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00:05 Well, greetings to one and all. A very good afternoon. It is afternoon already. And the first thing I want to say to you
00:12 is merry Christmas. I know it's quite early. Um it is the season season of
00:18 Advent and Advent is the time where we actually prepare and get ready to
00:24 celebrate of the coming of Jesus Christ. We remember the first coming which he did 2,000 years ago in a manger in
00:33 little town called Bethlehem. And that's where the tradition of Christmas will come to be. We also remember that he
00:39 promised that he will come back again. And so as we event as we wait for the
00:45 moment for him to come, we wait for him to come again and remember his first
00:51 coming. So that's a merry Christmas to each one of you. It's a bit early. I remember being in the Philippines uh
00:57 during a mission trip sometime early September and they already started saying merry Christmas to one another
01:03 and when I asked you know it's a bit early you know four months before before Christmas what's going on says oh pastor
01:08 you have to understand in Philippines we celebrate Christmas and every burr month like bur month what do you mean
01:15 September October November and that season brings a lot of joy
01:21 happiness hope and just fulfillment because it's also a time when family
01:27 comes and where we gather together, have a good meal, enjoy one another's company, and bring gifts from near and
01:33 far to share one another, and to remember the the nativity story, the coming of our Lord Jesus. We also know
01:41 that in the background, we have that reason why this season is about, the
01:47 reason why Christmas is all about, what Christmas is all about. Jesus did not just come just to immigrate over. He
01:54 came over with a purpose. And so just to let you know for those who think, "Oh, did we forget communion?" No, we did
01:60 not. But I think it will be a very good response to the message today that we actually take communion after in
02:06 reflection of what the passage tells us about. So we have all this in mind but I must
02:12 say es especially when you go outside of the church outside of the community the
02:19 actual message of Christmas disappears somewhat from merry Christmas
02:25 goes to merry Christmas merry Christmas goes to seasons greetings what season is it about they leave it to you to decide
02:33 what is going on when people think of Christmas when we think of Christmas e even it's not just I must say
02:41 unfortunately that it's not just the story of Jesus that comes into our mind but quite a number of things as well and
02:48 to explain why this happens I want to pull out a very cool Disney movie
02:54 there's this movie called Inside Out Inside Out is a movie that was opened up
02:59 in June uh I managed to watch it with some youth a couple of weeks ago it was quite a fascinating movie I'm not going
03:06 to tell you the story line or plot but I want to say this The found the basis of this maybe it's the basis of this show
03:15 here is more to do of a person in this case a little girl and she has five
03:21 primary emotions at in her mind that is joy disgust fear anger and sadness.
03:31 these these grow up with her as she grows through one obstacle to another
03:36 and those emotions will respond accordingly. Now, of course, the biggest question that was online about the
03:44 absurdity of this movie is this. How can our emotions have minds?
03:52 Can you imagine an emotion thinking about an emotion? Can you imagine anger feeling sad? That doesn't make any
03:60 sense. But there is something that they're trying to portray. They can't portray it very well because there's only there's
04:06 only so much you can say in in a 90-minute movie. But the question that we do have about
04:13 these emotions that responds in this person's life is
04:20 what what is behind the emotions? The emotions actually represent another
04:27 dimension that brings that bring that that responds to the things that are
04:32 happening around us and will cause us to be happy, be sad, be angry, be joyful,
04:39 be disgusted and so on and so forth. I would like to contest to you that the
04:46 mind behind all these emotions is actually the soul.
04:51 The mind behind the emotion is actually the soul. When the soul sees something, when your identity, when your in the
04:58 Greek is called psyche, when you yourself is acting or reacting to something or
05:05 when they see something, your reaction to it is based upon your character. And
05:10 so when each and every one of us faces one problem or another, we react differently.
