1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:01,860 Merry Christmas to you, everyone, 2 00:00:01,860 –> 00:00:03,180 it’s wonderful to be here. 3 00:00:03,180 –> 00:00:06,680 You look back to the birth of Jesus, 4 00:00:06,680 –> 00:00:09,880 where I lived 1,000 years before He came into the world, 5 00:00:09,880 –> 00:00:11,840 I looked forward, 6 00:00:11,840 –> 00:00:16,200 but as one who placed my faith in Jesus before He came, 7 00:00:16,200 –> 00:00:21,200 just as I hope you’ve put your faith in Jesus since He came, 8 00:00:22,160 –> 00:00:24,660 I’ve had the joy of spending these years 9 00:00:24,660 –> 00:00:27,379 in His marvelous, marvelous presence. 10 00:00:28,340 –> 00:00:30,740 I’m not allowed to tell you what that’s like. 11 00:00:31,959 –> 00:00:33,299 But what I can tell you today 12 00:00:33,299 –> 00:00:35,820 is something of my own story. 13 00:00:35,820 –> 00:00:39,419 And something about my own relationship with Jesus 14 00:00:39,419 –> 00:00:42,400 that I hope will help you to see 15 00:00:42,400 –> 00:00:46,439 just how great He is and what He can mean to you. 16 00:00:47,860 –> 00:00:51,119 You know, I was the youngest in my family, 17 00:00:51,119 –> 00:00:52,919 and some of you know, 18 00:00:52,919 –> 00:00:55,880 you never outgrow being the youngest in your family, 19 00:00:55,880 –> 00:00:59,540 it’s not the easiest position in which to be placed. 20 00:00:59,540 –> 00:01:02,759 I had brothers who got to do all of the fun things, 21 00:01:02,759 –> 00:01:03,980 as the youngest, 22 00:01:03,980 –> 00:01:06,239 my father, Jesse, 23 00:01:06,239 –> 00:01:09,080 he had me out watching the sheep, 24 00:01:09,080 –> 00:01:12,519 and I would have loved to have been with my brothers, 25 00:01:12,519 –> 00:01:14,980 but that’s how it was for me 26 00:01:14,980 –> 00:01:17,860 for much of my early years. 27 00:01:17,860 –> 00:01:20,720 If someone had come and had asked me, 28 00:01:20,720 –> 00:01:25,720 David, guess which member of your family 29 00:01:26,059 –> 00:01:28,500 will sit as king on the throne of Israel? 30 00:01:28,500 –> 00:01:31,699 I would never have guessed in a thousand years 31 00:01:31,699 –> 00:01:33,019 that it would have been me. 32 00:01:33,839 –> 00:01:35,059 But I can tell you this, 33 00:01:35,059 –> 00:01:37,699 that God has plans for your life 34 00:01:37,699 –> 00:01:39,860 if you’re a follower of Jesus 35 00:01:39,860 –> 00:01:43,480 that are greater than anything you have ever dreamed. 36 00:01:44,400 –> 00:01:45,779 And seeing it from up there now, 37 00:01:45,779 –> 00:01:48,779 I see it more clearly than I ever saw it 38 00:01:48,779 –> 00:01:50,440 in my life down here. 39 00:01:51,660 –> 00:01:54,139 Some of you, of course, will know the stories from my life. 40 00:01:54,239 –> 00:01:56,440 You’ll know about some of my great successes 41 00:01:56,440 –> 00:01:59,860 and you’ll also know about some of my great failures. 42 00:01:59,860 –> 00:02:02,500 No one knew greater happiness than me 43 00:02:02,500 –> 00:02:03,779 on the day when they brought 44 00:02:03,779 –> 00:02:06,519 the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. 45 00:02:06,519 –> 00:02:08,679 Wow, what a fantastic day that was! 46 00:02:08,679 –> 00:02:13,679 I was so happy, I danced before the Lord overwhelmed by joy. 47 00:02:14,360 –> 00:02:15,839 But if you’ve read my story, 48 00:02:15,839 –> 00:02:19,919 you will know that I also had my problems. 49 00:02:19,919 –> 00:02:23,119 If some of you think you have problems in your family, 50 00:02:23,119 –> 00:02:24,279 read my story. 51 00:02:25,199 –> 00:02:28,039 My son Absalom, who rebelled against me 52 00:02:28,039 –> 00:02:30,460 and his terrible, terrible end. 53 00:02:31,339 –> 00:02:34,100 And that awful, oh, unspeakable thing 54 00:02:35,100 –> 00:02:37,639 that happened to my daughter, Tamar. 55 00:02:38,899 –> 00:02:41,119 I lived in an evil world 56 00:02:41,119 –> 00:02:43,639 a thousand years before the coming of Jesus Christ 57 00:02:43,639 –> 00:02:45,759 and I expect that you’ve had your fair share 58 00:02:45,759 –> 00:02:47,779 and your taste of that too. 59 00:02:49,259 –> 00:02:51,559 Now you know, people have fallen into the habit 60 00:02:52,039 –> 00:02:55,460 of calling me Israel’s greatest king. 61 00:02:55,460 –> 00:02:58,119 Frankly, I wish they wouldn’t do that. 62 00:02:58,119 –> 00:02:59,479 But here’s why they do. 63 00:03:00,320 –> 00:03:05,320 When I was king, God gave us victory over our enemies. 64 00:03:05,360 –> 00:03:07,440 Our borders were secure 65 00:03:07,440 –> 00:03:10,500 and we lived with peace in our time. 66 00:03:10,500 –> 00:03:15,500 And get this, during the entire period of my reign, 67 00:03:16,160 –> 00:03:21,160 you’ll like this, our economy was booming. 68 00:03:22,479 –> 00:03:24,679 Now just thinking about that and being around here, 69 00:03:24,679 –> 00:03:26,839 I’m thinking maybe I should stick around 70 00:03:26,839 –> 00:03:29,779 and have a shot at running to be your president. 71 00:03:32,100 –> 00:03:34,000 But I’m not here to talk about myself. 72 00:03:34,919 –> 00:03:39,919 I’m here today to talk to you about my greater son 73 00:03:40,199 –> 00:03:42,380 whose name is Jesus. 74 00:03:43,440 –> 00:03:48,039 Now, remember this, the most important thing in my life 75 00:03:49,000 –> 00:03:52,600 is not anything that I achieved as the king of Israel. 76 00:03:54,000 –> 00:03:56,759 The most important thing about me 77 00:03:56,759 –> 00:04:00,240 is my relationship with Jesus. 