1 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,704 And so turn your Bibles to Luke, chapter one. 2 00:00:09,872 --> 00:00:10,792 Luke, chapter one. 3 00:00:10,816 --> 00:00:15,288 And we're gonna skip down to 26 through 33. 4 00:00:15,424 --> 00:00:18,500 Luke, chapter one, verses 26 through 33. 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:25,080 And I'm gonna deliver a word that is a Christmas sermon because 6 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:26,952 I love preaching during this time of the year. 7 00:00:26,976 --> 00:00:28,328 And I believe it's a. 8 00:00:28,464 --> 00:00:31,540 A word that's for you today. 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,448 And let me just say, if you're new to church, maybe your friend 10 00:00:35,504 --> 00:00:38,952 invited you because, hey, we're gonna go to church, you know, 11 00:00:38,976 --> 00:00:41,144 for the Christmas holiday or whatever. 12 00:00:41,272 --> 00:00:43,928 I don't believe that you're here because your friend or family 13 00:00:43,984 --> 00:00:45,192 member invited you. 14 00:00:45,296 --> 00:00:48,504 I believe you're here because the Holy Spirit invited you. 15 00:00:48,592 --> 00:00:51,256 And God Almighty has a word to speak to you. 16 00:00:51,328 --> 00:00:54,552 And you were on a divine appointment and you had to hear what 17 00:00:54,576 --> 00:00:56,296 I'm about to preach, all right? 18 00:00:56,448 --> 00:00:58,968 Cause I know you're just visiting for Christmas and you're 19 00:00:58,984 --> 00:01:02,692 gonna make your family to Times Square and all the places that 20 00:01:02,716 --> 00:01:07,556 none of us New Yorkers actually go, all right? 21 00:01:07,708 --> 00:01:11,652 But we made you go to church because God wants to get a word to 22 00:01:11,676 --> 00:01:13,668 you, and that's why you're here. 23 00:01:13,804 --> 00:01:18,660 We call it a Holy Ghost hijacking, so consider yourself hijacked. 24 00:01:18,820 --> 00:01:19,348 All right? 25 00:01:19,404 --> 00:01:20,040 Cool. 26 00:01:21,340 --> 00:01:23,668 Luke, chapter one, verse 26. 27 00:01:23,804 --> 00:01:28,228 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city 28 00:01:28,284 --> 00:01:33,336 of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose 29 00:01:33,368 --> 00:01:36,472 name was Joseph of the house of David. 30 00:01:36,616 --> 00:01:39,144 And the virgin's name was Mary. 31 00:01:39,272 --> 00:01:43,800 And he came to her and said, greetings, O favored one. 32 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,656 The Lord is with you. 33 00:01:45,808 --> 00:01:50,312 But she was greatly troubled at this saying and tried to discern 34 00:01:50,456 --> 00:01:52,632 what sort of greeting this might be. 35 00:01:52,736 --> 00:01:56,840 And the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have 36 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,216 found favor with God. 37 00:01:58,328 --> 00:02:02,348 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son. 38 00:02:02,504 --> 00:02:05,480 And you shall call his name Jesus. 39 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:09,748 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 40 00:02:09,884 --> 00:02:14,548 And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. 41 00:02:14,644 --> 00:02:18,228 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 42 00:02:18,404 --> 00:02:22,484 And of his kingdom there will be no end. 43 00:02:22,572 --> 00:02:23,268 Let's pray. 44 00:02:23,364 --> 00:02:25,252 Let's pray across every location. 45 00:02:25,396 --> 00:02:27,652 Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. 46 00:02:27,796 --> 00:02:32,068 I pray, Lord, that your word would be deposited, that it is the 47 00:02:32,124 --> 00:02:34,408 eternal seed of the gospel. 48 00:02:34,564 --> 00:02:39,040 Lord, your word is like a two edged sword that is sharp and it 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,320 divides asunder, even the soul from the spirit. 50 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,768 Father, your word discerns us. 51 00:02:44,904 --> 00:02:48,512 Your word goes past our own immaturity and our own thoughts, 52 00:02:48,576 --> 00:02:52,528 and it accomplishes that which it was designed to Accomplish. 53 00:02:52,624 --> 00:02:54,368 Your word will never come back. 54 00:02:54,424 --> 00:02:54,880 Void. 55 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,064 And I thank you that eternity is on the line right now. 56 00:02:58,152 --> 00:03:02,640 And, Father, as we are here in your presence, I pray God that you 57 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,340 would just speak to us and we would have open ears, our spirit, 58 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,300 spiritual ears, to hear that which you would say across every 59 00:03:10,340 --> 00:03:12,880 single location, somebody say, amen. 60 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:17,724 So there's this Christmas movie that's called It's a Wonderful 61 00:03:17,772 --> 00:03:18,028 Life. 62 00:03:18,084 --> 00:03:19,420 How many of you have seen it? 63 00:03:19,540 --> 00:03:20,908 It's a Wonderful Life. 64 00:03:21,044 --> 00:03:21,484 Okay. 65 00:03:21,532 --> 00:03:23,276 It's like a Christmas classic. 66 00:03:23,388 --> 00:03:24,556 Many people watch it. 67 00:03:24,628 --> 00:03:27,916 To be honest with you, the story of George Bailey and that whole 68 00:03:27,948 --> 00:03:30,796 movie did not affect me growing up. 69 00:03:30,868 --> 00:03:31,692 I was more of a. 70 00:03:31,716 --> 00:03:35,790 You'll shoot your eye out, you know, when Santa kicks him down that 71 00:03:35,830 --> 00:03:36,142 slide. 72 00:03:36,206 --> 00:03:37,486 Ho, ho, ho. 73 00:03:37,598 --> 00:03:39,278 And kicks him in a face down this. 74 00:03:39,334 --> 00:03:41,294 I wanna do that sometimes to my own kids. 75 00:03:41,342 --> 00:03:42,410 Is that possible? 76 00:03:42,790 --> 00:03:43,198 No. 77 00:03:43,254 --> 00:03:43,806 Okay. 78 00:03:43,918 --> 00:03:45,730 I shouldn't have said that out loud. 79 00:03:46,550 --> 00:03:50,222 But I have my own, you know, Christmas movies that I like. 80 00:03:50,326 --> 00:03:54,814 But later on in life, It's a Wonderful Life started to affect 81 00:03:54,862 --> 00:03:59,550 me emotionally because George Bailey is this figure, and he's a 82 00:03:59,590 --> 00:04:02,782 father, and he had his own dreams and his own ambitions and 83 00:04:02,806 --> 00:04:07,950 his own plans, and yet he put that all aside so that he could help 84 00:04:08,070 --> 00:04:12,286 his wife and kids and be a family man and help his community. 85 00:04:12,358 --> 00:04:16,126 And really, he lived his whole life in service of other people. 86 00:04:16,198 --> 00:04:18,382 Anybody know what that feels like? 87 00:04:18,566 --> 00:04:20,686 Isn't that what it means to be an adult? 88 00:04:20,878 --> 00:04:24,494 To feel like you're living your life in service of somebody 89 00:04:24,542 --> 00:04:25,054 else? 90 00:04:25,182 --> 00:04:26,846 And he puts his own ambitions. 91 00:04:26,958 --> 00:04:30,290 Do you remember the dreams you had before you had kids? 92 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,600 You know, it's like we had these big plans of things that we 93 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,904 would do, and we put that aside. 94 00:04:37,032 --> 00:04:38,900 And sometimes we say, you know what? 95 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:41,544 Right now, I don't care if I do have a passion. 96 00:04:41,592 --> 00:04:42,968 I got bills to pay. 97 00:04:43,104 --> 00:04:44,820 Anybody know what I'm talking about? 98 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:45,992 I don't care. 99 00:04:46,096 --> 00:04:46,776 All my dreams. 100 00:04:46,808 --> 00:04:48,472 I used to want to be an astronaut. 101 00:04:48,616 --> 00:04:49,320 Now I just. 102 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:50,376 I don't want to go to the moon. 103 00:04:50,408 --> 00:04:51,704 I just want to go to Florida. 104 00:04:51,752 --> 00:04:52,700 Please, God. 105 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,456 And so the story of George Bailey is so relatable the older 106 00:04:58,488 --> 00:05:01,272 you get, because you realize that you have lived your life in 107 00:05:01,296 --> 00:05:02,692 service of every everybody else. 108 00:05:02,756 --> 00:05:04,884 And can I just say it from the pulpit? 