Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, who keeps the truth forever, who does not forsake the works of his hands. Amen. Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come. And from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, the Prince of the kings of the earth. Amen. Let's continue our service by singing of the Song of Mary, the stanzas 1, 2, 4, and 6. Song of Mary, 1, 2, 4, and 6. ♪ Radiant beams ♪ Amen. He turns us away from sin. After the confession of faith, we will sing Psalter 320, the second stanza, Psalter 320, the second stanza after we have confessed with our hearts and our minds our undoubted Christian faith with the words of the Apostles' Creed. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day, he arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven. and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost. I believe one holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. ♪ In the ages gone on a ways ♪ Let's open our Bible, first in the Old Testament, and first the prophet Jeremiah chapter 14, and the second scripture reading is from the New Testament, the gospel according to Luke chapter 2, the verses 1 till 7. Luke chapter 2, 1 till 7, but first, Jeremiah chapter 14. and hear the word of God as follows. The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish. They are blackened to the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters. They came to the pits and found no water, They returned with their vessels empty. They were ashamed and confounded and covered their heads, because the ground is chapped, for there was no rain in the earth. The plowmen were ashamed. They covered their heads. Yea, the hind also calved in the field and forsook it, because there was no grass. and the wild asses did stand in the high places. They snuffed up the wind like dragons. Their eyes did fail because there was no grass. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake. For our backslidings are many. We have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble? Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldst thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us. and we are called by thy name, leave us not. Thus saith the Lord unto this people. Thus have they loved to wander. They have not refrained their feet. Therefore the Lord doth not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins. Then said the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry. And when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them, but I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence. Then said I, ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say unto them, ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then said the Lord unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither speak unto them. They prophesy unto you a false vision and a divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore, thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, sword and famine shall not be in this land. By sword and famine shall those people, those prophets be consumed. and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword, and they shall have none to bury them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness upon them. Therefore, thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach and a very grievous blow. If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword. And if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine. Yea, both the prophet and the priest go about unto a land that they know not. Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathe Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, and there is no good. And for the time of healing, and behold trouble, We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee. Do not abhor us for Thy name's sake. Do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory. Remember, break not Thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? Or can heavens give showers? Art not thou he, O Lord our God? Therefore, we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. Until thus far, Jeremiah, let us now turn to Luke 2 and start by verse 1. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Serenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea. unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of 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. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Until thus far, the scripture reading. Congregation, this morning, I would ask your attention for the last words we read from Luke chapter two, verse seven. It speaks, and they laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." To this far. The theme of my sermon is, and there was no room for him in the inn. Two thoughts. First, it's a touching word. And secondly, it's a comforting word. a touching word, and a comforting word. But first, let us seek the Lord's face and ask Him for His blessing. Let's pray. Dear Father, in Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the given Son, the Son of God, who was God and is God and who became man, born in our flesh, born under the law out of a woman, born under the law in order to redeem those who are under the condemnation of the law and to make them the sons of God. O Lord, this is an unbelievable reality, which is the core of Scripture. to make sinners adopted sons of God, sinners who are servants, servants of sin, servants under the law servants of the devil, servants of death. And thou camest, O son of God, and