Pretty difficult to be heard

Christ Jesus. Thank you. You maybe see that's straight from Philippians chapter 3. We said every week. That's why we're here to make her attitudes that of Christ Jesus. and what a powerful Sunday to be with you when they gather and I know that feel scantling comes from Boy, Scout land where they were prepared. That's the big thing you got to be prepared, but I don't. And so if you didn't know, October would like some kind of emergency preparedness month, I see that cuz when you walk into Lowe's, there's all kinds of fire alarms at our fire smoke detector. And those are things that are not just about what you have to replace in your battery. So those that stupid noise will stop right, but I don't know about you but flood preparedness emergency preparedness maybe even how many of you are driving right now with a warning light on and you're okay there we go. To have a fire prepare. This plan all these preparedness plans but I don't know about you that I struggle in that area on preparedness on being ready affect that's not the only area I struggled. You know, studying could be a was a struggle for me, studying is preparing for something for sharing, what, you know, and doing the hard work of getting ready for something that I don't know when it's coming. I don't know when it's going to happen. It's tough. and,

Maybe setting for an employee exam. Maybe it's to fix something. Maybe it's the maze, take a DMV test, but most people don't study because it's not enjoyable. And that they do something call procrastinate. How many of you know what procrastination is? How many of you know what procrastination is by practice? Yeah. Yeah, you know, they used to think I used to think the procrastination was really just about being lazy. That you were just lazy. but, Current scientific thought is you're not progressing because you're lazy. you are procrastinating because It is. So painful about what has happened in your life. Did you have these feelings? Like you are not going to achieve? What is necessary? That you have these feelings of depression that you you have soap in the criticism of others into your life. And those thoughts and feelings pop into your head. And you know, what's better than resting in those feelings. Is watching that next episode. Doing that reading, that thing that you could care less about. I mean, my interest in Facebook is directly proportional to what I am trying to avoid

I will get an interested in the most. Crazy things right? Just so you don't have to do that because if I look really deeply that fight or flight or freeze, you got, you've heard you're stressed out, you going to fight you going to fight you're going to freeze that's really coming up right there and when you procrastinate you know what you doing you're flying away your flying away in your head. But the answer to that is dealing with, that is all that stuff criticism. I can remember, almost every negative comment anybody's ever said to me about a sermon.

Really hard for me to remember every positive. Comment. How many you like that? You can remember those negative comments. You can remember those. Those are stuck to your heart. And maybe sometimes because you remember what you actually did. You know, your history. you know, when you know, better than others about the awful things that have come up in your life and so your self-criticism is based on some self truth.

I wonder.

If something else might be about the other day, I I I saw a friend and I just want to send him a foot Pleasant message and I said, you know what, you bless my life, you're an amazing person. You do all these wonderful things. Every time, I think of you, I remembered about the the the the strength you have, and your honesty and your integrity, and all this great stuff and they sent me back and they said, you know what man, you too. Thank you. I said well you know now I just think you're a liar. So But I've been saying that we are today. You walked in and you said I don't deserve to be in the house of God.

Or I had to come over a lot just to walk in these doors. Then this message is for you. John 3:16 for God. Loved the world. In this way, he gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

We can say it in this way for God, loved the world. In this way, he gave his one and only son so that and you can put your name right here. Phil Anybody, you put your name right there? What's your name right there? Who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life game for you. You. All that stuff that he already knew. He came for you. God knows all messed up. We are God knows what we're in a world of rage and War and that's not just in our heart that's in our in our In our everyday, in your workplace, in your home, place in your relationships. And then we fall into addictions, we fall into selfishness but God doesn't leave us. That God invited you here into his presence today. To remind you of that God loved him, tell him he's moved to you to come to you to save you.

The thing I know. Is that when those things of self-criticism and doubt and reminders of my past, and all those accusations that flow, I know that's not the truth.

God says, to me, he says, to you, God love was revealed Among Us in this way. God sent his one and only son into the world so that we might live through him. That's 1st. John 4:9. And Andrew is going to put that up on the side here. Any minute now.