05:16 Granted, of course, all of us when we get bonuses, I don't think any of us get angry, scared, sad, or disgusted. All of
05:22 us get quite happy. But there are plenty of people when they are faced with a problem, faced with certain obstacles,
05:29 they react very differently. I think we see that also in the working world. We also see that in school when someone
05:35 when the headmaster uh shouts out from the from the announcement to say that oh
05:40 uh for today because of haze or pandan jasmi all can you cannot go play
05:45 football or netball or volleyball. Now that is when some of the youth react very differently and you can see that in
05:51 their character you can see that in their soul. Some of them they really love football and when they realize they
05:57 can't play football because the teacher had canceled it despite it's actually unhealthy they get angry or they get sad
06:05 you know and then some of them actually get quite happy because they're indoors people
06:11 and they also and then some of them also get quite scared because they then ask a question if we're not going to go out
06:16 and play games in the field what are we going to do in class are they going to make us do more homework are they going to give us surprise tests so we react
06:23 differently to various scenes and occasions. So I believe behind the mind behind the the mind of these emotions,
06:30 behind our emotions is the soul. And so I contest to you, I bring before you
06:38 that what you feed your soul, the fruit of it is your emotions.
06:44 What you feed your soul, your re the fruit of it, it comes out in your emotions. So that's why for us when we
06:51 think of Christmas we have a whole lot of mixed emotions. For some of us who
06:56 has large families you're wondering how am I going to afford all the gifts for my children and for my nephews and
07:01 nieces and so on so forth. Some of you will be disgusted. I now I got to go see that relative who I don't really care
07:07 about. We only meet once a year. Some of us may be very excited but for the wrong reasons. I am so looking forward to the
07:14 sale after Christmas. Or maybe some of us are also thinking I wonder what Mid Valley Mega Mall looks
07:19 like this year. This is last year's decoration I think. Yeah. So you want to
07:25 go see go ahead and then I know what draws your soul and what your emotions feel. Some of you feel excited for all
07:30 the wrong reasons. Some of us I myself and we also and of course this is the
07:37 happy golucky happiness uh looking out for sale. We take it we we take opportunity but see how when you feed
07:44 your soul your reaction comes out emotions it really matters and so for
07:49 example in America what is feeding their souls when it comes to Christmas
07:56 you know sales people die during the Black Friday sale they die and they
08:02 fight over a flat screen television that doesn't make any sense
08:08 because what they feed their soul consumerism what they feed their soul. They want
08:13 they want they want the God is them. They are God. So they should satisfy themselves.
08:19 And for them Christmas is also all about I don't know uh Snowflake. Uh Frosty the
08:26 snowman. I have no idea who he is. Uh Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. The reindeer should probably just stop
08:31 drinking and then the nose will be so red. I don't know. you know um all these
08:38 characters that actually doesn't make any that is nowhere near relevant to the
08:43 Christmas story that happened in Bethlehem. these come out and these are so ingrained in them that when Starbucks
08:50 brought out a mug brought out coffee cups which is just red in color all these people started all these people
08:55 started getting angry they're taking away Christmas they're taking away Jesus Christ from the cups they're taking out
09:01 the Christmas spirit what has been on the decorations on the cups by the way
09:09 candy canes snowflakes reindeers gingerbread And what has this got to do
09:17 with Christmas? Absolutely nothing.
09:23 But what they have fed their souls with are these things that made them comfortable, happy, so they don't have
09:30 to face the true story behind Christmas, which is the gift of eternal life
09:35 through Jesus Christ. And so when we get into
09:42 Mary's song, it's interesting for me to see that Mary starts the song with my
09:48 soul magnifies the Lord.
09:55 Emotions and all its complexities are usually best described, depicted and pictured through music and song.
10:02 Especially in the Jewish culture, even for us in for Christmas season, we sing carols. And if you like to have more
10:08 lessons on carols, Monday night 8:30 p.m., we will be singing carols to give hope for the people for for people
10:14 around us. We're not going to be singing Frosty the Snowman. We're not going to I don't know if we're going to sing are we
10:19 going to sing I'm dreaming of a white Christmas? I hope not. Uh because I think the only
10:25 time we can feel it is feel something close to if we go to minds. I don't know.
10:30 But we will be singing the songs that matter. Songs that our soul would have been fed with the gospel and sings out
10:38 various emotions that Mary will show us. And what I would like to challenge you is this. What are what are your souls
10:46 singing? Because what you feed your soul, it comes out in emotions and I would say in
10:53 song. And so before we have that soul searching this afternoon, may I ask that
11:00 we go to the Lord of all souls, that we go to God in prayer. Let us pray.
