¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:06.20
¤¤ [ Clarinet solo ]
00:00:11.07\00:00:31.09
¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:31.09\00:00:51.08
¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:51.08\00:01:11.13
¤¤ ¤¤
00:01:11.13\00:01:31.15
¤¤ ¤¤
00:01:31.15\00:01:51.14
¤¤
00:01:51.14\00:01:57.21
¤¤ ¤¤
00:02:02.18\00:02:16.87
>> ¤ You left your throne
¤ ¤ And your kingly crown ¤
00:02:16.87\00:02:26.24
¤ When you came
to Earth for me ¤
00:02:26.24\00:02:35.72
¤ But in Bethlehem ¤ ¤
There was found no room ¤
00:02:35.72\00:02:48.20
¤ For your holy nativity
¤ ¤ O, come to my heart ¤
00:02:48.20\00:03:06.38
¤ Come to my heart, Lord Jesus
¤ ¤ There is room in my heart ¤
00:03:06.38\00:03:24.87
¤ For you ¤ [ Clarinet solo ]
00:03:24.87\00:03:38.61
>> So, this our Christmas call.
And I'm gonna invite you to
00:03:45.85\00:03:49.52
stand as we read
this call together.
00:03:49.52\00:03:51.13
Sinegugu Katenga.
Katenga family, very active in
00:03:51.13\00:03:56.56
our congregation.
Sinegugu grew up here, one of
00:03:56.56\00:03:58.80
our young adults,
a college student.
00:03:58.80\00:04:00.67
She's gonna read with
you. It's a responsive reading.
00:04:00.67\00:04:04.24
Those of you on live stream,
by the way, you'll see on the
00:04:04.24\00:04:08.11
bottom-third
will be our reading.
00:04:08.11\00:04:11.91
Feel free to join in that
reading as we respond to God's
00:04:11.91\00:04:18.25
call to meet him here.
00:04:18.25\00:04:20.16
Let us pray. As the
carol sings, yea, Lord,
00:05:10.47\00:05:15.84
we greet thee born this happy
morning, but dear God, please,
00:05:15.84\00:05:21.72
this has been such
a year of surprises.
00:05:21.72\00:05:26.19
Shock, really. We
hardly know what to expect
00:05:26.19\00:05:29.49
next. And so if
it's okay to just
00:05:29.49\00:05:33.26
blurt it out, we come to this
Christmas Eve Sabbath seeking
00:05:33.26\00:05:37.87
stability and security
and some sort of assurance.
00:05:37.87\00:05:42.67
We don't need answers right
now. If we could just have the
00:05:42.67\00:05:46.54
assurance that what you taught
the angels to sing, peace on
00:05:46.54\00:05:52.18
Earth, good will to
men and women and children.
00:05:52.18\00:05:55.55
That that is a prayer that you
are still planning to answer,
00:05:55.55\00:05:59.49
which is why we
keep singing and praying.
00:05:59.49\00:06:02.46
¤ O Come ¤ ¤ O Come Immanuel ¤
00:06:02.46\00:06:05.39
¤ And ransom captive Israel ¤
Oh, Father, whatever the future
00:06:05.39\00:06:10.80
turns out to be, we come to you
with a prayer, Christ will come
00:06:10.80\00:06:16.37
to us sooner
rather than later, please.
00:06:16.37\00:06:21.21
And so we worship you now.
In His beautiful name, Amen.
00:06:21.21\00:06:27.22
>> Amen.
00:06:27.22\00:06:28.08
¤¤ ¤¤
00:06:31.52\00:06:51.51
¤¤ [ Congregation sings ]
00:06:51.51\00:07:08.42
>> Glad to have
you. Oh, we got --
00:12:20.84\00:12:23.64
We've got a congregation right
here, that's what we've got.
00:12:23.64\00:12:26.24
We've got the future of the
church right here, that's what
00:12:26.24\00:12:28.84
we have. If time
lasts long enough.
00:12:28.84\00:12:31.31
Nice to have all of you.
All right, guys. Grab a seat.
00:12:31.31\00:12:34.78
Don't forget, something special
for you in just a moment.
00:12:34.78\00:12:39.09
But first, a story. I
want to make sure everybody
00:12:39.09\00:12:43.69
gets a chance to
get up here. Yeah.
00:12:43.69\00:12:45.93
Well, Happy Sabbath, and a
Merry Christmas Eve to you.
00:12:45.93\00:12:50.50
Good to have
you. Glad you're here.
00:12:50.50\00:12:53.70
Anybody have family
or friends visiting?
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.60
Family or friends? Ooh!
Anybody here family or friends
00:12:56.60\00:13:00.68
visiting? You're visiting here?
00:13:00.68\00:13:03.38
Any visitors here?
Oh, we got some visitors.
00:13:03.38\00:13:05.85
Good. Always nice
to have you. All right.
00:13:05.85\00:13:10.95
All right. Good. Now,
Dad and Mom, if you're
00:13:10.95\00:13:15.39
bringing your child, just take
a place on the floor right where
00:13:15.39\00:13:19.79
you are. Just let
me have the center
00:13:19.79\00:13:21.83
aisle here. Let me
trade places with you.
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.93
Good to have you, moms and dads
and grandmas and grandpas who
00:13:25.93\00:13:29.17
come up for Children's
Story when they have their
00:13:29.17\00:13:31.87
grandchildren
visiting. Oh! That's wonderful!
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.41
I wish Little Ella were
here, but she came in October,
00:13:34.41\00:13:37.35
so we're still happy.
All right, nice to have you.
00:13:37.35\00:13:42.22
So, question #1 -- do you like
to sit in the back seat of a car
00:13:42.22\00:13:45.92
when nobody knows you're there,
and you're just riding along for
00:13:45.92\00:13:49.69
the ride? >> Yeah!
