The Sermon Be Prepared by Brad Price
Nov 27, 2011
Be Prepared (37:11)
Referenced Scriptures: Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:20; Matthew 24:42; 2 Peter 3:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Timothy 6:12-14
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- Be Alert and be watchful
- Be motivated to live Godly lives
- Encourage each other
- Persevere
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Revelation 22:7
7) "Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
Revelation 22:12
12) "Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
Revelation 22:20
20) He who testifies these things says, "Yes, I come quickly." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.
Matthew 24:42
42) Watch therefore, for you don‘t know in what hour your Lord comes.
2 Peter 3:11-12
11) Therefore since all these things are thus to be destroyed, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
12) looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
17) then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.
18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Hebrews 10:25
25) not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.
1 Timothy 6:12-14
12) Fight the good fight of the faith. Lay hold of the eternal life, whereunto you were called, and confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
13) I charge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,
14) that you keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
The WEB Bible is provided by Public Domain.
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Okay thanks giving his past. Now her move on towards what Christmas is bring up up up up up up up up words and breezes bring. It's like going outside is an so warm. Warm for a few days. Pray for our hunters were to be out in the woods for the next couple of weeks or hours or however long it takes them to get their gear of. Let's see I need to fire up my laptop per second. It will be nontraditional right. It's always a little different( does I know. Sorry if that is something same. What's that all long since I will will apologize for Baldwin versus. This morning I what's sleep right to, but am available on Eskimos pictures while while I fire this up. Christmas is coming, or make upland, then what is our Christmas shopping at okay it was anybody planning on starting tomorrow. No online shoppers who are last-minute shoppers and their kit Christmas Eve or are Chris Bell, who undoubtedly a Christmas Eve shopper. I think a faster rate. Here he would be owning up that the right. Yes, we praise it enough that I think the extent of their up up up up up up up. Yeah hooray for Doctor Rhonda runs good biggest credit card wages is a lot like a candidate and I organizer needs an intervention is not even here to defend himself. These of my Christmas is coming right in my decorate your house is yet redecorated my victory surgeries. Okay, I to have multiple trees up and we had the outside Iraq that rated yet. Okay root of the feeling and I saw no, I am the perfect Christmas longer one had the perfect Christmas right about Christmas vacation Clark, when it had the perfect Griswold family Christmas rain, but we all have an idea in our minds of what Christmas is mostly like right and I either like I said the pastor somehow I wind up what is restaurant always have someone on this time year I was one of preaching like this Sunday and in the calendar year. Quite often. Yeah so was going out on it. I talk about surviving holidays. No primer little brat 's number last week I gave little device. The ladies what was I said what I said do not expect your husband to read your mind while you're being stressed out planning and making a meal at all these things. Robert you can read your mind. Ask him to do things and what we tell the guys be a little intuitive how you can help. So what you are the original holidays view picture of you picture your front door brining your picture your front door looking like this is that outstanding or what does he receive ideas right now ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha is like using if you regularly look alike or unless the available e-mail. We'll willy-nilly see you again. That was the drill holes in the butt will will will will e-mail you and I work me like we can post them on Facebook feed these ideas and work the method forgotten for a look outstanding feelings in the issue. This would make floppy snow) were shown telling you that is rich okay on diocese would you imagine this is what you imagine your front door looking like no when we painted our front door. What color do we pay our front door. You know what it was called foxy with this beautiful orange oranges fall autumn coloring on, but it never gets anything done when it still looks like it's a big orange slab of steel for Italy. These ideas, and we know you don't want that, do we get that though know what we get is this Brian from an excellent initiative pictures been shared around half how I feel like I'm that guy is your neighbor. Anything I think about country music songs, laundry, do not lose no none about nobody seeing red silica. I now only nice decorations and some smart Alec, right next to him or or or or you imagine you done for many of us have children. Let's say ten runner who has children ten or under the imagine imagine your children looking like this when you buy the Christmas dresses. Is this what we impacted my thinking Hollywood look really cute jacket like our children are beautiful on their own but we don't we can't imagine that old-fashioned Victorian style Christmas deal. You know the perfect snowman. Perfect. No, what was it, what's the next picture. Brian went with this. This all yeah about ladies the perfect table scape that that that is sought. That's rather stellar. I think now is the little lady on the food network. Stephanie that's always token enjoys talked about table stakes, Sandra Lee is that with turning center leads that her name. Anyhow, or Gore, of course, Martha Stewart, which I have marked this calendar by the way we do this every year. This is the third year in a row now render the Martha Stewart calendar. This, in case you don't feel inferior enough in your Christmas decorating, because not, nor does it measure up your children don't measure up a certainly if your table measures up to this can I come over and have dinner with you, but still into his love those measure up or view when you when you cook Christmas dinner or even your Thanksgiving dinner yet imagine it looking like that now is that this is that what you see when you are when you're making Christmas dinner. The gorgeous but here's the thing abroad after one more picture guy, but how do we envision Christmas like something you know Victoria Rockwell painting in on the perfect atmosphere than the NL. There are all kinds of expectations that we lay on ourselves and we lay on our children and we lay on our spouses and we lay on our families and assignors ulcerated and nine. Lack of sleep talking. We lay. All these expectations ourselves at Christmas time, but