[0:00] David Hammead Thank you.
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[10:59] Thank you. to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
[11:25] She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living at... Sorry, heading on there, a bit too far. Thank you.
[11:39] Let's sing another carol together. Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king. 206, stand and sing. Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king.
[12:19] In the sun and the sea mile, God and sea is reconciled. Join the lonely ancient skies, Join the trials of the skies, Welcome to the close from thee, Christ, the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.
[13:02] Christ, my eyes have adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord. Verse in time behold in the Offspring of the virgin's womb.
[13:22] Hell in flesh the Lord have seen, Hell in God the deity, Jesus, 뭐야 in theации to the newborn king.
[13:33] 食べ to the newborn king. faith.ose sua am sale with tonal snow. All grown in glory that име, Lord the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.
[13:50] получ دüşt det wszystkich那retched Where the hell the prince of his, Hail the son of righteousness, Let her life to thee raise, Christ with thee in his ways.
[14:17] While he lays his glory, Come, that man no more may die, Come, to the righteous sons of the Lord, Come, to the earth and save the world, Come, to the world angels sing, Glory to the earth and the earth and the earth and the earth.
[14:51] From desire of patience come, It's in us, my uncle Lord, Rise and love as the great sin, Praise the earth, the sun of the sun.
[15:11] How this great I sing in love, Where the flesh shall now restore, Now in bliss with you in joy, Thine two hearts and us to die, Come, to the earth and the angels sing, Glory to the new of me.
[15:44] Going to have our second reading now, which is taken from Matthew in chapter 1, and Stephanie is going to come and read that for us.
[15:55] Thank you, Stephanie. Okay. Reading from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 1, verse 18.
[16:06] This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
[16:24] Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
[16:36] But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
[16:55] She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.
[17:07] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, which means God with us.
[17:22] When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son and he gave him the name Jesus.
[17:38] Thanks be to God. Thank you, Stephanie. We've got a treat now because some of the 610 children are going to come and sing a song for us. If they'd like to come up, I'll hand over to the others.
[17:54] Thank you.
[18:24] Let's give God the praise. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[18:42] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today. Clap your hands and clap your feet, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today.
[18:56] Clap your hands and clap your feet, we celebrate His love. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[19:12] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[19:28] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today. God is giving life to us, with Jesus Christ is born.
[19:43] We can continue of His love, and new day has begun. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[19:58] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[20:13] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, Christ is born today. Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[20:28] Hallelujah, sing hallelujah, let's give God the praise.
[20:58] Holy night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round your virgin mother and child.
[21:14] Holy infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.
[21:27] Sleep in heavenly peace. Let's all join in. Holy night, holy night. Holy night, holy night.
[21:42] Holy night, holy night. Devil's grave, endless sight. Holy strength, oh, heaven of God.
[21:54] Jesus, what can you bond? Jesus, what did you stop inисл assumed. Aco главan, holy night, holy love poetry. All is true.
[22:11] Our Savior is born. Silent night, holy night, Sun of God, master of life, Radiant gifts and harmony grace, In the door of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, and I learn, Jesus, Lord, and I learn.
[22:58] I'm going to ask Alan to come and read for us the third of our readings. Thank you, Alan. I'm reading from Luke at chapter 2.
[23:21] And there were angels living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
[23:40] And they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
[23:55] Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ, the Lord.
[24:08] This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a great company of heavenly hosts appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men, on whom his favor rests.
[24:38] When the angel had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.
[24:54] So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they'd seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.
[25:11] And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
[25:25] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
[25:41] Thank you, Alan. Thank you, Alan. Now then, one of the hardest things about Christmas is, of course, is trying to find that perfect present, that present for those members of the family that you've got to buy for every year.
[25:59] What can you get them that's a bit different? What can you get them that's going to be special, something they're going to remember and enjoy? And perhaps some of you haven't yet bought your Christmas presents, you haven't bought those main ones, you're still looking, still hunting, still hoping to get the right thing.
