All right, go back with me to
Luke chapter 2. I hope and pray for this message
like I do every message, that it will be for God's glory and
honor. I know that it will be, because
the Word of God will not return void. And I'm just going to declare
what, by the grace of God, what He has written and declared. And I hope it will be for someone's
salvation. I hope it will be for the comfort
and edification of God's people. I hope you will pray with me
for that end. This story begins with a sovereign
decree by a wicked man. This story begins with a decree
by a man named Caesar Augustus, a sovereign decree. Look at verse
1. It came to pass. In those days, there went out
a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be
taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius, another wicked,
corrupt Roman ruler, was governor of Syria. And it all went to
be taxed. This fell upon everybody in his own city, the whole world. Joseph went up from Galilee out
of the city of Nazareth to where he was born and raised, Bentlehem,
and his wife was with him, verse 5, Mary, and she was great with
child, nearly nine months pregnant at this time. Now, this was a
decree of a king, an emperor of Rome. It was an unjust, corrupt
decree. It's mostly for evil reason.
Corrupt reason. Wicked purposes. To fill the
coffers, to fill the treasuries of Rome with money. Extort money
out of the people for their own evil purposes. Right? Their own
greedy purposes. Wicked, corrupt decree. This decree was made by this
man. Or was it? No. This decree was decreed by
God before the world began. Now if you listen, this will
give you some great comfort. And this is glorifying God. Scripture says, known unto God
are all his works from the beginning of the world. Scripture says,
it is God that worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will." Which counsel, which purpose, which decrees he made before
there ever was a world. And the scripture says, all things
work together for good to them who are called according
to his purpose. The purpose of God, the decree
of God, the counsel of God, the reason He made this world, this
universe, was for the kingdom of His dear Son, for His glory,
for His Son, and to populate it with a people for His glory,
for His Son, His bride. All right? All things, be it
good or what we may think is evil. work together according
to this purpose, this decree of God. Psalm 2 says, I'll declare
the decree. This is the decree. Listen to
Proverbs 21 and 1. The king's heart. Well, if this doesn't give you
some peace in this day of corrupt government, The king's heart
is in the hands of the Lord, like the rivers of water turneth
with its river. The king can only do what God
allows him to do. Satan can only do what God allows
him to do. What do you think about that? That's good news. That's where
the gospel started, with this decree of God. I've decreed a
kingdom. I've decreed a people. I've decreed
all things. I've predestinated all things.
For the praise of the glory of my grace, for my Son, I'm going
to have a people. I've chosen them all. I've numbered
them. I've given them to Christ. He's going to come down. He's
going to finish the work of redemption. He'll come back, and they're
all going to be brought home to me. All for my glory, the
praise of the glory of my grace. I've decreed it. Shall it be
written? And thus shall it be done. That's
the decree. And every single thing that happens
on planet earth, God says, I'm the first cause of it. And though
we don't understand it, He did it. It's the Lord. And if you
wait, if you just wait, you'll see. It was the Lord, wasn't
it? This decree, as with everything,
was purposed by God. Now, it was a cruel... Here's four points. We've got
a decree, we've got a journey, we've got a birth, and we've
got a wonder. It ends in glory and wonder.
This decree started, and it ends in wonder and praise and glory. We've got a decree, an evil decree.
We have a journey. These two poor, lowly people
forced to set out on a long journey. Maybe you don't know this, but
it's 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Ninety miles. Not on paved roads. Not on flat
paths over mountains and hills and through streams and valleys
and mountains. It was 90 miles. Mary is nine
months pregnant. You ladies, would you like to
walk two miles when you were expecting? Three miles? Ten miles? Forty miles? Ninety miles? Pregnant? Why? Why would God subject them
to such a thing? That's where all the children
of Israel would walk in. He didn't have them go the shortest
route. He took them the longest way.
If they had walked that road of the Philistines, you watch
it, there was a wide road made by the Philistines all up the
coast. They could have got from Egypt to the Promised Land in
no time at all. No. God took them the long way. down through the wilderness of
sin, had to cross a sea that they couldn't cross, didn't think.
