Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Are we all here yet? All right, well, I was hoping nobody got lost in the fog out there. But hey, you didn't have to shovel it, right? There's always an upside. OK, good enough. Well, I want to welcome you this morning. We're going to begin our time here together with singing a song, 162. 162, the birthday of a king. If you find that, would you stand with me? We'll sing both verses. 162. 162. Oh, baby, you're really something. You're really something. And the sun is bright as morning, and the night is clear as morning. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Heaven's truth, heaven's word, we have all our faith in, God's the Word, He is the Word. God's the Word, He is the Word. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. All right, let's pray for them again. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the day you've given us. Thank you for safety here, for all those here this morning, maybe some still traveling. And we pray that through the music, the sharing of the Christmas story through the verses, we bring a glory and honor to you. And we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. May we be seated. This time, our young people will come and share Luke 2 with us. Nice and loud. Who has 21? Who has 20? We're doing diversions? Yes. Oh. No, just stay where you are. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world shall be taxed. The taxing was first made when Cynereus, the governor of Syria, and all went to be taxed, every one in his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth unto Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, and it was the house and lineage of David. to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over the flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, as a Savior, which is Jesus Christ the Lord. And as it shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the gate locked and slyly closed, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was an angel multitude and the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and good will to all. And they came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven. The shepherds said to one to another, let us now go even into Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe born in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known aboard the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all those that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, and it was told unto them. ♪ The Lord has come ♪ Let earth receive her King ♪ Let every heart prepare Him room ♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪ Where the angels sing, glory to the newborn King ♪ Peace on earth and mercy mild ♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪ Joyful all ye nations rise ♪ Join the triumph of the Savior ♪ Blessed art in Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪♪ ♪ We have heard on high ♪ ♪ Sweetly singing o'er the plains ♪ ♪ And the mountains in reply ♪ ♪ Echoing their joyous strains ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo ♪ Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain. ♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪ Go tell it on the mountain ♪ That Jesus Christ was born the the the the Oh you you you so So, so so Each Christmas I try to find a Christmas story to share with you. And this one's entitled, My Christmas Miracle. And there are probably a few things that we mention along here that our young people will go, what's that? What's a streetcar? What's a telephone book? But actually, this is about 100 years old. It's back in the 1920s, it takes place. But this is My Christmas Miracle by Taylor Caldwell. For many of us, one Christmas stands out from all the others, one when the meaning of the day is shown clearly. Although I did not guess it, my own truest Christmas began on a rainy spring day in the bleakest year of my life. Recently divorced, I was in my 20s, had no job, I was on my way downtown to go the rounds of the employment offices. I had no umbrella for my old one had fallen apart and I could not afford another. I sat down on the streetcar, and there against the seat was a beautiful silk umbrella with a silver handle inlaid with gold flecks and bright enamel. I'd never seen anything so lovely. I examined the handle and saw a name engraved upon the golden scrolls. The usual procedure would have been to turn the umbrella into the conductor, but on impulse I decided to take it with me and find the owner myself. I got off the streetcar in the downpour and thankfully opened the umbrella to protect myself. Then I searched a telephone book for the name on the umbrella and found it. I called and the lady answered. Yes, she said in surprise, that was her umbrella, which her parents, who were now dead, had given her for a birthday present. But she added that it had been stolen from her locker at school. She was a school teacher. more than a year before, and she was so excited that I forgot that I was looking for a job and went directly to her small house. She took the umbrella and her eyes filled with tears. The teacher wanted to give me a reward, but though I only had $20 to my name, her happiness in retrieving this special possession didn't want to ruin that by accepting any money. We talked for a while, and I must have given her my address. I don't remember. The next six months were wretched. I was able to obtain only temporary employment here and there for a small salary, although this is what they now call the roaring 20s. But I put aside 25 or 50 cents, and it took me six months to save $8 for my little girl's Christmas presents. My last job ended the day before Christmas. My $30 rent was due, and I had only had $15 to my name, which Peggy and I would need for food. She was home from the boarding school and was excited looking forward to her gifts the next day, which I had already purchased. I had bought a small tree, and we were going to decorate it that night. The stormy air was full of sounds of Christmas merriment as I walked from the streetcar to my small apartment. Bells rang, children shouted in the dusk of evening, windows were lighted and everyone was running and laughing, but there would be no Christmas for me, I knew, no gifts, no remembrance whatsoever. As I struggled through the snowdrifts, I had just about reached the lowest point in my life. Unless a miracle happened, I would be homeless in January, foodless and jobless. I had prayed steady for weeks and there'd been no answer. But this coldness and