Hey bro how Christmas man the same supposed to look right che che check You go Philadelphia Thanksgiving David goodge pray service your um volume you tap it and it opens and then it goes right Back like right back toic so everybody is everybody else doing it on ph got to Be what we’re doing maybe I just got a you know but the bottom line for me I’m that’s good enough you totip I got yeah Christmas man suppos to look [Laughter] right right come on I come around come around 12:00 he the light I got a light on
Motion like and I know he’s out there look at the last out 92 Go here me everybody Did you drive no we know sister we realiz that last you teach class put in a corner good morning my brothers and my sisters good morning morning it is good to be in God’s house one more time we welcome you and we greet you in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior
Jesus the Christ for this is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it Hallelujah amen amen hallelujah hallelujah there’s nobody like our God nobody deserves all the praise all the glory and all the honor but our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ amen
Amen we greet you in the master’s name of Jesus Christ we welcome you those who are in the sanctuary as well as those who are join joining us by way of Zoom we thank God for this another day we are thankful for those who are present with
Us those um um on duty today we are thankful for brother Micah back there in the booth for ushers in their place we are thankful also for our musicians and our choir we’re thankful for Reverend Fields who’s in the Pulpit Lord we’re thankful for you my brothers and my
Sisters who sit in in the pews and at this time sister Rhonda has some announcements for us today good morning and praise the Lord everybody good morning good morning praise the Lord dear Reverend Woodard and Savannah Baptist Church on behalf of the Virginia Union University the Baptist General Convention of Virginia
And the Virginia Baptist State Convention it is with great pleasure to invite you to join us for our for our 2024 Founders Day convocation which would take place on Friday February the 2nd 2024 this year’s celebration commemorates the 159th anniversary of Virginia Union University’s founding we are delighted that Reverend Milton P
Bunting 2009 president of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia will be our 2024 Founders Day convocation speaker please know we are grateful for your offerings time and consideration your financial support is critical as we ensure the quality of education for deserving Virginia Union University students thank you for your continued
Support sincerely hakee Lucas president and CEO of Virginia Union University dear Savannah Baptist Church Reverend Mrs Woodard the Enon Baptist Church wish us to express our deep gratitude for your generous contribution to our Church’s grand opening souvenir booklet your support elevated the quality and significance of the event
Making it a memorable experience for our church community your involvement both financially and simply being a part of our Endeavor reflects your dedication to our shared values and we greatly value your commitment with warm regards and sincere thanks Pastor El Nolan Fox and first lady Sheila Fox from Enon Baptist
Church and don’t forget today is your last day to make a donation to Operation Christmas Child you can make checks payable to Savannah Baptist Church in the memo section please write operation ch Christian Christmas Child so make sure you make those donations today this is the last day to make that offering thank
You thank you very much sister Ronda for sharing announcements uh I have a a letter that I want to acknowledge to you I’m not going to read it but I just wanted you to be aware of it and however there is no action necessary on our part
And it is from um uh the from former member Geneva Fernandez Watkins and family and uh she was at that time requesting reinstatement as a member of our church however I need to let you know that since then um even before we received the letter she has passed away
And so the um homegoing service is being planned for Thursday uh at 11: at Al Bennett and Son amen amen amen our sympathies and our prayers for the family for the Watkins family that the Lord will certainly be with them amen this time we’re going to uh begin
Our worship experience for today our Brotherhood choir is in the choir loft and they are going to uh lead us in a selection and then following that we will have scripture in prayer from Reverend fields Go tell it don’t go tell on the the hill hill everywhere the that Jesus Christ was born it it tell it on the M over the hill over the hill everywh It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ is born Tell It Go Tell It on the Mountain the hill and everywhere Tell It
On the Mountain that Jesus Christ is born while shephers watching swelling crost By Night behold throughout the Heaven There show the Go Tell It Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hill over the hill every he on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born the sheer F and
Tremble L above the Earth bring out the the angel corus that H our Savor Bir Go Tell It Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hill over the hills he on the mountain that Jesus Christ Isn down in a lonely manger the humble Christ was born and God sent us
Salvation that blessed Christmas morning Go Tell It On Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hill over the hills and everywh tell it all Mountain that Jesus Christ is born Go Tell It On Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hills over the hills everywhere go It on the