11:08 Father, we give you thanks for this day. We give you thanks for this season, oh God, this season of Christmas. And Lord,
11:15 as we reflect this the meaning of this season, we ask God that you look into our souls and
11:22 pray that Lord that we are either we are representing you well or if there are those among us who have never seen you
11:29 or heard you or never met you or thought of you before. We ask oh God that in this time and in this day you give us
11:37 you give us the opportunity oh God you give us the honor
11:42 of seeing your soul of seeing yourself
11:50 and let us yearn for it that we may find all the joy that comes in Christmas for
11:57 the right reasons just like Mary just like the apostles after and now we as
12:04 your servants speak to us. Father, we ask that you bless the lips of your servant. Pray
12:10 that God is not his wisdom or his words alone. Oh Lord, that you will seek that you
12:16 will look into my heart. And you pray and I pray that you take away all things
12:21 that are not of you. And it will be time oh God where we can
12:27 witness your voice and hear your words speak to our hearts. And this we ask in
12:32 Jesus name. Amen. Background of the song of Mary. Mary was
12:37 approached to by an angel and Gabriel goes up to go out to her and says do not do not fear Mary for you have found
12:44 favor of God and you will be with child and conceive a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great. Be called
12:49 the son of the most high. He shall not take he will he will be he will he will speak even greater than the prophet
12:56 Elijah. He will be the one that will fulfill all things that God have promised from the beginning. And of
13:01 course Mary asked this question. How can this be since I do not know a man? They know basic science then they know basic
13:07 biology. They know how do babies come to be. So Mary asked in the most innocent
13:12 way how can this be since I do not know since I do not know a man. I've never had sex before. And some of us of course
13:18 our majority counterparts will be the ones that will say no you see he be you the Quran will say that he beggets not
13:24 nor is he begotten. Are you saying that God came down and had sex with Mary? Absolutely not. In fact, Luke in the
13:30 book that that we just heard in earlier part of chapter one, we have an explanation that's missing in the in
13:38 their message. And it says that the Holy Spirit shall overpower you and by his power and and by his power you will
13:44 conceive and that's why he shall be called the son of God. Often times we think of this very romantically but I
13:51 like us to think of the cultural implications and confusion when the
13:56 world see or when her her own friends and family were to see her suddenly pregnant.
14:03 Can you imagine the looks issue get?
14:09 You know in Malay I remember when being in primary school when someone does something naughty we always say ah or du
14:17 no already right
14:23 if we were put in that setting if we were put in a setting of compromise men we will never understand let's admit
14:30 it okay it's not like God's going to come out to you say you will be pregnant with child by my power it would have to be by your
14:37 powers by any of us right if if it's in any men right for women for women the the culture implications are great it's
14:44 almost like men it's almost like God telling is telling men in this modern culture you will not work you will only
14:50 focus into into being I don't know a house husband culturally speaking I think it's quite difficult even in
14:56 today's modern setting why because God called you that you and your household you shall serve the Lord
15:01 so f so focus full time maybe some of us are going through that scenario and don't know what don't know how to
15:07 explain Well, if God calls, that is supreme. But it's very difficult sometimes. So for
15:13 Mary it's very amazing that later instead of
15:19 so instead of grudgingly hiding and going away going hiding or going away having to explain or reexlain or even
15:25 telling a lie there's a philosopher David Hume who said that which is easier to believe that the laws of nature were
15:31 suspended for for Mary to be pregnant or for her to tell a lie of the reason of
15:37 the real reason why she had child. Well, here's the problem with that argument. 30 years lying
15:44 about about Jesus being the son of God and it was a and it was a and it was a miracle of a birth of a birth for 33
15:51 years where the last few days was her own son to be tortured and mutilated
15:57 that way. I think that's a bad argument. So we can see that what Mary had put in
16:03 her heart, put in her soul, reflected in her soul, reflected in her life, she
16:10 held it firm. Of course, she had to be encouraged. And that's why she goes to Elizabeth who too has a miracle or had
16:18 had a miracle of a birth. It's not it's not of course John the Baptist we know is not the son of God, but it's a
16:24 miracle in itself that she was old. She was barren and yet God gave her a son and he will be the for messenger the
16:31 messenger before Jesus comes into ministry
16:36 and it's a powerful thing that's going on here and when they met Mary was full of joy
16:43 Elizabeth when he heard when she heard Mary's voice John the Baptist in the in in Elizabeth's womb and jump for joy and
16:50 so Elizabeth went out to her and say wow blessed is the son blessed is the is the fruit of your womb room
16:58 because the moment I heard your voice and I heard the ma and therefore I heard the master Jesus coming into my house
17:05 even John the Baptist little baby John jumped for joy and there Mary pours out her soul
17:14 pours out her soul which we don't know the emotion or feeling but we know the
17:19 soul's conviction and then let's leave it to ourselves as to how we would respond respond
17:25 to this to this wonderful sto to this wonderful miracle which we celebrate
17:31 this season. The first passage we see is that we see Mary's being in awe of God's
17:37 greatness and compassion. The text says this, "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God
17:46 my savior." Often times when people look at this word here, my savior, we know the story.