[26:16] So I thought we'd have a few ideas, a few perfect present ideas for... Yep, the perfect Christmas present.
[26:30] Okay, so the perfect Christmas present. Perhaps you haven't got, you're not sure yet, so I've got a few ideas. So the first one we want to think about is for mum. Okay, what would be the perfect Christmas present that mum would want, or one of the ladies would want?
[26:45] Okay, well here's a nice idea, what about a spa day? Okay, wouldn't that be nice to go and relax and have a massage and be pampered and have lovely perfumes and oils and a cup of tea and all this?
[27:01] That would be super, wouldn't it? Okay, so if you haven't yet bought the present, there's a lot of nodding going on, so mums, they would appreciate you pinny or oven gloves. Okay?
[27:11] Okay, so a spa day for mum. What about dad? What about dad? What would dad want? Dads wouldn't want a spa day. Would they? They wouldn't want to go on a spa.
[27:22] That would be horrible for them. But dads, what about dads? Dads would like a track day. Yeah? They would love to get behind the wheel of a sports car, race it around a circuit and really let rip.
[27:37] That would be their real adventure. That would be their real experience. So if you haven't thought of dad, a track day, that's something that they would really enjoy. Well let's think about the older generation, not just mum and dad.
[27:52] What about grandma? Okay? What would grandma like? Well she probably would like the spa but she's not going to have that because mum's having the spa. She would, I'd be very careful now, grandma would like probably to go to a lovely stately home for the day and go and see their lovely gardens and their manicured lawns and have an afternoon tea.
[28:12] That would be nice wouldn't it? Grandmas, you wouldn't mind that and enjoy themselves. Cream tea in the garden, that would be something that grandma would probably like as well. So again, just some ideas there and what about grandpa?
[28:28] He's a bit bored with his slippers isn't he? And he's got enough tobacco for his pipe. Driver for the day, wouldn't he? Grandad would really like that.
[28:39] He'd love to go onto a steam train and shovel coal in. That would be fantastic. That's the sort of thing grandpas would like to go on a steam train. That's a steam train from the North York's moors.
[28:51] And Martin, Martin rebuilt that one and it hasn't broken down yet, has it Martin? No, that's good. Okay. Oh, we're forgetting people. Who are we forgetting? Children.
[29:03] Yeah, what about boys and girls? What about the perfect present for them? What would they really like to do? Okay, let's have a look. What about the children? What would they love to do? Yeah, they'd love to go to an adventure park.
[29:15] Okay, Flamingo Land. They'd love to go down a zip wire and go on those tree top walks and look above the forest floor and tree walking, all those sort of things.
[29:26] Just have lots and lots of fun and go wild for a day. That would be great, wouldn't it? Notice that all those ideas for presents, the perfect present, and you may say, well, that's not exactly what I would like or exactly what I want, but actually, experiences are the things that we enjoy much more than objects, aren't they?
[29:48] The things that we've got memories about, the things that we really look back on and think, that was fantastic, that was lovely, that was a great present, the things that we've experienced, the things that we've done, the things that have become part of our lives and part of our memories, they last a lot longer than presents or chocolates or flowers or jewellery or perfume or clothes, all those things.
[30:13] Of course, the reality is that no matter how much we think, how much we plan, how much we try to find the perfect present for the people that we love, we never can really find that perfect present, but there is a perfect present.
[30:28] there's a perfect present for each and every one of us. There's a perfect present that no matter how much money we have, we could never buy it and even if we had loads and loads of money, there's no shop that sells it and it's that perfect present we're going to think about in a few minutes' time.
[30:47] Before that though, Poppy's going to come and sing to us now, so please Poppy, would you come and sing us your song? Thank you. Over two thousand years ago, under a star-lit sky, many events were taking place as the ancients had prophesied and a gift was given from heaven to earth, the everlasting light.
[31:43] So let us adore the Saviour born, Emmanuel, here tonight. heavenly hosts of angels, praising God on high, sang with a promised child to come, the Saviour Jesus Christ, and a gift was given from heaven to earth, the everlasting light.
