There is a connection between singing and Christmas. You got your favorite artists that come out with Christmas albums. Christmas music is a popular thing. How many people are fans of Christmas music? Okay, some Scrooges. They're like, not me. But ever since, like, Thanksgiving, you know, 104.5 has been bumping the Christmas music. Like, there's just something connected to this season of music, or particularly this season and singing. So there's a connection between Christmas and singing. We all have Christmas songs, but there's also a connection between Christianity and singing. So that singing is something that we do as a church. It's not unique to us. You go visit other churches, guess what they're going to do? They're going to sing. It's just been a part of Christian history that we're a singing people, and we want to be a church that is a singing church. And we don't mean just like, on stage to have good music from the stage. We want to be a congregation that belts out singing. When you come to worship here, I've heard it said a few times, and it always excites me. Like, when somebody comes, they're like, oh, this church sings. That's important to us. But why? Why is it important for us to be a singing church? Because some of you are just like, can't we just teach? Can we just preach? Can we just learn? Can we just study? Like, why do we have to sing? And you're not as excited about the music part of the service. In fact, some of you, that's like, your time to go get your kids. Like, all right, I sat through the. The message. Now I can kind of go get the kids and check out. Or it's your time to leave early. You know, I've sat out there by info central and just kind of watched the group that leaves after the message. Like, we want to be a singing church, and it's really important. It's important to us. It's important biblically. And we need to better understand the connection between teaching and singing, that there's a connection between proclaiming the truth and then responding to the truth. And singing is an evidence of understanding. It's a sign of, like, I get it. It landed here. Like, I'm with this thing that just got proclaimed. See, Christianity is not just another religion that kind of talks about ways we can live and how to have a better life or how even to have an eternal life. Christianity is a movement that's rooted in history. Christianity is a movement that's about news, news that's delivered News that's proclaimed, like something happened and this news gets proclaimed. And our response news is Christianity and we don't want to cheapen it other than that. So here's what you need to understand. The good news of Jesus Christ is song producing news. You know what I mean when I say that? Like, it's song producing news, it's a cause for rejoicing. Like if you hear this news and you get this news and you understand this, it should produce in you some excitement and some joy and a reason for celebration when you get it. So the good news of Jesus Christ is too good just to talk about, it's too good just to discuss, it's too good just to study. It needs to be celebrated, it needs to be responded to with joy, with excitement, with praise. That's connected to it. Christianity is something you react to, right? It's news, you respond to it, you react to it. So it's football season right now. If you're watching your football team play and you're rooting for them and they do something that you didn't see coming, or they do something good, they score a touchdown, you react to that, you cheer, you get off the couch, you're excited about that. Well, we're spectators in what God is doing in human history and redeeming people back to himself. So didn't see this coming. He puts on flesh, comes to earth, born of a virgin, preaches the good news, dies on a cross, raises again. Like we react to that. That's Christianity, our response. So on one level, what's your response to that? What's your response to what God has done in the person of Jesus Christ? And that gets magnified at Christmas when we're forced to kind of deal with this as a society. But there is a connection between Christmas and singing. And there's a connection between Christmas and joy. And actually joy and singing go together because singing is often an expression of our joy. Like, I'm just, I'm so happy, I'm so excited. It just kind of comes out in cheering and clapping and singing. It's a way to express emotions through music. And before you understood this, or maybe I'll put it this way, this person may help you better understand it. It's Buddy the Elf. Because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is what? That's right. You're just like this, you're excited about it. You want to spread this cheer this Christmas, Jo. And the best way to do that is let's sing. Let's sing loud and sing aloud for everybody. To hear. And what's meant by that is like, don't worry, we're not preaching buddy the elf here. But what's meant by that is like, if people see my joy, if they get within earshot of what I'm excited about, that spreads what? Something that is worthy to be excited about. So there is a reason that this time of year is connected to joy. And I want to see us express that joy in song. So I'm gonna be like your worship leader today. Now, I'm not going to grab a guitar and sing. We can all be thankful for that. But if we can kind of stir up in us an understanding of the good news that results in our response that's adequate for this good news that's been delivered to us, that's a win for this morning. So there's a connection between this time of year and joy. Now, if you hear that and you have enough involvement in this world to. To my question that. Because statistically speaking, this time of year is when depression skyrockets and there's loneliness and hurt and heartache, like this time of year, those things seem to be expressed the most. Why is