Okay Merry Christmas to everybody nice to see a full house here this morning.
Now obviously I couldn't take the book of Revelation make it a Christmas themed
sermon so we'll have to save revelation for another day but we're there in Luke
chapter 2 and it's not I wouldn't say it's so much a Christmas themed message
but rather we're going to be looking at a Christmas story and take some examples
of what we can do what we how we can apply this story that we're about to
read to our lives and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ and the example that I want
to look at today is the example of the shepherds. When you think of shepherds
obviously you're not thinking of a necessary a high-paying job or a very
you know high a job that requires you know a high education level I mean
obviously these are pretty much entry-level roles that someone has as a
shepherd and yet you know they were people that were looking or had a desire
for the Lord God the shepherds were honored by the presence of the angels
that God will send an angel and and and notify them about the coming of Jesus
Christ and they were used by God then to also tell others about Jesus Christ and
the birth that he had on the earth and and I think it's we can just learn some
great truths from the shepherds and apply that to our life so let's start
there in Luke chapter 2 verse number 8 and Luke chapter 2 and verse number 8 says
and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping
watch over their flock by night the title for the sermon this morning is the
shepherds testimony the shepherds testimony and I think as we look at the
shepherds testimony you know we want that to be a testimony for ourselves
know there are great things that we can learn and apply for ourselves why would
God do such a great thing for these shepherds obviously these men were of
high caliber you know there were spiritual men that God would use and you
know if you want to be fueled by the Spirit if we want to be used by God if
you wanna if we want to see some great works of God you know we can take we can
look at the testimony of the shepherds and then apply this to our lives so the
first thing that we see that Brevin is that the shepherds what are they doing
they're abiding the field hey they're working their jobs aren't they they
keeping watch over their flock by night Brevin these shepherds are doing the
night shifts they're doing a night shift on the first Christmas Day is anyone here
working on Christmas Day one two three okay you know I never liked working
Christmas Day you know but I have I have worked and I mean it's good you get the
sometimes triple time I think I don't know if that still applies double time
triple time you know what and my experience of working on a Christmas Day
is often that you know because it's well anyway where I worked business with
quieter depends where you work if it's a retail place it's probably gonna be very
busy potentially but hey where I worked it was very quiet and you often just
needed a skeleton crew to just get the business through the day and it's
usually a day that I found that most of my colleagues would just take it easy
it's Christmas who cares let the phone ring like no one's watching that all the
bosses are on holidays who cares and people start to muck around but enough
when we look at the shepherds testimony they've got a testimony of working hard
right they're out there at nights okay doing the night shifts now they're
watching the flocks at nights and of course the flocks of the sheep and you
know we can take this example of passes as well and you know we shouldn't take
Christmas lights and you know we should look at the flock that God has given us
in in the house of the Lord and teach them great truths from the word but you
know the first thing I want to just of course think about is the personal
responsibility of the shepherds have you got that testimony in your life one of
personal responsibility and when it comes to men of course our main
responsibilities to work a job okay to provide for our families to provide for
our for our wives to lead about our family that's what God has given us that
that responsibility to be leaders in the home and wives that do you take the
responsibility that God has given you to guide the house seriously you know do
you desire to raise your children in the nurture and admission of the Lord
and children do you take your personal responsibility serious okay your
schooling your education maybe the chores that your parents have given you
around the house being obedient to mum and dad these are these are tasks that
you have been given and God expects you to obey mother and father if you can
keep your finger then come meet to Colossians chapter 3 come with me to
Colossians chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3 and I'm going to read to you from
Galatians 6 5 while you turn to Colossians 3 in Galatians 6 5 the Bible
reads for every man shall bear his own burden the Bible says that each one of
us have a burden to share it might it might seem fun it might seem enjoyable
to have no responsibilities to have no burdens that some people have the idea
man if I can just you know get to a point where I'm financial financially
stable and I don't need to work another day in my life I don't have any other
responsibilities that'll be that's what I'm that's my goal that's my aim but
you know what I've observed in my life and when I've observed the most