Mountain Jesus Christ is born go It Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hill over the hills and every Go Tell It on the Mountain Go Tell It On the mountain Go Tell It on the Mountain Go Tell It on the Mountain on the mountain that Jesus [Applause]
Chrn amen amen amen giving honor to God it’s good to be in in the house of the Lord amen Go Tell It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ was born yes amen I’ll be coming to you from Matthew first chapter The Book of Matthew the first chapter starting from the 18th
Verse and I’ll be reading from the new King James version of the Bible Matthew 1 verse 18 and the word of God reads as follows now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows after his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found with child of the
Holy Spirit then Joseph her husband being a just man and not wanting to make her a public example was minded to put her away secretly but while he thought about these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph son of David do not be
Afraid to take to you Mary your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and she will bring forth a son and she shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from from their sins so all this was done that it
Might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophets saying behold the Virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is translated god with us then Joseph being aroused from sleep did as the angel of the Lord
Commanded him and took to him his wife and did not know her till she had brought brought forth her firstborn son and he and he called his name Jesus amen amen amen so ends the reading of the word May the word go out to everyone’s heart and fill them with joy amen Amen
Let us look to the Lord in prayer Eternal God our heavenly father we thank you so very much for this brand new day that you have given us we thank you Father God for opening our eyes making sure our heart continued to beat and Lord we thank you that in our minds we
Still had the ability to think and reason all of these things are possible because you are a true and loving God and for that we thank you so very much we thank you Father for when we woke we were where we were supposed to be and
Father God we thank you Father God right now in the name of Jesus we just ask that you Touch This World father God that has gone astray especially during this season when we recognize the birth of Jesus so father God touch all of those who are in war torn areas touch
All of those who are in areas that just don’t know Jesus touch all of those World areas father God where there are hurricanes and bad weather and everything that is contrary to you your will and your way because the Earth is frustrated also and awaits the return of
Christ father God right now we thank you for how you have blessed us where we are right now father God in the name of Jesus we ask that you touch our pastor who’s going to bring the word of Truth we thank you for him and we thank you
For the word that you have given him father God we ask that this season this year that we keep Christ in in Christmas that we remember every day as it leads up to the day that we celebrate the birth of Christ why we have this day
Father God in the name of Jesus we just praise you we glorify you and we thank you that as the pastor preaches we keep all of this in mind we ask that you continue to bless him and bless his wife and bless all of his family and while
I’m behind this sacred desk I ask that you bless my wife and my family as well and not only our family but every family that is represented in this house of prayer today Father touch every father every mother every son and every daughter we thank you Lord God for your
Love your mercy and your grace but most of all we thank you so very much for Jesus so today Father God we want to say happy birthday Jesus we want to say that we love you we glorify you father God right now we ask a special blessing on
All of those who have lost loved ones during this time frame that’s going to make it hard but we ask father God that you touch our hearts that we reach out to those who have had are having difficulties and bless them as only you allow us to do sometimes that means a
Telephone call sometimes that means a card sometimes that just means a prayer but touch us to do what you have asked us to do to lift the spirits of others so father God we thank you we praise you we glorify you and we ask you today that
While you are here because we know you are you’ll be pleased by what you hear and what you see Lord and that somehow some way someone will come running asking what must I do and recognizing what they must do to become Children of the true and living God and for those
Who are stumbling and fumbling that they will recognize that all they have to do is call on your name so today we praise you today we glorify you and we ask that you’ll be pleased in Jesus holy and righteous name we pray and let this body say amen amen amen amen
Our thanks once again to Reverend fields for sharing with us the scripture for today from The Gospel according to Matthew chapter 1 vers uh 18 through the end of the chapter and um we’d like to express our thanks also to you my brothers and my sisters for your
Continuing support of saana church by way of your offering uh and uh we are thankful that we have several different means by which we may do that I need to let you know that sister uh Connie Braxton is at home under pallative care and so we’re praying for her and for