that? Because this time of year, there's an expectation of joy, an expectation of cheer, an expectation of happiness. And that collides with reality where it's like, but I'm not like, you don't know what I'm going through. You don't know what I'm dealing with. But there's this expectation that's thrown in our face to be happy, be joyful. And it meets the reality of pain. But that's such an important thing to grasp, to understand the Christmas message, because Christ came into a world of pain and hurting. And if you come to church and you're just like, well, I don't feel like singing. I don't feel like rejoicing. Here's the good news. The good news of Christianity is it's not asking you to muster up joy in your own strength. It's not asking you just kind of create your own joy. It is a joy found in a message delivered outside of ourselves to us from God. And the response to that is joyful. Now, the world may have twisted it towards presence and flying reindeer and all other kind of festivities, but the idea of joy in this time of year has deep roots. And it's real. It's real. It's connected to something joyful. And it's a song producing joy. So let's look at the Christmas story. Luke, Chapter two. If you've seen Charlie Brown's Christmas special, you'll know these verses. Hopefully you know them because of the Bible, though. Not just the special, but I want to look particularly at a part that involves some singing in this story to help stir up our own joyful response. So Luke, chapter two, we're going to look at the first 14 verses, particularly verse 14, because those. That's the song. That's the song lyric that we want to get to. So let's go. You guys ready? All right. In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Cornelius. I always bomb Corinius. Yeah, I always think of Cornelius. That's Acts 10. He's. This is different, dude. Both biblical characters. He was governor of Syria. So here's what I want to show you guys. The first two verses. This is important to get because oftentimes what we connect to Christmas is like mythical stories that's kind of supposed to stir up joy. But I want you to know that nothing beats the real thing. And what we see in these first two verses is this is a real event in history in real places, connected to real people that existed. Like, we don't have to make something up to see the joy connected to this season. He goes on verse three. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. Now, you guys are familiar with this story. This is like the manger scene. Some people put this in front of their yard on Christmas season. Like, we get this manger scene. Well, what's happening at this same time in a different place, not too far away is what Luke's going to go into next. And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. And they were filled with great fear, as you can imagine. Why. So this angel shows up and notice it's the glory of the Lord that's shining around. Like, the impact of the Lord on this angel is like, it's kind of set. It's illuminating the space. And you can understand why they might be terrified. And the angel said to them, fear not. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Now, I don't know how many years it was that we did an Advent series that was all on verse 10. So we looked at fear not, we looked at good news, we looked at great joy, we looked at all people. I'm just saying there's a lot here that we're not going to go into. But there's so much wonderful news being communicated by this angel. This is good news and this is a joy producing news. It's of great joy. It takes away fear. It's for all people. Now when he says all people, it's not necessarily everybody everywhere, but he's saying all types of people because who's he talking to, shepherds? He said, you're not overlooked in this plan of God to redeem his people. Like he sees you, even the outcasts of society. Like this applies to you as well. And then he says this in verse 11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. That was the news that was delivered. That's good news of great joy. So let me read it again. I want it to sink in. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this is news that they've been waiting for. There's been anticipation for this news. In fact, Isaiah has talked about this news. This is in Isaiah chapter 9. He says, for to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. And on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness. From this time forth and forevermore, the zeal. The Lord of hosts will do this. There's a promise. He's like, he's gonna do this. He's gonna do what? He's gonna give us a son. There's gonna be a Christ, a Messiah that's gonna come. He's gonna rescue us. He's a wonderful counselor, mighty God. Like he's gonna rule us and deliver us. Like they've been waiting for this anticipation of this promised one coming. And now the angel's message is this day. You know that day you've been waiting for it's this day and this day unto you. In the City of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. Now, you get, you get three titles in there. You get a savior, you get Christ, you get the Lord. It's packed with meaning. But he's also saying in this city, the City of David. Now that's interesting, because the City of David in scripture is most often referred to as. To as Jerusalem. Because Jerusalem, that's the city of the king, that's the capital, that's the city of our king, King David. So why does he refer to Bethlehem as the City of David? Because before David was a king, he was a what? He was a shepherd. Where? At Bethlehem. And who's he talking to? Who's the angel talking to shepherds? I'm always going to ask easy questions. So just right. Shepherd. And he's saying, listen, before David was this great king, he was just a shepherd in Bethlehem. And before this baby kind of grows up to rule the throne, he's a baby in