God puts his love into practice. It's not just a thing. No, we have been talking about the Christmas story because we're studying. We're studying because we're going to have opportunity. To give the love that I just talked about away. We're going to be able to be generous with the whole community and share with them a story that a lot of people don't really know. We're going to walk to cheesy like this play. I don't mean that like negatively. I mean like a lot of cool things about Christmas.

but, It's still going to be an amazing time. I don't know how many people I saw last year, I would a large percentage of people I took on a tour.

And we will have the opportunity to share with him. So I want you to know it. We talked about Mary and Gabriel. We talked about the fact that Gabriel talk to Daniel hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before he talked to Mary. And told her that that the Messiah told Daniel and Mary, give the amazing response even though she had been obedient to God, Even though she was doing whatever young lady and would be would do just to learn the housewife stuff and to be, and she was about to graduate as she was about to be married to his engaged and all she was looking forward to. It was just a life with her husband and just have kids. And that's all and all the sudden she finds out that she's at going to have a virgin birth. And she just says, I will do as the Lord has told me to do. And that is a command for all of us. I will do as the Lord has told me to do, and then we went all the way to Christmas day. Last Sunday, we talked about the Nativity. We're talking about how Jesus God comes into the world, in the most impoverished way. As a couple who are just telling God, we will do what you've told us to do.

It's like their Tire gets popped and the gas station closed because they have to go and register for taxes. Not so. How many of your like, it's a maybe? Yeah, I know.

K. They get to go and then when they get there and they're looking for a place to stay, there's no suitable place for her to give birth. And so, she gives birth. Amongst animals. And lays her baby in a Manger.

Make sure you spell that correctly cuz otherwise you're laying the baby in the manager. The manger, okay, which is probably just a feeding area, not that big a cattle, trough actually cattle, troughs are bigger. Maybe if you see one, I was going to show you one, but it is kind of baby cradle that she could make do with. And today we find out. Why? Because today we talked about the Shepherds And you'll see why I'm talking that's that's depressing tones. As we talked about the Shepherds. Luke Chapter 2 8 through 10, in the same region. Shepherds are staying out in the fleet fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Same words repeated over and over in the Christmas story.

For luck, I Proclaim to you. Good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

We make shepherding looks so nice during Christmas.

But Shepherds was the horrible job of the day. What people were farmers? Karpen tradespeople. and then, The lowest people, the minimum wage job. Was she pretty? And I've heard I've never owned a cheaper or finished Shepherd myself, but I've heard that sheep are dumb. And they can't protect themselves and they really need people to watch out for them cuz they'll get themselves and all kinds of horrible, horrible trouble. and, They just kind of wandering the dumb places they have to be watched. So Shepherd's, would end up having to guard dumb animals. I know you've ever work with dumb people. But that's hard to, you know, how I feel like trying to you're having to cover their mistakes all the time and stuff. Or maybe you've owned a pet that you didn't think was really that bright and you were covering for them. So they wouldn't kill themselves yet. I don't Play Shepherds of the go out and then they have to protect those sheet from wild animals from falling over their own faces from walking off cliffs. I don't know if they'll walk up.

And we can see from the life of David who would later become King. David that it wasn't the job for the oldest. It was a job for the youngest one that I can go out there and do it. It was the job for the people who didn't matter. And there's a lot of cool jobs. When Rome controlled Palestine. And this was not one of them. and so, People didn't think much of shepherds like if they were at a tea party at Coffee party at Christmas party which would have been weird but they would not have said yeah.

No.

They would have, it would have been down cuz the Shepherds were nobody's Shepherds were low. People Shepherds were the people who others felt didn't matter if you were a shepherd and woke up. You did not dream of being more shepherdii, you dreamed of a different way of life. But God values us. God values us. He went to the ones who know one values. First. Metallica's birth. That's trippy part. When Jesus was born, we have Caesar Augustus as the emperor of Rome.

Rome is Jack blossoming into a world power. It is huge. I Caesar Augustus August that month. He is famous. In fact, his Empire today. Is Spain, France? Italy, Albania Serbia, Macedonia, Greece Creek, turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Egypt. Libya, that's a lot of countries. And he rules them all. But who did God? Go tell that he was born.

if you walked into here feeling like nobody gives a rip about you, Then you're in the company of Shepherd.