[32:18] So let us adore the Saviour born, Emmanuel, here tonight. Darkness was over Bethlehem, brightly the star did shine, showing the way to where he lay, in a manger for all to find.
[32:44] And a gift was given from heaven to earth, the everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Emmanuel, here tonight.
[33:03] Never before in history had there been such a sign, for God was born, for God was born, in human form, for the sake of all mankind.
[33:20] And a gift was given from heaven to earth, the everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Emmanuel, here tonight.
[33:37] So let us adore him, Christ the Lord, Emmanuel, here tonight. Thank you.
[33:47] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That was super. Thank you very much, Poppy, for singing that for us.
[33:59] Well, let's sing ourselves once more another well-known carol. 220, while shepherds watched their flocks by night. 220, let's all stand and sing.
[34:24] Thank you. CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS
[35:32] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS
[36:46] CHOIR SINGS Now the last of our readings, and Linda's going to come and read that for us from Matthew.
[37:00] Thank you, Linda. This is from Matthew 2, verses 1 to 13.
[37:10] After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?
[37:27] We saw his star when it rose, and have come to worship him. When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
[37:38] When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them, Where the Messiah was to be born?
[37:48] In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied, For this is what the prophet has written. But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.
[38:02] For out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod called the Magi secretly, and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
[38:17] And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.
[38:30] After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them, until it stopped over the place where the child was.
[38:43] And when they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary. And they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
[39:01] And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. And when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.
[39:15] Get up, he said. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. And stay there until I tell you. For Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.
[39:31] Thank you, Linda. Right, we've got to hand over to Colin and the choir. The church choir. Have you been practising? Thank you.
[40:11] Zen andwriting For heavenly then God came to call his Lord.
[40:23] Now to last the highest king is born. Behold the royal stir. Glory feels to bind up all that's torn.
[40:40] The promised one that's come. Joy and pain as man he knew honoured.
[40:54] No place to lay his head. As the servant he embraced his boat.
[41:04] And on the cross he played. Thou before the deepest dream of man.
[41:15] He rose to heaven's throne. Now I'm sheltered in the Father's land.
[41:26] Until he calls me home. May the gift of water make us still.
[41:40] The triumph of all time. As his child I kneel to heaven's will.
[41:50] And make his purpose mine. Though this rock is caught with trial and pain.
[42:01] It's paved with lovish grace. Knowing him will be my greatest day.
[42:12] His throne my resting place. I am the Otherwise of light. Thank you.
[42:22] Thank you.
[42:52] We've been thinking about perfect presents for ourselves and for our family members. But what about this perfect present I said? This perfect present that can't be bought in the shops.
[43:04] This perfect present that no matter how much money we've got, we cannot afford. Well, let's have a look. What have we got? Here's the perfect Christmas present, all wrapped up.
[43:18] So we're going to tear off a little bit of the paper. Have you ever done that when it's Christmas and the presents are there under the tree? And you think, oh, I really, really, really can't wait.
[43:28] I really want to know what it is. And you want to just tear a little corner off of the paper. No, nobody's ever done that. It's just me. That's okay. And peek in to see if you can see what it is. So we're going to tear off the little bits of the Christmas paper here and find out something about this perfect present.
[43:46] The first question is, who is it for? When you've got a present, it's usually got a label on it, a sticker or something like that saying, to so-and-so, to Peter or to whoever it may be, to Dad and so on.
[43:57] So whose name is on this perfect present? What can we say? Well, it says the world. Okay? So the perfect present is for the world.
[44:07] It's for everybody. There's nobody that isn't suitable for this present. There's nobody who doesn't want this present or need this present, this perfect present.
[44:19] It doesn't matter how young we are, how old we are, how rich we are, how poor we are. It doesn't matter how good we are or how bad we are. It doesn't matter who you are.