00:13:49.69\00:13:51.19
>> Question #2 -- do you like
to ride in a car at 2:00 in the
00:13:51.19\00:13:55.23
morning in the
back seat? >> Yes!
00:13:55.23\00:13:57.77
>> Okay. [ Chuckles ] I can tell
we got real experience here.
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.40
Question #3 -- Do you
like it when the car is going
00:14:01.40\00:14:05.24
100 miles an hour
up the interstate?
00:14:05.24\00:14:08.11
>> Yeah! >> Well,
dumb questions for this
00:14:08.11\00:14:12.21
group, I understand that.
That's what we're gonna do! Shh!
00:14:12.21\00:14:16.18
We're in the back
seat! Shh! Shh! Shh!
00:14:16.18\00:14:17.95
We don't want them
to know we're here! Shh!
00:14:17.95\00:14:20.59
Because father jumps into the
car -- that's father Marshall --
00:14:20.59\00:14:23.83
jumps in the car, Mother
Tenisha jumps in the car.
00:14:23.83\00:14:26.49
She said, "Honey,
we're gonna have to go.
00:14:26.49\00:14:28.73
I've done this twice before, but
I think this is the third time.
00:14:28.73\00:14:31.77
I think we have time,
but let's just start moving.
00:14:31.77\00:14:33.80
Let's start moving.
2:00 in the morning.
00:14:33.80\00:14:35.44
Can you start driving?"
Ford Escape -- I hope you like
00:14:35.44\00:14:37.57
being in a Ford Escape because
we're in the back seat of a
00:14:37.57\00:14:39.81
Ford Escape, and
father Marshall starts --
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.51
[ Imitates engine revving
] He said, "I got to find the
00:14:41.51\00:14:43.68
Dan Ryan freeway in Chicago!"
This is just a few days ago.
00:14:43.68\00:14:46.11
In Chicago! It's
90/94 going north into the
00:14:46.11\00:14:50.02
town. "I got to
get on that freeway!"
00:14:50.02\00:14:51.55
As soon as he
got on the freeway --
00:14:51.55\00:14:53.02
[ Imitates engine
revving ] "Oh, hold on!
00:14:53.02\00:14:55.22
Do you have your seatbelt on?
I hope you have your seatbelt
00:14:55.22\00:14:57.59
on!" "Are we
going that fast? Really?
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.63
Oh, don't look! Don't look!"
But in the meantime, father is
00:14:59.63\00:15:02.36
just clutching the steering
wheel, and mother's like --
00:15:02.36\00:15:04.47
[ Groaning ] "What's the matter?
00:15:04.47\00:15:05.80
What's the matter?" "I
think the baby's coming."
00:15:05.80\00:15:08.20
[ Groans ] He said, "Shh!"
00:15:08.20\00:15:11.07
[ Groaning continues
] They're going to the
00:15:11.07\00:15:15.64
University of Illinois
Chicago Medical Center.
00:15:15.64\00:15:19.11
"I don't think
we're gonna make it!
00:15:19.11\00:15:21.35
We're only 10
minutes up the highway!"
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.59
Father says, "I'm
looking, I'm looking!
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.35
I'm looking for an
exit. Here comes an exit!
00:15:26.35\00:15:29.82
West 43rd Street!" Zoom!
There he goes off the exit.
00:15:29.82\00:15:32.49
It's 2:00 in the
morning. There's nobody out.
00:15:32.49\00:15:34.73
He drives along a little street,
there's a street light, and he
00:15:34.73\00:15:37.77
stops. [ Groaning
] "I think the baby's
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.04
coming, I think
the baby's coming!"
00:15:40.04\00:15:42.20
He dialed three
numbers. What did he dial?
00:15:42.20\00:15:44.54
>> 911. >> He dialed 911.
00:15:44.54\00:15:46.64
But then, fortunately, mother
Tenisha -- she had been watching
00:15:46.64\00:15:50.75
birthing videos. So she
kind of knew what has to
00:15:50.75\00:15:55.22
happen. So she's
giving birth on her
00:15:55.22\00:15:57.95
own. >> What happened?
00:15:57.95\00:16:00.69
>> Father later told the
reporter, "She's screaming,
00:16:00.69\00:16:04.66
the baby's
screaming, and I'm screaming."
00:16:04.66\00:16:07.86
[ Laughter ] Pretty
soon the ambulance has
00:16:07.86\00:16:12.40
come, racing with the police.
Let's see a picture of the
00:16:12.40\00:16:16.37
ambulances and let's see
the little baby that got born on
00:16:16.37\00:16:20.44
that street side, please.
We're looking for that picture.
00:16:20.44\00:16:24.15
There were go.
There he is, little
00:16:24.15\00:16:28.95
Miller Rambert. The
ambulance attendants, the
00:16:28.95\00:16:33.05
EMTs, they grab mother and baby,
put them in that ambulance.
00:16:33.05\00:16:37.36
[ Imitates wailing
siren ] To the hospital.
00:16:37.36\00:16:40.73
Father racing behind.
And the good news is --
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.37
Next picture, please. The
good news is -- Aww, little
00:16:43.37\00:16:46.90
Miller is doing just
fine. He's joining his two older
00:16:46.90\00:16:50.97
brothers. Oh, my
-- This is a question
00:16:50.97\00:16:53.48
just for the
girls. Just for the girls.
00:16:53.48\00:16:55.74
Girls, would you rather be
born in a Ford Escape or in a
00:16:55.74\00:16:59.75
hospital? >> Hospital.
00:16:59.75\00:17:01.48
>> [ Laughs ] You can
see why didn't ask the boys.
00:17:01.48\00:17:04.22
All right. This
question -- [ Laughter ]
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.89
This question is for God.
We're gonna ask God a question.
00:17:07.89\00:17:13.09
He's listening right now.
He's listening very carefully.
