(soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) - Good morning, church family, Merry Christmas.

Hope you all had a good week in the Lord. We're gonna go ahead and begin our worship with this first song offering. (soft piano music) ♪ Over the skies ♪ ♪ Over the skies of Bethlehem appeared a star ♪ ♪ While angels sang to lowly shepherds ♪ ♪ Three wise men seeking truth traveled from afar ♪ ♪ Hoping to find the child from heaven ♪ ♪ Falling on their knees ♪ ♪ Bowed before the humble prince of peace ♪ ♪ I bring an offering of worship to my king ♪ ♪ No one on earth deserves this praises that I sing ♪ ♪ Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due ♪ ♪ Oh Lord I bring an offering to you ♪ ♪ I bring an offering to you ♪ ♪ The sun cannot compare to the glory of your love ♪ ♪ There is no shadow in your presence ♪ ♪ No mortal man would dare to stand before your throne ♪ ♪ Before the holy one of heaven ♪ ♪ It's only by your blood ♪ ♪ And it's only through your mercy Lord I come ♪ ♪ I bring an offering of worship to my king ♪ ♪ No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing ♪ ♪ Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due ♪ ♪ Oh Lord I bring an offering ♪ ♪ One more time oh I bring ♪ ♪ I bring an offering of worship to my king ♪ ♪ No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing ♪ ♪ Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due ♪ ♪ Oh Lord I bring an offering to you ♪ ♪ I bring an offering to you ♪ (gentle music) - All right, good morning.

Welcome to Berean Community Church. As you guys know, this is our Christmas service. So the order of worship and the program is a little bit different today. We're gonna, after the worship set, we're gonna have our children come up here and they're gonna do their annual presentation. So I don't know where the parents are.

So if you're gonna come up to the front to do it before, and then you can take your pictures and videos at that time. So it's gonna be after the worship set. But let me give a few announcements before we get started. Next Sunday, we're gonna be collecting our annual Christmas offering that we will be using to support the missionaries from our church.

And so next week, if you can be prayerful, again, this is something that we do annually to support the missionaries that are out there that were sent out. And so if you guys can be prayerful about this. So next Sunday, we will be collecting that offering during the regular offering time.

And please make that a distinction. Again, we'll announce this again from the regular offering so that we know that that is going to the mission's offering. Next members session, it's gonna be a members meeting session, sorry, members membership class is gonna happen on January 16th. It's an eight week course from nine to 1020.

And so second floor of the building, this building, so where the children meet. And so Pastor Nate is going to be in charge of that. So if you want to become a member, this is a membership class. If you want to become a member, the next session is gonna be starting on January 16th.

I'm told that the ping pong tournament, the last day to sign up is this coming Friday. So if you don't have someone to play with and you just want to play, you can sign up and they'll connect you with somebody else that you can play with. It's just an opportunity to come and meet different people.

And so if you haven't signed up, please do so by this week. And it'll happen at 6 p.m. in the cafe side. And then afterwards, we have a New Year's service that will be taking place in this room at 11 p.m. Okay, so again, if you haven't signed up for that, please sign up for that.

And then lastly, our first Peter Bible study, the next Bible study session is gonna happen on January 19th. And so if you haven't signed up for that, and even those of you who have been in the same home group for many sessions, if you guys can help us sign up for that because we do need to expand and move some things around and make sure that we have enough small group leaders.

So even if you are already signed up and you may end up staying in the same group, we need you to re-sign up for that as soon as possible because we need to make sure that we have enough groups, enough homes to handle that. So if you haven't signed up for that, please sign up for that as soon as possible.

And then again, the next session will be on January 19th. Okay, all right, so let me pray for the offering. And then those of you who are new to the church or just visiting us, if you have a physical offering to give, we have an offering box over there decorated kind of like a Christmas box.

So that's our offering box. And then for the rest of us, we'll give you a minute to give electronically. All right, let's pray. Gracious Father, we thank you so much for what it is that we celebrate today. Help us to glean from your word. Help us to understand, Lord God, deeply what it is that we have in you.

That all that we do would simply be an overflow of the gratitude that we have for our salvation, for the grace that you give. I pray that even this offering, help us to give it to you as an act of worship, an act of adoration of who you are and may it be multiplied for your use, for your kingdom.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) Let's all rise together, church family, as we sing this first hymn. (gentle piano music) ♪ I stand amazed in the presence ♪ ♪ Of Jesus the Nazarene ♪ ♪ And wonder how he could love a man ♪ ♪ A sinner condemned ♪ ♪ And one more time I stand amazed ♪ ♪ I stand amazed in the presence ♪ ♪ Of Jesus the Nazarene ♪ ♪ And wonder how he could love a man ♪ ♪ A sinner condemned ♪ ♪ And one more time I stand amazed ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ And my song shall ever be ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ Is my Savior's love for me ♪ (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) ♪ He took my sins ♪ ♪ He took my sins and my sorrows ♪ ♪ He made them his burial ♪ ♪ He bore the burden to calvary ♪ ♪ And suffered and died of those ♪ Sing it out, how marvelous.

♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ And my song shall ever be ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ Is my Savior's love for me ♪ (gentle piano music) ♪ When will, when will the ransomed in glory ♪ ♪ His face I at last shall see ♪ ♪ 'Twill be my joy through the ages ♪ ♪ To sing of his love for me ♪ Sing it out, how marvelous.

♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ And my song shall ever be ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ Is my Savior's love for me ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ And my song shall ever be ♪ ♪ How marvelous, how wonderful ♪ ♪ Is my Savior's love for me ♪ Amen.

(gentle music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Sing a joy. ♪ Joy to the world, the Lord is come ♪ ♪ Let earth receive her King ♪ ♪ Let every heart prepare Him room ♪ ♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ And heaven, and heaven, and nature ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Sing that joy to the world.

♪ Joy to the world, the Savior reigns ♪ ♪ Let men their songs employ ♪ ♪ While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains ♪ ♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪ ♪ Repeat, repeat the sounding joy ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ He rules the world ♪ ♪ He rules the world with truth and grace ♪ ♪ And makes the nations prove ♪ ♪ The glories of His righteousness ♪ ♪ And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love ♪ ♪ And wonders, and wonders of His ♪ ♪ And wonders of ♪ ♪ And wonders, and wonders of His love ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Amen, you may be seated.

♪ ♪ >> Loop 2, 8 through 14. In the same region, there are some shepherds staying out in the field and keeping watch over their flock by night. And suddenly an angel of the Lord stood around them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel of the Lord said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people." For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you, for you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger.

This will be a sign for you, for you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of hosts, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men, with whom he is pleased." All right, let's thank the kids and the teachers.

As they were up here, kind of reminiscing over our very first Christmas presentation from our elementary department. And as long as you guys, our church was, I think, probably no more than about 30, 35 people back then. And the first presentation was to basically our family member kids, Nathan, Matthew, Jeremy, Zachary, Faith.

Isaiah obviously was not born. I don't think Faith was there yet. But I was just kind of reminiscing and thinking about that. And Faith now is one of the teachers who kind of leads the seed. So she was here helping out with the first. So, making me feel old.

But time has passed. Again, we, you know, just in the last, I think about six weeks, we've had eight births at church. And so we have many more coming. So you are being fruitful and multiplying, obeying God's creation mandate. And again, you know, one of the things that we keep, we want to keep reminding our church is, as our children come into our church, obviously they're pre-members of the church.

And we want to make sure that everything that we're building and laboring for is going to transfer up to the next generation. You know, and it'd be tragedy for us to labor and to try to build a church and then it gets disconnected with the next generation. So, you know, each one of these children are the ones who are going to take the baton for the next generation to continue to be the light in the generation that they're growing up in.

And as you guys know, as our culture is straying further and further away from Judeo-Christian values, that we really need to pray for these kids who are up here because they're going to have it tougher than what we had when we were growing up. So please continue to keep them in your prayer.

If you can turn your Bibles with me to Matthew chapter 1, we'll be reading from verse 21 through 25. Matthew chapter 1, verse 21 through 25. "So she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel,' which translated means God with us.

And Joseph spoke from his sleep, Joseph woke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son and he called his name Jesus." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we pray for continued grace as we celebrate the birth of Christ, Emmanuel.

Help us to understand the impact of what it is that we celebrate this holiday season. Help us to know the meaning of Christmas, that not only for ourselves, but for all those around us that we may be a good witness, the aurum of Christ. May your blessing be upon this time, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Now that I have children who are a bit older, I am able to get legitimate gifts. Where prior to every Christmas it was just one-way street. So now they have their own jobs and they have money in their pocket, so each time they come around they're asking, "What do you want?

You want shoes? You want this? You want that?" And so I'm actually benefiting from Christmas now. I remember years ago, I forgot how many years, maybe about three years ago, they asked, three or four years they asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I think I told them I wanted shoes and they mustered up whatever money that they had and they bought me a used pair of booster shoes.

You know the Adidas? Ultra Boost. Booster, Ultra, whatever. Right. It's probably one of the most comfortable shoes I had, but I would never wear used shoes. But I wore it for a period because my children got it for me. It's the first time they were able to muster up money and get me something and so I did my best to wear it as long as possible.

But you know when our children were younger, they would ask, "What do you want for Christmas?" And I'm sure some of you parents can relate, you know, because we know they don't have resources, they don't have money, and so typically what I would say is I want peace and quiet.

Right. And so they know that, "What do you want for Christmas?" It's like, "Well, only thing that you can afford to give me that I'd want is peace and quiet." Well, how do you get peace and quiet? Just be good to your brothers, good to your sisters, right? Because when the children are young, so much of your energy is given to take care of your kids that any little help is going to be beneficial.

So we would say, "Okay." You know, it's half joking, but seriously, we say we want some peace and quiet. Right. To be good to your brother, to be good to your sister. Christmas is the only holiday where we celebrate someone else's birthday by giving presents to other people other than the person that we celebrate.