Bethlehem. Like something good is starting here. And God has a plan that's going to unfold and it's beginning in Bethlehem. And who is this in Bethlehem? He's the Savior. He's the Christ. He's the Lord. So he's the Savior. He's the one that's going to rescue you, deliver you. He's the Christ or the Messiah, the Promised One that we've been waiting for. And not only that, he's the Lord, He's Emmanuel, He's God with us. This is God coming to the rescue. God himself is the Messiah, the Promised One. Now, you would think if you want to make a change in this world, you wouldn't start in Bethlehem. You'd start in Jerusalem, or you'd start in Rome, or you'd Start in Washington, D.C. right? Where, where's the places of power that's going to make real change? But there's a lesson in this for us to learn. God doesn't start there. God's in Bethlehem, in a manger, in an inn. Excuse me, there's not even room in an inn. He's in a barn. Like, we need to be careful on where we think and how we think real change is going to happen. Don't look to places of power, a place of earthly power, for spiritual change, for renewal, for revival. We should be less concerned about the laws coming out of Washington and more concerned about the type of disciples coming out of the church. Now, I'm not saying don't be concerned about the law, like it matters. We want God to be glorified in all ways. But I'm just saying the Church of Jesus Christ is not and has never been bound or hindered by any type of government. The Church of Jesus Christ has thrived in all different kinds of circumstances. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. That means something. He was born in Bethlehem under Roman oppression, government where they were trying to wipe the Jews out. Shortly after this, Herod finds out there's a king being born. Let's kill all the kids under 2 years old. Like, this was a dark, hard time and Christ was born in the midst of it. But what happens? Like, Christianity has spread all over to the ends of the earth. We're here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, talking about it, because the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of God. The Christianity is not dependent upon people in power liking us. It's dependent on followers of Jesus being willing to lose their life for Christ's sake. So I'm starting to preach another message. But he was born in Bethlehem. Okay, that means something. Let's look. Verse 12. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Now, it's a sign one. It's a sign that it's true. So if this angel says, this happened, go look at it. Here's what you're going to find. And you go there and you find that you're going to be like, he's right, he said it. It's true. It's right. Like, it validates the message. But it's not just a sign. He says it's a sign for you. Now who's you? Shepherds? How is this assigned to shepherds? Where is he sending them? Bethlehem. To look at a baby in a manger? In a barn, not in a palace. He's like, this was for you. This Savior's for you. Like, I see you. God's plan does not overlook the little people. Like, he comes to shepherds to deliver this message. He sends these shepherds to a barn to see the delivered Savior. Like this applies to you. So don't be somebody who thinks like, God overlooks me. I'm too sinful for God. Like, this doesn't apply to me. God got dirty enough to save you. Like when he came, he came in a manger, right? And this points to what's going to come because he's lying in a manger or a feeding trough, where later he's going to grow up and say, eat my flesh and drink of my blood. Like he's a sacrifice as an offering for sin to atone for us, to reconcile us back to God. This is pointing to him being a savior. And this is good news. And what kind of news is it? It's song producing news. Or the way they say it, it's good news of great joy. It's going to be something you want to sing about. Like it stirs up rejoicing in us. If you get it. If you get it. So here's what happens next. Verse 13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, we'll get into the lyrics in a little bit because it matters. But you have this announcement given and then all of a sudden a bunch of angels appear. Now it says the. What does it say? It says a multitude of heavenly hosts. Now host. Sometimes you'll see in scripture the phrase the Lord of hosts show up. It means like the Lord of angel armies like to be the host. Like this hostess bargain of angels. So when we kind of picture this scene, it's like you got an angel delivering the message and then like a whole lot of angels show up behind him and they're all in choir robes singing this song praising God. Don't think choir robes. Think like sword in hand and armor. Like this is an army proclaiming glorious victory of God by sending his Savior. Now here's the tension. They're talking about peace. Why is there an army? Why you got soldiers here doing this? Because there's a war before there's peace. And then we have a conquering king that's bringing his kingdom and he will win. And when he wins, he brings peace. Now we'll get into that in a little bit. But this is a king that's come in and good news is proclaimed. Now one angel delivers the news. Why not have one angel sing? Why not just make this like a singing telegram? Has anybody in here ever got a singing telegram? There's a couple at 8:00. Like they're real, they exist. You got one? I never have just thrown that out there. But this one angel shows up, gives the news. Why doesn't he just like, hey, I got a song for you too. And just kind of going, it's like, why does like a host of heavenly beings show up to kind of proclaim this message? Because it's a big deal news and it deserves a big deal response. Like the praising matches the message. And it's such good news, it's such weighty news that it's kind of supported with a Host of heavenly beings showing up and