1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:29,980 Thank you. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:59,980 Thank you. 3 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:29,980 Thank you. 4 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:23,480 Good evening. 5 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:29,100 If you would like to pick up a candle for our last song this evening and you haven't 6 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:33,180 done that you're welcome to do that or we will be having a 7 00:04:33,180 --> 00:04:37,040 in just a few moments so if you would like 8 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,580 to grab those elements they are there on the back table 9 00:04:40,580 --> 00:04:44,440 pray and then we'll stand and spend some time in song 10 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:49,300 Father in heaven we thank you for your goodness and for your grace 11 00:04:49,300 --> 00:04:53,340 and as we consider the good news 12 00:04:53,340 --> 00:04:57,260 of Christmas that doesn't just look back but looks forward to your 13 00:04:57,260 --> 00:05:05,700 return. Help us to remember this good news that for us there is a Savior. And so help us like the 14 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:13,280 shepherds to hear the good news and to take action upon it. Help us to glorify and praise you. Thank 15 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:19,020 you for all that we have seen and heard through your word and be with us tonight. It's in Jesus 16 00:05:19,020 --> 00:05:26,000 name we pray. Amen. If you would stand with me as we begin our time of worship. 17 00:05:27,260 --> 00:05:57,240 Thank you. 18 00:05:57,260 --> 00:06:27,240 Thank you. 19 00:06:27,260 --> 00:06:57,240 Thank you. 20 00:07:57,260 --> 00:08:06,080 Jesus, to Thee be all glory. 21 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:16,580 Word of the Father, now in flesh of me. 22 00:08:16,580 --> 00:08:21,620 O come, let us adore Him. 23 00:08:21,620 --> 00:08:25,940 O come, let us adore Him. 24 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:35,600 Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 25 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:40,540 Oh, come let us adore Him. 26 00:08:40,540 --> 00:08:45,260 Oh, come let us adore Him. 27 00:08:45,260 --> 00:08:50,440 Oh, come let us adore Him. 28 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,580 God bless the Lord. 29 00:08:53,580 --> 00:09:17,820 Oh, come let us adore Him. 30 00:09:17,820 --> 00:09:22,760 Oh, come, let us adore Him. 31 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:31,780 Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 32 00:09:31,780 --> 00:09:36,940 Oh, come, let us adore Him. 33 00:09:36,940 --> 00:09:41,920 Oh, come, let us adore Him. 34 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:51,660 God bless the Lord in Christ the Lord. 35 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:19,780 Let the hell angels sing 36 00:10:19,780 --> 00:10:24,300 Glory to the newborn king 37 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:29,080 Peace on earth and mercy mild 38 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,780 God and sin is reconciled 39 00:10:33,780 --> 00:10:38,620 Joyful all ignitions rise 40 00:10:38,620 --> 00:10:42,760 Join the tree of the skies 41 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:47,140 Nature rise and worship Him 42 00:10:47,140 --> 00:10:51,920 Who is born at Bethlehem 43 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:56,580 Hark the herald angels sing 44 00:10:56,580 --> 00:11:01,180 Glory to the newborn King 45 00:11:01,180 --> 00:11:31,160 Let's pray. 46 00:11:31,180 --> 00:11:36,840 Pleased as man with man to appear 47 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,940 Jesus our Emmanuel here 48 00:11:41,940 --> 00:11:46,720 Hark the herald angels sing 49 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,200 Glory to the newborn King 50 00:11:51,200 --> 00:12:21,180 Thank you. 51 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:51,180 We'll be right back. 52 00:12:51,200 --> 00:13:21,180 Thank you. 53 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:46,240 The Lord is coming, let earth receive her King, let every heart bring room, and to heaven and nature sing, and to heaven and to heaven, heaven and nature sing. 54 00:13:51,200 --> 00:14:01,320 Joy to the earth, the Savior, in their songs employ. 55 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:09,140 Wild fields and floods, rocks and hills and plains. 56 00:14:09,140 --> 00:14:14,560 Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy. 57 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:20,360 Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. 58 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:35,320 No more let sin and sorrow go, nor thorns infest the ground. 59 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:42,820 He goes to make His blessings flow. 60 00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:53,980 For as the curse is found, for as the curse is found, for as, for as the curse is found. 61 00:14:53,980 --> 00:15:09,200 He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations presume. 