as a son thou became a servant to redeem servants and make them sons, sons by adoption. Oh dear Lord, we only can worship Thee for Thy mighty works and deeds. And therefore, when we this day would like to commemorate Thy coming in our flesh in particular. O, we can never defy Thee when it comes to Thy humble birth. At the same time, we have to look unto Thee as the crucified Savior and as the risen King. and as the ascended Lord of Lords, who are at the right hand of the Father. O dear Lord Jesus, that we might worship Thy name. O triune God, that we might worship Thee, and we precede Thee. When we open the scriptures this morning already and when we would like to meditate upon it, open our hearts to receive thy word. Open our minds to understand thy word. And grant us, Lord, that we might see thee. And that our hearts might be filled with faith to surrender our sinful, lost lives of a slave, of a servant, and to Thee to be ransomed and to be freed by faith. And Lord, that's what we need to see every day again. Because only these things we can understand, not by conclusion, neither because of any experience of the past, nor by logic conclusions. But only today we can understand these things in faith. And when faith believes, it's impossible not to believe. And we have all the blessings and grandness to see it. Also our children, our young people, that we might understand the reality given in thee and by thee. And so we commend each and every one of us unto thee this morning. Lord, we thank Thee that we can gather in freedom We thank Thee that we are still alive. For the day of yesterday we had to bury the body of Ina Rose. Oh Lord, we are here and we pray again for her family, for her son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren and the extended family. Oh Lord, Remember them all, all the friends. Also in our midst, O Lord, Ina is gone. And she will leave behind her such an empty spot. And we also would like, Lord, to pray for the widows and the widowers. particular in these days of Christmas and which is often the season of family fellowship. Oh Lord, in these empty places, well, look at us. And then we will miss our loved ones so dearly. Oh, we pray, Lord. Oh, when those feelings of homesick and of grief and of mourning, oh, can fill their hearts and souls and can be a shadow over these days and they can just hope that all those days will pass soon and everything will be back to normal. Ach, Lord. Ach, Lord, grant them. Grant them a view in the manger of Bethlehem to see that Thou took and takest care for human beings, for sinners, and in particular for widows and widowers and those who have lost loved ones. Lord, remember us. May we also pray for those who we are missing today, not because of death, but for other reasons. Lord, maybe we think about children, grandchildren, siblings who have gone astray. Oh Lord, who are wandering in this world. to try to find a way without thee. And Lord, in particular in these days, it can be so painful. Oh, remember these parents, these people, oh Lord. And may we pray, oh, bring them back, oh Lord. Oh, just one, one view on that mighty work of a triune God. The son became a servant in order to make servants sons. Oh, Lord, when we see it, then we find the truth. We find peace. We will find joy. And we pray, oh covenant-keeping God, remember also them. And we ask this for Jesus' sake. Amen. Let's sing together Psalter 262. And in between there will be the collection. We will sing Psalter 262, all stanzas. you. ♪ In His righteousness. ♪ Congregation, the story of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is so well known, and in these days of remembrance, all the programs, it's all about the same story. Our children know that story, and maybe you know even Luke chapter 2, the first seven verses by heart. So well known, that story, isn't it? And still, it's so important to think about it. Because when you look to chapter 2 verses 1 till 5, like we have read about how there was a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. Why? Yeah, it was because Augustus wanted to know how many people he had under his reign. He wanted to know how powerful he was. Yes, it was bad. It was sinful. It was pride. But God is in control, and God is using the sinful thoughts of this emperor to fulfill His counsel. And we see how those first five verses of chapter 2, starting on the level of the world, on a global level, turn to a personal level. How because of that order of Caesar Augustus, that Joseph and Mary who lived in the city of Nazareth, traveled to Bethlehem. Bethlehem, and it's called the city of David. The city of David. Now children, when you came in Bethlehem in that time, it was not like a big city of a king. You know David was a king, right? And he lived, when he was a king, So much glory and even his son Solomon, we know how huge his palace has been and what a wellness. But when you came in Bethlehem, you couldn't find it anymore. No. There was nothing left of that glory in that day. It was the place of the ancestors of Joseph, and so Joseph went with Mary to Bethlehem. And there, so you see it's going from that global level to Bethlehem, and there it says in verse 7, and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. And then it continues in the next verses, and we have spoken about it all another year, the message from the angels to the shepherds, for unto you, and that's very personal, right? For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior. The Dutch translation says the Savior, and I prefer