miserable people the most saddened Christians the most burdened Christians
as far as their hearts and the sorrows and sadness are usually those that want
no responsibility or carry no responsibility okay when you get to a
point where no one relies on you you've got you got no one depending on you
you've got nothing to do you've got no goals in life that's when your life
starts become miserable okay because God has given you the responsibilities to
have your own burdens and to carry your responsibilities and ensure that you do
that in the by the the command that God has given you in life it also you know
the Bible sources says before Galatians 6 5 in Galatians 6 4 the Bible says but
let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself
alone and not in another the Bible says that we can rejoice in ourselves when we
take our burdens we take our responsibilities and we accomplish those
things once again you know I used to think man work in a job nine to five you
know whatever is Monday to Friday oh man I can't wait to get over that okay and
thank God as a pastor I have I have actually more hours than a full-time job
but I can actually work my hours around my family which is a which is the
blessing actually but now I found that when I started to work that 95 job when
he started paying those bills when he started putting a roof over my wife's
head and taking that boy they gave me joy hey I was able to go wow I'm able to
do this task that I didn't think was possible and there's rejoicing in one
self and not in another when you carry the responsibilities that God has given
you in life and for the Shepherd's responsibility it was to watch the flock
during the night and you're then Colossians 3 verse 22 and I want this I
want those working on Christmas you've put your hand up this is for you I get
Christmas Day when the boss is not watching maybe it's quiet you're not
getting the phone calls you're not getting the I don't know whatever it is
whatever your role is maybe things are getting quiet and you start to go it's
Christmas I'll just slack off on the job I want to remember what God commands us
in Colossians 3 22 servants obey in all things your masters according to the
flesh not with eye service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart
fearing God you know it says singleness of heart it means when you go and work
employees you have your heart toward Jesus single-hearted it's not hey how do
I please the boss how do I please Jesus and the way you please Jesus is by doing
the task the boss has asked you to do okay it continues in verse from 23 and
whatsoever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men you know if
you've got a ministry if you've got a service for the Lord and some of you do
some of the raise your hand you've got some certain church ministries and I
know you give your best to those church ministries well I want to give the same
level of your best to your employer on Christmas Day and every day and then for
the rest of us that work a job when it comes to maybe sitting some what I call
that the start of the year when everyone starts making plans and
resolutions you start making New Year's resolutions so you know what every day
I go to work in 2024 is gonna be in service to Jesus Christ I'm gonna lay
before him I'm gonna show Jesus that I take my responsibilities seriously like
the shepherds did and he continues in verse number 24 Colossians 3 24 knowing
that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve
the Lord Christ in the Bible saying there that we don't really work a job
for the paycheck though that's nice to have we really work a job because Christ
is going to reward us in eternity like you think about that like a lot of
people don't have that mindset they think the only way that I'm gonna be
rewarded by Christ if I serve in the local church and you are gonna be
rewarded by Christ if you serve in the local church you know what if you serve
in your workplace and you do it for Jesus he's going to reward you in
eternity to come as well so man not only the paycheck but the paycheck that comes
from Jesus Christ in eternity what a wonderful thing come back with me to
Luke chapter 2 Luke chapter 2 is our main text this morning Luke chapter 2 so
the testimony of personal responsibility have you got that testimony in your life
do you need to add that to your life please do verse number 9 and lo the
angel of the Lord came upon them isn't that beautiful to the shepherds okay the
angel did not come to the politicians the angel of the Lord did not even go to
the religious leaders in the temple he came to the angels beautiful okay there
was certain quality about these angels of course that God looked favorably upon
them you know they had a testimony that I want each one of us to have 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 by the way what does the word gospel mean
good tidings glad tidings okay the angels are coming bring glad tidings of
gospel of great news look at this which shall be to all people which shall be to
all people I want to make that very clear and I I know you're probably sick
of me saying this I may be behind the pulpit but Jesus came for all people
okay the Gentiles are not Plan B all right whatever preach is telling you
that your Plan B please stop listening from the it like from the very birth of
Christ the angels make it very clear he's come for all people Jews Gentiles