17:53 We know who how did he come to save us? He come to save us by dying on the cross for us. By his sacrifice, we are
17:59 forgiven. They were expecting the Jewish people were expecting a great general to
18:05 come and rule over Israel and conquer with sword and judgment.
18:12 So this word here savior is far deeper for us than the people at that time. But that in itself gave enough hope for
18:19 them. For he has looked upon on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will
18:25 call me blessed. For he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name. Here Mary is reflecting to
18:32 say, "Wow, God, you are a savior. You are powerful. You will come and save and you have brought and you are going to
18:38 bring forth your Messiah, your Messiah, the man that we've been waiting for. And I am so blessed to be part of the
18:46 welcoming committee to bring the son over onto this earth. That's what blessed means. It doesn't mean that you
18:52 would it doesn't mean that she she is now entitled the blessed virgin Mary as some other traditional churches would
18:57 say. But that term blessed is almost like the idea of let's say one day uh my
19:02 daughter Noel she goes through PT3 if it still exists in that in in that time and
19:08 after that by God's grace not by my wisdom at all or my or my genetics at all she gets all A's. Why am I going to
19:15 call her the blessed Noel Tan of all A's? No, we say how blessed are you that
19:21 God had given you that opportunity. So that's what it means. And now all generations will call me blessed. People
19:26 will see what a blessing it was to be part of the will of God. What a blessing
19:32 it is to be part of the purpose of God to usher in something so great like the
19:39 birth of our savior. And so we see in the song, in this first
19:46 part of the song, Mary declares that God is Lord over her life. And so she
19:52 submits herself to it. And not only is he Lord, he is savior. So he know so there is some there's compassion. He is
19:60 coming because he cares. He is mighty. He is able to do all
20:05 things. He is holy. That means that he is holy. That means he has high
20:11 standards of purity, high standards of this and that. But because we ourselves as humans were not able to do it, he
20:18 then gives compassion by providing by providing even the
20:24 material for which God which Jesus will be born in the mother's womb.
20:29 And so in light of that we see Mary is humbled. Mary is redeemed.
20:36 Mary is Mary feels redeemed. Mary feels purposed and Mary feels blessed.
20:45 For all of us who feel very proud that we can do things by our own hands. It is this season that is actually I find it
20:51 to be the most humbling because the standard of God is so holy. It's so powerful
21:00 that we our lives when stand before somewhere so pure, we look like filthy rags. as Isaiah
21:08 would say. If I were to put it in a more Malaysian
21:14 context, I think I've said this before, but I pray that you'll be patient in hearing this illustration. When we go to
21:21 a coffee shop and if it's a very popular one, it's very hard for us to find a seat, right? But when we do find a seat
21:28 or when we find a family that's about to finish their food, what we what will we do? We'll stand around them, right?
21:35 Yeah. and we stand around them and we we will look but we won't like we'll just like
21:42 and finally when they're done they go off we sit down but what's wrong the
21:49 table's still dirty right the ki is still stained on the table the wani the wani some of the chu on the is on the is
21:56 on the is is on the table someone spilled tare all over the table so now it's just a big pile of mess and that's
22:02 when we do the Malaysian sign language only available in Malaysia. Why? Cuz I did this in America. No one understood.