109 00:05:05,012 --> 00:05:07,000 Life is unfair. 110 00:05:08,060 --> 00:05:09,428 Life is unfair. 111 00:05:09,524 --> 00:05:14,068 They lied to me and they told me that if I went to college and 112 00:05:14,124 --> 00:05:17,800 got a degree, my life would get better liars. 113 00:05:18,780 --> 00:05:23,316 Because where I come from the hood, nobody I knew had a degree. 114 00:05:23,428 --> 00:05:26,580 And they told me if I got college educated, then they told 115 00:05:26,620 --> 00:05:27,364 me Another lie. 116 00:05:27,412 --> 00:05:31,270 I would make more money if I had a college degree. 117 00:05:31,350 --> 00:05:32,330 They lied. 118 00:05:32,830 --> 00:05:35,782 What they didn't tell me is I would have more debt and make the. 119 00:05:35,806 --> 00:05:36,930 Same amount of money. 120 00:05:38,750 --> 00:05:42,454 And then here I am, a husband and a father, and I was so upset 121 00:05:42,502 --> 00:05:43,878 because life was not fair. 122 00:05:43,934 --> 00:05:45,606 Life was not working out for me. 123 00:05:45,678 --> 00:05:50,850 And then the housing crash of 2008 happened, and they lied to me 124 00:05:51,390 --> 00:05:54,090 about the American dream. 125 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,900 It's more like a nightmare sometimes. 126 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,160 And now, by the way, we've got plasmoids and we've got drones and 127 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:07,424 UFOs and UAPs, and we've got escalation of combat that's happening 128 00:06:07,472 --> 00:06:08,080 all over the world. 129 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:13,580 Like what seal is being opened in the Book of Revelation this week. 130 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:15,900 And so. 131 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:20,138 And I'm singing that sort of facetiously, but you get my point. 132 00:06:20,304 --> 00:06:22,294 I thought we were done with the last pandemic. 133 00:06:22,342 --> 00:06:24,250 Now they're talking about bird flu. 134 00:06:24,750 --> 00:06:27,590 And so I'm like, lord, what is going on? 135 00:06:27,630 --> 00:06:30,294 And the story of George Bailey is this story. 136 00:06:30,462 --> 00:06:34,678 You know, when I look at Romans, chapter 5, verse 12, it says, 137 00:06:34,734 --> 00:06:38,870 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and 138 00:06:38,910 --> 00:06:43,670 death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all 139 00:06:43,710 --> 00:06:44,358 sinned. 140 00:06:44,454 --> 00:06:45,686 Let's go back to the garden. 141 00:06:45,718 --> 00:06:48,850 We've got Adam and Eve in the garden, a perfect environment. 142 00:06:49,230 --> 00:06:52,838 And even in a perfect environment, this is what life is, 143 00:06:52,894 --> 00:06:53,318 y'all. 144 00:06:53,414 --> 00:06:57,990 We always want what we don't have, and we don't want what we do 145 00:06:58,030 --> 00:06:58,662 have. 146 00:06:58,846 --> 00:07:04,214 Matter of fact, Adam's walking around with a perfect body without 147 00:07:04,302 --> 00:07:05,370 Ozempic. 148 00:07:07,630 --> 00:07:08,890 Can you imagine? 149 00:07:09,790 --> 00:07:10,198 No. 150 00:07:10,254 --> 00:07:12,966 Ozempic doesn't go to the gym. 151 00:07:13,158 --> 00:07:16,010 And then God says, I want you to name creation. 152 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:17,776 So we're going to be in this together. 153 00:07:17,848 --> 00:07:20,112 Adam, I'm leaving a little something for you to do. 154 00:07:20,216 --> 00:07:21,808 Dress and keep this garden. 155 00:07:21,904 --> 00:07:27,152 Matter of fact, you can eat all of the fruit of this garden without 156 00:07:27,256 --> 00:07:29,168 having to till it or work it. 157 00:07:29,304 --> 00:07:33,700 But the only thing I ask of you is, don't eat of this one tree. 158 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:39,104 So being a human being, Adam and Eve want the one thing they don't 159 00:07:39,152 --> 00:07:39,744 have. 160 00:07:39,912 --> 00:07:41,180 Isn't that like us? 161 00:07:41,890 --> 00:07:47,270 And so the human condition is always wanting what you don't have. 162 00:07:47,810 --> 00:07:49,466 And it's funny because. 163 00:07:49,618 --> 00:07:52,390 Can I just speak to my single people right now? 164 00:07:52,770 --> 00:07:56,682 I know you're lonely, but when you get married, you're gonna want 165 00:07:56,706 --> 00:07:57,630 to be alone. 166 00:08:00,210 --> 00:08:04,030 I know you don't believe me because you cry yourself to sleep 167 00:08:05,010 --> 00:08:08,522 and you go like this and you reach out on your king size bed all 168 00:08:08,546 --> 00:08:11,706 alone, and you say, oh, God, I've anointed that pillow. 169 00:08:11,818 --> 00:08:12,950 When's he coming? 170 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,888 But you're going to get married, and you're going to reach 171 00:08:15,944 --> 00:08:18,592 your hand out again and say, oh, he fell asleep on the couch. 172 00:08:18,656 --> 00:08:19,620 Praise God. 173 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:21,824 Come on. 174 00:08:21,832 --> 00:08:23,088 The married people know. 175 00:08:23,224 --> 00:08:24,736 Some of you like, I just want a baby. 176 00:08:24,768 --> 00:08:26,784 I want to be a dad so bad. 177 00:08:26,952 --> 00:08:30,192 And then that baby's crying, and then they have the blowouts in 178 00:08:30,216 --> 00:08:33,420 the diaper that goes all the way up their back and around. 179 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,488 And you're like, how is this. 180 00:08:35,544 --> 00:08:38,300 It defies science, what they did. 181 00:08:41,010 --> 00:08:43,370 And now you're like, did I really want this? 182 00:08:43,490 --> 00:08:46,634 But that's human nature, is God says, don't. 183 00:08:46,762 --> 00:08:49,178 God says, don't partake of that tree. 184 00:08:49,274 --> 00:08:51,990 Then that becomes the one that they want the most. 185 00:08:52,450 --> 00:08:56,202 There's something about that human condition. 186 00:08:56,346 --> 00:08:57,162 But here's the thing. 187 00:08:57,186 --> 00:09:00,842 For those of you who are saying, I would never do what Eve 188 00:09:00,906 --> 00:09:05,304 did because I don't like menstruation, cramps, labor, pain. 189 00:09:05,432 --> 00:09:08,088 For the men who are like, I would have never done what Adam did 190 00:09:08,144 --> 00:09:10,552 because I hate having to get up and go to work every day. 191 00:09:10,656 --> 00:09:13,740 I hate to break it to you, Homie, you are Adam. 192 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,296 You are Eve, because this is the human condition. 193 00:09:18,488 --> 00:09:21,560 And so Romans, chapter 5, verse 12 says that. 194 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,192 Now, if you skip down to Romans, chapter 5, verse 18, this 195 00:09:25,216 --> 00:09:25,848 is what it says. 196 00:09:25,904 --> 00:09:30,720 Therefore, if one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one 197 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:36,860 act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 198 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,768 For as by the one man's disobedience, the many were made 199 00:09:40,824 --> 00:09:41,600 sinners. 200 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,380 So by the one man's obedience, the many will be made righteous. 201 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,064 So now let me take you back to the Christian narrative, the story 202 00:09:50,152 --> 00:09:53,420 of the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. 203 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,276 He comes into the earth as the second Adam. 204 00:09:57,408 --> 00:09:58,740 Can y'all just say that with me? 205 00:09:58,780 --> 00:10:00,040 The second Adam. 206 00:10:00,460 --> 00:10:04,388 So the first Adam sins, then. 207 00:10:04,444 --> 00:10:08,916 Now we have the second Adam entering into the earth. 