78 00:04:01,440 –> 00:04:03,779 And you will find in your life 79 00:04:03,779 –> 00:04:07,600 and you’ll certainly find beyond the period of your life 80 00:04:07,600 –> 00:04:10,539 that the most important thing for you 81 00:04:10,539 –> 00:04:13,440 is your relationship with Jesus. 82 00:04:13,440 –> 00:04:16,200 Your pastor told me that some of you 83 00:04:16,200 –> 00:04:19,160 were big shots in business and in the city. 84 00:04:19,160 –> 00:04:21,440 Well he didn’t exactly use these words 85 00:04:21,440 –> 00:04:22,980 but that’s what he meant. 86 00:04:24,239 –> 00:04:28,079 I tell you whatever you achieve in your life, 87 00:04:28,079 –> 00:04:30,440 the most important thing about you 88 00:04:30,440 –> 00:04:33,839 will be your relationship to Jesus Christ. 89 00:04:33,839 –> 00:04:37,200 You take that from me as the word of a king. 90 00:04:38,119 –> 00:04:41,279 So let me tell you about my relationship with Jesus. 91 00:04:41,279 –> 00:04:43,880 It all began with a promise 92 00:04:43,880 –> 00:04:47,760 that God gave to me through the prophet Nathan. 93 00:04:47,760 –> 00:04:50,839 Nathan spoke the truth into my life as you may remember 94 00:04:50,839 –> 00:04:54,679 on many occasions, sometimes painfully so. 95 00:04:54,679 –> 00:04:57,600 But God used this very special man, Nathan, 96 00:04:57,600 –> 00:05:00,799 to speak the truth in a very wonderful way. 97 00:05:00,799 –> 00:05:02,799 You can read about it in second Samuel, 98 00:05:02,799 –> 00:05:05,320 chapter seven and verse 14. 99 00:05:05,320 –> 00:05:09,559 In fact Nathan became so important in my life 100 00:05:09,559 –> 00:05:13,700 that I named one of my own sons after him. 101 00:05:14,540 –> 00:05:16,720 You might like to remember that. 102 00:05:16,720 –> 00:05:19,920 Here’s what God said to me through Nathan. 103 00:05:19,920 –> 00:05:24,140 God said that after I was dead and gone, 104 00:05:24,140 –> 00:05:28,760 He would raise up my offspring to succeed me. 105 00:05:28,760 –> 00:05:31,279 In other words, that there would be a future person 106 00:05:31,279 –> 00:05:33,399 who would come from my family line 107 00:05:33,399 –> 00:05:35,579 and God said He would be the one 108 00:05:35,579 –> 00:05:38,459 who would build a house for God’s name. 109 00:05:38,459 –> 00:05:40,600 It was an amazing promise, 110 00:05:40,600 –> 00:05:43,519 especially when you think about this, 111 00:05:43,519 –> 00:05:47,820 God never made a promise like that to Moses. 112 00:05:47,820 –> 00:05:50,839 No promise like that was ever given to Joshua 113 00:05:50,839 –> 00:05:53,420 or to any of the judges. 114 00:05:53,420 –> 00:05:56,880 This was a promise that was given wonderfully to me. 115 00:05:56,880 –> 00:05:59,540 I can’t get over the privilege of it. 116 00:05:59,540 –> 00:06:03,420 God said, there will be a son in your line, David. 117 00:06:03,420 –> 00:06:07,260 He will arise after your lifetime 118 00:06:07,260 –> 00:06:09,399 but he will be your offspring 119 00:06:09,399 –> 00:06:11,959 and he will be the one to build the house for my name. 120 00:06:11,959 –> 00:06:14,980 Then God said something else about this future person. 121 00:06:17,160 –> 00:06:22,160 God said about him that he would give to this person 122 00:06:22,579 –> 00:06:25,700 the throne forever. 123 00:06:26,559 –> 00:06:28,260 Now, I was scratching my head 124 00:06:28,260 –> 00:06:30,140 when I heard that word from God 125 00:06:30,140 –> 00:06:32,959 because kings come and kings go. 126 00:06:32,959 –> 00:06:35,260 Kings rise and kings fall. 127 00:06:36,359 –> 00:06:38,959 No king has a throne that lasts forever 128 00:06:38,959 –> 00:06:43,160 but God said that this offspring 129 00:06:43,160 –> 00:06:46,239 who would come into my line after I had died, 130 00:06:46,239 –> 00:06:48,279 he would be given the throne 131 00:06:48,279 –> 00:06:50,200 and his kingdom would last forever 132 00:06:50,200 –> 00:06:52,760 and then God said something even more astonishing. 133 00:06:53,940 –> 00:06:55,640 He said this, 134 00:06:55,640 –> 00:06:59,000 and I will be his father 135 00:07:00,859 –> 00:07:05,299 and he will be my son. 136 00:07:05,739 –> 00:07:10,739 I scratched my head when I heard that word through Nathan. 137 00:07:11,660 –> 00:07:16,660 How could any son of mine be the son of God? 138 00:07:18,540 –> 00:07:23,100 How could God be father to my son? 139 00:07:24,660 –> 00:07:26,779 I understand it now, 140 00:07:26,779 –> 00:07:31,480 but you can understand it was a complete mystery to me then, 141 00:07:31,480 –> 00:07:33,440 but this was the promise. 142 00:07:33,440 –> 00:07:34,359 It was quite clear. 143 00:07:34,399 –> 00:07:36,399 You can read it in your Bible. 144 00:07:36,399 –> 00:07:40,679 The son of God would be born into my family line 145 00:07:40,679 –> 00:07:42,619 and from that day, you will understand 146 00:07:42,619 –> 00:07:45,179 that the eyes of faithful and believing people 147 00:07:45,179 –> 00:07:50,179 were always on my line of descent through the generations. 148 00:07:51,279 –> 00:07:53,200 Well, if you know a little bit about the Bible, 149 00:07:53,200 –> 00:07:54,980 you’ll know the story that followed. 150 00:07:54,980 –> 00:07:58,140 When I died, my son Solomon became the king 151 00:07:58,140 –> 00:08:00,179 and he was the one who built the temple. 152 00:08:00,179 –> 00:08:01,940 Of course I expect some people thought 153 00:08:01,980 –> 00:08:04,100 that that was what was meant by building a house 154 00:08:04,100 –> 00:08:06,679 for God’s name and in some ways it was, 155 00:08:06,679 –> 00:08:09,059 but Solomon didn’t fulfill the promise 156 00:08:09,059 –> 00:08:11,339 and he ended, actually, rather badly. 