Advent Week 4: The Birth of Our Savior

good morning, and Merry Christmas and are we are exciting anytime we get to to share the word of the lord. It's exciting. But it when it's around the big time. So, you know, the Easter and Christmas is even more exciting. You're going to be in Luke Chapter 2 today. I'm so if you could go ahead and turn in your Bibles scroll on your phone. Look on the screen what it is. We do nowadays did to get the word of God in our hands take care of that and let's let's get into Luke Chapter 2.

Let's have a moment of prayer before we go into our reading of the scripture.

Follow me just thank you so much. We thank you that weeks. We've taken in our time and our church calendar to just set aside time to the celebrate. the birth of our savior Father we pray that is we we go into this we look at the word today. We we dive into such a familiar Passage. But you will Lumen new insights into our hearts that you illuminatus to new things that we've if maybe not notice new things that we may be ignored. father convictus of that that you you challenge us to use this this message this scripture this time of year when people are celebrating Jesus whether they know him or not. To really emphasize knowing Jesus with others. Father I pray that is as we go into this time of worship through the hearing of your word that you would put me aside. But it not be me but to be your words in your message that is brought to our hearts and it's in Jesus name. Amen. Here we are. Luke Chapter 2. In those days of decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when perennius was governor of Syria and all went to be registered each his own own town and Joseph also went up From Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Because he was at the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary has betrothed who was with child and while they were there the time came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes cloths and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the end. At the Inn in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were filled with great fear. An angel said to them fear not for behold. I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all the people. For unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the lord And this will be a sign for you. You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. When the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherd said to one another.

Let's go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened with the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste. Found Mary and Joseph in the baby lying in a Manger. When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told to them concerning this child and all who heard it wondered it what the Shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in her heart. And the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it has been told to them. And at the end of eight days when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

to be perfectly honest Luke Chapter 2 the Sunday before Christmas. This is like one of those tricky sermons and it's not tricky because it's a hard passage of scripture is not tricky because it's tough and there's is all these things are convicted every single person in it It's Tricky cuz y'all know what I'm going to say. Right, you've heard this. I mean this is like the most familiar passage for anybody believe or not believe I mean even lying has been preaching this passage since 1965 every year, right? This is this is a so familiar Passage. And that's what makes this tough. Luke to his is a tough passage to preach not because it's lacking any spiritual me because our hearts are often filled with so much nostalgia. That we forget to look for the spiritual meat that is in the story of the birth of our savior. We can easily get caught up in all the warm fuzzy feelings. of Our Favorite Christmas Memories when we read the scripture and then I was thinking back just as I was prepping this and just kind of pondering this concept. Thinking back to one of my personal Favorite Christmas Memories. I can tell you exactly where was Christmas Eve 1994. I just moved out of the house and then come back for my first semester College. We'd had our big family dinner and we were all sitting there or what was was then I guess our 18 year old Christmas tradition in our family. Lights to be turned down role of a couple candles will get lit Papa go over to the bookshelf in versus old child craft storybook some of the parents remember those old child craft store, but you got it Kroger. I think $1 99 with your whatever and you need to get the whole set with my gosh those in the world book encyclopedias from Kroger. Mom had to have the whole set and we had both and dad were going over to get that child crossword book off the shelf and he'd read read to us a visit from st. Nicholas by Clement Moore that was part of our Christmas time. An Andy and I even though I hear I was 18 years old. We were silent. Like there's something magical about having your dad read a story to you. Even when you're young adult right there something about that and a few smiles and so folks aren't yeah, we get it and then once pop would finish reading that Mom would get out of Bible the old one. There was those of you that have known my mom for years the old read Bible like so you guys remember the old red by woman paired on it was falling apart and I have a beggar. Can I get a rebound for you one Christmas? No, no. No it was she had to have the old falling apart read Bible. That was the one she wanted red leather-bound Bible. She would get it out. And she would open up to Luke Chapter 2 and she would always start with I want to remind you boys of what the real meaning of Christmas is all about. This year my 18th Christmas. My asked me to read Luke Chapter 2 instead. This is kind of a big deal in our house. Those who know our family my father wasn't saved. Mom has been the spiritual leader. And so for her to say I want you to read Luke Chapter 2 this Christmas. It was like her handing over the reins of spiritual leadership in our house. I had a fish we become the biblical man of the house as huge ready for it, but it was huge. It meant a lot right that this idea that she's been the spiritual leader because there was a lack of biblical manhood in our home there was been there but Mom that night recognized me as the source of biblical manhood for the family. I was super excited. I was really an adult right This is a favorite Christmas memory of mine. now

