Join Pastor Carlton Byrd and
the Breath of Life team at the
00:00:04.43\00:00:08.10
Mount Olive Church in Apopka,
Florida, January 10th to January
00:00:08.14\00:00:12.64
23rd, for its 2016 winter
revival. Now, each night Pastor
00:00:12.67\00:00:17.55
Byrd will bring a special word
from the Lord. There's going to
be soul-stirring music
00:00:17.58\00:00:21.08
and Bible teachings that will
inspire and change lives. We
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invite you to join us at the
Mount Olive Seventh-day
Adventist Church located at
00:00:26.55\00:00:30.03
3350 Clarcona Road in Apopka,
Florida. Pastor Byrd is the
00:00:30.06\00:00:35.06
speaker-director of Breath
of Life, and he's going to be
00:00:35.10\00:00:37.83
bringing the message on Sunday,
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and
00:00:37.87\00:00:42.24
Saturday, January 10th to
January 23rd. The doors open
00:00:42.27\00:00:46.74
every evening at 7 o'clock. On
opening night, Sunday, January
00:00:46.78\00:00:50.25
10th, we're going to be
featuring the Grammy-nominated
00:00:50.28\00:00:53.42
recording artist The
Walls Group. Now this dynamic
00:00:53.45\00:00:56.48
brother-sister ensemble was
nominated for the best gospel
00:00:56.52\00:01:00.22
performance song at the 57th
annual Grammy Awards, for their
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special rendition of “Love on
the Radio.” You are not going to
00:01:04.39\00:01:08.43
want to miss this urban
contemporary gospel quartet from
00:01:08.46\00:01:12.10
Houston, Texas. Pastor Byrd
and the Breath of Life team are
00:01:12.13\00:01:15.17
looking forward to seeing you,
January 10th through the 23rd,
00:01:15.20\00:01:18.77
at the Mount Olive Seventh-day
Adventist Church, 3350 Clarcona
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Road in Apopka,
Florida. For more information,
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call (256)
929-6460. (256) 929-6460.
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PB:  Matthew 1:21,
the Word of God says,
00:01:36.06\00:01:38.63
“And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt
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call his name JESUS: for
he shall” do what, everybody?
00:01:44.93\00:01:51.17
“Save his people from their
sins.” There are so many things
00:01:51.21\00:01:56.38
that I could talk about
in this text that I love.
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Just the fact, if you have a
King James version like mine,
00:01:58.78\00:02:01.22
I like the fact that the
name “Jesus” is in all caps.
00:02:01.25\00:02:04.75
What do you say, everybody?
“And he shalt bring forth a son.
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Thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his
00:02:08.22\00:02:11.56
people from their
sins.” Father, now bless.
00:02:11.59\00:02:14.73
And as has just been
sung, let some drops fall.
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Forgive us of our sins
on this the final Sabbath
00:02:20.34\00:02:24.34
sermon of 2015 here
at the Oakwood Church.
00:02:24.37\00:02:27.74
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:02:27.78\00:02:32.31
The best gift. Christmas is
a time of getting and giving,
00:02:32.35\00:02:38.65
and so that means because
of the getting and the giving,
00:02:38.69\00:02:42.89
Christmas is a time of
shopping. Ever since the
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wise men from the East
showed up to see Jesus,
00:02:47.66\00:02:51.37
carrying gold, Frankincense
and myrrh, people have
00:02:51.40\00:02:55.70
been shopping and
exchanging gifts at Christmas.
00:02:55.74\00:03:01.64
Now, only yesterday,
millions of people both young
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and old alike opened
millions of gifts. Say amen,
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tell the truth, shame the
devil. Some of these gifts fit;
00:03:15.96\00:03:22.76
some didn't fit.
Some were the wrong color;
00:03:22.80\00:03:30.87
and some were just
right. Some gifts will be kept;
00:03:30.91\00:03:38.71
and some people saved
their receipts because some
00:03:38.75\00:03:44.15
gifts will be exchanged
or returned. Do I have a
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witness in this place?
But it's also during this
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time of year that some
people don't like you even
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mentioning the word
“Christmas” because of the pagan
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origins of this holiday.
They don't want you saying
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“Santa Claus.” They don't want
you putting up a Christmas tree.