God doesn't care about Fame. God doesn't care about politics, not in that way. Not like I value them more than you. Jesus came for you really. He shows us and who he tells first. It's so easy to feel worthless in the world. People go around trying to make you feel worthless. So you'll buy their stuff or or you know, listen to that. Facebook television gossip everyone telling you how you should live your life, what you should eat or maybe nobody telling you anything, because you were tired, and everyone is gone and you're too old and kids don't listen to you. Nobody listens to you. They just tell you not to drive at night and not to get hurt. And you know, your body won't let you do what you used to do and you might have this feel like you don't even matter anymore but I tell you. You matter to God.

The days of Jesus in the culture of his day, the people didn't honor others, especially women and Shepherds. But Jesus birth was first told to the Shepherds and Jesus for the people first told about the resurrection women.

Catch that. God is always willing to flip this world on its head. As we devalue and value people. Ask God for your purpose, ask God for your purpose cuz you have a purpose and shepherds are given a purpose today. They're giving a purpose and you have a purpose. Nobody listen to me and God says perfect.

I'm too old. I'm not able. Got this perfect. I'm too dumb. God piss perfect.

I don't know as much as Pastor Bill overthink God, perfect.

I tell you. The God has a call on your life. Right here right now, right? As you are. I'm a sinful as sinful can be God says, that's why I died for you.

God came first sent the Angels first to tell the Shepherds.

The resurrection was first told to those who couldn't even testify in court because people didn't think they could be on. God knows again.

Pray with me. Lord Jesus. I give you my life. Not done yet.

Seriously, take second pray with me. Lord Jesus. I give you my life.

All of Me. My age. My gender my income.

What I know. What I can do. My mental and my physical health, I give it all to you today. I choose today to not look at myself how others see me. What they tell me. I choose to see myself. As you see me, God. I Surrender and will serve you as you want. In Jesus name, amen.

God has a purpose for you. Right here, right now.

Yeah, we're going to talk about all the different ways you can volunteer.

And you might be able to help with a lot and you might be able to help with just a little bit.

That's not what I'm telling you about.

Telling you to ask God what he has for you to do.

In the same region shepherds are staying out in the field and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord Shone around them, and they were terrified, but the angel said to them, don't be afraid for look. I Proclaim to you. Good news of great joy that will be for all the people today in the city of David. A savior was born for you, who is Messiah the Lord?

The Shepherds were staying in their fields, which is the dead giveaway that this did not happen in December.

People like we've known that for a long time. Christmas was picked the holiday that was adopted from the Roman pagan holiday saturnalia. They just picked a day to have the celebration of Christ's birth. Not rocket science. Okay, the reason we know that is Bethlehem and Stockton pretty close on the whole on the whole earth. So, the weather they have is pretty close to the weather. We have. If all the grass is dead, you don't take sheep out right now. Take him out in the spring or the summer. Doesn't matter. What matters is the Angels spoke to the shepherd? Then the angel of the Lord stood before them.

The loneliness of that job. God comes to them first. And I still think that the first rule and Angel school is first message. You tell people don't be afraid because they won't listen to anything else.

Todd moves and its offense carry in our lives. If you ask anyone, who knows that they've had a call in their life, they will often tell you of the fear of confronting, what they were going to have to let go of.

The fear of just being confronted by God. Over and over in the Bible, when the people encounter God, they have at first fear because they know their place if you walked in here today and you said I'm not worthy to be in here you know your place and that's a good thing. But God still says, come on in. You ever snuck past The Bodyguard and got into a place. You weren't supposed to be. Okay, I was actually looking now we got the proof. Okay. We can wrap up.

Yeah. And you walked around 11 travel. Yeah, when you're in the place of God, we are in before God. It's a place. You shouldn't be, but because God died for you, God loves you. God invites you in and God then we'll speak with you. I will talk with you, but I tell you. that when you speak with God, when you give your life to God,

You are committing to do what God says. You can't stay in this place of failing, you can't stay in this place of misery. Do you know that can be a comfort zone 2? The comfort zone. If I can't do anything, right? The comfort zone of nobody cares about me because he if you're in that spot then you don't have to have any expectations.

I tell you that God will give you everything you need.