Brother Clinton and for all those who are uh sick or th excuse me those who are our seniors all those who are in any kind of distress our prayer is that God will continue to bless and to keep you amen and amen uh for today we’re going to share
With you a message that the Lord has given us and the title of our message is Christmas changes the meaning of family Christmas changes the meaning of family and our um primary scripture is Matthew chapter number 12 veres 46 through 50 and we will give you this information again
At this time our Brotherhood course will lead us in a selection and that will be followed by our uh message for Today when I think of the goodness of our Jesus and all that he’s done for you and me my soul it cries out Hallelujah and I thank him for sa you and me all right when I think of yes the goodness of our Jesus church and all and all yeah that is
Done for you you and me you know my little soul it cries out hallelujah oh yes and I thank him for sa you and me help me Fells thank God for saing me saving me sweet Jesus thank God for sa me oh yes my soul Cries Out hallelujah thank God for sa
Me when I think for the goodness about Jesus sing it if you know it and all that is done for you and me my soul Cries Out Hallelujah where thank God for saveing me well thank God for sa me saving me sweet Jesus thank God for saving me oh Lord my
Soul CES out hallelujah thank God for sing me when I think of the goodness about Jesus and how he hung he hung out on the tree I thank him oh yes you know I sure do I thank him for saving me and you where’re singing church thank God
For sa me saving me sweet Jesus thank God for saving me oh yes my soul out hallelujah thank God for S me when I think of the goodness of Jesus oh it’s so good so good and all that is done for this church family I thank him oh yes Lord knows I
Sure do I thank him for savanah’s family where thank God for saving me saving me sweet Jesus thank God for sa me oh W yes my soul Cries Out hallelujah thank God for me when I think come on boys of the goodness of Jesus everybody sing it and all that done for
Me my soul Cries Out hallelu yeah thank God for me thank God for me oh yes if you saved you wave your hand wave your hand and be Savor W yeah my Soul C out hallelujah thank God God for me thank God for me thank God for S amen amen [Applause]
Hallelujah church I got pastor church I got to tell you all little something and this is a this ain’t funny Butz you can get scared Richard Richard was at my house yesterday uh replacing my recck room floor which uh was destroyed by some water damage and uh I woke up this
Morning go little boy’s room put the hall light on the hallway oh new floor scared of out so it was almost it was almost like s for son oh that’s a big one ready to get here but anyhow he decided to let me get another day so thank you [Laughter] [Applause]
Jesus amen amen thank God for saving me amen amen amen praise God nobody like Bill amen I heard that Brother Richard thank the Lord for that too praise God last week we began a series and the title of our series is Christmas changes everything amen and we talked about last week
How that Christmas changes our understanding of history and for this week our title is Christmas changes the meaning of family our scripture for today is found in The Gospel according to Matthew chapter number 12 beginning with verse number 46 Matthew chapter number 12 beginning with verse 46 and reading through verse 50
And the title of this section of scripture in the new King James Bible is Jesus mother and brothers sinned for him while he was still talking to the multitude behold his mother and brothers stood outside seeking to speak with him then one said to him look your mother and your brothers are standing
Outside seeking to speak with you but he answered and said to one to the one who told him who is my mother and who are my brothers and he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said here are my mother and my brothers for whoever
Does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother amen and amen may the Lord have a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his already blessed word amen let us pray father we come to you this morning in the name of Jesus Amen
And Lord we just bless you God Lord we praise you and we thank you for certainly Our Father there is none like you we are so thankful God that you loved us enough that you looked down the corters of history and saw that we needed a savior and father we are so thankful
That you wrapped up your special gift for us in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger we’re so thankful father God that you gave us the opportunity to be a part of your family thank you God thank you God for your everyday blessings thank you God
For blessing us each and every way that you do Lord there’s so many blessings we cannot even begin to name them all but we pause just to say thank you thank you Jesus and thank you Lord father right now look kindly from Heaven upon each of
Us forgive us our father for every sin every fault and failure strengthen us when we weak and build us up where we’re torn down right now father God bless your word let your word go forth in a way that pleases you that it reaches every heart and mind every individual
That you desire for it to reach whether they are present here in the sanctuary whether they’re listening in on their various devices or whether they may be listening in at some time later we thank you God and we pray Lord God that someone hearing your word would be so