I want you to stop and think about something here 2nd and I hope as I've shared this Christmas memory with you. You've noticed a gap that I noticed in my Christmas memory.

I hope you saw what I saw as I reflected on this that the memory itself had very little to do with Jesus Christ.

very little to do with Jesus Christ And I had an awful lot to do with me. An awful lot to do with those warm fuzzy feelings that we so often associated with Christmas.

Even though it was a memory of doing something biblical. It was a memory of doing something spiritual the focus of the memory was really neither one of those things. Jesus himself is barely a part of that memory. The memory is about me and my own personal warm and fuzzies not about our Lord and church.

If we are honest with ourselves, really really honest. I would imagine that all of your Christmas Memories probably or similar didn't you get to the real root of them? There may be less about Jesus. And more about family time or specific things have happened that way. They're about you there, but your kids are about your family not often about Jesus.

This is the danger of nostalgia that happened to Christmas time. It's not that it's a bad thing. God has given us blessings of rays that we can share if they're not bad. But for whatever reason or weeks out of the year, they almost become idols. We've got to be cautious of that.

This is the danger that nostalgic Christmas Memories that are void of our savior whom we are claiming to celebrate this year this year. Every year following make sure that when you make memories, you're making your memories that are filled with Jesus.

As we're digging into this passage today's we're going to dig into what Luke Chapter 2 is saying to us as followers of Christ two thousand years from this glorious and wonderful event.

This passage that we've heard numerous times. I'm going to ask Bruce to take a little quiet moment here in a second. When I ask you to go ahead and pray quietly amongst ourselves for the Lord to remove the cloud of nostalgia from your eyes and open our hearts to his word about are coming savior one who is here at Birth yet. Who is Yet to Come As a ruling reigning King to take a quiet moment to do that.

Fathers week we start to dig into this. I asked you to do just that that is our prayer that we remove this this idea of nostalgia from from our eyes and we ask that you would open our hearts your word here about who Jesus Is In this passage. Father we thank you for his coming, but we want to celebrate not just his first coming.

I'll be excited about a second coming. Bring that to our hearts as we hear your word today this in Jesus name. Amen. Verses 1 through 5 set the stage for what's happening?

Back and Luke chapter 1 he gave us a peek of the prophecy of Christ's come upcoming an impending birth. He went out and he talked to the two to Zechariah and Elizabeth said the angel to tamaria and told her that this thing was going to happen and then they're just all of these these other things that went on these all these Peaks into this upcoming birth this impending birth of Jesus that happened in Luke 1:3 continues to tell the story. An inverse when he says in those days, I like that in those days. This is Luke's way saying I don't remember the year. I don't remember exactly nobody. It is a very odd thing for us as Americans is Western Society. We know not just date, but we know time of birth to like down to the minute right by people record that