00:17:13.09\00:17:16.16
Dear God, would you rather
be born in a Ford Escape or a
00:17:16.16\00:17:21.37
hospital? Or a box of cow food?
00:17:21.37\00:17:25.97
>> Nasty! >>
What would God choose?
00:17:25.97\00:17:29.54
>> A stable! >> We already know.
00:17:29.54\00:17:32.21
He says, "I want to
be born in a manger."
00:17:32.21\00:17:35.52
So that no little boy can be
born on Earth, no little girl
00:17:35.52\00:17:38.89
and say, "My family's too
poor. God must not love us."
00:17:38.89\00:17:42.06
Are you kidding? The
poorer you are, the more you
00:17:42.06\00:17:46.46
can know the God
who came is as poor --
00:17:46.46\00:17:50.03
He was poorer than you.
Say the verse out loud with me.
00:17:50.03\00:17:54.04
"For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son
00:17:54.04\00:18:02.21
that whosoever believeth in
Him shall not perish, but have
00:18:02.21\00:18:09.82
everlasting life." Amen.
00:18:09.82\00:18:14.32
That's what we have Christmas.
God chose a place where he would
00:18:14.32\00:18:18.53
be born. So that
every one of us could
00:18:18.53\00:18:22.70
know he's just the kind
of God I've always wanted.
00:18:22.70\00:18:29.14
What a God. So,
when you gather with your
00:18:29.14\00:18:32.34
family tonight or tomorrow,
it's not about the gifts you get
00:18:32.34\00:18:36.21
there, it's the gift
you've already gotten in Jesus.
00:18:36.21\00:18:40.55
Amen. Now, we
have a gift for you.
00:18:40.55\00:18:44.15
And as you're going --
We're gonna sing a song.
00:18:44.15\00:18:46.32
We're gonna sing ¤
What Child Is This? ¤
00:18:46.32\00:18:48.06
¤ Who laid to rest ¤ So,
the moms and dads will be
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.83
singing, you'll be getting your
gift, and I wish you a blessed
00:18:50.83\00:18:54.23
and Merry Christmas.
Amen. All right. Let's sing.
00:18:54.23\00:19:00.87
¤¤ [ Congregation sings ]
00:19:00.87\00:19:20.79
¤¤ >> ¤ Starlight shines ¤
00:21:54.71\00:22:09.16
¤ The night is still ¤ ¤
Shepherds watch from a hill ¤
00:22:09.16\00:22:18.10
¤ I close my eyes ¤
¤ To see the night ¤
00:22:18.10\00:22:25.21
¤ When love was born ¤ ¤ A
perfect child gently waits ¤
00:22:25.21\00:22:37.65
¤ A mother bends
to kiss God's face ¤
00:22:37.65\00:22:44.29
¤ I close my eyes ¤
¤ To see the night ¤
00:22:44.29\00:22:49.86
¤ When love was born ¤ ¤
Angels fill the midnight sky,
00:22:49.86\00:23:04.05
and they sing ¤ ¤ Hallelujah ¤
00:23:04.05\00:23:11.59
¤ He is Christ, our King ¤ ¤¤
00:23:11.59\00:23:28.67
¤¤ ¤ Emmanuel, Prince of peace ¤
00:23:28.67\00:23:42.85
¤ Love come
down for you and me ¤
00:23:42.85\00:23:48.29
¤ Heaven's
gift, the holy spark ¤
00:23:48.29\00:23:54.03
¤ To light the way
inside our hearts ¤
00:23:54.03\00:24:00.24
¤ Bethlehem,
through your small door ¤
00:24:00.24\00:24:06.04
¤ Came the hope
we've waited for ¤
00:24:06.04\00:24:12.98
¤ The world was
changed forevermore ¤
00:24:12.98\00:24:20.36
¤ When love was born
¤ ¤ I close my eyes ¤
00:24:20.36\00:24:31.60
¤ To see the night ¤
¤ When love was born ¤
00:24:31.60\00:24:44.51
¤¤
00:24:44.51\00:24:54.42
>> Thank you.
That was beautiful.
00:25:03.30\00:25:09.80
"The world was changed forever
the night love was born."
00:25:09.80\00:25:15.41
Let's pray. Oh,
God, it's that truth that
00:25:15.41\00:25:19.85
compels us, compelled
by the love of Christ.
00:25:19.85\00:25:24.75
Our lives changed forever.
Because of the night love was
00:25:24.75\00:25:30.73
born. What's
that mean for us now?
00:25:30.73\00:25:35.10
Unpack it, dear God.
These moments that we have left,
00:25:35.10\00:25:38.73
let it be clear. We
pray in Jesus' name.
00:25:38.73\00:25:43.81
Amen. Have you
noticed that we can
00:25:43.81\00:25:49.71
grow up hearing a story and
end up never hearing the story?
00:25:49.71\00:26:02.66
I was telling our guests
who joined us for our Messiah
00:26:02.66\00:26:06.33
sing-along this last Sunday
-- beautiful service, thanks to
00:26:06.33\00:26:10.70
Jeannie Pedersen-Smith
and her Sanctuary Choir.
00:26:10.70\00:26:13.77
So, we have the sing-along, and
we had guests, and I told them
00:26:13.77\00:26:17.87
a story about a little teacher.
On the last day of class before
00:26:17.87\00:26:21.68
Christmas, she said, "All right,
boys and girls, we're gonna
00:26:21.68\00:26:24.95
draw. Everybody
draw a picture of
00:26:24.95\00:26:26.95
Christmas, okay?" So
those little heads bent over,
00:26:26.95\00:26:31.12
with paper and crayons, they
began to scribble and color, and
00:26:31.12\00:26:35.26
few moments later, the teacher's
walking up and down the rows,
00:26:35.26\00:26:39.46
admiring, "Ooh, Mary, very nice!
I recognize the Three Wise Men.
00:26:39.46\00:26:43.73
Good! That's good!"