157 00:08:11,339 –> 00:08:12,579 It was very sad. 158 00:08:13,799 –> 00:08:18,040 After him came my grandson, Rehoboam. 159 00:08:20,600 –> 00:08:23,679 Poor fellow didn’t know the first thing about leadership. 160 00:08:24,679 –> 00:08:26,399 As soon as he became king, 161 00:08:26,399 –> 00:08:28,519 he alienated most of the people. 162 00:08:29,420 –> 00:08:31,119 And it wasn’t long, therefore, 163 00:08:31,160 –> 00:08:33,219 before there was someone who rose up 164 00:08:33,219 –> 00:08:34,500 in the north of the country, 165 00:08:34,500 –> 00:08:37,500 a man by the name of Jeroboam, a military leader, 166 00:08:37,500 –> 00:08:40,919 and he led a revolt against my grandson. 167 00:08:40,919 –> 00:08:43,260 And that resulted in the ten tribes 168 00:08:43,260 –> 00:08:44,739 in the northern part of Israel, 169 00:08:44,739 –> 00:08:46,940 the huge majority of Israel, 170 00:08:46,940 –> 00:08:49,580 declaring independence from the House of David 171 00:08:49,580 –> 00:08:51,419 and they appointed their own king. 172 00:08:51,419 –> 00:08:52,599 Turned out to be Jeroboam. 173 00:08:52,599 –> 00:08:54,000 It’s amazing how the military leader 174 00:08:54,000 –> 00:08:56,500 ends up being the king, isn’t it? 175 00:08:56,500 –> 00:08:57,559 That’s what happened. 176 00:08:58,559 –> 00:08:59,599 And from then on, 177 00:08:59,599 –> 00:09:03,000 it was a line of unbroken disaster 178 00:09:03,000 –> 00:09:05,640 for these 10 tribes that had separated 179 00:09:05,640 –> 00:09:07,619 from the rule of my family line. 180 00:09:08,479 –> 00:09:10,400 One after another, evil kings 181 00:09:10,400 –> 00:09:13,559 until the year 722 B.C., 182 00:09:13,559 –> 00:09:16,440 about 300 years after my time, 183 00:09:16,440 –> 00:09:18,919 when the Assyrians came in 184 00:09:18,919 –> 00:09:21,299 and they deported the people 185 00:09:21,299 –> 00:09:24,719 and they overwhelmed all of the armies of the north 186 00:09:24,719 –> 00:09:27,640 so that the northern area of the kingdom 187 00:09:27,640 –> 00:09:30,679 was left as a complete desolate wasteland. 188 00:09:32,599 –> 00:09:34,000 And then the king of Assyria, 189 00:09:34,000 –> 00:09:36,000 having scattered all these people, 190 00:09:37,280 –> 00:09:40,080 brought foreigners from all kinds of other nations 191 00:09:40,080 –> 00:09:43,200 and forcibly repatriated them 192 00:09:43,200 –> 00:09:44,539 to live in the northern kingdom. 193 00:09:44,539 –> 00:09:46,340 You know what these folks were called? 194 00:09:47,200 –> 00:09:49,059 Samaritans. 195 00:09:49,059 –> 00:09:50,919 You know how much we Jews love them. 196 00:09:50,940 –> 00:09:55,179 Well, that left just two tribes in the south 197 00:09:55,179 –> 00:09:57,239 around Jerusalem, 198 00:09:57,239 –> 00:10:02,159 continuing to live under the line descended from me. 199 00:10:02,159 –> 00:10:03,000 Now I have to tell you, 200 00:10:03,000 –> 00:10:05,239 my descendants were a bit of a mixed bunch. 201 00:10:05,239 –> 00:10:07,840 Some of them had a heart for God. 202 00:10:07,840 –> 00:10:12,380 A lot of them turned out to be all about themselves. 203 00:10:13,960 –> 00:10:16,559 They continued after the fall of the northern kingdom 204 00:10:16,559 –> 00:10:19,719 for about another hundred or more years. 205 00:10:20,700 –> 00:10:22,520 But eventually, the same disaster 206 00:10:22,520 –> 00:10:23,679 that had come to the north 207 00:10:23,679 –> 00:10:25,880 also came to these two tribes 208 00:10:25,880 –> 00:10:29,460 living under the rule of my descendants in the south. 209 00:10:29,460 –> 00:10:32,239 Babylon was the superpower of the day, 210 00:10:32,239 –> 00:10:35,679 and Nebuchadnezzar’s armies came along 211 00:10:35,679 –> 00:10:37,460 and marched against Jerusalem. 212 00:10:37,460 –> 00:10:39,539 The city was completely destroyed, 213 00:10:39,539 –> 00:10:41,719 the temple was devastated, 214 00:10:41,719 –> 00:10:45,119 and the people who had not fled or had not died 215 00:10:45,119 –> 00:10:48,159 were taken off into exile in Babylon. 216 00:10:49,799 –> 00:10:54,039 Zedekiah was the last king of my line 217 00:10:54,039 –> 00:10:56,280 to sit on the throne in Jerusalem, 218 00:10:57,520 –> 00:10:59,020 and the end came for him 219 00:10:59,020 –> 00:11:03,859 in the year 586 years before Jesus. 220 00:11:04,880 –> 00:11:08,919 And after that, descendants from my line, 221 00:11:08,919 –> 00:11:11,479 they all lived in obscurity, 222 00:11:12,840 –> 00:11:14,739 most of them living in poverty. 223 00:11:15,739 –> 00:11:19,340 People watched, and people waited 224 00:11:20,580 –> 00:11:24,020 to see how God’s promise might be fulfilled. 225 00:11:24,020 –> 00:11:27,700 Of course, you know the story that after 70 years, 226 00:11:27,700 –> 00:11:29,780 the people who were in exile, 227 00:11:29,780 –> 00:11:33,440 some of them came back to Jerusalem, 228 00:11:33,440 –> 00:11:36,119 and they rebuilt the city walls, 229 00:11:36,119 –> 00:11:37,940 and they rebuilt the temple. 230 00:11:37,940 –> 00:11:41,500 You can read about this in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. 231 00:11:42,460 –> 00:11:44,859 But I want you to understand this. 232 00:11:44,859 –> 00:11:46,859 When that little community came back, 233 00:11:46,859 –> 00:11:49,900 they had a temple, there was a worshiping people, 234 00:11:51,219 –> 00:11:54,760 but they had no Davidic king. 235 00:11:56,239 –> 00:11:57,320 No Davidic king. 236 00:11:58,679 –> 00:12:01,159 They were ruled from that time on by kings 237 00:12:01,159 –> 00:12:04,619 who were foreigners right down to the time of Herod, 238 00:12:04,619 –> 00:12:09,619 who was an Edomite, no one from my line on the throne 239 00:12:09,719 –> 00:12:13,799 in Zedekiah, 600 years before the birth of Jesus. 