00:04:03.71\00:04:09.88
They don't want you
exchanging gifts. And don't you
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dare say “Merry Christmas.”
When I was a little boy,
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I used to watch all the
Christmas specials that came on
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TV. I've seen “It's a Wonderful
Life”; “The Christmas Story”;
00:04:25.23\00:04:31.07
“Miracle on 34th Street.”
I've seen all the versions of
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“Home Alone,” but my favorite
all-time Christmas television
00:04:38.37\00:04:43.78
special was “Charlie Brown
Christmas.” In this special,
00:04:43.81\00:04:49.65
Charlie Brown was having
trouble getting into the holiday
00:04:49.68\00:04:54.56
and Christmas spirit, so he had
a friend by the name of Linus.
00:04:54.59\00:04:58.69
We all know Brother Linus.
And Linus said, “Charlie Brown,
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you're the only person I know
who can take a wonderful season
00:05:02.83\00:05:07.50
like Christmas and turn it into
a problem.” While the Christmas
00:05:07.54\00:05:13.44
tree may have pagan origins;
while commercialization has
00:05:13.48\00:05:18.58
taken over this holiday;
while Jesus was not born on
00:05:18.61\00:05:23.59
December 25, Christmas
does celebrate the fact that
00:05:23.62\00:05:29.22
Jesus was born. Christmas
is a compound word for Christ
00:05:29.26\00:05:35.43
and mass, meaning celebration.
So then, for a Christian,
00:05:35.46\00:05:40.97
Christmas is simply a
celebration of Christ. We
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celebrate Christ's birth.
We celebrate His life. But some
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people seem to have the same
problem as Charlie Brown, making
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Christmas a problem when we
should be using this opportunity
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to lift Jesus Christ.   An
imaginative story is told of
00:06:01.69\00:06:06.76
the time Satan and his demons
were having a Christmas party.
00:06:06.80\00:06:12.37
As the party was over and
the demonic guests were getting
00:06:12.40\00:06:16.37
ready to depart, one grandin
said to Satan, “Merry Christmas,
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Your Majesty.” Satan replied
with a growl, “Keep it merry,
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my friend, because if they
[meaning, Christians] ever get
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serious about it, we'll
all be in trouble.” You see,
00:06:33.76\00:06:38.96
I listen to that story and I
figure, if the people of God;
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if the followers of God; if
the children of God ever get
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serious about celebrating
Christ, we will tear Satan's
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kingdom down. We are
God's people; the sheep of His
00:06:54.24\00:07:00.72
pasture. And we ought to act
like it sometime. Let me tell
00:07:00.75\00:07:04.89
you, friends of mine, the devil
doesn't like it when we praise
00:07:04.92\00:07:08.79
God. The devil gets nervous when
we worship God. The devil is
00:07:08.82\00:07:14.10
scared when we celebrate
God. Understand, I've got power
00:07:14.13\00:07:18.90
today. You've got power today.
We've got power to run demons
00:07:18.93\00:07:22.84
out of this place. We've
got power to tread on serpents;
00:07:22.87\00:07:26.91
power to speak life over
our situation; power to rebuke
00:07:26.94\00:07:31.08
the devil in the name of Jesus,
if we would just act like it.
00:07:31.11\00:07:34.75
[Aud. reaction]   PB: 
Jesus said, “If I be lifted up
00:07:34.78\00:07:38.35
from the earth, I will
draw all men unto me.” It was
00:07:38.39\00:07:42.82
during the presidency of
George W. Bush that his press
00:07:42.86\00:07:46.56
secretary, Ari Fleisher,
was commenting on the fact
00:07:46.59\00:07:49.80
that the President celebrated
many faiths during the holidays;
00:07:49.83\00:07:54.84
not only Christmas,
but he also presided over a
00:07:54.87\00:07:58.77
Jewish Hanukkah
celebration. He commemorated the
00:07:58.81\00:08:02.31
end of Ramadan in a Washington
mosque. Fleisher said,
00:08:02.34\00:08:06.41
“The purpose is not to
preach a particular faith;
00:08:06.45\00:08:10.65
but the purpose is to
celebrate faith itself.”