Ooh, Johnny! Snowman!
00:26:43.73\00:26:47.77
Lovely, lovely."
"Sue. The manger.
00:26:47.77\00:26:53.61
I can tell it." She
stopped by Jimmy's desk
00:26:53.61\00:26:57.58
because she said,
"Jimmy, you missed the point.
00:26:57.58\00:27:00.82
It's supposed to be
a Christmas picture.
00:27:00.82\00:27:03.89
You've drawn a picture of a jet
plane with three people on it,
00:27:03.89\00:27:08.82
and somebody in the front."
Jimmy said, "But, teacher,
00:27:08.82\00:27:12.83
this is a Christmas picture.
This is Joseph and Mary and the
00:27:12.83\00:27:16.67
Christ Child on
their flight to Egypt."
00:27:16.67\00:27:19.87
[ Laughter ] The
teacher said, "But who's --
00:27:19.87\00:27:23.51
Who's the one up front?"
And he said, "That's Pontius,
00:27:23.51\00:27:27.01
the pilot." [ Laughter ]
00:27:27.01\00:27:32.05
Have you noticed -- not just
kids, but as adults -- we can
00:27:32.05\00:27:35.88
grow up hearing the story, but
never end up really hearing the
00:27:35.88\00:27:42.52
story. That's the
case, perhaps, with
00:27:42.52\00:27:47.86
today's story from Luke 2.
Our Christmas homily's entitled
00:27:47.86\00:27:51.17
"The Christmas Robe: A
Meditation on the Swaddling
00:27:51.17\00:27:54.04
Cloths." Open
your bible to Luke 2.
00:27:54.04\00:27:58.64
Luke 2. The
sisters Angela and Sinegugu
00:27:58.64\00:28:01.98
just read these words with
us. We go back to them. Luke 2.
00:28:01.98\00:28:05.65
I want to pick it up Verse
4. I'm in the New Kings James
00:28:05.65\00:28:08.12
version. Verse 4.
00:28:08.12\00:28:10.82
Because Caesar Augustus said
it, "Yo, everybody go here."
00:28:10.82\00:28:13.39
They think probably King Herod
softened it up for the Jews
00:28:13.39\00:28:16.36
because they're
big on genealogy.
00:28:16.36\00:28:18.23
They're gonna get taxed out
of this enrollment and census,
00:28:18.23\00:28:21.00
but he's softening it up.
So they all got to go to their
00:28:21.00\00:28:25.43
hometown.
00:28:25.43\00:28:28.34
Verse 5.
00:28:34.68\00:28:39.01
A feeding trough.
00:28:50.59\00:28:52.49
The great early 20th
Century English poet,
00:28:55.80\00:28:59.33
William Butler Yeats wrote a
dark, bitterly self-critiquing
00:28:59.33\00:29:04.11
poem not long before he
died. The title of the poem --
00:29:04.11\00:29:08.48
"The Circus Animals' Desertion."
The poem ends with these words.
00:29:08.48\00:29:13.75
No study guide today.
You need to follow along, so
00:29:13.75\00:29:15.65
I'll put it on
the screen for you.
00:29:15.65\00:29:17.05
It ends with these words --
00:29:17.05\00:29:19.95
Do you get that?
00:29:30.60\00:29:33.50
It's rather curious, is it not,
that the son of God is born in
00:29:40.11\00:29:45.11
the very same place
Yeats and you and I were born?
00:29:45.11\00:29:51.75
All of us. It
isn't very pretty at the
00:29:51.75\00:29:55.29
beginning. If you
can see somehow beneath
00:29:55.29\00:29:58.83
the glistening skin of
an infant, what's inside?
00:29:58.83\00:30:04.07
Not so pretty. Yeats
describes the content of
00:30:04.07\00:30:08.90
this foul shop with these words.
These appear just before the
00:30:08.90\00:30:12.07
words we just read.
You see them on the screen.
00:30:12.07\00:30:16.44
"In the foul rag and
bone shop of the heart."
00:30:27.72\00:30:34.83
It does seem rather curious that
the son of God would be born
00:30:34.83\00:30:39.17
where Yeats and you and I
have been born, doesn't it?
00:30:39.17\00:30:43.81
Isaiah, the ancient Gospel
prophet, he wrote it this way,
00:30:43.81\00:30:47.78
familiar words. Three sentences.
00:30:47.78\00:30:49.94
I'll run them by
you. First sentence --
00:30:49.94\00:30:54.05
Which being
interpreted means "God with us."
00:30:57.89\00:31:01.56
Here's the second sentence.
00:31:01.56\00:31:04.46
One more line.
00:31:11.47\00:31:15.37
Her own way.
00:31:19.47\00:31:22.38
"I must lie down
where all the ladders start.
00:31:26.88\00:31:31.45
In the foul rag and
bone shop of the heart."
00:31:31.45\00:31:38.43
There Christ was born.
We just read it. Verse 7.
00:31:38.43\00:31:44.77
Foul.
00:31:58.61\00:32:01.58
Where? "In the
foul rag and bone shop
00:32:07.49\00:32:10.33
of the heart."
That's where he's born.
00:32:10.33\00:32:14.13
Born in our rags. So
that one day, we might be
00:32:14.13\00:32:20.84
dressed in His robe.
Can you believe that?
00:32:20.84\00:32:24.41
Our rags for His
robe. His robe for our rags.
00:32:24.41\00:32:32.05
That would be the greatest
gift exchange in all time and
00:32:32.05\00:32:36.12
history. Our rags for His robe.
00:32:36.12\00:32:42.32
Have you noticed we can grow up
hearing a story and never quite
00:32:42.32\00:32:47.60
end up hearing the story?
"Now that my ladder's gone,
00:32:47.60\00:32:54.20
I must lie down where all
ladders start, in the foul rag
00:32:54.20\00:32:57.37
and bone shop of the heart."
That's where we all begin.