praise God that salvation has been offered to all people otherwise I'd
still I'd still be on my way to hell I'd still have to pay be paying for my sins
one day by going to hell of course Jesus Christ has given us salvation the
salvation is available to all people but I want to notice what it says in verse
number 11 again the angel are specifically speaking to the shepherds
when he says but unto you is born this day in the City of David what our Savior
a Savior which is Christ the Lord a Savior which is Christ the Lord unto
you shepherds the next testimony that we have of the shepherds is the testimony
of personal salvation you know each one of these shepherds had put their faith
and trust in the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ the testimony of a personal
salvation can you come with me to Romans chapter 10 come with me to Romans
chapter 10 please Romans chapter 10 and verse number 9 Romans chapter 10 and
verse number 9 this one's the most important even though it's point number
two this one's the most important do you have a personal testimony of your
salvation is there a time that you have called upon the name of the Lord in
faith in faith alone without works you know on Jesus Christ you know you try
his death his burial his resurrection you've trusted his payment for sin you've
trusted his shed blood okay and you believed in his resurrection you've
trust that he's given you everlasting life and you've told Jesus thank you
Lord I want that thank you for your salvation has there ever been a time
when you personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior and if you say to
me pastor I don't know if I have if you say to me pastor I haven't then please
talk to me after service or talk to someone in the church that you might
feel more comfortable with this is the most important thing okay if you forget
everything else in the sermon this is the most important thing okay these
shepherds had the testimony of a personal salvation in Jesus Christ and
often when we you know when we think of the gospel message we often turn to
Romans 10 but I want to show you what it says in Romans 10 verse 9 Romans 10
verse 9 it says that if thou now in the King James Bible we've got the these and
the dows some people don't like him I think it's wonderful the these and the
dows represent what the singular okay and the you is plural right but the
thou the these of those thine is all singular okay and it says in Romans 10
9 if that if thou singular you okay shall confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus and shall believe in thine hearts that God have raised him from the dead
thou shalt be saved have you had that moments where you've trust Jesus Christ
as your Savior you've called upon them a Lord where you've made that personal
decision and I speak to my kids look I know I know which of my kids are saved
because we had the blessing of being able to lead them to the Lord but as a
pastor children should never be thinking oh I'm right with God my dad's a pastor
oh I'm right with God I think I'm saved we go to church mom and dad are saved I
must be saved I don't know we all need to make that choice at some point in our
lives now when it comes to children we've never forced our children to you
know to believe on Christ and we've never put that pressure on them you know
growing up in a Christian home and going to church and listening to the gospel
somewhere between the ages this is our experience might not be the same for
everybody but somewhere between the ages of four to six usually around the
six okay there's some rare occasions sometimes four or five okay but usually
around six years old our kids come up to us saying mom and dad what must I do to
be saved like the Philippine jailer okay like you don't get that the doors or I
mean God also saw winning but with the kids that you know I don't want to go to
hell you know how can I be sure of going to heaven you know the the fear of death
sometimes starts to set in and they want to be sure that we've mum and dad and
the family in heaven and praise God that's the gospel is so simple that even
a little child four or five six years old you know can call upon the name of
Lord and be saved have that confidence in them and never have to doubt it in
their teenage years never have to doubt it in the adulthood do you have the
testimony of a personal salvation what else do we learn about the the shepherds
come with me back to Luke chapter 2 verse number 12 Luke chapter 2 and
verse number 12 the Angels continue and say and this shall be a sign unto you
you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger what
humble beginning to the Lord God on this earth not born in the palace not born in
some rich temple you know and having every servant under his authority or
something like that not born like a like royalty born humbly in a manger from the
very beginning like a showing that is lowered himself from the very beginning
showing that it lower himself to the point where he would pay for your sins
my sins like think about oh man what a thing like how scary would it be to die
for your own sins have to face God with my own sins Wow that's a scary thought
what if I just added somebody else's sins to my list Christ took the sins of
each one of us upon himself and the sins of the whole world upon himself the
wrath judgment and anger of his Heavenly Father fell upon him boy what a
sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ but from the very beginning he was born in