singing and praising God for what's just been delivered. Because the angels know what Buddy the elf knew the best way to spread Christmas cheer is what? Right? They got some Christmas cheer to spread. We're going to go tell the people of the coming of the Messiah. How are we going to best do this? Bring the choir, strike up the band, proclaim. They praise it. In fact, the type of news demands a particular response so much that if you didn't get that response, you would question if they heard the news, right? If an angel with the glory of the Lord showed up in a shaft of light and proclaiming that today a savior has been born unto you in the city of David, the Christ the Lord. And then a host of an angel army shows up proclaiming, glory to God. And then they kind of go away and the shepherds are like, that was neat. What's for dinner? You would think, like, did you just not. Did you not hear that? Like, if you don't have a response to that news, you might assume you didn't hear it. So imagine a young couple pregnant with their first child. She's nine months pregnant. He's watching tv. She comes running into the living room. My water just broke. It's time. And the husband was like, that's great. She would think, or would be understanding for her to think, did you not hear me? Right? Because if you heard me, there would be an expected response to that news. And you're not giving me a response that's fitting to that news. And there is a response that's fitting to this news. Like shepherds, they bolt. The angels, they show up and start singing. Why? Because they get it. Do you get it? Do you get it? If someone looked at your response to Jesus Christ, would they question whether or not you really heard it? You really understand it? Now, here's the song lyrics. Look at verse 14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. So the announcement was, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord. And then the response was, glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among those with whom he is pleased. Now, what's the connection? What's the connection between the birth of Jesus Christ and the glory of God and peace to men? And what's the connection between peace among men and the glory of God? You got some things happening here. You got a birth announcement of the Savior. You got glory being to God and you got peace to men. What's the connection between all this? How do they fit? How do they go together? Now, this angel concert, where a human being gets a front seat to an angel concert is not the only time in scripture. In fact, it reminds me of another time in scripture in Isaiah chapter 6, where Isaiah, another time of kind of political unrest and unease. King Uzziah just died. And Isaiah gets kind of caught up to the throne room of God. And in this throne room, God, he witnesses some choirs singing, some angels singing, and they sing a similar song. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. Now, you would think if they're going to say, holy, holy, holy, the whole earth would be full of his what holiness. Like, if you're holy, holy, holy, then why isn't the earth full of your holiness? But they switch it. They say you're holy, holy, holy, which is like saying it three times. It's like this completion. Like you are perfectly holy. So. But the earth is full of your glory. So holiness means to be set apart. It's the uniqueness of God. Like, no one is like our God. He's just different than everybody. Like, you can't. There's nobody like our God. He's set apart from everybody. He's so unique. And the impact of his uniqueness is glory. You track with me there. So Psalm 19:1. The heavens declare the glory of God. Like, the heavens say something about God's holiness. Who else can speak the stars into existence? How big is our God when we don't even know the ends of the universe? Like, how big is our God? Like, it's saying something about our God when the whole earth is full of his glory. He's saying creation is saying something about God's holiness. Who else can make a sunset look like that? Or a mountain or a volcano or a great white shark? Like, you look at the uniqueness of creation, it's saying something about God's uniqueness. Who is this God that we're dealing with? You look at this angel that shows up in this story, and he's glowing because of the glory of the Lord. Like, what kind of glory are we dealing with that you got somebody who hangs around him and he shows up and he's glowing. Does that remind you of Moses? Mother had to put a veil over Moses face because of his closeness with God, that his face shone. It's like, what kind of glory are we talking about here? And glory is the impact of holiness. Holiness is uniqueness, but glory is the impact of that uniqueness. So for Example, last week, a couple weeks ago, remember, we did our staff Christmas party. We went to spare time, played some games, ate food, bowled arcade and stuff. And there's one game at this arcade, that's the hanging boxing bag thing that you punch it in there. And somebody on our staff was like, hey, Jake, try this game. This looks fun. I was like, yeah, that looks fun. Let's do this. And here's what happened. Yeah, okay, that's not glory. That's humiliation. But I will die to myself to teach theological points. Now, first off, don't worry about the number. It's still going up. But if all this is holiness, what my knees are feeling is glory. So at the end, I have bruises and scabs on both of my knees because of the holiness of me coming down on this hard floor. So you have holiness, and impact is glory. You guys tracking with that now? Okay, you'll remember that you can take that off the screen, causing people to stumble. All right, Imagine I had a big rock, like there is no other rock like it. The density of the rock, the weight of the rock, like it's unique. You could say it's its holiness. If I drop the rock and it goes