[44:29] This present is for you. Okay? So this present is for you. You here this evening, for me and you, each and every one of us, this perfect present. Well, the question is, usually on that label it's got to your name or whatever it's called his name, then from somebody else's name.
[44:45] So this next question is, this perfect present which is for the world, for every single one of us, no matter who we are, who is it from? Let's have a look. Let's tear up another bit of the paper. Who is it from?
[44:58] God. For God. Okay? So this perfect present is from God. Well, that makes sense, really, because God is the only perfect person.
[45:08] There's nobody else who is perfect apart from God. Only he could give a perfect present. No human being is perfect. None of us are perfect. Far from it.
[45:19] We're the opposite of perfect. We're imperfect. We keep getting things wrong. And God is the perfect giver because he is our creator. He's the one who's made this world and everything in it.
[45:32] There is nothing that exists apart from what God has given us and created for us. And God knows us. He knows us every single one.
[45:43] When you're applying a present for somebody, it's important that you know their character, their personality, their likes, their dislikes. Well, everything about your life and mine is known to God.
[45:54] Everything about every single person in the world is known to God. There's nothing that he doesn't know about us. And he's able to give to us the perfect present because he's got everything.
[46:07] He has all the riches, all the resources to give to us that perfect present. So this present is for all of us, for you and for me, for every person in Whitby, every person in the world.
[46:19] And this present is from God. But why would God give us a perfect present? What motivated God to give us a perfect present? Why has he given it? Because he loved.
[46:30] For God so loved the world. It's God's love that motivated him to give us that present. There's no other reason why he should give us a present. We haven't done anything to deserve a present, have we?
[46:43] We haven't earned a present from God. In fact, quite the opposite, we don't deserve God's love and his gifts. Quite the opposite, we deserve, actually, God's anger, not his love.
[46:56] Well, because we've been so selfish, haven't we? And thoughtless of God. We deserve God's judgment against us. Because we've broken God's commandments and done what we want.
[47:08] We deserve to be separated from God forever. Forever, because we've rejected God. We don't want him part of our lives. We want to live our lives for ourselves. We don't want God.
[47:19] We're the God of our lives. I'm the God of my life. So actually, the only reason God could possibly give us a present is because he loves us with an unconditional love, a love that we don't deserve.
[47:34] That's amazing love. When you think about it, the presents that you and I give and receive over Christmas are presents from people who love us and given to people we love.
[47:45] We don't go and give presents to any Tom, Dick and Harry. We certainly don't give presents to people we don't like. Well, we might do if it's a pair of socks or a tie that's really hideous or something like that. But usually, we don't give a present, do we, to people who don't like us or rude to us or unpleasant towards us.
[48:01] We think, well, I'm even going to send them a card, never mind a present. Here's God giving us the perfect present out of love for people who've rejected him, people who've misused his name, people who've broken his commandments, people who've hurt God in that way.
[48:19] God loves us. But what does this present do? Because whenever you receive a gift, you do something. If it's a watch, you wear it to tell the time. If it's a jumper, then you wear it to look cool or whatever.
[48:33] And if it's a toy car or it's a doll or whatever, it's got a use. So what does this present do? What does this present do, this perfect present that we all need, that God has given?
[48:45] What does it do that he loves us so much? Shall not perish. That's a strange phrase, isn't it? This present that God gives us is to prevent us from perishing.
[48:58] We don't use that word very often. But when we think about the word perish, it means to decay. It means to be destroyed. It means to be lost. It means to be completely removed.
[49:09] If you've got a car and you've been bought a car as a present one day, the reality is that one day that car will rust and it will perish and have to be thrown on the scrapyard. When you've got a house or a building, if damp gets into the walls, they will crumble and perish and fall down.
[49:26] When people are infected with illnesses and diseases and all sorts of horrible things like that, that disease ultimately causes them to perish. We speak about people, fishermen and sailors and others who die at sea.
[49:42] They perish at sea. It means they're drowned and lost forever. The Bible says, and God knows, that in our hearts there's a terrible and awful disease that causes us to perish.
