Behold the King: Love (Christmas Eve)

Today, you step into the workshop of a master craftsman, a maker whose creations move, sing and shimmer with imagination. And yet, even in this room filled with wonder, every toy holds something more. Each one carries a world within it, a story waiting to be told. As the music rises tonight, those worlds begin to open, drawing us closer to the greatest gift ever given. Not something shaped from wood or painted by hand, but a Savior, Jesus Christ. Our craftsman will guide us on this journey, one told through sound, story and wonder. A journey that leads us to a holy night long ago, when hope took on flesh and the Savior was born. And ultimately to the voice that reveals the heart of the greatest story ever told. So settle in, open your hearts, because as this storybook opens, the journey begins. Stupid thing. Come on. Okay, I got something for you. Stupid thing. I got something for you. I got something for you. Oh! I got you. Mr. Bennett! Oh. Hey, where y'all come from? Oh, well, we just came from this workshop. Oh, I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see.

I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. I see. So, uh, there was this thing over there and there was a baby. A manger? Yeah, sure, whatever. You don't say whatever about a manger. You know what? I want to show you a story. You want to see a story? Not really actually. I'm going to show you anyway. Now look, right here, is a story. If you look closely, it's not one of those toys or anything like that, but it's about the greatest gift ever given. It's about Jesus Christ. Now if you look closely, it will show us the greatest story ever told. Come on, watch closely. Joyful, joyful, Lord, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love. Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee. Healthy as the sun above, melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away.

Healer of immortal gladness, fill us with the light, fill us with the light, fill us with the light of day. Welcome to Christmas at Graceway. Come on and stand to your feet and let's sing joyful, joyful. Joyful, joyful, Lord, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love. Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee. Healthy as the sun above, melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away. Healer of immortal gladness, fill us with the light, fill us with the light, fill us It's with the light of day, light of day Let me see you move! Merry Christmas, everyone! Come on, let's dance! Up to you! And the clouds of sin, sin and sadness By the God of cloud, of rain Giver of immortal gladness By the way, what have you done for him lately? What have you done for him lately? He watches over everything So we sing, joyful, joyful Lord God of glory, God of glory Lord of love Hearts unfold like flowers before thee Hail the heavens, shine above Tell the clouds of sin, sin and sadness Drive the God of cloud, of rain Giver of immortal gladness Fill us, fill us with the light of day, Lord Fill us, fill us

Oh we need you, yes we do Fill us, fill us We need you Jesus, yes we do Fill us, fill us We need your spirit, yes we do Fill us, fill us We need your joy, we need your love Fill us, fill us We need you Jesus, yes we do Fill us, fill us Fill us, fill us Fill us, fill us, fill us, fill us Fill us, fill us with the light of day Light of day Welcome to Christmas at Graceway! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! God they told me Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum A newborn King to see Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum God find His gifts we bring Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum To lay before the King Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum So to honor Him Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum When we come

Little baby Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum I am a poor boy too Ba-dum-bum-bum-bum I have no gifts to bring, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum That's fit to give the king, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum Ba-dum-bum-bum, ba-dum-bum-bum Shall I play for you, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum On my drum Mary nodded, fa-dum-bum-bum-bum The ox and lamb can't die, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum I played my drum for him, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum I played my best for him, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum Ba-dum-bum-bum, ba-dum-bum-bum Daddy smiled at me, ba-dum-bum-bum-bum Me and my drum Me and my drum Me and my drum Me and my drum Oh, me and my drum Oh, me and my drum Oh, me and my drum Oh, me and my drum Oh, me and my drum Merry Christmas, Graceway Would you stand with me and sing this song? Would you stand with me and sing this song? Hark, the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled Joyful all ye nations rise Join the triumph of the skies With evangelicals proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem Hark, the angels sing Hark, the angels sing Glory to the newborn King Hark, the angels sing El Señor de los Señores El ungido celestial Por salvar Salvar a pecadores, toma forma corpora. Gloria al Verdo encarnado, en humanidad velado. Gloria al Santo de Israel, cuyo nombre es Emmanuel. Hark! The angels sing. Hark! The angels sing. Gloria al Verdo encarnado, en humanidad velado. Gloria al Verdo encarnado, en humanidad velado. Gloria al Verdo encarnado, en humanidad velado. Gloria al Verdo encarnado, en humanidad velada. Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace. Hail the Son of Righteousness. Light and life to all He brings. Risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by. Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth. Born to give them second birth. Hark! The angels sing.