And they come and they tell them a message that kings and queens and profits at all kinds of very famous people. And then Infamous people have all been waiting for for thousands of years. The Messiah is here, Christ. The lord know when you hear the word Messiah and you hear the word Christ, and he will hear these words, that no one really uses out. There can be very confusing but Messiah and Christ are the same word from two different language Matthias from Hebrew. Christ is from Greek. And both of them, mean, a person who is, who is God himself? That will be the king, whose kingdom will never end, only God could do that. The king who will bring Deliverance for all people, only God could do that. And he is here, he is the one who lift them out, and then the Angels, give them a direct message today. In the city of David. A savior was born for you, who is Messiah the Lord, there will be a sign for you. Will find a baby wrapped, tightly and caught and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the Heavenly Host with the angels praising. God, and saying, glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth to people, he favors The shepherd's. Got one task. And only one task.

Go, find the baby. Go to Bethlehem. How do they know about that? Because they said city of David. Just like if I said go find the city of Aaron judge you go out to the Linden, there's a big billboard. They love that dude. 60 home runs yet, awesome. Yankees. Not awesome, but they love them.

Everybody knew the Messiah. The Christ would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. And after the Angels, tell them this you're going to find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And this is so cool because that's the part that's unique. Find a baby.

You don't find babies that aren't wrapped in cop. But lying amazing. It's weird. That's Unique that special. This horrible thing that's happening to Mary. Is actually the way that God tell the shepherd's to find Mary. And the baby. and the Shepherds get their task and this becomes The most important verse in the whole part. When the angels that left them and returned to have in, the shepherd said to one another, let's go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened. Which the Lord has made known to us. They hurried off and found by both Mary and Joseph and the baby was lying in the manger. And after seeing them they reported the message they were told about this child and all who heard it? We're amazed that would shut. The shepherd said to them. Verse 15, the little number 15 with the big number to chapter 2 of Luke is the most important verse in the story. The Shepherds of just seen an angel just heard from a Heavenly Choir. But first, 15 is the most important verse to you and me. when the Angels had left them and returned to Heaven, they said to one another Let's go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened. Which the Lord has made known to us because this verse you can leave it up there. This verse is the moment of decision.

Everything else? Was just awesome. They have done nothing.

They could have just said that was super cool.

Let's get back to the sheet. They can say. That was so amazing. That was so wonderful that was but now they had to go and do what they were called to do.

I have seen it with my own eyes, people who have experienced the Lord and said that was super cool. That was amazing. They go back and start hunting for more Angel visits.

And not doing what God had called them to do. Not living the radical and different life that God calls us to not being completely opposite. From what everyone else is not saying my job is to love God and love others. But God first, in my life, I can be just like everybody else. I just got this amazingly cool experience and I'm going to go find another cool experience. The Shepherds had an amazing experience and then they said, we need to go do what they said. if the Lord is patched your life, And you have not done and followed what he told you to do. That's the next step. It's time to go into the village and find the baby.

The shepherd's went. The shepherd's went. and when they got there, they saw the Lord Almighty.

That that is the amazing part.

Today.

Will you be? The one who continues to go. No matter if you're so old, nobody listens to me anymore. Or so.

Or your batteries are so dead that. Nobody listen to you anymore.

That you are.

So sinful. Nobody should listen to you. I'm not nothing good to say or that. You're so righteous that. Nobody thinks that, you know what that you get it.

If nobody listens to you, you were in the company of shepherds.

And the Lord came to you, and it's real.

Will you follow?

The prayer we prayed.

I will pray once more.

But I ask you now that you've heard it.

Would you join me in it? Would you really really join me in it? So that when you say in Jesus name, amen. That you legitimately mean it.

It's you legitimately mean it. Let's pray.

Lord Jesus. I give you my life. All of Me. My age. Bigender my income. What I know. What I can do. My mental and my physical health, I give it all to you. I choose today not to look to not look at myself. How others see me. Or what others say about me? I choose to see myself. As you see me, God. I Surrender and will serve you as you want in Jesus name. Amen.

We invite you to take part in the Lord's Supper.

To come and pray. To share with others to ask others. And to get down. So, very 80s Beats.