[49:56] The Bible calls it sin. We've thought about it already. Rejecting God, being the God of our lives, breaking God's commandments. The things that we do around about us are the effects of the sin in our hearts.
[50:10] And it causes us to perish. It causes us to die. That's why each one of us is getting older. Each one of us ultimately is heading towards death.
[50:22] But more than that, this sin that infects our bodies and our hearts doesn't just affect our minds and our feelings and the way that we live and act. That sin will ultimately one day kill us and destroy us in eternal punishment.
[50:40] In the place the Bible calls hell. And God has given us the perfect gift so that we should not perish. So that we shouldn't be afraid. So that we haven't got only to look forward to death and nothing else.
[50:55] This is an amazing present, isn't it? Because we're all dying. We're all perishing. We're all getting older. So this amazing present from God, this gift of love, where can we find it?
[51:08] Where can we get it? Where will this present be? Where can we find it? Sometimes, again, when it's Christmas time, mums and dads have to hide the presents, don't they?
[51:20] They have to hide them in the attic or in the loft. They have to hide them in the shed. They have to go and put them in other people's garages and things like that. They have to hide away the presents because they know if you find them, you can't help but peek and open them too soon.
[51:35] Well, where can we find this perfect present that is for all of us that God has given because he loves us so that we shall not perish? Well, it's found in one place. Actually, it's found in one person.
[51:47] That he gave his one and only son. For God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son. We know who he's talking about. Talking about Jesus Christ. Talking about the one whose birth we're celebrating and thinking about at Christmas.
[52:02] Jesus Christ is the Son of God come into this world. And in Jesus, in the person of Jesus Christ, the one who is truly God and truly man, is that present, is that gift.
[52:17] That's why he was born. That's why he came from heaven into this world and was born of Mary. That's why he lived that human life amongst us. And yet showed again and again that he was like no other human being, that he must be God.
[52:32] Raising the dead, healing the sick. In his life and in his death particularly, he has given us and purchased for us this wonderful present.
[52:46] You see, when the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world, it was to one goal. To go to the cross and die. And then to rise again to everlasting life. He did that.
[52:57] He perished when he suffered upon the cross. He perished in your place and mine. He died the death that is our death. He paid the price which is our debt.
[53:08] He suffered the punishment which is our penalty. He did that because he loves us and he does not want us to perish. He rose again from the dead to show the reality of what he had done.
[53:23] To show that he is someone to be trusted. To show that he is someone who has accomplished for us a most wonderful and glorious gift. It's only found in Jesus.
[53:36] You can't be saved from perishing by being a really good person. Because none of us are really good people. We know that when we know our own hearts. You can't be saved from perishing by being a religious person.
[53:49] And praying and doing all sorts of religious things. None of those things are enough to deal with the problem of our sin and separation from God. This perfect gift is only found in Jesus.
[54:02] So the question must be, well I found it. But how can I have it? How can it become mine? How can I enjoy it? How can I experience this gift? So we ask ourselves.
[54:15] And the answer is given here as well. That whoever believes in him shall not perish. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son.
[54:27] So that we shall not perish. But have what we'll see later on. So how do we have it? We know it's in Jesus. But how do we get to it? Is it just about believing that Jesus was born?
[54:40] Is it just about believing that Jesus lived or died? Is it about just believing certain things about God? No it's not. That's not what it means there. It means putting our faith in him.
[54:52] Putting our faith in Jesus. That what he did by his life has purchased for us this incredible gift. By believing that he died for my sins.
[55:02] Believing that he rose again to give me newness of life. Believing that he truly is the son of God who's come into this world to change and to transform. See God doesn't want you to be a good person.
[55:17] God doesn't want you to be a religious person. God doesn't want you to read your Bible every day. God doesn't want you to give your money away to the poor. He doesn't want you to do any of those things thinking that they will earn you God's gift.
[55:32] Or thinking that somehow they can give you hope that one day when you die you'll be in heaven. No God wants you simply and only to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ his son.