it was always details we try to line up the Christmas only but did the God lined up all the details for the first Christmas, and he probably didn't stress about it. And Jesus wants to line up all the details for our own Christmas this year and we try to line up all the items get it altogether. And if something 's missing. All we stress, and we fret and we forgot something at the meal, or we forgot a gift. We wanted to get. Okay, so if this is not enough pressure to celebrate the perfect Christmas buses go to Martha Stewart's calendar for a minute. I really enjoyed our Wi-Fi. I think they came to me as an idea, one year and now you can read up a. They would click on individual days, but I haven't. Here's allowed to share a few today, Sunday the twenty seventh right so today we are, we should be. Let's see star holiday shopping, according to Martha Stewart. No, I think it's often few days as you mix of days in the calendar on Jesus put together a gift list and search for holiday sales in stores and online tomorrow, the twenty eighth of November. Martha currently does a good deer hunting in Pennsylvania, Playas Martha says Megan Advent calendar a year have an advent calendar. Anyone here ever make an advent calendar okay, now I admit calendars are really great ways reminders the talk about the idea and lead us up to Christmas, but the whole idea of Christ entering into our history here on earth with a similar title on the twenty ninth update your Christmas card mailing list on your ego the thirtieth choose photos for your Christmas cards. Okay, and as a note user stock up on holidays dance and choose a special photo of the family to send seasons greetings to let everybody in your family who send you one of those letters at Christmas time to remind you of how perfect the family and then when you're ready, then you feel like you've just fallen so short of a is happen okay, we get those letters once in a while. Okay, first of December and early go make handmade gifts as will Martinsville be doing whether you're making monogrammed slippers or knitting a hat. These are just some ideas for you. Is it without it's a Friday the second send out your holiday Christmas party invitations. Okay, all the third display your advent calendar game on the fourth hang your Christmas reads in the theft replenish your wrapping supplies guys about shopping that they get together everything like wrapping paper, ribbon gift tags bows bags tape, packing materials, and tissue paper. Every once this you can go to Martha Stewart 's website and download her calendar. If you're an Outlook express of your Mac person. Whatever the case may be, you really like torture yourself this way through the cyanosis, ongoing people. On the sixth make stockings for Christmas and parent on the seventh mail your gift to faraway friends to make holiday donations the ninth take ornaments out of storage and game all and has another season. Historically, last year 's holiday ornaments and begin to create new ones by hand, don't go shopping for them. Make them by hand on the tenth figure Christmas tree again. She reminds to water project water level daily the eleventh decorate your tree. Okay, twelfth finished decorating your house C first voted that we put up by the way, for reference of front door of the thirteenth make and freeze cookie dough and enough to last the season address and mail your cards on the fourteenth on the fifteenth wrap your gifts. Okay she said you can put sticky notes on the gift before you tag them just the reminders you don't forget who's getting an erratic present and not market right that minute and your life is getting more than an Christmas morning. Someone did something this totally weird is not what concerns them. Okay the sixteenth. This is important going back to a special table scape plan your holiday centerpiece kind start thinking about what's are the centerpiece will be on your Christmas table and make a list of materials, the seventeenth you'll be baking cookies on the eighteenth. He will finalize your menu for Christmas day, the nineteenth UI tags in both the presence. What we do. When you wrap them okay on the twentieth deliver boxed sweets. So your friend may be suites now you will deliver them by hand to those you love locate him on the twenty first sweep the pine needles from her on your tree not making this up, friends, I am not making this up as if we second by last-minute gifts twenty third, choose linens and dishes for your table. Now this is where the dates got messed up. There were a couple of double days, but it spread off the counter. Other items are picking up items for your holiday meal filled all is okay. Setting your Christmas table_ to set the Christmas table on the twenty third or twenty fourth, actually you be baking cookies for Santa on the twenty third or the twenty fourth, whichever you prefer enjoying Christmas dinner and carols on Christmas Eve at some point got messed up with the longer your linens. Okay we do now longer them iron them all these things. How many of us get these things done me the real world. How many of us are in Martha Stewart 's world. That's how it goes down, saying this effect not unlike thing is to pick on Martha Stewart but Martha Stewart has this reputation of being the kind of lady who gets everything done perfectly. They'll write. I do not have such reputation that's okay. I now have all kinds detailed like to get in place for Christmas decorations, lights on the cheap lights tree candles ornaments stuff for your yard, greens, etc. advancement of parties. We got open houses, church services, kids programs, plays, dinners, concerts, we got meal to cook for, whether it's Christmas goose or Rose or turkey or ham or whatever it is you make all the cookies don't forget the stuff for the punch Stephanie K it's a joke is a juggernaut. Thanksgiving it wasn't the perfect thanks giving, because Bethany forgot to make much were you thinking this deleting turkey by the way later so we can turn things. I love turkey soup. I love tradition of it, and then we got all the guess to think of so this morning for the last book in the Bible, Revelation chapter twenty two. It's really hard to miss Christmas when you live around here very, very well. Christmas shopping on Black Friday. For those door buster deals starting to have we lost anyone in the congregation who is out there, but insured pepper sprayed or pushed or want to hear about that stuff I I find my dog commented and said that it's amazing that the day after we say were thankful for what we have. We go out and wrestle and push and fight for more stuff on that. Anyhow, yes or on the television. Your children are dropping hints. They're trying to be good because the whole Santa thing okay we don't want to be caught without having the right gift. But what's amazing is with all the fanfare and all the hoopla on all those advertisements and things go on lead up to Christmas. Today, this is huge paradox, compared to Christmas Eve somewhere around two thousand years ago. Okay. Think was fully prepared for the first Christmas, Christmas number one. Do