so that he could do something about it. And he sent them then to Bethlehem and he said, you go and you search carefully for this child and when you have found him, come back and report to me so that I too may come and worship him. That's not what he's gonna do. After hearing the king, these Magi went on their way and the star which had they had seen in the East went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the child was and when they saw the star, they rejoice exceedingly and with great joy. So, the Magi, following the light God had given them, found their way to Jesus and then when they saw him, they rejoice exceedingly and with great joy.

After coming into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and they fell to the ground and worshiped him. And then opening their treasures, they presented to him the gift of gold and frankincense and myrrh. That's a response to meet Jesus and fall down and worship him and then give of your gifts to him.

Speaker 1And just as they did, we we have an opportunity to dose... Do so too. So I'd like to invite the ushers to to come out to the front. And, Rachel, if you make your way up here too, she's gonna harp. And while they're coming forward, I I I just want you to know this.

You are not obligated to give. Not at all. But if you do feel compelled to give, I I want you to know what you're giving too. At first b, we have a local benevolence fund. And because of your generosity, we get to help people in their time of need.

And there is there is a lot of need, and it is is really good to be able to say yes. So if that sounds like that's something that you'd like to give to, thank you. We encourage generosity because God is generous toward us. That being said, I'd like to pray. Lord, we we thank you for the gift of your son.

Truly, he is right here tonight. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending your son to to live, to love, to die, to rise, and to reign. Truly, you are the most generous giver of all. I pray that these gifts would be just a a sweet expression of our love back in Jesus'

Speaker 2Amen. I told you we weren't gonna add any new characters. We were gonna tell the story of Christmas and we kinda told it. Actually preached on the last two or three weeks but I've got three, actually, three little quick passages that are big picture verses. One of them is from Galatians, one of them from second Corinthians, and one of them is John.

But I've got a very special clause for you this evening and it's not this guy. Alright? It's not that guy. We're not gonna talk about that guy right now. So, the very special clause is a clause with an e.

It's a grammar. I'm a grammar nerd. I admit it freely and I will try not to bore you with all of the all of the details of it but there are couple of things that I'd like for you to hear. What I like to do, I like to I like to present God's word exactly for what it says without adding anything, without taking anything away And when there is one of these clauses in the sentence, it makes my job much easier because it says, God did something and then it says why he did it. And so if it doesn't say why he did it, I don't know why he did it.

Sometimes God does things I don't understand. And unless it says why he did it, I don't know. But these three big picture verses, I'm gonna share with you. Here here it is. One of them has a very similar grammatical structure.

Forgive me the pedantic nature of this little speech. The henna clause. It is a henna clause. It's a subjunctive mood. So, generally, anytime you see this anywhere, it shows the purpose for an action.

So, it says, what God did and then why he did it. Sometimes, it'll show the result of an action and in the case of God, since he is God and he is good, he's given us responsibility but he's also sovereign. Oftentimes, in the Bible, you'll see the purpose and the result being the same thing. Does that make sense? Okay, stick with me here.

First one is this, Galatians four four and five says, but when the fullness of time had come. This is not just time on a watch. This is the absolute appropriate moment. Kairos time. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son.

That's what we're celebrating here tonight. The incarnation of God's son, Jesus. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son. He was born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law. So, that in itself says why he did what he did but it'll go further.

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son so he acted, that's an indicative mood for you other grammar nerds in here. Born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who are under the law so that so that we might receive adoption as sons. The so that is what I'm zeroing in on. That's the henna clause. So the so that says, we might receive adoption as sons.

So let's go to the next verse here. That I'll skip some of the grammar. Second person plural subjunctive right there. So that we might receive. It says, we in that one.

Second Corinthians eight, it says, you. So, second Corinthians eight nine says this, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and know that God is good and that he loves with an unmerited favor. You know, the grace, the unmerited favor of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, consider that. He's the son of God. He's been living since eternity past in heaven with the father in complete communion with father, son, and Holy Spirit and you know that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor.

He was born in a stable for crying out loud. No room in the inn. He's born homeless. He left God the father to take on life as an adopted son of an earthly father. Joseph was a good guy but he wasn't God almighty, right?

So so, you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sake, he became poor. He took on flesh and then there's that so that. So that. This is why. So that you through his poverty might become rich.

Now, I'm not a prosperity gospel guy. Not at all. I don't think that he he did this so that we would be filthy rich as far as money goes but he left the glories of heaven and he left all of those immense riches of being in communion with the father and he came to take on life on Earth, born in a stable, walked poor man his whole life and ministry. Adopted son of a hardworking guy and a young mother. So that you, through his poverty might become rich.

He took the hard way so that you would have a way to become rich and commune with the father. So, the so that is there and so that you might become rich. If you note the similar structure here, it is God acted. There's no doubt about that. That's the end indicative.