Bethlehem's manger you know showing his humility and and verse number 13 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 good will
toward men so these angels also this angel now surrounded by many angels a
multitude from heaven the heavenly hosts and all just praising God but I want to
notice what they say it says glory to God in the highest and on earth peace
goodwill toward men the third testimony that I have for you brethren that I
want to think about do you have the testimony of personal peace do you have
the testimony of personal peace now in some ways of course being saved gives
you personal peace the moment you know hey I know I'm going to heaven why
because of Jesus Christ he paid for it all none of me he's done it all I'm
going to heaven because he promised me he did all the work isn't that a great
burden that comes off your shoulders well you're no longer wondering how am
I gonna face God on Judgment Day is God going to weigh up my good and my bad no
he's gonna weigh up the good of Jesus and you'll be in hey cuz Jesus Christ is
perfect that's wonderful all right but the word
peace of course you know you know they're receiving this in well not just
peace but it says they're the good goodwill toward men and goodwill often
you know refers to kindness friendliness help okay God is showing us his
friendliness his kindness by sending his son to die in our place by sending his
son to give us peace on earth and I want to be clear about this this peace that
comes from Christ is not a peace treaty between two warring nations in fact
Christ says that he came to bring a sword on this earth of course the peace
that we're talking about is the peace between God and man okay and have you
got that peace you know sometimes we we are saved and we have that peace about
us but isn't it true that sometimes we forget the peace that God has given us
when we're going through difficulties when we're going for trials we might
feel like that God is not awake we maybe he's not listening maybe doesn't realize
what we're going through we might lose some of that peace but you know what
Christ says that he'll never leave us nor forsake us you know I don't know
what trial you're going through this morning maybe you're going through some
serious trials maybe things that you don't even want to speak about to your
brothers sisters in the Lord and that's fine but you can speak to God about
that and when you think that God's forgotten you he hasn't and I know I've
been there I know what it feels like to think that God's forgotten you to think
God you don't understand the seriousness of the situation that I find myself in
no he does of course he does okay and this is just part of the weakness of man
that we forget we lose our peace in trimes times of difficulties and if you
can come with me to um tell me to Psalm chapter 4 Psalm 4 come with me to Psalm
4 come with me to Psalm 4 Psalm 4 I want you to be at peace today you know
sometimes Christmas period is a bit it's not always peaceful you know how many
stories have I heard you know during Christmas parties and Christmas events
family starts a fight well don't let that be you you know think about the
peace that God has given us on this earth by sending his son you know what
let's be people of peace let's be peacemakers the Bible says in Psalm 4
verse 8 I will lay I will both lay me down in peace and sleep Wow for thou
Lord only makest me dwell in safety boy you know what when you're struggling to
sleep because of fears and concerns you need to read this Psalm and meditate in
the Psalm it says here for the our Lord only makest me dwell in safety Lord you
only want me to be safe Lord you see the dangers so you know what I'm just gonna
go to sleep because you've got it under control I'm gonna be at peace Lord
because you know exactly what's going on you know you're looking out for my best
boy can you get to that point in life and you should I'm sure you've
experienced that peace and there are times that you lose the peace and when
you lose the peace you need to go to God and ask him for that peace once again
please go to Philippians chapter 4 Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 Philippians
chapter 4 verse number 6 this is some of my favorite verses in Philippians 4 6
and while you're turning to Philippians 4 6 I'm going to read to you from John
14 27 John 14 27 the words of Jesus he says peace I leave with you my peace I
give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be
troubled neither let it be afraid from the shepherds were afraid to begin with
okay but now there's the angels came to proclaim peace on earth and brethren
this piece that comes from God it says not as the world giveth you know what
would give you peace on earth maybe no walls maybe financial security I think
you think about the kind of peace like what would give me peace you know
excellent relationships with people excellent marriage some of these things
are very good things to desire but the peace that you think you might get from
the earth does not compare does not compare to the peace that Jesus Christ
gives us it's not as the world giveth boy you know that means that means we
could be facing World War three and we might be worried about nuclear bombs
dropping on Australia that could be the worry of the world and we're like hey
I'm at peace with God so be it whatever you want Lord however you want me to