62 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,100 of ease of his righteousness 63 00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:18,620 and the wonders of his love 64 00:15:18,620 --> 00:15:21,520 and wonders of his love 65 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:27,360 and wonders, wonders of his love 66 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:46,220 In just a minute, we'll be in the Gospel of Luke. 67 00:15:46,220 --> 00:15:51,580 Before we do that, I want to give you a kind of introduction clip. 68 00:15:51,580 --> 00:15:56,580 Some of you were here with us when we watched the best Christmas pageant ever. 69 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,760 Last week, I think Thursday night. 70 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:06,920 So if you have been to see the movie or were here with us to watch the movie a few days ago, 71 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:16,160 this is a short clip from when a group of kids heard the Christmas story for the first time. 72 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:23,760 Let's start at the beginning of the Christmas story. 73 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,080 We've all heard it a million times. 74 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:33,160 I think it's a good reminder of what Christmas is all about. 75 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:39,580 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, 76 00:16:39,580 --> 00:16:43,400 into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, 77 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,520 because he was of the house in the lineage of David. 78 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:52,560 To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. 79 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:54,020 Great with child. 80 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:59,000 stupid. Ralph, that's not. It's not very nice to say that Mary is pregnant. My mother would 81 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,280 have wanted us talking about that. It was true. Mrs. Wendelkin didn't like cats having kittens 82 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:08,500 or birds laying eggs. She didn't let Alice play with anyone who had two rabbits. Yes, 83 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:14,940 sure. I want to hear. I couldn't believe it. The Herdmans were famous, never sitting still, 84 00:17:14,940 --> 00:17:22,100 never paying attention to anyone. Teachers, parents, and priests. Yeah, the Christmas story 85 00:17:22,100 --> 00:17:23,940 We had them hanging on every door. 86 00:17:23,940 --> 00:17:30,080 Mary and Joseph had to go to the stable because there was no room for them at the inn. 87 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,740 My God! Not even for Jesus? 88 00:17:32,740 --> 00:17:35,460 They don't use God's way in the gym. 89 00:17:35,460 --> 00:17:38,840 What's a manger? Is that like a bed for the baby? 90 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,180 Why would they have a bed in the barn? 91 00:17:41,180 --> 00:17:43,780 Well, that's the point, actually, right? 92 00:17:43,780 --> 00:17:45,340 They didn't have a bed in the barn. 93 00:17:45,340 --> 00:17:47,420 They had to use whatever was there. 94 00:17:47,420 --> 00:17:50,940 What would you do if you had a new baby, a baby in the barn? 95 00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:52,720 You put Gladys in a hero drawer. 96 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,180 There you go. 97 00:17:55,180 --> 00:17:59,660 Married with the baby Jesus in a stone-feeding trough for animals. 98 00:17:59,660 --> 00:18:01,140 What were the wadded-up clothes? 99 00:18:01,140 --> 00:18:04,680 You said she wrapped him in wadded-up clothes. 100 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:05,660 Wadded-up clothes. 101 00:18:05,660 --> 00:18:11,460 They used to wrap their babies tightly in a big piece of fabric so they couldn't move around. 102 00:18:11,460 --> 00:18:14,320 Hide him up and put him in a box? 103 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:16,080 Where was child welfare? 104 00:18:20,940 --> 00:18:28,960 All right, we're going to go to Luke 2 and talk about the baby who was wrapped in swaddling 105 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:29,440 clothes. 106 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:30,540 Before we do that, let's pray. 107 00:18:30,540 --> 00:18:36,460 Father in heaven, we thank you for Jesus, and we thank you for grace, and we thank you 108 00:18:36,460 --> 00:18:42,060 for your people and for your word, and we thank you for this time where we can gather 109 00:18:42,060 --> 00:18:50,660 and look back to the salvation that was given for us, and we can look forward to the hope 110 00:18:50,940 --> 00:18:59,420 Give us peace, give us strength, direct us to your son, it's in his name we pray, amen. 111 00:18:59,420 --> 00:19:05,560 So one of the things that I am not very good at, among probably a lot of things, is the 112 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:05,980 presence. 