well again Church remain standing we’re going to be uh reading through the scripture together and uh that would mean that you’d grab your Bibles and or look to the screens if you would to the Gospel of Luke Chapter 2 I’ll read verse one if you’ll pick it up in verse two nice and loud you guys ready Luke Chapter 2 and it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered the sensus first took place while quirinus was governing Syria and.

so all went to be registered everyone to his own City Joseph also went up From Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed or engaged wife who was with child so it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him amazing in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger because there was no room for them in the end.

now there were in the same country Shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night and behold the angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were greatly afraid then the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold I will bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people beautiful verse 11 for there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the lord and this will be assigned to you you will find a bab wrapped in swaddling.

clothes lying in a manger and suddenly ly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace Good Will toward men and so it was when the Angels had gone away from them into heaven that the Shepherds said to one another let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that is come to pass which the Lord has made known to us and they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the bab lying in the manger I lost my place now when they had seen him they.

made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the Shepherds but Mary listen to this kept or retained all all these things and pondered them in her heart then the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it was told them Father God in heaven we pray for the movement of your spirit not only in this room and in each heart father those that might be viewing and father for that.

matter that you would even cause this Christmas season to be a wakeup call to our nation and Beyond Lord for decades maybe for centuries the United States has been the trends Setter at at at the start for many good things of late not so good but Lord you can revive the Covenant that you made with our Pilgrim fathers that’s right that’s right and Lord with or without Revival in America we thank you God that our citizenship is in heaven that we’ve got a passport and that passport is a person and and his name is Jesus and we.

celebrate the fact that we pause as a world to take notice of his coming into the world this is an awesome moment and father may it not be wasted on anyone father no matter what the going forth of your gospel may it be something that causes people to make a decision Yes to Jesus or no to Jesus anything but be indifferent to Jesus we ask it now father in Jesus name and all God’s people said amen you may be seated everybody we’re looking at a third and final study that we’ve been going through and this Series has been titled.

his return and I told you three weeks ago that we were approaching our Christmas Series this year different than normal uh we we’ve had a flavor of the traditional verses and passages you saw you read one of those a moment ago uh but I decided to dial down and look at uh perhaps a more uh maybe apologetic in the sense of argumentation approach to Christmas I’ve been looking at this in a in a way of you being very astute Bible students uh what are the foundations of Christmas it’s not just that day that comes by.

once a year but it is actually a reality it is a uh a fact in history it’s not a story I know everybody’s talking about as I’ve been saying for three weeks the Christmas story is not a story it’s an actual event that is recorded in scripture I love this it’s recorded in secular history and it’s recorded in the animals of Roman history it is in fact an actual event and we’ve looked at some key verses you guys remember what our key Christmas verse is I got to tell you um maybe you knew this I didn’t know.

this I didn’t read this in any book I you know you know when when you’re studying the Bible and you get a nugget you know what that means when you get a nugget from God it’s like you’re reading the Bible you’re studying the Bible and then this verse pops off the page and like smacks you around a little bit and and just jumps inside your heart well while I was studying for uh this Christmas Series this verse became really the key theme verse and it blew my mind I have to confess um I’ve never.

seen it as a Christmas verse before I’ve never even seen it displayed as a Christmas verse before but you guys know where I’m going it’s Genesis 3: 15 the very first Christmas verse in all of the Bible and we’ve been quoting it every week God says to Satan I will put emnity between you that’s the devil and the woman that would be Eve and her descendants between your seed which is freaky Satan has got those that are on his team and her seed which shocks everyone including the Hebrew Scholars.

from the beginning that a woman has an egg not a seed the word is sperm from her there would be the origin of life which is normally a male or the male contribution we’re talking about Genesis 3:15 the introduction to a Divine conception that Scholars have known for thousands of years and you can easily link this to one individual There’s No Escape in it there’s no hiding from what Moses was given by God to say he that is Christ the Messiah the seed shall bruise or crush your head speaking about Satan’s head getting.

crushed and you that is Satan you shall bruise or crush his heel an incredible Christmas verse that we want to make note of and we’ve looked at and I won’t read it we’ve read it again earlier 1 John chapter 1: 1-4 you can look at that later just write down the reference another Christmas verse that God in the beginning brought forth his son and John says in first John that the Son of God that seed that came from ultimately Eve would be the Redeemer John says we’ve handled him we’ve touched him we heard.

his voice we walked with him which had to be the most amazing experience ever in human life to walk with Christ and today this is our foundation verse for our study today our final study and it’s this 1 Timothy 3 verse 16 1 Timothy 3 verse 16 and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness that is without debate great is the Mysterion the word Mysterion means great is the treasure that has been hidden and now has been made revealed it’s not a mystery that you can’t figure out it’s a mystery that.

has always been the Hebrew word Greek word means that it’s been it’s been in storage and it was brought out at the right time and what is that godlikeness that we saw God Paul is telling Timothy we saw him walking in human skin you see that’s a that’s a stretch Pastor Jack not at all let’s keep reading the verse number one God was manifested in the flesh isn’t that amazing the word manifested is he took form wow number two God was justified by the spirit that is the Holy Spirit the ministry of the Holy Spirit Justified.