240 00:12:15,380 –> 00:12:19,400 And so people waited, and watched, and wondered. 241 00:12:20,440 –> 00:12:24,219 600 years since a Davidic king has been on the throne, 242 00:12:24,219 –> 00:12:27,219 how will one ever arise from obscurity 243 00:12:28,940 –> 00:12:31,820 to fulfill the promise of God? 244 00:12:33,559 –> 00:12:36,080 Well I tell you it was 1,000 years 245 00:12:36,219 –> 00:12:40,380 after my lifetime before the promise was fulfilled. 246 00:12:42,080 –> 00:12:45,659 And as I watched from above, I cannot tell you 247 00:12:45,659 –> 00:12:49,320 the joy that was in my heart as he was born. 248 00:12:52,080 –> 00:12:55,760 By the way, have you noticed that I get 249 00:12:55,760 –> 00:12:59,760 a direct personal mention in the very first verse 250 00:13:01,340 –> 00:13:02,400 of the New Testament. 251 00:13:02,400 –> 00:13:03,859 Did you notice that? 252 00:13:03,859 –> 00:13:04,940 Here’s what it says. 253 00:13:04,940 –> 00:13:08,020 Matthew chapter 1 and verse 1, 254 00:13:08,020 –> 00:13:11,520 a record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, 255 00:13:13,820 –> 00:13:15,239 the Son of David. 256 00:13:16,080 –> 00:13:19,419 My favorite verse in the New Testament. 257 00:13:20,280 –> 00:13:21,900 Well, by the way, while we’re on that, 258 00:13:21,900 –> 00:13:23,679 you might be interested to know, 259 00:13:23,679 –> 00:13:25,679 did you know this? 260 00:13:25,679 –> 00:13:29,099 That both Joseph and Mary were descended 261 00:13:30,719 –> 00:13:33,859 from my line through different sons. 262 00:13:33,940 –> 00:13:37,520 Joseph was my descendant through Solomon, 263 00:13:37,520 –> 00:13:41,359 and his line is traced in the Gospel of Matthew. 264 00:13:41,359 –> 00:13:44,820 Mary was my descendant through Nathan, 265 00:13:44,820 –> 00:13:47,520 the son that I named after the prophet, 266 00:13:47,520 –> 00:13:51,280 and her line is traced in the Gospel of Luke. 267 00:13:52,340 –> 00:13:56,059 Both of them were off the royal bloodline. 268 00:13:56,059 –> 00:13:59,419 Both of them living in obscurity. 269 00:13:59,419 –> 00:14:00,500 It’s amazing. 270 00:14:01,340 –> 00:14:05,099 Actually, I get a mention all over the Christmas story. 271 00:14:05,099 –> 00:14:07,280 Do you remember when the angel appeared to Mary, 272 00:14:07,280 –> 00:14:09,979 he said that the son that she would bear 273 00:14:09,979 –> 00:14:12,599 would be called the son of the Most High, 274 00:14:12,599 –> 00:14:17,599 and that God would give him the throne of his father, David. 275 00:14:18,320 –> 00:14:21,219 My son on my throne. 276 00:14:22,460 –> 00:14:25,219 And then when Cesar called for that census 277 00:14:25,219 –> 00:14:28,219 and everyone had to return to their own town of origin 278 00:14:28,539 –> 00:14:32,020 in order to register, where did Mary and Joseph go? 279 00:14:32,020 –> 00:14:35,820 But to Bethlehem, which was my home town. 280 00:14:37,159 –> 00:14:39,000 Now think about this. 281 00:14:39,000 –> 00:14:40,659 Has it ever occurred to you 282 00:14:40,659 –> 00:14:43,820 I was a shepherd from Bethlehem? 283 00:14:43,820 –> 00:14:44,700 I knew what it was 284 00:14:44,700 –> 00:14:47,039 to be out on those hills watching sheep at night. 285 00:14:47,039 –> 00:14:49,580 That’s what I did as the youngest brother 286 00:14:49,580 –> 00:14:54,099 for years before God had given me opportunity 287 00:14:54,099 –> 00:14:55,599 to serve in other ways. 288 00:14:55,599 –> 00:14:57,880 I knew what it was like for these guys 289 00:14:57,880 –> 00:15:00,260 who were out on the hills behind Bethlehem 290 00:15:00,260 –> 00:15:03,760 watching sheep on the night when Jesus was born 291 00:15:03,760 –> 00:15:06,260 and the Angel of the Lord appeared to then 292 00:15:06,260 –> 00:15:08,520 and the glory of the Lord shone around them. 293 00:15:08,520 –> 00:15:11,820 And you remember what the Angel said to them? 294 00:15:11,820 –> 00:15:13,299 Don’t be afraid he said, 295 00:15:13,299 –> 00:15:15,280 today there’s good news of great joy 296 00:15:15,280 –> 00:15:20,080 because today in the town of David, Bethlehem 297 00:15:20,080 –> 00:15:23,700 they’d renamed it really because that’s where I came from. 298 00:15:23,700 –> 00:15:28,700 A savior has been born to you and he is Christ the Lord. 299 00:15:31,580 –> 00:15:33,659 Roll the story forward. 300 00:15:33,659 –> 00:15:36,940 Because if you end at Christmas, 301 00:15:36,940 –> 00:15:39,219 you really don’t get what it’s all about. 302 00:15:40,460 –> 00:15:41,780 Roll the story forward 303 00:15:41,780 –> 00:15:45,020 and you find Jesus beginning his public ministry. 304 00:15:45,960 –> 00:15:47,500 And he healed people 305 00:15:48,400 –> 00:15:50,700 and folks were astonished at what he did. 306 00:15:51,580 –> 00:15:52,419 On one occasion, 307 00:15:52,479 –> 00:15:55,580 and you can read about this in Matthew in Chapter 12, 308 00:15:55,580 –> 00:15:57,859 some people found a person 309 00:15:57,859 –> 00:16:01,619 who seemed to be a uniquely difficult case. 310 00:16:02,880 –> 00:16:07,820 This man couldn’t speak and he couldn’t see 311 00:16:09,039 –> 00:16:11,340 and on top of that he was possessed 312 00:16:11,340 –> 00:16:14,520 by many evil spirits, demons. 313 00:16:15,640 –> 00:16:18,200 I guess these folks wanted to test Jesus. 314 00:16:18,200 –> 00:16:19,700 You know we’ve seen him doing some miracles. 