 Well, I want to share with you this morning, I suppose a Christmas message, you might say, we're still in the season of it, and every year, I suppose, you know, around the world, if there's one time that still so much of the world stops and pauses and contemplates the birth of Christ, and it's usually not just simply a day, it's kind of a season as it all comes together. It's a time of many family and friends gathering together, you know, days off, plans for it, a lot of gift-giving, a lot of all of that stuff going on all around the world. And yet at the same time, there, you know, it's kind of made out to be this wonderful occasion, which it is spiritually, that's for sure, but many people experientially, it isn't quite that way. It's a very difficult season. I saw an article in the Associated Press of a family back in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that was in a real problem with their homeowner's association, because they had a 150-pound statue of the Virgin Mary that they had put out in front of their condominium. Well, it was common ground, and they weren't allowed just to put whatever they wanted out there, but they felt, no, we need to do this to remember Christmas, and so they put it out there. Well, they came along, and one day the statue's gone, and the homeowner's association had confiscated it. They were contacted by the press, and they agreed, yes, we have indeed confiscated it, but it was on ground, and we're fining them because we warned them. They didn't put it down, and right now they owed them $4,000 in fines for it, and that they did say, yes, we do have her, but we're going to keep her in custody until the $4,000 is paid, and then we'll give her back. And so there was quite a tension. I don't know the ultimate solution for it would happen, but for a lot of people, Christmas isn't everything it's cracked up to be. It's a time there of, there's a lot of deep heartaches. There's a lot of struggles. I doubt if there's a person sitting here that there isn't things that come up during this season, as much as there's wonderful things about it, but there's a lot of heartaches. Many of us relatives, they're unsafe. They don't agree with us. We don't get along over Christmas or agree with what it's really all about. The gatherings are oftentimes uncomfortable. Many times homes are torn apart over it. Some of us, the children are away from the Lord. Families don't get along well. Sometimes you've got to meet with part of the family here and part of the family there and you can't get them all together or you're going to have all sorts of problems. And that isn't even to talk about all the death that people get into. Christmas just trying to pay for it. Trying to make everybody happy, trying to be a good person. They're in a loving person and economically it's terrible. You look at the, you know, right now credit card debt is the all-time high we're told in history. And it can be very difficult, particularly when what other people get and what you don't get or your kids get or other kids don't get. I remember one time with my children, they're all, you know, quite older, a bit older now, but when they were just little kids we had relatives that did very well. They could give wonderful gifts to their children and our families were close. We'd celebrate Christmas together, but it was a difficult time, frankly, for us. And it was difficult because what we were able to give our kids didn't compare with what their cousins got. And of course they all noticed that. And so it was something there. You just kind of well go together and have a good time together with everybody, but there was still this downer of you couldn't keep up with them. And I remember one particular Christmas there for our boys, we had three boys and we, because they needed to dress up now and then we got all three of them blue blazers through, you know, little jackets there. So if there was something they needed to be a little dressed up for they would have a blue blazer. And we're coming home from Christmas there after things. It's kind of quiet in the car after this on the way home. They started laughing. They said, what's so funny? I said, this is the first time in all the years that you got the same gifts that your cousins got. And they're, what? I said, yeah, you all got blazers. Only they actually got a Chevy Blazer. But they didn't think it was funny. I tried to, the joke didn't go over, but that's what happened, you know. But sometimes just the struggles, that's what it is. That's the trial of the thing. With all the difficulties and all the struggles that do go on. And right now the whole world is going through struggles, I think, greater than it's ever gone through in many ways. Right now with this pandemic and the effect that has happened on many homes, on careers and jobs and businesses that may never come back on the economy. And we're going through incredibly difficult times. And I don't know that they're going to end soon. That's for sure. No matter what we try to do, no matter what it is that the government does one way or the other, it's difficult times. But I don't think it's ever a bad thing for us to stop. Particularly right now, as we look at Christmas and look at the founders of Christmas. Stop and look at the people where Christmas came from, where it all started and what they went through. And of course I'm talking about Joseph and Mary. When you look at what Christmas meant to them, what they