Justin R. Lester 12.17.2017

Life is here. Courtney's here today. And, you know, it's crazy. So we left last July. Last. No, last August. Last August. And I cried a bunch, and we left out. And we went up to Providence, Rhode Island. And then like, three weeks later, my wife was like, hey, Justin, let's go to your favorite little eatery in Providence. I was like, cool in the gang. Get there. She had this stick that said plus on it because we were pregnant. I was like, oh, this is awesome, right? And so 10 months later, I have the screen tab it. My baby boy. My boy Camden came into the world. And I love him. I love him to life. I love my son. My son is so awesome. His name is Camden Nehemiah lester Nehemiah. Chapter 2, verse 18. The hand of the Lord is good upon him. And that's the promise God shared with us to put over his life. So that's Camden Nehemiah Lester. Bundle of joy. Doesn't let me sleep. But it's awesome, and it's amazing. And so, you know, the crazy thing is, I've learned about babies, is that babies teach you something. Like, before we had Camden, we weren't parents. Then he showed up, and Camden pulled parent out of us. Before we had Cam, my mama and Courtney's mom were just moms. Then Cam showed up, and all of a sudden, they got all this money in the world. I don't know where grandparents get money from, but my mama and Courtney's mama became grandparents because Camden pulled grandparent out of my mom. My sister was a student at Marquette University. And when Camden showed up, she didn't just become Camille, she became Auntie Millie. Because Camden pulled out of her auntie. Because babies have a way of pulling something out of you. Babies have a way of changing the way you look at the world. The babies have a way of altering your perspective. You don't cuss around a baby. You just don't do it. You know, you don't get mad around a baby because the babies show you their gums. They're the only people who look good with no teeth.

I mean, you. When you see babies, babies do something.

To you, because babies pull joy out of you. Babies pull peace out of you. Babies pull comfort out of you.

And maybe.

