A Platform for the Christmas Play

LS

Intro

Series RV

Finish out w/Christmas and HS, but our attention is on JC

Read a long passage: John 6:22-58 ?

22 The next day the crowd that stood on the shore they had left realized the disciples had gone away alone, for only one boat had been there, and Jesus had not entered it with his disciples. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

59 Here are some things Jesus said when he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum 25 (when they found him on the other side of the sea). They asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “I’m telling you the truth: You’re not looking for me because you saw the miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and were satisfied. 27 You shouldn’t work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For God the Father has placed his seal of approval on him.”

28 So they asked him, “What must we do to do the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: to believe in the one he has sent.”

30 So they asked, “What miraculous sign will you do, that we may see it and believe you? What are you going to do to convince us? 31 For instance, our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness. Just as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

32 Jesus replied, “I’m telling you the truth: It’s not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said, “Sir, always give us this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. 36 But I’ve told you, you’ve seen me, and still you don’t believe! 37 Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of him who sent me, not to do whatever I want. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me: that I lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”

41 Then the skeptical Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 No one is able to come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up on the last day. 45 It’s written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.) 47 I am telling you the truth: Whoever believes in me has eternal life. 48 I truly am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 Here is the bread that has come down from heaven so that people may eat from it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. And the bread that I give, my flesh, is for the life of the world.”

52 Then the skeptical Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this person give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus continued, “I’m telling you the truth: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is genuine food, and my blood is genuine drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who gets nourishment from me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate manna and died, whoever gets their nourishment from this bread will live forever.”

v. 44, “No one is able to come to [Jesus] unless [You] the Father who sent [Him] draws them”

We all know people who have not yet come to Jesus. Just think of a few of them now.

Before we take the LS, the signs of His broken body and blood poured out for us for the forgiveness of sins, let’s pray to the Father to draw these people to Jesus, because unless the Father does that, they cannot come to Him, and so they cannot have eternal life.

[prayer]

We eat this bread as a sign of taking into ourselves the people Jesus died for.

We drink this cup as a sign of taking into ourselves the people Jesus died for.

The Lord Jesus is coming back one day - those who believe in Him will have eternal life

Kids (save for 20th?)

What is Christmas about?

Tell me about one person in that first Xmas - what did they do?

Are you preparing a Christmas recital for next Sunday?

Where’s it going to be? Right here? On this platform?

Well, it’s a good thing we have a good platform so that we can see you and hear you.

What was the platform for the very first Christmas - not a stage like this, but what were some of the scenes?

Stable - describe

The fields where the Shepherds were watching their flocks of sheep by night, when the angel appeared

Wilderness where 3 wise men were traveling for miles and miles

Temple where they dedicated Jesus as a baby

We are really looking forward to you all telling us more about Christmas next week.

Intro: A Christmas Play

Set the metaphor:

As if a play, but not to suggest in any way that it isn’t perfectly historical, but just to use a metaphor to draw our attention to certain aspects of the story

Characters, lead character = Jesus

Main story, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, wise men, Simeon

Dialog - next week

But there is a platform, a set, props, an orchestra - not the main char / story, but the environment where the story happens

PV:

Today: the platform for the Christmas “play”

Two weeks: the dialog of the Christmas “play”

Prayer: People must know

The Holy Spirit is the platform on whom the story of Christmas happens

Not a physical stage with lighting and props, but still - the platform on which this “play” is conducted. Everything in this play happens on the platform of the HS.

Let’s look at how some of the characters take the stage on this platform of the HS.

John the Baptizer (Luke 1:5-17)

Turn to Luke 1.

One of the main characters performs on this platform.

5 During the reign of Herod the Great, king of Judea, there was a priest of the division of Abijah named Zechariah, and his wife, named Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the Lord’s commandments and requirements. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

8 One day when his division was on duty and he was performing his priestly duties before God, 9 Zechariah was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The entire assembly of people was praying outside at the hour for burning incense. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was startled and fear gripped him when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; and you are to name him John. 14 He will be joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth. 16 He will turn many people of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah

to

turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children and

turn the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, and

make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

John main char of this scene:

Hasn’t even appeared on stage, yet, but still main char (not Zech) … John’s not visible to the audience, yet, but he’s already on the platform, so to speak

(13) Angel: Miracle child

But not on the same scale as a virgin birth, but still miraculous enough that Zech refuses to believe it —> unable to talk until John makes his appearance on stage.

(15) Angel: Child will be “great before the Lord”

Amazing statement!

There are none who are righteous, no one impresses God, but John will somehow be great before the Lord, so says the angel.

What John will accomplish is more than just opening act for the main character of Jesus. What God will do through John, God considers to be great.

