Men Luke chapter 2 the part that I want to focus on is beginning in verse number 11 the Bible reads
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior
Which is Christ the Lord and this shall be a sign unto you
you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger and
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying
glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men and the title of my sermon this morning is
Goodwill toward men
Goodwill toward men now. What does that mean?
Well, first of all, I want to point out to you that one of the important reasons why?
We use the King James Bible here is that the modern versions have been corrupted. They're based on you know newer
archaeological findings of older and more reliable
manuscripts that have not been
Traditionally used by God's people over the past couple thousand years
So, you know, we've had the Bible passed down to us over the years
God has worked in the hearts and lives of his people through the traditional text for century after century
but now you've got these modern versions that are corruptions of the Bible and
It's funny because this is one of the verses that they change even though it's such a famous verse
It's such a popular verse
But now these bunch of eggheads from Germany have come along and said hey, wait a minute
It's not peace on earth goodwill to men, but rather it's peace
to those
with whom God is pleased or
Something along those lines if you look it up in the ESV and and you know
The NIV and these modern corruptions of God's Word
But what you lose here is God's benevolence here toward all men
Right because the Bible says peace on earth goodwill toward men in general
Because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
But have everlasting life. Let's back up a little bit and get the context it says in verse 8 and
There were in the same country
Shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and
The glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid and the angel said unto them fear not
For behold I bring you good tidings of great joy and don't miss this last phrase which shall be to all
people
Front of you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord
So Jesus Christ came to be the Savior of the world. He came to be the Savior of everybody. So
Jesus Christ's birth is good news for everybody, right?
It's not just good news for a select few of pre chosen
Preordained few no, it's an invitation that's open to the entire world
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life
And so Jesus Christ's birth is something to be celebrated by the entire world every single person
Has the opportunity now to be saved through Christ?
Now that's the positive side of things is that the Bible is saying that this is good news
This is glad tidings for everyone to all people and it's God's show of love and goodwill toward mankind in general
But you know the Bible tells us in 1st Corinthians that if one died for all
Then we're all dead
The Bible says and so what we need to understand is that yes, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world
Yes
Jesus Christ's gift of salvation is available to anyone and everyone who would just believe on him and call upon him by faith
But the reason why it's so important is that without Christ
Mankind is truly doomed and has absolutely no hope right. What did the Bible tell us?
Well, if if one died for all then the Bible says then we're all dead, you know without Christ
Everyone is doomed back up just a little bit in this passage to actually let's go forward first
Let's go to verse 25 in chapter 2 here of Luke
Says behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and the same man was just and devout
Waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ and
He came by the Spirit into the temple verse 27 and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to do for him after the custom of the law
Then took him up in his arms and blessed God and said Lord now let us thou thy servant depart in peace
According to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
Which thou has prepared before the face of all people and so notice again the universal emphasis here all people
all men
everybody
He says here that my eyes have seen thy salvation. And what was he looking at?
He wasn't looking at a baptistry. He wasn't looking at a church, right? He wasn't looking at a cracker or a
Or some kind of a sacrament, right? He's looking at Jesus and he said my eyes have seen
thy
salvation Jesus Christ is
salvation
Okay, he's the only way to be saved and the Bible says that he is prepared before the face of all people verse 32 a
Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel
And if you've got a King James Bible it says and Joseph and his mother
Marveled at those things which were spoken of him
If you have one of these corrupt versions, then it says his father and mother which Joseph is not Jesus's father
Joseph is
just basically
Parenting him but it's Mary who's his actual physical mother
because of course the virgin birth and so we see that Jesus Christ is
Salvation
incarnate and
Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and Jesus Christ is the only hope for mankind in general and so
Everyone in this world must believe on Jesus Christ to be saved without him. There's no hope it doesn't matter Jew or Gentile
It doesn't matter the nationality
Everyone is responsible for believing in Christ because without Christ
No one is saved now back up if you would to chapter 1 verse 76
chapter 1 verse 76
this is a prophecy about John the Baptist as
The forerunner the one who would go before the Lord Jesus Christ. It says in verse 76 and thou child talking about John the Baptist
Shall be called the prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins
through the tender mercy of our God
whereby the day spring from on high had visited us and
What is the day spring referring to it's actually just referring to the rising of the Sun there and it's comparing Jesus
Christ to the Sun as it also does in Malachi chapter 4 and it says in verse 79 to give light
To them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
to guide our feet into the way of peace and so
Not only is Jesus Christ
Salvation not only is he the only one that can bring us the forgiveness of sins
Through his blood we have redemption the forgiveness of sins
But not only does he bring salvation in an eternal sense meaning that we're heading for heaven
Instead of hell, but also he actually
shines the light on our darkness right here and now in this life as well because today
Unsafe people are dwelling in darkness today, right?