It says, he did it at some time in the past. He completed this action and that's absolutely certain without any doubt but the subjunctive mood is the mood of two wills, two or more wills and God acted and he had a purpose in acting but the so that indicates that that you might receive. Is that saying so that you will receive? It doesn't say that. It's not indicative.

It is subjective. It is on you. There are two wills involved. God's will, we have no doubt about what it is so that you might become rich, so that you might receive adoption as sons so that you might have eternal life. God acted so that you might receive a special gift.

That's the the similarity and structure. I got one more verse. The Henticlaw tells you the purpose in God's acting and for me, it's always good if I know why he did what he did and in these three cases, it's really explicit that he acted so you might receive something special. So, Galatians, you might receive adoption of sons. Corinthians, you might become rich, communing with God, you might be enriched is a better translation probably but does the might bother any of you?

When you see this, do you see it and it goes, might. That doesn't sound very certain. The way we use might these days is like, well, it might happen. Yeah. Might.

Might, in this case, is just leaving room for your will to he's leaving room for you. He's putting this opportunity in your lap. In fact, the verses in order the way we've covered him said so that we might and then the second one is so that you might and then we'll go over one more. Already did the note on the subjunctive mood. This is a familiar verse and I translated it from the Greek just kinda directly.

It's not in the same format that you're used to hearing because the so that gets lost sometimes but it's there. The henna clause is there. Indeed, no doubt about it. Indeed, God loved the world. So, God acted right there.

God loved the world. In such a way as this. So, that he gave. So he gave. So God loved and he gave.

He gave his one and his only son. So the similar structure there is God acted. Right? He's done this. He loved and he gave.

Those two things he has done so that. The so that is very important. This is his purpose statement. God acted so that whoever is putting their trust in him. So, it said, we, that's the people who already believe.

It said, so that you in the second one. This third one says, so that whoever is putting their trust in him might not perish but instead might be having eternal life. Those are both in the progressive action tense if you care. Whoever is putting their trust in him. So it started with a we and a you and now it's a whosoever.

It really is a very real invitation for you to accept God's purpose. And if you accept God's purpose and say, I'll take that gift. It's a free gift that can never be taken away from you. But if you say, meh, I'll pass. Then the might means no for you.

It's a tough one. Whoever's putting their trust in him might not perish but might be having eternal life. That is a very real invitation for you to trust God and his purpose for you and allow Christ Jesus to be born into your life. So, I'll go forward and say, might you believe? Might you believe today and receive by just belief.

That's all it is throughout the book of John. There are a bunch of copies of the book of John back in the back back there on the left as you go out the door. Might you believe today and receive the blessing of Christmas that God purposed. He had a reason for doing it and CS Lewis says it this way. I like this quote.

CS Lewis says, the son of God became a son of man. Actually, I'd say an adopted son of man. He, the son of God, became a son of man in order that or so that the sons of men might become the sons of God. So, might this be the fullness of time for you? Just lay that out there.

Speaker 1Yep. And speaking of that invitation, as Jesus grew and he began his public ministry, in John eight twelve, he said, I'm the light of the world. And if you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you'll have the light that leads to eternal life. And I want you to hear that. It is a very, very real invitation to believe and to receive the one he sent, to trust him as the light of the world.

And in response to this invitation, we're gonna close in a candle lighting. So I'll invite you to stand up with your candle. And while you're standing, I'd like to invite just a few candle lighters here. If they'd light their candles from the Christ candle, that candle represents Jesus as the light of life. And then we'll pass that light to one another representing our test to let the light of Christ shine through us to the world.

And so when your candle's lit, please be sure to hold that straight up. Don't tip that. Let that person next to you with their unlit candle tip theirs towards yours so that wax doesn't spill. And while they're lighting candles, while you're lighting candles here, I want to invite you to sing a couple of songs with us. We'll weigh in a manger in Silent Night, and they'll be on the screen here.

A whole way You can now blow out those candles. Here's what I want you to know. We blow out these candles, but there truly is nothing that can extinguish the true light of Christ. John one five says, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Be encouraged by that.

The darkness of this world cannot extinguish the light of Christ. And what's more is God has given you and I the privilege of letting that light shine through us. In Matthew five, Jesus says, you're the light of the world. So in John eight, he says, I'm the light of the world. Now in Matthew five, he says, you're the light of the world.

Amen. You're the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.

That's what this last song is about. I encourage you to sing out and sing loud. Go Tell on the Mountain. Amen. Hey.

Merry Christmas, everybody. Drive safe. Hug the ones you love. Celebrate Christ this season. Amen.

Amen.

Speaker 2Merry Christmas.

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