went through, Luke chapter 2 tells us that it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered or taxed. And a census took place while Quinerius was governor of Syria, so all went to be registered, everyone, to his own city. Joseph also went out from Galilee under the city of Nazareth, under Judea, under the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house in the lineage of David to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife who was with child. And 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 in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. You know, and you stop to think here a little bit. Now you go back and put yourself in this place of this couple. They're having, first of all, we'll get more into the other technicalities with it, but here on the surface, you got a couple there with a baby. She's nine months pregnant. He's probably, you know, they're trying to get to town, trying to get there. She's feeling the labor pain. She knows it's close. They both know it's near, you know, and here when they arrive, there is no place where they get into town, no place for them to stay. And you know, when you stop to think about this, you know what I mean? You know what I mean, Joseph? Couldn't you have emailed ahead and called somebody or something? You got a pregnant wife. There's going to bring forth the birth of the Messiah. And it appears Joseph didn't even get an online reservation or anything. Didn't even try the internet, probably. But at any rate, the thing is, obviously I'm just kidding with that one, but when you do look, here they've arrived. How many of you women, you know, would like to arrive some place in this situation about to deliver, and they're your husband, is at a loss as to what to do. There's no room anywhere. Hasn't, can't make any plans, can't get you in anywhere. And then not just simply on the human aspect, but when you look at it spiritually in the sense God is sovereign. God is powerful. Couldn't he pull a few strings? Couldn't somebody else not arrive at the end or someplace there to stay so that Mary could at least deliver in some sort of a room? Couldn't there have been some compassionate woman that was seen, Mary, about to deliver and say, here, come take our room. We will help you. We will be with you. And yet at the same time, here none of this happened. And so when you look at this, even there's a terrible mess and a lot of confusion is going on, or in reality, the birth of Jesus was exactly the way God the Father wanted it. It was exactly the way God the Son, the Lord Jesus wanted it. And it was a way that Joseph and Mary had been prepared for this, whatever it was that came their way. You see, already a lot had really been achieved within them, spiritually, even by the point of the delivery. They had already learned that Christmas comes with a very high price. There's nothing simple about it. There's nothing cheap about it. And here, when you would look at it all in a sense that they had already paid out, you might say, that they had already gone through, because when you would look at it and what was Christmas to them, well, first of all, Christmas was a time of separation. You know, when we all know the scenario, when you put together Matthew and Luke and the stories there, piece it together, you realize here's a young, godly couple, both of them very just, very godly, very righteous. That's pointed out in the Scriptures. They're in love. They're engaged. They're planning their marriage together, planning out their lives just like any young couple would be doing and all the dreams there of the little house and the little white picket fence with, you know, roses on the side and a swing set in the back for the kids or whatever else they pictured their life back in those days, so what it would be is they got in and they settled down. And here, and they no doubt ought all the excitement, all the planning, we're going to get married and everything was quite wonderful until Gabriel gets involved. Until God gets involved and all of a sudden next to, you know, God says, Mary, I've got a plan for your life. It's not the one you've planned out so far. It's a different plan entirely. And here you're going to have a sudden. You're going to bring forth the Messiah. And then Mary will look at how she responded in a little while, but here Mary, then of course we find when she goes to Joseph and tells Joseph about this, he doesn't believe that. Absolutely not. No way he is going to go for this story whatsoever that here Mary, a virgin, is going to have a child without a man involved. He doesn't believe it for a moment. And Mary ends up going and doing what a lot of women have done at times like that, events like that. She went to stay with relatives. She goes to Zachariah and Elizabeth House and with them who in Elizabeth there at that time she's six months pregnant with John the Baptist. And there Mary finds some spiritual fellowship at any rate. Something there to fill the emptiness and wondering about life and what was happening. Meantime Joseph back home, he's tossing and turning night after night, struggling with this. And he had decided to secretly put Mary away not wanting to bring her family into disgrace. And there is he's going back and forth, can't believe, can't agree, can't go along then. Finally, Gabriel speaks to Joseph, tells him it's true. And here with that spiritual revelation finally there Joseph he can go to Mary. And though he