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[3075.04 --> 3084.04] I shall rise. And many Christians throughout history have said, what's the thing I want on my tombstone?
[3084.24 --> 3088.80] Well, I follow Jesus, and so the word on my tombstone will be resurgam, because by faith,
[3089.00 --> 3094.18] I share in the resurrection life of Jesus, who not only brings renewal and life to me now,
[3094.78 --> 3100.30] but raises my body back from death after I die. Praise the Lord.
[3100.30 --> 3109.40] Now I want to get to the part that gets even more controversial, you might say, because Paul says
[3109.40 --> 3113.40] he's the firstborn of creation. He's the firstborn among the dead. And what's his next line?
[3114.28 --> 3123.20] So that in all things, Jesus will have the supremacy. You have to remember, Paul's writing this at a time
[3123.20 --> 3130.24] where people all kind of knew who had the supremacy. He kind of sat on a throne. He was known as the
[3130.24 --> 3134.82] Caesar people. We're worshiping him and burning incense in his name. And Paul's got the guts to be
[3134.82 --> 3141.30] like, in all things, the firstborn of creation, the firstborn among the dead, Jesus Christ must have
[3141.30 --> 3150.42] supremacy. And in my opinion, Paul gets in our business with this passage, because he knows then,
[3150.42 --> 3157.76] just like now, people will organize their lives around something or someone. And many people in
[3157.76 --> 3162.52] Roman cities, they place their hope, they place their trust, they place their love and affection
[3162.52 --> 3169.18] on this Caesar. Many people worshiped him as a God. And Paul says, he's not someone who will triumph
[3169.18 --> 3173.76] over the grave. He will live and he will die, but there is someone who has supremacy, who has defeated
[3173.76 --> 3179.60] death, and that is Jesus. But for us, maybe some of us put our hope in a political leader. I certainly
[3179.60 --> 3183.50] hope not. These are not easy days to put hope in political leaders. I'm not going to get all political,
[3183.50 --> 3186.78] but I think you can agree with me on that. It doesn't matter where you live in the world.
[3187.44 --> 3193.82] But we organize our life around something for meaning, purpose, for joy. Perhaps it's some
[3193.82 --> 3200.14] accomplishment at work that you hope gives you your legacy. Perhaps it's the favor of those around you.
[3200.28 --> 3205.66] Perhaps it's a certain level of influence on Instagram or certain wealth by the end of your life.
[3206.46 --> 3211.78] And Paul says, in all things, Christ must have supremacy. And all other created things,
[3211.78 --> 3216.10] even though they are good, like world leaders and relationships and our work,
[3216.46 --> 3221.52] they cannot be the center that gives meaning, purpose, and significance to our lives.
[3221.88 --> 3229.98] The child who comes in fragility in the moment of Christmas is also the risen Lord who claims
[3229.98 --> 3237.46] supremacy over all of our lives after his resurrection. But now I want to finish with where the poem finishes.
[3237.46 --> 3241.16] And it really gets more at the why of Christmas.
[3242.46 --> 3252.44] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself
[3252.44 --> 3260.04] all things, whether things on earth or in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.
[3260.04 --> 3264.28] If you don't already know this, I will say this as clearly as possible.
[3264.62 --> 3271.60] The goal of God in sending Jesus was to bring healing to the whole creation.
[3272.40 --> 3277.78] If you didn't notice this, a repeated phrase throughout this whole passage is all things.
[3278.62 --> 3281.78] Not just certain individuals, but the whole of creation.
[3282.26 --> 3288.94] And then, yes, healing and forgiveness to a world that is corrupted by sin and lives in rebellion and rejection to God.
[3288.94 --> 3290.56] God came for us also.
[3290.78 --> 3295.76] And then also to overcome the finality and the brutality of death itself.
[3297.06 --> 3302.54] And the reason we worship today is because we believe that God did what God sent Jesus to do.