Maybe God was up to something when God said, the way I'm going to introduce myself into the world is not a king, not a warrior, not a priest, but I'm going to introduce myself as a baby because babies will pull something miraculous out of you. And I'm talking to people in the room. This Christmas season for you is not a season for gifts, not a season to give and receive. It's a season for God to say, I'm going to pull something out of you when you don't think you're capable of doing it. And if you don't believe me, there's a couple of brothers or sisters in Luke chapter two that tell us that God has a funny way of pulling out of you something you didn't even know was inside of you. And that's the story we find in Luke chapter two. I want to reread a couple of verses of Luke chapter two to remind you of what the text says today. Luke chapter 2, beginning at verse number 8 says this. In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. An angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone about them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, don't be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people today a Savior who is the Messiah. The Lord was born to you in the city of David. This will be the sign for you. You'll find a baby wrapped snugly in a cloth lying in a feeding trough. If I had to put a title on this, it'd be Getting Jesus to My Center. Getting Jesus to My Center. So today we find ourselves in the actual telling of Jesus birth according to Luke. So before we get there, let's back up a little bit to get the context of this text. So first, first, Luke was a brother who was writing to a man by the name of Theophilus. We believe Theophilus used the Gospel of Luke to defend Paul later in the book of Acts. That's why Luke gives us these stories of the least the lost, the left out, the look behind the ones that were showing how God can use anybody anywhere at any time. Because it was really used as a court case argument to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul was doing what Jesus did. So Luke wrote this letter to Theophilus to defend. So Luke, therefore this physician was a firsthand account in Luke chapter two given to us of Luke having a conversation with sister girl Mary to give us details about Jesus story. So when you read the Gospel of Luke, you get a couple of people. First of all, you get Theophilus, you get Zachariah, who is Elizabeth's husband and a priest who served in the temple and had his mouth shut. We get Elizabeth. Elizabeth was Mary's cousin who was pregnant with John the Baptist. We get Mary, Mary, who was Jesus, the mother of Jesus, who went to Elizabeth's house after Gabriel the angel visited her. And then we get Joseph, who was Jesus daddy in the world, a carpenter, a great Jew. They were both born in Bethlehem, living in Nazareth. So following their trip home, take the census. We see the text tells us Luke chapter 2, verse 8, that Jesus was born. Now it's interesting to me because Luke interjects verses 8 through 14, which Mary tells us later that Luke tells us this extra story in verses 8 through 14 about Jesus birth. And here's what happened right after Jesus was born. Simultaneously, God dispatched angels to go visit shepherds while they were working in the field. These shepherds were out tending sheep. And the angels go to them. And the Bible says that the glory of the Lord shone about them and they got terrified. They were terrified of the very presence of God. So I had to wonder, Pastor, how do I get this? How do I make it clean, how to make it plain? And so I love coffee. I love frothy Monkey down on 12 South. And so I was sitting here chilling on the seat of my preacher lane, thinking about how I can do this. And so as I was thinking about this, I was like, like, let me have a conversation with Mary. So I took Mary in my spiritual imagination to a first century coffee shop in Jerusalem. And so I was sitting there because I like my coffee all black coffee, no sugar, no cream. That's how that doing that thing, right? And so I'm sitting there with Mary chilling on the scene at a coffee shop. I'm talking to Mary, say, hey Mary, how you doing? Hey, Pastor Justin, how you doing? I said, I'm good. How are you, Sister Mary? I'm good, Pastor Justin. Everybody's telling my story in this season because it's Christmas time, but I exist all throughout the year anyway. But anyway, Pastor Justin, what? Do you have a question for me? I said, sister Mary, tell me your firsthand account of how Jesus came into the world. And she said, well, Pastor Justin, we went across town, went back because the census was being taken, went to the inn, got to the inn and saw the inn had no room, went to the back of the place and had to go put our son in a feeding trough when he was born. And then after that some people came to visit us. And after they visited us, went on back to town. Herod didn't really like us and Jesus got old. I said, hold up, went too fast, come back. So what happened? She said, well, Pastor Justin, we, we went to the inn. The inn had no room. Went to the back of the inn, saw we had to put Jesus into a feeding trough. And then some people came and visited us. I said, hold up, who visited you? Pastor Justin? It's just some people visited us. I don't want to talk about who visited us. I said, mary, who visited you? Pastor Justin? I'm not going to tell you who visited us. See, that's why Luke interjects this story, because Mary didn't really want to tell us the story, because talking about shepherds was folklore. Nobody wanted shepherds to be the first people that saw Jesus. That's why the Bible says Mary stored these things up in her heart.

The last people you want to touch.

A king are some dirty shepherds. And Luke tells us a story in verses 8 through 14 that nobody wanted to talk about, not even Mary wanted to talk about, because everybody wants to celebrate shepherds. The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord loves shepherds. But at that time, didn't nobody care about shepherds, because often in biblical texts we get this glamorized view of a shepherd. See, shepherds in 1st century Jerusalem were not celebrated or welcomed people. Shepherds were low down and dirty people. Shepherds were not held in high esteem, according the people. So much so in the Jewish Talmud, shepherds were not even allowed in court as a witness in the treaty of Zadara. No help would be given to heathens or shepherds. And to build on that, the sheep that the shepherds used and led were the sheep that were used for sacrifices at the temple. So get the picture. Shepherds were low down, dirty, nasty, unimportant.

People whose pro produce was used so.

Other people could get close to Jesus. And God says, but that's the folk I want to get to see my son first before anybody else sees him.

I hope y' all get me.

I'm trying to work this thing. Get the picture? The people that God selected first weren't priests. The people that God selected first weren't kings. The people that God selected to see his son first were a bunch of folk that weren't even allowed into the church where the folks slaughtered the sheep.

That they used to lead.

And God said, but those are the people I want to see my son first. They prayed for a Messiah. They couldn't even sit in the church to worship for. They worshiped a Messiah in a place.

That killed their sheep.

And the Bible says, and God sent some angels to some shepherds. See, God spoke to some folk who.

Worked hard but got used.

But God spoke to some shepherds. God spoke to some people who were overlooked and mistaken.