They went through all this trouble for 40 years. Why? To show them something. To teach them something. These two poor
people were Pilgrims, they were on a journey. Poor carpenter,
he was forced to leave his job. There was no welfare. He wasn't going to get a check,
vacation pay. He's got to leave his job for
a month. How's he going to pay for his house back there?
Are you listening to me? Forced to leave his work for
weeks, his young wife is heavy with child due any day. All because
of this unjust, this corrupt decree, they were forced to leave
their home, journey 90 miles on foot, 10 days, 12 days, maybe
2 weeks it took them to get there. Hard, long, arduous journey. Painful. Bad weather. Where did
they get the food? Where were they going to stay? Do you not see that it is God
that cares for His people? It is God that leads His dear
children along. We've sang that song, some through
the water and some through the flood. No, all through the water.
All through the flood. All through the fire. and all
by the blood. All of us, we're all going through
this weather. We're all going to have hardship,
pain, suffering, stormy weather. Where are we going to get the
food? Where are we going to stay? Have you ever thought about our
Lord? He didn't have a place to stay. Why? God was His dwelling place. Adam and Eve didn't have a roof
over their head in the beginning. They didn't need one. A dwelling
place is for sheltering from the storm. A dwelling place is
so the sun won't smite you, so the rain won't beat you, so your
enemy won't come and get you. If you're dwelling in God, you
don't need a place. You've got Him. Right? Food and rain, man. Well,
where are you going to get that? Where did Adam and Eve get it?
Where did the children of Israel get it? Where is this poor man
and his wife going to get it? Imagine their minds, what was
going through their mind. Imagine their fears, perils.
This man, he's got a wife, nine months pregnant. See, this is
taking a little different vein than a Christmas message. But
imagine his fears for this woman. People, they're going through
some rough territory. Perils of robbers, perils of
murderers, perils of terror, perils of poor people everywhere
trying to find somebody to rob, steal, and kill. Who's going
to protect them? Was he worried about his wife?
Was he, Wesley? Was he worried about this little
woman that he couldn't take care of with somebody? Well, who did
protect her? Who's protecting yours? You're
not. Smith and Wesson ain't. Jesus Christ is. He's Lord. Not a figurehead. He really is. Come on, people, let's believe
Him, shall we? Not trust in the arm of the flesh. All right? They're worried. She
could give birth any time. There's no doctors around. No
doctor delivered this child when she got there. Imagine their fear. Imagine how
downcast they were. Imagine how depressed they were.
Imagine how distressed they were. Imagine how angry they were at
seizure. Imagine how bitter they were.
Why do we have to go through this? That's what Joseph said.
Why? Just wait, Joseph. Wait. You'll see. And it wouldn't change a thing.
Just hang on. It's the Lord. Brethren, sisters,
whatever it is, it is the Lord. Okay? Get that in your mind. Get that in your heart. Don't
murmur. Don't complain. Don't be depressed. Don't be
too downcast. I know it's just about impossible,
but believe. If you believe, you'll be established,
you'll be settled, you'll be strengthened. Trust the Lord.
Trust the Lord, okay? Whatever it is, it's the Lord. Okay? Be of good cheer. Our Lord said, in the world you
shall have tribulations. You want to go through a violent
place of fears and worries and doubts, but be of good cheer. I run this place. This is my
Father's world. And let me ne'er forget that
though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world. The decree, the journey began.