00:32:57.37\00:33:00.64
Christ and you. And me. Yeats.
00:33:00.64\00:33:09.98
And, tragically, it's where too
many of us, like Yeats, end up.
00:33:09.98\00:33:16.46
Still in that shop. On
the 75th anniversary of his
00:33:16.46\00:33:22.86
death, The Atlantic magazine
ran a critique of Yeats' three
00:33:22.86\00:33:26.53
last poems. Indulge
me by letting me put all
00:33:26.53\00:33:30.67
the words. Just a
few sentences here, but I
00:33:30.67\00:33:33.27
need you to just get them by
seeing as well as hearing, and
00:33:33.27\00:33:36.71
so we'll put the
words on the screen.
00:33:36.71\00:33:39.01
There's no other
way you can read it.
00:33:39.01\00:33:40.85
Here are some
selected sentences.
00:33:40.85\00:33:44.85
Quoting The New York Times --
00:33:54.56\00:33:57.43
The critique goes on...
00:34:12.95\00:34:14.85
...which we've been reading...
00:34:31.87\00:34:34.77
The critic goes on...
00:34:56.12\00:34:58.06
Vanity, vanity.
Another gifted man.
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.61
Didn't he write somewhere
"Vanity, vanity, everything is
00:35:19.61\00:35:23.65
vanity?" [ Clicks tongue ]
00:35:23.65\00:35:26.62
A rather bleak assessment
of the human heart, isn't it?
00:35:33.80\00:35:40.47
I mean, your heart and mine.
The truth is, you stare long
00:35:40.47\00:35:44.17
enough at any of us...
And you will be bitterly
00:35:44.17\00:35:48.64
disappointed, for
there is no savior among us.
00:35:48.64\00:35:50.95
There is nobody here who can
heal me of my foul rag and bone
00:35:50.95\00:35:55.75
shop of the heart. Which
precisely reminds you why
00:35:55.75\00:36:03.83
Christ was born,
wasn't He? You remember these?
00:36:03.83\00:36:08.46
Matthew 1:21,
the angel to Joseph.
00:36:08.46\00:36:12.13
You remember this from the
Gospel prophet, again, Isaiah 1.
00:36:17.14\00:36:21.18
Remember these words from
the apocalypse, Revelation 3:18?
00:36:31.65\00:36:35.86
Red-letter words.
The risen Christ Child.
00:36:35.86\00:36:39.56
There it is --
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.94
In a familiar old
story we read forever.
00:36:55.78\00:37:01.62
Our rags for His
robe. His robe for our rags.
00:37:01.62\00:37:05.52
"In the foul rag and
bone shop of the heart."
00:37:05.52\00:37:09.39
He was born in swaddling rags.
He one day might be clothed in
00:37:09.39\00:37:15.76
a white stainless
robe. Our rags for His robe.
00:37:15.76\00:37:24.21
I'll tell you what, I can't
imagine the good news get any
00:37:24.21\00:37:27.18
much better than this, can you?
You remember that morality tale
00:37:27.18\00:37:30.91
that some obscure prophet
scribbled down at God's command?
00:37:30.91\00:37:35.88
About the spiritual leader
in that faith community being
00:37:35.88\00:37:39.85
exposed for who he is,
dressed in filthy rags?
00:37:39.85\00:37:43.19
You remember that one?
Dress in filthy rags, and there
00:37:43.19\00:37:46.90
is a dark accuser standing
right beside that leader.
00:37:46.90\00:37:51.27
The Hebrew
calls him "The Satan."
00:37:51.27\00:37:55.94
The prosecuting accuser.
"The Satan," who hisses at the
00:37:55.94\00:38:01.41
being on the throne, that this
man is so foul and miserably
00:38:01.41\00:38:06.41
guilty that there
is no hope for him.
00:38:06.41\00:38:11.79
To which the being on the
throne, quite contrary to proper
00:38:11.79\00:38:17.59
convention, calls out,
"The Lord rebuke you, Satan!"
00:38:17.59\00:38:24.13
Is not this is a
brand plucked from the fire?
00:38:24.13\00:38:27.57
And then God turns to those
around his throne, and he speaks
00:38:27.57\00:38:31.57
these words,
Zechariah 3:4, on the screen.
00:38:31.57\00:38:35.34
The fallen one, he said...
00:38:41.32\00:38:44.22
Our rags for His
robes. Our rags for that robe.
00:38:53.03\00:38:59.23
I don't suppose this Christmas
there could be a gift exchange
00:38:59.23\00:39:04.21
greater than this.
Our rags for His robe.
00:39:04.21\00:39:14.28
So, I want to end -- I
want to end with a quotation
00:39:14.28\00:39:18.85
from Camron Scofield.
Then "Steps to Christ."
00:39:18.85\00:39:23.19
And then I have a
story I want to read to you.
00:39:23.19\00:39:26.66
First, Camron Scofield. His book
00:39:26.66\00:39:28.46
"Heralding the Loud Cry"
summarizes this stunning gift
00:39:28.46\00:39:31.47
exchange. Oh, look at this.
00:39:31.47\00:39:33.20
Put it on the screen,
please. The human race fell.
00:39:33.20\00:39:38.54
We came to this position
where we could not do anything
00:39:40.54\00:39:44.35
right, but God wanted
to save the human race.
00:39:44.35\00:39:48.45
Jesus' perfect life. Yours.
I tell you what, this notion of
00:40:25.52\00:40:31.46
exchanging my filthy rags for
His beautiful robe, it's just --
00:40:31.46\00:40:34.36
It's a great metaphor,
but I can't figure it out.
00:40:34.36\00:40:36.36
I mean, what do you
do? How do I get this off,
00:40:36.36\00:40:38.50
and how do I put that on?
Camron says, "No, no, no, no.
00:40:38.50\00:40:42.27
It's not that.
Think of it another way."