113 00:19:05,980 --> 00:19:13,360 It may be because when I wrap presents in a hurry, it may be because I'm just bad at 114 00:19:13,360 --> 00:19:25,660 tape. Somehow I always end up with tape wrapped around and on the wall. I'm bad at folding 115 00:19:25,660 --> 00:19:31,280 up the corners so they look really, really nice. I'm bad at folding up the paper so he 116 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:37,900 gets that nice little point on the end of the package with the seams all straight and 117 00:19:37,900 --> 00:19:46,060 the wrapping paper all squared. And probably with some practice, I might end up being okay 118 00:19:46,060 --> 00:19:53,300 at wrapping presents. And now, while I'm really bad at wrapping presents, I can swaddle a baby 119 00:19:53,300 --> 00:20:02,120 like nobody's business. Like, I am really, really good at swaddling babies. Like, that little lady 120 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:07,120 will be a tiny little baby burrito before you know it. 121 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:13,300 Out of all of my failings as a dad, swaddling babies is not one of them. 122 00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:20,640 And I would say this, that a tightly wrapped burrito of a baby is a well-loved baby. 123 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:24,420 And I say this because what we find in Scripture 124 00:20:24,420 --> 00:20:29,240 is while there are some things about having babies that have changed, 125 00:20:29,340 --> 00:20:34,500 like locations and technology and sometimes medical procedures, 126 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:42,260 a lot of the process of having a baby throughout history has remained the same. 127 00:20:42,260 --> 00:20:46,540 In fact, I want to show you a Scripture going back to the book of Ezekiel. 128 00:20:46,540 --> 00:20:54,600 And it's a picture of God's interaction with his people and his relationship with them. 129 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:02,280 And the words that are in Ezekiel 16, they're strong, but it's not because God doesn't love his people. 130 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:07,040 It's because they have turned their backs on him and rejected him. 131 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:15,140 And so he sort of describes the situation they are in, their weakness, their helplessness apart from him, 132 00:21:15,140 --> 00:21:21,440 by describing the picture of what it was like for a baby to be born in Ezekiel's time. 133 00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:26,400 And it starts like this in Isaiah chapter 1, or 16, in verse 1. 134 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,580 Again, the word of the Lord came to me, 135 00:21:28,580 --> 00:21:33,100 Son of Man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations. 136 00:21:33,100 --> 00:21:36,660 Today, says the Lord of God to Jerusalem, 137 00:21:36,660 --> 00:21:40,900 your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites. 138 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:45,360 Your father was an Amorite, and your father was a Hittite. 139 00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:48,040 And while this is serious judgment, 140 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,140 I can't help but find a bit of humor in these words, 141 00:21:52,140 --> 00:21:55,980 much like in Monty Python and the search for the Holy Grail. 142 00:21:55,980 --> 00:21:59,980 Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. 143 00:21:59,980 --> 00:22:04,640 God is bringing a judgment against these people, 144 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,320 and he's going to continue on with this picture of a baby being born. 145 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,660 And as for your birth, on the day you were born, 146 00:22:12,660 --> 00:22:17,240 your cord was wet, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, 147 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:21,680 nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling clothes. 148 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:27,680 And the picture that God paints people is that of a child who is unloved, 149 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,580 not because there was no one to love them, 150 00:22:31,580 --> 00:22:37,240 but because they ran and didn't lose themselves from the love of God. 151 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:43,360 And they now find themselves in this helpless and this hopeless situation, 152 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:50,540 Far from everything that they need because they chased after all of these false promises. 153 00:22:50,540 --> 00:22:56,100 Now the good news is chapter 16 ends with the promise of a new promise. 154 00:22:56,100 --> 00:22:58,740 A promise that never ends. 155 00:22:58,740 --> 00:23:01,460 Sins that are atoned for. 156 00:23:01,460 --> 00:23:06,140 And the message there is hope for the rebellious. 157 00:23:06,140 --> 00:23:13,240 But this text doesn't just give us this theological picture of a God who comes to the helpless newborn. 158 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,920 with no one to care for them, and then he ends up saving them. 159 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:24,820 It's a picture of the customs at the time of birth, right? 