And God spoke to some shepherds. God spoke to people that nobody cared.

To talk to because they were hanging out with sheep all day.

And God spoke to some shepherds.

And I'm talking to some folk in the building this morning.

You're just like these shepherds. You feel used and mistreated and mistaken and overlooked. But the good news, the text shows us, is that while the world has abused your gift, while the world has misused your gift, God says, I'm gonna let your gift give you a glimpse of Jesus Christ. Aren't you glad that when the world wants to use you, God will still.

Give you a glimpse of his own child? I don't know why some of y' all ain't shouting in the building right now. Because some of y' all can think.

Right out of all the stuff that.

How dirty you know you are.

You shouldn't be in church this morning. While the world has used you. You shouldn't be in church this morning. You've been rejected, you've been taken away. Well, you've gotten all tired on being.

On the backside of the mountain.

But Christmas reminds me that God will take low down, jacked up, toe up from the flow up Christians and let them see Jesus. Am I talking to anybody in this building who can testify I shouldn't be singing, but God still used me. I shouldn't be an usher, but God still used me. I shouldn't be a preacher, but God still used me. All the alcohol I drank, all the weed I said smoke are the Negroes I slept with. But I'm so glad that God uses overlooked, mistaken, dirty, load out people to give them a glimpse. Am I talking to anybody in this building? God says, I'll give you something when.

Everybody else is overlooking you. Using you for what you can produce. Using you for what you have, Using you for what you have to give. Using you for your body. Using you for reasons that God didn't call you. And God says, I'll still let you see my, my son. See, I'm talking to mamas in the room this morning this Christmas season and.

You'Re tired of getting gifts for everybody else because nobody seems to care about what you want for Christmas. And God says, well, everybody else is trying to use you.

God says, I'll give you a glimpse of my own child. I'm talking to daddies in this room this morning.

You feel like the only thing you're.

Good enough for is how many zeros.

Are on your paycheck. And God says, well, only people only care about your paycheck.

God says, I can still use you.

Because I know you're being used.

But what you're being used for is.

Not what I've called you for.

I'm talking to leaders in the building.

Who feel like you've been overlooked and mistaken, that you're the one, that nobody cares because all you're doing is. Is helping, and nobody seems to help you. And God says, black and still use you. I'm talking to children who feel like.

Your thoughts and your ideas and purpose.

Are not good enough. And God says, I can still use you because while the world wants to use what you have, God says, I'll still let you see a picture of.

My son that nobody's ever seen before. Let me. Let me suggest. The struggle so many of us having the Christmas season is not whether or not we get gifts, get accepted, whether we're blessed, whether we can move forward on Jesus birthday. Our struggle is accepting that when God calls us something, we are exactly what God called us. The struggle, Pastor, is that we actually feel good enough that Jesus will wrap himself up in clothes, come down to the world so that you can talk to him. Have you ever noticed it's not others telling us we can't do it. We just use it as an excuse to get likes on Facebook. It's not others telling us we can't do it. It's that we tell ourselves that we can't do it. I mean, we tell ourselves, you can't lose the weight. We tell ourselves it's impossible. We tell ourselves we can't accomplish it. And then what we do is we look for affirmations of our own internal accusations. So we distract ourselves. And you realize distractions are nothing more than inner denial on the dream that God has given you. And so we distract ourselves by constantly searching for affirmation on our own accusations. And so every day I look for a reason to tell me that I can't lose weight. Every day I look for a reason to tell me I can't get married. Every day I look for a reason to tell me I can never budget.

So when God shows up at your cubicle, when God shows up in your office, when God shows up in your home and God says, you can see.

My son, we tell God, God, you got the wrong person. God shows up and says, you can still start the business. God, you don't know how many times I fail. God says, you can still be a father.

God said.

We say, God, you don't know how many times I've messed up. God said.

God says you can be a mother, you can be the husband, you can be debt free because you are the.

Head and not the tale. That you are good enough for God.

To find you on the backside of a mountain while you're still tending sheep.

And God says, I can still clean you from the inside out when you.