00:40:42.27\00:40:45.94
It's the Christ Child born in
that trough who grew up to be a
00:40:45.94\00:40:50.75
young adult. And
then under the brutal
00:40:50.75\00:40:54.42
24/7 assault of the Satan...
Clung with a radical faith to
00:40:54.42\00:41:05.63
His father. Night and day.
00:41:05.63\00:41:10.67
And hammered out in the forge
in the crucible of this Earthly
00:41:10.67\00:41:14.64
existence.
Hammered out a spotless and
00:41:14.64\00:41:18.47
perfect life. Here's what it is.
00:41:18.47\00:41:21.68
It's not robes and
rags. It's that life.
00:41:21.68\00:41:26.48
That life becomes, if you wish,
the life God sees when he looks
00:41:26.48\00:41:32.95
at you. God says,
"When I look at you,
00:41:32.95\00:41:37.16
when I think of you, I see
His perfect life as your perfect
00:41:37.16\00:41:43.93
life." If you say
"Amen" to my offer,
00:41:43.93\00:41:50.21
you got it just like that.
If you say "Amen. I want it.
00:41:50.21\00:42:00.15
You can have these rags..."
I don't know what kind of 2016
00:42:00.15\00:42:04.59
you are leaving behind, but
there isn't a soul here proud of
00:42:04.59\00:42:08.09
what's happened
this year. Not a soul.
00:42:08.09\00:42:13.60
I can't think of a better day
than today to say in your heart,
00:42:13.60\00:42:17.20
not to anybody seated besides
you, but to say to the one who
00:42:17.20\00:42:20.34
is hovering over you
right now, to whisper to him,
00:42:20.34\00:42:23.94
"I give you this
year. I give you my rags.
00:42:23.94\00:42:28.31
I take your perfect life.
I say 'Amen' to Your robe.
00:42:28.31\00:42:33.52
Your Christmas robe. I
say 'Amen.' I receive it."
00:42:33.52\00:42:41.46
And just like that, you have it.
Buy it from me without money.
00:42:41.46\00:42:49.90
White garments to
hide your nakedness.
00:42:49.90\00:42:53.87
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm
telling you, it doesn't get any
00:42:53.87\00:42:57.01
better than this
that I can think of.
00:42:57.01\00:43:01.48
"Steps to Christ,"
and then the story.
00:43:01.48\00:43:03.95
So, here's this quotation.
Oh, I hope you jot the reference
00:43:03.95\00:43:06.31
down. By the
way, if you don't have
00:43:06.31\00:43:07.82
the "Steps to Christ" right
now and you're watching on live
00:43:07.82\00:43:10.19
streaming or you're watching
on television, I got a deal for
00:43:10.19\00:43:12.89
you. You call this number --
00:43:12.89\00:43:13.96
Nobody knows that I was gonna do
this, so there's no number going
00:43:13.96\00:43:16.06
on the screen. Maybe
they'll get it by the time
00:43:16.06\00:43:17.66
it's over. You
call 1-877 -- That's a
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.56
toll-free number
for you. 1-877-HIS-WILL.
00:43:20.56\00:43:23.93
The two words, "HIS WILL."
You ask for "Steps to Christ."
00:43:23.93\00:43:27.27
You saw it here, and
we'll send it to you, our gift.
00:43:27.27\00:43:30.97
The book is yours.
You've got to have the book.
00:43:30.97\00:43:34.98
Turned my life
completely upside-down.
00:43:34.98\00:43:40.18
Anyway, this is
"Steps to Christ," page 62.
00:43:40.18\00:43:43.05
Put the words on the screen.
Talking about filthy rags.
00:43:43.05\00:43:46.76
Are you kidding? We
can't obey the law of God.
00:43:53.63\00:43:55.73
We can't even obey
the laws of the land!
00:43:55.73\00:44:00.50
Don't look to me, I'm a
rebel at heart, and so are you.
00:44:00.50\00:44:03.91
Ever single one of us.
Powerless to change our "foul
00:44:03.91\00:44:10.18
rag and bones
shop of the heart."
00:44:10.18\00:44:13.08
But God says,
"Give me your heart."
00:44:13.08\00:44:16.72
Keep reading. "Steps
of Christ" continues.
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.69
I'm telling you what, ladies and
gentlemen, there's no greater
00:44:32.87\00:44:35.87
gift exchange in time or
history than that exchange.
00:44:35.87\00:44:38.47
"Give me your life, and I will
give you my perfect life I lived
00:44:38.47\00:44:41.98
out for you." Right now.
00:44:41.98\00:44:48.85
My filthy rags for His
stainless, sinless life.
00:44:48.85\00:44:53.79
One more line. Gets only
better. Keeps getting better.
00:44:53.79\00:44:57.96
In 2016.
00:45:15.98\00:45:19.68
I'm telling you, it doesn't
get any better than this.
00:45:21.68\00:45:25.35
It can't get any
better than this.
00:45:25.35\00:45:28.76
You got it. Say
"Amen" in your heart,
00:45:28.76\00:45:32.36
and you have it. You have it.
00:45:32.36\00:45:37.40
Just as if you had
not sinned. Oh, my.
00:45:37.40\00:45:42.90
When God looks at us, He sees
our perfect and beautiful savior
00:45:42.90\00:45:48.21
instead. Wow.
00:45:48.21\00:45:51.15
My rags for His
robe. His robe for my rags.
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.55
The Christmas Robe.
For all of who want it.
00:45:53.55\00:45:56.15
No, no, no. For
all who want Him.
00:45:56.15\00:45:59.82
That's how it works.
Now I end with a story.
00:45:59.82\00:46:05.06
It's a beautiful story. I
remember the first time I read
00:46:05.06\00:46:08.83
this story. I have
the actual magazine right
00:46:08.83\00:46:11.97
here. My parents
subscribe for Karen
00:46:11.97\00:46:15.20
and me, Guideposts Magazine.