live through this turmoil and troubles Lord I'm at peace of you because you're
my God you make me dwell in safely safety I can go to sleep and be at peace
that's how we ought to be as Christians and if you're not that way look at
Philippians 4 6 again these are some of my favorite verses Philippians 4 6 be
careful for nothing look let nothing make you full of care is already saying
let nothing make you full of worries yet we all worry I mean that's a
commandments that's a commandment right there it's not an option all right be
careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with
Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God you know I guarantee you
there it might be some of you this morning that aren't at peace and the
only reason you're not at peace right now is because you forgot to take it to
God in prayer that's the only reason because we think we've got it covered
again I know because I've been there with our struggles and worries are like
what am I going to do how am I gonna handle this situation and I'm stressed
and I'm worried and I'm like did I even go to God about this nope forgot okay
and of course when you take it to God you gotta remember all right you've
given it to your father your Heavenly Father and for those that are parents
you know if your children bring you a problem who's not gonna help them like
who's not gonna go and give them some advice or say son daughter you know what
don't even worry about that I'll take care of it there are times my children
like that my bank accounts a bit low I'm like don't worry about it you're my son
you my daughter will take care of it all right don't worry about that's not your
issue at some point gonna be issue but right now while you're under my roof
don't worry about it I mean that's what I thought what are the Heavenly Father
how much more is he going to take your struggles and your worries and your
stresses in life and give you the peace I haven't finished in verse number seven
it says and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus because isn't that where when
you're when you're not at peace isn't that what affects you the most your
heart your mind your worries in the emotion that's that's where you're
affected the most when you're stressed and worried well hey if you take it to
God in prayer and you leave it you leave it with God in prayer I love my old
pastor you often would say that we take our burdens to God we lift them up our
shoulders we give to God and then we're saying Jesus name amen all right thank
you God let me pick up those burdens again and put it back on my shoulders
and walk away we forget to leave it we've gone many times okay they can see
here the peace of God which pass the full with the idea they'll pass the
full understanding it surpasses it surpasses all understanding meaning that
your life can be falling apart and you're like it's all good I'm at peace
with God and people look at you and go what that makes no sense if anyone
should be worried it's you if anyone should be stressed it's you because it
passes surpasses all understanding they don't understand the world does not
understand the peace that God can give you in your hearts and I sometimes
forget and you sometimes forget but that peace is always readily available to us
brethren do you have the testimony of personal peace in your heart this
morning if not hey learn from the shepherds and learn from the shepherds
come back with me to Luke chapter 2 Luke chapter 2 and verse number 15 Luke
chapter 2 verse number 15
so the angels have announced that Christ will be born in a manger right they've
glorified God you know they told him hey this is your Savior you know Christ the
Lord peace goodwill toward men so how do the how do the shepherds respond in
verse number 15 and it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven the shepherds said one to another let us now go even unto Bethlehem to
see this thing which has come to pass which the Lord have made known unto us
you know what I love about this is the shepherds said one to another so they're
like mates they're like man we just witnessed something amazing you know our
Lord God Savior is on this earth let's go see them let's go see him and they
say this one to another you know what I love about this and my point on before
that I have here is that this is a testimony of personal encouragement
they're encouraging one another they're speaking one to another let's go see
Christ and Brevin isn't it wonderful to be in a church full house this morning
where we can encourage one another my goal is to encourage you in this sermon
but just seeing you here at church encourages me you know greeting one of
the Merry Christmas shaking hands saying hello right just just serving one
another with a lunch that we're going to have afterwards this is all
encouraging one another in the Lord because we all know how wicked this
world is we know how how manipulative the media is and and the the pressures
and the you know that come from the world to give in to all kinds of lust
and sinful pleasures isn't it good to just be in the house of the Lord we can
encourage each other like there's none of us here that is without sin there is
none of us here without wickedness we know where we're fallen creatures we
know we're not the group I hope you think you know you hope you realize
that that you're not the greatest thing on the in this world the only reason