societies of this time and in this location didn't do that. You were born this year is Shannon the spring sometime ish. You know that that's kind of birthdays are as big a deal. In this cultures, they are Nars. This is a big deal birthday. The recording time placing in moment minute-to-minute is not that important of it. But in those days is Lutz way of telling us he doesn't know the exact year of Jesus's birth some of the details of Caesar Augustus a decree to census Inconvenience was governor in Syria. There's some issue with whether a Carini's was governor, or if he was governor of the census in that there's some ways that that can be translated either way there but Caesar was in power perennius had some Authority. That's what we know about this time. And then Jesus's birth though is amazing cuz it didn't happen to this manner that it did because God the father in his Divine Providence do all of this. It was already going to happen in any used it to bring. All this stuff about eating for knew that there was going to be this Imperial decree because he was making it happen, right? He foreknew that Joseph and Mary were going to have to go to Bethlehem because he was making it happen before knew that she was going to be 9 months pregnant on a 3-Day Walk because he was making it happen. And it was all there without even knowing it. Think about this without even knowing it Caesar in Karina's. We're being used by God to fulfill a 400 year old prophecy that came from Malachi chapter 5 verse 2 that the savior in the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Promising this God is always at work to fulfill his plan. No matter what's going on around us. No matter what we think is happening. Is it work fulfilling is playing? Verses 6 through 7 the pic the actual birth of Jesus. And some of the specific details of that moment. So the Imperial decree had caused Bethlehem a village of small community. Not not probably as big as Martinsville at this time a small town to become very crowded, right all these folks who were descended from people who had been born there had to return back to their hometown. It was crowded the only place Joseph and Mary had as a birthing room was a stable. alright, Mary wrapped infant and Claws to swallow and then placed him in a hay trough as over a bassinet and we we often in our Little nativity scenes make the make the manger look like a bassinet. It may not have been so bassinet looking right someone posted a picture today are on social media of a trough. Now I'm trying to figure this like you put the Hannah to protect the baby you put the baby down. So he's nice and muscle in warm. And if anybody has ever slept in the in The Hayloft, you know, it gets real warming a real quick even in the winter, right? And then I'm sure Joseph has been your bossy go probably pushing the Callaway. This wouldn't have been something say there's food. That's my animals are trained that there's food in my truck. I go to it. They were headed to bend off these animals around the baby a little bit kind of scene is going on here. The king not just of Israel, but the king of all creation the second person of the Trinity descended from heaven and laying in about the most humble and lowly places that we can ever imagine.

ponder that a moment huge some pastors like to really play up the dirty modern scenario, right? I'm not going to do that. Yes, the situation was less than ideal. Yes. It's far from what we would consider sterile or even clean to that by today's standards. I get that was focus more about how God the son the one who in John 1 Chapter verses 3 through 4 says all things were made through him and without him by anything that was made was made in him a life. And the life was the in him was life and the life was the light of men think about how that God that King that infants at that moment humble themself. to come to Earth on Earth. He created according to John chapter 1.

humble themself to come to Earth it is now fallen. And stained by sin. And it come in this manner. But he did it and he did it to reconcile us and to redeem us and all of his creation.

in this I just

in this infant that lays in this makeshift crib with a mattress of straw. Is the greatest news?

The world has ever gotten in his the greatest news the world will ever know. Right here. He's he's an infant. I mean what were minutes fresh right? In any and he's just just moments fresh out of the room, but he's already setting an example.

For us in humility, he's already setting an example for how our understanding of greatness is not his understanding of greatness. moments sold on this Earth

Think about that example of humility. He's sitting here. I see this this is how the kingdom of God operates. This is it. The first will be last and the last will be first Mark 10:31. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble and James 4:6 and Peter says it again and 1st Peter 5:5. True greatness with God is not necessarily going to be visible greatness with man. And that's really important for us to see here and Jesus moments old is setting that example for us.

Verses 8 through 14, reinforced eyes that humility of our savior again. You're the most powerful King of the universe as just come into the world and flesh and it's time to announce his birth. And who do you tell right thing about this Lake?

What what comes to mind is that we should tell everyone right? There's there's I don't know in my head. I was like there should sort of me this whole like human Kate Harry and Meghan Royal birth announcement kind of thing. Right? Where were Mary should step out of the stable and close it fitted before she was pregnant, right? She's got the perfect little outfit. She's had her hair and makeup done. She's looking great. The Press Corps out there here by snapping her pictures. That's it in and got we got all the media Outlets as broadcast live. You can stream it here comes the birth of our savior. Nope. Not how it worked. not how the humility of our savior works the birth announcement of the savior's brought the Shepherds

So you got to understand your Society to Thousand Years gun really is I think it may even be part of overall kind of a middle eastern culture about Shepherd's 2000 years ago. That these were the loneliest people. That could still be considered part of Jewish Society if they were choose. Like they're just a tick above Samaritans. Prostitutes have a little higher standing in Jewish Society at this time than Shepherds. I get it's bad folks. I don't think we understand why we don't have people that are considered. I think that low in our society very often anymore. I hope and I pray especially as Believers in Christ. We don't treat people like shepherds are treated.