22:10 You know what's that sign language? Boss,
22:15 try doing this in America. They like, what's this? What's this? You know, you want to change a tire? We know what this
22:22 means, right? Come and light wipe the table. Here's why. Then the then a man or woman will come. Okay, give us
22:28 coming. And if they are professional, here's what happens. They come with a bucket, right? to pick up all the
22:34 dishes. They have a towel on their arm walking like I don't know Alfred from Batman comes over, takes all the cups,
22:42 put in the put in the bucket, take all the plates and bowls, put in the bucket and then he does this thing that only the Taichi master would have taught him.
22:49 He takes a cloth, right? Goes into a circle motion, puts together
22:56 and then gathers all together at one center and then push everything to the bucket in one swipe.
23:07 And as we order our food, I have a question. I have a question for you. How many of
23:12 you would dare to put your forehead on that table?
23:19 How many of you would dare to put your whole cheek on that table?
23:25 Why not? Didn't he clean it? Peter, I know you well enough. You know, we'll dare to do great things together.
23:31 That's not one of them. But yeah. All right. Why Why wouldn't the majority of us
23:38 would we'll put our face on the on onto that table? It's still dirty. Why?
23:43 Because only God knows how many tables has that cloth wiped before it was ever
23:51 cleaned. We who try to clean our lives,
23:59 make it look neat and tidy and clean, but because it was try because it was
24:05 cleaned by dirty hands. Kid, do you remember like one day your kid help a kid tries and help you clean up, but his
24:11 hands were still stained by paint that they use for the artwork? It just gets worse, doesn't it?
24:18 It gets worse. Now if any of you are blessed are
24:25 blessed to have a life partner a very clean one especially you will know then
24:31 what what what you what can solve the problem right is that he or she most of the time she
24:38 will take out from her bag sanitary wipes right
24:43 most of the time by dental because biful stuff right they'll take it pull one out
24:49 maybe take even blue and white and she will wipe the table.
24:55 Wipe until you can hear her and then throws that away. Now I would
25:02 dare to put my face on that table. It has to take something clean, something
25:08 not from the same environment, something from a clean and pure environment
25:14 to come in and influence the cleaning and make a change. That's Jesus. coming from heaven above.
25:22 Pure, holy is his name, compassionately coming down to take away the sins of the
25:28 world. And he's done so very well.
25:35 For those of us who feel proud that we can try and do something, that's one thing we cannot do by our own dirty
25:41 hands. We should feel humble that we need such
25:47 help. We should feel also redeemed, joyful,
25:52 right? Because the table needs to be clean. Our lives still needs to be need needs to be forgiven. Thanks be to God
25:59 that he had come and redeemed us. And guess what? He has given us to be part
26:05 and parcel of his welcome party. Part and parcel of his of
26:11 his celebration party. Part and parcel of his message that is the gospel to be
26:16 shared out to others who feels that their lives feel so bad. Their lives
26:21 feel that no way God can forgive. We can reach out to someone and said I know exactly how you feel but I know one
26:27 thing more. I know that God has forgiven me. And that gives us that purpose in life
26:33 to give God the highest glory by declaring him Lord and Savior of our
26:38 lives so that others might do the same. And that's how blessed we can feel.
26:47 The purest emotion that I've seen or the purest expression that I've seen based in this some an earthly version would
26:55 have to be that one time when I was at a I was at a children's camp and I was
27:01 giving a talk about missions. The camp was in Cameron Highlands and so nearby is an orangasi village. Now we did a
27:08 macaroni craft. We got stationery together. We put them together in a
27:14 little bag and then we go over to an Orangasi village where they had a a service in Bahasa, Malaysia to which
27:19 then we gift every child with it. They're quite thankful. Yeah. Uh they're
27:25 quite thankful. But we're not done yet. After that, we are told that we have some time to play games with the
27:30 children. And so we decided to play football with the boys and bat silan with the girls. There's this one boy.
27:39 He's a special kid. He's quite slow. He's never wanted to be played by by the
27:47 by the boys or the girls because he doesn't have that hand eye coordination
27:52 to be able to play the batu. Nor does he have the capability to give a kick to
27:57 play the football. And so whoever has him on the team is like is this grunt is like
28:03 and so most of the time he sits at the side of the field wantingly to be part of it.
28:10 We played a good game. I tell you, some of these kids, in fact, most kids nowadays, I think they can run around us
28:16 six times before scoring a goal and we will be panting, not him. But when we were done and says, "Okay,
28:22 I'm tired. Let you guys win, but let me do this. But do me this favor. You see that boy over there?