When did this decree and journey begin for a man and his wife? In the garden. Stay with me here. You're going to like this. You're
going to like this. This decree began back in the
Garden of Eden. Satan had deceived and corrupted
a man and his wife. A man and a woman are standing
before a poor, sinful, Shame, full of shame and guilt and fear
and worries and doubts. They don't know what God's going
to do to them. They don't know if they're going
to live or die. Full of fear, trembling, doubts and fears are
standing before God, not knowing what lies next, but God. came walking, the Word
of God, the Lord Jesus Christ came walking in the garden. He
came to speak to them. He came to pronounce something
to them. He came to tell them a story about a woman's seed. There's going to be a woman like
you, Mary, I mean like you, Eve, but it'll never know a man, a
virgin, a woman's seed. In the future, He's coming. the Messiah by a woman, made
of woman, made under the law to redeem you, to deliver you. If a woman is going to deliver a
son, it's going to be the deliverer. to redeem you. This story, this
decree started in the garden. Good news, Eve, Adam, good news. A woman's seed shall come and
bruise this serpent's head and remove the curse and restore
everything that you've lost. Well, 4,000 years later, you
see, God decreed it. God said it. God wrote it down. 4,000 years later, Deborah, here
she comes. Here they are. Here's this woman. a young maiden walking through
the wilderness, heavy with child. Will she make it? Is she going
to be all right? You just don't understand, do
you? Nothing can happen to her. Nothing! God's decree. Why? Christ is in her. And brethren, if you're in Christ, and Christ
is in you, you're going to make it all the way to glory. You're
going to see. You're going to see. Be of good
cheer. Now, here's the birth. Verse 6. So it was that while
they were there, they came to Bethlehem, some two weeks journey. They came to Bethlehem, house
of bread. And so it was that while they
were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
The days accomplished. The days accomplished. Her nine
months were all fulfilled. That's talking about more than
that. In the fullest time, the days were accomplished. God sent forth His Son, made
of woman, made under the law, in the fullest of time, sovereignly
predestined, predetermined these days down to that exact hour
and moment, exactly, wisely by the Lord this day had come. This was the day of the Lord. This is the day of the Lord. This was Mary's day to deliver. And may I say this? Yes, because it's all a picture
of salvation. God's people all have a day.
when he delivers them. When Christ is born to them.
Now take heart. I want you to take heart, okay?
Because no man knows the day, the hour, just like your death,
the new birth, you don't know. There comes a day, if it's the
Lord's decree, if it's the Lord's will, it's going to happen. Not
because you did it, because he did it. You see, Mary really
didn't have anything to do with any of this, did she? Does she
have anything to do with this child in her? She doesn't know
when the child is going to be delivered. She doesn't know.
And you know, really, she didn't deliver the child. Scripture says God delivered
him. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. You have taken with wicked
hands and crucified the Lord of glory. But God's the one that
delivered him. There were no physicians around when she had
this baby. Oh, or was there? Yes. Yes, I was there when my
child was born. The father was there. And I took
that child straight from the womb. They laid that child in
my hand. The father was there when the only begotten was born.
And so was the heavenly father. Yeah, he was there. Oh, this
birth and nothing is entrusted to man. This is his son. And brothers and sisters, so
are you. You hear me? Let's see some smiles
here. So are you. Nothing's left up to chance or
fate or you or man. Oh, no. In the hand of our great
God, just like His Son was. And they tried to kill Him, didn't
they? A little bit later, they tried
to kill Him. Why couldn't the most powerful man on earth, with
all the army of that kingdom at his disposal, couldn't find
one Jewish baby? They couldn't find him. Satan was after one man. Job
couldn't touch him. The Syrians sent their host,
a captain, and a host after one man, Elijah. Sent the whole armies
after Elijah. Couldn't take him. They kept
dropping like flies. Couldn't take one man. Because this has been decreed.
He said, everything happens. You're a fablet, no longer a
believer. Let your opinion know it's truth.
You'll see. You'll see. You know, Scripture
speaks about the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord. The day
of the Lord. Three days. The day which He came to earth.
