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Okay Merry Christmas to everybody nice to see a full house here this morning. Now obviously I couldn't take the book of Revelation make it a Christmas themed sermon so we'll have to save revelation for another day but we're there in Luke chapter 2 and it's not I wouldn't say it's so much a Christmas themed message but rather we're going to be looking at a Christmas story and take some examples of what we can do what we how we can apply this story that we're about to read to our lives and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ and the example that I want to look at today is the example of the shepherds. When you think of shepherds obviously you're not thinking of a necessary a high-paying job or a very you know high a job that requires you know a high education level I mean obviously these are pretty much entry-level roles that someone has as a shepherd and yet you know they were people that were looking or had a desire for the Lord God the shepherds were honored by the presence of the angels that God will send an angel and and and notify them about the coming of Jesus Christ and they were used by God then to also tell others about Jesus Christ and the birth that he had on the earth and and I think it's we can just learn some great truths from the shepherds and apply that to our life so let's start there in Luke chapter 2 verse number 8 and Luke chapter 2 and verse number 8 says and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night the title for the sermon this morning is the shepherds testimony the shepherds testimony and I think as we look at the shepherds testimony you know we want that to be a testimony for ourselves know there are great things that we can learn and apply for ourselves why would God do such a great thing for these shepherds obviously these men were of high caliber you know there were spiritual men that God would use and you know if you want to be fueled by the Spirit if we want to be used by God if you wanna if we want to see some great works of God you know we can take we can look at the testimony of the shepherds and then apply this to our lives so the first thing that we see that Brevin is that the shepherds what are they doing they're abiding the field hey they're working their jobs aren't they they keeping watch over their flock by night Brevin these shepherds are doing the night shifts they're doing a night shift on the first Christmas Day is anyone here working on Christmas Day one two three okay you know I never liked working Christmas Day you know but I have I have worked and I mean it's good you get the sometimes triple time I think I don't know if that still applies double time triple time you know what and my experience of working on a Christmas Day is often that you know because it's well anyway where I worked business with quieter depends where you work if it's a retail place it's probably gonna be very busy potentially but hey where I worked it was very quiet and you often just needed a skeleton crew to just get the business through the day and it's usually a day that I found that most of my colleagues would just take it easy it's Christmas who cares let the phone ring like no one's watching that all the bosses are on holidays who cares and people start to muck around but enough when we look at the shepherds testimony they've got a testimony of working hard right they're out there at nights okay doing the night shifts now they're watching the flocks at nights and of course the flocks of the sheep and you know we can take this example of passes as well and you know we shouldn't take Christmas lights and you know we should look at the flock that God has given us in in the house of the Lord and teach them great truths from the word but you know the first thing I want to just of course think about is the personal responsibility of the shepherds have you got that testimony in your life one of personal responsibility and when it comes to men of course our main responsibilities to work a job okay to provide for our families to provide for our for our wives to lead about our family that's what God has given us that that responsibility to be leaders in the home and wives that do you take the responsibility that God has given you to guide the house seriously you know do you desire to raise your children in the nurture and admission of the Lord and children do you take your personal responsibility serious okay your schooling your education maybe the chores that your parents have given you around the house being obedient to mum and dad these are these are tasks that you have been given and God expects you to obey mother and father if you can keep your finger then come meet to Colossians chapter 3 come with me to Colossians chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3 and I'm going to read to you from Galatians 6 5 while you turn to Colossians 3 in Galatians 6 5 the Bible reads for every man shall bear his own burden the Bible says that each one of us have a burden to share it might it might seem fun it might seem enjoyable to have no responsibilities to have no burdens that some people have the idea man if I can just you know get to a point where I'm financial financially stable and I don't need to work another day in my life I don't have any other responsibilities that'll be that's what I'm that's my goal that's my aim but you know what I've observed in my life and when I've observed the most miserable people the most saddened Christians the most burdened Christians as far as their hearts and the sorrows and sadness are usually those that want no responsibility or carry no responsibility okay when you get to a point where no one relies on you you've got you got no one depending on you