160 00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:31,480 Just like today, and in fact, in Jesus' day, these practices were the same. 161 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:36,240 So Ezekiel says that the process of having a baby, the baby is delivered, 162 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:41,600 the umbilical cord is cut, they're washed with water and with salt, 163 00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:43,940 often mixed with olive oil. 164 00:23:43,940 --> 00:23:48,880 So think about it like a nice, exfoliating, moisturizing cleanser. 165 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:49,840 That was the purpose. 166 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:55,140 Not to rub salt on the baby, but to clean the baby and moisturize 167 00:23:55,140 --> 00:23:59,000 and keep some of the infection that was possible at bay. 168 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:06,120 And once the baby was born, unhooked, cleaned and moisturized, 169 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:10,360 it was wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes. 170 00:24:10,900 --> 00:24:13,360 Just like we do with babies that are born today. 171 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:17,620 They're delivered, we wash them, we clean them, moisturize them, 172 00:24:17,620 --> 00:24:22,180 and then we wrap them as tight as we can so that they feel safe. 173 00:24:22,180 --> 00:24:27,440 And it's not just what happened then, and it's not just what happens now. 174 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,620 This happens to Jesus. 175 00:24:29,620 --> 00:24:35,260 Just like the babies that came before him or the babies that came after him. 176 00:24:35,260 --> 00:24:38,640 And while they were there, this is Mary and Joseph, 177 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,720 the time came for her to give birth. 178 00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:46,560 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes 179 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:51,860 and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. 180 00:24:51,860 --> 00:24:58,280 So when we were having our babies, we were given a lot of baby blankets. 181 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,120 One, a couple were made by my sister. 182 00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:03,380 One or two were made by Rachel's cousin. 183 00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:05,680 One was made by Rachel's great aunt. 184 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:09,540 And you wrap the babies in their special homemade blanket. 185 00:25:09,540 --> 00:25:15,240 and not much has changed and if you've heard the Christmas story you may have heard these 186 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:20,440 swaddling clothes they sort of grab some some pieces of fabric and wrap the baby up tight now 187 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:27,240 that was true in some cases but in many cases knowing that a baby was coming the family members 188 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:33,820 wouldn't just gather up some clothes or some cloth to wrap the baby in but they would make 189 00:25:33,820 --> 00:25:40,080 something special and in some cases they would inscribe a family name or just we would embroider 190 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:49,240 a bunny or a puppy they would sometimes embroider the symbol of the family house 191 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:57,940 and we don't know if this is the case for Jesus but can you imagine for a minute that he is wrapped 192 00:25:57,940 --> 00:26:01,660 in swaddling clothes with a lion of Judah, 193 00:26:01,660 --> 00:26:05,700 especially if Mary's cousin Elizabeth has gotten 194 00:26:05,700 --> 00:26:09,900 involved in the preparations for this birth while Mary visited 195 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,880 her. We see another reference to Jesus being 196 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,480 wrapped and swaddled in a few more verses. The angel said to them, 197 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,840 Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for 198 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:26,040 all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David 199 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:30,600 that a Savior who is Christ the Lord, this will be a sign for you, 200 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:35,020 you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in the manger. 201 00:26:35,020 --> 00:26:43,360 Now, the sign for the shepherds is not that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes, right? 202 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:45,100 It's the manger, right? 203 00:26:45,100 --> 00:26:50,440 It's weird to wrap a baby and lay him in the manger, even in those days. 204 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,460 It wasn't strange for a baby to be swaddled. 205 00:26:54,300 --> 00:26:57,920 But the picture for God's people and for us is wonderful. 206 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:10,240 That Jesus, wrapped in swaddling clothes, the bread of life, is laid into a trough that is used to feed animals in the town whose name means house of bread. 