315 00:16:19,700 –> 00:16:22,400 Let’s see what he can do with this fellow. 316 00:16:22,400 –> 00:16:24,859 So they brought this fellow who can’t see and can’t speak 317 00:16:24,859 –> 00:16:26,539 and is possessed by many demons. 318 00:16:26,539 –> 00:16:29,500 They bring him to Jesus, let’s see what he can do with him. 319 00:16:29,500 –> 00:16:31,520 And you know what Jesus did? 320 00:16:31,520 –> 00:16:34,700 He healed him and delivered him on the spot. 321 00:16:36,179 –> 00:16:38,659 Well that absolutely astonished everyone. 322 00:16:38,659 –> 00:16:40,400 You can read this in your Bible. 323 00:16:40,400 –> 00:16:42,260 Here’s what people started to say. 324 00:16:42,260 –> 00:16:46,619 They said, could this be the son of David? 325 00:16:48,159 –> 00:16:52,080 Could this Jesus be the one who for all these centuries 326 00:16:53,080 –> 00:16:53,900 and generations we’ve been looking 327 00:16:53,900 –> 00:16:57,219 since God gave the promise to me? 328 00:16:58,340 –> 00:17:00,799 Word about him spread of course. 329 00:17:00,799 –> 00:17:03,539 And eventually he came to Jerusalem. 330 00:17:03,539 –> 00:17:06,300 Won’t you celebrate this a little nearer to Easter? 331 00:17:06,300 –> 00:17:09,160 There was a day of when he came into the city 332 00:17:09,160 –> 00:17:10,760 riding on a donkey. 333 00:17:10,760 –> 00:17:14,300 And more and more people had come to the same conclusion 334 00:17:14,300 –> 00:17:15,739 that they expressed that day. 335 00:17:15,739 –> 00:17:18,380 You remember they picked up palm branches 336 00:17:18,380 –> 00:17:21,020 and they said, say it with me, 337 00:17:21,020 –> 00:17:23,599 to the son of David? 338 00:17:25,459 –> 00:17:30,060 They had come to believe that this is the One 339 00:17:30,060 –> 00:17:35,060 in whom that great promise to me would be fulfilled. 340 00:17:36,939 –> 00:17:38,819 You know, as you read through the gospels, 341 00:17:38,819 –> 00:17:42,859 Jesus referred to me on many many occasions. 342 00:17:42,859 –> 00:17:45,900 But my favorite is the time 343 00:17:45,900 –> 00:17:50,180 when Jesus quoted one of my Psalms 344 00:17:50,219 –> 00:17:54,859 and threw the Pharisees into utter confusion. 345 00:17:54,859 –> 00:17:56,479 I wonder if you know the story. 346 00:17:57,359 –> 00:18:01,500 Here’s what I wrote in Psalm 110. 347 00:18:01,500 –> 00:18:02,540 I wrote these words. 348 00:18:02,540 –> 00:18:03,660 They’re very important. 349 00:18:03,660 –> 00:18:05,819 In fact, they’re so important 350 00:18:05,819 –> 00:18:08,619 that these words are the most quoted words 351 00:18:08,619 –> 00:18:09,859 from the Old Testament 352 00:18:09,859 –> 00:18:12,000 in all of the New Testament scriptures. 353 00:18:12,000 –> 00:18:13,500 Psalm 110 verse one. 354 00:18:13,500 –> 00:18:15,020 Here’s what I wrote. 355 00:18:15,020 –> 00:18:17,020 Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 356 00:18:17,040 –> 00:18:22,040 I said, the Lord, that is God Almighty, Yahweh, 357 00:18:23,719 –> 00:18:28,719 the Lord, I wrote, said to my Lord, 358 00:18:30,780 –> 00:18:32,760 sit at my right hand 359 00:18:32,760 –> 00:18:35,160 until all your enemies are under your feet. 360 00:18:36,979 –> 00:18:40,060 You see, it had been revealed to me by God 361 00:18:41,380 –> 00:18:46,319 that beside the Almighty himself 362 00:18:46,479 –> 00:18:51,219 there would be one who I could only describe as my Lord, 363 00:18:55,520 –> 00:18:58,199 and that the Almighty would say to the one 364 00:18:58,199 –> 00:19:01,760 I can only describe as my Lord, 365 00:19:01,760 –> 00:19:06,000 that he should sit at the right hand of the Almighty, 366 00:19:06,000 –> 00:19:09,060 and that he should sit there until all his enemies 367 00:19:09,060 –> 00:19:10,760 have been placed under his feet. 368 00:19:12,260 –> 00:19:13,900 It was all a little hazy to me, 369 00:19:13,900 –> 00:19:16,439 but enough was revealed to me so that I knew 370 00:19:16,439 –> 00:19:19,900 that the one I could only describe as my Lord 371 00:19:19,900 –> 00:19:22,880 would be at the right hand of the Almighty, 372 00:19:22,880 –> 00:19:26,359 and that all his enemies would be put under his feet. 373 00:19:26,359 –> 00:19:28,959 And I wrote that in Psalm 110 374 00:19:28,959 –> 00:19:31,319 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 375 00:19:31,319 –> 00:19:33,439 and it’s so important that it is 376 00:19:33,439 –> 00:19:35,160 the most quoted single statement 377 00:19:35,160 –> 00:19:38,079 from all the Old Testament scriptures in the New Testament. 378 00:19:38,079 –> 00:19:39,380 I wonder if you knew that. 379 00:19:40,300 –> 00:19:44,000 Well, Jesus took that up. 380 00:19:45,459 –> 00:19:47,959 The Pharisees, you see, knew that the Messiah 381 00:19:47,959 –> 00:19:49,459 would be one of my descendants. 382 00:19:49,459 –> 00:19:51,060 They were always talking about this, 383 00:19:51,060 –> 00:19:52,500 the Son of David, the Son of David, 384 00:19:52,500 –> 00:19:54,260 the Son of David, the Son of David. 385 00:19:55,640 –> 00:19:57,400 So, Jesus asked them this question, 386 00:19:57,400 –> 00:19:59,239 how is it that the teachers of the law 387 00:19:59,239 –> 00:20:01,560 say that the Christ is the Son of David? 388 00:20:02,699 –> 00:20:06,459 And then he quoted what I had said in Psalm 110. 389 00:20:06,459 –> 00:20:10,479 He said, David calls the Messiah his Lord. 390 00:20:12,380 –> 00:20:15,199 Since David calls the Messiah his Lord, 391 00:20:17,099 –> 00:20:19,400 how then is the Messiah David’s son? 392 00:20:20,839 –> 00:20:22,939 Well, that had them absolutely staggered. 