Moved that they would come running and crying what must I do to be saved and father grant that someone would be there to tell them that Jesus Christ is the only way the only truth and the only life there is no other way to come to the father except through him we thank
You God it’s in Jesus name that we pray pray amen and amen bless the Lord now when we say that Christmas changes everything we are not speaking of our celebration of Christmas we are speaking of the first coming or Advent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we don’t mean Christmas trees and
Candles and lights or presents and gifts or coming home to be with family or whatever it is that Christmas Means to you although there’s nothing wrong with any of these things what we’re really talking about is the real meaning of Christmas and that is Jesus Christ amen
He is the reason for the season he is the center of it all he is the reason even as the song says for our joy when we say Christmas changes the meaning of family of course we mean family as we know it mothers and fathers sisters and
Brothers aunts and un uncles and cousins and all the rest husbands and wives all of that that we understand family to be Christmas changes our understanding of what family is really all about and what it means we are talking about what Jesus meant when he said family and when
He was speaking of family he was not speaking of Mary and Joseph and his brothers and sisters or even his cousin John and we know good old John the Baptist he was speaking of his disciples his followers and that means you and me thank God that he allowed us to be a
Part of his family so indeed Christmas changes the meaning of family amen when the world speaks of family they are often referring to those who look like them those who think as they think those who associate with the same people they associate with they mean the gang the F
The fraternity the neighborhood where they grew up the people who share the same last name they’re talking about uh these kinds of things that we are familiar with that the world calls family and but on on the other hand they do not include the others that is to say
People with a different religious practice they do not include those who are of a different color of skin or ethnicity they are not talking about people who don’t talk like them or live like they live when they refer to family they’re only referring to those that are among the exclusive not inclusive the
The the the group that is like them they’re talking about likeness and sameness and exclusivity when we say family we mean we men oftentimes mean the wife and the children we don’t necessarily mean anybody else that’s our little family that’s it when women talk about family they sometimes mean the children and the
Husband sometimes in that order sometimes not and our message for today again is entitled Christmas changes the meaning of family and our primary text text once again is Matthew 12 vers 46- 50 and in this this section of scripture Jesus uh is being pursued by those who want to destroy him
And he is sitting and talking and teaching his disciples and his parents his his mother and his brothers are concerned about him because they they they seem to be of the impression that Jesus is in danger because of his radical teaching and you have to understand my
Brothers and my sisters if you really know anything at all about being a disciple of Jesus Christ it means to be r radically different from the world and if we are not radically different from the world then maybe we need to go back and look at ourselves maybe we’re not
Real Christians we are may be just Christians in name only amen but for the purpose of our discussion for today please consider with me the following statements one when Jesus talked about family he meant the ones who have the same father and when we wrote that down the word father is
Capitalized amen he means the ones who have the same goal that’s number two number three when Jesus talked about family he meant those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and number four Jesus meant that family was those who were Bound for the same Dwelling Place amen oh yeah
When Jesus talked about family he meant those who have the same father now the scripture that uh we that uh Reverend Fields read this morning from the new King James version I want to share it again from the U New International Version and let’s listen
To what it says and it says the title of that section in the new international is Joseph and accepts Jesus as his son now this is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph but before they came together she was found
To be pregnant through the holy spirit because Joseph um her husband was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to Public Disgrace he had in mind to divorce her quietly but after he had 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 home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit she will give birth to a son and you will give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet the Virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel which means god with us then Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had
Commanded him and took Mary home as his wife but he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son and he gave him the name Jesus Amen in this Narrative of Christmas we find that Mary and Joseph were betrodd not the same as what we mean by
Engaged today they were already pledged to one another and according to that in order to get out of this betral you had to divorce just as if you were already married they were considered to be husband and wife even though they their marriage had they had not had the final