The mishnah which is a written record of the old Jewish oral law that had been given out says in one part this about Shepherds. It says shepherds are incompetent. Whatley continuing the same statement about the shepherd's no one should ever feel obligated to rescue a Shepherd who is falling into a pit .

That's how lowly Shepherds or thought of. Oh, he's in a hole. Always a shepherd.

Walk-on, but that's how lowly they were. A book called The jeremias, which is a 6 Century riding kind of a history of the of this. Of time. And in Judaism it reflects on Shepherds this way that to buy wool milk or a kid meaning a baby goat from a Shepherd was forbidden. And it was forbidden on the assumption that it was already stolen property. without evidence Shepard Steel This is this is it Shepherd's and Chris talk about this last year Shepherds weren't allowed to testify in court. They were not considered worthy of having a testimony presentable in court.

Our Savior takes is message of his birth. is m

The greatest news of all time is brought first to the lowliest of God's image bearers. Those who were thought of the least God thought of first to share this amazing news. Church, that's important. That is so important God feels it is important to bring High theology.

to the lowliest of people So what does it say when we see who these shepherds are here and in and what this means this means this nothing about poverty nothing about status. Nothing about class. Nothing about your education. Nothing about any of those things should ever keep people. from knowing god well

The lowliest of people were given the highest of theologies.

They were image bearers of God. That's important Church.

Go to something else here. This is always great that we see this week. We see this Divine encounter right to so the Divine is having an encounter with the human or the worldly and I love the fact that the reaction is what it is. And it's always the same throughout scripture. People are afraid. People are afraid when you come into contact with the Divine it will scare you.

This encounter Revival and steer us because we know who we are deep down. We don't want to admit it, but we know who we are. We know that when we encounter something truly. Holy something truly of God that we are not worthy of it.

We know who we are. We know what we deserve. but the angel says you're not. I bring you good news of great joy.

It's amazing. He says that.

I was just kind of wonder how quiet the angel had to get notices. This is side note. This is speculation. a quiet to the end drive to get He came in bright and Shining they were sore afraid trembling. We we see later on at the end of Jesus's time here on Earth an angel appears to the guards and pass out. Right does they were like dead men at the tomb when the angel appears? afraid

it's like fresh change of pants afraid, right?

I wonder how quiet he had to get.

I bring you good news of great joy.

After an experience like that you need calm. And we see in Scripture that the Shepherds were calmed. They just took it all in and absorb. It not understanding much of it. We're just taking it all in.

This is good news. This great. Joy drives out fear. All the fears that we have in our lives are are our fears of of things that Jesus is often telling us don't be afraid you're not God says fear not so often but the thing is is it's this joy in the joy is Jesus Christ Jesus Christ in our lives drives fear out. That's not that that we're doing anything about it. It is Jesus in US driving it out understand that.

So get afraid. I still get nervous. I still get scared.

Going to fall back on my Jesus. He pushes it aside cuz I got this. Let's go forward together. That's all we see here at the shepherd's verse 14. 14 is just so beautiful. glory to God in the highest

The Angels Take This Moment they've given this incredible good news of this birth of our savior and they take this moment to teach Warship to the Shepherds here allowed to participate in in court if they were going to get very far into the temple to worship. It would have been unclean because of their time spent with animals is open. These angels are opening up true worship. The shepherd's at this moment.

When we have a true encounter with the Divine we experience the joy of Jesus Christ. We're going to want to worship. I don't want to sing to Proclaim to hum to tap a foot something in us is going to want to Proclaim that again from our hearts in the depths of our hearts.

Here's the really neat thing that that occurred to me that I'm looking at this and we've talked about angels before here and it was one of our Hebrew study. We talked about myths and truths about angels the Angels worship In This Moment glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased and there's a huge multitude. is there They worship even though they cannot express the same salvation. They Proclaim to the Shepherds.