393 00:20:22,939 –> 00:20:24,579 The crowd loved it. 394 00:20:26,439 –> 00:20:28,119 These pompous folks. 395 00:20:29,040 –> 00:20:30,660 Here was their mistake. 396 00:20:31,699 –> 00:20:34,540 They were always telling people 397 00:20:34,540 –> 00:20:38,579 that the Messiah would be the son of David. 398 00:20:39,660 –> 00:20:44,660 They never said, the Messiah will be the son of God. 399 00:20:47,099 –> 00:20:49,780 And, you see, that’s my relationship with Jesus. 400 00:20:50,859 –> 00:20:54,739 He’s my son, he’s my Lord. 401 00:20:56,579 –> 00:21:01,040 And he’s both my son and my Lord because he’s God and man. 402 00:21:01,939 –> 00:21:04,439 He’s born into the line of my descent 403 00:21:05,680 –> 00:21:10,680 but he is God of God, God in the flesh, God with us. 404 00:21:11,000 –> 00:21:14,800 God come to us, God for us, 405 00:21:14,800 –> 00:21:16,939 and he is the focus 406 00:21:16,939 –> 00:21:21,359 of my worship and my adoration and my praise. 407 00:21:22,780 –> 00:21:24,640 The Pharisees couldn’t get that 408 00:21:25,560 –> 00:21:27,160 because they did not read 409 00:21:27,160 –> 00:21:29,599 the Old Testament Scriptures properly, 410 00:21:31,319 –> 00:21:33,920 they did not hear what God had said. 411 00:21:33,920 –> 00:21:37,119 Not only will the Christ be the son of David 412 00:21:38,219 –> 00:21:40,239 but I will be his father 413 00:21:41,160 –> 00:21:44,199 and he will be my son. 414 00:21:46,680 –> 00:21:48,560 Now there’s all kinds of other stories 415 00:21:48,560 –> 00:21:49,719 that I could tell you 416 00:21:51,140 –> 00:21:54,079 but your pastor told me, candidly 417 00:21:54,079 –> 00:21:56,319 that he’d been speaking a little long himself 418 00:21:56,319 –> 00:21:57,540 for the last few weeks 419 00:21:57,540 –> 00:21:58,800 and that since it’s Christmas 420 00:21:58,800 –> 00:22:00,459 I really need to keep to time. 421 00:22:01,140 –> 00:22:03,060 So I’m gonna do that today. 422 00:22:03,060 –> 00:22:05,339 So let me tell you just one more story 423 00:22:05,339 –> 00:22:07,020 that I think you’ll know to. 424 00:22:07,020 –> 00:22:08,640 Have any of you heard the story 425 00:22:08,640 –> 00:22:10,359 about the day I fought a giant? 426 00:22:11,680 –> 00:22:13,160 You have? 427 00:22:13,160 –> 00:22:14,760 Let me tell you about that day. 428 00:22:16,900 –> 00:22:18,920 What a man Goliath was. 429 00:22:19,959 –> 00:22:22,199 Nine feet tall 430 00:22:23,839 –> 00:22:26,839 and he carried body armor 431 00:22:26,920 –> 00:22:31,000 that weighed 125 pounds. 432 00:22:31,000 –> 00:22:33,359 Can you imagine that, carrying armor 433 00:22:33,359 –> 00:22:36,520 that is 125 pounds in weight? 434 00:22:38,119 –> 00:22:40,359 The Philistines of whom he was one 435 00:22:40,359 –> 00:22:43,560 were the enemies of the people of God. 436 00:22:43,560 –> 00:22:45,359 They were cruel and they were violent 437 00:22:45,359 –> 00:22:47,579 and they wanted to make us their slaves. 438 00:22:48,439 –> 00:22:50,719 Goliath was really their champion. 439 00:22:51,599 –> 00:22:54,619 And everyday as the armies of the Philistines 440 00:22:54,699 –> 00:22:57,520 were camped on one side of the valley of Elah 441 00:22:57,520 –> 00:22:59,079 and our armies were camped 442 00:22:59,079 –> 00:23:01,500 on the other side of the valley of Elah, 443 00:23:01,500 –> 00:23:04,359 every morning this giant of a man, 444 00:23:04,359 –> 00:23:06,020 Goliath would step forward 445 00:23:06,020 –> 00:23:08,719 and he would defy the armies of Israel. 446 00:23:10,959 –> 00:23:12,939 He would say to them this, 447 00:23:13,839 –> 00:23:18,719 choose one man who will come out 448 00:23:18,719 –> 00:23:21,380 and fight me, one man. 449 00:23:21,380 –> 00:23:25,359 And then he would say this, 450 00:23:26,319 –> 00:23:29,160 if your man wins, you win 451 00:23:30,119 –> 00:23:32,040 and we’ll all be your slaves. 452 00:23:33,459 –> 00:23:35,119 But if I beat your man, 453 00:23:36,520 –> 00:23:38,760 you will be our slaves 454 00:23:38,760 –> 00:23:40,579 and you’ll all be the losers. 455 00:23:41,780 –> 00:23:44,140 He would come out and he would say this. 456 00:23:44,140 –> 00:23:47,939 Every morning, he did it for 40 days. 457 00:23:47,939 –> 00:23:50,979 Same taunt, here’s our armies 458 00:23:50,979 –> 00:23:52,260 and everyone’s looking at each other 459 00:23:52,260 –> 00:23:54,040 and thinking, I don’t fancy going. 460 00:23:55,520 –> 00:23:58,020 Any of us is gonna be a loser against him, 461 00:23:59,380 –> 00:24:01,699 and none of them wanted to step up 462 00:24:01,699 –> 00:24:04,739 and to prove the point, 463 00:24:04,739 –> 00:24:07,219 so the taunts and the humiliation continued 464 00:24:07,219 –> 00:24:11,099 day after day after day after day after day. 465 00:24:12,939 –> 00:24:15,660 Then one day, while all this was going on, 466 00:24:15,660 –> 00:24:18,300 I’m back home minding the sheep 467 00:24:18,300 –> 00:24:20,380 while my brothers are camped out there 468 00:24:20,380 –> 00:24:22,719 with the armies of Israel in the valley. 469 00:24:23,780 –> 00:24:25,459 Dad says to me, David, 470 00:24:26,479 –> 00:24:29,439 I want you to go and take some food to your brothers 471 00:24:29,439 –> 00:24:33,140 and take some cheese for the commander of their unit. 472 00:24:33,140 –> 00:24:35,780 I was so pleased I got the food, went there, 473 00:24:35,780 –> 00:24:39,099 and I arrived just as Goliath was coming out 474 00:24:39,099 –> 00:24:40,939 to do his morning routine. 475 00:24:42,459 –> 00:24:45,400 What in the world’s all this about, I asked, 476 00:24:45,400 –> 00:24:47,699 and they explained it to me, 477 00:24:47,699 –> 00:24:52,699 this man keeps coming out and defying the armies of Israel. 