Glory to the newborn. Hark! The angels sing. Glory to the newborn. Hark! The angels sing. Glory to the newborn. Hark! The angels sing. Glory to the newborn King. The newborn King. Every story in this room tonight has been shaped by a gift. A gift freely given to us, a Savior. So in this moment we pause with gratitude to return to Him what has already been His. Not out of obligation, but out of worship. As the ushers come forward, let this be a holy moment of reflection. A reminder that on that night God stepped into our story. And everything changed. Let's reflect on our Lord Jesus, born to bring hope, peace, and redemption to the world. And oh, what a holy night it was. Feel free to worship with me. Feel free to worship and sing along with me, please. Oh, holy night. The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Shining till He appears and the soul found its worth A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices Reundering, a new and glorious morn Fall on your knees Oh hear the angels' voices Oh night divine Oh night when Christ was born

Truly He taught us to love one another His law is love and His gospel is peace Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother In His name all oppression shall cease Sweet hymns of joy and grateful chorus raise we That all within us praise His holy name Christ is Lord Oh praise His name forever His power and glory evermore Evermore proclaim His power and glory evermore Evermore proclaim Evermore proclaim Instrumental Fall on your knees Oh hear the angels' voices Oh night divine Oh night when Christ was born Oh night divine Oh night Oh night divine Instrumental ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

Today, we've journeyed through sound and story. Each moment pointing us toward something greater. Because the greatest story ever told is not made of wood, paint, or pages. It's the story of a savior who stepped into our world so we could step into his. And now, the next page isn't turned by a craftsman or a song, but by a voice that leads us from wonder to meaning. Listen closely. The next chapter begins now. ♪ Graceway family, Merry Christmas to you. So good to see you, so good to see you. Thank you so much for being here. Will you show some love to the worship team, man? No games played on this stage. Awesome, awesome, awesome. So God saved me when I was a 16-year-old in Northeast Ohio. About three years later, called me into vocational ministry to be a pastor. And I remember really vividly at the time praying about that calling and feeling like God gave me a vision of me standing on a stage, all different kinds of people in the room. People who didn't look like me, talk like me, think like me, vote like me. I became a pastor when I was 21 years old, became a senior pastor when I was 24 years old. This book has literally taken me all over the world, all over the Midwest. And I remember 20 years later, standing on this stage for the

first time, I got to succeed Pastor Jeff Adams, become the fourth senior pastor of this church. He introduced me, I prayed, I opened my eyes, and it was like God immediately said this was that room. And the reason that I say that is because, man, I want to tell you that God has been the greatest love of my life. And because of the kind of God that he is, God invites you into other loves. And God gave me an incredible wife who I love with all my heart, three kids that I'm insanely proud of. And the reason that I tell you the story of that room is that one of God's greatest gifts to me is you. This church, I love this church. I'm so thankful for this church. There's no gift that somebody could give me no matter how expensive it is that is greater than my Savior, my wife, my family, and you, my spiritual family. So I just want to tell you how much I love you, how thankful I am for you, and how excited I am to be able to celebrate Christmas with you. Can we pray together? Lord, speak to us now as we celebrate your goodness and your grace, as we celebrate your providence and your sovereignty, as we celebrate Advent, Lord. I pray that you will fill our hearts with gratitude that moves us to trust, moves us to hope, moves us to peace, moves us to joy, Lord. Lord, make much of Jesus in our hearts as we celebrate his coming.