Put my son at your core and let Jesus drive you instead of you.

Telling Jesus what to do. How do I do that, Justin? How do I. How do I change that perspective? Am I helping anybody in this room? How can I do this? Number one. How do I get Jesus in my center? Number one. And almost finished.

Number one.

Set the pace instead of always looking for pace setters. Did you hear me? I said, set the pace instead of looking for pacesetters. Okay, Paul having a conversation with the church at Galatia. Paul said this at Galatians. Chapter 2. Paul says, so you are running the race so well.

You were doing a good job.

Like, y' all were good.

Y' all were grooving. And then all of a sudden, who cut in on you? You ever notice, Pastor, it's never a what that cuts it on you. It's always a who. It's always a who. It's never a what. It's always a who that's tweetable at your boy, so I know it's real. It's never a what that cuts it on you. It's always a who that cuts it on you. And Paul says you got your focus off track. I'm leading you. I'm pulling you to be exactly what I've called you to be. You are running the race so well. Who cut in on you and took you to McDonald's for lunch when you're.

Trying to lose weight?

Who cut in on you and told you to go get a bunch of credit cards when you're trying to save your money to get that house?

Who cut in on you that told you you need to go clubbing every.

Single night when you're trying to get yourself better to get your mate and find your rib? Who cut in on you?

Because Paul says so. Instead of trying to look for pace.

Setters, I get best practices.

But instead of looking for pacesetters, you.

Set your own pace.

Because remember when God made you, God didn't duplicate somebody else to make you.

The Bible says he blew into you.

The ruach breath of life, giving you a piece of God that nobody's ever had before. And you sitting here trying to be like somebody else. Look like somebody else. Groove like somebody else. I dare you to touch the one. Tell them set the pace. Set the pace. Set the pace. Because God didn't come called you to be someone else. God called you to set your own pace.

I'm in the text.

The text says that these shepherds on the backside of a mountain tending sheep. They were on the backside of a Mountain. Verse 8. They were just tending sheep. That's it. They were on the backside of a mountain. They were tending sheep. According to Nehemiah, they would have been in the area of Beth Zur where they were feeding their flocks in the same area that David kept his sheep. So regardless, these shepherds who had a lifestyle of sacrifice and maintenance were apparent.

Because all the shepherds did.

Reverend Sandlin. They were on the backside of a mountain keeping watch of their sheep. The shepherds were being shepherds. They were doing the very thing that God called them to do. They weren't trying to preach. Talk Justin. They weren't trying to sing talk Pastor Justin. They weren't trying to usher talk, Pastor Justin. They weren't trying to lead new members class. They were on the backside of a mountain. I wish y' all talk to me. Tending sheep. And the angel of the Lord showed.

Up to shepherds who were doing shepherd stuff.

I wish y' all see. For years they were praying for a Messiah.

For years they were praying that God sent them someone who would be better than David.

For years they were praying for someone.

To change their social and political outlook. But while they kept on praying and.

God to give an answer, the shepherds did not stop being shepherds when God did not answer the prayer. They wanted the way that God they wanted God to answer their prayer. He found them being shepherds. He found them working in the field.

He found them while their prayer was so much bigger.

They stayed on the backside of that mountain setting the pace instead of looking for others to set the pace for them. The shepherds did not stop preparing sheep. The shepherds did not stop tending sheep.

Because while they had been praying for.

This, the shepherds kept on being shepherds. I'm talking to people in the room.

This year, 2017, you've given up on who you are because God has not.

Answered your prayer prayers the way that you want God to answer your prayer.

God hasn't opened the opportunity the way.

That you want God to open the opportunity.

God is not giving you pull pits to preach in the way that you.

Wanted God to give you pull pits to preach in.

God did not give you the record.

Deal the way that you wanted God.

To give you the record deal. But here's the challenge God has given you.

Stop tripping that you're a shepherd and start just continue doing shepherd type work.

I called you to be a choir member.

You better show up to rehearsal and saying.