They're in the they're totally in the dark meaning that they don't understand the world that we live in. They don't understand life
They don't understand the wisdom of God. They're in the dark
They're in darkness and they are lost today
Groping through this world with no direction and the Bible says that people who are without Christ are without
Hope in this world
Okay
Jesus Christ is the light that shines in the darkness and illuminates
Mankind even on this earth because the Bible talked about glory to God in the highest peace on earth
Right on earth peace and goodwill toward men and that peace can only come through
Christ peace and our hearts can only come through Christ and not only that
Eventually an actual physical peace will be brought about only by the second coming of Christ
And so the Bible says that Christ is going to come
Yes in verse 77 to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins
But also in verse 79 he's coming to give light
To them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet
into the way of
peace
To guide our feet into the way of peace even now on this earth
To give light to them that
Sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. What does that mean to sit in darkness in the shadow of death?
Well, obviously as I alluded before
Darkness represents ignorance not understanding right stumbling around being lost
Groping in the noon day as if it were the middle of the night. That's the unsaved condition according to the Bible
But not only darkness, but the shadow of death, you know
the Bible talks about the fact that unsaved people are
scared of death all the time and the Bible says
That Jesus Christ came to deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage right so the unsaved man has this
Shadow of death that's hanging over him all the time
And he could try to forget about it as much as possible push it out of his mind
Just get distracted with the cares of this world, but it's always there, isn't it?
You know
There's always that dreaded doom that someday he's gonna die and maybe even deep down somewhere
he knows that someday he's gonna face God and
Be held accountable for his sins because if he doesn't have the forgiveness of sins through Christ
Then he's gonna be in trouble for all of the sins
He's committed in his life
And so it says to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
Right being in the shadow of death. It's like the fear of death death is right there
At the door, we never know when it's gonna end now for the Christian death is nothing to fear because you know
The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and so death where is thy sting?
Grave, where is thy victory?
You know, I was talking I was talking to my wife a few days ago about
Just strange policies that were going on in Germany and just it's just all kinds of strange
Rules and just just weird stuff that they're always that the government over there is always doing and I just asked her I said like
You know, what's wrong with?
Germany
Like why are they so weird? Like what's wrong with them? Why do they have all these?
Strange rules and strange policies and why why are they people? Why are they like that?
I don't remember exactly what we were talking about
Specifically but she said you know what she said that it's like they're just characterized by fear. They're just
Scared people. They're just always
Scared and so this is why they just kind of go with the crowd go with the flow and and they're constantly
Trying to lean on this policy and that policy because they're just scared
They're just fearful and it's because they're not saved. It's because it's a godless country
it's because it's by and large a very
Christless nation over there and
So the the further you get away from God the further you get away from Christ and you know the more fear takes over
But we as Christians, you know
we have nothing to fear because we believe that we're saved eternally and
That there's nothing we could do to lose our salvation
And so no matter how bad things get we always know that we're going to heaven someday and we have that eternal
Hope of salvation all the time
But for the unsaved it's not so they're sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death now go to John chapter 1
John chapter number 1
John chapter number 1 is a famous
passage of course about
In the beginning was the Word the Word was with God the Word was God the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us
We were joking around yesterday about reading the Christmas story because you always read the one from Luke chapter
2 and my son was joking around and saying, you know, hey, you know, maybe we can mix it up and read
You know Matthew chapter 1 or something instead of Luke 2 and then he's joking
We said that if people really want to open presents fast
They could just read like the Word was made flesh and that would be like they're you know
Let's just do it from John this year, right? Just go to the shortest Christmas story ever
But look at John chapter 1 verse 1 says in the beginning was the Word the Word was with God and the Word was God
The same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not
Anything made that was made in him was life and the life
Was the light of man and the light
shineth in darkness and the darkness
Comprehended it not and so again the world today is dwelling in darkness and the birth of Christ is that ray of light
That light that shines in the darkness and brings number one eternal salvation
But number two even direction and meaning and understanding about our life right now
Even in this life right now
It's funny that sometimes you'll
Hear the old
IFB types the the other like independent Baptists who are on this kick where they think that
You know God's not finished with Israel and you know
The Jews are God's chosen people and all this stuff and it's kind of funny to hear them talk
It's almost like you know, man the Jews they did they've got so much
Going for them. They've got so much right? It's just like this one little thing like ah, they're not going to heaven
You know, but
Now the thing that's so stupid about that is that first of all if you're not going to heaven
Who cares about anything else?