does not know her intimately until after the birth of Jesus, but oh what a price they paid. What a price it was when you think there of first for Mary being willing to separate her entire life separated like it was. To surrender her life away from everything that's precious and dear. Imagine this struggle within her giving up Joseph, giving up marriage, family. Every plan that she had ever had for all of her life it's completely at least confusion at the very least. She had absolutely no idea how anything would ever work out again for her for the rest of her life. It's over. Everything has changed. She had to be able to release her entire life and future into God's hands. Oh what a price Christmas was to marry. And you know with many people I wonder how many here right now just because of all the events going on in the world, going on in our country. How many here? Maybe you know your business has shut down. You're out of work. There's nothing. Everything has shut down. You've got bills to pay. You've got home. You've got all these things over you. Everything has happened where it's completely out of your hands. You have no issue, no control over it all. And here for Christmas for us. It's the same thing many times. We don't know the future. What's going to happen in 2021? What's going on in the world? What's going on with our future? What's going on? Will I go back to work? Will we keep our home? How are we going to take care of our family? What is there out there? And sometimes I think God allows events in our life where absolutely everything is tossed up in the air and it's an absolute confusion and there is no certainty at all that we can plan on. And so often it's times just like that where there's a wonderful opportunity in our life to be able to come and say, Lord, I trust you. You know, we tell the Lord often times, how many times, Lord, I love you. We sing, I worship you. We sing these songs, lift our hands, praise Him. Say, Lord, you're enough. You're everything to me. But many times there's really not much on the table being negotiated. It's just kind of a song. Not that we don't believe it, we don't mean it. But sometimes in life God sets things up that there really is something on the table. There really is something going on. There really is an issue out there that is bigger than our life. And that's a wonderful opportunity for us to say, Lord, I tell you all the time, I love you. I tell you all the time, I believe in you. I tell you all the time, I'm yours. But most of the time there's not much there, but right now it seems like my whole life is sitting out there. I don't know where we're going and what we're doing. But to be able then to turn and say, but Lord, be it unto me, as Mary did according to thy will. Joseph had to learn the same thing. He had to be willing to separate as well from Mary. He had to go through the same process in his own way. Matthew 1.18 says, And now the birth of Jesus Christ was as followed. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph the husband, being a just man, not wanting to put her up to a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived and hers conceived of the Holy Spirit. And here, Joseph, he had to toss, he had to turn. He had to come to the same issue, the same thing. Can you imagine, it's interesting to me, Mary coming and telling Joseph the story. Joseph, I've got something to tell you. It's the most exciting thing in the world. Really, what's that? I'm going to have a baby. What? Yes, God. God told me, an angel came, appeared unto me, told me I am with child, and unto the child is of the Spirit of God. It's a miraculous virgin birth. Can you imagine Joseph looking at her? Can you imagine his mind spinning, you know, coming to Mary, Mary, come on. What are you telling me? Mary, I've known you for years. You're a sweet girl. You're a wonderful girl. You're a righteous girl. I don't know what you've done and what's happened, but come on, tell me. What is it that's going on here? Something, you're pregnant. Yes, I'm pregnant. And you say that God did this. Yes. And an angel came to you. You and an angel talk, yes. And how many times, you suppose, they went over the story. How many times she went back and forth and back and forth. How many times he asked her again, tell me more about this angel. What do you look like? Brad Pitt? You know what I mean? When you rationally think, this woman has a child in her. There's only one way they come into the world. She knew a man. And he can't believe her. But he's absolutely stunned because he thought he knew her so well. And now he's actually struggling. I don't know what's going on. And it's interesting to me, one of the things when you stop to think about this, obviously Joseph and Mary spend a lot of time together. They're betrothed. They're engaged. They're planning out their lives. And it's interesting. Gabriel, you know, you could have saved a lot of hassle. Why didn't you just tell them both together? Why didn't you just win their out one time and just tell them, guess what, Joseph, guess what, Mary? Reveal it spiritually to both of them at the same time together. How simple, how wonderful it would have been. They loved each other. The angel appeared and did it. And here, though, instead this confusion that God allowed. I wonder how many times Mary tearfully trying to tell Joseph and he not going for it for a moment. Joseph being a godly man, a righteous man, we're told, a just man. Not willing