00:08:10.69\00:08:14.49
But you see, Christianity
offers something different.
00:08:14.52\00:08:19.43
Something different than
Judaism; something different
00:08:19.46\00:08:23.73
than Islam; something different
than Buddhism; something
00:08:23.77\00:08:28.70
different than Hinduism.
Christmas preaches a very
00:08:28.74\00:08:33.04
specific faith, because
Christmas is God's specific
00:08:33.07\00:08:37.05
fulfillment of a very
specific price. “And, she shall
00:08:37.08\00:08:42.45
bring forth a son, and
thou shall call his name Jesus.
00:08:42.48\00:08:46.76
For he shalt save his
people from their sins.” For the
00:08:46.79\00:08:51.79
Christian, Christmas is
about celebrating Christ.
00:08:51.83\00:08:55.46
It's about celebrating
Christ's birth. It's about
00:08:55.50\00:08:59.23
celebrating the gift that God
gave us in giving us His Son.
00:08:59.27\00:09:04.47
This gift meets everybody
needs. This gift will never
00:09:04.51\00:09:08.61
wear out; it will never break;
it will never need repairing.
00:09:08.64\00:09:12.75
This gift is appropriate
for a small child; appropriate
00:09:12.78\00:09:16.89
for a teenager; appropriate
for an adult or senior adult.
00:09:16.92\00:09:20.99
This gift is good for a
boy or girl, man or woman.
00:09:21.02\00:09:24.16
This gift makes no difference
if you're red, yellow,
00:09:24.19\00:09:27.40
black or white. This gift
is for everybody, and it's
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the best gift of all.
It's that baby in the manger,
00:09:32.53\00:09:37.47
wrapped in swaddling
cloths. This is the One that the
00:09:37.51\00:09:42.64
season is all about. On
Christmas, we celebrate the fact
00:09:42.68\00:09:46.88
that God gave us the gift
of His own Son, Jesus Christ,
00:09:46.92\00:09:51.19
that through faith in Him
we can be forgiven of our sins
00:09:51.22\00:09:55.69
and have eternal life. And
that ought to make somebody
00:09:55.72\00:09:59.16
get excited, that this
gift is the gift of salvation.
00:09:59.19\00:10:03.50
The very name Jesus
means “God IS salvation.”
00:10:03.53\00:10:09.04
“For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten
00:10:09.07\00:10:13.01
son that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish but
00:10:13.04\00:10:15.28
have everlasting
life.” So no. Let me be clear.
00:10:15.31\00:10:19.18
I don't subscribe to
pagan origins. I don't believe
00:10:19.21\00:10:23.95
in Santa Claus. I don't
believe that Santa Claus
00:10:23.99\00:10:28.69
crossed the North Pole,
came down through my chimney
00:10:28.72\00:10:32.93
on Thursday night to leave
some gifts for my children.
00:10:32.96\00:10:36.83
But I do believe that God,
in the form of Jesus Christ,
00:10:36.87\00:10:41.10
came as a babe to this
earth. I do believe that Jesus,
00:10:41.14\00:10:46.94
who had no sin, took on
the sins of many and by His
00:10:46.98\00:10:51.81
blood I'm forgiven
today. I do believe that He died
00:10:51.85\00:10:55.88
on Calvary's cross,
rose from the dead, ascended
00:10:55.92\00:10:59.82
back to heaven and now
is seated at the right hand
00:10:59.85\00:11:02.79
of the Father. I do
also believe that one day my
00:11:02.82\00:11:06.66
Jesus is coming back, and
He's coming back to get me.
00:11:06.70\00:11:10.53
“In the beginning was the
word, and the word was with God,
00:11:10.57\00:11:13.64
and the word was God.
And the word became flesh.”
00:11:13.67\00:11:17.37
To imagine a world without
gifts is to imagine a world
00:11:17.41\00:11:21.94
without Christ. Jesus is
the greatest gift you could
00:11:21.98\00:11:25.11
ever have. Jesus is the
greatest gift I could ever have.
00:11:25.15\00:11:27.48
Jesus came to this
earth as a baby to save you,
00:11:27.52\00:11:29.38
to save me, to save us. “And
she shall bring forth a son.