the ministry of Jesus Christ Jesus said everything I do I do to the praise of my father and I do it by the power of the Holy Spirit number three God was seen by angels seen by Angels now I’m inserting God was God was and it does no harm to the study of the word seen by Angels who was the word made flesh and uh you guys remember that word seen you ought to Circle that word several times in your Bible because it means that Angels at the birthing of Jesus coming into the world that the Angels mouths dropped open wide and.

their eyes were made wide open it it means to gaw or to stare whatever went on with the birthing of Jesus angels saw for the first time their creator coming into the world veiled in human flesh and they freaked out and I would submit to you as I said a few weeks ago it would be hard to impress an angel but these Angels were impressed at the Advent of God coming into the world in human skin but it goes on there’s more that God was preached among the Gentiles that’s just a matter of a fact by the way the way as all these are.

facts but isn’t it spectacular that all around the world people are preaching Christ and that’s not uh all of it either the Bible tells us in the Book of Revelation the final preaching will be done by Angels flying around the globe proclaiming the Everlasting gospel and then the end of the world comes and even before that the Bible says there’s going to be 144,000 Jews who during the tribulation period will preach the ever lasting gospel well right now listen we’re living before that time comes but what’s the point the.

preaching of the Gospel it’s amazing and that’s what we’re here today to celebrate is the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is this truth that for God so loved the world that he gave his only begot gifted his only begotten son that whosoever I love saying whosoever that whosoever well I don’t know about that person over there whosoever right that’s right would believe on him would not perish but have everlasting life the qualifications is what Christ has provided our responsibility is to.

say yes to him and to come to him in Repentance of sin knowing that I’ve sinned you’ve sinned we’ve all sinned we’ve all had bad thoughts we’ve all had Pride arrogance uh immorality whatever it is and that guilt came upon you and then when you find the gospel you can oh my goodness you when you hear the gospel I remember hearing the gospel on June 20th 1977 I didn’t know the gospel I’d never heard it before but when I heard that Jesus died for my sins nobody in that room had to tell me oh Jack by the.

way you you are a sinner you might want to think about that nobody had to tell me I knew it amen and when I heard that there was a way out of it I took it and that’s the Christmas christ that’s what he came into this world for and we are a very grateful people and then one more thing before we dive into all of this in Titus 2: 13 and 14 the Bible says for us here today that we are to be looking for the Blessed hope and the Glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave gifted himself for us well that sounds like.

genesis 3:15 that he might redeem us from every Lawless deed and purify for himself his own own special people zealous for good works that is excited to live a life that is pleasing to God so very quickly Church we’re going to run through what we what we’re standing on and that will launch us into where we’re going today his return means this we saw in number one that the promises of his return are throughout the entire Bible the promises of his return church with uh with all due respect I’m going.

to be a little sarcastic today I’m just feeling it in my bones I got to tell you right now I challenge anyone of any belief system I don’t care who you are I don’t care what cult you belong to the fact of the I don’t care if it’s atheism which is the worst religion of all is that you believe in nothing that’s a strange thing to test your heart to announce to you that in this book from cover to cover there’s a promise that is given about his return and there’s multiple returns if I might put it that way when.

Adam and Eve sinned in the garden God promised to return in Genesis 3:15 that the Messiah would come through her descendants Eve’s descendants remarkable that’s a promise of his coming and then when Christ came we know that he was born in Bethlehem and the Bible tells us exactly when he would be born and where he would be born in his return in a sense Christ would return to the created world that he had established but a fallen world man had made it and he came to redeem it and then the Bible tells us that he’s.

going to return for his church at any time it’s actually more than a return it’s an appearance the Bible says we’ll read it later that Christ will appear in the atmosphere to draw all of his Believers to himself before that great and terrible day of the Lord it says the great and terrible day of the Lord is referred to as the tribulation period when there’s that final return of Christ in the second coming when he establishes his throne listen his throne in Israel the Bible says that statement would have been.

premature until May 14th 1948 that ought to get you to sit up the Bible says he’s going to not only come to Israel but the Bible says he’s going to establish his throne in Jerusalem good there’s a Jerusalem today on the map my friends amen this is an important truth and then we saw that there’s a purpose of his return always and we summed it up this way every time the Bible speaks about the return of Christ from Genesis 3 to revelation 22 it’s about Redemption remarkable thirdly we saw that there’s.

the proclamation of his return we’ve got a message to preach no other religion has got this message that you and I have think of it we’re the only ones because we’ve studied the Bible and in this Gathering by the way I’m happy to report we say what do you mean who are who are we who are you people if you’re visiting you’re saying who are you we’re just a bunch of people that have been saved by the grace of God and look around you look around you there’s white there’s black there’s Polynesian there’s.