you've got nothing to do you've got no goals in life that's when your life starts become miserable okay because God has given you the responsibilities to have your own burdens and to carry your responsibilities and ensure that you do that in the by the the command that God has given you in life it also you know the Bible sources says before Galatians 6 5 in Galatians 6 4 the Bible says but let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another the Bible says that we can rejoice in ourselves when we take our burdens we take our responsibilities and we accomplish those things once again you know I used to think man work in a job nine to five you know whatever is Monday to Friday oh man I can't wait to get over that okay and thank God as a pastor I have I have actually more hours than a full-time job but I can actually work my hours around my family which is a which is the blessing actually but now I found that when I started to work that 95 job when he started paying those bills when he started putting a roof over my wife's head and taking that boy they gave me joy hey I was able to go wow I'm able to do this task that I didn't think was possible and there's rejoicing in one self and not in another when you carry the responsibilities that God has given you in life and for the Shepherd's responsibility it was to watch the flock during the night and you're then Colossians 3 verse 22 and I want this I want those working on Christmas you've put your hand up this is for you I get Christmas Day when the boss is not watching maybe it's quiet you're not getting the phone calls you're not getting the I don't know whatever it is whatever your role is maybe things are getting quiet and you start to go it's Christmas I'll just slack off on the job I want to remember what God commands us in Colossians 3 22 servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh not with eye service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God you know it says singleness of heart it means when you go and work employees you have your heart toward Jesus single-hearted it's not hey how do I please the boss how do I please Jesus and the way you please Jesus is by doing the task the boss has asked you to do okay it continues in verse from 23 and whatsoever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men you know if you've got a ministry if you've got a service for the Lord and some of you do some of the raise your hand you've got some certain church ministries and I know you give your best to those church ministries well I want to give the same level of your best to your employer on Christmas Day and every day and then for the rest of us that work a job when it comes to maybe sitting some what I call that the start of the year when everyone starts making plans and resolutions you start making New Year's resolutions so you know what every day I go to work in 2024 is gonna be in service to Jesus Christ I'm gonna lay before him I'm gonna show Jesus that I take my responsibilities seriously like the shepherds did and he continues in verse number 24 Colossians 3 24 knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ in the Bible saying there that we don't really work a job for the paycheck though that's nice to have we really work a job because Christ is going to reward us in eternity like you think about that like a lot of people don't have that mindset they think the only way that I'm gonna be rewarded by Christ if I serve in the local church and you are gonna be rewarded by Christ if you serve in the local church you know what if you serve in your workplace and you do it for Jesus he's going to reward you in eternity to come as well so man not only the paycheck but the paycheck that comes from Jesus Christ in eternity what a wonderful thing come back with me to Luke chapter 2 Luke chapter 2 is our main text this morning Luke chapter 2 so the testimony of personal responsibility have you got that testimony in your life do you need to add that to your life please do verse number 9 and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them isn't that beautiful to the shepherds okay the angel did not come to the politicians the angel of the Lord did not even go to the religious leaders in the temple he came to the angels beautiful okay there was certain quality about these angels of course that God looked favorably upon them you know they had a testimony that I want each one of us to have and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid and the angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy by the way what does the word gospel mean good tidings glad tidings okay the angels are coming bring glad tidings of gospel of great news look at this which shall be to all people which shall be to all people I want to make that very clear and I I know you're probably sick of me saying this I may be behind the pulpit but Jesus came for all people okay the Gentiles are not Plan B all right whatever preach is telling you that your Plan B please stop listening from the it like from the very birth of Christ the angels make it very clear he's come for all people Jews Gentiles praise God that salvation has been offered to all people otherwise I'd still I'd still be on my way to hell I'd still have to pay be paying for my sins one day by going to hell of course Jesus Christ has given us salvation the salvation is available to all people but I want to notice what it says in verse number 11 again the angel are specifically speaking to the shepherds when he says but unto you is born this day in the City of David what our Savior a Savior which is Christ the Lord a Savior which is Christ the Lord unto you shepherds the next testimony that we have of the shepherds is the testimony of personal salvation you