Salvation doesn't come to the Heavenly Creatures salvation comes to the Earthly creatures to us people though, the image bearers of God. They worship knowing. The God is still great, even though they will not experience what we will get to. That's a beautiful thing they worship because they know and of experience the greatness of God.

There's there is there's so much Happening Here in these six versus between 8 and 14. Like we see the the natural human fear of the Divine. We see Jesus being the good news of great joy driving out our fears. We also see the good news of great joy. Being placed properly in our worship.

The object of worship here is God himself and nothing else.

So think about that a moment right? Like I love Leah. She's amazing. She is in in she's heard me saying she's going to be really embarrassed about all of this stuff cuz that's what she does, but she is my best Earthly blessing. She's my best friend. She is my sounding board. She's my partner in Ministry sometimes and partner-in-crime right? There is there is no one here on Earth. But I would rather spend the rest of my life with.

But know this. Makes a lousy God.

Is a lousy God she was worthy of a lot of things for me.

But she is not worthy of My Worship.

She does not have the capacity to make me whole.

That's a tough one.

Only God has the capacity to make me whole she does not complete me.

Jesus alone complete to me and Jesus alone is worthy of My Worship. Church these are the things we've got to be cautious of we see this laid out for us here in Scripture that the only thing that was being worshipped here. was God not the Angels not the Shepherds. Not even the infant Christ. God the Father who brought this all about was being worshipped here now.

Later will be able to worship Jesus as his he comes into fruition of his ministry into the fruition of that. He's part of the Triune God, but they're giving God has brought this thing down the proper replacing things in the proper order of worship here. Let me see that with the angels. We as a body of Believers. We as Kristen of capital c we as those who follow and love Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior need to place things in proper orderly worship. This is an example of that. verses 15 through 18 that also shows the proper response once we've had an encounter with the Divine we tell others

what's that song service in the pasture was over in the shepherd's went out and and they proclaimed what they had heard and seen.

It was these guys who first acted on the gospel message. They had heard by spreading it. The shepherd's hear acted in stormwater the way much like the apostles are going to do 30 years from now. In this in this timeline, they went out and they proclaimed it.

It in Into the Night. I know it is said he'll look at this and they knew the gift if they had just received was too great to keep themselves. There was no command from the angels and I'll go tell. Look at it.

You'll find him. This is why you'll find him wrapped up in cloth in a manger and stable. Mom and dad there with him. Angels do not say go now and tell everybody. These Shepherds were compelled. by the Holy Spirit To tell the folks they told no command given.

They were sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's the message that our savior has come out of the pure joy. I want. It done in their lives. The pure joy of the message compel them the through the spirit to tell this message. It was out of the joy that it filled their heart to do it. Verse 19 and all pain during the greatness of it all treasuring it in her heart.

again, another humble example for us She was seeing the word of God come to fruition in her life, and she treasured it and she pondered it. This is this beautiful example of of meditating on the things of God. She done all this affirmation of what had happened right when she gets told by Gabriel the angel in chapter one that she's she's pregnant of the Holy Spirit and her by the way your cousin Elizabeth. She's also pregnant but that's going to be the one who cries out in the wilderness prepare. Ye the way of the Lord and in Mary sidewalk, I got to go visit Mary goes in a shoe. She visits Elizabeth Wright and John the Baptist in Elizabeth's room is so excited that Mary with Jesus in her womb is there he starts jumping up and down kicking whatever it is a little fellows do inside of their marriage like hey, oh, by the way, this is what I know about you blessed. Are you among women because you're carrying the Son of God. Just getting all these affirmations of what's Happening. This this this young lady quite possibly as young as 14. experiencing all of this

She's getting these affirmations the work of God has been completed to fruition in her. You just have to ponder it have to take a moment to meditate on the things of God treasuring it in her heart.

In our times of scripture reading our times of devotional. Do we take time to treasure it and pondered and a heart?

Is it 15 minutes cup of coffee and out the door?

I'm honest more likely than not.

An important part of our worship in proper order worship is pondering it thinking on it chewing on it allowing it to settle into us.

Ameri is an example of that. I love verse 22 does the shepherd's continue to worship and praise God?