207 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:19,160 This is not an ordinary baby, and we might say, with many generations around us, what child is this? 208 00:27:19,860 --> 00:27:26,080 Whom angels greet while shepherds watch, are keeping. 209 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,140 And Psalm 19.1 says this, 210 00:27:29,140 --> 00:27:37,580 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 211 00:27:37,580 --> 00:27:45,000 And as the angels sing, and as the star for the magi proclaims that something wonderful has happened, 212 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:53,820 And in the birth of Jesus, you see this baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger is something special. 213 00:27:53,820 --> 00:27:55,920 And in part, it's an invitation. 214 00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:10,420 It's an invitation to those who are distant and who are far away, to the shepherds who were viewed as sort of second-class outcasts because they were unclean and couldn't attend the temple services. 215 00:28:11,140 --> 00:28:16,360 The Magi, those people who were from far away, 216 00:28:16,360 --> 00:28:26,220 not followers of God, but distant magicians who come to worship him. 217 00:28:26,220 --> 00:28:30,780 This wrapping of the baby and placing him in a manger 218 00:28:30,780 --> 00:28:36,120 is also a statement that God is with us. 219 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:40,080 From God in his holiness and in his righteousness 220 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:42,240 and justice when mankind 221 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,180 encounters that there is great 222 00:28:44,180 --> 00:28:46,640 fear but here God comes 223 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:48,400 wrapped in swaddling 224 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:50,360 clothes and laying 225 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:52,260 in a manger now this is not the only place 226 00:28:52,260 --> 00:28:53,660 where Jesus is wrapped 227 00:28:53,660 --> 00:28:55,520 in cloth 228 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,960 Jesus will grow up 229 00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:59,660 he'll be baptized 230 00:28:59,660 --> 00:29:02,240 he will go into the wilderness to face Satan 231 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,200 he'll work miracles he will 232 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:05,940 teach he will face opposition 233 00:29:05,940 --> 00:29:07,940 and then comes this week 234 00:29:07,940 --> 00:29:13,040 that is remarkable in both the declaration of his kingship 235 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,820 and the greatness of his suffering. 236 00:29:15,820 --> 00:29:22,760 And Jesus enters Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday 237 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,660 being declared as king. 238 00:29:24,660 --> 00:29:29,320 And on Thursday night, he gathers with his disciples to eat a meal. 239 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,920 And it says this, 240 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:37,540 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands 241 00:29:37,540 --> 00:29:40,440 and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 242 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,700 rose from supper, and he laid aside his outer garments 243 00:29:44,700 --> 00:29:48,120 and taking a towel, he tied it around his waist. 244 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,080 Then he poured water into a basin 245 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,540 and began to wash his disciples' feet 246 00:29:53,540 --> 00:29:58,660 and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 247 00:29:58,660 --> 00:30:05,220 So here we see Jesus once again wrapped in a towel, 248 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:07,180 In a cloth. 249 00:30:07,180 --> 00:30:09,780 And this is strange because here's the reality. 250 00:30:09,780 --> 00:30:14,020 If I come over to your house for dinner and you try to wash my feet, 251 00:30:14,020 --> 00:30:15,420 like we're going to have a problem. 252 00:30:15,420 --> 00:30:17,000 That's weird. 253 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:22,000 We need to understand a little bit of what is happening here. 254 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:27,300 One of the things that I got forced into while I was in college, 255 00:30:27,300 --> 00:30:32,120 our school every Christmas had a big Christmas play. 256 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:37,720 And they had a giant Christmas tree that was like 25 feet tall with different rows on it. 257 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,220 And they put a choir in the Christmas tree to sing. 258 00:30:40,220 --> 00:30:44,480 And they brought in a live nativity and they told the story and they sang. 259 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:49,360 And there was sheep and there was donkeys and there was camels and all of these things. 260 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,460 And I successfully avoided it for three years. 