That's the day of the Lord. That's this day. The day that
He comes for you and me in salvation. That's the day of the Lord. The
Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to His temple. You'll suddenly
come. There's a day that's been decreed
by God when He sends the Word, like the seed, in power by the
Holy Spirit, the preacher of the gospel, into your dark heart,
and like Mary, you're going to be delivered. There's going to
be a child coming to you. And you're going to ponder and
you're going to wonder and you're going to be amazed. You're going
to see glory. And we're just waiting on it. This son in here,
that day hasn't come. I hope, I pray, Just like in childbirth, there's
pain, there's suffering, there's sorrow, there's tears, there's
worries, there's doubts, there's fear. You know what I hope and
pray for those who have not heard from the Lord yet? Break their
hearts. Lord, break their hearts. Bring Mr. Wet Eyes. Bring Mr. Broken Heart and Contrite Heart.
Oh, Lord, show them, though they think they're rich and increased
with goods and have need of nothing, Show them the wretched, miserable,
poor, blind and naked. Lord, break their proud, hard
heart. Right now. Right now, Lord. That's
what I pray. Right now, as I speak, looking
at some people in here whose hearts have not yet been broken. Lord, please. I can't do it. He can. He does. He will. Every
single child of God that He delivers, that Christ is formed in them,
this is the first thing. They feel this mourning over
sin. They feel this pain and this
sorrow over sin. The Lord breaks their heart.
Salvation is not accepting Jesus. It's bowing on your face before
a sovereign Lord, hoping He'll accept you. Take Calvinism. It's salvation. But I'm a good Christian. No,
you're not. I ain't a good Christian, and
a poor excuse for one. What's your hope then, preacher?
Mercy! Blood! Lord, be merciful to me, the
sinner. That's what I pray and hope for
every sinner. Please, Lord, for your glory,
for their salvation, would you please break their hard heart. If you don't, they won't bear
it. And bless God he does it. It
comes a day, he did it to me, he did it to some of you, then
it comes a day. You ain't expecting it. Nobody is. Mary said, how can this be? I haven't known a man. People, we see people, how can
this be? You know, there's one fellow
in here that before the Lord saved him, I thought he was one
of the finest men I ever knew at the time. Upright, good father,
good husband, good citizen, a nice man, a good worker, and just,
you know, just upright and all of that and everything. A moral
man, upright man, just a fine, fine man. I thought he's a better
man than me right now. You know what God has to do to
it? Don't break his heart. He can't cry to me
like a baby. I'm the chief of sinners. That's right. It's got to happen.
And it will. It will. That's why we don't
beg and plead with sinners. We beg and plead with God to
do something. God's not a beggar, neither is
His preacher. We just declare the truth and
stand back and hope and pray that God will break that proud
sinner and bring them to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ,
begging for mercy. If they do, you can count on
it. God's begun a good work. Well, it was time for her to
bring forth his child. Here's the birth. And as I said,
the one that delivered this child was God Himself. Him being delivered. All of this was the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. And verse 7 says, she brought
forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and
laid him in a manger. Because there was no room for
them in an inn. No room in the inn. You ever
think about this? And I've preached on this, and
I've heard even Armenian preachers. Is there any room for Jesus in
your heart? That's me done with that stuff. No sir. The fact
of the matter is that people don't want crime. They don't
need crime. You won't let him into your heart.
No, you won't. He gives you a new heart. You
ask him to let you in his heart. Let you in the door. But why
was there no room in the inn? It means every room was filled. Right? That inn was full. You ever thought about that?
Well, what was going on? Something was happening. Big
chin dig somewhere. Big happening. Was there a big
concert? Was there a big musical concert? Like at the Harvester?
You can't get a room around here if some idiot... Three dog nights playing, you
won't get a room anywhere. You'll get to sleep with the
dogs. You know it? Was there a rodeo the next day?
Probably. And the whole world was going
to see it. And not enough rooms to get the people to come see
Bulls. But nobody's interested in what's going on in that barn. But God comes to three, two, three lowly
shepherds. Lowly shepherds sitting on the
hillside. And He says, I've got some wonderful
news. They wouldn't have come. They
wouldn't have seen. They wouldn't have heard. They
wouldn't have been interested. But God. You know who's interested
in Jesus Christ? Those that God chose. Those that
God called. Those that God gives Him an interest. Those that God gives Him a new
heart. Three lowly shepherds. We think there are at least two,
maybe three. How many wise men would? We don't
know. Two? Maybe. Three. Scripture says at the
mouth of two or three witnesses. We think it's three. Why? Those
are the gifts, gold, frankincense. Well, there are three that bear
record in heaven. The Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. Right? Three. So we think it's three.