you think people were jammed in the stores that day getting last-minute door buster deals for people decorating whatever kind of hot. They lived in in Jerusalem whatever kind of house or whatever they formed the amount of the think children were finding it difficult to sleep that night or the synagogues were crammed with people, because there was a special Christmas program going on. Obviously, no, but the first Christmas didn't go down without a son signals and signs the data back a few centuries, the prophet Samuel testament predicted the coming Savior, the Messiah who would be born of a virgin. The Bible says from the line of David. Born in Bethlehem. All Jews even the marginally religious ones had known these days. Ever since they were little. Yet, on the eve of the very first Christmas. Things were pretty much business as usual people can come from work to clean up for dinner children played out in the dusty streets until was bedtime spouse is rolled over, give a good night kiss before turning out the light. Ho-hum life goes on right, except, perhaps, for people who still had to deal with the crazy census one. The seizure order because it was donated registered their minds were occupied with getting to their hometown if they didn't still live there and filling out the necessary documents paying attacks. Perhaps in one young couple arrived in Bethlehem on just such a mission. Jesus was born, was put in a manger who really knew who Jesus was placed in the major Joseph and Mary did write up what animals you know you are the songs, but apparently no one in Angel woke up. Some shepherds to tell them the news. Some wise men were intrigued by a star and followed it. But apart from a couple of unlikely guests at a major or when Jesus was a little bit older. Nobody else really seem to notice the very first Christmas, Jesus came and though many people would been waiting for him. Very few people actually notice that he arrived on the scene. The first Christmas might've been really easy to miss, but the subsequent ones that we go on our lifetimes, Artemis Christmases and from about one hundred with Christmas .com the stores leadership were not like right before they speak, even with the Halloween stuff, usually like Wally world are to him. Lowes or Home Depot. They start put ministries up and Jesus said these coming back again. I hear we go. Revelation chapter twenty two, verse seven, as S behold I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book and if we jump over to verse twelve, and behold I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me to give to every one according to his work, and if we go to verse twenty of the same chapter he who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Now we talked on earlier on year about a brother from everywhere. He's from, who was on the radio and on television talking about when Jesus was going to return. I won't even name the brother, but I'll say this much. Obviously, we don't try to set a date on when Jesus is returning some people do engage in such activities, but I was very thrilled to see this brother had repented of such attempts and and and it least and humility. This man is realized that we can't put a finger on the exact date and time when Jesus is coming. Okay, so moving along from that we see from Jesus words based on your question have we done more to prepare, though for the celebration of the past event that happened almost two thousand years ago. Do we do more to sell the weight worker for that, then we do for an event that's coming I guess coming back again and says in the Bible. I believe it when it could happen. I don't know you know I like to expect it could happen any moment now, but as people say. As years go on you. You wonder where weld. I don't know when he's coming back, and it's okay. No, Jesus even said even the Son of Man does not appear the hour when I'll return, but I know it's got a be soon, but worth my effort going is my effort more to celebrate the first time he came in and celebrate the anniversary of that event every year or is my effort more towards his return. The stakes are a lot harder for this preparation than they are for celebrating a past event. Some of us might have a better idea how to prepare for a great Christmas. Then we know what to do to prepare for him to suddenly appear. Maybe today. Maybe next year. Maybe now ten years now. I don't know. I mean, after all, Christmas decorations for Christmas decorations blow it down. Decorate you have all the stuff in a box don't jump in your attic somewhere usually are in the garage. No, we get the same stuff out. We decorate with purchase gifts we wrap the gifts you have it. Sometimes the guests are the same. He knows Oxford that every year or something like that, you know a pack of bubble gum in the stocking, no, maybe what that and an orange and the soldiers saw it. We have our little traditions in opening it out whether Herzog served out T-shirts or whatever we have these little traditions of our only little things. The Christmas doesn't get too far out of hand for us. We keep it in a controllable area of what we believe it should be what is the grand Wayne. Every year we have a kids program at Christmas time right. We cook we clean up and there are lots of little exciting things a lot bad mouthing observing Christmas. Don't get me wrong here when driving at is this really what we need to be ready for and we would be ready to celebrate Christmas if we give attention to a few things more and in what even is not ready Christmas story. I happen to know that when you're ready or not, would be by all the gifts are not Christmas is still coming Christmas. We will celebrate we will observe Christmas on December the twenty fifth okay and will do it again next year and the year following, but some basic things for us to keep in mind if we want to be fully prepared for Jesus second coming. We need to be alert and be watchful. Okay then I got the news at all this week when Apple Black Friday sales. What was a the new stories about advocates any news stories about Black Friday note sales. What were they saying up up with that all you have violence for some of the places, but as far as as far as the be the numbers you don't mean the numbers, the dollars break it down for me on the business channel in no dollars and cents retail sales were up from Wednesday year before that was five percent a year before that was four percent Sony again. Nothing unusual. It's the same old stories, but you won't miss being alert, being watchful wealth was to get ready the sermon and then that's already taken place Christmas right. Be alert. What am I getting a big Thanksgiving update newspaper, for all the black Friday ads in the rebuke that yeah, sure, why not okay like I get it right were alert and watchful for the good deals. Okay, future things are we alert Re: watchful for the future things Jesus said that to be ready for him to come again. We should also do this. Matthew twenty four, verse forty two, says therefore keep watch, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come right December twenty