You have to be an old person to
00:46:15.20\00:46:18.97
remember Guideposts Magazine,
but you remember Guideposts.
00:46:18.97\00:46:21.41
Okay. So, this
story appeared, I'm
00:46:21.41\00:46:24.38
four months out of the seminary.
Four months. Young pastor.
00:46:24.38\00:46:29.12
Published in
Guideposts Magazine.
00:46:29.12\00:46:31.85
Written by Dina
Donohue. Title of the story --
00:46:31.85\00:46:35.26
"Trouble at the
Inn." Here we go.
00:46:35.26\00:46:38.19
"For years now, whenever
Christmas pageants are talked
00:46:38.19\00:46:40.46
about in a certain little
town in the Midwest, someone
00:46:40.46\00:46:43.26
is sure to mention the
name of Wallace Purling.
00:46:43.26\00:46:46.94
Wally's performance in
one annual production of the
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.24
Nativity play has slipped
into the realm of legend.
00:46:49.24\00:46:52.81
But the old-timers who were
in the audience that night never
00:46:52.81\00:46:55.74
tire of recalling
exactly what happened.
00:46:55.74\00:46:58.88
Wally was 9 that year and
in the second grade, though he
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.92
should have been in the fourth.
Most people in town knew that he
00:47:01.92\00:47:04.99
had difficulty keeping
up. He was big and clumsy,
00:47:04.99\00:47:07.79
slow in movement and mind.
Still, Wally was well-liked by
00:47:07.79\00:47:11.26
the other children in his class,
all of whom were smaller than
00:47:11.26\00:47:14.36
he, though the boys had trouble
hiding their irritation when
00:47:14.36\00:47:17.33
Wally would ask to play ball
with them or any other game, for
00:47:17.33\00:47:20.27
that matter, in which
winning was important.
00:47:20.27\00:47:23.57
Most often, they'd find a way
to keep him out, but Wally would
00:47:23.57\00:47:27.24
hang around anyway --
not sulking, just hoping.
00:47:27.24\00:47:30.65
He was always a helpful
boy, a willing and smiling one,
00:47:30.65\00:47:33.65
and the natural protector,
paradoxically, of the underdog.
00:47:33.65\00:47:37.29
Sometimes, if the older boys
chased the younger ones away,
00:47:37.29\00:47:40.59
it would always be Wally who'd
say, "Hey, can't they stay?
00:47:40.59\00:47:42.79
Come on, they're no bother!"
Wally fancied the idea of being
00:47:42.79\00:47:46.66
a shepherd with a flute in
the Christmas pageant that year,
00:47:46.66\00:47:50.23
but the play's director,
Miss Lumbard, assigned him a
00:47:50.23\00:47:54.54
more important role.
"After all," she reasoned, "The
00:47:54.54\00:47:58.04
innkeeper did not have too many
lines, and Wally's size would
00:47:58.04\00:48:01.84
make his refusal of lodging
to Joseph more forceful. "
00:48:01.84\00:48:05.35
And so it happened that the
usual large, partisan audience
00:48:05.35\00:48:08.58
gathered for the town's yearly
extravaganza of crooks and
00:48:08.58\00:48:12.29
creches, of beards and crowns
and halos and a whole stageful
00:48:12.29\00:48:16.46
of squeaky voices. No
one onstage or off was more
00:48:16.46\00:48:20.00
caught up in the magic of
the night than Wallace Purling.
00:48:20.00\00:48:23.00
They said later that he stood
in the wings and watched the
00:48:23.00\00:48:25.53
performance with such
fascination that from time
00:48:25.53\00:48:27.74
to time, Miss Lumbard had
to make sure he didn't wander
00:48:27.74\00:48:30.21
onstage before his cue.
Then the time came when Joseph
00:48:30.21\00:48:35.64
and Mary appeared.
Slowly, Joseph tenderly guiding
00:48:35.64\00:48:39.61
Mary to the door of the
inn. Joseph knocked hard on the
00:48:39.61\00:48:43.35
wooden door set into
the painted backdrop.
00:48:43.35\00:48:46.59
Wally the
innkeeper was there, waiting.
00:48:46.59\00:48:49.39
"What do you want?"
Wally said, swinging the door
00:48:49.39\00:48:52.29
open with a brusque
gesture. "We seek lodging."
00:48:52.29\00:48:56.13
"Seek it elsewhere!"
Wally looked straight ahead but
00:48:56.13\00:48:58.60
spoke vigorously.
"The inn is filled."
00:48:58.60\00:49:02.94
"But, sir, we have
asked everywhere in vain.
00:49:02.94\00:49:06.31
We have traveled
far and are very weary."
00:49:06.31\00:49:08.48
"There is no room
in this inn for you!"
00:49:08.48\00:49:12.15
Wally looked properly stern.
"Oh, please, good innkeeper,
00:49:12.15\00:49:18.39
this is my wife, Mary.
She is heavy with child.
00:49:18.39\00:49:20.56
She needs a place to rest.
Surely you must have some small
00:49:20.56\00:49:23.26
corner for her.
She is so tired."
00:49:23.26\00:49:25.59
And now, for the first time,
the innkeeper relaxed his stiff
00:49:25.59\00:49:31.77
stance and he
looked down at Mary.
00:49:31.77\00:49:36.64
With that, there was a long
pause, long enough to make the
00:49:36.64\00:49:40.04
audience a bit
tense with embarrassment.
00:49:40.04\00:49:43.21
"No! Begone!" the prompter
whispered from the wings.
00:49:43.21\00:49:46.18
"No!" Wally
repeated automatically.
00:49:46.18\00:49:48.22
"Begone!" Joseph
sadly placed his arm
00:49:48.22\00:49:51.79
around Mary, and Mary laid her
head upon her husband's shoulder
00:49:51.79\00:49:55.12
and the two of them
started to move away.