[55:44] To receive and believe on him. That's all he asks. Everything else comes later. Everything else follows. But receiving that gift. Knowing that you don't deserve it.
[55:55] So what is it? We know that it's for all of us. We know that God has given it. We know that he's done that because he loves us. We know it's so that we might not perish. That we might be rescued from hell which we deserve and God's judgment.
[56:09] We know that it has only come in and through the life of Jesus. Not through anything we can do. And we know that it's ours if we believe and put our faith in him. Well what is it? It's simply this.
[56:21] Have eternal life. Not perish but have eternal life. That's the gift. Yes Jesus is the one in which we find the gift. But the gift he brings is eternal life for us to enjoy.
[56:35] And eternal life is not simply. Though it is wonderfully. The fact that when we die in these bodies. We live eternally with God. That's a marvelous thing. It takes away the fear of death.
[56:47] It takes away the horror. The doubt. The hopelessness of death. But more than that. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to give us the gift of eternal life now. You see the problem is that many of us.
[56:59] We're coming up to our nth number of Christmases. 50th Christmas. 60th Christmas. 30th Christmas. 20th Christmas. And we just go through the cycle don't we?
[57:11] Go through the year. We go back to work after Christmas or back to school. And then we go through and look forward to the summer. And then we look forward to our holidays. And then we start thinking about Christmas again. And then it goes around and around.
[57:23] The circle of life. The treadmill of life. Is that all that life is about? Because that isn't living is it? That's just existing. That's just being here for a few years.
[57:36] Getting through. Just about managing. I wonder if you're one of those people. You're just about managing with life. Well Jesus Christ came. Not that you should just about manage through life and then eventually pop your clogs and die.
[57:51] And then hopefully go to heaven. He came that we might have life now. Life before death as well as life as after death. Life in fellowship with the God who made us and created us.
[58:03] Life which is a life which has purpose and meaning and joy. Life in fellowship with the Lord. Life in fellowship with the Lord. Are you just on the treadmill? Are you just living?
[58:14] Are you just existing? Well Jesus Christ came to bring this gift. God loved you so that you might have the perfect presence. It's what you're searching for and looking for and longing for.
[58:26] Even though you might be looking in all sorts of different places for it. You might be looking for it in your job and career. Maybe looking for it in your sport or your hobby. Maybe looking for it in your family and your relationships.
[58:37] Maybe looking for it in your pleasures and your holidays. Maybe looking all sorts of places. But what you're ultimately looking for is that perfect present. That perfect gift which is eternal life.
[58:48] And you'll never find it anywhere else. You'll never find it apart from in Jesus Christ and through faith in Jesus Christ. So we've unwrapped the present haven't we?
[58:59] It's completely unwrapped for us all to see. Completely unwrapped for us to recognize what it is. The question simply is this dear friends. Are we going to experience it?
[59:10] Are we going to take hold of it with both hands? Are we going to delight in it? It's offered to us clearly and plainly. It's paid for in full. And all we must do is receive it.
[59:23] And so this Christmas dear friends. Please, please let me urge you. Don't spend Christmas all the time looking for this, that and the other to make your Christmas perfect.
[59:35] It will only be perfect when you come to faith in Jesus and receive the gift of eternal life. Let's sing our final carol together.
[59:46] If what I've been saying and what you've been thinking about has spoken to you, or you'd like to find out more about this perfect gift, please come and speak to me, one of the other folk here at the church.
[59:58] We've got some books which talk about people's lives who've been changed in coming to faith in Jesus. We'd love to give you one of them as a Christmas present. Let's stand and sing 2.11.
[60:09] 2.11 2.11 3.11 3.11 4.11 5.11 5.11 5.11 5.11 5.11 5.11 6.11 6.11 6.11 7.11 7.11 7.11 7.11 8.11 7.11 7.12 7.11 8.11 8.11 8.11 8.11 for the tidings we bring to you and your King.
[63:44] We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Please be seated. Thank you. Thank you.