I called you to be an usher. You better show up to usher. Beating an usher on that door. I called you to be a deacon, you better be here and open this church door up. I called you to be a trustee. And here's what Paul says when you walk in your own gift. Paul says, that's why you can begin.

To say whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever.

Things are true, whatsoever things are good.

Rapport.

God will give you all of that. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will set the pace for those who follow after the word of the Lord. But you've got got to be a shepherd.

Let me ask you a question. If, if God would have dispatched angels to the place where he called you.

With the message that the Messiah was.

Within walking distance, would God find you working where he called you? See, I know, I know, Pastor Vinny. Tending sheep gets really annoying because they, they bite you, they smell bad. Tending sheep is not fun. I don't, I don't like tending sheep sometimes I don't like staying in my studio apartment when I want to buy a house. I don't like my thirty thousand dollar job when I think I'm worth 75.

I don't, I don't like being the.

Assistant vice president when I, when I think I can be the president. I don't like being the short one when I want to be a little bit taller.

Wish I was a baller. Wish I had a girl who looked good so I could call her. I don't like being the fat one that can't lose the weight. And God says, I know that you're tired of praying for something you haven't seen the answer for, but are you going to keep tending sheep knowing that God, God is going to find you where he called you to be?

Let me suggest the reason that we miss Jesus within walking distance is not.

Because God isn't calling shepherds.

It's because when God comes to find us, we ain't tending sheep. Great prayers combined with great action lead to great results. Without one or the other, you'll always miss Jesus. How many times have you missed Jesus within walking distance? Because when the angel showed up, you weren't on your job for somebody. Your shepherd work is serving in a various ministry in the church. Instead of complaining that it doesn't exist and you just figure out, get off your blessed assurance and make it happen for somebody. It's your shepherd work is being at home, brother man. Instead of always out with your boys hoping that your wife wants to raise your children, you get upset when your son doesn't know who you are.

You got to be a shepherd at home.

I ain't scared of none of y'. All. For somebody is serving in the community, that a non profit serving in a local church. Instead of complaining that it doesn't happen for somebody, it's joining the ministry at the church to make it better.

Instead of complaining and being always bitter for somebody, it's going to talk to somebody on the other side of the.

Church and reconciling that relationship instead of looking at them during praise and worship.

And you miss Jesus because when God is coming to look for you, he ain't going to find you where he didn't call you. He's going to find you where he called you. And I know it may seem beneath you, I know you may not like it, but God says, can you lower.

Your agenda and see what's on my agenda?

And know that when you work my agenda, hag, I put it like this. God will shake heaven and shake earth to get glory through your gift. And I'm talking to some folk in the building. 2017, you've been tending sheep. You're saying, pastor Justin, I'm tired of tending sheep. Let me tell you what to do. I dare you to try tending sheep one more time and watch God shake heaven and shake earth to get glory through your gift. Am I talking to anybody in this building? I don't want to tend any more sheep. But God says, I'll work with you right there. I don't want to preach anymore. But God says, keep on preaching. I don't want to teach anymore. God says, keep on teaching. I don't want to sing anymore. God says, keep on singing because I've got some angels coming your way to tell you where to find Jesus. I'm talking to some husbands in this building. You wanted to give up on your marriage. And God says, go back home tonight and keep on tending sheep. And I'll shake heaven and I'll shake, shake earth. Am I talking to anybody in this building? I'm gonna walk on my job tomorrow with my shoulders back, with my hand on my hip and give God praise. I'm gonna keep on tending sheep. I wish I had somebody in this building. I don't like tending Sheep But God. I'mma stay right here until you send.

Some angels so I can see God within my. Am I talking to anybody who can.

Make the devil mad? I'mma keep on serving. I'mma keep on giving.

I'mma keep on smiling.

I'mma keep on praising. I'mma keep on showing up the church. I'mma keep on laughing. I'm on hugging. I'mma keep on praising. Because soon and very soon, the angels don't show up. And it does not yet appear what we shall be or what we will be. But when I see Jesus, I'm not talking to anybody in this building.

