Services | For All the People

Bulletin

Hymn # 82 “Go Tell It on the Mountain”

SCRIPTURE READING – Matthew 28:16 - 20

Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate

Praise and Worship
“What a Glorius Night”
“Echo Holy”
“He Shall Reign forevermore”

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“For All the People”

“Jesus Saves”


Sermon Notes
Luke 2:4 – 20 Good news for everyone, a Savior has been born
Romans 1:16 &17 Salvation for everyone who believes
Romans 10:8 - 13 Whoever calls upon the Lord will be saved

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

In our culture today the concept of inclusivity is paramount in any situation and yet when it comes to Christianity many people think that Christianity is expensive. They would make a look at what the scriptures say what the Bible says, whether Christ and Christianity is inclusive or a truth. As we celebrate during this period of time what we call the Advent season. There are so many different messages that can come from this period of time and the scriptures give us lots of wonderful stories to take into account what God has done. How God can act even by sending a baby. I've decided to use this particular Advent story because while all of it is true and all of it has an impact on our lives I want us to see the meaning of more than just that day of his birth. If you have your Bibles and you should turn to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 4 and I'm sorry chapter 2 starting with verse 4. It says this.

Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and the family of David. In order to register along with Mary who was engaged to him and was with child. Now again the reason that they are going to Bethlehem is Caesar, Gussis required that there was going to be a census taken of all the people in our country we do it every 10 years because our Constitution says so Caesar, Gussis wanted to know how many people he was ruling over. So in order to complete the census you had to go to your family's origin and because both Joseph and Mary's family origin was from Judea, was from the house of David they were required to move to Bethlehem which was where David was born to register for that census. And Mary had already maintained it being pregnant and while they were there the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and she wrapped him in cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the end.

Now I'm going to take a quick aside. I don't know how many times I hear about Jesus being a person who is either a refugee or homeless. He wasn't, they were required to go not to where they lived but to where they were from and because there were so many people in this small town of Bethlehem there weren't places for them to get a hotel. All motel six were booked up so they were required to be in a stable to stay the night. And so we will later see that he goes, the family goes from there to a house. So Jesus isn't homeless. It was enough that the King of Kings and Lord of the Lord was born in a stable and they placed him in a feeding trough as a bed.

That's amazing enough but you don't need to have agendas. The King's is born and they wrap him in cloth and they put him in a feeding trough. In the same region there were some shepherd staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord shown around them and they were terribly frightened. So every single time an angel appears before people, whether it's at the announcement of Jesus's birth or the announcement that he's not in the tomb that he's raised from the dead, people are frightened. So for those of you who think that when you pass away and you go before God to tell him how you deserve to be in heaven, if people are scared to death of angels, what do you think your reaction is going to be to be face to face with the living God. And so they're frightened because of the glory shown around but they've come to give good news. They're not there to say this is not a good day for you.

They said this is a great day and so they're coming and they said but the angel said to them do not be afraid. For behold I bring to you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. Now I want to emphasize that it's for all the people and they're confirming that because they're going and announcing it to shepherds.

And so the angels are saying this person who has been born is for everyone. It doesn't matter your social economic background, you can be rich, you can be poor, you can be a king, you can be a shepherd. It doesn't matter the color of your skin, it doesn't matter your ethnicity. The angels say what happened tonight, what happened today is for everyone. Everyone is excluded. Everyone has been invited to come and see this Savior. And so we should have great joy. And it is funny and dirty this Advent time, you can tell those who are affected by the Christmas season and those who aren't.

Those who are believers tend to be joyful. Hopefully we're joyful 365 24 7 but when we're not at least during this time ago a Savior has been born with Christmas. The light has come into the world. There's no darkness and there should be this excitement and light. Whereas those were instead of you know at least we don't have to worry about ex-miss anymore. But instead of saying like Christmas tree lighting it's like tree lighting.

But even those people, even the people who wanted an eye Christ and Christmas are still invited. It's for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you. You shepherds and all the people, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

You see a lot of people who don't understand religions and especially don't understand Christianity. Talk about how all religions are the same. All religions are not the same. Those who follow Muhammad believe that the problem that we have is submission.

We need to submit to all of them. For those who believe in Buddhism or Hinduism, the problem is getting enlightened so that we might understand and be more intelligent and more understanding and we need enlightenment. Christianity says the problem is your sin and you need a Savior. You see all religions are not the same. Some attack other situations. Christianity says we need a Savior and God has taken care of that problem because in this day that we celebrate a Savior has been born and who isn't Christ the Messiah the Lord. So they might be assured that they're not just talking.