darkness, this harsh air, this abandonment, it seemed as if God and men had completely forgotten me. I felt old as death and lonely. What was to become of us? Well, I stopped and looked in my mailbox and there were only bills in it, a handful of them, and two white envelopes, which I was sure contained more bills. I went up three dusty flights of stairs and I cried, shivering in my thin coat. But I made myself smile so I could greet my little daughter with a pretense of happiness. She opened the door for me and threw herself into my arms, screaming joyously and demanding, that we decorate the tree immediately. Peggy had proudly set the kitchen table for our evening meal and put out three cans of food that would be our dinner. For some reason, when I looked at those pans and cans, I felt brokenhearted. We would only have hamburgers for Christmas dinner tomorrow, and some Jell-O. I stood in the cold kitchen. Misery overwhelmed me. For the first time in my life, I doubted the existence of God and his mercy. And the coldness in my heart was colder than ice. Then the doorbell rang, and Peggy ran to answer it. Then I heard a man talking heartily to her and went to the door. He was a delivery man. His arms were full of parcels and laughing at my child frenzied joy in their dancing. This is a mistake, I said, but he read the name on the parcels and they were for me. And when he had gone, I could only stare at the boxes. Peggy and I sat on the floor and opened them. A huge doll, three times the size of the one that I had bought for her. Gloves, candy, a beautiful leather purse, incredible. I looked at the name of the sender and it was that teacher. The address simply said California, where she had moved. Our dinner that night was the most delicious that I'd ever eaten. I could only pray, thank you, Father. I forgot that I had no money for the rent and only $15 in my purse and no job. My child and I ate and laughed together in happiness. Then we decorated the little tree and marveled at it. I put Peggy to bed and set up her gifts around the tree, and sweet peace flooded me. I had hope again. I could even examine the handful of bills without cringing. Then I opened the two white envelopes. One contained a check. for $30 from a company that I had worked briefly for in the summer. It said on the note, Christmas bonus. Yay, my rent. The other envelope was an offer of a permanent position with the government to begin two days after Christmas. I sat with the letter in my hand and the check on the table before me. I think it was the most joyful moment in my life up to that point. I heard the church bells beginning to ring. I hurriedly looked at my child, who was sleeping blissfully, and ran down the street. Everywhere people were walking to church to celebrate the birth of the Savior. People smiled at me, and I smiled back. The storm had stopped, the sky was pure, and glittering with stars. The Lord is born, sang the bells in that crystal night and laughing darkness. Someone began to sing, Kamoi Faithful, and I joined in and sang with the strangers all about me. I am not alone at all, I thought. I never was all alone. And that, of course, is one of the messages of Christmas. We're never alone. Not when that night is the darkest, the wind the coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. It's still the time that God chooses. You know, I was thinking about that. You know, it's sometimes, wow, that's a really neat Christmas story. But you know, God doesn't just hear an answer or prayers at Christmas or Christmas Eve. God's there all the time, you know? And there in Philippians 4.19, it says that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. And so the Lord's there for us, and during the good times and the tough times, you know. And you might not have the same kind of tough time this lady went through, but there'll be one out there somewhere. But just don't forget, the Lord's there with you. And it's not just for anybody and everybody. I won't start preaching a sermon now, but you need to have come to that point in your life where you've trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. Then God says that we've been adopted into his family. And folks, our heavenly father takes care of his kids. And we can count on that. And we'll see here later on this morning. You know, when God tells us something, we can believe it. If he says he's going to do something, he will do it. And so when he says that he will provide for our needs, he does it in sometimes rather miraculous ways. Just like this lady, never expected a $30 Christmas bonus. I mean, that's big bucks back then. Or, you know, You know, but God does supply and we can be thankful for that. And he's just, this is not just a story, but a true story, but he wants to meet the needs in your life and mine today as well. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the way that you do provide for us. You know, we think about Christmas and sometimes we kind of get hung up on Christmas presents and so on, you know, but God knew what our greatest need was. He knew that we were sinners and that sin was going to keep us out of heaven. And so what we really needed was a savior, one that could take our sin upon himself to die for our sins, to cleanse our sin with his shed blood, and to provide forgiveness of sins and that gift of eternal life. And that's just what he did for us. We think about that here at this Christmas time, but God's there for us. He loves us. He wants us to spend eternity with him. And so, Lord, we pray that you might help us to keep you focused in our hearts and minds through the good times, but also through the tough times. You're never gonna leave us. You're never gonna forsake us. You're always there for us, and we can depend on that. We thank you now in Jesus' name. All right, so there's some goodies downstairs. There's a birthday cake for Jesus. Okay, we started this long time ago. I think it, you know, it's everybody else gets to celebrate their birthday and we ought to have a birthday for Jesus. And so today we're a little bit early, but thought more of you might be around the next week. So, We'll go downstairs and see who we got here. Chris, you want to ask a blessing on the food downstairs? Thanks. Dear God, we thank you for this whole year and for every year that you've given us on this planet and how you provide richly for us all things that we need. And we pray that you bless the Tories and may they nourish us and give us strength. We pray in the name of Jesus, amen. Amen. All right. Thanks for coming, we'll meet you downstairs.