00:11:29.42\00:11:32.89
Thou shall call his name
Jesus, for he shalt save his
00:11:32.92\00:11:37.46
people from their
sins.”    Now, let me be clear.
00:11:37.49\00:11:40.80
I don't want to be long,
but understand that a gift
00:11:40.83\00:11:44.23
is an item willingly given
to somebody from somebody else,
00:11:44.27\00:11:48.00
without the expectation
of payment. A gift means
00:11:48.04\00:11:51.34
“I give you
something, and I don't expect
00:11:51.37\00:11:54.68
anything in return.” Are
you hearing what I'm saying?
00:11:54.71\00:11:57.75
Oh, don't act like you don't
know what I'm talking about.
00:11:57.78\00:12:00.15
Somebody's mad right now,
because they gave something
00:12:00.18\00:12:03.05
this Christmas, but that
somebody they gave something
00:12:03.08\00:12:05.85
to didn't give them
something in return, and so now
00:12:05.89\00:12:08.49
you're mad. But let me
give you some advice. If you
00:12:08.52\00:12:12.36
gave somebody something,
expecting something in return,
00:12:12.39\00:12:16.10
you didn't give a
gift, you gave a condition.
00:12:16.13\00:12:19.40
[Aud. reaction]    PB: 
Because when you give a gift,
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.74
you don't expect anything
in return. Are you hearing
00:12:22.77\00:12:26.31
what I'm saying? But God
gave the gift of salvation
00:12:26.34\00:12:30.41
when He gave Jesus Christ,
and God did not ask for a
00:12:30.45\00:12:34.18
return gift. God does
not ask for a return payment.
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.82
God does not give with
strings attached. Salvation
00:12:37.85\00:12:42.02
is free to everybody.
But while salvation is free,
00:12:42.06\00:12:46.16
it did cost Jesus
something. Jesus did pay it all.
00:12:46.19\00:12:49.60
The Apostle Paul, I
like how he puts it. He makes
00:12:49.63\00:12:52.40
it plain in Ephesians
2:8. He says, “For by grace
00:12:52.43\00:12:55.00
are ye saved, through
faith and that not of yourselves
00:12:55.04\00:12:58.87
but it is a gift.”
It is a what, everybody?
00:12:58.91\00:13:01.11
Aud.:  Gift.  PB:  Gift. So
salvation is not something that,
00:13:01.14\00:13:05.78
friends, we may purchase or
earn. In fact, we're bankrupt.
00:13:05.81\00:13:09.95
We have nothing with
which to pay. But then God gives
00:13:09.98\00:13:15.02
us grace. We are saved by
grace. I wish I had a witness
00:13:15.06\00:13:20.46
in this place. To show
grace is to extend favor to
00:13:20.50\00:13:23.53
somebody who doesn't
deserve it and can never
00:13:23.57\00:13:26.23
pay it back. You see,
friends of mine, we work
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.47
eight-hour days,
40-hour weeks, and we receive
00:13:29.50\00:13:33.61
a fair week's pay for
our time. That's a wage.
00:13:33.64\00:13:37.95
When we compete in
athletics and receive a trophy
00:13:37.98\00:13:41.02
for our performance,
that's a prize. When we
00:13:41.05\00:13:44.35
receive recognition
for long service or high
00:13:44.39\00:13:47.66
achievements in
business, that's an award.
00:13:47.69\00:13:50.66
But when we are
incapable of earning a wage;
00:13:50.69\00:13:54.13
when we can win no
prize; when we deserve no award,
00:13:54.20\00:14:01.20
but we still receive a
gift anyway, that's grace.
00:14:01.24\00:14:07.58
You see, we don't
deserve salivation. We don't
00:14:07.61\00:14:12.01
deserve gifts. We
don't deserve forgiveness for
00:14:12.05\00:14:16.32
our sins. We
deserve a plague of lice,
00:14:16.35\00:14:19.72
a plague of
frogs, a plague of blood.
00:14:19.75\00:14:22.96
But I'm so glad that
while I was yet a sinner,
00:14:22.99\00:14:26.46
Christ died just for
me. And many times it's
00:14:26.49\00:14:30.20
hard to comprehend
God's offer of salvation
00:14:30.23\00:14:33.64
and God's forgiveness
because as a human being,
00:14:33.67\00:14:37.17
forgiving someone is
one of the hardest things
00:14:37.21\00:14:42.94
we could ever do.