261 00:30:52,460 --> 00:30:58,600 In the fourth year, they needed some guys who could carry one of the wise men, one of the magi. 262 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,640 And they had him on a palaquin, one of those things. 263 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,040 You have four guys on each side holding up the wise man. 264 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:08,380 And thankfully, they picked the smallest guy, put him there. 265 00:31:08,380 --> 00:31:11,360 And so there's four of us carrying this wise man in. 266 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:17,060 And they said to us, we have costumes for you, but you guys have to decide among yourselves 267 00:31:17,060 --> 00:31:20,400 whether you're going to go to Walmart and buy sandals that match, 268 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:24,800 which as men is not an okay thing to do, or you can just go barefoot. 269 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,220 And none of us had any money, so we said we're going to go barefoot, 270 00:31:27,220 --> 00:31:31,080 which seemed like a great idea because it was around the side of the auditorium, 271 00:31:31,380 --> 00:31:35,680 up a ramp, onto the stage, down the ramp, off the other side, and out the door. 272 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:42,760 Which was great until you realize chronologically that the wise men follow shepherds. 273 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,160 And this is a live nativity. 274 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:49,720 So in front of us, Mary and Joseph have come on a donkey. 275 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,600 The shepherds have come with a flock of sheep. 276 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:59,140 And we're like third in line behind the camel, and we are barefoot. 277 00:32:00,060 --> 00:32:02,480 Like none of these animals are house trainable. 278 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:07,320 And so you just have to walk and hope for the best, right? 279 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,720 There is no dodging. 280 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:14,580 You just got to take it like a man as you walk up carrying another guy on your shoulders. 281 00:32:14,580 --> 00:32:17,840 And that's what's happening in the first century. 282 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:23,620 Maybe not barefoot, but in sandals, walking everywhere on a dusty road. 283 00:32:23,620 --> 00:32:26,540 And you come to dinner and it's not tables and chairs, 284 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:30,440 but you're reclining around a low table, reclining on a cushion, 285 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:35,320 and your feet that have just walked ten miles behind a herd of camels 286 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,820 is now in everybody's face. 287 00:32:38,820 --> 00:32:44,780 And nobody in Jesus' group wants to wash anybody's feet 288 00:32:44,780 --> 00:32:49,300 who have been anywhere near camels, and so they don't. 289 00:32:49,300 --> 00:32:51,860 But Jesus does. 290 00:32:51,860 --> 00:32:55,840 In a picture of his love and his incarnation, 291 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:00,440 And his mission, he washes their feet. 292 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:04,920 He sets aside all that he deserves, wraps a towel around his waist, 293 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,800 starts washing their feet and drying them on the towel. 294 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,140 And here we are in our brokenness. 295 00:33:12,140 --> 00:33:16,400 And God comes close and he sets aside what he deserves. 296 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:23,360 And he takes on all of our brokenness and our weakness and our smelly mess. 297 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,380 And he loves us. 298 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,920 Do you know what happens next in this story? 299 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:33,900 The meal will end, they will sing a song and they will go to the Mount of Olives. 300 00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:40,720 And this meal, the Passover meal, the psalm they would have sang, would have been 118. 301 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:47,500 It's the psalm that started this week of Jesus' week on life. 302 00:33:47,500 --> 00:33:49,540 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 303 00:33:49,540 --> 00:33:53,760 And now they sing these words as they go to the Mount of Olives. 304 00:33:54,540 --> 00:33:58,600 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 305 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,480 This is the Lord's doing and marvelous as it is in our eyes. 306 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,940 This is the day the Lord has made. 307 00:34:04,940 --> 00:34:06,880 We will rejoice and be glad in it. 308 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:10,400 And in the midst of the heartbreak that is about to occur, 309 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:16,120 they sing of God's providential reversal and how God turns things upside down. 310 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:23,240 And Jesus goes to the garden and he prays and he weeps and his disciples fall asleep. 