Remind us that he is coming again. Allow us to be ready, allow us to be faithful. Allow us, Lord, to see the future kingdom brought into the present for your glory and our good. We thank you, we love you, and in Jesus' name, all God's people said amen and amen. Words matter. Words are important, and there are words that I do not understand because of my age. I don't consider myself necessarily old, but I'm not young anymore. So, words like bet. My kids say this, bet, and I'm like, bet what, what's happening right now? Or how about this one, cap. Oh, that's cap. And then apparently the opposite of cap is no cap. Have you heard this before? Or mid, and then most recently, six-seven, right? Six-seven. My little guy, Isaiah, he says it all the time. I still, after hearing it 500 times, have no idea what he is talking about at all. So, there are words that I don't understand because of my age. There are words that I don't understand because of where I was born and the language that I speak. So, lo siento, no hablo mucho espanol. That's it, that's all I got, right? Un poquito. Un poquito espanol, yes.

There are also words that I think that I understand, that I have heard many times, and the familiarity makes me think that I understand it, but the way that I relate to it, the way that it shows up in my life actually kind of exposes that maybe I don't understand it as much as I thought. This is one of the things that I love about Advent, because Advent forces us to grapple with what we think that we know. Words that are familiar to us, but maybe aren't represented in our experiences, and Advent doesn't avoid tension, it actually shines light on it. Calls us to enter into it with greater depth of understanding and experience. The word Advent itself means to come, that the king has come, and that the king is coming again, but coming means waiting, and there's tension in waiting, and so the Advent calls us into this tension, calls us to the reality that we can have hope even when it's hard, calls us to the reality that we can have peace even though we have problems, calls us to the reality that we can have joy even when the joke's on us. Have you ever had an experience where in your family, somebody bought another family member a gift that you knew they were gonna freak out about, and they told you in November,

like right after Thanksgiving, that they got it for this person, and you're supposed to keep the secret until December 25th, and you say stuff like, hey, have you ever thought about, or if hypothetically, and you kind of like just try to get right up to the cliff of spilling the beans on that secret, well, God's gift to me today is that I get to tell you the gift that you're getting. I get to tell you the gift that you're getting, the greatest gift that you will ever receive. Christmas is past, Christmas present, Christmas future, this is it, it's the greatest story ever told, and here it is. There is one true God. He is the Alpha, and He is the Omega. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, there is no other, it's not even close. He is the creator, He is the beginning and the end, He is the be all and end all, He is the way, the truth, and the life, and you're His favorite. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. And this verse is powerful for many reasons, one of them being that our world is and feels so loveless. Our hearts need more love than we are currently observing or receiving or experiencing, and when we talk about needing love,

we are clear that we don't need the sentiment of love, we need the action of love, we need substance around love, because our hearts tell us something that Hollywood doesn't. Our hearts tell us that love isn't a sentimental, involuntary idea, no. Biblical love, God's love, the most authentic love is a choice. It's a choice. There's a reason that John 3.16 is the most quoted verse in the Bible, there's a reason that if you watch a football game, it shows up in the end zone, whether it be in Raytown or Kansas City, Kansas, apparently. It's not just a bumper sticker. John 3.16 is the whole gospel in a sentence, and it's especially powerful because of the world that we live in that's starved for real, authentic, reliable love. Most of us, if we're honest, we're carrying around somewhat of a bruising of love that didn't last, of love that made promises that were never practiced. And we don't just wanna be told that we're loved, we wanna know it, we wanna see it, we wanna feel it, we want it to be real, and this is the beauty of the gospel, that God's love does something. It moves, it gives, it shows up,

it's not sentimental fluff, it's actually something that is of great cost, it's sacrificial to God himself. So what does John 3.16 tell us? What does the Bible tell us about love itself? Well, first off, that love shows up, John 1, in verse one, in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, John 1 and 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. God doesn't love you from a distance. The gospel does not begin with a feeling, it begins with a God who comes near, who puts on flesh, who moves into the neighborhood, who shows up, not as a king, but as a baby. And he doesn't avoid the mess, he enters into the mess, he doesn't pretend that our pain isn't real, he steps into the reality that we're facing. In fact, John 1 and verse 11 says that he comes into his own, and his own people did not receive him. He comes to his own and his own people didn't receive him. And I just want to say this to you, that if you knew that at the other end of a trip was rejection and betrayal and humiliation, it is unlikely that you would still come. It is unlikely that you will show up knowing that you are going to be rejected. Listen, God knows what it feels like to be ignored by people who should love him. God knows what it feels like to be betrayed by people closest to him, to be rejected, abandoned, and dismissed.

And as I said, if you knew it, if you were God and you knew that it was going to happen, you probably would have canceled your flight. But Jesus still comes. And this is the realest love, isn't it? Love that shows up even when it knows it's not welcome. Love that shows up even when it knows it's not going to be returned. Jesus comes into our brokenness. Jesus comes to our betrayal. Jesus comes to our rejection. But he still shows up. And this is proof of God's love for you. God shows up. Emmanuel, God with us, God here, God present, love actionable. John 3, 16 and John 1. Number two is John tells us that love acts. John 1 and verse 14, we have seen, not just heard about, we saw his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Philippians 5 says it this way, for God shows, not just preaches, not just writes, shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Philippians 2, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. We have all experienced somebody saying that they loved us, but not following through. And maybe their words were attractive and compelling. Maybe they were beautiful, but their actions were absent. And over time, this creates kind of a gap in our hearts, doesn't it? When somebody says that they love you and then don't act like they love you, it's kind of like a double wound. Like if you aren't going to show me that you love me, I'd rather you didn't tell me that you love me. But God doesn't just speak love.

He shows it. He shows up and he acts. He sacrifices. God doesn't stand back in heaven and say, I love you. He enters our world. He lays aside his crown and he picks up a cross. He comes to people who didn't want him, people who were his enemies, sinners. And he does the unthinkable. He acts in grace. He acts in mercy and he sacrifices himself. If you ever question whether or not God loves you, all you have to do is look at the cross. There's no greater proof. There's no greater action. This is how we know that God's love for us is real. He didn't just feel compassion, he acted in compassion. And then thirdly, love gives for God so loved, not period, comma, so he gave the most important thing to him, his only son. If you've ever studied world religions or pagan religions, particularly Greek and Roman myths, you see that the human conception of God is that God creates us like ants in an ant farm, shakes it up from time to time for his amusement and observation, that humanity is just here to serve the whims and the needs of the gods. That's what the Greeks and the Romans would tell you. But that's not what the God of the Bible tells. It's not who he is. The God of the Bible creates to give, creates to bless, he creates beauty and joy and relationships and laughter, and he gives it freely and again and again and again. God's a giver, God's not a taker. You've had people in your life who say, I love you, but all they do is take. That's not the God of the Bible. God says, I love you, and all he does is give.

In fact, James 1 and verse 17 says, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights. And so not only does God give Jesus, but God gives redundantly, perpetually. And I'm afraid that sometimes we miss it. Maybe if I could say it to you this way, everything you have in your life that you enjoy, that you say is a blessing, that you say, man, that was great, that is a whisper. It is an echo. It is a shadow of a God who loves you. I want you to think about the things that feel mundane to you. I'm going to give you three categories, meals, music, and moments. You ready? That medium rare steak, ah, thank you, Jesus. Come on, somebody. That mashed potato, swing it. Swimming in butter. I ain't on a diet. It's Christmas. Come on somebody. I need extra butter up in that thing The butter's spilling out going on to my medium-rare steak. All y'all cook your steak. So well done You can't even taste it anymore. I'm talking medium-rare and The butter is pouring out and it's sitting next to a warm Bowl of butternut squash soup and when you get done you get ice cream Piled with hot fudge and whipped cream and multiple cherries. Come on somebody. Oh It's Unbelievable you get done you have a glass of red wine with your wife you get up the next morning you you make a great Cup of coffee. What are these things? These are whispers of good gifts From a God who loves you think think about the the music that you're that you like think think Rock Mononoff and Beethoven and Vivaldi think Miles Davis Ella Fitzgerald Frank Sinatra think the Foo Fighters Think Biggie Smalls think Zach Bryan think Grace Way collective all of these things why? Why does music move you? Because it's a gift From a God who says I love you. Listen, God didn't have to create music. You know that God could have created a

Robotic existence God didn't have to give you taste buds That moment we go. Oh my gosh, that is so good. Yeah, don't miss it That's a gift from a God who loves that that moment you go. Hey turn that up. I love this song. That's a gift From a God who loves you think about the moments in your life. I think about the first time I saw my wife. I Think about when she said yes, I think about when she walked that aisle. I Think about her giving birth to our three babies and the first time I held them. I think about the Vacations where my soul finally exhaled and breathed I think about mountaintops and ocean breeze and offer letters and calling fulfilled these Moments in our life and sometimes we're so busy that we forget to realize who does this come from? from a God who loves you Every one of these reminders you are loved Every time you say that was fun. Every time you say that was good Every time you say what a great night. God is saying. I love you. I love you. I love you Yes, I gave you Jesus and that would have been enough wouldn't it? But God just continues to give continues to bless Because love gives love doesn't hoard it doesn't withhold it doesn't measure out goodness by the teaspoon it it pours out Goodness and everyone in this room whether you can acknowledge it or not believe it or not. God says that was for me That was for me because love gives listen love is a choice and God chooses to love you No, we often say this love is a choice and it's it's it's more than just a good marriage tip Now it's theology. It's gospel. Listen, God didn't fall in love with you God didn't see you walking down the street and go Wow. Oh God chose to love you Intentionally fully sacrificially and the choice led him to a manger we're celebrating today And from that manger that man grew and he went to a cross And he rose again three days later and the king who came is coming again why because he chooses Chooses to love you listen wherever you are today Whether you feel forgotten Feel unseen feel disappointed by love know this God's love is not like the love you've lost God's love shows up God's love acts God's love gives when other people make promises. They don't keep When other people abandon what other people abuse when other people talk down and condescend God's love never stops

Never gives up God's a giver not a taker God's a lover and You're his favorite now, even with John 3 16 and it's actionable references I still think that our view of love is a bit narrow you see in the English language We have one word for love. And so we say things like this, man. I love my kids and I also love deep-dish pizza Like the same Sometimes yeah sometimes Depending on where that deep-dish pizza is from. Oh in our language We got too narrow of a view because we have one word that applies to to to who you married into Doritos But in the New Testament Largely written in Greek the Greeks had four distinct words for love. Each one helping us better grasp the richness of how God loves us. And so let's unpack it. The first is phileo. P-H-I-L-E-O. And this is love between friends. I don't love my friends the same way I love my kids. I love them differently. But this is the kind of love that exists in a deep friendship with mutual affection, with loyalty, and shared life. It's where we get the word Philadelphia, which is the city of brotherly love. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Jesus doesn't just describe friendship love. He defines friendship love for us. In John 15, greater love has no one than this, that someone laid down his life for his friends. This is that Greek word, and he says the greatest expression of friendship isn't shared experience or mutual interest. Why are y'all friends? Well, we both root for the Chiefs. Or we used to. Friends, I got so much new material now that the Chiefs. Just buckle up. Buckle up. Yeah, we like this. No, no, no. Jesus says a true friendship is that a friend lays down his life for another. And Jesus isn't philosophizing. Jesus is pointing, isn't he? He's pointing the cross, and he's saying, you have no better friend than me. You have no better friend than Jesus. Jesus is the friend who doesn't walk away when you fail. Jesus is the friend who doesn't wait for you to get together. Jesus is the one who

laid down his life before you even asked him to or knew that you needed him to. So when you long to be known and not abandoned, Jesus calls you his friend. Secondly is storage. And this is love within family. This is the kind of love that exists between parents and children, between siblings and close family relationships. It's the warmth of belonging that is, hey, I'm a Dunn. I'm connected to these people. They're with me, and I'm with them. That's this Greek word. And again, Jesus fulfills this. Hebrews 2 and verse 11, this is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. Jesus says to us, I'm not ashamed to call you family. Some of y'all are ashamed of your family. Jesus says, I'm not ashamed of my family. I actually went to the cross to have my family. And God doesn't go to the cross grudgingly. The Bible says that he does it for the joy that is set before him. That's me and you. Luke 15 is the famous text of the prodigal son, but the Bible calls it the story of a man with two sons. You're familiar with it. The younger prodigal comes to the father and says, hey, give me my inheritance now, which would have been the worst thing he could have said to his dad. He's basically saying, I don't care about you. I just want your stuff. And the father gives it to him. And then the son, thinking that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, goes to Vegas and finds out what happens in Vegas follows you home. Yeah. I'm trying to help some of y'all today. And he comes home after spending his father's wealth. He comes home after defaming his father and shaming his family. And the father is ecstatic to see him. But that older brother, you remember? That older brother who was in church every Sunday. That older brother who had completed four steps of growth track. That older brother who's been through D1 and is now mentoring multiple people. That older brother who's the right and the righteous and the holy and the loyal. Like, I'm the one who does it right. He's not happy to see his younger brother. Here's what I need you to understand. Jesus is our true and better older brother. You see, Jesus is not angry when the father brings us back home. Rather, Jesus is sent by the father on a rescue mission that cost him his life so that we could be brought back home. Jesus does not say what he could have said. I am