And the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it has been told in it. Worship isn't something you come to on Sunday mornings. It's a way we live our lives. We Gather here for corporate worship or a group of us can get together and and and worship in Ponder and pray and in love on each other here And then we go out and we continue worship.

He's going to go about their day-to-day business shepherds are going to be out there with them sheep worshipping God that song they were singing and just like moments of worship together

This is what? We are being called to do these are the examples that we're seeing set here that that we are to to take that good news. Not just that. He's a baby in a barn in a Manger but he's a returning triumphant King coming back to Proclaim that just to take time to to share that out is the Shepherds did. to ponder a hyphae ology among slowly people

and not be afraid to take the gospel message to the lowliest of those we know.

The Shepherds were given.

She is is we we Ponder all this we think about all this here it is this the super familiar Passage.

And if you look at this familiar passage, we we feel very nostalgic about Christmas. Ask God to bring into your memory your first real encounter with him. You at that moment we talked about this this morning a little bit and small group that moment. Where you knew God it's saved you that moment. We're black gospel message. Not just hit your ears. Some of us grew up in church. I can't. My price first started hearing the gospel message right when I was about 2 years old. Miss Virginia wells in the basement of this building sharing the gospel message with me. Opposed to it didn't sink in right? I'd heard it every Vacation Bible School every time I turn it when I was 8 years old.

It hit and it didn't just hit my ears it hit my heart and I send a lot I sent this morning. I sent last night all I'm started coming back so I could remember doing we're hitting. And I knew that I was in trouble because Pastor just told me the truth that Sinners go to hell.

And the only way to not have that was to be forgiven by Jesus and I remember sitting there asking Jesus to forgive me. That moment when that gospel really hit you.

Ask God to bring back the Nostalgia for that feeling. That warm and fuzzy if you would. Remember the fear and trepidation you felt when you had the conviction of the Holy Spirit on me that first time. I love to hear the phrase the folks at white-knuckle the pews they're so afraid to say Jesus. I can't surrender this to you. Because you had a had that fear and trepidation because you had a counter with the divine.

Holy Spirit broke through or not and he surrendered remember that remember that joy that what you did for it off. Joy that drove out that fear and you knew his forgiveness washed over you remember the excitement you had how you wanted to Proclaim? But Jesus it done in your life. Remember worshipping him just for his sake other reason it wasn't about any music playing on the stage. It went about any particularly good preaching you'd heard but just because God was God. And you just couldn't help it worship Him. member that

remember the joy that seem to just continue to Bubble over as you did worship him for that for those reasons.

Church Nostalgia is not always bad is how we use it. I'm pleading. Use those who sow big moments this time. This Christmas next Christmas is Easter next Easter every moment. You have use those nostalgic moments to proclaim the birth of our savior this Christmas not just Proclaim as birth reclaim. His life is death is resurrection and is coming again as a conquering King. proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ Cher the greatest gift you've ever been given I don't care. What's under your tree. This box their greatest gift you've ever been given. a gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ share that gift. Play with me. Follow me just come to you thinking you so much. Thanking you for your word. Thanking you for a familiar Passage.

But we know we love thank you for an excitement. the comes from picking this passage and sharing it and string of those who know we know need to know Jesus Christ.

pushes past nostalgia and pushes to the gospel. Pushes past Nostalgia and pushes to proclamation of you.

Father I don't know where everybody's Hearts lie. You do.

What I know and what I've seen in scriptures that you fulfill your plan always. If your plan here is to have one person come to know Jesus Christ. Did you say I surrender completely last week are our messages repent repent repent prepare. Ye the way of the Lord that the only way to have forgiveness is to repent Follow this this we know that the only way is for your conviction to happen to fall on us, but I pray that that happened today that people hear they need Jesus.

and without Jesus that there's nothing

we're going to go into this time of a call to action called invitation this this time of reflective worship. We're spending time. pondering these things in our hearts my prayers at the Holy Spirit begin to convict all of us me included.

challenges the step out into do What you call the city to do? What's right? in our lives for your sake properly order our worship for your sake For Your Glory.

remind us

But you took the lowliest. Of people and gave them the highest of theologies. And that we should be willing to do the same.

Jesus most glorious name I pray these things.