that. the Savior, which is Christ the Lord. He has… He's been born, the Messiah. So you see, in those few verses, from the global level it goes to a very personal level, because it's a personal matter, my dear people. It's really a personal matter. You know, this time of remembering of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, it's a happening, right? It's a happening in the world. And there's also a happening in the church. I'm concerned about that. Because why? Because my dear children, when Christ is not in your heart, you are lost. Then we can have so many Christmas programs and all the things, and don't take me wrong. I hope you have a good day today and tomorrow and you have a good time with your family. It's nothing wrong with that. But, and this is the text I want to speak about this morning. In verse 7 it says, and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. That's a touching word, isn't it? The Savior of the world came to Bethlehem. And there in Bethlehem would happen the biggest miracle ever happened in the world. And their children, we can imagine that, and maybe, yeah, in that time they traveled with animals, and you have seen pictures, paintings of Joseph and Mary, and a donkey, and maybe it was in that way, I don't know, it's not in the Bible. And it was quite a trip, it was a two-day trip, I think. So we can imagine how they entered. that little town to find a spot to sleep. And they found an inn, the Bible says, knocked at the door. And yes, for sure, they were not the only ones, because everyone has to travel to his place where they were born and where their family was born. born and raised, and so it could be quite busy there in that town with other people, and so that could be a reason that when they asked for a place to stay that there was no room anymore. Yes, you can imagine all kinds of other reasons, right? You have heard about that probably. It's all not in the Bible, so we need to be careful. That a man who opened the door saw, yeah, this woman almost has to deliver a baby, so not at my place, please. But... What has been the reason is not in the Bible, but it says, there was no room for them in the inn. And maybe you think, yeah, I have heard this passage so often, and I also know the application already. Because, yeah, no room in the inn, no room in our hearts, right? It's quite often the application of that text, and I think that's a good application. That's an important question. We will see that. Is there room in our hearts, in our lives? Are we today busy with that child? Is he in my heart? Do I know the Lord Jesus Christ in faith? Or it is just a cozy time we have together? Or do we need Him as a Savior? Do we know Him? Is He my hope, my expectation, my righteousness and holiness before God? But I think congregation, let's just have a closer look to this text, because it is a question, is it an inn or is it something else? What is the message? So, it says that there was no room for them in the inn, and the Greek word for inn is kataloma. And the word kataluma, it means it's a space where people can stay. And that same word kataluma you can find, for example, in Luke 22 verse 11, where Jesus is asking for a kataluma for having the path over. When he, and it is in English, translate with, where is the gas chamber where I shall eat a Passover with my disciples? It's the same word, kataluma, the inn or a gas chamber. What was a kataluma? Every house in the ancient Israel did have a kataluma, a room, a guest room, a special place for guests. And how did those houses look like in ancient Israel? Well, they had a kind of a living room, a living area for the family, and four feet lower, there was another area where the livestock was. They're animals, sheep or whatever. And on that borderline between that living space and that space of the, that lower space where the animals used to be, there was in that floor a kind of a, um, yeah, how do you call that? And there was something was cut out and it was a kind of, of, of, of, of, uh, a crib for to feed the animals. And so, probably when Joseph and Mary arrived at their family's house, the house was already filled with other family members. And there was no place in that guest room, but there was still place in that spot where the animals used to be. But it was not a time that the animals were at home, they were in the fields. And so, this is the place where the Lord Jesus has been born, born in a manger. So, you know congregation because, yeah, sometimes you think Jesus was born in a stable outside in the field. It was just how I imagined when I was a child, right? I thought this is, that's too bad for all those people in Bethlehem that Joseph and Mary had just to go in the field to a stable. I don't think that's true. No, Kataluma. He was born in that place of the house where the animals used to be. And why, why it is important congregation? Because we can, we can make a whole story about that, but this is not the most important thing actually. What was the sign given by the angels that the Son of God became a servant? Not that He was born in a stable, but do you remember children? What was the signs given by the angels? Two signs. The first sign was that he was laid in a manger, and secondly that he was wrapped in swaddling clothes. It were two signs. Don't forget the word sign, because a sign is always pointing to something, right? When you see a sign on the road, it has a message in it. And so, what is the sign? That Jesus was laid down in a manger. There was no room in the