Three. At the mouth of two witnesses.
Better yet, three. Christ said, I am one that bear
witness of myself. Didn't he? But, there's another. The father, oh, but there's another
spirit. So that's three. That says it
doesn't. Now, they're not come to validate
what's happening. They just come see. Their testimony
doesn't make it so. It's so. Whether they believe
it or not. Somebody said, God said it. I believe it, and that
says it. Oh, no, no, you've got that all
wrong. God said it, and that says it. Well, you believe it
or not. And here's wonder, here's grace,
here's mercy, as he calls on you to believe it. And you believe
it. Well, three shepherds come. Three shepherds. We have a sovereign
decree. We had a long journey. Now, this
is salvation. This is by decree. A long journey,
a stranger and a pilgrim, that's every one of God's people. Traveling
through this world, are they going to make it? Oh, yeah. Oh,
yeah. What are they coming to see?
What are they coming to experience? A birth. A son. Glory. The glory of the Lord
is going to shine around about them. The angel of God is going
to hover over the top of them. The Spirit of God. And you know
what's going to happen? The Lord of God. Now here's the fourth thing,
a wonder and a glory and a prayer. Look at verse 8 and 9. These
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night, and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them. The
glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore
afraid. Fear. When the Spirit of God
comes upon you and breaks your heart over sin, When the glory
of the Lord shines round about you, the glory of Jesus Christ
and Him crucified? Oh, I'm hoping and praying that
the God who caused the light to shine out of darkness will
shine in my dark car, your dark car, everyone's dark car, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. And you know what that will cause?
Fear. Trembling. Belief. They believe. Wonder,
amazement, they were sore afraid. And the angel said, fear not.
To all who fear, he says, fear not. Behold, I bring you good
tidings. To all that fear, he says, good
news. Great joy which shall be to all people, every tribe, kindred,
tongue, nation under earth, all people. A few, many are called,
but few chosen. But they're chosen out of everywhere. Bring my people from afar. Bring
them from the north. Bring them from the south. Bring
them from the east. Bring them from the west. Those
that I have called by name. My sheep, they are going to hear
my voice. And the glory of the Lord shall surround them. Fear
not, unto you is born. Who is he talking to? Unto you
is born. Who is he talking to? Three lowly
shepherds. You. Are you low? You feel low? Worthless? Undeserving? Is that you? That's
you. He's talking to you. Unto you
is born, in the city of David, a Savior. You see? Can you save yourself? Do you
feel like you can save yourself? You got any hope in yourself?
Any hope of salvation in yourself? So, what you're telling me is,
you need a Savior? Unto you. Yes, you! is a Savior, Lord, which is Christ the Lord. Messiah. Do you need a Messiah? Do you
need a covenant head? Do you need someone to substitute?
Do you need a wisdom? Do you need a righteousness?
Do you need sanctification? Do you need redemption? Do you
have anything to pay? One red cent? Well, copyright. One thin dime,
one red cent to you? Spiritual name? Can you pay anything? No. Good news. The Lord Jesus
paid it out. That's you. Talking to you. Talking
to you. To you is born this day and born
in you a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Here's the sign. What's
the sign? How do we know this? Verse 12. It'll be a babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes lying in a manger. How do you know it's the Christ?
How do you know the Gospel you're hearing is the true Gospel? Two
ways. Swaddling clothes in a manger.