Nothing else matters. I mean if you're not going to heaven if you're gonna go to hell for all of eternity
Then why would anything else in this life matter?
Well, at least you know, we were on the right team in the Middle East or it's like what?
What does that even mean who cares
Let's do it if you're not going to heaven
Nothing that happens to you or about you on this earth even matters
Because it's just like a little vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away and then eternity just stretches on forever
You're either in heaven or you're in hell and this life is just gonna be a shadow
It's just nothing compared to all that eternity
But number two
Even now even right now even in this life if you don't have Christ right now
You also have nothing right now. You're in the dark right now
So to sit there and say like well
You know, they've got they've got so much right if we could just get them to see that Jesus is the Messiah
It's like if you don't see that Jesus the Messiah you don't have anything, right?
You've got nothing and you say well, you know, you have all the right rules Oh, which rules they get right darshan not kill
Cuz I'm pretty sure every Buddhist and Hindu and Muslim has figured that out too. Like oh wow, so complicated
Don't kill don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Well, yeah Judeo-christian. All right
That's called just being a human being my friend
Hey, they when it comes to their religion, they have all different rules
They don't follow the rules of the Bible
They don't follow the teachings of the New Testament. They don't follow Christ's teachings
They are just as lost and confused and in the dark as any other unsaved person
It's not like well if you're Christian, you know, you're all the way there if you're a Jew
You're halfway there and if you're a Hindu Muslim Buddhist, whatever, you know, you're not even to first base folks
The Jews aren't even in the dugout. They're not even in the right baseball field
They're they're not even playing the right sport. They're not even in the right country
They're in a country where baseball doesn't exist
That's how far they are from salvation
Okay
Let me tell you something if you don't have Christ you have nothing and I'm constantly trying to emphasize this to our young people
Because our young people sometimes can get sucked into maybe looking up to the people of this world
maybe idolizing or looking up to
musicians
stars
Actors
Actresses and thinking like oh, they're such great people. They're so cool
You know and I just go through life with this motto if any man loved not our Lord Jesus Christ. Let him be anathema
Maranatha
You know, oh by the way, I got that from the Bible
That's a direct quote from the Bible
Because here's the thing anybody who's not saved, you know, yes, we should love them and feel sorry for them and
pity them and
Extend grace and mercy to them and want them to be saved pray for them to be saved
Give them the Gospels they could be saved
But why would I ever envy someone who's not saved when I have everything and they have nothing
Think about it. I've got everything
They've got nothing. Oh
But they're so stylish and so cool and they have so much
Fame and power it's nothing. It's all meaningless
It's gonna be gone like that, you know, we as saved children of God
We're the ones that have the real fame and power
You know, we're we're as unknown and yet well known
So even in this world, you know, we're not known we're famous where it counts
You know, we I guarantee you we could go to places in this world where the stars are unknown
You know the big fancy
Actors and actresses and singers of this world that everybody knows
You know
But we could go to Papua New Guinea and find some dude with a bone in his nose who doesn't know who they are
Doesn't care who they are and we probably wouldn't even have to get it. We probably wouldn't even have to get that obscure
You know what? I mean to find people who haven't heard of every Hollywood star or whatever, but I'll guarantee you one place
They don't matter is heaven
And heaven's like hey, did you see the new whatever movie? Hey, did you hear so-and-so's new album? Nobody cares
You know what I mean? So and so look yeah, obviously we live in this world. We interact with unsaved people
We love the lost we want to reach them with the gospel
But don't ever get to the point where you think that they're somehow better than you
Or you think that they're like a role model like well
Maybe I can someday be as cool as so-and-so because that's not a goal for the born-again child of God
It's a downgrade
Because unsaved people have nothing going for them
Because without Christ you have nothing you're without hope you're in the dark you're lost
you're confused and
You know, not only do you have this eternity in hell stretching out in front of you
But you've also got even a life that makes no sense
Until then and if you're Jewish your life makes no sense
Just as much as any other unsaved person
Okay, you've got to have Jesus Christ to have real meaning in your life to have peace in your heart now
To be able to know how to live your life now
So that God would guide you and guide your steps and guide you in the way of peace and show you the right way to
Live your life, you know, you need the Word of God
You need Christ to do that
And a lot of Christian young people could just take that for granted because they just grew up