He’s going to need the HS to fulfill his purpose for even being born

(15) Angel: Never drink alcohol

Not nec. a Nazirite vow like in the OT, but he will be consecrated / set apart for his entire life.

Here’s the platform that John is on: (15) Filled w/HS before birth

Unprecedented! Therefore, what he’s going to do is going to be greater than anything an OT prophet ever did, as great as they were.

Whatever this great thing is that he will do, he will do so standing on the HS.

(17) He will be like Elijah the OT prophet in particular (but greater)

Filled with the Spirit

Rebuked kings

Took on the false prophets of the idol to Baal

Started and ended a drought through prayer

Raised a widow’s son back to life

Trained and handed over his ministry to another Spirit-filled OT prophet, Elisha

Taken up into heaven - that was pretty cool

Appeared along with Moses when Jesus was transfigured in front of a few of His disciples

Elijah = great prophet; what John will do will be greater than all this

John is the last and greatest OT prophet (really an OT character who appears in the NT)

What will he do that is so great? (16) 1. He will turn many back to the Lord

Wow!

I suspect he’s gonna need the HS for this

(17) 2. He will get people ready for the Lord to come onto the platform

People have to be made ready first before they can respond rightly when Jesus takes the stage

Like tilling the soil before planting the seeds

Jesus later told a parable of the soils that tells us that there were at least some who were ready for Jesus (and many were not)

Yeah, John’s definitely gonna need the HS for this

Mary, the mother of Jesus (Lk 1:26-38)

Same platform, different character now has the stage. So important that some try to make her the co-star. She’s important, but not that important.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”

29 When Mary heard this, she was perplexed and wondered what it meant.

30 The angel continued, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And, listen now, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestral father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, for his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen, since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen to this: Elizabeth, your relative, has conceived a son in her old age. She who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God!”

38 Mary replied, “Look, I am a servant of the Lord. May it be done to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Another angelic messenger, Gabriel (must be important)

(35) HS will arrive upon you

Not like in some movies, just “bing! you’re pregnant,” but more like an OT prophet, the HS arriving, resting upon, and filling Mary’s soul … b/c she’s gonna know or do something she couldn’t have known or done on her own. In fact, it will be both - she will both say and do things she could not have w/o the HS.

(35) Power of highest will overshadow her

Basically restating what the HS will do. The word “overshadow” is like the cherubim overshadowing the lid to the ark. The HS will overshadow her like this because she is going to give birth to and raise to adulthood the greatest person to ever walk the face of the earth.

She’s going to do all that standing on the platform of the HS.

(31-33) Her son will be like no other

31 And, listen now, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestral father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, for his kingdom will never end.”

Her son will sit on King David’s throne, and be the righteous King forever

The long-awaited Messiah! No one else but the Messiah can sit on David’s throne forever.

But that’s not even the best part

He will be like no other, sure - but more than that: His very person will be absolutely unique.

Her son will be holy

(pure, set apart - can that be true for anyone born of a woman? Apparently yes, if the HS is overshadowing her.)

Her son will be divine

(more than sinless, fully divine nature)

But her son also fully human

(still her son, fully human nature + fully divine nature, 2 natures in one person - that’s never happened before … or since)

She’s gonna need the HS for all this - her role in this play is on the platform of the HS

No way she can do this on her own, not even with her husband Joseph’s help.

Elizabeth, the mother of John (Lk 1:39-45)

Skip down to v. 39.

Yet another character is now in the spotlight - standing on the same platform as the previous two. She’s Zechariah’s wife, who was old and barren, but now is pregnant. She has her scene in the play - and that scene’s not even about her.

39 At that time Mary got up, hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 went into Zechariah’s home, and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and cried out in a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But how is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 Listen, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord told her would be fulfilled!”

Already considers herself blessed

(25, “The Lord has done this for me. He has look with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”)

Filled w/HS

Seems unnecessary

He son John won’t be sinless or divine, she’s already gotten pregnant - and yet the HS will be necessary even for Elizabeth, too.

Next time we see her (57) is the last time we’ll see her

After she gives birth to John the B, we never hear of her again. Her part in the play is here. After she gives birth - exit stage left.

She utters a prophecy - a short soliloquy standing on the platform of the HS

Eliz needs the HS for this one short prophecy

Not the predictive kind of prophecy, but still divinely inspired - a series of blessings that require the HS to communicate truth from heaven.

Blessing 1: Mary is blessed

… among all women b/c she was chosen by God to have this child. Maybe you can figure out that Mary is blessed w/o the HS, but I think the HS had some off-stage dialog to tell Elizabeth this.

She’s got her own miraculous bundle

… of joy baking in the oven

But it’s Mary who she considers to be truly blessed!