Uh uh ceremony nor had their their their their wedding been consummated and so uh during this time and usually this time was approximately one year to allow that the uh it would be certain that there was no infidelity there was no uh uh any other activities during that period of
Time and during that period of time in the case of Mary she turned out to be pregnant and so Joseph being a just man being a man who did his best to observe the law wanted to and had in mind well I guess I have to divorce her and so he
Planned to divorce her but the spirit of the Lord moved and caused an angel of the Lord to come to him and to tell him don’t be afraid to take Mary home with you to be your wife because of the fact that the child that is conceived in her
Is of no man but is of the Holy Spirit and so it was that after considering all these things and considering the message that the angel had given him he woke up and he followed the Commandment of the Lord he did exactly what the Lord told
Him and he took her home to be his wife but he did not consummate the marriage until after the child was born now this helps us to understand that that that uh the Child Jesus Christ as we know him was according to the word of God born of
A virgin his father is none other than God God himself and so what Jesus is talking about when he’s talking about family he’s trying to suggest to us that in order for us to be real family we have to have the same father that he does and that father spelled with a
Capital f is God the father that father is none other than God himself and if we are to be family we have to have the same father if we have the same father does not matter what our skin color is does not matter where we live does not
Matter whether we’re rich or we’re poor does not matter whether we work for a living or we retired it does not matter what we do as long as we know that God is our father amen and amen as a matter of fact Jesus on one occasion or actually on several occasions taught his
Disciples and those who followed him to pray in this manner in Matthew chapter number 6: 9 and 10 we read these words in this manner therefore pray Jesus said our father not your father not my father but our father is is an inclusive type of thing not the exclusive type of
Family that that the world talks about but an inclusive family our Father in heaven Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom Come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven so if we are to understand the real meaning of family and the real meaning of Christmas we
Have to understand that Christmas changes the meaning of family to be more than just mother and father sisters and brothers uh uh Aunts Uncles and cousins nieces and nephews and all the rest that we call family but our family is is it consists of all of those who have God as
Our father who belong to Jesus Christ who name Jesus Christ as our Lord that’s who our family is and they may be people we don’t even know people that we’ve never met people we may never meet on this side they are our family when they belong to God when they recognize him as
Father secondly when Jesus talked about family he meant the ones who had the same goal now what is this mysterious goal that they had the goal that they had is to honor God the father that is their goal that is the goal of the children of God our ultimate goal is to
Honor God and if we honor God then our lives will line up with the things that God has told us to do we don’t have to have a whole list of Thou shalt and thou shalt not but we will know that if we live with our purpose and our goal is to
Honor God we don’t have to worry about all that because our lives will Lin up with what that is in other words as Jesus put it to us he told us this he says all of The Commandments are summed up in these two Commandments he said
Love God with all your heart soul mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself if you got that you got it all if you do that you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re going to use God’s name in vain because you love God
Enough that you’re not going to do that you not have to worry about whether or not you’re going to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy in other words you’re going to remember to come and give God glory on the Sunday on the day
Of of the Lord you’re not going to do that why because because you love the Lord because you honor him because you keep him first in your life and you’re not going to have to worry about stealing from your brother you’re not going to have to worry about uh calling
Them something out of their name you’re not going to have to worry about whether or not you’re going to be be be um uh doing all kinds of things against your brother or your sister or any other member of your family why because you love your neighbor as yourself and that
Means everybody who’s inside of skin like ours they’re human beings in other words don’t have to have the same color don’t have to have the same texture of hair they’re human beings and therefore if we love our neighbors as ourselves we don’t have to worry about all the
Details amen amen amen in MA in Mark rather Mark chapter 6 verses 3 and 4 this is what uh we find it says this is the people looking at Jesus and talking about him and it says is this not the carpenter interestingly enough he doesn’t say the Carpenter’s son he says