00:49:55.12\00:49:58.43
The innkeeper did not
return inside his inn, however.
00:49:58.43\00:50:02.83
Wally stood there in the
doorway, watching the forlorn
00:50:02.83\00:50:06.30
couple. His mouth
was open, his brow
00:50:06.30\00:50:09.70
creased with concern, his eyes
filling unmistakably with tears.
00:50:09.70\00:50:15.61
And suddenly this Christmas
pageant became different from
00:50:15.61\00:50:18.71
all others. "Don't
go, Joseph," Wally called
00:50:18.71\00:50:24.09
out. "Bring Mary back!"
00:50:24.09\00:50:27.49
And Wallace Purling's face
brightened with a big smile.
00:50:27.49\00:50:30.19
"You can have my
room!" [ Laughter ]
00:50:30.19\00:50:36.26
Some people in town thought that
the pageant had been ruined.
00:50:36.26\00:50:40.57
Yet there were others -- many,
many others -- who considered it
00:50:40.57\00:50:44.97
the most Christmas of all
Christmas pageants they had ever
00:50:44.97\00:50:50.88
seen." "Oh, come to my heart,
00:50:50.88\00:50:56.25
Lord Jesus." "You
can have my room."
00:50:56.25\00:51:03.16
Let's sing it. Let's
pray it this Christmas.
00:51:03.16\00:51:08.96
This Christmas Eve.
Oh, Come To My Heart,
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Lord Jesus." It's
Hymn 140 in the hymnal, but
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watch the words on the screen.
You'll be able to track it
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there. It's a
beautiful, beautiful
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hymn. And I'm
gonna ask you to stand
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as we sing together.
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¤¤ ¤¤
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[ Congregation sings ]
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>> And so, God, we
sing to You, our prayer.
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Oh, come to our hearts, please.
Lord Jesus, in this waning
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moment of 2016, come
in. You can have my room.
00:54:40.01\00:54:46.98
There is room for you.
Really. There is room for you.
00:54:46.98\00:54:52.22
Come. And in
coming in, Lord Jesus,
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stay. Won't you please?
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Stay here.
Every step of the way.
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We humbly pray. And
now may the grace of the
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Lord Jesus Christ and the love
of God and the communion of the
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Holy Spirit be
with you all. Amen.
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¤¤
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>> Karen and I wanted to take
this family moment at the end of
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our worship celebration to let
you know how grateful we are for
00:55:49.44\00:55:52.11
you. I've often
wished that through
00:55:52.11\00:55:53.85
the miracle of technology,
there'd be some way to turn this
00:55:53.85\00:55:56.52
screen into a two-way window
so that we could see you even as
00:55:56.52\00:55:59.29
you're looking at us. I
guess that would be like
00:55:59.29\00:56:01.82
Skyping our little
granddaughter Ella.
00:56:01.82\00:56:03.99
But what a conversation
we could have together.
00:56:03.99\00:56:05.89
>> One reason we have to be
thankful is for your prayers.
00:56:05.89\00:56:09.30
You'll never know the
impact your prayers have on this
00:56:09.30\00:56:12.60
ministry, on us,
and our entire team.
00:56:12.60\00:56:15.37
We get letters literally from
around the world, and nothing
00:56:15.37\00:56:18.37
boosts our confidence more than
to hear that you're praying for
00:56:18.37\00:56:21.58
us. Thank you.
00:56:21.58\00:56:23.14
>> Another reason I'm personally
grateful to God is the very
00:56:23.14\00:56:26.11
gifted team of young
producers and techs who lead our
00:56:26.11\00:56:28.75
television, our live-streaming,
and our online ministries.
00:56:28.75\00:56:31.62
And get this number --
Out of the 50 team members,
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47 are volunteers who cheerfully
give their time to make
00:56:34.46\00:56:37.63
"New Perceptions" possible.
I say -- God bless them all.
00:56:37.63\00:56:41.10
>> And maybe you'd expect us to
say this as another year draws
00:56:41.10\00:56:44.63
to an end, but we're also
thankful for the financial
00:56:44.63\00:56:47.67
support of viewers like you
who make this ministry possible.
00:56:47.67\00:56:51.11
If you've been blessed this
year, we'd like to ask you to
00:56:51.11\00:56:54.61
join the hundreds of people
who financially support our
00:56:54.61\00:56:58.01
New Perceptions
ministry. It's simple to do.
00:56:58.01\00:57:00.52
>> It really is. Just
call our toll-free number.
00:57:00.52\00:57:02.62
You'll see it on the
screen now. 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:02.62\00:57:07.56
One of our friendly operators
will be happy to assist you.
00:57:07.56\00:57:09.99
You can also click on the
"DONATE" link at the top of our
00:57:09.99\00:57:12.96
website. Trust me,
no gift is too small
00:57:12.96\00:57:15.06
for God to use to
spread His good news.
00:57:15.06\00:57:17.23
And let me remind you --
Not a single penny of your
00:57:17.23\00:57:20.00
donation will come to me.
Every gift is entirely invested
00:57:20.00\00:57:23.07
in our mission to communicate
God's everlasting Gospel to what
00:57:23.07\00:57:26.34
we believe is an
end-time generation.
00:57:26.34\00:57:29.41
So, once again, the
number to call is 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:29.41\00:57:34.12
>> And so this Christmas, from
our family to yours, we wish for
00:57:34.12\00:57:38.12
you God's best gifts wrapped
up in Jesus, day and night, all
00:57:38.12\00:57:41.92
through the new year to
come. >> Because, remember, with
00:57:41.92\00:57:45.19
Jesus, the best
isn't just behind us.
00:57:45.19\00:57:47.23
The very best is yet to come.
So a blessed holiday to all of
00:57:47.23\00:57:51.57
you.
00:57:51.57\00:57:53.47
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¤¤
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