fifth. Really easy to keep track of. You can't miss it. What day is Jesus coming back. Mona Winona. The key is to be alert to be watchful to be ready, cause and attention given all the time because Jesus could come at any moment. After all, Jesus said it will be soon, which I think even mine is this, we should first be alertly watchful second, we can be motivated to live godly lives if we want to be ready for the next event notice the perfect Christmas, but live godly lives. Okay that's perfect picture. There they are made very clear. Second Peter chapter three eleven twelve he said this, you should live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming at Christmas time. What we tell kids they should be good. They shouldn't be bad or also get what cold the starting American local whatever could that be practical joke at all. Really, it will automatically did okay you toe the line. Then afterward, okay, but the prospect of Santa Claus coming will spur lots of children onto good works wanted to make sure it's amazing how good kids can be whenever threatened them with Santa Claus of them, but he's coming back has a lot more to do than candy or lump of coal in the stalking thing we should live holy and godly lives, not getting too attached to this world. This was not her home. After all were just passing through Peterson were like aliens and strangers here, people whose citizenship is in heaven, not a lesser so they asked would you like to be less tied to a materialistic Christmas. It's a nice ideas in it were year. I keep thinking about that. How can we spend this Christmas being a little west focused on material things. Okay. Would you like to be tied deeper to God through prayer. Would we like to put an end to a secret little habit will be like to be passionate about sharing our faith. However, it is we need to start living that way. Now, making reparations. We don't know the day that Jesus is coming soon. Third, if we want to be ready for the next event. We should encourage each other. I still will be saying Merry Christmas a lot to common greeting when you interact with people. It will say happy holidays, you got the whole politically correct war thing on saying Merry Christmas. She was a happy holidays. However you say it, people will soon be saying Merry Christmas a lot more if you like to watch the movie elf to pick up the phone and say, Buddy the elf what's your favorite color okay I get it to run a couple times, saucers, color, or the book your other nominal families a happy thanks giving someone a sure we started days before I went into the same thing as we prepare for Jesus second coming after that listeners versus longings for seventeen and eighteen. After that we know are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words are you feeling like you're going through something alone. How great would it feel to have somebody to encourage you by saying it won't last. Now, I believe we had discussion of that work about the phrase. This too shall pass. You know, nowhere in the Bible do I know where that exact phrase is as when driving at here, but we can encourage each other with the idea that one day this will all pass this will not last forever friends. Whatever the situation, whatever's going on in your community, the hurt will not last forever. They encourage somebody and lift them up. Hebrews ten twenty five says, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching. B on Dave, the day of resurrection day seek each other out. Pat each other on the back to me. Sunday mornings when one pastor encourages us to go around. Can somebody you know around the neck and shake all my it's not just a formality, friends, even though it can be that that's not what it's about. It's the idea of a inventor of talking each other 's lives will help get us forward in whatever were going through. Hang in there, hang on the Jesus keep up the good work is coming soon encourage each other, we shall bring each other down. We should feel free to express our hope in the return of Jesus to other Christians, we need to hear it. We need to remind each other of it. Fourth, we should persevere. Listen to what Paul tells Timothy about Christian living. First Timothy six versus twelve and fourteen fight the good fight of faith, I charge you can command campus communities me without water blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ persevere. Don't give up with pastor like the joke about a young line or closely and in the movie out what Josie Wales, you know, and never talking sailing pastor does endeavor to persevere. We need them here. Tell him some attacks were on its own and now we need is a sometimes we get something to think it's not worth it sometimes will be tempted to think Jesus is coming back in my lifetime. Sometimes you will be tempted to turn away if you haven't yet, you will don't worry about it. Sometimes we are to take our eyes off Jesus while we wait, will be tempted to make a compromise in our daily living here. There, because it's been a long already, Jesus hasn't come back yet, but don't give in to such temptations persevere. What's the best strategy for lifelong perseverance. Remember, Jesus is coming soon, so those are the basics to be prepared for the return of Jesus. There's so many details that God has in place for what could happen and I'm only less than halfway through the sermon subordinate call this a transition point friends by me ask you last week we talked about two weeks ago we talked about preaching what you practice. We hit on again last week. The whole idea. We talk about David and Goliath. David got a got out there and said oh my goodness that guys twice my size. David could've gone out and said oh my goodness, this guy get a terror. My hat off but what they would do what he faced Goliath we said last week he talked very little in that chapter and instructions. He talked very little about Goliath. The only mention Goliath twice right. How many times the David talk about money when other basic like how many instances we have the chapter of David talking about how big his daughters a lot more. We said it was it was what was it it was like attitude five ratio words like that other words to talk about God more than twice as much as he talked about his problem. You and I need to talk about God, about Jesus second coming more often than we talk about the troubles that we have the heartache that we have, whether it's in our family, whether it's in our community, whether it's in the state in this nation. Whatever the case may be, we need to encourage each other by talking about how big our God is. And yes, we have seen heartbreak. We have felt heartbreak but let's talk about the healing presence of our Savior. Let's encourage each other with the idea that Jesus is coming back again. Let's lift each other up and not tear each other down. It's worth it. Some of us may have never celebrated the perfect Christmas. I don't know what you grew up with all of us have celebrated the perfect idyllic, you know, Victorian Christmas arcades in Oglala, sing Christmas carols on the street just like