The carpenter because Jesus Took on the same trade and trait of his Earthly father and his father his Earthly father was a carpenter and so Jesus became a carpenter is this not the carpenter the son of Mary the brother of of James and Joseph and Judas and and Simon are not
His sisters here with us so uh they were offended in him but Jesus said to them a prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own relatives and in his own home own house my brothers and my sisters it’s important for us to understand that
Jesus indeed had an Earthly family he had brothers and and sisters he had a Earthly mother and an Earthly father but Jesus uh expanded the meaning and understanding of what a family is by including all of us by giving us the opportunity to be a part of his family I
Know that the world says that that uh all of us are brothers and sisters and in a sense we are because we are all made by the one and same God but we’re not truly brothers and sisters until and unless Our Father is our God in heaven and if God in
Heaven is your father then we indeed are family and therefore we not only have a have the same father we have the same purpose and that is to honor God if with our living not just without speech not just without Sunday go to meeting not just without giving but without our
Everyday living that’s what God wants of us he wants us to honor him with all that we have praise amen amen Matthew chapter number 11 excuse me verses 27- 28 says all things have been delivered to me that’s Jesus speaking and by my father and no
One knows the son except the father and no nor does anyone know the father except the Son and the one to whom the son will reveal him in other words the only way that we get to know who God is is by knowing Jesus Christ if you want
To know what God looks like you want to know what God acts like you want to know what God feels and how how he’s you know he he reacts to us all you have to do is get to know Jesus because Jesus is the the the the visible image of the
Invisible God Jesus is the one who came to help us to know and to understand who God is that’s why his name is called Emmanuel and Emanuel is is really a title not so much a name it his name was not Emmanuel but that’s who he was his
He his name was not Christ but that’s who he is he is the Messiah he is the Christ he is the promised son he is the anointed one he’s the one who was promised who would come into this world and take away our sins that’s who Jesus
Is and if we know him then we know the father and we can understand what God’s motives are I know we can’t touch the father we cannot see him God is Spirit uh uh the word tells us and and they that worship Him must worship Him in
Spirit and in truth but we cannot understand spirit because you can’t touch the spirit you can’t handle the spirit you can’t you can’t relate to the spirit unless you are truly in the spirit realm and because we’re in the human realm we don’t understand that and
So Jesus became one of us he became human like us he took on Flesh and Blood he took on our feelings and our our infirmities and therefore we don’t have to go to a a a god a priest a high priest who does not understand the feelings of our infirmities but we can
Go to a God who knows and understand we can go to somebody who knows what it’s like to suffer pain because Jesus suffered pain I know sometimes we we get those aches and pains that won’t seem to go away you can take all the aspirins and all the Tylenol and all the whatever
Else that you might take ad Bill and everything else but the pain is still there but remember that God has promised you I will be with you even though you may have to go through the darkest Valley even though you may have to endure pain know that God is with you
Because you are now a part of his family thank you Jesus Jesus went on to say come unto me all of you who labor and a heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I’m Meek and lonely and you will find rest unto
Your soul God has promised us that we will find rest The Gospel according to John 5: 22- 24 says this for my father judges no one but has committed all judgments to the son that all should honor the son just as they honor the father he who does not honor the son
Does not honor the father who sent him in other words our goal our purpose in life should be to honor God and how do we honor God by honoring the son by doing what he said by listening to his word by reading his word by committing
It to our memory by committed into our lives being determined that this is what we are going to do we’re going to serve him with all of our heart soul mind and strength amen and amen thank you Jesus most assuredly I say to you Jesus went
On to say he who hears my words and believes in him who sent me uh has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment but but shall but has passed from from death into life God wants us to know what true life is and the way we
Do that is through Jesus Christ the son so to to to uh uh summarize what we’ve said so far that that uh uh uh Jesus wants us to understand that Christmas uh changes the meaning of family because we have the same father because we have the same purpose and thirdly Jesus was
Talking when he was talking about family he was saying those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate sacrifice here is not death it’s not that we’re going to die although in fact we will die unless Jesus com comes back and raptures us
Away we shall die but that’s not the the the ultimate sacrifice the ultimate sacrifice is for us to be to give back unto God ourselves our bodies as Living Sacrifice listen to Romans chapter 12 verse one say says to us I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God