Cataluma. He was laid down in the manger. And that's the sign. And let me try to explain it, and hopefully you did it already, you applied it already. We have a triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, right? From everlasting to everlasting, an infinite God, a triune God. And the second person, the Son. he became man, and he was willing to be born and to be laid in a manger, the Son of God, the King of kings, from everlasting to everlasting. Can you imagine that? I can't. Who is God? Can you imagine God? I can. That God, that one God, that triune God in Christ Jesus, that Son of God is born in a manger. Why? To become a servant. Paul says in Philippians 2, to become a servant, to become under the law, born out of a woman. And a sign of that is the manger and are his swaddling clothes. O congregation, God has humbled Himself so deeply, so deeply. Oh, Christ was willing to be born out of a woman and just to be laid down, even not as people has a cradle. There was no place for that. No, they just used a manger. Why? Oh, to show this morning to me and to you that He came down to save servants of sin, servants under the law, servants of the devil, servants of the flesh, servants who are bound, who are in captivity. And he became like them, and therefore he was laid down in a manger. Everyone could approach him. The shepherds, when they had to go to a certain palace, they were never allowed to enter it. But now, now there, the Son of God lay down in a manger as a sign. of his humble state as a sign that God became human. He became poor. Why? Because my de-congregation, and I hope you have discovered that in your life, that's your state. That's my state. In the eyes of God, You know, all these things we have to see in the eyes and from the perspective of God, and when God looks down this morning in the congregation of Springford, each and every one of you, what He sees? Enemies, sinners, lost sinners, who are under His condemnation of righteousness. lost in themselves and unable to save them at all. And when God looked down in this world, He has seen a lost world. And His heart was filled with a divine compassion. And Christ, He has told, Father, I will go, and I, I will fulfill Thy holy law in every aspect, and I will be born in a manger. All my congregation, not my congregation, but my dear people. Christ, I think it was Luther who said, Christ, He became lower than a sinner ever could come. Oh, you cannot be that lost, that far away from God, such a heart, such a lost sinner this morning here in church with all your blindness and hardness and whatever, and sinfulness and unchangeable heart. For Christ, He came lower and deeper. That's what you can, therefore you can never separate the manger from the cross, never. Because that's what we see at the cross, how Christ went under the wrath of God, and He took it upon Him freely, and He said, Father I will go, and He did. For people who have no room. For Christ, nobody has by nature. Nobody may, and hopefully you have discovered that. By nature we want to be safe, we want to go to heaven. Of course we want, because we don't like to go to hell, right? And I will try to work, and I will try to do, and I will try to improve, and I will pray, and I will do everything for that maybe. but just to be saved because of the work of the Son of God who became man, laid down in a manger, and to kneel down at His manger and say, Lord, I have nothing to offer Thee than only my sinfulness. Man by nature doesn't like it. We like to work, right? To do. But what a wonder, when I learned I cannot do, I tried, but all my works, what I did, it's sinful, it's always sin in there, and my unbelief is everywhere, and my heart of stone, I can't change that. And I realized I need to be saved. And here he is. The son became a servant in order to redeem servants, Paul says Galatians 4. For what reason? To make a servant a son by adoption. And yes, congregation then, then you see it's an. It's a touching message when God looked down in this world and He has to say there was no room for them in the inn and there is no room for Him in the heights of sinners, even not in the heights of religious people. But what a mighty wonder that a triune God not only sent His Son but also His Holy Spirit. And that's the Spirit of the Son of God and that the Holy Spirit makes room for Christ And he makes the sinner a sinner. And he makes the sinner to understand and believe that he is lost, has nothing to pay. And start to see the glory of that born child of Bethlehem as his only Savior and to find life and to find righteousness and to find holiness and to find peace. The child of Bethlehem. by the masses congregation, isn't it? But the second thought is there's also a comforting word. There was no room for them in the inn. The word kataluma, yes, can also mean an inn. And let us just assume that that's the meaning of that word. An inn. And what's an inn, children? An inn is a place when you are traveling and you need to have a place to stay for one night, right? Then you go to an inn. You have a meal and you have a bedroom and you will stay the night over and the next morning maybe you will have a breakfast and then you go and you travel again. Did Jesus, when Jesus came to this world, did he just come for a moment and then left us again? No. He came, He is born to stay among us. Oh John says in John 1, and the Word became flesh and has dwelt among us. He has tabernacled among us. He has lived among us. He stayed among us. Isaiah called Him, His name, Emmanuel, God