to put her family to open shame decides, well, I'm going to put her away secretly, but I obviously can't go on. Somebody has done what she's done and lied to me about it. And here, when you would look at this, you know, just think, why not tell them together? Why do they have to go through these months struggle? And you know, the interesting thing is, because very first thing is, is that Christ, Christmas is personal. Christmas is something that is between you and Jesus, first of all, would regardless of if anybody or everybody or nobody, anybody else on the planet, this is between you and him. This is his call of his life into you and into me and into my heart, into my life and everybody else must take back seat. Every other relationship has got to be set aside. And here, ultimately, I imagine you would also notice here that I think Mary probably one of the most credible, believable, honest people you could ever meet and yet at the same time, no matter what she said and how well she said it and how sincere she was, you realize the only way that Joseph was going to have anything happen is when he had the same spiritual intervention she did. You don't talk people into heaven. You don't argue them over dinner into heaven. You don't sit there and just tell them over look at me, look at me, you know me. When I tell you I'm a Christian and Christ came into my life you can tell him till you're blue in the face but it never does a thing until the Spirit of God does the same thing within them as he did in you and he did in me. And here, there, to realize that Christmas is first and foremost, oh, it's costly. In one sense you could look at that. It's above all though it's you and Jesus, even if it's nobody else. And then the interesting thing is because also notice there, why not, you know, not only tell Joseph and Mary, why not tell everybody? Now, you know, look at the scenario that we're looking at here. Joseph and Mary are called back to where? To the house of their lineage. They're all the world as they're being taxed. All, everybody's being called back. Thus we're told in Bethlehem all of their relatives. The city is filled with relatives. Cousins, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, all these family members. And yet Joseph and Mary, why didn't you go to one of their houses? Why didn't you go to a relative? They're all around. Why aren't you there once you're knocking on the door? Why don't you go in? And here Caesar commanded them, you're all there. The town is filled with family, with friends, all these relationships. And yet at the same time, they're Joseph and Mary. They just go first of all trying to get a room at an inn. Just to pay for the room. And then when they can't get that, we're going to go, we'll be in a manger. They'll just give us there, out there in the stable. And here when you would look at this, you think, why is this? Here Joseph and Mary show up. Uncle Abraham's house. Uncle Abraham opens the, Joseph, Joseph, my boy, how are you? Good to see you. I miss you so much. I understand you're going to get married and you've got this beautiful woman. Oh, my. Oh, my. Joseph. Joseph, what have you done? I mean, here you realize they can't go to anybody. Nobody's going to believe them. Joseph, oh, hey, Uncle Abraham, guess what? I've got the most wonderful news to tell you. She's a child of God. But the child of God. Miraculously, the spirit of God has done this. No, no, she's a virgin. Joseph. Joseph, what are you doing? They realized there it was something there was a time of being willing to all the friends, all the relatives, all the people that you wouldn't maybe be able to have a wonderful time of a re-gathering there is maybe many of others you're not included. You don't fit in. Joseph knew as well as he had to struggle with it until God reveals it to others. You can't pound it into them. You can't convince anybody of anything until the Lord convinces of them. But here's the process when we step back. What is God doing? He's looking at them individually first and then corporately as they would reveal to them where they had to come where Joseph in America would say the Lord is enough. He is enough for us. And then there's more to trust him for. That's just not it. We're told in Matthew 2.13 he says, Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother and flee to Egypt and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. He arose and he took the young child and his mother at night and departed in Egypt and was there until the death of Herod. Now, here's Joseph. They're surrendering themselves to the Lord individually and then together. And then they find themselves that separated from that, separated from their, you know, struggling through their marriage, getting that right, and then there's their friends, there's their family, there's their home. And now God tells them I want you to go down to a complete alien country. Where as a young Jewish boy God be welcome. You culturally would not fit in. You'll find it very difficult perhaps there because you have to leave because there is a corrupt powerful human being who wants to kill the life that's in you. Kill the one that is with you. And he seeks his life and now, you know, you just give your life to the Lord and then next to you know your marriage is in jeopardy then next to you know your family and friends are off the chart and then next to you know, get out of your town, get out of your country. That's a fine how do you