311 00:34:23,340 --> 00:34:24,760 The soldiers arrive. 312 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,260 Judas betrays him. 313 00:34:27,260 --> 00:34:35,680 He goes to these hearings from Annas to Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin to Pilate to Herod and to Pilate. 314 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:42,180 Beaten and mocked, given a crown of thorns, Jesus is led to be crucified. 315 00:34:42,180 --> 00:34:47,280 And he cries those familiar words from the cross ending in this. 316 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,980 It is finished. 317 00:34:50,900 --> 00:34:54,560 And then Jesus is wrapped one more time. 318 00:34:54,560 --> 00:35:00,920 When it was evening, Jesus has died on the cross. 319 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:05,540 There came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 320 00:35:05,540 --> 00:35:08,720 And he went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 321 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:12,340 And then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 322 00:35:13,660 --> 00:35:19,060 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linen shroud 323 00:35:19,060 --> 00:35:22,900 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. 324 00:35:22,900 --> 00:35:26,500 He rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 325 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:31,160 And Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, 326 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:38,780 wrapped in clean linen, but also wrapped in the tears and the sorrow 327 00:35:38,780 --> 00:35:40,640 and the hopelessness of his followers. 328 00:35:42,420 --> 00:35:45,960 And it's a dark Friday night, and it's a dark Saturday. 329 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:52,620 When the sun rises on Sunday, the news begins to filter back 330 00:35:52,620 --> 00:35:55,320 that something has happened, and the tomb is empty. 331 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:59,820 And Simon Peter and the Apostle John run for the tomb. 332 00:35:59,820 --> 00:36:03,820 And John wins the race, but Peter wins the courage contest 333 00:36:03,820 --> 00:36:06,640 and dives into the tomb, and Peter sees this. 334 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,300 He saw the linen cloths lying there, 335 00:36:09,860 --> 00:36:16,680 And the face cloth which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. 336 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:23,000 And the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed, 337 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,880 as yet they did not understand the Scriptures, that he must rise from the dead. 338 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,320 And then the disciples went back to their homes. 339 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:36,980 They walk into this tomb, and the cloth that Jesus is wrapped in is still there, just as he was wrapped in it, but he is gone. 340 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,320 The cloth covering his face is folded up and set to the side. 341 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:47,420 And despite the darkness and the sorrow and the pain of these last few days, 342 00:36:47,420 --> 00:36:49,340 God was at work. 343 00:36:49,340 --> 00:36:54,600 And in the darkness of the cross, we find forgiveness and peace. 344 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:59,600 And in the light of that Sunday morning with those wrapped cloths empty, 345 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:05,000 we find the goodness that in Jesus all our fears are conquered. 346 00:37:06,180 --> 00:37:11,580 where fear of death and of sin is gone and our Savior is alive. 347 00:37:11,580 --> 00:37:17,340 The one who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger came 348 00:37:17,340 --> 00:37:20,320 so that we could come close without fear. 349 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:23,840 The one who wrapped himself in a cloth at the Last Supper 350 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,540 in humble service to make the dirty clean. 351 00:37:27,540 --> 00:37:32,040 The one who was wrapped in those linen cloths after the crucifixion 352 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:35,820 where we find salvation in those same cloths, 353 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:40,000 not unwrapped but empty, on that Sunday morning, bring us to joy. 354 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:45,320 And in just a moment, we will pause and partake of the Lord's Supper 355 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,740 to remember the love, the humility, the sorrow of the cross, 356 00:37:49,740 --> 00:37:55,880 and the joy of the resurrection in our souls being nourished. 357 00:37:55,880 --> 00:38:03,880 Jonathan Edwards, talking about the fact that Jesus is both our lion and lamb, says this. 358 00:38:04,860 --> 00:38:10,740 His humility marvelously appeared in the manner of his birth. 359 00:38:10,740 --> 00:38:15,180 He was brought forth in a stable because there was no room for them in the inn. 360 00:38:15,180 --> 00:38:19,720 The inn was taken up by others that were more important. 