[3303.50 --> 3304.84] The grave is empty.
[3306.30 --> 3307.34] Forgiveness has come.
[3308.40 --> 3309.42] Death has been defeated.
[3309.68 --> 3313.78] And Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God.
[3314.50 --> 3315.38] Praise the Lord.
[3315.38 --> 3320.66] And so I'm going to finish with some poetry by Charles Wesley.
[3321.82 --> 3323.82] Words that we will sing in just a minute.
[3324.26 --> 3326.86] In fact, as I read it, I'll invite the worship team up on the stage.
[3327.20 --> 3331.26] But this is the third verse to Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
[3331.26 --> 3361.24] Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
[3361.26 --> 3362.68] Herald Angels Sing.
[3362.68 --> 3366.30] Glory to the newborn King.
[3367.30 --> 3367.90] Amen.
[3368.62 --> 3370.88] Let's stand and sing to this King.
[3370.88 --> 3372.00] Amen.
[3378.52 --> 3380.46] Amen.
[3380.46 --> 3380.80] Amen.
[3382.02 --> 3382.16] Amen.
[3382.16 --> 3382.24] Amen.
[3382.24 --> 3382.52] Amen.
[3382.52 --> 3382.92] Amen.
[3382.92 --> 3383.84] Amen.
[3383.84 --> 3384.28] Amen.
[3384.28 --> 3388.32] Amen.
[3397.12 --> 3398.28] Amen.
[3398.28 --> 3398.56] Amen.
[3398.56 --> 3408.50] Let the herald angels sing
[3408.50 --> 3412.74] Glory to the newborn King
[3412.74 --> 3417.10] Peace on earth and mercy mild
[3417.10 --> 3421.30] God and sinners reconciled
[3421.30 --> 3425.68] Joyful all ye nations ride
[3425.68 --> 3429.84] Join the triumph of the sky
[3429.84 --> 3433.84] With angelic calls proclaim
[3433.84 --> 3437.68] Christ is born in Bethlehem
[3438.34 --> 3442.50] Hark the herald angels sing
[3442.50 --> 3446.68] Glory to the newborn King
[3447.54 --> 3453.68] Christ by highest heaven adore
[3453.68 --> 3457.68] Christ the everlasting Lord
[3458.48 --> 3462.84] Mid in time behold Him come
[3462.84 --> 3466.88] O offspring of the virgin day
[3466.88 --> 3470.68] Hail in flesh the Godhead see
[3471.20 --> 3474.68] Hail the incarnate deity
[3474.68 --> 3479.58] Please as men with us to dwell
[3479.58 --> 3483.28] Jesus our Emmanuel
[3483.28 --> 3488.08] Hark the herald angels sing
[3488.08 --> 3492.68] Glory to the newborn King
[3492.68 --> 3499.68] Hail the heaven Prince of Peace
[3499.68 --> 3503.84] Hail the song of righteousness
[3503.84 --> 3507.88] Life and life to all He brings
[3507.88 --> 3511.84] Risen when He leads me
[3511.84 --> 3516.84] While He lays His glory by
[3516.84 --> 3521.00] Born that when no more may die
[3521.00 --> 3525.08] Born to raise the sons of earth
[3525.08 --> 3528.84] Born to give them second birth
[3528.84 --> 3533.00] Hark the herald angels sing
[3533.00 --> 3538.40] Glory to the newborn King
[3538.40 --> 3552.54] Glory to the newborn King
[3552.54 --> 3555.48] Well friends this is the part of our service where we get to light our Christ candles
[3555.48 --> 3558.48] And I'll ask that we bring the house lights down for this
[3558.48 --> 3564.48] If you did not grab a candle on your way in there should be some in the foyer
[3564.48 --> 3570.04] And the only request that our custodian has made is we try not to burn the building down
[3570.04 --> 3572.12] We've had some close calls in the past
[3572.12 --> 3577.42] But this is the image that we have that Christ Himself gives us