What's that? You know what swaddling clothes
are? It's clothing for poor people. It's clothing that they would
wrap poor babies in. It's strips. Take strips and wrap those babies
up real tight, and you just bind them up. Like a wounded person or something,
you take something and bind up the wounds with these strips. You nurses have used them, like
God, that's what they do. Wrap them up tight, wrap them
up tight, till they're just a little cocoon. They're all wrapped up. Do you see that Jesus Christ
is your righteousness? Do you see? Do you find warmth? Do you find comfort? Do you find
security? Do you find safety? Do you find
peace? Do you not find peace in that
Jesus Christ is your comforter? Do you need a comforter? Do you
not feel naked, exposed, helpless like a tiny little baby? Brethren, it's significant that
when Christ died on Calvary Street, they stripped Him naked. They
stripped Him naked. And that robe of righteousness
that He worked out, God took that. That stripped Him and clothed
His people with that righteousness of Christ. Do you not see that? That's how you know the Christ
when you hear Him, when you see Him. That's how you're going
to know. swaddling clothes. Do these clothes swaddle you
like a baby? Lie in a manger. What's a manger? That's where sheep eat. So, you're going to see him as
Raymond and what? That's where cattle eat. That's
where lowly sheep eat. Who was attending this birth?
Nothing but a bunch of sheep and shepherds. And lying in that
manger was the shepherd of the sheep. The sheep are feeding
on the shepherd. Are you hungry? What do you need? What seek you? Master, where dwellest thou in
the manger? That's where you'll find me.
In the sheepfold. Where the sheep are eating. Feeding
on me. That's how you know Him. That's
how you know Him. You know Him, what He is to His
people. You know Him, where He is with
His people. What a wonder. What a glory.
What a sight. God's glory. Verse 14. Glory
to God on high and on earth. Peace. Goodwill toward men. Peace. What peace? All around in the
world right then was wars and rumors of war, right? The Roman
government was plotting their next war against somebody, pillaging, taking over some poor little
country, weren't they? All the time, getting it all
in. President himself was like a
green bay tree. Alexander the Great long before
that. All the Medes and the Persians. All these kingdoms. Just raping
and pillaging and warring and ruining. And there still was
at this time. What do you mean peace? What is peace? How are
we going to have peace? Right after this, all the children
in Bethlehem were killed. What do you mean peace? I mean
a person. I mean peace through a person.
In this world, you have tribulation. In this world, nothing but war
and rumors of war. In this world, but Christ said,
in me you have peace. Peace that you need in the midst
of a war. The peace was not in the world,
all over the world, but it was in that manger. It's a person. This is the peace of God. You
and I don't make peace with God. He did. Jesus Christ did. This is the peace of God. God
sent this peace. God is angry with the wicked
every day, for His people sent Jesus Christ to be made sin for
them, to be made our peace. The chastisement of our peace
was laid on Him. This is peace. God's not angry
with you because of this sign. Peace, I tell you. Peace. Goodwill. Goodwill. Toward man. Goodwill on earth. They misquoted
it at Christmas time. Goodwill toward men. Now, who's he talking to? Who's
he talking to? Angel. Three shepherds. Joseph
and Mary. They're sitting there. In a little
bit. He's talking to them. And he's
talking to his people. Peace. And didn't our Lord say
to his people, I know my thoughts toward you. Thoughts of peace. To bring you to an expected end. Peace. Christ said, my peace
I give unto you. My peace I leave with you. Not
as a world giver. And he said, nobody's going to
take you away. Peace with God. Peace with God. Though Satan
accused you, though your conscience accused you, though your old
man accused you, Christ says, look to me, I'm your peace. Though
the law accused you, Christ said, look to me, I kept it. Peace. Peace with God. Peace of heart. Peace of mind. Peace of conscience.