28:28 Bring him to play along." Rule of the game. In order for you to move forward or anyway, he must touch the ball. And
28:35 you have to communicate to him. pass to me, pass to me, pass to him, pass to him.
28:41 He is the neutral person. He can do whatever he wants. But you have to pass the ball to him. He must you must get
28:47 the ball from him so you can position yourself in such a way that you can play the game with him involved.
28:56 This went on for one hour. We did not even make it through halfway through the
29:01 field. But by the end of half an hour as the sun was setting and everyone was going back and we were going back, you could
29:08 see the smile on that boy's face. It's so pure because he realized he couldn't do it
29:14 without by himself. He realized that he was that he was enabled by the people around him. He was he was repurposed. He
29:21 said, "Wow, how blessed I am to be part of that community."
29:29 Friends, we are the ones that are spiritually equally
29:35 in not the disabled. God had come to enable us that we may be
29:43 full in life, purposed and blessed to fulfill his
29:49 will. There are some among us here
29:55 I believe we need to revisit their purpose in life
30:02 and you can find it fully in Jesus Christ. The second part of the passage
30:08 that we see second verse of the psalm is that we see Mary being in wonder of
30:14 God's power and mercy. Often times when we see power, we think, "Wow, Thor and
30:21 his hammer only able to destroy." Every often times we think power, we think
30:26 Captain America. I'm sorry I'm using Marvel comics as an illustration. I'm a youth pastor most of the time. So these
30:32 are the things that really inspire me. So Captain America when he comes in you, he usually messes things up. When the
30:39 Hulk, we think power, we think usually destruction.
30:44 So when Captain America goes up the Hulk and Hulk smash.
30:52 He knows what's coming and so do we, right? Destruction and chaos. So when we see God's power, often times we think
30:59 save or but we also see his mercy.
31:05 Mary says this, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. That's how faithful God is.
31:12 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the
31:18 mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich
31:25 he has sent away empty. Of course, we know that Mary comes from a poor, lowly,
31:30 humble background, being a descendant of David of kings,
31:38 David of kings, but she's still of course very humble in a very in a very
31:44 average bluecollar poor environment. And so when she sees this, she sees God's
31:50 power, how God can wreck kingdoms. He's done it before for the sake of justice.
31:56 But when he does that, he evens things out. He brings mercy for those who had always been oppressed.
32:03 That's our prayer for this country. I hope that one day the rich may falter and the poor may rise up. That's the
32:10 prayer for thousands of years. But what Jesus come when Jesus comes in, he wasn't talking more any much of a
32:16 physical kingdom. He's talking about a spiritual kingdom that affects our eternity.
32:23 So when Mary see bring the brings sings this verse, she's looking at the character of God of the promise and the
32:30 power and mercy that he has done for his people. Israel had always been after
32:35 Solomon has always been poor, abandoned, kicked out, isolated, discriminated.
32:44 When Jesus comes into the picture, not much has changed in the physical,
32:49 not much has changed in the physical condition, but much has changed in the spiritual condition.
32:58 So Mary therefore saw God's mercy,
33:04 God's faithfulness. Can you imagine being faithful from generation to generation?
33:12 strong, powerful, just. And from there, we see Mary being
33:19 encouraged by the power and mercy of God, thankful
33:24 that she's going to help save and redeem people, hopeful that it will come to
33:30 pass soon. There's some among us here
33:37 who the last feeling they feel in this Christmas season will be encouraged
33:43 often times some of us might even feel a little discouraged. We're discouraged because every time our
33:49 family gathers together we'll get into a bicker or fight. We might be discouraged because when we
33:56 gather together as a family, we might have lost loved ones recently or even in times past and there are still wounds
34:02 that feel that has a void that that with wounds and voids that still hasn't filled up yet. So when they come to a
34:09 significant family gathering like Christmas, it's very emotionally overbearing and we feel discouraged.
34:15 There's some of us here who don't feel thankful. Why? Because let's say you have to balong during that weekend.
34:22 Guess what? We won't be the only ones on the highway, right? So, a three-hour drive from here to Pinang might be six
34:28 to eight hours and try the east coast road to Kar and Kar to Tranganu for as another example.