That you present your bodies a Living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service I like the way it put in the King James and the new King James version to help us to know we’re not doing anything special when we’re giving to God our bodies we’re not
Doing anything special when we giving to God our our all because after all God has already done everything for us we’re only doing what reasonable service if God has given so much and he has for us then it’s only reasonable that we would give ourselves as living sacrifices
Jesus Paid the ultimate sacrifice and hung and bled and D for us and all we are doing or all we are expected to do is to give ourselves back to him as a Living Sacrifice our reasonable service Mark 10: 28-30 says this then Peter
Began uh to say to him see we have left all to follow you so Jesus answered and said assuredly I say to you there is no one who has left house or brother or sister or father or mother or wife or children or LS for my sake and the gospels who
Will not receive a h hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and land with persecution and in the age to come eternal life let me help you to understand what Jesus is saying here Jesus is saying to us that now that we
Are part of his family we don’t just have one mother mother we’ve got a whole bunch of mothers we don’t we don’t just have have have a few sisters and brothers we got a whole bunch of sisters and brothers all around the world those who belong to God those we haven’t even
Met yet they they are our family they are our sisters and our brothers that’s why we as children of God we call one another sister and brother because we are in fact sisters and brothers even though we have different last names we were raised by different families we
Have a different Earthly uh mother mother and father yet we are one family and therefore we are all brothers and sisters we’re not we’re not elevated above anybody it’s no big ey and little you we’re all simply brothers and sisters we belong to God and God belongs
To us he has given us of his son Jesus Christ and we are just so thankful to God for what he has done amen and amen four fourthly and lastly Jesus meant that family was those who were Bound for the same Dwelling Place I don’t know about you
But I’m glad about that I’m glad as the songwriter said I’m Bound for Mount Zion way out on the hill we W we’re going there we’re going someplace we’re not just hanging around doing nothing we are bound for a place and that place is is a new kingdom is a
Is a it’s a Heavenly Kingdom it’s a beautiful city that’s where we’re going we’re not coming just to stay here because this world is not our home just in case you didn’t know it this world is not don’t put all your hopes and plans in this world don’t spend all your lives
Saving up for this world because when it comes down your time to die you can’t take any of that with you but you need to take the time to give it over to God if God lent you the little bit of money that you have or whatever it is that you
Have you ought to be willing and able to give it back to God and whatever God says it to do with it that’s what you do and to realize that this world is not your home John 14: 1 and 2 says says this Jesus was talking he says let not
Your heart be trouble you believe in God believe also in Me In My Father’s House there are many mansion and I like the way it puts it there because it doesn’t just say rooms it’s not just we’re going to a room somewhere like we’re going to
Be locked away in a prison cell no we got a mansion we’ve got a home over there in the glory land there are many mansions if it were not so Jesus said I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if he’s going to
Prepare a place for us he’s coming back to receive us unto himself amen amen amen Matthew chap 10: 32 and 33 says this therefore whoever confesses me before men him I will confess before my father who is in heaven but whoever denies me before men him I will also
Deny before my father who is in heaven Luke 14:2 5 says no it says now great multitudes went with him and he turned and said to them if anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother and wife and children and sisters and brothers yes
And his own life he cannot be my disciple I know this a strange saying it doesn’t even make sense to us but let me help you to understand Jesus is saying that when when our love is focused on God and on Jesus Christ his son all
Other love will seem like hate it’s not that we have to hate our our family but when we compare the love that we ought to have for Jesus for who has done so much for us as as as the choir was singing and as we’ve heard it say when I
Think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he’s done for me my soul just cries out hallelujah thank God for saving me when when we compare what God has done for us and the love and devotion that we owe to him our love for our family our
Love for our cars and our jobs and our homes and our money all of that ought to seem like hate to us because we ought to know that the most important love for us is that we love God with all of our heart with all of our soul with all of
Our mind with all of our strength and when we love God like that everything else seems like hater doesn’t mean got to go around hating anybody it simply means if you’re love God enough then all the rest is unimportant to us go on to
Say and the word of God goes on to say in Luke chapter 14 uh uh he tells us that uh uh that we ought to to to consider the fact that uh our love in comparison to the world is nothing and I heard the songwriter said he as he