Blessing 2: Mary’s child is blessed

She calls Mary’s unborn baby her “Lord”

How could she utter such a thing w/o the HS?

And this child is blessed beyond even what Eliz could imagine

Blessing 3: Mary is also blessed in particular b/c she believed

… the impossible would become reality. More than just a divinely appointed incubator, Mary is blessed because she believed the impossible thing the angel told her, and even said to the angel, “May it be done to me as you have said.”

(Blessing 4:) “I’m blessed, and more than just b/c I’m pregnant!”

“How is it that someone one like me should be visited by the mother of Jesus my Lord? My baby leapt for joy - what a blessing! More so than having John in my old age, I’m blessed to be standing right here - pregnant or not pregnant - right here in front of the mother of my Lord. I’m so blessed right now in this moment!”

How could she know this?

Elizabeth’s anointing of the HS was necessary after all

To recognize the Messiah and the great blessing that He is

Not a political figure, and yet He’s the King of all Kings

Not a military figure, and yet He’s the Lord of all Lords

Not merely a religious figure, and yet the greatest rabbi who ever lived

She recognized JC as a pure blessing to all who will receive Him for who He is

She needed the HS to be able to see all this

John the Baptizer, pt 2

Now actually makes his appearance on the platform.

Baby leapt (Lk 1:41)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb

Filled HS before born as predicted in v. 15

Prenatal joy!

John didn’t make a theological deduction. It was just proximity to Jesus, and John leaps for joy and is filled with the HS, even before they know whether Jesus’ hair would be curly or straight.

John the Baptizer’s brief biography

Josephus, Islam, and Baha’i also have traditions RE John

2. (116) Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist;

Some speculate a connection with Qumran community / Essenes (DSS), who also claimed to be the voice crying out in the wilderness (Isa 40.3) - but there are great reasons to doubt this

Priestly lineage through both parents - served both priestly and prophetic functions

Born out of barrenness (mom Eliz old and barren, her “reproach”)

Don’t miss this! Not just a story of old Elizabeth having trouble getting pregnant and then God did her a big favor.

The people of Israel had been in a kind of barrenness for 400 years, with very little interaction with God like we read about in Exodus. The entire nation of Israel was “barren.” John was born out of that barrenness, too.

Furthermore, the entire human race was in a spiritual barrenness, in darkness without light or hope in the world. John was born out of that barrenness, too.

The story of John’s birth out of barrenness is perfectly appropriate for the one who would prepare the way for Jesus.

No wonder the HS was involved in his birth.

Lk 1.80 - growth, strengthening, secluded until he went public

Luke 1:80 CSB

The child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Linked to Elijah the great OT prophet

Luke 1:17 -

Luke 1:17 CSB

And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

Camel hair, leather belt, locusts and honey (~Elijah; 2 Kgs 1.8), and regarded as a prophet (Mk 11.32)

John declined the Elijah reference (Jn 1.21), but Jesus affirmed it (Matt 17:9-13)

Seder chair waiting for Elijah - he’s already come and gone

John had a Spirit-filled ministry of preaching and baptizing

(Matt 3:1-2 ff)

Matthew 3:1–2 CSB

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

To repentance for forgiveness - turning the hearts of people back to the Lord

Or face judgment in the End Times - an “eschatological” ministry, like many other OT prophets, like Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Malachi …

Baptized in the Jordan - passing through the waters into new chapters, including the Jordan

Baptism existed, but never recorded before this of someone baptizing someone else (always self-administered)

Symbolizes a change in status - (among other things)

“John’s baptism” not the same as the baptism of/by the HS (Acts 18.24-19.6)

Baptized Jesus - to “fulfill all righteousness”

John’s main job description: Redirect people toward Jesus

The main character of the play. John is not the Light he but testified about the Light (which is why he declined at first to baptize Jesus).

Had his own D’s - redirected them to JC

Jn 3:22-30; “He must become greater, and I must become less.”

Beheaded by Herod Antipas b/c John called him out on his sin (plus stepdaughter/niece request) (Mt 14.10)

Later, Herod was afraid that Jesus was actually John who had come back to life (Mk 6.14)

Even with all this, Jesus was so different than the Messiah they expected that even John still had his doubts (Mt 11.3)

(Lk 1.15) Great in the sight of the Lord (Elijah, no one greater (Mt 11.11); and that John was absolutely unique (Matt 11.7)

Why did John need the HS?