Say what you want.
00:14:42.98\00:14:45.48
Call yourself a
Christian. Call yourself a child
00:14:45.51\00:14:48.05
of God. A good Seventh-day
Adventist. One in seven days,
00:14:48.08\00:14:52.19
folks. A Bible-believing,
commandment-keeping,
00:14:52.22\00:14:56.29
Jesus-loving,
Sabbath school-studying,
00:14:56.32\00:15:00.20
Holy Ghost-intoxicated
Christian. One who can
00:15:00.23\00:15:04.37
quote Scripture
backwards and forwards, but one
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.10
of the hardest things
in life to do is to forgive
00:15:07.14\00:15:10.41
somebody. Especially when
somebody has done you wrong.
00:15:10.44\00:15:14.98
Tell the truth, shame
the devil. And because it's
00:15:15.01\00:15:17.31
hard to forgive, unforgiveness
has become more popular
00:15:17.35\00:15:21.95
than forgiveness.
Unforgiveness means we desire to
00:15:21.98\00:15:25.85
hurt the people
who have wronged us.
00:15:25.89\00:15:28.96
It's like the little
boy who was sitting on a
00:15:28.99\00:15:30.99
park bench in obvious
pain. A man walked by the
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.40
little boy who was on
the park bench and asked him,
00:15:33.43\00:15:35.66
“Boy, what's wrong?” The
boy said, “I'm sitting on a
00:15:35.70\00:15:38.30
bumblebee.” The man said,
“Then why don't you get up?”
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.44
The boy said, “Because I
figured that I'm hurting him
00:15:41.47\00:15:44.21
more than he's
hurting me.” [Aud. reaction]
00:15:44.24\00:15:47.78
PB:  But the healing
process begins only when we get
00:15:47.81\00:15:51.21
up off the park bench.
God will only heal our wounds
00:15:51.25\00:15:54.38
when we stop inflicting
pain on the one who has hurt us.
00:15:54.42\00:15:59.02
But our problem is, we
don't understand forgiveness.
00:15:59.05\00:16:01.79
We don't understand salvation.
Salvation is received,
00:16:01.82\00:16:07.30
not achieved. Salvation
is offered, not earned.
00:16:07.30\00:16:12.00
Salvation is not a formula
to obey but a person to know.
00:16:12.03\00:16:16.54
Salvation is not a prayer
to pray but a person to praise.
00:16:16.57\00:16:21.98
Salvation is not a hand
raised up but a life laid down.
00:16:22.01\00:16:25.85
Salvation is not an emotion
to be felt but a truth to
00:16:25.88\00:16:30.35
be embraced. Salvation is
not a degree of your faith,
00:16:30.39\00:16:34.06
but it's the author of
your faith. Salvation is not
00:16:34.09\00:16:37.49
the pursuit of God but
God's pursuit of you. Salvation
00:16:37.53\00:16:41.83
is not a formula for making
bad people good but a power
00:16:41.86\00:16:45.63
to make dead people
alive. [Aud. reaction]
00:16:45.67\00:16:48.40
PB:  Salvation is not a license
to sin but a reorientation
00:16:48.44\00:16:53.14
of your spiritual taste
buds so you taste sin as bitter
00:16:53.17\00:16:57.05
and righteousness as sweet.
Salvation is not safety from
00:16:57.08\00:17:02.28
an eternity in hell but
an anticipation to spend
00:17:02.32\00:17:05.39
eternity with a gracious
God who rescued you from
00:17:05.42\00:17:08.59
sin and death. Salvation
is not a behavioral change,
00:17:08.62\00:17:12.29
but it's a heart change
that leads to a behavior change.