straight through this stage, through the concrete floor, through the concrete in the basement, that's glory. So you have kind of the weight and then the impact. So the word glory means weightiness, but not like just that it's heavy. It's the impact of the weightiness, the feltness of the weightiness. So God's uniqueness, his holiness, the impact that he has, speaks to his glory. So on one hand or one sense, there is going to be glory to God in the highest because of the impact of Jesus coming to this earth. And his coming speaks to something about God. He's faithful. He keeps his promises. He said a Messiah is coming, and this day he came. He's a caring God. He's here to save, he's here to rescue. He's a powerful God. He can just intervene in human history and put on flesh and come from outside of time in time and change it. He's sovereign over all things. Like the coming of Jesus Christ speaks to the glory of God. What kind of God are we dealing with? How big and caring and loving and powerful is this God? But you know what else speaks or gives glory to God? The impact of Christ coming on you. Does he give you peace? Like the impact of the coming of Jesus Christ? Has it impacted you with peace? Do you have peace because of Jesus Christ? Now, how exactly does Christ coming give us peace. I want to quickly look at three ways that he does this. He gives us peace with God, he gives us peace with ourselves, and he gives us peace with others. So Christ came to be a savior. And you think, a savior how? Or a savior from what? And at this time, you might think, from Rome, from our oppressors. And you're like, yes and no. I mean, no. There's something bigger and deeper than that. But yes, it will result in, like, you're going to be taken out of the oppressive kingdom in Rome, and you're going to be put into the freeing kingdom of God. And that kingdom will be realized someday. But in order to pull you out of that kingdom and into this kingdom, there's something that we got to deal with. Not the sin of Rome, but your sin that has offended a holy God. So why did Jesus Christ come? It speaks of this in Matthew, chapter one. He says this now. The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit, and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their what sins? He's here to save us from our own offenses against a holy God. He's here to reconcile us back to God so that we can be a part of his kingdom. In fact, Romans 5:1. He starts out chapter five saying this. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Christ, we have peace with God. He's no longer counting your sins against you. You have been given the righteousness of Christ. We looked at that a few weeks back in second Corinthians 5. 21. You have been reconciled back to your maker. You have peace with God. He has completely saved you. He's completely forgiven you, completely redeemed you. And through Jesus Christ, you have peace with yourself. Everybody's looking for peace with themselves. Everybody's looking for inner peace. How do I find inner peace? And they're going to chase their heart's desire to try to find inner peace and not find it, because you don't find it chasing your heart. There is a connection between your Peace with God and your inner peace. Because you were made for God. And you find peace with yourself through Jesus Christ. Because through Jesus Christ, he's accomplished peace with God. You don't have peace with yourself when you are chasing your heart and thinking, like, I just want to do whatever makes me happy, thinking that's what's going to give you peace. Because your heart is wicked and deceitful. And it will lead you to desire things that aren't good for you. And when you do that, you'll find yourself dealing not with peace, but with guilt and shame and regret. But Jesus Christ came to deal with that. He came to rescue us from our sins, rescue us from the guilt and shame of our wrongdoing. In fact, if you go further in Romans, chapter 5, verse 8, so that God declares his love for us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Do you know what that means? He's saying, God knows you fully. Things you've done that no one else knows about. Things you've thought that no one else knows about. While you were yet a sinner, he looked at you and he says, I love you. I'll show you how much I love you. I'm gonna send my son to die for you. You are fully known by God and you are fully loved by God. You don't have to live in guilt and shame. You're gonna find peace with yourself through Jesus Christ. Another way people don't have peace with themselves is full of anxiety and worry. What if this happens? What if this happens? I'm scared about this happening. I'm scared about this happening. Jesus Christ deals with that. The coming of Jesus Christ is God saying, I see you. I got you. I got this whole thing. It's in my hands. I love how Paul puts it In Romans, chapter 8. He says, what then shall we say to these things? These trials, these difficulties, these hardships, this broken world? If God is for us, who can be against us? What would be the answer to that? No one. He who did not spare his own son, but gave him. That's Christmas. Gave. Gave him up. That's Easter for us all. How will he not also, with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? What's the answer to that? No one. It is God who justifies, who is to condemn Christ Jesus, the one who died more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God? Who indeed is interceding for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? No one shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. No. As it is written, for your sake, we are being killed all the day long, for we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No. In all these things, these sufferings, these sheep like being slaughtered, we're more than conquerors in all that, through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Merry