208 00:10:09,108 --> 00:10:13,412 And his perfect obedience and his sacrifice on the cross made a 209 00:10:13,436 --> 00:10:17,140 way for humanity to be reconciled to God. 210 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:20,200 Now, can I take you back even further for a moment? 211 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:24,532 Because let me help you understand the historic context. 212 00:10:24,596 --> 00:10:29,806 Around the time when Jesus was entering the earth, Israel as a people 213 00:10:29,878 --> 00:10:31,902 had what was called the Mosaic Law. 214 00:10:32,006 --> 00:10:35,566 And the Mosaic law was given to Moses and then given to Aaron 215 00:10:35,598 --> 00:10:36,462 and his sons. 216 00:10:36,526 --> 00:10:39,102 How many of you remember when we went through the entire book of 217 00:10:39,126 --> 00:10:40,590 Leviticus together this year? 218 00:10:40,630 --> 00:10:41,694 Wasn't that fun? 219 00:10:41,862 --> 00:10:44,574 Probably I was the first pastor that ever attempted to teach 220 00:10:44,622 --> 00:10:48,814 an entire six or seven location church the book of Leviticus. 221 00:10:48,862 --> 00:10:51,614 Because we often ask ourselves, well, what do These rules 222 00:10:51,662 --> 00:10:53,598 and regulations have to do with us. 223 00:10:53,654 --> 00:10:55,262 What about the feasts and festivals? 224 00:10:55,326 --> 00:10:57,982 By the way, that last sermon about the feasts and festivals was 225 00:10:58,006 --> 00:11:00,074 one of of my favorite sermons all year. 226 00:11:00,162 --> 00:11:03,306 Do you remember some of these sermons just taking you on a journey 227 00:11:03,338 --> 00:11:03,914 back. 228 00:11:04,082 --> 00:11:08,042 So let me explain to you the purpose of God giving the law to 229 00:11:08,066 --> 00:11:09,306 the children of Israel. 230 00:11:09,418 --> 00:11:13,114 Because a lot of Christians will say, well, Christ came to abolish 231 00:11:13,162 --> 00:11:15,242 the law, but that is not true. 232 00:11:15,306 --> 00:11:17,306 He actually came to fulfill it. 233 00:11:17,458 --> 00:11:21,818 Because the law, in fact, revealed to us the heart of the Father. 234 00:11:21,914 --> 00:11:24,922 It revealed to us how we ought to be. 235 00:11:25,026 --> 00:11:27,896 It revealed to us how we ought to live our life. 236 00:11:28,058 --> 00:11:31,996 But let me just tell you, the unintended consequence of the law 237 00:11:32,148 --> 00:11:36,796 was that in it, revealing the holiness of God, it actually revealed 238 00:11:36,828 --> 00:11:38,360 how unholy we are. 239 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:40,680 Let me just tell you another way. 240 00:11:41,300 --> 00:11:44,684 Driving down the street, you have signs that tell you the speed 241 00:11:44,732 --> 00:11:45,084 limit. 242 00:11:45,132 --> 00:11:49,840 All that does is reveal to me my inability to go under that limit. 243 00:11:50,740 --> 00:11:53,604 Am I the only one you know? 244 00:11:53,732 --> 00:11:56,724 And so speed limit for me is just. 245 00:11:56,812 --> 00:12:01,000 Those signs are a recognition of how much I need to work on myself. 246 00:12:01,420 --> 00:12:04,436 And sometimes, and I shouldn't say this because we have law enforcement 247 00:12:04,468 --> 00:12:08,212 who attend our church, but sometimes my wife says, you better 248 00:12:08,236 --> 00:12:08,612 slow down. 249 00:12:08,636 --> 00:12:09,316 You're going to get a ticket. 250 00:12:09,348 --> 00:12:10,388 I'm like, I'll pay the ticket. 251 00:12:10,404 --> 00:12:11,760 I got to get to this place. 252 00:12:12,380 --> 00:12:16,040 And that spirit of rebellion starts manifesting. 253 00:12:19,190 --> 00:12:20,398 But I it. 254 00:12:20,454 --> 00:12:21,518 Well, let me give you another. 255 00:12:21,654 --> 00:12:25,086 So in my bathroom is a scale. 256 00:12:25,278 --> 00:12:30,250 And that number is a reminder of who I am not. 257 00:12:31,030 --> 00:12:34,462 And when I step on that scale and I do all the things, I do it 258 00:12:34,486 --> 00:12:37,614 first thing in the morning, I do it after a number two. 259 00:12:37,702 --> 00:12:42,462 I do whatever I can to bias that number, to try to convince I 260 00:12:42,486 --> 00:12:43,630 know I'm not the only one. 261 00:12:43,670 --> 00:12:44,830 And I'm saying it. 262 00:12:44,950 --> 00:12:46,730 Cause you can't say it. 263 00:12:47,350 --> 00:12:51,070 That scale, when that number comes up, it reminds me of who I 264 00:12:51,110 --> 00:12:54,370 used to be, and I am no longer. 265 00:12:55,670 --> 00:12:59,534 And so sometimes that scale becomes a voice of condemnation. 266 00:12:59,662 --> 00:13:02,850 Can you imagine a scale with a speaker? 267 00:13:03,910 --> 00:13:06,210 What are you doing to yourself, fool? 268 00:13:09,110 --> 00:13:09,630 And so. 269 00:13:09,670 --> 00:13:10,302 But that scale. 270 00:13:10,366 --> 00:13:14,248 So the thing is, the scale is more than a measurement of what is. 271 00:13:14,414 --> 00:13:16,880 It's also a measurement of what you're not. 272 00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:20,884 So the law, this is what happened under the Mosaic law. 273 00:13:21,052 --> 00:13:26,084 The law revealed the heart of the Father, but the unintended consequence 274 00:13:26,132 --> 00:13:31,284 was us realizing our inability to become that thing. 275 00:13:31,452 --> 00:13:34,500 So when you're living under the law, there's two ends of the 276 00:13:34,540 --> 00:13:35,092 spectrum. 277 00:13:35,156 --> 00:13:35,812 Is that all right? 278 00:13:35,836 --> 00:13:37,124 If I teach to You. 279 00:13:37,292 --> 00:13:38,484 Because I know y'all are quiet. 280 00:13:38,532 --> 00:13:40,554 That's usually an indicator you're learning, but. 281 00:13:40,692 --> 00:13:45,134 So the law of Moses, basically, they were living under 282 00:13:45,222 --> 00:13:48,670 hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of daily laws that were 283 00:13:48,710 --> 00:13:50,798 intimately connected to everything that they did. 284 00:13:50,854 --> 00:13:54,330 It created two ends of the spectrum, and we've all been both. 285 00:13:54,630 --> 00:13:58,330 One end of the spectrum is the person living under the law says, 286 00:13:58,630 --> 00:14:04,010 I'm so inadequate to actually be good, I'm just gonna stop trying. 287 00:14:04,950 --> 00:14:09,070 So for me, sometimes I look at the scale and I say, I'm so far away 288 00:14:09,110 --> 00:14:12,466 from my target weight, I'm eating the whole pumpkin P. 289 00:14:12,598 --> 00:14:13,930 I'm eating the whole thing. 290 00:14:13,970 --> 00:14:17,162 Yeah, get me a number one and a number three and a McFlurry and 291 00:14:17,186 --> 00:14:18,410 add extra Oreo. 292 00:14:18,490 --> 00:14:19,450 Cause I'm already done. 293 00:14:19,490 --> 00:14:20,266 Gone too far. 294 00:14:20,338 --> 00:14:21,990 I might as well go all the way. 295 00:14:22,770 --> 00:14:29,738 Okay, I rebuke that somebody here in Brooklyn. 296 00:14:29,834 --> 00:14:31,590 Turn those crowd mics down. 297 00:14:31,970 --> 00:14:33,322 Turn those crowd mics down. 298 00:14:33,346 --> 00:14:36,590 For the rest of the campuses, somebody just yelled gluttony. 299 00:14:37,820 --> 00:14:41,444 Come on, we're all getting free now. 300 00:14:41,452 --> 00:14:42,920 I'm doing an illustration. 301 00:14:44,060 --> 00:14:47,460 So the point is the law can actually. 302 00:14:47,580 --> 00:14:49,044 Instead of creating. 303 00:14:49,172 --> 00:14:52,724 Instead of the law creating obedience, it could actually create 304 00:14:52,812 --> 00:14:56,932 rebellion within the heart of the person who feels like it's impossible 305 00:14:56,996 --> 00:14:57,828 to fulfill. 306 00:14:57,924 --> 00:14:59,396 Does this make sense? 307 00:14:59,588 --> 00:15:03,680 So within the nation of Israel, you had all these people 308 00:15:04,130 --> 00:15:07,802 who were living under that system with a heart of rebellion 309 00:15:07,866 --> 00:15:11,834 saying, I know we're not supposed to lust, but I can't stop 310 00:15:11,922 --> 00:15:12,906 lusting. 311 00:15:13,098 --> 00:15:13,818 I can't. 312 00:15:13,914 --> 00:15:14,522 So you know what? 313 00:15:14,546 --> 00:15:17,482 I'm just either on one end of the spectrum, we're gonna hide it 314 00:15:17,506 --> 00:15:20,698 and act like we're not lusting, or on the other end, we're 315 00:15:20,714 --> 00:15:22,650 just gonna do it openly and say it is what it is. 316 00:15:22,690 --> 00:15:23,882 Yeah, whatever. 