do for Christmas? That's a fine thing to go through. And then if that isn't enough, you know there, I mean, when you look how we can live, how can we make it down there? And then on top of that, Mary had a reputation for the rest of her life. Many questioned. Many did not believe her reputation there. They hear that Mary pregnant before she's married and there was always this question about who the father was. Was it Joseph and they just before they were married? Well, you know, whatever. But here before it was, who is the father? Where did Jesus come from? One time the Pharisees in a very heated argument with Jesus, they told him, they said, we know where we came from. We do not know where you came from. We know who our father is. We know our lineage. We do not know yours. You see, Mary had to be willing to have other people look at her. Many people think that you, you know, you're odd. There's something about you. You become a Christian and you believe that stuff. You believe that pie in the sky. You believe there that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and came into the world. And he's the son of God, dialing across, rose from the dead, sits in heaven, intercedes for you. One day he's going to come and take you home to be with him and you're going to be with him forever. You seriously believe that? You're a, you're a watt job. I don't believe that stuff. I believe in here and now. Right here what we have now and this and that and you're just some sort of an escapist or whatever it is. But there, you know, somebody that is being willing the price of Christmas. But here the opposite side is not only that you're separated from and that's what it was in one sense. They were separated from, separated from, separated from. It's like a complete separation of everything you could possibly be separated from and that was that they might be separated for Jesus. Here was something there that Jesus is looking at them. Joseph and Mary are you willing to give up the world for me? Am I enough? Am I enough that all of these other things that everybody else has a right to take for granted? Everybody else? I want these things. I want my friends. I want my family. I want a good time. I want to rejoice. I want all these other things. I want a future. I want a job. I want everything settled. Are you willing Joseph and Mary to give up everything for me? You know, the secular world looks at Christmas although they separate, it's interesting all these people that don't believe in it they still spend billions of dollars on it giving gifts to people in exchange for an occasion they don't even believe in. Talk about whack jobs, you know to me I'm going to sit there and say you're going broke, you're going in debt doing all this to celebrate something you don't even believe in it at all. You don't even want a Christmas card that you send or something. You've taken Jesus out of it. You don't believe in Jesus, you don't have anything to do with it, it's just another holiday. That's like trying to take the 4th of July, but there was no independence that ever happened. Celebrating Indian Independence Day, it's just the 4th of July, it's Firework Day. That's all I know. No. Christmas is the birth of Christ. But here this is what it's to be for all people. Jesus He made it very clear. He said, if any man come after me now that's any man woman boy girl out of any century generation kindred tribe and tongue, anybody. Jesus said, if they come after me and hate not his mother, father, wife, children, yea even his own life. He cannot be not my disciple. Now Jesus obviously he never taught anybody to hate anybody. Quite the opposite. We're to love our enemies. But here when he says there if you're going to come after me he says there that we should be one that we if there is anybody in the world that has more influence in our life than Jesus Christ we are to hate the relationship. Not the person or love the person. But Lord how is it that my mother, my father, my wife, my children, my own life, anybody around me has more influence in me, more control over me speaks into my life with more authority than the one who created me forgave me, died for me, rose for me and here Jesus there he looks there he says I, I, if you really want to follow me you've got to be prepared to lay everything in everybody aside and then your world will come together. You know what Jesus said if anybody come after me he says I will repay him a hundred fold and he said interestingly enough in this life to come and in this life and in the life to come. Now obviously we being Americans and capitalists we think oh if I give up a hundred bucks I mean God's going to give me a hundred times. No. The reason we want the hundred bucks is the security or the pleasure or the fulfillment. Well whatever it is that we maybe give up on this level the Lord says I'll repay you what you have will be a hundred fold of it. The hope, the peace, the joy the security, the stability when you trust me and you put me and you're willing to walk away from anything else I'll repay you. I'm a debtor to no man if you can look and say I'll pay whatever that price is and here it's this wonderful separation unto God. This wonderful separation there into His presence can you today let me read to you what Mary said could you say this in your heart hear Mary when Gabriel tells him she's going to have a son and Mary said my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit is rejoiced and