Christmas. Right. He sends Christ to us and he's saying, like, I got you. Nothing's going to mess this up. You don't have to live full of anxiety and worry. I got you. You have peace with yourself through Jesus Christ, and you have peace with others through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not just save you, you have a family because of Jesus Christ. This is how Paul puts it in Ephesians 2. There's a lot, but it's all worth reading. Says, therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. You didn't know anything about this promise that Isaiah gave that there's going to be a Savior. You were outside of that, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who are once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two. So making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who are near. For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Jesus Christ accomplishes that. There is this desire for unity that will never be accomplished in this world, but it will be accomplished in Christ's kingdom. You see, in Revelation 7, you have every tribe, tongue and nation united together. But what are they doing? Worshiping what we long for in unity and belonging will only be found in Jesus Christ. You were saved and saved into a family, a very diverse family that is bound together by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through Christ you have peace with others, and this peace is among those with whom he is pleased. Did you catch that the first time when the angel said that? Because I could imagine if you were the shepherds listening to that, you might be like, whoa, whoa, timeout. Is that me? Am I. Are you pleased with me? How do I please God? Because I want to lay hold of that good news? Does it apply to me? How do I know if you're pleased with me or not? How do you please God? Hebrews 6:11 tells us it's impossible to please God without faith. Faith is how you access this good news of Jesus Christ. Do you actually believe the message the angel is proclaiming? Do you believe that in that day in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ is your savior? Do you believe that he is the Christ, the Promised One? Do you believe that he is the Lord God in flesh coming to your rescue? Do you believe that? Do you really believe that through Jesus Christ you have peace with God? That he is no longer counting your sins against you and that you are reconciled back to him? Do you believe that? Do you really believe that through Jesus Christ you have peace with yourself? That you no longer have to project and prove yourself worthy to other people, that you are already fully known and fully loved through Christ? Do you believe that? Do you really believe that through Jesus Christ you have a family? That you have a belonging in the household of God, with brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you really believe that? Because if you did, isn't that worth singing about? Like, isn't that song producing news? Like, we can be so familiar with the gospel? Especially I'm talking to you that have just, like, grown up in church, right? So if that's you, listen to me. Have you lost how wonderful this is? Do you know what's at stake? Your sin will damn you in hell forever. But God, rich of mercy, sends his son to be a sacrifice. That you can have peace with God and be in his family forever. Has that lost its impact? You try to prove yourself in this world and project that you have it all together and you wrestle with guilt and shame. But do you truly know in Jesus Christ you don't have to pretend you're known and loved. You have a family. You've been brought into the household of God and you belong. Have we lost how good the good news is? Doesn't it change everything? Church? We don't want to be a group of people who just learn about good news, just study good news, just discuss good news, just talk about good news, just read about good news. We want to be people who sing because of good news. We want to be people who rejoice because of good news, who have joy because of good news, who have peace because of good news. That it actually affects our everyday life and it brings glory to God. Because when they look at us, they see people who have peace because of God. And the best way to spread the peace of God is to sing about a God of peace and sing about him loud for all to hear. Christians sing. It's what we've been doing for thousands of years and we're not going to stop for all eternity. And if you're like, are you telling me that I have to say or I have to sing to be a Christian? I'm not really a singer. I don't believe in salvation through singing, alright? But I believe worship is a sign of being saved. And I don't think a single soul will stand before a holy God in heaven when the angels start singing and think like, yeah, singing is not my thing, so why would you do it now? Unless of course, maybe you don't get it. Christians sing. We sing after tragic things. We sing at funerals, we sing around hospital beds. We get together any and every Sunday and we sing. You know why? Our God is awesome. He's a saving God. He is a promise keeping God. He's a God who has come to our rescue. He is a God who loves us and redeems us. And we have every reason to sing. And we will not spread a Christmas message to this world if we ourselves aren't pumped about it. And singing loud. Amen. Let's pray. Holy Spirit, we pray that you would be our worship leader. That you would give us eyes to see the glory of God. That you would cause our hearts to rejoice. That you would fill us with peace and joy, contentment and hope. And just one of the ways that it comes out is in loud singing for all to hear. That we would spread the message of Jesus Christ. Where? That is where you find hope. That is where you find joy. That is where you find peace. Pray in your name. Amen.