you're worthy of Christ or worthy of the Father is because of Christ I hope you
recognize that okay and so that way when when when a fellow member in church is
going through struggles when a fellow member in church needs encouragement
when a fellow member in church is not doing very well spiritually they don't
just kick them while they're down they don't just speak about and gossip and
complain and whine and murmur oh hey your job is to encourage your job is to
lift them up hey and it's your turn that neat when you need encouragement you
know you want to make sure that your brother sister is there to encourage you
in return hey we need each other like we need New Life Baptist Church okay
because we need to be there for one another as brothers sisters in the Lord
there's not many of us that are like-minded there's not many of us so
do we want to be at conflicts do we want to be gossiping about one another
complain about one another look that's not going to be a testimony of personal
encouragement it's a testimony of personal discouragement what do you like
with people at church do you have more conflicts than friends or do you have
more friends and conflicts that should tell you hey what is my testimony like
when it comes to encouraging my brothers sisters in the Lord so anyway these
shepherds they've got each other let's go they encourage one another let's go
they said one to another let us now go even unto Bethlehem come with me to
Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews chapter 10 please Hebrews chapter 10 verse number
24 Hebrews chapter 10 and verse number 24 Hebrews 10 24
Hebrews 10 24 reads and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to
good works you know when I come to church and I prepare my sermon I ought
to be considering you each each one of you what does my church need to hear how
can I be there for my church and vice versa you'll be saying how can I be
there for brother so-and-so how can I be there for sister so-and-so how can I
encourage my pastor to stay encouraged in the ministry things like that we need
to be doing this and this is how we do it in verse number 25 not forsaken the
assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one
another and so much the more as you see the day approaching to exhort one
another to encourage to lift each other up to motivate one another man I need
you guys right and you know I hope we need it one another we've got in the
Lord God but the Lord God's given us brothers and sisters to motivate to
encourage one another don't forsake the assembling look I'm not saying that if
you miss a service that you're forsaken Church forsaken Church means to give up
all right and say well our church is rubbish people at church are rubbish
look is Church full of hypocrites of course you know I've got to preach
sermons that I'm not a hundred percent on like personally myself like my job as
a pastor is to preach the whole Council of God all the Council of God regardless
of who it offends and even if it offends this pastor I still got a preacher okay
it's not right if I'm preaching something and I'm not doing that great
at it that's not hypocrisy I'm not preaching my wisdom and my knowledge I'm
here to preach you God's Word and that ought to challenge you and that will to
challenge me because if I were if I could only preach what I was doing well
at well we wouldn't get from much Bible I'd say that because I'm not the
standard of Jesus Christ maybe you are but I'm not of course Church is full of
hypocrites your workplace is full of hypocrites all right churches that
preach a false gospel and have false prophets of course they're full of
hypocrites you know what we're not hypocritical about when we claim that
we're going to heaven because of what Jesus has done but what about people
that say how I'm going to heaven because I'm a good person that's the biggest
hypocrite that I've ever met that's a that's a that's the most pride anybody
can have to think that you're worthy of God's presence because you're a good
person no we've all come short of the glory of God we're all sinners none of
us are righteous but we need to encourage each other and look please if
you have a bad experience at church please make sure that you lump it with
everything else like hey it's a church that's preaching the truth it's a church
that loves the Lord the church that goes soul winning it's a church that reach
from the King James Bible all right the church that's got a pastor that loves me
I love you guys I want you to know that I got one bad experience come on where
don't you have a bad experience I'm sure you've had a bad experience at home with
your family sometimes you give up on the home you give up on the family oh all
right we're here to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and we know we're not perfect
okay so let's be an example of personal encouragement come back with me to Luke
chapter 2 verse number 16 Luke chapter 2 verse number 16 so now that they've
encouraged each other they go and see Jesus Christ in verse number 16 and they
came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger
and when they had seen it they made known abroad the same which was told
them concerning the chart this child and all they that heard it wondered at those
things which were told them by the shepherds so what the shepherds do
they've encouraged each other they go they in haste they rush to see the baby
and and Joseph and Mary and then what I do once they see the baby once they see