with us. God with us. No, not just for one night in an inn, but He dwelled among us. And He became like us except sin. And congregation, that's why we also read this morning from Jeremiah. You wondered maybe why did we read Jeremiah 14? Well, Jeremiah speaks about the Jewish people who are in exile. And why? Because of their sin and their trespasses. And God has sent His servants and He has preached to them law and gospel over, over, over, over years, years, years. And the people of Israel, they will still remain religious, but in between they just followed their own hearts and followed their own gods and their own sins. And at the end, God fulfilled his condemnations and sended his people into exile. And there, there are those Jews. And you can find them and you can hear them. in that chapter of Jeremiah, chapter 14, a cry, a cry of Israel. Verse 2 said, Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, and they are blackened to the ground, and the city of Jerusalem is gone up. And then they start to complain, the ground is chapped, and for there was no rain. And the hind also calved in the field and forsook it. It was a great need of a famine. And then the people of Israel start to cry, to pray. And they start to pray to God. And how? Let's just read verses 8 and 9 of Jeremiah 14. Oh, they said, the hope of Israel, the savior thereof in time of trouble. Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldst thou be as a man, astonished as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name. Leave us not. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible translated this part in a very special way. When it says in verse 8, and be not as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night, It has been translated by, why should thou be as a stranger, as one who only takes up his abode in an inn? In an inn only. Why would thou be, O God of Israel, just who is a man who is just for a moment in an inn and after that will leave us? But Israel was praying, O Lord, O God, have mercy upon us and stay among us. Don't leave us. Be not like a stranger who is just for a moment in an inn. And there was no place for him, no room for him in the inn. Jesus did not come in an inn. And I think congregation, this is the words of Jeremiah, they are the biblical crown to see that there is also a comfort, that Jesus not was in an inn. No, He came to dwell among us. He came to stay among us, not a stranger. But oh, my dear congregation, he is born and he stood. And when he grew up, he preached. And after that, he was brought to Calgary to pay the full price and he did it. And he was buried and he conquered death. And he conquered Satan and he conquered sin. And he was risen on Easter morning. Oh, he was not just a stranger who just came for one night in an inn. No, he lived among us. And he still does. Because he has put out his Holy Spirit. And he has spoken to his church. Lo, I am with you. all day, all way, every day. I will never forsake you." And therefore, there is also a comfort in this word, isn't it? He was not just a traveler, but He truly is Emmanuel, God with us. And that's such a comfort for a people who has discovered the reality of being a servant of sin, of Satan, who is subdued to death, a state of death, who is maybe not able to believe this morning, and who sees his own impossibilities and has tried to change his life. But when I see the sinfulness of my sin, and when I see the reality of my state of death, oh, where do I have to go? to the manger, God came down. God came down and was born in Bethlehem. Oh, not as a stranger who was just for a moment here, but who came to seek and to save those who are lost. And therefore he is called in verse 8, the hope of Israel. O the hope of Israel, the Savior thereof, in time of trouble, why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land? O hope of Israel, he was not a stranger, he came. The hope of Israel, the Messiah, not for a moment, but to save his people. Why? Our congregation, that's why I read a whole chapter this morning, I asked to read. Because when you go through that chapter, you will see how God answered that prayer. God doesn't deal with sin in an easy way. My dear people, we are not sinning cheap. God takes your sin very seriously, like He did with Israel. Every sin. Because He is holy. He is righteous. Yes, and the people of Israel, it was just their own guilt. It was the reward of their sin that they were under persecution, that they were in exile. And then, yes, they start to pray, Lord, be Thou not as a stranger. But what was the answer of God at that time? O congregation, when you read it, and when you see it. And when you hear how Jeremiah cries, has thou utterly rejected Judah? Why hast thou smitten us? And he prayed and then we turn to chapter 15. And what's the answer of God? And then said the Lord unto me, though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth. God is holy. Don't make that mistake. Don't make from Christmas a kind of a superficial feast, cultural feast of something like that. God is holy, and He will deal with your sin and with mine. That's what He did with Israel. Yes, the people cried for a Savior, but this was the answer of God in that time. Though Moses and Samuel, those men who have prayed for Israel, my mind could not be toward these people, cast them out of my sight. I don't know if you have ever read through the whole book of Jeremiah. It's not easy. Then you have an impression of God's righteousness, God's holiness. God will deal with the sin of