I'mma stay right where I am. Praise right where I am. Cause God's going to meet me right where I am. Whoo.

I'm talking to somebody. God's about to show up on your job on Thursday. Call me when he shows up at 12:07. I'm talking to somebody in the building. God's about to show up at your dinner table on Tuesday. I dare you to shout unto God because God says, I'll meet you right where you are.

I'm done.

He set the pace.

I'm done. Instead of looking for pace setters, secondly. And finally he says, then love the little bit of Jesus. Jesus that you get. So love a little bit of Jesus that you get. So set the pace. Don't look for pace setters. And love a little bit of Jesus that you get. Some of you are saying, okay, Pastor Justin, that was cute. That was really cute. That was really cute. I'll serve, I'll pray. I'll deal with it. I'll pray before I come in. I'll pray when I leave. I don't like being that person. I don't like my cubicle. Is there any hope for me? There is. Watch text. Angels come to the shepherds.

The shepherds get scared.

Angels sing a hymn.

Shepherds get excited.

Shepherds are told the Messiah is here. The Messiah they've been praying for. And this text says the sign they get of the Messiah is Jesus being born. And he comes as a baby. The good news they've been praying for, the promise they've been searching for and waiting for finally showed up as a baby. Let that sink in. The miracle they've been praying for. And I know Christmas makes it seem as like the sweet little baby Jesus, the miracle that these folk have been praying for for years.

Shows up with somebody.

You gotta feed, change their diapers, ain't gonna go to sleep, gotta get solids at six months. Gonna bite your finger every time you put it in their mouth. Don't know how to talk for two years. Can learn how to walk after one year. Ain't gonna be able to make no money for 15 years. Talk to me, somebody and Jesus. God says, the sign of my favor is a baby. And all God gives us is a baby. And I know we want to celebrate this baby. Put yourself in the shoes of these shepherds. For years we've been praying for God to do everything he said he was going to do, everything Isaiah said, everything Micah said, everything Zephaniah said. And God says, I did as a baby. And not a king, not a warrior, not a priest. He gives us a baby. And not even a baby born in a palace. It's a baby born where pigs eat in a feeding trough. And look at the little bit of God God gives these shepherds. You'll get a baby. And if you could rejoice over the little bit of Jesus that you get.

You can begin to experience. I wish y' all the. All of God that's still available. And I'm talking to folk in the room today. You want the Messiah. You want your 2018 to be great, you want to get hired. You want the new job, you want the new relationship, you want the staff.

And quit your job.

And when it doesn't happen, God says.

I got a sign for you. I'm giving you a baby. I mean, you've been praying for a brand new job, and all you get is that person from high school that didn't like you showing up at Starbucks at the same time talking about the new business venture. God says, I'm giving you.

I'm just giving you a baby.

I'm talking to somebody who's been praying for retirement. You look, after your first two years of work, all you've saved up is enough money to work one to be.

Retired for one year.

And you're saying, God, don't you love me? And God said, but I gave you, I gave you a baby. I'm talking to somebody who wants to go back to school. And God comes and tells you, all you have is enough money for one application. How do you respond when God gives you a baby? God, don't you know how I feel? God, I want my ways, but I.

Want my doors open.

But here's what I shout about this.

Reverend Sandlin. The reason I praise God for the.

Baby is Paul put it like this in Colossians, Paul said, and it pleased.

God to put all of himself into a baby. Church folk don't know when to shout.

He Said. And it pleased God to put all of himself. I wish y' all in a baby church folk don't know if I hooped that pastor. If I dropped the E flat and.

Hollered that thing, somebody be running around the church, I'm gonna just say that thing out.

Because the Bible ought to make you.

Run around the church.