that, no, our front door may not look like that photograph, you know, our snowmen may not be that good. Our children may not wear beautiful Victorian clothes, but it's okay, that's all right, because one day all of this will be gone one day will be in the presence of a loving Savior and our God who created us all such heartbreak as can be forgotten tears will be away parts will be gone and not remember. Encourage your family. Your spouse, your children with preaching what you practice practicing what you preach. Talk about talk about the fact that your saviors coming back. Be prepared for the next one. I love him this Christmas is not to be the perfect Martha Stewart Christmas and it's okay. But if we are ready for our Savior to enter in our timeline to fix our history. It's been a great ChristmasOkay thanks giving his past. Now her move on towards what Christmas is bring up up up up up up up up words and breezes bring. It's like going outside is an so warm. Warm for a few days. Pray for our hunters were to be out in the woods for the next couple of weeks or hours or however long it takes them to get their gear of. Let's see I need to fire up my laptop per second. It will be nontraditional right. It's always a little different( does I know. Sorry if that is something same. What's that all long since I will will apologize for Baldwin versus. This morning I what's sleep right to, but am available on Eskimos pictures while while I fire this up. Christmas is coming, or make upland, then what is our Christmas shopping at okay it was anybody planning on starting tomorrow. No online shoppers who are last-minute shoppers and their kit Christmas Eve or are Chris Bell, who undoubtedly a Christmas Eve shopper. I think a faster rate. Here he would be owning up that the right. Yes, we praise it enough that I think the extent of their up up up up up up up. Yeah hooray for Doctor Rhonda runs good biggest credit card wages is a lot like a candidate and I organizer needs an intervention is not even here to defend himself. These of my Christmas is coming right in my decorate your house is yet redecorated my victory surgeries. Okay, I to have multiple trees up and we had the outside Iraq that rated yet. Okay root of the feeling and I saw no, I am the perfect Christmas longer one had the perfect Christmas right about Christmas vacation Clark, when it had the perfect Griswold family Christmas rain, but we all have an idea in our minds of what Christmas is mostly like right and I either like I said the pastor somehow I wind up what is restaurant always have someone on this time year I was one of preaching like this Sunday and in the calendar year. Quite often. Yeah so was going out on it. I talk about surviving holidays. No primer little brat 's number last week I gave little device. The ladies what was I said what I said do not expect your husband to read your mind while you're being stressed out planning and making a meal at all these things. Robert you can read your mind. Ask him to do things and what we tell the guys be a little intuitive how you can help. So what you are the original holidays view picture of you picture your front door brining your picture your front door looking like this is that outstanding or what does he receive ideas right now ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha is like using if you regularly look alike or unless the available e-mail. We'll willy-nilly see you again. That was the drill holes in the butt will will will will e-mail you and I work me like we can post them on Facebook feed these ideas and work the method forgotten for a look outstanding feelings in the issue. This would make floppy snow) were shown telling you that is rich okay on diocese would you imagine this is what you imagine your front door looking like no when we painted our front door. What color do we pay our front door. You know what it was called foxy with this beautiful orange oranges fall autumn coloring on, but it never gets anything done when it still looks like it's a big orange slab of steel for Italy. These ideas, and we know you don't want that, do we get that though know what we get is this Brian from an excellent initiative pictures been shared around half how I feel like I'm that guy is your neighbor. Anything I think about country music songs, laundry, do not lose no none about nobody seeing red silica. I now only nice decorations and some smart Alec, right next to him or or or or you imagine you done for many of us have children. Let's say ten runner who has children ten or under the imagine imagine your children looking like this when you buy the Christmas dresses. Is this what we impacted my thinking Hollywood look really cute jacket like our children are beautiful on their own but we don't we can't imagine that old-fashioned Victorian style Christmas deal. You know the perfect snowman. Perfect. No, what was it, what's the next picture. Brian went with this. This all yeah about ladies the perfect table scape that that that is sought. That's rather stellar. I think now is the little lady on the food network. Stephanie that's always token enjoys talked about table stakes, Sandra Lee is that with turning center leads that her name. Anyhow, or Gore, of course, Martha Stewart, which I have marked this calendar by the way we do this every year. This is the third year in a row now render the Martha Stewart calendar. This, in case you don't feel inferior enough in your Christmas decorating, because not, nor does it measure up your children don't measure up a certainly if your table measures up to this can I come over and have dinner with you, but still into his love those measure up or view when you when you cook Christmas dinner or even your Thanksgiving dinner yet imagine it looking like that now is that this is that what you see when you are when you're making Christmas dinner. The gorgeous but here's the thing abroad after one more picture guy, but how do we envision Christmas like something you know Victoria Rockwell painting in on the perfect atmosphere than the NL. There are all kinds of expectations that we lay on ourselves and we lay on our children and we lay on our spouses and we lay on our families and assignors ulcerated and nine. Lack of sleep talking. We lay. All these expectations ourselves at Christmas time, but it was always details we try to line up the Christmas only but did the God lined up all the details for the first Christmas, and he probably didn't stress about it. And Jesus wants to line up all the details for our own Christmas this year and we try to line up all the items get it altogether. And if something 's missing. All we stress, and we fret and we forgot something at the meal, or we forgot a gift. We wanted to get. Okay, so if this is not enough pressure to celebrate the perfect Christmas buses go to Martha Stewart's calendar for a minute. I really enjoyed our Wi-Fi. I think they came to me as an idea, one year and now you can read up a. They would click on individual days, but I haven't. Here's allowed to share a few today, Sunday the twenty seventh right so today we are, we should