know each one of these shepherds had put their faith and trust in the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ the testimony of a personal salvation can you come with me to Romans chapter 10 come with me to Romans chapter 10 please Romans chapter 10 and verse number 9 Romans chapter 10 and verse number 9 this one's the most important even though it's point number two this one's the most important do you have a personal testimony of your salvation is there a time that you have called upon the name of the Lord in faith in faith alone without works you know on Jesus Christ you know you try his death his burial his resurrection you've trusted his payment for sin you've trusted his shed blood okay and you believed in his resurrection you've trust that he's given you everlasting life and you've told Jesus thank you Lord I want that thank you for your salvation has there ever been a time when you personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior and if you say to me pastor I don't know if I have if you say to me pastor I haven't then please talk to me after service or talk to someone in the church that you might feel more comfortable with this is the most important thing okay if you forget everything else in the sermon this is the most important thing okay these shepherds had the testimony of a personal salvation in Jesus Christ and often when we you know when we think of the gospel message we often turn to Romans 10 but I want to show you what it says in Romans 10 verse 9 Romans 10 verse 9 it says that if thou now in the King James Bible we've got the these and the dows some people don't like him I think it's wonderful the these and the dows represent what the singular okay and the you is plural right but the thou the these of those thine is all singular okay and it says in Romans 10 9 if that if thou singular you okay shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine hearts that God have raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved have you had that moments where you've trust Jesus Christ as your Savior you've called upon them a Lord where you've made that personal decision and I speak to my kids look I know I know which of my kids are saved because we had the blessing of being able to lead them to the Lord but as a pastor children should never be thinking oh I'm right with God my dad's a pastor oh I'm right with God I think I'm saved we go to church mom and dad are saved I must be saved I don't know we all need to make that choice at some point in our lives now when it comes to children we've never forced our children to you know to believe on Christ and we've never put that pressure on them you know growing up in a Christian home and going to church and listening to the gospel somewhere between the ages this is our experience might not be the same for everybody but somewhere between the ages of four to six usually around the six okay there's some rare occasions sometimes four or five okay but usually around six years old our kids come up to us saying mom and dad what must I do to be saved like the Philippine jailer okay like you don't get that the doors or I mean God also saw winning but with the kids that you know I don't want to go to hell you know how can I be sure of going to heaven you know the the fear of death sometimes starts to set in and they want to be sure that we've mum and dad and the family in heaven and praise God that's the gospel is so simple that even a little child four or five six years old you know can call upon the name of Lord and be saved have that confidence in them and never have to doubt it in their teenage years never have to doubt it in the adulthood do you have the testimony of a personal salvation what else do we learn about the the shepherds come with me back to Luke chapter 2 verse number 12 Luke chapter 2 and verse number 12 the Angels continue and say and this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger what humble beginning to the Lord God on this earth not born in the palace not born in some rich temple you know and having every servant under his authority or something like that not born like a like royalty born humbly in a manger from the very beginning like a showing that is lowered himself from the very beginning showing that it lower himself to the point where he would pay for your sins my sins like think about oh man what a thing like how scary would it be to die for your own sins have to face God with my own sins Wow that's a scary thought what if I just added somebody else's sins to my list Christ took the sins of each one of us upon himself and the sins of the whole world upon himself the wrath judgment and anger of his Heavenly Father fell upon him boy what a sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ but from the very beginning he was born in Bethlehem's manger you know showing his humility and and verse number 13 and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men so these angels also this angel now surrounded by many angels a multitude from heaven the heavenly hosts and all just praising God but I want to notice what they say it says glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men the third testimony that I have for you brethren that I want to think about do you have the testimony of personal peace do you have the testimony of personal peace now in some ways of course being saved gives you personal peace the moment you know hey I know I'm going to heaven why because of Jesus Christ he paid for it all none of me he's done it all I'm going to heaven because he promised me he did all the work isn't that a great burden that comes off your shoulders well you're no longer wondering how am I gonna face God on Judgment Day is God going to weigh up my good and my bad