34:36 Six 6 hours becomes one day on the road 12 hours. I don't think we feel that
34:41 thankful. It's hard because we've led our souls to say that takes precedence over the gift
34:48 of Jesus Christ. But we focus on the lordship of Jesus.
34:56 How powerful and just is he that we should deserve to be punished. But yet he comes and forgives.
35:03 He comes and guides. He comes and provides hope.
35:09 Wow. There's an emotion that I don't think we
35:14 can feel as much unless we can put it into another picture. encouraged, thankful,
35:20 hopeful. How do we how do we balance it? There's this story that I like that I've heard before and and and it's it's
35:26 impact me quite a bit. It tells a story about it was one cold harsh winter and
35:32 there was a village of soldiers and civilians. They had to leave that village otherwise they will die of
35:38 starvation. Nothing is grown. They only have a limited supplies. It's too cold. They will not have enough food to to
35:44 withstand the winter. they need to go to another village south to find more warmth and maybe find more help. And so
35:51 the general of the army had organized that organized with the chief of the village to bring all the civilians and
35:58 the soldiers down south. But food and rations are limited. And so
36:04 he made a decree if anyone were to steal food from the from our rations, you will
36:10 be whipped 50 times. I know some I know I've seen in prisons
36:15 before 10 times also they bangan can you imagine 50
36:21 but of course they found out that people are still stealing and so the general says if caught
36:28 we will see the punishment through one day the lieutenant came up says sir
36:34 good news we found the thief okay great bring the person here the
36:42 lieutenant then brought the general's mother.
36:48 Now the general's in a dilemma. It's a person who he loves so much yet
36:54 he has she has committed a crime and she he has made a decree of what needs to be
36:59 done. Something needs to be done. A punishment needs to be made.
37:06 The general made a decision. tomorrow morning gather everyone together
37:12 and bring her on her knees before all the people. So next morning they gathered the
37:20 general standing in his uniform. The grandma the mother on hands and
37:26 knees. They says the punishment is 50 lashes as said
37:32 let it commence. And so the lieutenant took the rod and whip ready.
37:39 He's about to slash the first round. The general said, "Stop."
37:45 Here's what he did. He took off his general's robes. He took off his shirt.
37:52 There he was in the cold on his knees covering his mother with
37:59 his back. And he told the lieutenant, "Go ahead.
38:06 And don't stop until you finish all 50.
38:12 Put yourself in the mother's shoes.
38:18 Would any of us even dare to ask our own children to do that for us? I don't think so.
38:26 But for God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son to take that beating,
38:33 to take that punishment that we deserve that we may live to be thankful, to be
38:39 hopeful.
38:46 Finally, the short part, but I want to take a bit of time to explain this.
38:52 She recalls the very creed of being a ch descendants of Abraham. Here's what she
38:58 said. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy. And as he
39:04 spoke to our fathers to Abraham and his offspring forever, Mary found hope in
39:12 God's promise. God's promise that was that was made before Abraham 2,000 years
39:20 before Mary uttered these words. The story goes like this and even and
39:26 even our Muslim counterparts will know this story. The story goes is that Abra God told
39:32 Abraham, Abraham, sacrifice your son, your one and only son.
39:38 I want to test your faith. Do it. And so Abraham brought his son up.
39:45 The son looked at the son looked at Abraham and said, "Where is the lamb?
39:50 Where is the sacrifice?" To which Abraham said, "God will provide."
39:56 And as they go up to the altar, go up to the mountain, they build an altar, they put the wood ready. And then suddenly
40:02 Abraham takes Isaac's arms, ties him up, puts him on the puts him on
40:08 the altar. And as he was about to slit the throat, we know the story. What happens? God says, "Stop.
40:16 I myself will provide." In fact, this is the exact words. When the angel of the Lord said to cry
40:23 from heaven and he said,"Abraham, Abraham." And he said, "Yeah, here I am." He said, "Don't lay your hand on
40:30 the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son,
40:36 from me." And when Abraham heard that, Abraham looked up and he saw a ram in the thicket of the bushes.
40:45 And Abraham went and took the l ram and offered up as a burnt offering instead of his son. And so Abraham called the
40:51 name of the place, the Lord will provide. And as it is to this day on the mount of the Lord, it shall be provided.