And it pleased God I wish y' all to put all of himself. And you worried about your boss tomorrow. You worried about how to pay your bills. You worried about somebody talking about you on Facebook. And it pleased God to put all as insecure as I am, as best up as I am, as arrogant as I am, as prideful as I am, as depressed as I am. And it pleased God to put all of himself. See, that's why I can praise God over a little bit of Jesus because it pleases God to put all of himself into a little bitty baby. Because when you can praise God over the little things, you can see God do some amazing things. The answer to your prayer is a little bit of Jesus. The provision to your problem is just a little bit of Jesus. The next step in your issue is just a little bit of Jesus. See, Christmas shouts me because Christmas makes me praise God. That all God gave me was a little bit of Jesus But a little bit of Jesus is all I need. Okay, y', all, they get me.

Micah.

A little bit of Jesus Had Micah and Zechariah rejoicing after exile because all they had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Had Isaiah excited when King Uzziah died because he saw the Lord high and lifted up because all Isaiah had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Had Zechariah working in the temple when no one was there because all he had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Opened up Elizabeth's barren womb and let her have children because all Elizabeth had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Had Gabriel moving from heaven to earth every day after day because all Gabriel could tell people was, you gonna get a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Had Joseph take divorce off his mind when he found out his woman was pregnant because all he had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Sent Mary down to Elizabeth's house to be able to praise God because John the Baptist was in her womb because all Mary had was a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus had the shepherds begin to run where from where they were to see where the baby Jesus was Because all the shepherds had was a little bit of Jesus and you tripping over 2018. You worried about what your haters have to say? Baby, let me shout you you real fast all you need is a little bit of Jesus Because a little bit of Jesus can pick you up when you're down A little bit of Jesus can turn your life around A little bit of Jesus can fix your marriage A little bit of Jesus can change.

Your finances A little bit of Jesus.

Can fix your home and I wonder.

I wonder, I wonder, I wonder if.

There'S somebody in the room room this morning.

Let's go. That can help me close this sermon Stand on your feet and begin to.

Thank God I still got a little.

Bit of Jesus.

I need somebody that's not ashamed tonight to lift up your hands, open up your mouth and praise God that you have a little bit.

Of trouble Jesus, he woke me up this morning Started me on my way.

Paid my bills Turned my life around Turn my marriage around Turn my hope around Turn my joy around Turn my peace around Turn my love around Turn my smile around Is there anybody in this building that can thank God? I still got a little bit of Jesus so how I love Jesus oh how I love Jesus Cause he first loved me Toss your head back open up your mouth and praise God that you have A little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus say yeah say yeah say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. I dare somebody Open up your mouth make the devil man and shout I got a little bit of Jesus A little bit of Jesus Won't he make a way? Won't he open doors, put a praise on it say yeah y.

What are you going to do this Christmas? A little bit of Jesus Pastor Vinny.

I often wondered why God came in as a baby. Because I think if God came as a king, we would do our best to try to serve him.

If he came as a warrior, we.

Try to fight him.

If he came as a priest, we'd.

Sacrifice so he could talk to him for us. But I wonder why he came as a baby.

The reason I believe he came as.

A baby is because when babies come.

In the world, babies can't come to you.

You go to them. And I'm talking to people in the room this morning. I came for you this morning. When Pastor Benny asked me to preach, God had to say, justin, you're on assignment. I'm talking to people in the room. 2017 is a year you've Gotten away from Jesus. You've done your best to get.

You've been fighting with him.

You're thinking he's a warrior. You've been trying to sacrifice because you think that he's just going to turn something around. And God says, I want you to be drawn close to me. To be drawn close to me. To be drawn close to me.

And some of you are saying.

You're saying, justin, but you don't know how much of a shepherd I am. I'm busted. I'm messed up all. Justin, if I had to tell you all my sin, I believe right now, if God would walk in this room, he's passing out blessings. And Jesus got to your. A lot of us when he got to our rose, we wouldn't say, God, shower us with blessings. We tell God all the stuff we've done, all the reasons you shouldn't bless us. Let me tell you what Christmas tells me. Christmas tells me he doesn't care.

He put a baby and said, you.

Can go see him. Be drawn close. Can I pray, Pastor? Can I pray? I want to open this altar for prayer because I'm talking to people in the room where you've ran away from God in 2017. I feel the Holy Ghost. You've ran away from God in 2017, and God says, 2018 is the year. I need you to be drawn close. If that's you, I want you to come to this altar because I want.