361 00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:25,520 The Blessed Virgin, being poor and despised, was turned away, 362 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:29,800 even though she was in such serious circumstances. 363 00:38:30,500 --> 00:38:34,840 Those who counted themselves better would not give her a place. 364 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:41,360 And therefore, at the time of her suffering, she was forced to go to a stable. 365 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:46,760 And when the child was born, it was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lay in a manger. 366 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:54,140 There Christ lay, a little infant, and he eminently appeared as a lamb. 367 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:59,080 Yet this little infant, born in a stable, laid in a manger, 368 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:03,580 was born to triumph and conquer Satan, that roaring lion. 369 00:39:03,580 --> 00:39:06,480 He came to subdue the powers of darkness, 370 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:11,040 to make a show of them openly and restore peace on earth, 371 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:14,400 and to manifest God's goodwill toward men, 372 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,420 and to bring glory to God in the highest, 373 00:39:17,420 --> 00:39:23,340 according the end of his birth declared by the joyful songs 374 00:39:23,340 --> 00:39:26,620 of the glorious angels appearing to the shepherds 375 00:39:26,620 --> 00:39:30,880 where that infant lay in a manger. 376 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:32,540 Would you pray with me? 377 00:39:32,540 --> 00:39:38,380 Father in heaven, we ask as we partake of this bread and this cup 378 00:39:38,380 --> 00:39:41,120 that you would direct us to our Savior, 379 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:45,700 both wrapped in swaddling clothes as a gift, 380 00:39:45,700 --> 00:39:51,620 come to be near his people and to save his people 381 00:39:51,620 --> 00:39:53,200 and to set his people free. 382 00:39:53,340 --> 00:39:57,120 that you would help us to see Jesus in his humility, 383 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:02,740 his disciples' feet making the unclean clean, 384 00:40:02,740 --> 00:40:06,760 that you would help us to see Jesus in his suffering 385 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:10,340 and in his death wrapped in the darkness. 386 00:40:10,340 --> 00:40:14,000 You would help us to see the empty tomb 387 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,280 where Jesus is no longer wrapped but alive 388 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:19,860 and you would direct us to your glorious goodness. 389 00:40:19,860 --> 00:40:23,080 We ask that you bless this bread and this cup. 390 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,760 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 391 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:33,780 If you would partake of the bread with me, remembering Jesus' gift to us. 392 00:40:33,780 --> 00:40:49,800 If you would take the cup with me, remembering this new covenant given through his suffering and his blood on the cross that sets us free. 393 00:40:53,160 --> 00:41:01,000 And if Evelyn and Penelope and Juliana would come, we're going to go ahead and stand. 394 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:12,320 Go ahead and stand and grab your candles. 395 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,280 They're going to come around and help you get lit. 396 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:20,700 If you would, we're going to sing, O Come, All Ye Faithful. 397 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:24,640 Or Silent Night, I'm sorry. 398 00:41:52,640 --> 00:42:15,420 All night, all is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin, mother and child. 399 00:42:15,420 --> 00:42:25,760 Holy infant, so tender and mild 400 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:36,920 Sleep in heavenly peace 401 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:45,260 Sleep in heavenly peace 402 00:42:45,420 --> 00:43:10,900 Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight, 403 00:43:10,900 --> 00:43:20,900 Glory stream from heaven afar 404 00:43:20,900 --> 00:43:30,900 Heavenly O sing out of the earth 405 00:43:30,900 --> 00:43:39,900 Christ the Savior is born 406 00:43:39,900 --> 00:43:48,060 Oh, I stand, Savior, raise your heart. 407 00:43:48,060 --> 00:43:48,760 Oh, I stand, Savior, raise your heart. 408 00:43:48,760 --> 00:44:06,240 Silent night, holy night. 409 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:16,520 Son of God, the pure light. 410 00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:26,600 We are beams from thy holy face. 411 00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:36,560 With the dawn of redeeming grace. 412 00:44:37,420 --> 00:44:53,580 Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. 413 00:45:07,420 --> 00:45:37,400 Thank you. 414 00:45:37,420 --> 00:46:07,400 Thank you. 415 00:46:07,420 --> 00:46:37,400 Thank you.