no he's gonna weigh up the good of Jesus and you'll be in hey cuz Jesus Christ is perfect that's wonderful all right but the word peace of course you know you know they're receiving this in well not just peace but it says they're the good goodwill toward men and goodwill often you know refers to kindness friendliness help okay God is showing us his friendliness his kindness by sending his son to die in our place by sending his son to give us peace on earth and I want to be clear about this this peace that comes from Christ is not a peace treaty between two warring nations in fact Christ says that he came to bring a sword on this earth of course the peace that we're talking about is the peace between God and man okay and have you got that peace you know sometimes we we are saved and we have that peace about us but isn't it true that sometimes we forget the peace that God has given us when we're going through difficulties when we're going for trials we might feel like that God is not awake we maybe he's not listening maybe doesn't realize what we're going through we might lose some of that peace but you know what Christ says that he'll never leave us nor forsake us you know I don't know what trial you're going through this morning maybe you're going through some serious trials maybe things that you don't even want to speak about to your brothers sisters in the Lord and that's fine but you can speak to God about that and when you think that God's forgotten you he hasn't and I know I've been there I know what it feels like to think that God's forgotten you to think God you don't understand the seriousness of the situation that I find myself in no he does of course he does okay and this is just part of the weakness of man that we forget we lose our peace in trimes times of difficulties and if you can come with me to um tell me to Psalm chapter 4 Psalm 4 come with me to Psalm 4 come with me to Psalm 4 Psalm 4 I want you to be at peace today you know sometimes Christmas period is a bit it's not always peaceful you know how many stories have I heard you know during Christmas parties and Christmas events family starts a fight well don't let that be you you know think about the peace that God has given us on this earth by sending his son you know what let's be people of peace let's be peacemakers the Bible says in Psalm 4 verse 8 I will lay I will both lay me down in peace and sleep Wow for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety boy you know what when you're struggling to sleep because of fears and concerns you need to read this Psalm and meditate in the Psalm it says here for the our Lord only makest me dwell in safety Lord you only want me to be safe Lord you see the dangers so you know what I'm just gonna go to sleep because you've got it under control I'm gonna be at peace Lord because you know exactly what's going on you know you're looking out for my best boy can you get to that point in life and you should I'm sure you've experienced that peace and there are times that you lose the peace and when you lose the peace you need to go to God and ask him for that peace once again please go to Philippians chapter 4 Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 Philippians chapter 4 verse number 6 this is some of my favorite verses in Philippians 4 6 and while you're turning to Philippians 4 6 I'm going to read to you from John 14 27 John 14 27 the words of Jesus he says peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid from the shepherds were afraid to begin with okay but now there's the angels came to proclaim peace on earth and brethren this piece that comes from God it says not as the world giveth you know what would give you peace on earth maybe no walls maybe financial security I think you think about the kind of peace like what would give me peace you know excellent relationships with people excellent marriage some of these things are very good things to desire but the peace that you think you might get from the earth does not compare does not compare to the peace that Jesus Christ gives us it's not as the world giveth boy you know that means that means we could be facing World War three and we might be worried about nuclear bombs dropping on Australia that could be the worry of the world and we're like hey I'm at peace with God so be it whatever you want Lord however you want me to live through this turmoil and troubles Lord I'm at peace of you because you're my God you make me dwell in safely safety I can go to sleep and be at peace that's how we ought to be as Christians and if you're not that way look at Philippians 4 6 again these are some of my favorite verses Philippians 4 6 be careful for nothing look let nothing make you full of care is already saying let nothing make you full of worries yet we all worry I mean that's a commandments that's a commandment right there it's not an option all right be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God you know I guarantee you there it might be some of you this morning that aren't at peace and the only reason you're not at peace right now is because you forgot to take it to God in prayer that's the only reason because we think we've got it covered again I know because I've been there with our struggles and worries are like what am I going to do how am I gonna handle this situation and I'm stressed and I'm worried and I'm like did I even go to God about this nope forgot okay and of course when you take it to God you gotta remember all right you've given it to your father your Heavenly Father and for those that are parents you know if your children bring you a problem who's not gonna help them like who's not gonna go and give them some advice or say son daughter you know what don't even worry about that I'll