Having someone tell them this is the way walkie in it
But they don't understand that people out there in this world they don't know they don't know what to do
Because they don't have the Word of God as a lamp to their feet and a light to their path
And so the Bible says in verse 5 the light shineth in the darkness. That's
Christ shining right the Word of God shining in this world
Jesus was born 2,000 years ago, and he wasn't just born just for Israel, but he's born for the whole world right the whole
the whole
Planet and and the nations of the world
the Gentiles
Have access to those same promises of salvation through Jesus
But the darkness they don't get it right the darkness comprehended it not
It says in verse 6 there was a man sent from God whose name was John
The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light
that all men through him might believe and
Again how many times have we seen it just this morning alone that Jesus Christ came for all people
Because all people without Christ are doomed. That's what the sermons about all people without Christ are doomed therefore
Christ had to die for all and
It always blows my mind that people get sucked into this Calvinist doctrine that says that Jesus didn't die for everybody
When there's just so many verses that say, you know, hey this is for all people it's for everybody
That was the true light
That lighteth every man look at verse number nine. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world
No, no, no, it's just it's just for certain people
It's only available for certain people Bible says that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man
He will have all men to be saved and to come into the knowledge of the truth
He gave himself a ransom for all no, no, no, no
Well, I mean, I mean, you know if you just use logic, you know
I mean if Jesus died for everybody and everybody's not say it's a shut up. I don't care about your logic
The Bible said he died for everybody done
Case closed he died for everybody. I don't care about your logic. I don't care about your philosophical
You know wranglings and whatever that's just perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds
You know trying to just twist up the Word of God
Through your logical pretzel, but you know, the Bible is saying that
the purpose
That John was sent from God
The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe
What does that mean that all men through him might believe that means that the purpose or the goal is
Okay, I'm sending you to go preach the Word of God so that all men through you might believe
Now does that sound like no no, it's just it's just certain hand-picked people. In fact, Jesus only died for certain people
It's not even available to everyone because he didn't even die for them. Is that what the Bible teaches?
No, the Bible teaches that Jesus died for everybody he died for every man
He died for all people in the Gospels good news to all people
Jesus Christ coming is
Exciting for everybody. It's God's goodwill toward men. Not just a certain elect few and
then it says here that the purpose of
The preaching of a man like John the Baptist was that all men through him might believe
Now you say well all men didn't believe
Well, that's because at the end of the day is a personal decision on their part
God says you I've said before you this day life and death
choose life and
So it has to be mixed with faith in them that hear the preaching
The Bible says the word preached not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that hear that heard it
But what was God's intent according to the Bible God's intent was that all men through him might believe
There was God not powerful enough to just you know, get the job done
Folks God's power isn't the issue God gives a choice
Now look if I gave a look if I go out soul-winning I
Can't make people get saved can I I?
Go out and I just preach the gospel
but when I go out
To preach the gospel aren't I trying to get everybody saved that I can or am I just like well
I'm gonna look for somebody
That I want to get saved
No, it's just like you you're going out there and just preaching the gospel to everybody
And when we preach to everybody in our heart, we actually want everybody to be saved, right? It's like we're going out
that all
Would believe we want everyone that's the intent that's the goal
But the reality is that when we get out there other people
They make the decision. I don't want to hear the gospel. I'm not interested. I don't believe in that
I'm trusting my own works and it's on them. Well, here's the thing. It's the same thing with God
okay, God has made the gospel available Jesus has died on the cross for everybody and
The goal with preaching is that all men?
through that preaching would believe but
God doesn't force people to get saved
Now you could sit there and say well could God force people to get saved it's not the point he's not going to
He gives a choice. He created man with free will he gives a choice and so it's not that God has failed in the mission
because Jesus Christ has made salvation available to all by dying for all and
As many as believe on Christ will be saved
But God wants everyone to be saved
The Bible says he's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
But here's the thing God has got you know, it's also God's will that we would abstain from fornication
But does every Christian in this world abstain from fornication?