Looked at his life and considered the things that God has done he said or she said this he says I’m a child of the King he said my father is rich in houses and land he holdeth the wealth of the world in his hand of rubies and diamonds
Of silver and gold his coffers that means his treasures his boxes of jewelry all the stuff that he has are are full he has riches Untold and went on to say I’m a child of the king I tell you I’m a child of the king with Jesus with Jesus
Christ as my savior I’m a child of the king my father’s own son the Savior men once wandered on Earth as the poorest of them but now he is pleading uh our pardon on high that that we may be his when he comes by and by I’m a child of
The king I’m a child of the king with Jesus my Savior I’m a child of the king I don’t know about you but this world does not hold the greatest treasure and the greatest importance to me and it ought not to hold the greatest importance to you or to any child of God
Our greatest treasure is not here on Earth but it’s got a home laid up over there in the glory night and I’m sending up my temple every now and then amen amen amen Jesus would have us to know and to understand that Christmas when we fully and finally understand it changes everything it
Changes the meaning of family family now means more than what we thought family means everybody who honors God everyone who has the same father everyone who has the same goal and everyone who’s headed to the same place and we’re looking for a place not just a room not just a
Closet we’re looking for a mansion amen and amen amen amen the door of church is open there might be somebody here today who does not know Jesus and I want you to know that we don’t want you to leave and not know Jesus we want you to know
Him because this is the only way according to what we’ve just shared with you that we get to know who the father is is to get to know Jesus Christ we want you to know Jesus to know him as your friend to know him as your savior
To know him as the one who died for you the one who got up from the grave for you the one who promised to you I will not leave you the one who one of these old days is coming back for you because he has a mansion for you that’s who we
Want you to know because you ought to be and we all ought to uh desire to be Children of the king amen and amen so if you’re here today and youve never ask Jesus into your heart and into your life we invite and encourage you to do it
Right now open the door of your heart Let Jesus come in ask him as the songwriter has said ask the Savior to help you he’s willing to save you and He will carry you through we need somebody and we need Jesus life is hard but God is good life
Is too hard for us to walk this journey alone and we don’t have to walk it alone because we have a father who cares Amen is there one this morning the brother sing Jesus the light of the world glory be part of the god newn king this new family Jesus this family world this inclusive family walk be a part of this local fellow Walk Up The King’s Highway together the DRS ofc are bright shine
All around us by day and by night Jesus light of the world joyful nations rise Jesus the light of the world join the Triumph of the Skies Jesus light of the world we walk in the light beautiful light come where the new drops of Mercy are bright shine all around us
By day and by night Jesus the light of the world Christ the highest head of God Jesus the light of the world chist Everlasting Lord Jesus the light of the world we will walk in the light beautiful light come where the do drops of Mercy are right shine all around us
By day and by night Jesus the light of the world the heav born Prince of Peace Jesus light of the world H the son of [Applause] rightousness Jesus the light of the world we walk in the light beautiful light come where the new drops of Mer we
Are bright shine all around us by day and by night Jesus the light of the world we walk in the light the beauty for light come where the new drops of Mercy are bright shine all around us by day and by night Jesus the the world amen amen amen amen
Amen we are thankful to God that he has allowed us this opportunity to come together thank you Lord and to worship him to realize that we are part of a bigger family than just whatever your last name might happen to be amen it’s more to it than that the family of God
Is the most important family of all and if you are a child of God if you if Jesus Christ is your savior then you have a family that even if you have no one left on Earth that shares your last name and Heritage you still have a
Family because we have we are a part of the family of God and we are children of the king amen amen once again we are so thankful that you have chosen to come this way we welcome you we greet you in Jesus precious and holy name
Amen let us pray father once again we come to you in the mighty and the matchless name of Jesus the Christ thank you Lord for One More Day Thank You Lord God for blessing us each and every day father Keep Us Safe in the course of
This day watch over us Lord God bless us guide our feet and hold our hands keep us Lord God as the very apple of your eye allow us never to go astray help us to keep our eyes stay on Jesus that we might reach that blessed Promised Land
Father now as we bring this service to conclusion help us Lord God that we might go in peace and May the peace of God go with us amen and amen God bless you may haveen smile amen Amen
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