Christ once they see the Savior what do they do they said and when they had seen
it they made known abroad the same they started going telling everybody else
about Jesus they weren't telling everybody else about the Savior having
come having come into the world brethren the shepherds have a testimony
of personal soul winning how good is that okay and as they went preaching
Christ it says in verse 18 and all they heard it wondered at those things which
were told them by the shepherds they're like man we've never heard such news
how amazing you know when I give someone the gospel and if they've had a Christian
background already because you know which you know I've taught it before I'm
trying to find common ground with them but then obviously at some point it's
not common ground when they realize that salvation is by faith alone and not by
keeping the commandments and going to church whatever it is and then when I'm
done giving them the gospel often say something like have you ever heard this
before and they're like man I never heard it like that before why they're
they're in wonderments they're in amazements that man salvation is so
easy so simple it's been paid for 100% by Jesus Christ this whole time they
thought Jesus opened the doors got you halfway to heaven they had to do the
next half to get there all right they've got to try the best whatever it is they
thought that all along they didn't realize boy Jesus Christ did it all the
testimony of personal soul winning you know I've been in churches where and
again I don't want to attack I don't want to touch it I love much I love my
old churches I love my old pastors I do like I really do okay but I've been in
church where if you give money to the missionary you've done your part of soul
winning like you put the money in you soul winner wherever you are in whatever
country or what even in Australia they're doing the soul winning and so
I'm being blessed by giving them the finance to do that I'm not saying
there's anything wrong with that in of itself but what happens is people lose
the personal accountability of soul winning they don't have the testimony of
personal soul winning I mean how sad and again if this offends you but how sad is
it if you're saved today and you don't know how to give someone the gospel like
you know how you got saved you know what you believed you know what you trusted
you know what you repented from your false beliefs to the true belief on
Jesus Christ but you can't tell someone else that doesn't make a lot of sense
really it doesn't make take a lot of sense and you know what giving someone
the gospel is not that complicated it really is not okay and with God's Word
it's even easier okay because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word
of God look if you're not comfortable giving someone the gospel I'm not saying
that you even have to come out door-to-door with us but you might just
in your personal life come across a family member a friend that is not saved
where God gives you the opportunity to be with someone one-on-one with that
person and you if you love them if you really are a friend you're going to use
those opportunities that God has given you to give that person the gospel and
if you can't you need to create have this testimony about yourself learn from
the shepherds they only just heard it like that very night they just heard
that Christ has come into the world and they go see Christ they run and
immediately they're not worried about the animals they're worried about souls
they're telling people Christ has come into the world they're able to do it
within 24 hours giving someone the gospel is not that
complicated and again if you want like someone to guide you and direct you
please ask me I'm happy to do it I'm happy to show you you know how to go
soul-willing I'm happy to you know tell you what verses to memorize or what
where to go in the scriptures and how to form a plan together more than happy to
show that to you because we need to have that testimony of personal salvation or
personal soul-willing personal soul-willing
verse number 19 please look to the service number 19 so after they do some
soul-willing they proclaim Christ abroad it says in verse number 19
so they've seen Jesus they've done the soul-willing what are they doing now
they're praising God the glorifying God for all the things that they have heard
and seen it was as it was told unto them you know I hope you leave church and
you're able to praise God for what you've learnt I hope you have to go hey
God man I've seen something your word at church and thank you for giving me your
wisdom thank you for giving me some knowledge thank you for challenging me
Lord thank you for showing the areas of my life that I need to fix Lord I'm not
going to get offended Lord in fact I'm just going to realize that you're holy
I'm not perfect but you can help me well there are certain elements in this list
that I don't have I don't have this in my own personal testimony can you help
me create this in my life and I have no doubt the Lord's gonna help you but what
do they have they have the testimony of personal worship the testimony of
personal worship look it's one thing to worship God at church and it's a good
thing to do you guys have sung so well this morning praising God glorifying
his name we want God to be able to look at a new life at this church with a