40:60 God says, stop. I myself will provide. In fact, he would say by my and he says
41:06 here, I will surely I I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of the
41:12 heaven ascends above the seashore. So not only so God had promised two things.
41:17 Number one is that he will provide the sacrifice the perfect sacrifice and not
41:22 just for Abraham and his family but for all his descendants who will be as numerous as the stars and as the sands
41:29 of the seashore. What does that mean? Obviously, it does not mean by Abraham's
41:34 direct family descendants. It's not even by nationality or ethnicity. But it's by this grace that God had given anyone who
41:41 may come onto who goes unto him believes and follows him. You are adopted into
41:46 the family of Christ and also therefore provided that sacrifice.
41:53 The Lord shall provide and he has provided this Christmas.
41:59 And so for Mary two very simple things but I think it's the bedrock of
42:04 everything and that is this God is faithful God is loving and that leaves us to be hopeful.
42:15 I have friends who has friends in Saudi Arabia in the Middle Eastern countries
42:20 where they are being beaten, tortured,
42:26 discriminated just for believing in Jesus the Messiah.
42:34 To which they said to which they to which every time I asked them, "How do you stand living in that in those
42:41 conditions?" to which they said without the hope of
42:46 Jesus Christ we could not do it without the display of his faithfulness and love
42:54 on that cross and his promise that he will come again we will not be able to do it
43:00 there are many of us here who maybe in our souls
43:06 have found no hope and the song that we sing are empty words.
43:13 May I challenge you today that there is a reason why that there is this season
43:19 of Thanksgiving and it's not for the turkey. It's not for the lechon pork roast. It's not for
43:27 the good food and the sales after Christmas day. That's not the hope. The hope is that eternal gift that
43:34 provides sustenance for your eternity, strength for your whole life, rejuvenation in your soul
43:41 and purpose for your existence and that person is in
43:47 Jesus. Mary Mary saw that and it's by that
43:53 magnifi magnifi magnifying the Lord that led her to sustain through the birth the
44:01 torture the crucifixion of her son
44:07 God's son Jesus Christ which did not go to waste because when
44:15 he rose from the dead again Mary his mother saw But
44:20 how full of joy was she then? How full of joy can we be? If we take the whole
44:28 gospel, if we take the whole story of Jesus,
44:34 realize that he did it for us. It's all about him. And one big part of him is
44:40 his love for us to which we are called to respond.
44:47 Can we go to the lamb of God? Here I am. Change me.
44:55 And that's why Paul writes in Romans 4:13, the promise of Abraham and his offspring
45:02 that he will be the heir of the world did not come through the law. Meaning it didn't come to the physical,
45:07 but it came through the righteousness of faith. Something that's done in your hearts and mine.
45:14 It is by that strength, by that hope, by the that which is represented in this
45:20 season that makes the church in China growing to be the fastest growing church in all of the world. We didn't think of
45:27 that 50 years ago. But now we see it fruiting great fruit.
45:36 New statistics came in. Do you know what is the sec? You know what is the fastest growing church in north in North
45:42 America? No. No.
45:48 Arabic Baptist Church.
45:54 They're buying old churches in in Tennessee, in Louisiana, in places of
46:01 the south where it's cheap to live. But they found faith in Jesus the Messiah. Isa Alam said the savior.
46:08 And now they're establishing Arabic Baptist churches. That's powerful.
46:18 And it's not by the rule of law, but by the righteousness of faith. That faith
46:23 that they found through the son Jesus. I want to close with this very simple
46:29 statement. And with that, I'd like to invite the worship team up. We hear this verse mentioned maybe
46:38 romantically in a wedding or something, but there's such depth in this when we think of the of the of the nativity
46:44 story of Jesus. And then Paul tells us now abide in this
46:52 faith, hope, love. The greatest of these is love. The greatest of display is love
46:58 that is fueled by the faith that we have in the savior and hope that he had died,
47:04 rose again, and will come back again. I want to go back to your souls again
47:11 and ask you this question. Do you think maybe your soul will need
47:16 to sing or to sing a new song? Maybe it starts with a song of repentance.
47:24 We're going to have the closing song now. It's called is is an old favorite called just as I am. And I pray that
47:31 that will be your song from your soul saying, "Oh lamb of God, here I come. Just as I am, change me." And then after
47:40 that, we will come into taking communion.