Right. Christmas is a day we celebrate the birth of Christ, but all of our attention is given to our brothers and sisters and friends and family and to make sure that they're well taken care of. And I think it's appropriate. It's appropriate because God spends so much time and energy taking care of us.

What is it that you and I could possibly give to God that He doesn't already have? He doesn't need finances. Right. There's nothing that we have that He doesn't already have in abundance. But for us to join Him in taking care of His children that He cares for and loves.

And so this is a special day as we come together and celebrate Jesus's birthday. But I want to make sure that we understand what it is that we are really celebrating. And none of the things that you'll hear today is going to be anything particularly new. How many Christmases that you've gone through.

But I think the depth and the impact of what it is that we talk about this morning is important for us to visit. As Jesus was being prophesied that He was going to come, obviously He was named Jesus, Savior. But He said the title that was given Him was a title that was prophesied in the book of Isaiah, that His name would be Emmanuel.

And Emmanuel basically means that He is God with us. God with us. And it's important for us to understand what that means because as simple as that is, and you've probably heard that word many, many times, sing it every Christmas. But what is the real impact of this? So this morning I want to try to unpack this word Emmanuel and what does that have to do with Christmas.

First meaning behind the title Emmanuel is pretty obvious. It means that Jesus is God. No surprise to any of you, right? You wouldn't be here if you didn't believe that. But the impact of that meaning, you know, again, we live in a culture where that's being challenged, that sometimes even inside the church.

Years ago I was out on campus at UCI trying to share the gospel and I met a UCI professor who was challenging us and saying that Jesus never claimed to be God. He claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed to be a God, but not God Himself.

At that time I wasn't versed well enough in scripture to be able to open the Bible and argue with Him. And I remember going back to my professors at Biola asking, you know, can you help me to understand it? And he opened up a few scriptures and it was crystal clear, but at that time I couldn't.

And I was looking, every time I go on campus I look for Him. You know, now I'm better equipped. But of all the things that I can point out, to me the greatest and the most clearest place where Jesus declares to be God Himself is Matthew chapter, sorry, in John chapter 5, 21 to 23.

This is what He says about Himself. "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes." That statement alone, where Jesus says, God has the power to give life and so do I. That statement alone would have gotten stoned.

Because only God is the author of life. And He says, God has the authority and so do I. In verse 22, "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son." Now if the first statement wasn't blasphemous enough, the second statement He says, I do even what the Father doesn't do.

I have the authority to judge. And then third, in verse 23, "So that all will honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him." Do you remember how many times in the scripture where a prophet would declare God's word or they would perform miracles?

And they would bow down in honor of the prophet and the prophet or the angel in fear would beg them, "Get back up! I'm a man, I'm a servant just like you. If you worship me, you will be judged and I will be judged." But Jesus here says, "If you do not honor me, you do not honor the Father." And so He places Himself to be equal with God.

So any one of these statements would have been blasphemous enough because it was crystal clear. And that's exactly how the Jews understood it. Because they said, "We want to stone you, not because of the many miracles, but because you being a mere man, claim to be God." So Jesus made it crystal clear who He is.

In John chapter 1, verse 1, it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." You notice here He says the Word, in reference to Jesus, was with God, and yet He was also God Himself. So we see in the very beginning of the gospel, there is a statement of His Trinitarian relationship with God the Father, the second person.

Because He was with God, and yet He says He also is God. The Bible is not ambiguous about this. When we say that Jesus is Emmanuel, it's declaring who He is. Even in our wildest imagination, we can't create something bigger than God. You know, like recently, we had all these Avengers movies coming out.

I know Spider-Man is very popular right now, but among the Avengers movies, about these superheroes, right? We would ask our questions, just as a fun question, you know, what superhero would you want to be? What powers do you want? Right? So if you're going to pick one, you're going to pick one with the most power.

Superman. Maybe Captain... Captain Marvel, right? Not Captain America, Captain Marvel, right? So who are the most powerful? Well, in recent history, they came up with another character, not necessarily a superhero, but a character that can demolish all other superheroes. Thanos, which happens to mean in Greek, death. And so they created this figure.

If you have the five stones, that basically by clicking the finger, you can destroy half the world. And all the powers of the other superheroes, imaginations of all the other superheroes, could not overcome this power of Thanos. Even in our wildest imagination, even with all the power that Thanos has, with all the stones, it still functions within God's creation.

So even in our wildest imagination, the most powerful being that was created by some of the most creative people in the world, created a being that is a tiny little figure in God's creation. To say that Jesus is God, we need to understand the gravity of what that means.

In Colossians 1.16, it says, "For by Him all things were created, both in heavens and on earth, visible and invisible." Everything that you and I know of, plus the invisible world, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authority, all things have been created through Him and for Him. I want to show you a video to illustrate, because sometimes it's easier to visualize.

If you can play the video. I want you to see the gravity of what I'm talking about. It was the wrong video. >> Church, let's rise together as we sing this last song. ♪ Go to heaven ♪