take care of it there are times my children like that my bank accounts a bit low I'm like don't worry about it you're my son you my daughter will take care of it all right don't worry about that's not your issue at some point gonna be issue but right now while you're under my roof don't worry about it I mean that's what I thought what are the Heavenly Father how much more is he going to take your struggles and your worries and your stresses in life and give you the peace I haven't finished in verse number seven it says and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus because isn't that where when you're when you're not at peace isn't that what affects you the most your heart your mind your worries in the emotion that's that's where you're affected the most when you're stressed and worried well hey if you take it to God in prayer and you leave it you leave it with God in prayer I love my old pastor you often would say that we take our burdens to God we lift them up our shoulders we give to God and then we're saying Jesus name amen all right thank you God let me pick up those burdens again and put it back on my shoulders and walk away we forget to leave it we've gone many times okay they can see here the peace of God which pass the full with the idea they'll pass the full understanding it surpasses it surpasses all understanding meaning that your life can be falling apart and you're like it's all good I'm at peace with God and people look at you and go what that makes no sense if anyone should be worried it's you if anyone should be stressed it's you because it passes surpasses all understanding they don't understand the world does not understand the peace that God can give you in your hearts and I sometimes forget and you sometimes forget but that peace is always readily available to us brethren do you have the testimony of personal peace in your heart this morning if not hey learn from the shepherds and learn from the shepherds come back with me to Luke chapter 2 Luke chapter 2 and verse number 15 Luke chapter 2 verse number 15 so the angels have announced that Christ will be born in a manger right they've glorified God you know they told him hey this is your Savior you know Christ the Lord peace goodwill toward men so how do the how do the shepherds respond in verse number 15 and it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven the shepherds said one to another let us now go even unto Bethlehem to see this thing which has come to pass which the Lord have made known unto us you know what I love about this is the shepherds said one to another so they're like mates they're like man we just witnessed something amazing you know our Lord God Savior is on this earth let's go see them let's go see him and they say this one to another you know what I love about this and my point on before that I have here is that this is a testimony of personal encouragement they're encouraging one another they're speaking one to another let's go see Christ and Brevin isn't it wonderful to be in a church full house this morning where we can encourage one another my goal is to encourage you in this sermon but just seeing you here at church encourages me you know greeting one of the Merry Christmas shaking hands saying hello right just just serving one another with a lunch that we're going to have afterwards this is all encouraging one another in the Lord because we all know how wicked this world is we know how how manipulative the media is and and the the pressures and the you know that come from the world to give in to all kinds of lust and sinful pleasures isn't it good to just be in the house of the Lord we can encourage each other like there's none of us here that is without sin there is none of us here without wickedness we know where we're fallen creatures we know we're not the group I hope you think you know you hope you realize that that you're not the greatest thing on the in this world the only reason you're worthy of Christ or worthy of the Father is because of Christ I hope you recognize that okay and so that way when when when a fellow member in church is going through struggles when a fellow member in church needs encouragement when a fellow member in church is not doing very well spiritually they don't just kick them while they're down they don't just speak about and gossip and complain and whine and murmur oh hey your job is to encourage your job is to lift them up hey and it's your turn that neat when you need encouragement you know you want to make sure that your brother sister is there to encourage you in return hey we need each other like we need New Life Baptist Church okay because we need to be there for one another as brothers sisters in the Lord there's not many of us that are like-minded there's not many of us so do we want to be at conflicts do we want to be gossiping about one another complain about one another look that's not going to be a testimony of personal encouragement it's a testimony of personal discouragement what do you like with people at church do you have more conflicts than friends or do you have more friends and conflicts that should tell you hey what is my testimony like when it comes to encouraging my brothers sisters in the Lord so anyway these shepherds they've got each other let's go they encourage one another let's go they said one to another let us now go even unto Bethlehem come with me to Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews chapter 10 please Hebrews chapter 10 verse number 24 Hebrews chapter 10 and verse number 24 Hebrews 10 24 Hebrews 10 24 reads and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works you know when I come to church and I prepare my sermon I ought to be considering you each each one of you what does my church