They said this will be assigned for you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger lying in a feeding trough. And suddenly they're appeared with the angels a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, God is in the highest on earth peace among men whom he is well pleased. God loves us so much that he sent his son as our Savior and he was pleased to do it. And you imagine that. I mean it's enough to say that God was willing to do so and that because of his love that he did so.

But he is pleased with us so much that he's sending his son to be our Savior for all the people. Jews, Greeks, Americans, Ukrainians, Russians, El Salvadorans, all the people. God is called that he might be their Savior. Now notice the angels tell them you're going to know who the Savior is.

You're going to know who Christ the Messiah is because we're telling you how to find him. And when you find a baby in a feeding trough wrapped in cloth, that's him. Which means they were invited to go see. Now it used to be many, many, many years ago that the only person initially present at the birth of a child was the mother, maybe a midwife or two. And then men just started to wait a minute.

We don't want to we don't want to be left out of the process. And so we started saying we want to be there at the birth of our children. And so after a period of time, men were allowed to go and one of the big reasons why they didn't want men to go. Because they said we don't want you passing out and we don't want to have an extra patient. And so they tried to keep it but we finally got to be in the delivery room. But usually it's just the parents. But after the delivery, sometimes many times the happy couple will call people usually their family who are close to them.

And so their grandmother's grandmother and grandmother both sides of the family and I got to usually go to the room where the couple and the baby were. And to be the first people to see the new child, their grandchild and get to hold him or her. I remember not like it was yesterday but it was like a few days ago that there was a birth of one of my grandsons on a Sunday. They were my daughter almost did make it to the hospital and time to give the delivery.

And they called us and we were able to go my wife and I to see him before church. And we had to come to church and whatever. But we were invited because they thought that much of us to allow us to be involved in the glory and the thrill of a new child being born in the family. Shepherds. Shepherds were invited to be there if you will in the delivery room.

Happened to be a stable not a hospital but they were invited. There were kings who didn't get invited. The wise men figured it out through astronomy and the scriptural writings of like maybe Daniel and others that a Jewish king was going to be born.

So they started trekking on to Jerusalem thinking that's where the king would be born. But they weren't invited. They just were going to show up. But shepherds were invited because it's for all the people. But I also think that it's not unusual for shepherds to be invited. Why? Because Jacob was the shepherd.

He chanted a bunch of goats. He got so rich at having goats that he became very rich. Moses, after leaving Egypt because he tried to be a savior early, spent 40 years in median being a shepherd. David was a shepherd boy. It was far the thought that the little of him when Samuel came to a knight to king didn't even invite him to be seen. In Jesus the Savior, the son of God, the king of kings and Lord of lords, is the good shepherd. He lays down his life for his sheep.

And what were these shepherds doing protecting their flock at night? So as family, they said, come and see. You're getting an invitation to see before anybody else, the Messiah. And when the angels had gone from heaven into the heavens, the shepherds began saying to one another, let us go straight to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has been made happen to be made known. The Christ has been known to us. They're saying, we got invited. We were told how to find him.

So let's go. Why are we standing here? So they take off. So they came in our hurry. Oh, that when we discover that Christ is the king, when we discover that Christ is the Lord, the Savior of all, that we would go to him in a hurry.

Rather than, well, got a lot of living to do. Maybe I can have my fun and then go to him. The shepherds made the right decision.

They went in a hurry and found their way to make the right decision. They found their way to marry and Joseph and the baby as he lay in a manger. So I don't know if the first table they went to was the one they found or they had to go to a number of tables, but they found the child because he was in the exact condition that the angels had told him. So they were assured of who he was because of their instructions.

And when they had seen this, they may known the statement which had been told to them about this child. Again, they didn't keep it secret. They didn't say, well, obviously the parents must know who this child is. They told Joseph and Mary.

A bunch of angels showed up and told us that this child is the Lord, that he is the Savior of all. And they told us how to find him. And then after that a bunch of angels came and they were glorifying God. We don't see this every day. Actually, this is the first the only time we ever did. And they told them about it. All that we would be so excited to tell people that Jesus is our Savior. As we say, that we might go tell it on a mountain, tell it in a valley, tell it at work, tell it at school, tell it to ourselves.

And all who has heard it wondered at these things which were told of them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Mary seemed to like this very contemplative woman. Never too high, never too low, but taking in the information and meditating and contemplating. And if you will, if she didn't believe when the angel announced who this child was going to be.

And when the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream who said who this child was going to be. And now the angels come and confirm by angel messages who this child is. And so she ponders them in her heart.

And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen. They didn't praise God just because you know a bunch of angels appeared glorifying God wasn't that wonderful. They also said we got to meet the Lord God, the Savior of all. And we just as it been told to us. We believe because we heard and we saw. This story tells us something very clearly that most non-Christians do not understand. You see many non-Christians believe that Christianity is very exclusive.