317 00:15:24,026 --> 00:15:25,594 So that's the effect. 318 00:15:25,682 --> 00:15:29,226 Now on the other end of the spectrum, under the law, you have 319 00:15:29,298 --> 00:15:34,170 people that produces self righteousness because they are able 320 00:15:34,210 --> 00:15:35,070 to fulf. 321 00:15:35,630 --> 00:15:37,334 So maybe their struggle's not lust. 322 00:15:37,382 --> 00:15:39,494 And they're like, look, I don't lust after any. 323 00:15:39,582 --> 00:15:41,490 Why can't you be like me? 324 00:15:41,790 --> 00:15:43,590 That's self righteousness. 325 00:15:43,670 --> 00:15:44,890 Does this make sense? 326 00:15:45,950 --> 00:15:47,930 But both of these are wrong. 327 00:15:48,350 --> 00:15:53,014 Because just because you're able to abide by some rules doesn't 328 00:15:53,062 --> 00:15:56,214 mean that you're able to abide by all of the law. 329 00:15:56,382 --> 00:15:58,182 So that just means that you're better. 330 00:15:58,286 --> 00:16:01,558 You're not better than them, you're just better than them in some 331 00:16:01,614 --> 00:16:02,326 ways. 332 00:16:02,518 --> 00:16:05,050 In other words, you sin differently. 333 00:16:05,630 --> 00:16:08,726 So self righteous people just sin differently. 334 00:16:08,838 --> 00:16:10,342 Oh, those homosexuals. 335 00:16:10,406 --> 00:16:13,894 Well, you got heterosexual sin that you're hiding. 336 00:16:14,022 --> 00:16:14,950 So let's just. 337 00:16:14,990 --> 00:16:16,454 Let's bring it all out. 338 00:16:16,622 --> 00:16:17,750 Let's bring it all out. 339 00:16:17,790 --> 00:16:19,370 You sin differently. 340 00:16:20,030 --> 00:16:21,570 Oh, come on now. 341 00:16:22,030 --> 00:16:23,398 So this is, this is. 342 00:16:23,454 --> 00:16:23,622 But. 343 00:16:23,646 --> 00:16:24,134 So there's. 344 00:16:24,182 --> 00:16:28,022 But I want you to understand the tension historically. 345 00:16:28,166 --> 00:16:32,774 So the tension was the nation of Israel was under the Mosaic law 346 00:16:32,862 --> 00:16:34,642 and this is what society was like. 347 00:16:34,666 --> 00:16:38,706 You had self righteous people and you had self deprecating people. 348 00:16:38,858 --> 00:16:41,730 You had people who had given up on themselves and you had people 349 00:16:41,770 --> 00:16:43,106 that were pointing their finger. 350 00:16:43,218 --> 00:16:46,610 And matter of fact, oftentimes when religious people point their 351 00:16:46,650 --> 00:16:49,990 finger, it's a diversion so you don't notice their own sin. 352 00:16:51,930 --> 00:16:54,470 All the visitors are like, I like this guy. 353 00:16:55,370 --> 00:16:56,658 Okay, I'm coming for you. 354 00:16:56,714 --> 00:16:57,590 Just chill. 355 00:16:58,010 --> 00:16:59,106 But here's my point. 356 00:16:59,178 --> 00:17:02,452 Saying that that was one layer of it right now. 357 00:17:02,476 --> 00:17:04,052 There was another layer. 358 00:17:04,196 --> 00:17:09,156 The other layer was it had been a while since Israel had experienced 359 00:17:09,188 --> 00:17:10,440 the supernatural. 360 00:17:10,940 --> 00:17:13,000 So they only had stories. 361 00:17:13,340 --> 00:17:16,628 There was the story of how they were led by a pillar of fire 362 00:17:16,684 --> 00:17:18,500 by night and a cloud by day. 363 00:17:18,620 --> 00:17:21,828 It was a story about how he parked the Red Sea. 364 00:17:21,924 --> 00:17:25,572 It was a story about how they killed giants to get into Canaan. 365 00:17:25,636 --> 00:17:26,845 It was a story. 366 00:17:27,027 --> 00:17:28,505 It was a story of what happened. 367 00:17:28,537 --> 00:17:30,169 But they didn't have no new stories. 368 00:17:30,329 --> 00:17:33,609 By the time we pick up in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, there 369 00:17:33,649 --> 00:17:38,441 had been this gap between what God had done and what God was going 370 00:17:38,465 --> 00:17:38,905 to do. 371 00:17:38,977 --> 00:17:41,989 And let me just tell you, many of you listening to me right now, 372 00:17:42,929 --> 00:17:45,709 you don't have any new stories of the miraculous. 373 00:17:46,929 --> 00:17:49,149 You're living off of old stories. 374 00:17:49,569 --> 00:17:51,257 You're living off of what God. 375 00:17:51,353 --> 00:17:53,513 Some of you don't even know Jesus for yourself. 376 00:17:53,561 --> 00:17:57,200 You're living off of your mom's story, you're living off your 377 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:58,560 grandma's stories. 378 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,312 Some of you, this is gonna be your first Christmas without your 379 00:18:01,336 --> 00:18:01,792 grandma. 380 00:18:01,856 --> 00:18:04,960 But you need to grab that baton and you need to become the 381 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,960 intercessor and the prayer warrior. 382 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,392 Some of you, this is gonna be your first Christmas without your 383 00:18:09,416 --> 00:18:09,648 mom. 384 00:18:09,704 --> 00:18:11,152 You need to be the prayer warrior. 385 00:18:11,216 --> 00:18:13,216 Who's gonna take that baton? 386 00:18:13,408 --> 00:18:15,584 Because we're generationally. 387 00:18:15,632 --> 00:18:18,820 Israel was living on old stories. 388 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:22,224 They were living under the law of Moses. 389 00:18:22,272 --> 00:18:26,140 And you had self righteous people, you had people that were 390 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:27,780 self deprecating, giving up. 391 00:18:27,820 --> 00:18:29,204 And then this is what happens. 392 00:18:29,252 --> 00:18:34,920 All of a sudden, Jesus is conceived in a virgin named Mary. 393 00:18:35,580 --> 00:18:37,364 Jesus was conceived. 394 00:18:37,492 --> 00:18:39,268 And you know what this represented? 395 00:18:39,364 --> 00:18:43,972 The first Adam fell, but the second Adam is not going to fail. 396 00:18:44,156 --> 00:18:45,732 It was the redo. 397 00:18:45,876 --> 00:18:46,596 It was the. 398 00:18:46,668 --> 00:18:49,480 He's the God of second chances. 399 00:18:50,140 --> 00:18:54,820 So I came here to tell you that God has a second chance for 400 00:18:54,860 --> 00:18:55,204 you. 401 00:18:55,292 --> 00:18:58,592 You may have messed up, you may away. 402 00:18:58,696 --> 00:19:00,064 You may have walked away. 403 00:19:00,152 --> 00:19:04,336 You may have retreated into condemnation and guilt and shame. 404 00:19:04,448 --> 00:19:07,792 You may have retreated into self righteousness, being mad at 405 00:19:07,816 --> 00:19:10,704 the world, but he's the God of second chances. 406 00:19:10,832 --> 00:19:13,872 And he has got a second chance for your marriage. 407 00:19:14,016 --> 00:19:16,672 Some of you gave up on your marriage, but he didn't give up on 408 00:19:16,696 --> 00:19:17,328 your marriage. 409 00:19:17,424 --> 00:19:19,344 He's the God of second chances. 410 00:19:19,472 --> 00:19:21,712 When Jesus showed up through Mary, it. 411 00:19:21,736 --> 00:19:23,760 Was God's way of saying, I've got. 412 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,552 A plan that I've been working out through the lineage of Abraham, 413 00:19:27,696 --> 00:19:30,020 Isaac, Jacob, all the way to. 414 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,316 And then from King David, I've got in the line of David, a man named 415 00:19:34,348 --> 00:19:34,988 Joseph. 416 00:19:35,084 --> 00:19:37,452 And Joseph is betrothed to Mary. 417 00:19:37,516 --> 00:19:39,676 And Mary will conceive Jesus. 418 00:19:39,788 --> 00:19:44,540 He had a plan, and God's got a plan for you. 419 00:19:44,580 --> 00:19:46,412 He's the God of second chances. 420 00:19:46,476 --> 00:19:48,396 And you know what some of y'all need to hear? 421 00:19:48,468 --> 00:19:52,732 He's the God of third chances and the God of fourth chances and 422 00:19:52,756 --> 00:19:56,936 the God of fifth chances and the God of six chances and the God 423 00:19:56,968 --> 00:19:58,136 of seven chances. 424 00:19:58,248 --> 00:20:02,200 And if you can hear my voice on this side of eternity, you are 425 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,140 not dead because you ain't done. 426 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,660 He's still got a plan for you. 427 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,024 Oh, you're just preaching. 