There is no peace of conscience except by the blood of Jesus
Christ. God said, I'm satisfied. My blood's
been shed. Peace. I'm not at war with you. I'm not angry with you. I took
out my anger on my son. Peace. He is our pain. If you're looking for peace anywhere
else, you won't find it. Never will. If you're looking
for it in Christ, you have it. Peace. Goodwill. Goodwill. Goodwill. God's will toward His
people is all good. It's all good. I've already quoted
it, haven't I? All good. Well, now look for
it. Came to pass the angels were
leaving, verse 15, they were gone away into heaven. And I do remind you that he calls
preachers angels, doesn't he? I hope somebody heard it. I hope
somebody heard this, the message of goodwill and peace, glory
to God. It's like I told you it would
be. Came to pass, the angels had
gone away into heaven. The shepherds said to one another,
let's go. Bill? Yeah, John? Let's go. Matt? Stephen? Let's go. Where are you going? Let's go
see this side. Let's go see this side. Let's
go where he is. They told him you're going to
be in a certain place. Go there. They said, let's go.
When? Oh, put it off until next week.
No. Sixteenth, they came with haste. We've got to hurry. Wow. We've heard his voice. We've heard the angel. We've seen our need. We've heard
the message. We've got to see him. We've got
to behold him. We've got to come worship him. We've got to see this one whom
God sent to be our peace. Hurry. Today's the day. And when they'd seen it, they
came, they found, what did they find? Mary and Joseph and the
babe laying, lying in a manger. Wrapped in swaddling clothes.
And when they'd seen it, they ran out of time. But John said,
that which we have seen and heard, that which our hands have handled,
our eyes have looked upon, that holy thing, They didn't say they
saw that sweet little baby. They said, yet, wondrous thing. God manifest in the flesh. Here's
what they did. From then on, this is what they're
going to be doing. Telling everybody they come across.
They made known abroad. The light shone on them, so what
did they do? They reflected that light. They
went out and they made known abroad the saying that was told
them concerning this child. Come see. Here's another reason
you've got to wonder why the Roman government couldn't find
this child. I mean, everybody went everywhere.
And he said, yeah. Right there. Where? Right there.
See those people? Where are those two going? Going
to Egypt, please. Yeah, there they are. Did you
see those two? Yeah, they're heading to Egypt. Right there they are.
But why couldn't they take them? Blinded their minds. He blinded their minds. Why can't
people see the glory of God? Why can't they see themselves?
Why can't they see the truth? But there it is. Blinded their
minds. Why don't they come lay hold
of Christ? Blinded their minds. Why do you? Open your eyes. You heard Him. Look at this.
And they heard it. All that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. Now the
shepherds are like that angel. The shepherds. Well, they got
the tale. Same thing. These weren't educated people.
These weren't, you know, scholars. These were just shepherds. Oh,
but they got a message to tell. If you want to hear it, you've
got to hear it from them. Mary kept all these things and
pondered them in her heart. Oh, blessed is he that Keepeth
my word. Blessed is he that believeth
and keepeth. Christ said, he that is at love
with me. Mary. Mary's in here. Oh, I pray that
you'll lay hold of Christ. I have. I believe you have, some
of you. And I hope and pray that you'll
be kept. And you'll keep pondering these
things in your heart. Mary. Mary. Mary, I hope you'll
ponder. When you get down, when you get
depressed, you remember Mary? You remember
that long journey? You remember the pain? You remember
the suffering? You remember the bitterness? You remember the
anguish? You remember the trouble? You remember the anger? You remember
all that? The suffering, the sorrow? It's
completely gone. Completely gone. She's so happy. She's got a big smile on her
face. She's glorifying God. She's praising God. She is wondering
and pondering. Pondering her own unbelief. Pondering
her own ignorance. Pondering God's mercy. Pondering
God's grace to her. Pondering God's choice of her.
Pondering all these things. Pondering glorifying God. I hope
you'll ponder these things. As soon as you leave here, talk
about the weather. Ponder these things. And the shepherds, verse 20,
they returned, went back to what they were doing, and what were
they doing now? Glory to God. And praising God. What more? All things they'd
heard. All the way home from Brother
Kelly, they were talking about it. When they got there, they talked about
it some more. What? We heard. We heard His voice. It's just like he said. Just
like he said. We've heard his voice. We've
seen his face. We've seen God's glory. And it's
just like God told us. Just like the angels tell us.
It's good news. Good news. All right. Let's close
in here. Number 287.