be. Let's see star holiday shopping, according to Martha Stewart. No, I think it's often few days as you mix of days in the calendar on Jesus put together a gift list and search for holiday sales in stores and online tomorrow, the twenty eighth of November. Martha currently does a good deer hunting in Pennsylvania, Playas Martha says Megan Advent calendar a year have an advent calendar. Anyone here ever make an advent calendar okay, now I admit calendars are really great ways reminders the talk about the idea and lead us up to Christmas, but the whole idea of Christ entering into our history here on earth with a similar title on the twenty ninth update your Christmas card mailing list on your ego the thirtieth choose photos for your Christmas cards. Okay, and as a note user stock up on holidays dance and choose a special photo of the family to send seasons greetings to let everybody in your family who send you one of those letters at Christmas time to remind you of how perfect the family and then when you're ready, then you feel like you've just fallen so short of a is happen okay, we get those letters once in a while. Okay, first of December and early go make handmade gifts as will Martinsville be doing whether you're making monogrammed slippers or knitting a hat. These are just some ideas for you. Is it without it's a Friday the second send out your holiday Christmas party invitations. Okay, all the third display your advent calendar game on the fourth hang your Christmas reads in the theft replenish your wrapping supplies guys about shopping that they get together everything like wrapping paper, ribbon gift tags bows bags tape, packing materials, and tissue paper. Every once this you can go to Martha Stewart 's website and download her calendar. If you're an Outlook express of your Mac person. Whatever the case may be, you really like torture yourself this way through the cyanosis, ongoing people. On the sixth make stockings for Christmas and parent on the seventh mail your gift to faraway friends to make holiday donations the ninth take ornaments out of storage and game all and has another season. Historically, last year 's holiday ornaments and begin to create new ones by hand, don't go shopping for them. Make them by hand on the tenth figure Christmas tree again. She reminds to water project water level daily the eleventh decorate your tree. Okay, twelfth finished decorating your house C first voted that we put up by the way, for reference of front door of the thirteenth make and freeze cookie dough and enough to last the season address and mail your cards on the fourteenth on the fifteenth wrap your gifts. Okay she said you can put sticky notes on the gift before you tag them just the reminders you don't forget who's getting an erratic present and not market right that minute and your life is getting more than an Christmas morning. Someone did something this totally weird is not what concerns them. Okay the sixteenth. This is important going back to a special table scape plan your holiday centerpiece kind start thinking about what's are the centerpiece will be on your Christmas table and make a list of materials, the seventeenth you'll be baking cookies on the eighteenth. He will finalize your menu for Christmas day, the nineteenth UI tags in both the presence. What we do. When you wrap them okay on the twentieth deliver boxed sweets. So your friend may be suites now you will deliver them by hand to those you love locate him on the twenty first sweep the pine needles from her on your tree not making this up, friends, I am not making this up as if we second by last-minute gifts twenty third, choose linens and dishes for your table. Now this is where the dates got messed up. There were a couple of double days, but it spread off the counter. Other items are picking up items for your holiday meal filled all is okay. Setting your Christmas table_ to set the Christmas table on the twenty third or twenty fourth, actually you be baking cookies for Santa on the twenty third or the twenty fourth, whichever you prefer enjoying Christmas dinner and carols on Christmas Eve at some point got messed up with the longer your linens. Okay we do now longer them iron them all these things. How many of us get these things done me the real world. How many of us are in Martha Stewart 's world. That's how it goes down, saying this effect not unlike thing is to pick on Martha Stewart but Martha Stewart has this reputation of being the kind of lady who gets everything done perfectly. They'll write. I do not have such reputation that's okay. I now have all kinds detailed like to get in place for Christmas decorations, lights on the cheap lights tree candles ornaments stuff for your yard, greens, etc. advancement of parties. We got open houses, church services, kids programs, plays, dinners, concerts, we got meal to cook for, whether it's Christmas goose or Rose or turkey or ham or whatever it is you make all the cookies don't forget the stuff for the punch Stephanie K it's a joke is a juggernaut. Thanksgiving it wasn't the perfect thanks giving, because Bethany forgot to make much were you thinking this deleting turkey by the way later so we can turn things. I love turkey soup. I love tradition of it, and then we got all the guess to think of so this morning for the last book in the Bible, Revelation chapter twenty two. It's really hard to miss Christmas when you live around here very, very well. Christmas shopping on Black Friday. For those door buster deals starting to have we lost anyone in the congregation who is out there, but insured pepper sprayed or pushed or want to hear about that stuff I I find my dog commented and said that it's amazing that the day after we say were thankful for what we have. We go out and wrestle and push and fight for more stuff on that. Anyhow, yes or on the television. Your children are dropping hints. They're trying to be good because the whole Santa thing okay we don't want to be caught without having the right gift. But what's amazing is with all the fanfare and all the hoopla on all those advertisements and things go on lead up to Christmas. Today, this is huge paradox, compared to Christmas Eve somewhere around two thousand years ago. Okay. Think was fully prepared for the first Christmas, Christmas number one. Do you think people were jammed in the stores that day getting last-minute door buster deals for people decorating whatever kind of hot. They lived in in Jerusalem whatever kind of house or whatever they formed the amount of the think children were finding it difficult to sleep that night or the synagogues were crammed with people, because there was a special Christmas program going on. Obviously, no, but the first Christmas didn't go down without a son signals and signs the data back a few centuries, the prophet Samuel testament predicted the coming Savior, the Messiah who would be born of a virgin. The Bible says from the line of David. Born in Bethlehem. All Jews even the marginally religious ones had known these days. Ever since they were little. Yet, on the eve of the very first Christmas. Things were pretty much business as usual people can come from work to clean up for dinner children played out in the dusty streets until was bedtime spouse is rolled over, give a good night kiss before turning out the light. Ho-hum life goes on right, except, perhaps, for people who still had to deal with the crazy census one. The seizure order because it was donated registered their minds were occupied with getting to their hometown if they didn't still live there and filling out the necessary documents paying attacks. Perhaps in one young couple arrived in Bethlehem on just such a mission. Jesus was born, was put in a manger who really knew who Jesus was placed in the major Joseph and Mary did write up what animals you know you are the songs, but apparently no one in Angel woke up. Some shepherds to tell them the news. Some wise men were intrigued by a star and followed it. But apart from a couple of unlikely guests at a major or when Jesus was a little bit older. Nobody else really seem to notice the very first Christmas, Jesus came and though many people would been waiting for him. Very few people actually notice that he arrived on the scene. The first Christmas might've been really easy to miss, but the subsequent ones that we go on our lifetimes, Artemis Christmases and from about one hundred with Christmas .com the stores leadership were not like right before they speak, even with the Halloween stuff, usually like Wally world are to him. Lowes or Home Depot. They start put ministries up and Jesus said these coming back again. I hear we go. Revelation chapter twenty two, verse seven, as S behold I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book and if we jump over to verse twelve, and behold I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me to give to every one according to his work, and if we go to verse twenty of the same chapter he who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Now we talked on earlier on year about a brother from everywhere. He's from, who was on the radio and on television talking about when Jesus was going to return. I won't even name the brother, but I'll say this much. Obviously, we don't try to set a date on when Jesus is returning some people do engage in such activities, but I was very thrilled to see this brother had repented of such attempts and and and it least and humility. This man is realized that we can't put a finger on the exact date and time when Jesus is coming. Okay, so moving along from that we see from Jesus words based on your question have we done more to prepare, though for the celebration of the past event that happened almost two thousand years ago. Do we do more to sell the weight worker for that, then we do for an event that's coming I guess coming back again and says in the Bible. I believe it when it could happen. I don't know you know I like to expect it could happen any moment now, but as people say. As years go on you. You wonder where weld. I don't know when he's coming back, and it's okay. No, Jesus even said even the Son of Man does not appear the hour when I'll return, but I know it's got a be soon, but worth my effort going is my effort more to celebrate the first time he came in and celebrate the anniversary of that event every year or is my effort more towards his return. The stakes are a lot harder for this preparation than they are for celebrating a past event. Some of us might have a better idea how to prepare for a great Christmas. Then we know what to do to prepare for him to suddenly appear. Maybe today. Maybe next year. Maybe now ten years now. I don't know. I mean, after all, Christmas decorations for Christmas decorations blow it down. Decorate you have all the stuff in a box don't jump in your attic somewhere usually are in the garage. No, we get the same stuff out. We decorate with purchase gifts we wrap the gifts you have it. Sometimes the guests are the same. He knows Oxford that every year or something like that, you know a pack of bubble gum in the stocking, no, maybe what that and an orange and the soldiers saw it. We have our little traditions in opening it out whether Herzog served out T-shirts or whatever we have these little traditions of our only little things. The Christmas doesn't get too far out of hand for us. We keep it in a controllable area of what we believe it should be what is the grand Wayne. Every year we have a kids program at Christmas time right. We cook we clean up and there are lots of little exciting things a lot bad mouthing observing Christmas. Don't get me wrong here when driving at is this really what we need to be ready for and we would be ready to celebrate Christmas if we give attention to a few things more and in what even is not ready Christmas story. I happen to know that when you're ready or not, would be by all the gifts are not Christmas is still coming Christmas. We will celebrate we will observe Christmas on December the twenty fifth okay and will do it again next year and the year following, but some basic things for us to keep in mind if we want to be fully prepared for Jesus second coming. We need to be alert and be watchful. Okay then I got the news at all this week when Apple Black Friday sales. What was a the new stories about advocates any news stories about Black Friday note sales. What were they saying up up with that all you have violence for some of the places, but as far as as far as the be the numbers you don't mean the numbers, the dollars break it down for me on the business channel in no dollars and cents retail sales were up from Wednesday year before that was five percent a year before that was four percent Sony again. Nothing unusual. It's the same old stories, but you won't miss being alert, being watchful wealth was to get ready the sermon and then that's already taken place Christmas right. Be alert. What am I getting a big Thanksgiving update newspaper, for all the black Friday ads in the rebuke that yeah, sure, why not okay like I get it right were alert and watchful for the good deals. Okay, future things are we alert Re: watchful for the future things Jesus said that to be ready for him to come again. We should also do this. Matthew twenty four, verse forty two, says therefore keep watch, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come right December twenty fifth. Really easy to keep track of. You can't miss it. What day is Jesus coming back. Mona Winona. The key is to be alert to be watchful to be ready, cause and attention given all the time because Jesus could come at any moment. After all, Jesus said it will be soon, which I think even mine is this, we should first be alertly watchful second, we can be motivated to live godly lives if we want to be ready for the next event notice the perfect Christmas, but live godly lives. Okay that's perfect picture. There they are made very clear. Second Peter chapter three eleven twelve he said this, you should live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming at Christmas time. What we tell kids they should be good. They shouldn't be bad or also get what cold the starting American local whatever could that be practical joke at all. Really, it will automatically did okay you toe the line. Then afterward, okay, but the prospect of Santa Claus coming will spur lots of children onto good works wanted to make sure it's amazing how good kids can be whenever threatened them with Santa Claus of them, but he's coming back has a lot more to do than candy or lump of coal in the stalking thing we should live holy and godly lives, not getting too attached to this world. This was not her home. After all were just passing through Peterson were like aliens and strangers here, people whose citizenship is in heaven, not a lesser so they asked would you like to be less tied to a materialistic Christmas. It's a nice ideas in it were year. I keep thinking about that. How can we spend this Christmas being a little west focused on material things. Okay. Would you like to be tied deeper to God through prayer. Would we like to put an end to a secret little habit will be like to be passionate about sharing our faith. However, it is we need to start living that way. Now, making reparations. We don't know the day that Jesus is coming soon. Third, if we want to be ready for the next event. We should encourage each other. I still will be saying Merry Christmas a lot to common greeting when you interact with people. It will say happy holidays, you got the whole politically correct war thing on saying Merry Christmas. She was a happy holidays. However you say it, people will soon be saying Merry Christmas a lot more if you like to watch the movie elf to pick up the phone and say, Buddy the elf what's your favorite color okay I get it to run a couple times, saucers, color, or the book your other nominal families a happy thanks giving someone a sure we started days before I went into the same thing as we prepare for Jesus second coming after that listeners versus longings for seventeen and eighteen. After that we know are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words are you feeling like you're going through something alone. How great would it feel to have somebody to encourage you by saying it won't last. Now, I believe we had discussion of that work about the phrase. This too shall pass. You know, nowhere in the Bible do I know where that exact phrase is as when driving at here, but we can encourage each other with the idea that one day this will all pass this will not last forever friends. Whatever the situation, whatever's going on in your community, the hurt will not last forever. They encourage somebody and lift them up. Hebrews ten twenty five says, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching. B on Dave, the day of resurrection day seek each other out. Pat each other on the back to me. Sunday mornings when one pastor encourages us to go around. Can somebody you know around the neck and shake all my it's not just a formality, friends, even though it can be that that's not what it's about. It's the idea of a inventor of talking each other 's lives will help get us forward in whatever were going through. Hang in there, hang on the Jesus keep up the good work is coming soon encourage each other, we shall bring each other down. We should feel free to express our hope in the return of Jesus to other Christians, we need to hear it. We need to remind each other of it. Fourth, we should persevere. Listen to what Paul tells Timothy about Christian living. First Timothy six versus twelve and fourteen fight the good fight of faith, I charge you can command campus communities me without water blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ persevere. Don't give up with pastor like the joke about a young line or closely and in the movie out what Josie Wales, you know, and never talking sailing pastor does endeavor to persevere. We need them here. Tell him some attacks were on its own and now we need is a sometimes we get something to think it's not worth it sometimes will be tempted to think Jesus is coming back in my lifetime. Sometimes you will be tempted to turn away if you haven't yet, you will don't worry about it. Sometimes we are to take our eyes off Jesus while we wait, will be tempted to make a compromise in our daily living here. There, because it's been a long already, Jesus hasn't come back yet, but don't give in to such temptations persevere. What's the best strategy for lifelong perseverance. Remember, Jesus is coming soon, so those are the basics to be prepared for the return of Jesus. There's so many details that God has in place for what could happen and I'm only less than halfway through the sermon subordinate call this a transition point friends by me ask you last week we talked about two weeks ago we talked about preaching what you practice. We hit on again last week. The whole idea. We talk about David and Goliath. David got a got out there and said oh my goodness that guys twice my size. David could've gone out and said oh my goodness, this guy get a terror. My hat off but what they would do what he faced Goliath we said last week he talked very little in that chapter and instructions. He talked very little about Goliath. The only mention Goliath twice right. How many times the David talk about money when other basic like how many instances we have the chapter of David talking about how big his daughters a lot more. We said it was it was what was it it was like attitude five ratio words like that other words to talk about God more than twice as much as he talked about his problem. You and I need to talk about God, about Jesus second coming more often than we talk about the troubles that we have the heartache that we have, whether it's in our family, whether it's in our community, whether it's in the state in this nation. Whatever the case may be, we need to encourage each other by talking about how big our God is. And yes, we have seen heartbreak. We have felt heartbreak but let's talk about the healing presence of our Savior. Let's encourage each other with the idea that Jesus is coming back again. Let's lift each other up and not tear each other down. It's worth it. Some of us may have never celebrated the perfect Christmas. I don't know what you grew up with all of us have celebrated the perfect idyllic, you know, Victorian Christmas arcades in Oglala, sing Christmas carols on the street just like that, no, our front door may not look like that photograph, you know, our snowmen may not be that good. Our children may not wear beautiful Victorian clothes, but it's okay, that's all right, because one day all of this will be gone one day will be in the presence of a loving Savior and our God who created us all such heartbreak as can be forgotten tears will be away parts will be gone and not remember. Encourage your family. Your spouse, your children with preaching what you practice practicing what you preach. Talk about talk about the fact that your saviors coming back. Be prepared for the next one. I love him this Christmas is not to be the perfect Martha Stewart Christmas and it's okay. But if we are ready for our Savior to enter in our timeline to fix our history. It's been a great Christmas