To pray for you.

You. I want you to have a symbol.

Come on, don't be afraid.

Be drawn close. Be drawn close. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. Be drawn close. I'm talking to people. I'm talking to leaders. I want you to be drawn close today. Drawing close. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. God, I got away from you. I haven't prayed consistently. I haven't given consistently. So you always feel condemned. You never feel confirmed. So when pastor talks about giving, you get upset. God says, no, be drawn close to me. Pastor talks about consistency.

You get upset.

God says, be drawn close. Christmas is a season for you to get closer. I need some people in the pews who said, justin, I'm good.

I need you to become.

I need you to come forward to partner with these people. I want you to see their faces. Come on.

If that's you.

If you're saying, I need to. To partner with them, I need to lead them. I'm talking to small group leaders in the room right now, and God is saying, I Want you to come forward. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. So that I can partner with you to be consistent. Come on. Hallelujah. Just to be close.

Hallelujah.

Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. That's my heart's desire. Yes, God. Yes, God. I just want a little bit of Jesus. No singing. No singing. Those of you in the pews, I want you to begin to pray for the people at the front. Come on, open up your mouth. I want to hear you praying. If you're in the choir, I want you to be praying for these folk. I don't want anyone singing. I want to hear the voices of prayer. Come on, open up your mouth. Begin to pray for these who have a desire.

Come on, let them hear you.

Pray for them. Come on, open up your mouth. Pray for them. Come on, let me hear you. Open up your mouth. Don't be afraid to pray in this place. Pray for those that this altar. This is not just me praying. It's you praying. Cover their homes, their family, their faith, their fitness, their finances. Come on, pray for them.

Pray for them. Pray for their intentional time.

Pray for them. They find 20 minutes a day to spend with God. Pray for them that husbands and wives are unified in devotionals. Come on, pray for them. Pray for them. Come on, open up your mouth. I can't hear you, Church. Open up your mouth. Choir, I want to hear you saying. I want to hear you praying. Deacons, I know you serve. I want to hear you praying. Come on, come on, come on, come on. That's what I desire, God, in the name of Jesus. I cover every person at this altar. God, you know what's on their heart. You know the excuses they've made in 2017. You know all the times they've talked about themselves and said they're not good enough to spend time with you. All the times, God, they've ran away from you. They let their jobs get in the way, let their to do list get.

In the way of being present with you.

So, God, I pray in the name of Jesus that they begin to rejoice with a little bit of Jesus. You.

You've given them God.

I pray in the name of Jesus, God, for families to be mended because of time spent with you. For servants at this altar, God, who have been on the verge and the bridge of saying, God, I will serve. I won't serve.

People who say, I will give.

I won't give.

And, God, right now, in the name of Jesus, I pray you arrest that God. I pray right now for these three couples at the altar. God, in the name of Jesus, who've been contemplating being separated. God, in the name of Jesus, meet them where they are at their dinner to table. God, in the name of Jesus. God, you brought them together. Don't let that be taken apart. God, I pray right now that you men homes, you men jobs and you meet them, God, so that they're drawn close to you. God, put that baby at the foot of their bed, at the foot. And their dorm rooms, in their cubicles, in their boss's offices. God, so they're drawn closer to you day after day. God, we rejoice today that they want.

To be close to you. We rejoice today, God, that they put.

Themselves out in public, that stay safe. God, we want the church to know.

We want to be consistent in our.

Time with you, consistent in our love towards you. So God, in the name of Jesus, meet them where they are and bring them to places God, they didn't know where possible. So, God, we pray the prayer that Paul prayed for the church. Now to you, God, who can do.

Exceedingly and abundantly, above all, all, all.

Of these individuals can ask, think or imagine according to the power that you've already put inside of them. To you, God, be glory in the church. Use them to bring glory in your church for your son's sake for generations to come. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Everyone said amen. Come on. If you're at the altar, come on. Hug someone around you, hug someone around you. Come on. Just to be.