428 00:20:12,072 --> 00:20:12,904 Encouraging. 429 00:20:13,032 --> 00:20:17,832 I open up the 66 canonized books of the Protestant Bible and 430 00:20:17,856 --> 00:20:19,960 I can't find discouragement. 431 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,264 I find his everlasting love. 432 00:20:22,352 --> 00:20:25,352 I find his faithfulness chasing me down. 433 00:20:25,456 --> 00:20:28,404 I see him wooing and bringing me back to him. 434 00:20:28,492 --> 00:20:30,040 I can't listen. 435 00:20:30,940 --> 00:20:32,720 This message is for you. 436 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:35,236 He's the God of second chances. 437 00:20:35,428 --> 00:20:39,812 Lamentations, chapter three, verse 22 and 23, says, the steadfast 438 00:20:39,876 --> 00:20:42,308 love of the Lord never ceases. 439 00:20:42,484 --> 00:20:45,204 His mercies never come to an end. 440 00:20:45,292 --> 00:20:47,252 They are new every morning. 441 00:20:47,356 --> 00:20:50,852 Great is your faithfulness, God, when I. 442 00:20:50,876 --> 00:20:54,212 Was faithless, you were faithful, God, when. 443 00:20:54,236 --> 00:20:57,092 I turned my back, you came running for me. 444 00:20:57,196 --> 00:21:00,420 God, I thank you that you're the God of the second chances. 445 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:05,824 Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17 says, Therefore if anyone 446 00:21:05,872 --> 00:21:09,456 is in Christ, he is a new creation. 447 00:21:09,568 --> 00:21:14,620 The old has passed away, and behold, the new has come. 448 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:16,656 It's time. 449 00:21:16,728 --> 00:21:18,864 It's time for you to step up into the new. 450 00:21:19,032 --> 00:21:21,152 It's time for you to step up into the new. 451 00:21:21,256 --> 00:21:25,458 This guy George Bailey, you know, he wanted his old life back. 452 00:21:25,584 --> 00:21:29,838 He got to a moment in just total frustration in the movie where 453 00:21:29,894 --> 00:21:32,302 all of a sudden he just decides, you know what? 454 00:21:32,486 --> 00:21:33,518 Life is so unfair. 455 00:21:33,534 --> 00:21:37,630 I'm just gonna kill myself Can I just tell you that I used to sabotage 456 00:21:37,710 --> 00:21:39,246 many Christmas seasons? 457 00:21:39,358 --> 00:21:42,894 Because sometimes what'll happen is when you're raised in trauma 458 00:21:42,942 --> 00:21:47,582 and dysfunction, you will unintentionally recreate traumatic 459 00:21:47,646 --> 00:21:51,182 environments because you're more comfortable in trauma than you 460 00:21:51,206 --> 00:21:52,290 are in triumph. 461 00:21:52,980 --> 00:21:54,172 You're more comfortable. 462 00:21:54,236 --> 00:21:57,116 Like sometimes when there isn't a problem, you'll make a problem. 463 00:21:57,188 --> 00:22:01,020 Because problem is a problem environment is more familiar than 464 00:22:01,060 --> 00:22:02,188 one without them. 465 00:22:02,324 --> 00:22:04,252 Oh, I know I'm talking to somebody. 466 00:22:04,396 --> 00:22:05,900 I know I'm talking to somebody. 467 00:22:05,980 --> 00:22:06,748 And I told. 468 00:22:06,804 --> 00:22:09,964 I told my wife yesterday, I said, I went from the Grinch to Santa 469 00:22:10,012 --> 00:22:12,160 in one generation, praise God. 470 00:22:12,820 --> 00:22:14,604 Now I'm the one giving presents. 471 00:22:14,652 --> 00:22:16,252 Now I'm the one making the memories. 472 00:22:16,316 --> 00:22:18,148 Now I'm the one facilitating it. 473 00:22:18,244 --> 00:22:20,308 But I used to be the one destroying it. 474 00:22:20,444 --> 00:22:22,240 He makes all things new. 475 00:22:22,700 --> 00:22:25,012 I said, he makes all things new. 476 00:22:25,196 --> 00:22:29,828 This is what the Lord's trying to get to some of you for this Christmas. 477 00:22:30,004 --> 00:22:34,148 And so this guy, George Bailey, he's like, life is so unfair. 478 00:22:34,244 --> 00:22:37,444 And he starts to self sabotage, and he walks out to the 479 00:22:37,452 --> 00:22:39,396 edge of this bridge and he's gonna end his life. 480 00:22:39,468 --> 00:22:42,356 And then this angel in the movie divinely shows up. 481 00:22:42,428 --> 00:22:45,940 And the angel begins to take him through his life and show him 482 00:22:45,980 --> 00:22:48,760 what life would been like if he was never born. 483 00:22:49,260 --> 00:22:53,140 And he shows him the man that would have died because George had 484 00:22:53,180 --> 00:22:54,484 saved his life. 485 00:22:54,652 --> 00:22:56,628 It shows him the community. 486 00:22:56,764 --> 00:23:00,052 The angel shows him the community where everybody lives and 487 00:23:00,076 --> 00:23:03,620 they're all in poverty because George had used the finances to help 488 00:23:03,660 --> 00:23:04,436 them buy houses. 489 00:23:04,468 --> 00:23:07,956 But without him there, nobody buys houses and they're in poverty. 490 00:23:07,988 --> 00:23:11,300 And the angel begins to show him, like, I know you don't feel 491 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:15,028 like your life has significance, but if you remove yourself, 492 00:23:15,124 --> 00:23:18,060 look at all these people that benefit benefited from you. 493 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:21,408 And so I want to tell some of you right now, you're so obsessed 494 00:23:21,424 --> 00:23:23,620 with the idea of more purpose. 495 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:28,480 What if I just told you that if God could take a moment and show 496 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:33,888 you your life or show you life without your life and all the things 497 00:23:33,944 --> 00:23:37,648 you've already done, you would feel his hand of approval on you 498 00:23:37,704 --> 00:23:39,260 saying, well done. 499 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,420 Yeah, there's more to do. 500 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,420 But you've done a lot. 501 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:47,220 And I want every single one of you across all seven locations right 502 00:23:47,260 --> 00:23:50,916 now to pause for a moment and acknowledge the fact that you've 503 00:23:50,948 --> 00:23:52,372 helped many people. 504 00:23:52,556 --> 00:23:56,116 You've encouraged people when you needed encouragement, you've 505 00:23:56,148 --> 00:23:58,452 lifted them up when you needed to be lifted up. 506 00:23:58,556 --> 00:24:01,556 You've given people money when you needed more money. 507 00:24:01,708 --> 00:24:05,040 And the hand of the Father is upon you to say, well done. 508 00:24:05,420 --> 00:24:09,860 When the angel came to Mary and said, mary, you have found favor. 509 00:24:09,940 --> 00:24:12,932 The Bible says she was troubled by this statement and had 510 00:24:12,956 --> 00:24:14,308 to discern what it meant. 511 00:24:14,404 --> 00:24:14,660 Why? 512 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:18,628 Because she didn't feel favored Sometimes, like Mary, we've 513 00:24:18,644 --> 00:24:21,380 got this purity of heart before the Lord, and we're doing 514 00:24:21,420 --> 00:24:22,004 our best. 515 00:24:22,092 --> 00:24:24,196 And the Lord says, you're favored, and you're like, I don't 516 00:24:24,228 --> 00:24:25,240 feel favored. 517 00:24:25,740 --> 00:24:29,220 I'm troubled by even the thought of that, because for some 518 00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:32,532 reason, we can't see our life the way that God wants us to see 519 00:24:32,556 --> 00:24:33,140 our life. 520 00:24:33,260 --> 00:24:36,308 And when George Bailey was going through that whole episode, 521 00:24:36,404 --> 00:24:39,892 and they were, and God, or the angel, rather, was showing him how 522 00:24:39,916 --> 00:24:43,582 many people he helped, he just said this famous line, and he just 523 00:24:43,606 --> 00:24:46,650 yelled it out, please, God, let me live again. 524 00:24:47,110 --> 00:24:49,290 Please, God, let me live again. 525 00:24:49,830 --> 00:24:50,430 Come on. 526 00:24:50,470 --> 00:24:53,646 Everybody over 40 years old who's waking up with mysterious aches 527 00:24:53,678 --> 00:24:56,430 and pains that your doctor says is not a problem is saying, 528 00:24:56,470 --> 00:24:58,170 please, God, let me live again. 529 00:24:59,910 --> 00:25:02,610 Because there's something about getting distance. 530 00:25:03,830 --> 00:25:07,534 It gives you a new perspective to begin to look and say, man, I 531 00:25:07,542 --> 00:25:08,890 don't think it was that bad. 532 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,632 And so what God wants to do in this moment right now, because I 533 00:25:13,656 --> 00:25:16,432 hear the cries of our generation saying, please, God, let 534 00:25:16,456 --> 00:25:17,580 me live again. 535 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,620 Am I the only one that feels like something changed? 536 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:23,952 20, 20 onward. 537 00:25:24,096 --> 00:25:26,560 That time started to accelerate. 538 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,136 Did you feel it in your physical body? 539 00:25:29,288 --> 00:25:31,168 You just feel the passivity. 540 00:25:31,264 --> 00:25:33,840 You feel the lethargy, you feel the tiredness. 541 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,484 It's almost like something was unleashed in the earth. 542 00:25:36,592 --> 00:25:39,532 And I'll be honest with you, there's many days I wake up, I look 543 00:25:39,556 --> 00:25:42,572 at the news, and I'm like, what seal is being opened in the 544 00:25:42,596 --> 00:25:44,520 Book of Revelation this week? 545 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:47,340 And many people would say, mike, leave New York City. 546 00:25:47,380 --> 00:25:50,140 And I would tell them, no, the safest place to be is in the will 547 00:25:50,180 --> 00:25:50,960 of God. 548 00:25:51,460 --> 00:25:55,320 If God called you to it, you stand resolute there. 549 00:25:56,580 --> 00:25:57,100 And so. 550 00:25:57,140 --> 00:25:59,996 But my point in even saying that, something shifted. 551 00:26:00,188 --> 00:26:03,560 Have you ever, just some of you, as parents, you're like, man, 552 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,816 I just don't feel like I have the energy to be the kind of parent 553 00:26:06,848 --> 00:26:07,840 that I want to be. 554 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,176 I'm not making the memories that I need to make. 555 00:26:10,248 --> 00:26:12,368 And condemnation, that scale. 556 00:26:12,464 --> 00:26:15,024 You begin to step on that scale, and you measure yourself, 557 00:26:15,072 --> 00:26:17,180 and you feel like, I'm not measuring up. 558 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:20,800 This is who I'm speaking to. 559 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,272 Because I hear the cry of a generation saying, please, God, let 560 00:26:24,296 --> 00:26:25,500 me live again. 561 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:31,376 Some of you remember life before anxiety attack, panic attacks. 562 00:26:31,568 --> 00:26:36,624 Some of you remember life Before Lyme's disease, you remember 563 00:26:36,672 --> 00:26:41,200 life before lupus, you remember life before cancer, you 564 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:43,168 remember life before the divorce. 565 00:26:43,264 --> 00:26:45,536 And you're saying, please God, let me live again. 566 00:26:45,608 --> 00:26:48,720 I hear the cry of a generation, please God, let me live 567 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:48,960 again. 568 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,720 There's many of you wishing so badly you could go back to the time 569 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:56,474 before the phone addiction, before you burned out your brain 570 00:26:56,522 --> 00:26:59,034 with drugs, before you did what you did to your body. 571 00:26:59,122 --> 00:27:00,778 Please God, let me live again. 572 00:27:00,914 --> 00:27:02,810 And I've got good news for you. 573 00:27:02,930 --> 00:27:07,338 When Jesus was born of a virgin Mary, it was God screaming, 574 00:27:07,434 --> 00:27:10,314 I am giving you a chance to live again. 575 00:27:10,482 --> 00:27:13,754 I've made a way for you to be new again. 576 00:27:13,922 --> 00:27:16,538 And it's not dependent on your own effort. 577 00:27:16,634 --> 00:27:19,018 Because some of y'all never heard the gospel. 578 00:27:19,114 --> 00:27:21,816 The gospel message is, you will never. 579 00:27:21,888 --> 00:27:23,816 Be enough to be a good husband. 580 00:27:23,928 --> 00:27:26,120 You'll never be enough to be a good wife. 581 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,400 You're never going to get better on your own because your own 582 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:30,984 effort is futile. 583 00:27:31,112 --> 00:27:34,344 The gospel is, Jesus already did it. 584 00:27:34,432 --> 00:27:38,344 He already lived blameless, he already lived a perfect life. 585 00:27:38,432 --> 00:27:42,840 And you simply have to get to the end of yourself before you can. 586 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,540 Receive the true gospel. 587 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,788 Because I'm afraid that some of you are going to get your 365 588 00:27:48,844 --> 00:27:51,876 day devotional and you're going to read the Bible every single 589 00:27:51,908 --> 00:27:54,160 day next year and think you're a better person. 590 00:27:56,060 --> 00:27:59,332 I'm afraid that some of you are going to pray every day of 2025 591 00:27:59,436 --> 00:28:01,460 and you're going to think you're a better Christian because 592 00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:02,800 you prayed every day. 593 00:28:03,180 --> 00:28:10,420 The gospel is nothing you do makes you better because that will 594 00:28:10,460 --> 00:28:12,280 create self righteous Christians. 595 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,720 Or you're going to read your Bible for three months straight and 596 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:19,864 pray for three months straight and then all of a sudden you're going 597 00:28:19,872 --> 00:28:22,780 to fall off and then you're going to end up a condemned Christian. 598 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,720 Where am I trying to take you as we close? 599 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:34,520 Right here, right here, taking you to the feet of Jesus to say, 600 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:38,180 lord, not my will, but thy will be done. 601 00:28:38,810 --> 00:28:40,418 Lord, have your way. 602 00:28:40,474 --> 00:28:42,386 Teach me to be who you want me to be. 603 00:28:42,458 --> 00:28:45,874 And in that place of complete and total surrender, you will find 604 00:28:46,042 --> 00:28:47,630 that you can live again. 605 00:28:48,010 --> 00:28:50,470 Somebody say he's the God of second chances? 606 00:28:51,690 --> 00:28:52,690 Come on, say it again. 607 00:28:52,730 --> 00:28:54,230 He's the God of second chances. 608 00:28:55,370 --> 00:28:56,162 Come on. 609 00:28:56,266 --> 00:28:59,362 The world rejects and he restores. 610 00:28:59,506 --> 00:29:04,514 The world cancels and he recreates the world, pronounces death 611 00:29:04,602 --> 00:29:06,738 and he declares resurrection. 612 00:29:06,834 --> 00:29:08,562 The world says, you're done. 613 00:29:08,666 --> 00:29:11,858 And he says, no, no, no, you're just getting started. 614 00:29:11,994 --> 00:29:17,842 The world destroys and Jesus rebuilds The world defiles and Jesus 615 00:29:17,906 --> 00:29:23,490 purifies the world curses and Jesus blesses the world fears and 616 00:29:23,530 --> 00:29:28,674 Jesus encourages the world says no and Jesus is crying yes, 617 00:29:28,802 --> 00:29:35,430 the world and Jesus saves the world denies and he provides the 618 00:29:35,470 --> 00:29:40,582 world is blind and Jesus is sight the world is cold and Jesus 619 00:29:40,646 --> 00:29:46,838 is fire the world is lost and Jesus still finds the world is dark 620 00:29:46,934 --> 00:29:52,294 and Jesus is the light the world is hopeless and Jesus is joy 621 00:29:52,422 --> 00:29:57,720 the world is heavy and Jesus brings rest the world is broken and 622 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:03,160 Jesus brings healing the world is silent and Jesus speaks life the 623 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,880 world forgets but Jesus remembers the world despairs and 624 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:13,144 Jesus delivers the world is selfish but Jesus gives abundantly 625 00:30:13,272 --> 00:30:14,808 the world closes its. 626 00:30:14,864 --> 00:30:18,104 Doors and then Jesus opens the heavens. 627 00:30:18,232 --> 00:30:20,968 The world is chaos but Jesus is. 628 00:30:21,024 --> 00:30:27,210 Peace the world clings to the temporary But Jesus offers the eternal 629 00:30:27,870 --> 00:30:34,822 In a world full of fools we are fools for Jesus the world denies 630 00:30:34,886 --> 00:30:41,990 Jesus but we are the proof that not all deny I want you to close 631 00:30:42,030 --> 00:30:43,250 your eyes with me. 632 00:30:46,830 --> 00:30:49,010 Because Jesus is here right now. 633 00:30:50,300 --> 00:30:53,840 And many of you have been feeling his presence the whole time. 634 00:30:54,460 --> 00:30:59,000 And many of you are many, many years since your last miracle. 635 00:30:59,580 --> 00:31:01,880 But I hear the Lord saying, surprise. 636 00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:04,920 Here's your next miracle. 637 00:31:06,220 --> 00:31:08,560 See what he will do with your life. 638 00:31:09,340 --> 00:31:11,520 See what he will do with your life. 639 00:31:13,660 --> 00:31:15,000 You've been desperate. 640 00:31:16,550 --> 00:31:18,558 You thought about suicide this year. 641 00:31:18,614 --> 00:31:21,890 Some of you, you thought about quitting. 642 00:31:22,630 --> 00:31:24,330 You thought about giving up. 643 00:31:25,110 --> 00:31:27,530 You didn't know if your marriage would ever get better. 644 00:31:29,190 --> 00:31:37,214 But I hear the Lord saying, see what I will do with all the broken 645 00:31:37,262 --> 00:31:37,890 pieces. 646 00:31:38,630 --> 00:31:40,090 See what I will do. 647 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:42,460 I'm the God of second chances. 648 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:44,792 I feel it in my belly. 649 00:31:44,936 --> 00:31:46,940 I'm the God of second chances. 650 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:51,192 So here's what I wanna do. 651 00:31:51,216 --> 00:31:53,448 And this is why I'm having you close your eyes. 652 00:31:53,624 --> 00:31:57,416 Many of you are realizing in this service that you've never actually 653 00:31:57,488 --> 00:31:59,528 accepted the true gospel. 654 00:31:59,704 --> 00:32:02,568 You're still running on your own fumes. 655 00:32:02,744 --> 00:32:04,952 You're still trying to do this on your own. 656 00:32:05,056 --> 00:32:06,216 You're still trying to. 657 00:32:06,288 --> 00:32:08,240 You're still religion and tradition. 658 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:09,504 There's still rebellion. 659 00:32:09,552 --> 00:32:10,432 There's still something there. 660 00:32:10,456 --> 00:32:12,672 And it's like, man, you've never just fully surrendered and 661 00:32:12,696 --> 00:32:14,800 say, okay, Jesus, I give up. 662 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:16,000 I receive what you did. 663 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,168 Cause the gospel is, he died on the cross. 664 00:32:19,344 --> 00:32:23,020 The sinless, blameless sacrifice to trade. 665 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,568 So in other words, he took your place. 666 00:32:25,704 --> 00:32:27,300 Death, Hell on the grave. 667 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,820 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory. 668 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,580 And the wages of sin is death. 669 00:32:33,890 --> 00:32:36,090 But the gift of God is eternal life. 670 00:32:36,210 --> 00:32:37,770 But you have to receive it. 671 00:32:37,810 --> 00:32:39,018 You can't earn it. 672 00:32:39,154 --> 00:32:41,430 And Many of you have been trapped in this. 673 00:32:41,810 --> 00:32:43,350 I'm trying to earn it. 674 00:32:43,810 --> 00:32:46,590 Matter of fact, I sense a lot of self hatred. 675 00:32:47,730 --> 00:32:48,910 Self hatred. 676 00:32:49,250 --> 00:32:51,350 And the Lord wants to break that. 677 00:32:51,890 --> 00:32:54,590 It's gonna come right now through total surrender. 678 00:32:54,930 --> 00:32:57,706 So on the count of three, and I'm having you close your eyes. 679 00:32:57,738 --> 00:33:01,434 Cause the Bible says nobody builds a house without first calculating 680 00:33:01,482 --> 00:33:02,234 the cost. 681 00:33:02,402 --> 00:33:05,002 And I want you to really think about this decision you're going 682 00:33:05,026 --> 00:33:05,802 to make. 683 00:33:05,986 --> 00:33:10,442 But it's the decision to say, I fully accept Jesus. 684 00:33:10,506 --> 00:33:12,426 I fully accept the gospel. 685 00:33:12,538 --> 00:33:15,750 I fully accept what he did for me. 686 00:33:16,930 --> 00:33:21,258 And I'm gonna reject all the self righteousness, but I'm also 687 00:33:21,314 --> 00:33:24,670 gonna reject the self condemnation. 688 00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:28,414 And I'm gonna just lay down at his feet and say, okay, God, God, 689 00:33:28,542 --> 00:33:29,770 let me live again. 690 00:33:30,230 --> 00:33:32,382 Please, God, let me live again. 691 00:33:32,566 --> 00:33:33,310 I hear it. 692 00:33:33,350 --> 00:33:34,330 I hear it. 693 00:33:34,710 --> 00:33:38,410 And I believe that God is going to supernaturally empower you 694 00:33:39,350 --> 00:33:41,450 to be who he's shown you. 695 00:33:41,830 --> 00:33:43,930 And all the glory is going to go to him. 696 00:33:45,190 --> 00:33:47,694 When I count to three, I want you to just lift up your hand if 697 00:33:47,702 --> 00:33:48,238 that's you. 698 00:33:48,294 --> 00:33:49,210 Number one. 699 00:33:49,670 --> 00:33:52,010 You felt his presence this whole service. 700 00:33:52,630 --> 00:33:56,506 And now you know that, that it's time for a new beginning. 701 00:33:56,698 --> 00:33:57,430 2. 702 00:34:01,010 --> 00:34:04,234 God is beckoning you to step a little bit closer now. 703 00:34:04,402 --> 00:34:08,826 And I want you to discern in your heart, are you willing to fully 704 00:34:08,858 --> 00:34:13,550 give every secret, everything in hiding, everything in reservation? 705 00:34:14,210 --> 00:34:17,242 Because in a moment, when I say three, I want you to lift up 706 00:34:17,266 --> 00:34:20,826 your hand as a sign that you're fully surrendered in Jesus. 707 00:34:20,858 --> 00:34:22,150 I want to receive you. 708 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:28,160 But what this is gonna mean right now is you are gonna have to 709 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,240 stop being your own worst enemy. 710 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:35,840 You're gonna have to stop causing that trauma trigger to bring 711 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:41,232 you back to the place of sabotage and say, I'm gonna exchange 712 00:34:41,296 --> 00:34:42,980 sabotage for surrender. 713 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:44,912 I'm gonna receive Jesus. 714 00:34:44,976 --> 00:34:48,057 If that's you, just lift up your hand number three right now. 715 00:34:48,113 --> 00:34:48,377 3. 716 00:34:48,433 --> 00:34:49,737 Just lift your hand high. 717 00:34:49,873 --> 00:34:50,425 That's okay. 718 00:34:50,457 --> 00:34:51,369 Nobody's looking around. 719 00:34:51,409 --> 00:34:52,825 This is just between you and the Lord. 720 00:34:52,857 --> 00:34:54,345 Just lift up your hand high. 721 00:34:54,497 --> 00:34:56,377 Yeah, just keep it up for a moment. 722 00:34:56,473 --> 00:35:01,113 Cause when you lifted your hand, that was the most powerful 723 00:35:01,161 --> 00:35:01,897 thing you did. 724 00:35:01,953 --> 00:35:04,889 Because what you were saying was, jesus, I give up. 725 00:35:05,009 --> 00:35:06,441 Have your way, man. 726 00:35:06,465 --> 00:35:09,789 I'm watching fathers, I'm watching mothers. 727 00:35:10,209 --> 00:35:10,969 Yeah, come on. 728 00:35:11,009 --> 00:35:12,073 Just keep it up for a moment. 729 00:35:12,121 --> 00:35:15,049 Because somebody, even as you have your hand lifted up right now. 730 00:35:15,089 --> 00:35:16,207 Chains are falling. 731 00:35:16,353 --> 00:35:17,764 Chains are breaking. 