Asian there’s wealthy there’s middle class there’s poor there’s tall there’s short it doesn’t matter do you understand it doesn’t matter well what membership are we I don’t know when if you figure it out tell us tell us because you know what our all we are is Bible Believers we’re Bible followers of Christ okay and uh there’s no membership that we can give you here you go because God knew when he told us as soon as we got a membership card uh we’d probably put it on our lapel or strut around.

showing it hey what what is that that’s my ticket to Heaven what is it that’s my first bapticostal membership card there’s no membership except one and that is believe in Christ who died on the cross and rose again from the dead and you put your faith in him and the Bible says the holy spirit is the one that places you as a member into the body of Christ I love that I love it the proclamation of the Gospel we also learn that there’s an environment to his return this was kind of encouraging believe it or not in a darkened World in.

which we live in whenever Christ returns in all of the events and all of the accounts from Genesis 3:15 onward he always comes in the darkest most sinful most hopeless moments of Mankind’s existence I love that have you looked around in the world oh come quickly Lord Jesus right man I I I hope you have a Biblical worldview I hope you’re a follower of Christ Jesus said that’s being born again I hope you know that because if you have that new life within you the darkest days simply tell you that they can only be dark.

because there’s light you ever think of that isn’t it interesting that the scientists will tell us that the night is the darkest just moments before the sun begins to rise that’s right that’s right and the Bible tells us that Christ is coming with healing in his wings and I love that we also learned about the essence of his return He is Holy he is righteous he is almighty God he’s God incarnate Jesus Christ there’s God the Father God the son and God the holy spirit that make up one God manifested in three.

persons we don’t believe in three Gods just like maybe in your home you live at One 123 Maple Lane and there’s Mama Bear papa bear and baby bear all three of them are different but they have the same last name how about that think of that for a moment they all live in one address different personalities but one family unit as it were God the father and God the son came into this world to take on human flesh to reveal to us the very nature of God in his Essence and then we saw the effect of his return the Bible.

tells us that those who truly believe that Christ is coming back have given their lives to Christ I hope you have and by the way it’s an actual tangible thing that you do that’s right and uh if that happens it’s going to affect your life and all around the world Listen somebody I was just listening yesterday somebody was asking a question of a famous Christian thinker they said why is it in Europe there’s such a a massive Exodus from the church in Europe many people many churches have died in Europe and very few people trust.

in Christ in Europe these days and um the guy gave the right answer the guy gave the answer he said he said listen he said we need to understand Jesus’s church is not dying in Europe there are people choosing to walk away from Christ they’re the ones that are dying in Europe what that means is God has his Believers everywhere but what is indicative of them being a Believer is the fact that being a new creation affects their life they are affected right right so I see that very often I agree with you but it doesn’t mean that.

there’s a void in the land of people’s lives being affected you just need to find out where God is moving and uh make sure that your life is yielded to the lordship of Jesus Christ and again we’ll talk on this number seven here’s where we dive in everybody his return regarding the awareness of his return there’s an awareness write it down if you would scripture will not be denied I love this the Bible the scriptures will not be denied regarding the awareness of his return we have paused today to gather together for Christmas.

service but the fact of the matter is it’s only true because scripture has never been denied the Bible says Christ would come and so here you are isn’t that interesting why did you come today well we’ve always gone to Christmas service yeah but why really strip away all this stuff you have come today because of the Fulfillment of the scriptures the Bible tells us in advance that Christ would come and he did come and the ancient Hebrew scriptures or the doctrines of the Bible foretold the very time when God himself would accomplish.

salvation for mankind in fact Jesus made mention of this in Matthew 5:1 17 Matthew 517 the Bible says Jesus is speaking do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophet I love that I did not come to destroy but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you till Heaven and Earth pass away one jot or one TT one comma and one H hyphen in the original language will by no means pass away listen we will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled Jesus Christ came to fulfill what you and I could never.

do he did it for us simple as that and he would say to you right now because I did it for you you need to come and you need to hide inside of me Isaiah 55:1 Isaiah 5511 says so shall my word think about who the word is be that goes forth from my mouth it shall not return to me void but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the things for which I’ve sent it the power of the word of God it’s amazing thing to realize people that when we are being awakened to the truth and if we listen and if we get an understanding of.

the truth and we can even say wait a minute are you telling me that God for ordained the coming of his son Jesus born of a virgin on Christmas morning to die on the cross for my sins and be resurrected from the the dead and that he’s coming back and that all those who put their trust in him would not perish but have eternal life are you telling me that I can take my sin and give my sin to him in Repentance and he will give me his righteousness in return that’s exactly what I’m saying the moment you.

hear that listen everybody the moment you hear that you’ve been placed on notice by Heaven you’re now listen you’ve been served as it were a subpoena from Heaven God has made the announcement and you’ve even repeated it back is that what you’re telling me Pastor yes if you understand that and if you hear that it is now a burden upon you let’s be honest it’s a burden upon you to either say yes to Christ or no to Christ isn’t it remarkable you can’t be in the neutral scripture will not be.

denied right every word will be fulfilled the Bible tells us in Hebrews chap 1:5 he Hebrews 1:5 for to which of the Angels did God ever say by the way that’s Psalm 2:7 you are my son today I have begotten you or glorified you and again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son think about this Hebrews chap 1 verse 6 goes on and says but when he again brings the firstborn into the world he says let all the angels of God worship Him verse 7 and of the angels He says who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame