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[1633.26 --> 1634.06] a few days ago.
[1636.36 --> 1637.84] And so we turn to Jesus
[1637.84 --> 1638.94] as we come to a close.
[1640.62 --> 1641.74] When Jesus taught
[1641.74 --> 1642.40] his disciples
[1642.40 --> 1643.68] in the Gospel of John,
[1644.10 --> 1644.92] he didn't say,
[1645.06 --> 1646.06] if you become my follower,
[1646.54 --> 1647.16] you'll no longer
[1647.16 --> 1648.28] have sadness and suffering.
[1648.28 --> 1650.74] What he actually said is,
[1651.18 --> 1652.28] you will suffer
[1652.28 --> 1654.66] and you will have sadness.
[1657.50 --> 1659.32] Jesus even blesses
[1659.32 --> 1660.40] those who mourn.
[1661.56 --> 1662.66] Get the reference?
[1663.20 --> 1663.86] Beatitudes.
[1664.90 --> 1666.62] Blessed are those who mourn
[1666.62 --> 1668.20] for you shall be comforted.
[1668.58 --> 1669.64] That's what he teaches.
[1670.60 --> 1672.44] But not just random,
[1672.72 --> 1674.48] hopeless mourning and grief,
[1674.48 --> 1676.30] but mourning
[1676.30 --> 1678.38] with what God mourns for.
[1679.48 --> 1681.04] Like how God grieves
[1681.04 --> 1682.70] for the estranged family members.
[1683.40 --> 1684.70] Like how God grieves
[1684.70 --> 1685.34] for refugees
[1685.34 --> 1686.60] that have lost their homes
[1686.60 --> 1687.82] or sicknesses
[1687.82 --> 1688.42] that take away
[1688.42 --> 1689.28] the beauty of life
[1689.28 --> 1690.02] as he intended
[1690.02 --> 1690.62] in the beginning.
[1691.06 --> 1693.46] Or the broken relationships
[1693.46 --> 1695.22] and the loss of loved ones.
[1695.54 --> 1697.06] You will grieve,
[1697.20 --> 1697.82] Jesus says.
[1698.60 --> 1700.00] But he continues on.
[1700.10 --> 1700.52] He says,
[1700.80 --> 1701.44] your grief
[1701.44 --> 1703.24] will turn to joy.
[1703.24 --> 1705.90] So be ministered
[1705.90 --> 1707.08] by his own words here
[1707.08 --> 1708.26] from the Gospel of John.
[1709.34 --> 1710.28] A woman giving birth
[1710.28 --> 1711.70] to a child has pain
[1711.70 --> 1713.58] because her time has come.
[1714.38 --> 1715.88] But when her baby is born,
[1715.98 --> 1717.18] she forgets the anguish
[1717.18 --> 1718.68] because of her joy.
[1718.98 --> 1720.44] Her joy that a child
[1720.44 --> 1721.48] is born into the world.
[1722.44 --> 1723.70] So it is with you.
[1724.30 --> 1726.00] Now is your time of grief.
[1726.70 --> 1728.04] But I will see you again
[1728.04 --> 1729.86] and you will rejoice
[1729.86 --> 1732.36] and no one will take away your joy.
[1732.36 --> 1732.46] joy.
[1734.76 --> 1736.38] That's our real joy
[1736.38 --> 1737.20] in the Lord.
[1738.74 --> 1741.18] The real Christmas message.
[1741.82 --> 1742.60] The birth of Jesus.
[1743.94 --> 1745.70] The unfailing living word
[1745.70 --> 1746.74] of God himself
[1746.74 --> 1748.84] who came to dwell with us
[1748.84 --> 1750.06] in our wilderness.
[1750.70 --> 1751.50] In our suffering.
[1752.38 --> 1753.40] He is Emmanuel.
[1754.02 --> 1755.22] And so hear the invitation
[1755.22 --> 1756.34] for us this morning, Hope.
[1756.94 --> 1758.12] God is with you.
[1758.12 --> 1760.32] So seek the Lord
[1760.32 --> 1761.90] and turn to his ways
[1761.90 --> 1764.40] and he will abundantly forgive.
[1765.92 --> 1768.12] And the more the Spirit guides
[1768.84 --> 1769.62] and leads us
[1769.62 --> 1770.64] to be more aligned
[1770.64 --> 1771.34] with his will,
[1771.92 --> 1774.32] may you find real joy in him.
[1775.38 --> 1776.82] And may that be the strength
[1776.82 --> 1777.74] that you live out
[1777.74 --> 1780.42] throughout all of your suffering
[1780.42 --> 1781.26] and darkness.
[1781.94 --> 1784.02] May the Lord be your source of joy.
[1784.02 --> 1785.02] May the Lord be your source of joy.
[1785.02 --> 1785.78] Let's pray.
[1793.10 --> 1794.00] Loving Father,
[1794.16 --> 1795.22] we come to you again
[1795.22 --> 1797.98] and we are able to rejoice
[1797.98 --> 1799.62] and praise your name
[1799.62 --> 1801.64] because of who you are
[1801.64 --> 1803.80] and because of your good will
[1803.80 --> 1804.44] for us
[1804.44 --> 1805.86] and for all of creation.
[1807.16 --> 1808.38] We thank you, Lord,
[1808.46 --> 1810.36] that it does not depend on us.
[1810.36 --> 1814.26] It does not depend on our own ways
[1814.26 --> 1815.18] and our own wisdom
[1815.18 --> 1816.30] to find real joy.