732 00:35:17,892 --> 00:35:19,236 Chains are breaking. 733 00:35:19,348 --> 00:35:19,972 Oh, yes. 734 00:35:20,036 --> 00:35:20,612 Oh, yes. 735 00:35:20,676 --> 00:35:21,060 Come on. 736 00:35:21,100 --> 00:35:21,572 Bloodline. 737 00:35:21,636 --> 00:35:22,724 Curse breaker. 738 00:35:22,852 --> 00:35:23,988 Come on, son. 739 00:35:24,084 --> 00:35:25,124 Come on, daughter. 740 00:35:25,252 --> 00:35:26,400 Yeah, come on. 741 00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:28,400 Put your hand down. 742 00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:31,320 So take a Look at me for a moment. 743 00:35:31,660 --> 00:35:32,980 We're about to pray. 744 00:35:33,140 --> 00:35:35,652 I know there's a lot of tears here in Brooklyn, which I'm sure 745 00:35:35,676 --> 00:35:43,354 there's tears at their other locations in that movie, It's a Wonderful 746 00:35:43,402 --> 00:35:43,990 Life. 747 00:35:44,290 --> 00:35:47,790 Nothing changed in his life but his perspective. 748 00:35:48,290 --> 00:35:51,162 Because when that angel came, he showed him something. 749 00:35:51,346 --> 00:35:53,194 See, right now, the Holy Spirit. 750 00:35:53,322 --> 00:35:56,922 As the Holy Spirit's entering your life, you might not change your 751 00:35:56,946 --> 00:35:57,510 address. 752 00:35:57,970 --> 00:36:01,150 You might drive back to the same house, but everything changed. 753 00:36:02,130 --> 00:36:04,970 It's like, on the surface, people will be like, why are you. 754 00:36:05,010 --> 00:36:05,978 What's this joy? 755 00:36:06,074 --> 00:36:07,066 Oh, no, no. 756 00:36:07,218 --> 00:36:08,650 You still have the same bank account? 757 00:36:08,690 --> 00:36:10,484 No, no, I have Jesus. 758 00:36:10,612 --> 00:36:13,796 When Jesus entered my life, everything changed. 759 00:36:13,988 --> 00:36:17,300 And I just feel like many of you, as you're ending this year, 760 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:19,760 this was a year that almost ended you. 761 00:36:20,460 --> 00:36:22,160 You know what I'm talking about. 762 00:36:22,780 --> 00:36:25,332 As we end this year, this year almost ended you. 763 00:36:25,356 --> 00:36:26,276 There's many of you. 764 00:36:26,348 --> 00:36:29,476 And people don't know the silent struggle because you stayed 765 00:36:29,508 --> 00:36:31,140 strong for so many other people. 766 00:36:31,260 --> 00:36:32,676 But that don't listen. 767 00:36:32,708 --> 00:36:35,748 The people that attend this church are some of the hardest people 768 00:36:35,804 --> 00:36:40,620 to get the gospel to because you are so used to fighting for yourself. 769 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:45,192 And what happens in these moments when I had you lift your 770 00:36:45,216 --> 00:36:48,904 hand and many of you did, is what you were saying is, okay, God, 771 00:36:49,032 --> 00:36:50,460 I'm not the Savior. 772 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,620 And once you said that, he said, okay, now I can be the Savior. 773 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,880 Once you stop trying to be the Savior, I could be the Savior. 774 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,780 And those tears were the moment of freedom. 775 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:04,088 So now I want to ask that you would all just stand to your feet, 776 00:37:04,264 --> 00:37:07,290 because we're going to do this in the presence of the Lord. 777 00:37:12,430 --> 00:37:14,010 Such a sweet presence. 778 00:37:27,390 --> 00:37:28,934 You know, we joked about food. 779 00:37:29,022 --> 00:37:30,492 The problem isn't food. 780 00:37:30,646 --> 00:37:32,340 The problem's depression. 781 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:35,120 We talked about anxiety. 782 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:41,056 What's below anxiety lies deceptions of the enemy that he convinced 783 00:37:41,088 --> 00:37:43,536 us we're going to the root. 784 00:37:43,648 --> 00:37:44,720 And that's what this is. 785 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:45,520 2025. 786 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,080 I can't wait to see y'all, because we're gonna go to the root. 787 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,048 And let me just give you the good news. 788 00:37:50,184 --> 00:37:53,888 I believe that one year from now, from this very moment now, you're 789 00:37:53,904 --> 00:37:55,680 gonna be a better person than you are right now. 790 00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:59,312 But not because of how hard you tried, but because of how much 791 00:37:59,336 --> 00:38:00,580 you surrendered. 792 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,112 Because the Lord's going to do what you cannot do. 793 00:38:04,296 --> 00:38:06,256 And I just want to remind you of that. 794 00:38:06,328 --> 00:38:10,832 So right now, if you would be so bold in front of everybody now, 795 00:38:10,936 --> 00:38:13,740 if you raised your hand, would you just raise your hand again? 796 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:14,768 Come on. 797 00:38:14,824 --> 00:38:16,720 Praise God, then. 798 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:17,120 I just. 799 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:19,152 I feel something here in Brooklyn. 800 00:38:19,296 --> 00:38:19,760 I just. 801 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,496 I feel something so special that's happening right now. 802 00:38:22,568 --> 00:38:23,734 And you can look around. 803 00:38:23,872 --> 00:38:26,298 You could even look around, look at everybody else who's saying 804 00:38:26,354 --> 00:38:27,530 we're doing this thing. 805 00:38:27,650 --> 00:38:30,762 I'm giving my life to Jesus, the God of second chances. 806 00:38:30,906 --> 00:38:34,090 So across all seven locations, matter of fact, for those of you 807 00:38:34,130 --> 00:38:37,290 watching live online right now, I just want you to put in the 808 00:38:37,330 --> 00:38:39,754 chat right now, I want you to put a phrase. 809 00:38:39,882 --> 00:38:40,474 Get ready. 810 00:38:40,522 --> 00:38:41,066 Come on. 811 00:38:41,138 --> 00:38:43,626 I want you to get ready to type that phrase in. 812 00:38:43,698 --> 00:38:45,690 And I want you to put saved. 813 00:38:45,850 --> 00:38:47,834 S A V E, D. 814 00:38:47,922 --> 00:38:50,282 Put saved in the chat right now. 815 00:38:50,466 --> 00:38:52,752 And that's your way of representing your hand. 816 00:38:52,906 --> 00:38:54,676 Okay, Church, let's pray this together. 817 00:38:54,748 --> 00:38:55,684 Just borrow my words. 818 00:38:55,732 --> 00:39:02,676 Say, heavenly Father, I thank you for your son, Jesus, who lived 819 00:39:02,708 --> 00:39:10,920 a perfect life that I couldn't live and died as a perfect sacrifice 820 00:39:11,420 --> 00:39:12,932 I couldn't make. 821 00:39:13,116 --> 00:39:16,840 And I receive the washing of the blood. 822 00:39:17,420 --> 00:39:19,510 Regenerate my spirit. 823 00:39:20,090 --> 00:39:22,350 Renew a right spirit in me. 824 00:39:23,050 --> 00:39:24,590 Heal my mind. 825 00:39:25,050 --> 00:39:26,670 Restore my mind. 826 00:39:27,210 --> 00:39:32,630 Every thought that's not in alignment, Bring it into captivity. 827 00:39:32,970 --> 00:39:35,230 Bring every stronghold down. 828 00:39:35,930 --> 00:39:39,410 And how I exit this year is. 829 00:39:39,450 --> 00:39:41,150 How I enter the next. 830 00:39:41,450 --> 00:39:45,820 In whom the sun sets free is free indeed. 831 00:39:45,980 --> 00:39:52,160 And I declare I am a child of God, the God of second chances. 832 00:39:52,980 --> 00:39:54,480 We give you glory. 833 00:39:55,060 --> 00:39:59,040 We honor you, Jesus, in your name we pray. 834 00:39:59,380 --> 00:40:01,836 Come on, somebody celebrate. 835 00:40:02,028 --> 00:40:03,324 Come on, somebody. 836 00:40:03,372 --> 00:40:04,840 Put your hands together. 837 00:40:06,420 --> 00:40:07,484 Come on, y'all. 838 00:40:07,612 --> 00:40:09,200 Let's just celebrate. 839 00:40:09,630 --> 00:40:11,970 People got saved today. 840 00:40:12,990 --> 00:40:14,250 Hallelujah. 841 00:40:15,310 --> 00:40:16,570 Hallelujah. 842 00:40:17,390 --> 00:40:17,942 Come on. 843 00:40:17,966 --> 00:40:18,990 I'm celebrating with.