smile now we join his heart for our praises that we've lifted to him but is
this the only place you praise God the only come yeah is that the only time you
open your mouth and glorify him and sing him praises is it only at church what
about in your own personal life do you praise God do you worship him do you
sing him praises you sing him songs that's my challenge for you this coming
year you know if you don't do it at home start doing it you know the Bible says
in Psalm 59 16 I will sing of thy power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in
the morning for thou has been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble
unto thee are my strength will I sing for God is my defense and the God of my
mercy the psalmist says our God I'm gonna sing to you in the morning Lord
when I wake up the first thing that I want to be thinking about is you and how
you're gonna help me in my day how you've helped me in my difficulties I'm
gonna praise you and worship you do I personally always remember to do that
no I want to it's my goal in life just wake up in my first thoughts is not
Facebook my first thought is not YouTube or discord or signal or telegram or what
else the people use Facebook messenger whatsapp now my first thought ought to be
my Lord before I communicate with these devices let me communicate to you first
let me pray to you let me ask you for your help this morning let me sing you a
song of praise of worship so you can hear my voice all right my voice might
not be the greatest in church so I sing quietly but home in my bedroom alone I
can sing to you Lord I've said it to you many times as I'm driving by myself I do
a lot of driving by myself that's why I like to just pray to God and to praise
God because no one can hear me I guess people are driving past they probably
think I'm singing some worldly song I'm singing praises to my Lord God do you
have the testimony of personal worship can you come with me to Hebrews chapter
13 Hebrews 13 verse number 15 Hebrews 13 verse number 15
you know one thing I've learnt about God is he likes to be praised and he's
worthy of praise it's not like a man who likes to be praised man's not worthy of
praise but God is his love is worthy to be praised and his grace his mercy his
forgiveness his salvation even his judgments are worthy to be praised even
his chastisement in our life is worthy of praise because the Bible says he does
it for our profits for our benefit to teach us all right that we can mature
we can grow Hebrews 13 15 Hebrews 13 15 by him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God who this continually that is the fruit of our
lips given thanks to his name the fact that it says continually tells me every
day we should be given God thanks every day we should be praising him for the
God that he is you know to the families let me encourage you to have a time of
the day it doesn't have to be long ten minutes five minutes well you as a
family come together and just pray give God thanks there's always something to
be thankful for and sing up a song sing even this Christmas belt out the
Christmas hymns that glorify Christ not Santa Claus is coming to town okay but
the songs that we sing in this church glorifying our Lord God how about we do
that like nobody's gonna think you're weed if they hear you singing Christmas
hymns right now or at home because it's the season they'll say but I'm saying
make that the season every day for your family every day for your life make this
the testimony of your life praising God continually I'll read to you one more
passage 1st Corinthians 6 19 it says what no you're not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and you're not
your own for year bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and
in your spirit which are gods this body now that you're saved you were purchased
by the shed blood of Christ this body as weak as it is belongs to God and the
spirit that's born again praise God for the spirit that's what the strength lies
that's also that also belongs to God we belong to the Lord and what does he want
us to do with our bodies in our spirit to glorify him to praise him okay the
Holy Spirit of God lives within us we ought to be used as instruments some of
you guys are learning different instruments and you pick up you know a
flute or you put your hands on a piano and it plays what you want it to play
that will to be you you're the instrument of God God wants you to
glorify him do you glorify God do you praise God do you have that testimony of
personal worship all right brethren those are the six points that I have for
you this morning not so much Christmas themes but lessons from Christmas hey
lessons from the first Christmas let me give you what those six points are once
again the testimony of personal responsibility the testimony of personal
salvation the testimony of personal peace the testimony of personal
encouragement the testimony of personal soul win the testimony of personal
worship have you got all of these things in your life today you know honestly
when you look in the mirror you say yep I've got those six boxes checked there's
probably some that are not checked or there might be some that are kind of
half checks but they need improvements you know think about it this Christmas
okay the shepherds were worthy to be visited by the Angels the shepherds were
worthy to receive such great news and so let's learn from the shepherds this
morning all right let's pray