holy. I should be worshiped. Jesus says, whatever I have to do, father, to get them back, I am willing to do. So when you don't feel like you belong anywhere, when family has failed you or let you down, remember, you've been adopted into God's family and Jesus calls you his own. This is who you are. This is what God has done. This is how God loves you. Thirdly is Eros. This is a love between a husband and a wife. This is romantic. This is passionate. This is intimate. It's beautiful. It's physical. It's emotional. It's union. And again, Jesus is the standard. Listen to Ephesians 5 and verse 25. Husbands, love your wives. How? How should we do it? As Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Even in, even in marriage, the love of Jesus is the standard. And so when Paul writes to married couples, he doesn't point to Hollywood, to rom-coms, he doesn't point to Instagram or podcasts, he points to the cross. Husbands love your wives the way that Jesus loves the church. And how does Jesus love the church? He gives himself up for her. He serves her. He cleanses her. He pursues her with grace, truth, and tenderness. It's the kind of love that isn't selfish or surface level. It's intimate. It's selfless. It's vulnerable. It's not about getting. It's about giving. Whether you're married or single, divorced or widow, this truth is for you. Jesus loves you with the deepest, most committed, most sacrificial love imaginable. He is the groom who keeps his covenant even when we, his bride, wander from him. And then lastly is agape. This is unconditional, covenantal love. It's the kind of love that doesn't wait for you to get it right.

It loves first. It loves fully. It loves forever. Ephesians 2 says it this way, but God, being rich in mercy with this great love with which he loved us, made us alive together in Christ. No clearer picture of the love of God than we see in Jesus. When we were dead in sins, he made us alive. When we had nothing to offer, he gave us everything. When we couldn't climb up to him, he came down to us. When we couldn't earn it, he gave us grace. This is agape love. And it's not something that God does once. It's something that God repeatedly does. Ephesians 2, he keeps showing us the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. This means, hear me, God doesn't just love you like in the church sense. God likes you. God enjoys you. God's not stingy. He's not exhausted by you. He's rich in mercy, and his mercy never gets overdrawn. It's new every morning. You see, our English word for love is limited, but God's love isn't. He's the friend who laid down his life, the brother who brings you home, the groom who gives everything for you, and the God who loves you without condition. You see, God doesn't just love. He is love, 1 John 4 and verse 8. And what does that mean? It means any love that you experience is just an echo of God himself. It's just a shadow of God himself.

And you know that feeling, right? Oh, I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care, who knows? That moment where you have that feeling, it's just an echo, it's just a shadow, it's just a whisper of how God loves you. Every kind of love is yours in Jesus, and when you read through this book, God wrote you this book. You should read it. But on every page of this book, we are reminded that God loves us. The book of Genesis, God fashions me with his hands. Exodus, God delivers me from slavery. Leviticus, God grants me access to him. Numbers, God shelters me in cities of refuge. Deuteronomy, God keeps his covenant of love to me. Joshua, God gives me divine purpose. Judges, God shows me mercy in spite of my repeated failures. Ruth, my kinsman redeemer, grafts me into his family. First Samuel, God anoints me with his spirit. Second Samuel, God builds a home for me. First Kings, God remains faithful to me. Second Kings, God shows me loving patience. First Chronicles, God grants me success. Second Chronicles, God makes my prayers powerful. Ezra, God persistently loves and restores me. Nehemiah, God rebuilds what I have broken down. Esther, God crowns me with worth and makes me royalty. Job, God sustains me in suffering. Psalms, my shepherd draws me close and listens for my voice. Proverbs, God gives me wisdom more precious than rubies. Ecclesiastes, God gives me meaning to my meaninglessness. Song of songs, God is the lover of my soul.