00:17:12.33\00:17:15.30
Salvation is not a
ladder to be climbed but a cross
00:17:15.33\00:17:19.43
to be borne. Salvation is
not for an easier life but a
00:17:19.47\00:17:24.24
fuller life. Salvation is
not the transaction of our
00:17:24.27\00:17:28.11
works for God's acceptance
but the gift of God's grace
00:17:28.14\00:17:31.15
for our
shortcomings.   [Aud. reaction]
00:17:31.18\00:17:34.22
PB:  Salvation is not
that we have overcome sin in
00:17:34.25\00:17:37.09
the world, but it's the
fact that God in the person
00:17:37.12\00:17:39.92
of Jesus has overcome sin
and the world. Let me be clear:
00:17:39.95\00:17:44.49
Salvation is not church
membership. Just because
00:17:44.53\00:17:49.00
you're a member of
Oakwood doesn't mean you have
00:17:49.03\00:17:51.10
your full salvation.
Salvation is not ordination.
00:17:51.13\00:17:55.57
Salvation is not me
preaching a sermon. Salvation
00:17:55.60\00:18:00.11
is not teaching a
Sabbath school class. Salvation
00:18:00.14\00:18:03.81
is not even returning
tithe or not even lifting
00:18:03.85\00:18:06.78
the offering. Salvation
is not preparing dinner.
00:18:06.82\00:18:10.25
Salvation is not
ushering. Salvation is not me
00:18:10.29\00:18:13.82
being speaker-director
of Breath of Life.
00:18:13.86\00:18:17.19
Salvation is not good
works, but salvation is
00:18:17.23\00:18:23.77
a personal encounter
with Jesus Christ Himself.
00:18:23.80\00:18:27.64
We are saved by
grace. God's unmerited favor.
00:18:27.67\00:18:34.71
It's Jesus that gets
the glory, so you and
00:18:34.74\00:18:39.48
I don't walk around
like we've got the big
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.68
head and boast. No
human being has the power
00:18:41.72\00:18:45.99
to absolve you from
your sins. I can't save you.
00:18:46.02\00:18:51.06
The conference can't
save you. The college
00:18:51.09\00:18:54.46
can't save you. The
board can't save you.
00:18:54.46\00:18:58.50
Elders can't save
you. Bible workers can't
00:18:58.53\00:19:03.14
save you. Buddha can't save you.
00:19:03.17\00:19:06.24
Brahma can't save you.
Confucius can't save you.
00:19:06.27\00:19:11.61
Muhammad can't save
you. But my Bible says
00:19:11.65\00:19:15.98
there's only one
name under heaven whereby
00:19:16.02\00:19:19.59
we can be saved,
and that's Jesus.
00:19:19.62\00:19:23.26
[Aud. reaction]   
PB: Confessing to somebody
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.29
else may help you
relieve the guilt of your
00:19:25.33\00:19:28.13
transgressions, but
only Jesus can wash away
00:19:28.16\00:19:30.87
your sins. “For by
grace are ye saved,
00:19:30.90\00:19:35.60
through faith, and
not of yourselves. It is a
00:19:35.64\00:19:40.24
gift from God.” And
that's why Jesus had to come.
00:19:40.28\00:19:46.58
That's why Jesus had
to be born, so although we
00:19:46.61\00:19:51.65
don't know exactly
when Jesus was born, we do
00:19:51.69\00:19:54.99
know why He was born.
Although we don't know how
00:19:55.02\00:19:58.63
Jesus was born, we do
know for whom Jesus was born.
00:19:58.66\00:20:03.20
Jesus' birth was a gift
from God to you and to me,
00:20:03.23\00:20:07.84
and because of this
gift sin would eventually be
00:20:07.87\00:20:12.94
nailed to the cross.
Sin and sickness would no
00:20:12.97\00:20:17.48
longer have the last
word. Death and destruction
00:20:17.51\00:20:21.12
would no longer have
the last word. Racism and
00:20:21.15\00:20:24.85
retribution would no
longer have the last word.
00:20:24.89\00:20:27.89
Cancer and crime would no
longer have the last word.
00:20:27.92\00:20:32.39
You and I are here today,
I'm standing here preaching
00:20:32.43\00:20:36.53
right now, because
Jesus was born. Bottom line:
00:20:36.56\00:20:40.97
Jesus is the reason
for the season. Do I have a
00:20:41.00\00:20:43.51
witness in this place?
Think about it. What would
00:20:43.54\00:20:46.07
have happened if Jesus
had not been born? What
00:20:46.11\00:20:49.64
would have happened
if Jesus had not come?