Israel. How? Let's turn to chapter 60. Verse 14, Therefore behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands whither He had driven them. And I will bring them again into the land that I gave unto their fathers." Oh, congregation. A message of grace. It's only grace. Do you see it? Oh, Israel deserved to be destroyed and God has brought them under punishment, yes, for seventy years. But in the message of righteousness is a message of grace. And He has promised there would come a day. And that day has come. And that's the day which we commemorate today. God has given His only begotten Son as a child in the manger because there was no room for Him in the inn. He did not come as a stranger just to pass. Oh God has answered the prayer of Israel. which they prayed and when they cried to God for, oh be thou not as a stranger who just tarry for one night, God has given his Son. Oh my dear people, and this is the message for every sinner this morning who has nothing but guilt and impossibilities and unbelief, his sin and unholiness. Look, look in the manger. He's the Son of God. Why? Oh, He became a servant. And again, congregation, try to remember that. The Son of God became a servant. in order to make servants sons of God. Yes. And John says in 1 John 1 verse 3, And we don't know what it will be, but we are called to be the sons of God by adoption. And we will be, when He will appear, we will see Him, and we will be like Him. Oh, that's the reality of every Christian who is united with a true faith, with that precious Savior. We will see Him like He is and He will change you from a servant. He already made them from servants, sons. But on that day, when we will see him, he will change his church and they will be like him. Oh, Peter, he speaks about that, that we will receive. And I don't know how to say it exactly. a divine nature. No, we will not be as God. A Christian will not be like God. And at the same time, Peter is using these deep words. The Son of God became a servant to make servants sons. And that's the future for a Christian. And that's why a Christian has hope, expectation, and that's a founded, that's a grounded, that's a real hope based on what God did in the gift of His Son and what Christ did in the finished work at Calvary and on the day of resurrection and what the Holy Spirit does, applies in the hearts of sinners today. There was no room for him in the inn. Yes, a touching word. A touching word for those who have to say this morning, oh, I have enough on my religion. Shame on you. Shame on you. Look in the manger of Bethlehem, what God did. So seriously, He took your sin the other way. Look in the manger of Bethlehem. And maybe you have to say, no room, Lord. Oh Lord, it's my guilt. And know your unrighteousness, the Bible says. No, you have not to save yourself from your unrighteousness. You have not to save yourself from your sin, just to know them. Know your sin. Accept your sin. Take responsibility for your sin. There was no room in the manger. It's a comforting word. He not came for a moment. But He came to seek and to save those who have to acknowledge their unrighteousness, to save them, to wash them, to cleanse them, and to make them from servants, the sons of God. Amen. Let's sing Psalter 126, verse 4. you. ♪ The heads of nation raise ♪ ♪ We are lifted as one ♪ ♪ To earth the sons of all the earth ♪ ♪ We present ourselves to thee ♪ Let's pray. O dear Savior, O living Jesus, Thou camest to this world to destroy the weapons of the strong. Oh, thank Thee, Lord. Oh, and our weapons are so strong. Oh, Lord, the power of sin. It's too powerful for me. I have no power to get rid of it. I only know the reality of it. But Thou camest to destroy. the weapons of resistance. And we pray, O Lord, all that Thou hast used also this morning, the preaching of this gospel, to look unto Him, the born child of Bethlehem, who is crying out of the manger, come unto me, all ye that labor. and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Oh, that we might have had an eye of faith. Oh, just not to look to my faith, but to see Him, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Savior of the world, the hope of Israel. No hope in me. but that He might be my hope. Lord, we thank Thee for Thy word. And we pray, be Thou with us in the furtherance of this day. O grant us a blessed day with our families. And Lord, when we are alone, be Thou with us as well. And Lord, so I would like to pray. also for Jason van Landerseel. I would like to pray for Bernard van Woerden, Lord. Oh, their lives are difficult. And oh Lord, for us it seems to be so often hopeless and we are so powerless, Lord. But we commend them unto Thee and remember them. Also today, with everyone in this world who needs Thy help, O Thou camest to seek and to save those who are lost. And Lord, bring us all safely back in this evening service, and we pray for our brother, Reverend De Groot, O grant him the unction of thy spirit to proclaim thy word with liberty, and that thy word also this evening may go forth. with power, the power of the Spirit we pray for Jesus' sake. Amen. In closing, we will sing Psalter 318 verse 5, 318 verse 5. So, O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Amen. ♪ Glory to God in the highest ♪ you you Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Dear people, go in peace, lift up your hearts, and receive the blessing of this, our Lord, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the comforting communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.