No, because guess what God's will doesn't always happen because of the free will that he gives man
But that doesn't change the fact that the Bible clearly says that John the Baptist in verse 7 came for a witness
To bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe that was the goal in
Sending John the Baptist that all men through him might believe
He was not that light
But was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which lighteth every man
That cometh into the world now again, if if the true light lighteth every man that cometh into the world
You say well, I just think when it says all it doesn't really mean all but it kind of cracks me up when it when
It's so specific. Sometimes like where he's like he tasted death for every man
it's just like
That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world like it even qualifies
What do you mean by every man?
Every man that cometh into the world. I mean, I don't know
What if God would just added the word like single like every single man Calvinist would still be Calvinist
Who here thinks that if we added the word single here Calvinist would still be Calvinist I
Do I think they'd still be a Calvinist all day long. They wouldn't be like, oh well now that you say it like that
I mean you got you have so many verses that do say it
So clearly I mean what what if it just said, you know, that was the true light which lighteth
Every last man that cometh into the world
Every single last one of them without exception they'd still be like I got no I
Mean it says that he lights every man that comes in like I don't need any extra adverbs and things going on here
I'm I get it
I get it
Right. So now does that mean everybody's saved?
No, because Christ has shined the light but at the end of the day, they have to believe in Christ in order to be saved
But that light has come into the world that light illuminates every man that cometh into the world
The purpose was that all men through Christ through John the Baptist preaching would believe
through that pointing to Christ and
It says
that that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and
Again, if if Christ is the true light that lights every man that comes in the world
You know what? That means that means that anybody who doesn't have Christ is in darkness
Because it's not like the light of Christ comes along and he's like, oh you're already all lit up. Okay. Well have a good day
Because no one is lit without Christ
Because Christ is the one is the only one who can illuminate
The Bible says he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him
Not he came unto his own and his own received him not but his may has received him to them gave
He power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name
So here Christ came into the world and he came unto his own and his own received him not
he lights every man that cometh in the world, but
Yet there are those who don't receive him
But as many as did receive him to them gave me power to become the sons of God
Even to them that believe on his name
So those who believe on Jesus Christ are the sons of God those who do not believe on Christ are without
Hope in this world. They have nothing
They are doomed completely. Okay, you know the Bible talks about
Having no hope being without Christ without hope in the world go if you would to first Timothy chapter number two
first Timothy chapter number two
First Timothy chapter number two the Bible says in verse one I exhort therefore that first of all
supplications prayers
intercessions and giving a thanks be made for all men for
Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior
Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth?
For there's one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus
Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time?
whereunto I'm ordained a preacher and an apostle I
Speak the truth in Christ and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and Verity and so once again we see
that all men in
this world
need Jesus Christ to be saved and
They need Jesus Christ to even show them how to live their lives right now
Okay. Now the famous verse that we started with said glory to God in the highest and on earth peace
Goodwill toward men right and if we break down that profound statement
We see first of all goodwill toward men. That's God's benevolence God's love
Toward all of mankind in general not just Israel
Not just the Jews not just those who will eventually get saved the the elect
Not just a select few but rather an open invitation to the whole world
God's willingness that all men be saved and Christ sacrificed for all
His light that shines so bright that it pierces even to the darkest soul and lights every man that come into the world
so that if anyone doesn't get saved it's their own fault because the light of the gospel has shined forth and
So goodwill toward men
What about on earth peace?
You know, what's interesting is that later when Jesus grows up and starts preaching twice?
He says think not that I've come to send peace on earth
That's kind of interesting in light of the fact that the angels who announces birth say on earth. Peace goodwill toward men
but what it is is that Christ gives us peace in our hearts right now and
We can even have peace in our personal lives right now
Whereas the Bible says there's no peace unto the wicked
The wicked don't have peace. The reason we can't have peace right now is because most of this world isn't saved
most people don't believe in Jesus and so the wicked are like the the trouble I'm
paraphrasing but the wicker like the troubled water that's constantly stirring up dirt and muck and there's no peace to the wicked the Bible says
Whereas those of us that are saved we have peace in our hearts and God has also taught us the way of peace
We can live our lives in a right way that gives us peace in our family or peace in our heart peace
with those that we love and
So there's peace on earth now for the Christian right now
Not only do I have a home in heaven, but I also know how to live my life right now
I also have God walking and talking with me and blessing me right now
Okay, which the unsaved they don't have they're in darkness
They're confused and then the first part of that was glory to God in the highest, right?