00:20:49.68\00:20:52.75
What would have
happened to that woman caught
00:20:52.78\00:20:55.32
in the act of adultery?
She would have been stoned.
00:20:55.35\00:20:58.85
What would have
happened to the woman with the
00:20:58.89\00:21:02.09
issue of blood? She
might have died. What would
00:21:02.12\00:21:06.16
have happened to blind
Bartimaeus? He would still
00:21:06.19\00:21:08.33
be blind. What would have
happened to Jairus's daughter?
00:21:08.36\00:21:12.23
She would have still
been dead. Lazarus still would
00:21:12.27\00:21:17.51
have been dead. The
5,000 would still be hungry in
00:21:17.54\00:21:21.14
the wilderness. The man
at the pool at Bethesda would
00:21:21.18\00:21:24.11
still be lame. There would be
no wine at the wedding at Cana.
00:21:24.15\00:21:29.08
I would still be struggling.
You would still be struggling.
00:21:29.12\00:21:33.79
Somebody would be strung
out somewhere. Somebody would be
00:21:33.82\00:21:37.76
laid up in a hospital somewhere.
Somebody would have been
00:21:37.79\00:21:41.33
walking the streets somewhere.
Somebody would be sinking
00:21:41.36\00:21:45.17
deep in sin, far
from the peaceful shore.
00:21:45.20\00:21:49.00
But Jesus was born.
Because Jesus was born,
00:21:49.04\00:21:55.24
because Jesus has come,
there's light at the end
00:21:55.28\00:22:02.38
of the tunnel.
There's hope for the world.
00:22:02.42\00:22:06.96
There's sunshine
after every rainstorm.
00:22:06.99\00:22:12.76
There's healing for your
soul. There is a balm in Gilead.
00:22:12.79\00:22:21.70
And so excuse me if I
want to celebrate His birth,
00:22:21.74\00:22:28.48
because I will. If I want
to praise His name, I will.
00:22:28.51\00:22:34.38
If I want to clap my hands,
I will. If I want to stomp
00:22:34.42\00:22:40.06
my feet, I will. Call me
what you want, talk me about
00:22:40.09\00:22:46.33
me all you want, accuse me
of being a pagan if you want,
00:22:46.36\00:22:50.77
but celebrating His birth means
I thank Him for His coming.
00:22:50.80\00:22:55.20
I thank Him for His living.
I thank Him for His dying.
00:22:55.24\00:22:59.87
I thank Him for His
rising. And I thank Him for the
00:22:59.91\00:23:03.71
promise that He's coming back.
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.48
A television interviewer
was walking the streets of
00:23:06.51\00:23:12.99
Tokyo, Japan, at
Christmastime. The interviewer
00:23:13.02\00:23:17.19
stopped one young woman
on the sidewalk and asked,
00:23:17.23\00:23:21.76
“Lady, what's the
meaning of Christmas?” She said,
00:23:21.80\00:23:31.01
“I don't know. Is
that the day Jesus died?”
00:23:31.04\00:23:38.41
There was some truth
in her answer, because
00:23:38.45\00:23:43.89
Christ was born to die.
If He had never been born,
00:23:43.92\00:23:53.43
He would have never died.
Jesus - - listen to me - -
00:23:53.46\00:24:00.87
was born into this world for
the sole purpose of saving us.
00:24:00.90\00:24:06.51
Christmas marks the
day we celebrate His birth,
00:24:06.54\00:24:11.61
and without His birth,
He would have had no life.
00:24:11.65\00:24:15.68
Without His life, He
would have had no death.
00:24:15.72\00:24:19.05
And without His death,
we would have no salvation.
00:24:19.09\00:24:24.53
“And she shall bring
forth a son. Thou shalt call
00:24:24.56\00:24:30.93
his name Jesus, for he
shalt save his people from
00:24:30.97\00:24:39.77
their sins.” I was
reading a quote from Sister
00:24:39.81\00:24:42.21
White in volume four of
“The Testimony.” She said,
00:24:42.24\00:24:47.35
“Jesus came to save us
from our sins, not in our sins.”