It's only for certain people. That's not what the Scripture just said. The Scripture just said that this Christ the Lord is a Savior for all. You can't get any more inclusive than all.

In the case you think well it's just one in Romans chapter 1 verse 16 and 17. It says this for I am not ashamed of the gospel of the good news. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. For it is in the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written.

But the righteous man shall live by faith. Again this faith, this righteous this comes to all. It is not exclusive, it is inclusive. Faith to all. But then also in Romans chapter 10 verse 8 through 13. One of my wise favorite passages of Scripture. But what does it say?

What does it say? The Word of God is near you in your mouth and in your heart. That is the Word of faith which we are preaching.

What is it that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord. And believe in your heart that God raised in from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness. And with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation. For the Scriptures say whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. Notice it didn't say for only the select who believes. But whoever believes in him will not be the one who believes. Well not be disappointed.

And then it says for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all. Again, all not some not to select you but all. Abounding and richest for all who call on him.

Again, all for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. It's not exclusive. It's inclusive.

The invitation, the good news. The Christ is born today. The Christ this little baby grew up and ministered and showed us who God is. And taught us how to live. And taught us how to die. And taught us who God is. And then gave himself a sacrifice for us to redeem us from sin. And rose again on the third day.

And promised us that he is going to prepare a place for us. And that he's coming again to take us to him. That one has given an invitation to everyone. Well then where is the exclusive it's in this. There is a phrase developed all the way back in the ancient Roman times. It said all roads lead to Rome.

And there was even an Aphion way. And that road thousands of years later is still in places intact. Because the place everybody wanted to go to was Rome. Jesus taught us not all roads lead to heaven. Actually he said narrow is the path.

Didn't say road highway freeway narrow is the path. So if you want to get to a place that only can be a ride that had a small narrow path. Then you can only get to that place on that narrow path. If I want to go to San Diego I don't head north from here. That's the wrong direction. If I want to go into the presence of God. If I want to go what we call heaven.

Not all roads lead to heaven. There's a narrow path that leads to heaven. And if you take the wrong road you won't get there. You see Christianity isn't exclusive. We're just telling you how to get there.

To say to someone, how do I get to heaven? And you go just take any road. Believe anything you want to believe. It's okay. That would be like me saying, if someone says, how do I get to San Diego? Well, take any road you want.

I happen to like the five freeway. And Santa Barbara is wonderful this time of year. Guess what? I'm leading you in the wrong direction. So to tell you you can take any path is lying to you. I'm not being exclusive. I'm trying to get you to where I want to go.

And because of God who gave himself for me, I get to go. Not because of who I am, but because whoever believes that Jesus rose from the dead and whoever calls him a Lord. Not only is on that path, but will arrive at the destination.

This is a wonderful time. This is a time when we just hang about. Go tell it on the mountain. When people might be willing, even those who don't like the idea of Christ and Christians at all, you might have an opportunity to say, well, why not? Why wouldn't you want what your objection to Christianity and may give you an opportunity to share what God has done in your life?

No where in the Scriptures does it tell you you must make people believe. But the Scriptures do tell us that we are to go and tell and teach. And if there's ever an easier time to do that, there are two times of the year that are. The Advent season and the crucifixion resurrection time.

God has made those two times easier for you to be able to share your testimony. I've been to San Diego. It's a nice place. I've been to a lot of great places. I've been got to be in Monaco where a bunch of rich people live.

I went there and I wanted to go on the beach because I'm thinking this has got to be a great beach because a bunch of rich people are here. So I go to the beach and hunting in the beach we have great sand. Monaco, they're rocks.

I don't care. When you can put your towel out, you're still lying on rocks. You're supposed to be a fantastic place because rich people are there. Heaven. I don't care about the streets of gold. Must be nice.

Don't care about the angels. Do kind care about some of the people who are there before me. But who I really want to see is Jesus.

And that's the only place I'm going to find him. So I want to be on that path. And I want you to be on that path. I want to tell you the wrong way. Because as wonderful or difficult a path may be, the destination is beyond description. So when somebody tells you Christians are exclusive, tell them, I can't think of a group of believers or any more inclusive than Christians.

Because Jesus died for us all. Jesus came to save us all. Just simply need to get on the path. I pray that if you are not on the path, that you'll get on it. If you've kind of gotten tired and thought I just want to sit awhile and encourage you to get up and keep on the path. And if your joyously singing as the angels did, hallelujah, praise God, I'm marching my way to heaven.

Sing all the more with greater joy and greater righteousness. How awesome is our God, who is so pleased with me, who I'm buried. Please with it all. Sing Jesus so that I could go be with Him.

And all God's people said.

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