478 00:24:53,719 –> 00:24:56,079 Then they told me something else. 479 00:24:57,079 –> 00:25:02,079 They said, you know, King Saul is so anxious about this man 480 00:25:04,439 –> 00:25:09,439 that he has decided that to anyone who can kill Goliath, 481 00:25:11,540 –> 00:25:14,000 he will give great wealth, 482 00:25:14,000 –> 00:25:16,920 he will give his daughter in marriage 483 00:25:16,939 –> 00:25:19,739 and get this, I think some of you will like this, 484 00:25:20,880 –> 00:25:24,920 and King Saul had said to the man who kills Goliath, 485 00:25:24,920 –> 00:25:29,359 neither he nor his family would pay any taxes 486 00:25:29,359 –> 00:25:32,359 to the government for the rest of their lives. 487 00:25:32,359 –> 00:25:36,020 Now that got my attention, I guess it might have got yours. 488 00:25:36,020 –> 00:25:38,280 I said I’ll fight him. 489 00:25:39,280 –> 00:25:40,859 So they took me to Saul, 490 00:25:41,780 –> 00:25:45,479 and Saul said to me, 491 00:25:46,599 –> 00:25:48,640 God be with you. 492 00:25:48,640 –> 00:25:51,880 God be with you, he said. 493 00:25:51,880 –> 00:25:53,819 Well, you know the story. 494 00:25:53,819 –> 00:25:55,920 I went down to the brook, I picked up a stone, 495 00:25:55,920 –> 00:25:59,719 I put it in my sling, wow, that shot flew so fast 496 00:25:59,719 –> 00:26:03,400 and right on target, Goliath didn’t know what hit him. 497 00:26:03,400 –> 00:26:07,680 He fell forward, face down, stone dead. 498 00:26:08,680 –> 00:26:10,800 Now you know that story. 499 00:26:10,800 –> 00:26:12,560 I wonder how much you’ve thought about it. 500 00:26:12,560 –> 00:26:14,359 Why did it happen? 501 00:26:14,359 –> 00:26:17,060 You see I asked that question many times afterwards. 502 00:26:17,060 –> 00:26:20,060 God has a thousand ways of dealing with giants, 503 00:26:20,060 –> 00:26:21,319 didn’t mean to do that. 504 00:26:22,599 –> 00:26:24,099 God has a thousand ways of dealing 505 00:26:24,099 –> 00:26:27,079 with the armies of enemy nations. 506 00:26:27,079 –> 00:26:29,119 He did it in all kinds of different ways 507 00:26:29,119 –> 00:26:30,920 if you read through the Old Testament story. 508 00:26:30,920 –> 00:26:32,900 So why this? 509 00:26:33,780 –> 00:26:37,839 Why did God orchestrate this whole situation 510 00:26:37,839 –> 00:26:40,180 in which you have this enemy coming out 511 00:26:40,180 –> 00:26:43,579 and laying down the gauntlet and throwing out the taunt? 512 00:26:43,579 –> 00:26:45,099 Why this wager, 513 00:26:46,439 –> 00:26:49,739 that the future of all the people of God 514 00:26:49,739 –> 00:26:54,739 would rest on a battle in which only one man would engage? 515 00:26:57,599 –> 00:27:00,459 Why all this story about one man 516 00:27:00,459 –> 00:27:04,199 who should come out and fight on behalf of everyone else? 517 00:27:06,239 –> 00:27:08,359 Course, I understand that now having been up there 518 00:27:08,359 –> 00:27:09,660 these thousands of years. 519 00:27:11,880 –> 00:27:14,000 That story that you know so well 520 00:27:14,000 –> 00:27:15,739 but may not have thought about so much 521 00:27:15,739 –> 00:27:18,160 gives the most marvelous window 522 00:27:19,640 –> 00:27:23,520 into who Jesus is, and why He came. 523 00:27:23,520 –> 00:27:25,000 That’s why it says in the New Testament 524 00:27:25,000 –> 00:27:27,959 that for all the gracious things that God did 525 00:27:27,959 –> 00:27:30,079 for us living before Jesus, 526 00:27:30,079 –> 00:27:32,239 from your point of view, everything that happened 527 00:27:32,239 –> 00:27:35,380 before Jesus is given to give you light 528 00:27:35,380 –> 00:27:38,560 onto who He is, and why He came, 529 00:27:38,560 –> 00:27:40,359 and what it is that He has done. 530 00:27:42,579 –> 00:27:46,640 See, my greater Son Jesus 531 00:27:47,599 –> 00:27:49,780 came to fight a greater giant 532 00:27:49,780 –> 00:27:52,119 and to engage in a greater battle, 533 00:27:52,119 –> 00:27:54,739 and to win a greater victory 534 00:27:54,739 –> 00:27:56,979 that will be for a greater number of people. 535 00:27:57,979 –> 00:28:01,979 You all face far bigger giants than Goliath. 536 00:28:02,979 –> 00:28:05,239 Whatever the problems that you’re dealing with 537 00:28:05,239 –> 00:28:08,300 in your life right now, you know the three real biggies 538 00:28:08,300 –> 00:28:13,300 are these, sin, and death, and hell. 539 00:28:14,540 –> 00:28:16,160 I promise you having been in heaven 540 00:28:16,160 –> 00:28:19,979 for 3,000 years, all the problems of my life 541 00:28:19,979 –> 00:28:21,859 seem a long, long way away. 542 00:28:21,859 –> 00:28:24,380 Once you’re in eternity, everything else 543 00:28:24,900 –> 00:28:27,400 is in an entirely different perspective. 544 00:28:28,900 –> 00:28:31,339 But these are the three ones that really matter. 545 00:28:32,780 –> 00:28:35,199 To be in eternity with your sins. 546 00:28:37,140 –> 00:28:39,000 To be in an everlasting death. 547 00:28:41,219 –> 00:28:43,280 To be in an everlasting hell. 548 00:28:45,459 –> 00:28:48,439 These are the giants you really need to be concerned about. 549 00:28:49,819 –> 00:28:51,540 And they’re the giants that none of us 550 00:28:51,540 –> 00:28:52,780 are able to overcome. 551 00:28:52,780 –> 00:28:56,359 But they come and they intimidate and they humiliate. 552 00:28:58,660 –> 00:29:03,079 And there we are, who can face the great giant 553 00:29:03,079 –> 00:29:05,219 of sin and death and hell. 554 00:29:05,219 –> 00:29:08,040 And here’s what the Christmas story is all about. 