God my Savior for He has regarded the lowliest state of His maid servant for henceforth all generations will call me blessed for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name and His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation He has shown strength with His arm He has scattered the proud and the imaginations of their heart He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich He has sent away empty Mary got it she got it right off she looked there and she did like this you're offering me if I'm just whatever it is that is so wonderful in this world that your heart is set upon that seems so tremendous but you're offering me this blessing done deal I'm in I can't believe it it wasn't for her like can I go weigh this thing out I gotta think this thing over give me 24 hours I gotta talk to Joseph I gotta see if he'll go with me no she was able to look at the Lord and say my soul magnifies my spirit rejoices henceforth I'll be called blessed and you know when somebody looks at you come in for all eternity I'll look let's say you're blessed Christ is in your life the satisfaction of the heart that it has there that here though somebody may be despised or rejected or misunderstood whatever it is but they know who Jesus Christ really is and whatever the cost whatever the rejection Jesus in the heart is everything Christmas may be lonely Christmas may be difficult Christmas may be difficult Christmas season may be a struggle but to stop and think as far as God is concerned as far as the Lord Jesus is concerned you may have nothing but a little stable and nothing but a pile of straw sticking there in a manger and it's just you and him and he says that's just the way I planned it that's all I want is it enough for you can you be happy with that can you be at peace with that and here the wonderful thing is is even through life Joseph and Mary when they of course did and responded and followed and there as it settled in what was going on within their heart and their life and they still had the price to pay from step to step process to process it lingered with them through their lives but the next thing you know now they're going down they're going to be half to Egypt what are we going to do what are we going to make a living Hebrew boy down there not likely I'm not going to fit in there Matthew 2 1 now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king behold wise men from the east that came to Jerusalem here out of nowhere nowhere these men show up presumed to be three we don't know we're never told a number we just assume there was three gifts that were given so that's probably a fair assumption but it says that when they came into the house that they saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshiped him and when they had opened up their treasures they presented gifts to him gold frankincense and myrrh gold which is always a picture of worship of royalty frankincense is in the priestly duties of intercession within the temple and myrrh and bombing for his death they looked at Jesus and they saw it there are the gifts that they came and there it says an angel there the Lord appeared into Joseph in a dream take the child down to Egypt and hear the Lord miraculously I'll provide for you I'll provide for you and for us when we would look at this year and look at the world and look at things around this to be able to say Jesus are you enough of a provision eternally but also to trust you to get us through the things ahead of us the season ahead of us we're going down to Egypt we're going down to something we in our country I don't know where we're going I'm no prophet like that I just doesn't look good to me you can only print up so many trillion dollars and then it's kind of not worth much anymore but here when we look there and we have Jesus and realize you can't print up joy like that peace like that hope like that here is the Lord took care of them supplied their needs according to his riches in glory you know earlier when I began the message I submitted to you that the first Christmas was not a bunch of just tragic mistakes where Joseph didn't plan city wasn't ready no place at the end it wasn't just a bunch of mistakes but it was something there that it was exactly for Joseph and Mary the way God planned it and may I suggest to you that your Christmas is no different where you're at right now is no different at all it's Jesus behind it saying trust me it's an opportunity for us to come and say Lord you are enough you are enough you will get us through and so though I think you know many of us again I don't know all the things where you're going through what you're going through but I'm sure that if it's not you you've got friends you've got relatives you've got neighbors you got people all around you going through incredible things but in these times to be able to look and say Jesus I'm honored to be able to tell you I understand Christmas I get it what it's really about forgive me that I've let other superficial aspects of it frustrate me or confuse me I was hurt because the family didn't agree I've been frustrated because I can't get them all together around the table I'm hurt I'm hurt because some are away aren't following you I'm struggling because they don't know how to pay the bills I'm struggling because I'm just trying to what's up next but to be able to take all of that and say but beyond all of that I love you and I'm yours and you will get me through that's Christmas