Isaiah, God reveals to me the savior. Jeremiah, God sees my tears and gives me hope. In Lamentations, God grants me new mercy every morning. In Ezekiel, God brings life to my dead bones. In Daniel, God joins me in the fire. In Hosea, God pursues me and buys me back. In Joel, God restores the years the locusts have eaten. In Amos, God protects me when I feel powerless. In Obadiah, God stands up for me. In Jonah, God uses imperfect people to fulfill his perfect plan. In Micah, God invites me to walk humbly before him. In Nahum, he gives me refuge in times of trouble. In Habakkuk, some of y'all didn't even know these books were in the Bible. Come on, somebody. In Habakkuk, God places my lowliness in high place. This is in Zephaniah, the mighty God, sings over me with great joy. Haggai, God himself dwells with me and gives me peace. Zechariah, God assures me of his coming. Malachi, God pours out his blessing on me. And if that weren't enough, that Old Testament, there's a whole new testament. In Matthew, God puts on human flesh to seek and save me. Mark, God stills the storm in my soul. Luke, the good Samaritan, sees me when I am broken and comes to my aid. John, God gives me everlasting life. Acts, God's spirit comes to live in me.

Romans, God's works everything together for my good. First Corinthians, God teaches me the way of love. Second Corinthians, God comforts me. Galatians, God sets me free. Ephesians, God's lavishes his grace upon me. Philippians, God gives me joy. Colossians, God completes me. First Thessalonians, God returns to bring me home with him. Second Thessalonians, God stands with me when I am being persecuted. First Timothy, God entrusts me with a high calling. Second Timothy, God gives me the spirit of power. Come on, some of y'all need to be saying amen to this. Titus, God steps into my confusion with a love that saves me. Philemon, God turns my slavery into brotherhood. Hebrews, God invites me to come boldly before his throne. James, God refines my faith. First Peter, God gives me victory in suffering. Second Peter, God gives me everything I need for life and godliness. First John, God makes me clean. Second John, God shows me how to finish well. Third John, God offers me hospitality when I need a place to rest. Jude, God keeps me from falling and presents me faultless. And in a revelation, God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins.

God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. God wins. And he welcomes me home. And he welcomes me home. As you sit here today, nothing to do, only to receive. As you sit here today, regardless of who you are, who you've been, what you did, or who you did it with, you are loved in every way that your mind can conceive and more. This is the greatest gift that you could ever receive. It is the greatest story that is ever told. And it is yours to receive and celebrate in Jesus. Merry Christmas, the King has come. Amen. Amen. Amen. Father, we love you today. And Lord, I thank you that you have been the greatest love and joy of my life. Lord, I am clear that I did not love you first. I am clear that I did not choose you. I am clear that I did not earn you.

I am clear that in your love for me, you have given me Jesus. And in Jesus, I have hope. In Jesus, I have peace. In Jesus, I have joy. In Jesus, I am loved. Not because I deserve it, but because that is who you are. We worship you today, Lord. We thank you today, Lord. We honor you today, Lord. We lift you up for all men to see today, Lord. We thank you that we can love you. We thank you that you have loved us first, that you love us best, that you love us eternally. And we praise you for your glory and our good. In Jesus' name, all God's people said, amen and amen. Hey, I'm gonna have you stand to your feet, if you would. We are going to do something that's become a bit of a tradition here at Graceway. We are going to sing Silent Night together. And I'm gonna have you allow that candle to be lit. The light has come into the world and darkness could not overcome it. And that light needs to be spread, amen? And so this is a testimony to the goodness and grace of God, to the stewardship of the gospel that we have. Let's sing it together. ♪ Silent night, holy night ♪ ♪ All is calm, all is bright ♪ ♪ Round yon virgin, mother and child ♪

♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