00:24:47.38\00:24:55.66
Which means, she goes on
and says, “He came not only
00:24:55.69\00:24:59.89
to save us from the
sins actually committed,
00:24:59.93\00:25:03.60
but He also came to
save us from our potential
00:25:03.63\00:25:06.47
propensities that lead to sin.”
00:25:06.50\00:25:10.17
“And she shall bring
forth a son. Thou shalt call
00:25:10.21\00:25:17.68
his name Jesus, for he
shalt save his people from
00:25:17.71\00:25:27.72
their sins.” Not in
their sins; from their sins.
00:25:27.76\00:25:34.46
Throughout the Christmas
season, we buy gifts for
00:25:34.46\00:25:40.57
other people, and
they buy gifts for us. But,
00:25:40.60\00:25:47.54
Christmas without
Christ is like a nicely wrapped
00:25:47.58\00:25:51.28
box given as a gift with
no gift inside. Christmas
00:25:51.31\00:25:56.79
is about a gift that
God personally came to give.
00:25:56.82\00:26:01.99
Now, think about it.
He's God all by Himself.
00:26:02.02\00:26:07.46
God doesn't need help
from anybody else. Which means,
00:26:07.50\00:26:11.43
God could have sent a house.
God could have sent a car.
00:26:11.47\00:26:16.54
God could have sent a
bunch of money. But God sent the
00:26:16.57\00:26:22.98
ultimate gift. He sent
Himself. He sent Jesus.
00:26:23.01\00:26:31.19
It's the only gift that matters.
00:26:31.22\00:26:35.62
Now, if you
don't take this gift,
00:26:35.66\00:26:39.76
there's not a single
other gift that anybody else
00:26:39.79\00:26:42.56
is going to give you that
matters. But if you accept
00:26:42.60\00:26:46.13
this gift, all the days
of your life you will have
00:26:46.17\00:26:52.01
everything that you
need. This Christmas
00:26:52.04\00:26:57.75
You're invited to join
Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, speaker
00:26:57.78\00:27:01.02
and director for the Breath
of Life television ministry,
00:27:01.05\00:27:03.55
and senior pastor here at
the Oakwood University Church,
00:27:03.59\00:27:06.72
in Huntsville, Alabama, for
a very special taping of the
00:27:06.76\00:27:10.29
nationally syndicated
program. On January 30, 2016,
00:27:10.33\00:27:14.40
right here at Oakwood
University Church, Breath of
00:27:14.46\00:27:17.27
Life will be
recording an Easter special.
00:27:17.30\00:27:19.67
It's going to be aired on
the ABC television network.
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.84
Featuring a message from
Dr. Byrd, with musical guests,
00:27:22.87\00:27:26.01
Grammy award-winning
songbird, CeCe Wynans;
00:27:26.04\00:27:29.68
violinist Jaime Jorge; and
the internationally renowned
00:27:29.71\00:27:33.15
Oakwood University
Aeolian Concert Choir.
00:27:33.18\00:27:36.25
With God's help, this
program is going to reach
00:27:36.28\00:27:38.79
millions of curious
and interested individuals
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.89
who otherwise might
not be able to be reached
00:27:41.92\00:27:44.79
through
traditional methods. Please,
00:27:44.83\00:27:46.80
join Pastor Byrd in
this exceptional evangelistic
00:27:46.83\00:27:51.17
initiative. Your prayers,
presence, and financial support
00:27:51.20\00:27:55.04
are both meaningful and
essential. Again, join us
00:27:55.07\00:27:58.87
January 30, 2016, at
11 o'clock in the morning,
00:27:58.91\00:28:03.01
right here at the
Oakwood University Church,
00:28:03.04\00:28:06.01
5500 Adventist Boulevard,
in Huntsville, Alabama.
00:28:06.05\00:28:10.39
For more information,
this is our website:
00:28:10.42\00:28:12.62
www.BreathofLife.TV. Dr.
Carlton Byrd, CeCe. Wynans,
00:28:12.65\00:28:18.96
Jaime Jorge, the
Oakwood University Aeolians for
00:28:18.99\00:28:21.76
ABC's Easter special,
to be aired March 27 on the
00:28:21.80\00:28:26.97
ABC television network.
00:28:27.00\00:28:29.94
--END--
00:28:29.97\00:28:44.99