So glory to God in the highest on earth. Peace. Good will to men, you know, Jesus Christ has brought
God the most glory in this world, you know if you think about
God's name
being known throughout the whole world and
If you think about how the world today knows
About the Bible they know Genesis the Revelation and they know about Jesus
Why is that? Why does the whole world know this book?
Why is this book found in every country every continent every place of this world
Is it because God parted the Red Sea? Is that why this book is in all parts of the world?
No
Is it because of the fact that God rained manna from heaven and fed his people is it because Elijah?
Called down fire on the the prophets of Baal at the Mount Carmel
Showdown, is that why?
This book is known throughout the whole world. No, this book is known throughout the whole world because of Jesus
Okay, because when Jesus is coming is prophesied
the prophecy is that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea and
That's what has happened
You know, it isn't just
Some kind of a local
Religion for a certain nation or certain group of people but rather through Christ
because of Christianity
Because of Jesus Christ death burial and resurrection on the cross
That that's the ultimate his death on the cross his burial resurrections the ultimate
culmination of God's plan
that caused God to be glorified throughout the whole world and caused the Word of God to be glorified throughout the whole world to where
the entire world knows who Jesus is and
The earth is
Filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord even as the waters cover the sea. It's just it's everywhere
through Christ and so
Jesus being born 2,000 years ago
Brought God's glory to the entire world, you know, even as evidenced by even the date itself
2022 is
2022 years after what?
Well the current era, you know
2022 CE
You know, I I don't mind CE because I just say well, yeah, it's 2022 the Christian era
You know and BCE stands for before the Christian era
You know, so I'm fine. How are you?
And
so we see that
The earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. There's peace on earth
Not world peace or global peace but peace in the hearts of all of God's people the peace that passes all
Understanding even on earth. I don't just have to live some messed up life and then go to heaven
Like oh man, my life is so confusing and messed up and it's just um, it's just a train wreck
But thank God for heaven. It's like no I have peace on earth right now
and I get to go to heaven and
Then of course goodwill toward men is God's benevolence toward all men why because he wants everyone saved
Because Jesus died for everyone and he wants everyone to be saved and on Christmas
We're proclaiming the birth of Christ. It's good news for all people
You know and it's like sometimes I look at the world and I'm thinking to myself like man
What are you guys even celebrating? This is what I think in my heart
Like what are you guys even celebrating if you don't even believe in Jesus?
What are you celebrating?
You know somebody posts a comic showing like they showed a picture of the Flintstones
Having Christmas and it said what are they celebrating? And I said, well they you know, they're looking forward to the cross
Obviously Flintstones aren't real
But I mean, come on the point is though, you know, it's like what are they celebrating out there but here's the thing
you know, I thought about it and
Even if they're not a Christian, even if they don't believe in Christ, you know, they ought to be celebrating anyway
Because it's available to them
Because it is glad tidings for all people it is good news for everybody. So go ahead and celebrate, you know
I hope someday you figure out what you're even celebrating though
Because because it really is for you
Christmas is for you, you know
Merry Christmas. Oh, I'm Jewish. It's for you
Merry Christmas. Oh, I'm Muslim. It's for you
Christmas is for you. Oh, I'm a Hindu though. It's for you
Christmas is for everybody
Why because the birth of Christ for all people because everybody is in darkness without Christ and Christ is the true light
The lighteth every man that cometh into the world and so it's for everybody
It's good news for everybody. It's glad times for everybody. I thank God when we go out knocking doors
We're like, hey, I might have some good news for you, but there's a 90-some percent chance that I don't
Because you're not one of the chosen
But in reality, it's potentially good news for everybody
Is the only thing stopping people from being saved is them?
It's right there. They can just reach out and grab it. It's for everybody. Let's buy ads and have a word of prayer father
we thank you so much for
the fact that
the birth of Christ and and Christ's death on the cross and and his
burial and resurrection is is for everybody and
Lord God, I just pray that
Those that are not saved would realize their hopeless condition Lord
They would realize that without you they have nothing help them Lord to find the peace that comes through believing
In Jesus and those of us that are saved we Lord can sometimes maybe take it for granted
Because we don't
Maybe it's been so long since we've been unsaved. We don't really remember what it's like
To to be in darkness and in the shadow of death Lord, but thank you
so much Lord for your unspeakable gift of salvation and
Lord God, I pray that those of us that were that are saved would always be thankful and keep that in our hearts and minds
And that we would also
share with others
the the peace and the
Most importantly the salvation that comes through believing in Christ and it's in Christ name. We pray. Amen