555 00:29:09,380 –> 00:29:12,260 God has come to us in Jesus Christ 556 00:29:12,260 –> 00:29:14,520 and arrived on our field of battle. 557 00:29:15,839 –> 00:29:19,739 And in Jesus Christ, He goes down into the valley 558 00:29:19,739 –> 00:29:24,500 and He faces the giant for us. 559 00:29:25,660 –> 00:29:28,060 Just as it was in those days 560 00:29:28,060 –> 00:29:32,560 with the two armies on either side of the valley. 561 00:29:33,619 –> 00:29:38,300 And our guys were saying if he wins, we win. 562 00:29:38,300 –> 00:29:40,599 If he loses, we’re all gone. 563 00:29:41,939 –> 00:29:44,800 So when Jesus goes into the battle, 564 00:29:44,839 –> 00:29:47,199 if he wins, we win. 565 00:29:48,280 –> 00:29:53,040 And if he loses, there’s no other hope for us, 566 00:29:53,040 –> 00:29:53,959 we’re all gone. 567 00:29:55,640 –> 00:29:58,420 And He goes there and you see Him on the cross 568 00:29:59,420 –> 00:30:01,280 and He looks so weak and you think 569 00:30:01,280 –> 00:30:04,400 how can He possibly win? 570 00:30:06,319 –> 00:30:09,459 And yet right there He is bearing sin 571 00:30:11,239 –> 00:30:13,800 and He’s bringing death to death. 572 00:30:14,959 –> 00:30:17,520 And He’s splintering the gates of hell 573 00:30:17,520 –> 00:30:21,000 and making a way through death for all His people 574 00:30:21,000 –> 00:30:24,739 that is opened by His marvelous resurrection. 575 00:30:26,119 –> 00:30:31,119 He wins, We comes to our field of battle. 576 00:30:33,920 –> 00:30:37,680 He comes to us and He fights for us 577 00:30:38,560 –> 00:30:43,239 and His victory belongs to all who are His people. 578 00:30:43,739 –> 00:30:46,359 That is why Christmas is such good news. 579 00:30:46,359 –> 00:30:48,359 You say, I know folks have the idea 580 00:30:48,359 –> 00:30:51,760 that Jesus came simply to show us how to live. 581 00:30:51,760 –> 00:30:56,760 If that’s all it was, then however wonderful His example, 582 00:30:57,520 –> 00:31:00,119 Christmas would simply be one more demand 583 00:31:00,119 –> 00:31:02,959 being placed on you, this is what you should be like, 584 00:31:02,959 –> 00:31:04,339 why not be perfect? 585 00:31:05,800 –> 00:31:07,880 And I tell you, Christmas isn’t one more demand 586 00:31:07,880 –> 00:31:09,520 that God places upon you. 587 00:31:09,520 –> 00:31:11,280 It’s not about what you have to do, 588 00:31:11,280 –> 00:31:13,640 it is about what has been done for you. 589 00:31:14,599 –> 00:31:16,079 It’s about the one that comes 590 00:31:16,079 –> 00:31:19,599 and takes his stand in the battle you cannot win 591 00:31:19,599 –> 00:31:21,040 and goes to fight it for you 592 00:31:21,040 –> 00:31:23,380 so that you may share his victory. 593 00:31:24,900 –> 00:31:27,579 If he wins, we win. 594 00:31:28,959 –> 00:31:30,959 And in his death and resurrection, 595 00:31:30,959 –> 00:31:35,959 the God man has triumphed for all his people. 596 00:31:36,060 –> 00:31:37,699 That’s why the greatest thing in all of life 597 00:31:37,699 –> 00:31:39,119 is to be one of his people. 598 00:31:39,119 –> 00:31:40,959 That’s why I said to you at the beginning 599 00:31:40,959 –> 00:31:43,040 that the most important thing about you 600 00:31:43,040 –> 00:31:45,160 is your relationship to him. 601 00:31:48,119 –> 00:31:52,239 You know what the people did eventually 602 00:31:52,239 –> 00:31:56,619 after I won that great victory against Goliath? 603 00:31:58,520 –> 00:32:00,420 They made me their king. 604 00:32:01,719 –> 00:32:03,780 Took them a long time to do it, by the way. 605 00:32:05,920 –> 00:32:08,599 And God gave me many successes, 606 00:32:08,599 –> 00:32:11,000 and you know about my failures, too. 607 00:32:12,439 –> 00:32:14,699 God’s people needed a better king than me. 608 00:32:16,280 –> 00:32:19,060 God’s people need my greater son, 609 00:32:20,400 –> 00:32:21,660 who is the King of kings, 610 00:32:22,939 –> 00:32:24,599 and he’s the Lord of lords. 611 00:32:25,479 –> 00:32:26,660 He’s my son. 612 00:32:27,979 –> 00:32:30,020 He’s my Lord! 613 00:32:31,640 –> 00:32:34,260 One day every eye is going to see his glory, 614 00:32:34,260 –> 00:32:37,000 and I hope that before that day comes, 615 00:32:37,880 –> 00:32:41,619 you will come through a relationship of faith in him 616 00:32:41,619 –> 00:32:44,380 to call him your Lord. 617 00:32:46,000 –> 00:32:49,939 And it will be the most important thing about you. 618 00:32:50,800 –> 00:32:51,800 Let’s pray together. 619 00:32:54,439 –> 00:32:57,000 Our Father, we worship you for our Lord 620 00:32:57,000 –> 00:32:59,479 and Savior Jesus Christ, 621 00:33:00,800 –> 00:33:04,560 Son of David, Son of God. 622 00:33:05,520 –> 00:33:10,520 The God-man who comes to us and who fights for us, 623 00:33:11,920 –> 00:33:15,479 that we His people may share 624 00:33:15,479 –> 00:33:18,959 in all the fruits of his victory. 625 00:33:19,939 –> 00:33:21,719 Thank you that He went forward 626 00:33:21,719 –> 00:33:24,099 where none of us could have dared to go. 627 00:33:25,119 –> 00:33:27,839 And thank you that He has won an everlasting triumph 628 00:33:27,839 –> 00:33:30,900 through His death and through His resurrection 629 00:33:30,900 –> 00:33:33,280 so that the joy and everlasting life 630 00:33:33,420 –> 00:33:36,540 and peace and forgiveness that flows from Him 631 00:33:36,540 –> 00:33:39,520 is His gift to all who believe. 632 00:33:39,520 –> 00:33:42,660 Gladly therefore we embrace this Savior 633 00:33:42,660 –> 00:33:47,579 in thanksgiving and in praise and in Jesus’ name. 634 00:33:47,579 –> 00:33:48,699 And everyone said, amen.