RS Q: just preaching and dunking people, not actually saving them

Effectively call people to repentance - HS @work

Prep way for the one and only Messiah - beyond human skill; history had already proven that mere humans can’t accomplish this

To be “great before the Lord” - can’t do that by yourself

Baptize JC and then to be told that he would see the Spirit of God come down on Jesus like a dove as the sign He’s the Messiah

To recognize Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - no one then would have any reason to make up a phrase like that

Fulfill Mal 4.5-6 - the last two verses of the entire OT

Malachi 4:5–6 CSB

Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Sum = The Holy Spirit is the platform on whom the story of Christmas happens

Angel told Zech: John would be born, but filled with HS even before birth

Mary: overshadowed by HS to conceive, give birth to, and raise the one who will sit on David’s throne forever

Elizabeth: a prophecy by the HS about the amazing blessings in Mary’s womb, sight unseen

John: filled w/HS —> the greatest OT prophet, great before the Lord, still unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandals

Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25)

Turn to Matt 1.

18 The birth of Jesus Christ took place as follows:

Mary, his mother, was betrothed to Joseph,

but before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 Because her husband Joseph was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, he planned to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and the people will call him Immanuel” (meaning “God with us” in Hebrew).

24 Then Joseph woke up from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary as his wife 25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

A virgin with child (again)

Hypostatic Union (again)

Fulfill OT Prophecy - the sign of the Messiah (set up by Isaiah)

Fulfill OT Expectations

It’s not just that Jesus fulfilled what the prophets predicted would happen. He fulfills all of God’s expectations of Israel in the OT. All that God wants, all that He deserves, all that will satisfy His demand for complete righteousness and faithfulness.

The Holy Spirit is the platform on whom the Christmas story happens

HS’s role in Christmas spans the storyline of human history -

He was arranging all the pieces to be in exactly the right places at exactly the right times to reveal Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of Man

HS weaving 100s of years of human history around God’s plan

Like a grapevine that winds it’s way around the trellis to give our history it’s shape and form, and to center our story on one single person who was born in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago

The HS did this

The Holy Spirit is the platform on whom the story of Jesus happens

Turn to Luke 3.

The star of the entire production … same platform of the HS.

JC’s ministry on earth could not have happened w/o HS (Php 2, set aside the use of His divine privileges; still 100% God, but chose not to rely on His own inherent divine power; He tied His own hands behind His back, so to speak)

His role in this play was on the platform of the HS, not Himself: Luke 3:21-23; 4:1-14

21 When all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, the heavens opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; in you I am well pleased.”

23a Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River

and was led into the wilderness of Judea by the Spirit 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. Since he didn’t eat anything during those days, when the days were over, he was hungry.

[3 temptations, 3 responses from Deut 6; 8]

13 And when the devil had finished every temptation, he left him until an opportune time.

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. News about him spread throughout the region.

Authenticated by the HS, filled with the HS, led by the HS, walked in the power of the HS

Jesus did no ministry until the Spirit filled Him and led Him and gave Him power

Enabling Him to face Satan

But also every aspect of His ministry, from teaching to miracles

Sum = The Holy Spirit is the platform on whom the story of Jesus happens

Everything powerful Jesus did in ministry, He did by the power of the HS.

The HS is the platform on whom the story of the Church happens

If the HS is the platform on which JC did His earthly ministry, it stands to reason that the HS should be the only platform on which we follow Him in that ministry.

The Birth of the Church came by the power of the HS (Lk 24.49; Acts 1.8; Acts 2)

Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses everywhere—in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

JC said don’t do any ministry until you are clothed from on high by the same power He relied on. The church began only when the HS came down and filled the first disciples.

Ministry authenticated by the HS

Not in #’s

2 Cor 6:4, 6 - “We show ourselves true … in the Holy Spirit”

When you look for leaders, look for those who are filled w/the HS (Acts 6.1-7; 11.24) so that ministry will be authentic

Influence / decisions: Acts 15.28; 21.1-14; 1 Cor 7.40

Acts 15:28 - “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us … ”

Our ministry as a sacrifice sanctified by the HS (Rom 15.15-16)

Rom 15:15-16 - Yet I have written to you very boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles and to render the priestly serviced regarding the gospel of God so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Incapacity without (1 Cor 12.3)

1 Cor 12:3 - So I want to make it clear to you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Like JC chose to not do any ministry until He was filled

Guard the good deposit through (2 Tim 1.14) -

2 Tim 1:14 - Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Xmas message!

We’ve been given the Christmas message; guard it! Keep it pure. Keep it current. Share it for what it is. Don’t try to dress it up or hide any part of it. We are the keepers of the story of Christmas. It’s ours to pass down with perfect fidelity.

Sum = The Holy Spirit is the platform upon whom the story of the Church happens

We began by praying for those people we know who have not yet come to Jesus

You are a character is this same play, along with Zech, Eliz, Mary, John the B

But you’re on the same reliable platform

If Jesus relied on this platform instead of Himself, we surely can rely on the same platform

The HS is the power behind, and the platform upon which, the real life stories we have to tell others

D Groups