need to hear how can I be there for my church and vice versa you'll be saying how can I be there for brother so-and-so how can I be there for sister so-and-so how can I encourage my pastor to stay encouraged in the ministry things like that we need to be doing this and this is how we do it in verse number 25 not forsaken the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching to exhort one another to encourage to lift each other up to motivate one another man I need you guys right and you know I hope we need it one another we've got in the Lord God but the Lord God's given us brothers and sisters to motivate to encourage one another don't forsake the assembling look I'm not saying that if you miss a service that you're forsaken Church forsaken Church means to give up all right and say well our church is rubbish people at church are rubbish look is Church full of hypocrites of course you know I've got to preach sermons that I'm not a hundred percent on like personally myself like my job as a pastor is to preach the whole Council of God all the Council of God regardless of who it offends and even if it offends this pastor I still got a preacher okay it's not right if I'm preaching something and I'm not doing that great at it that's not hypocrisy I'm not preaching my wisdom and my knowledge I'm here to preach you God's Word and that ought to challenge you and that will to challenge me because if I were if I could only preach what I was doing well at well we wouldn't get from much Bible I'd say that because I'm not the standard of Jesus Christ maybe you are but I'm not of course Church is full of hypocrites your workplace is full of hypocrites all right churches that preach a false gospel and have false prophets of course they're full of hypocrites you know what we're not hypocritical about when we claim that we're going to heaven because of what Jesus has done but what about people that say how I'm going to heaven because I'm a good person that's the biggest hypocrite that I've ever met that's a that's a that's the most pride anybody can have to think that you're worthy of God's presence because you're a good person no we've all come short of the glory of God we're all sinners none of us are righteous but we need to encourage each other and look please if you have a bad experience at church please make sure that you lump it with everything else like hey it's a church that's preaching the truth it's a church that loves the Lord the church that goes soul winning it's a church that reach from the King James Bible all right the church that's got a pastor that loves me I love you guys I want you to know that I got one bad experience come on where don't you have a bad experience I'm sure you've had a bad experience at home with your family sometimes you give up on the home you give up on the family oh all right we're here to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and we know we're not perfect okay so let's be an example of personal encouragement come back with me to Luke chapter 2 verse number 16 Luke chapter 2 verse number 16 so now that they've encouraged each other they go and see Jesus Christ in verse number 16 and they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger and when they had seen it they made known abroad the same which was told them concerning the chart this child and all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds so what the shepherds do they've encouraged each other they go they in haste they rush to see the baby and and Joseph and Mary and then what I do once they see the baby once they see Christ once they see the Savior what do they do they said and when they had seen it they made known abroad the same they started going telling everybody else about Jesus they weren't telling everybody else about the Savior having come having come into the world brethren the shepherds have a testimony of personal soul winning how good is that okay and as they went preaching Christ it says in verse 18 and all they heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds they're like man we've never heard such news how amazing you know when I give someone the gospel and if they've had a Christian background already because you know which you know I've taught it before I'm trying to find common ground with them but then obviously at some point it's not common ground when they realize that salvation is by faith alone and not by keeping the commandments and going to church whatever it is and then when I'm done giving them the gospel often say something like have you ever heard this before and they're like man I never heard it like that before why they're they're in wonderments they're in amazements that man salvation is so easy so simple it's been paid for 100% by Jesus Christ this whole time they thought Jesus opened the doors got you halfway to heaven they had to do the next half to get there all right they've got to try the best whatever it is they thought that all along they didn't realize boy Jesus Christ did it all the testimony of personal soul winning you know I've been in churches where and again I don't want to attack I don't want to touch it I love much I love my old churches I love my old pastors I do like I really do okay but I've been in church where if you give money to the missionary you've done your part of soul winning like you put the money in you soul winner wherever you are in whatever country or what even in Australia they're doing the soul winning and so I'm being blessed by giving them the finance to do that I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that in of itself but what happens is people lose the personal accountability of soul winning they don't have the testimony of personal soul winning I mean how sad and again if this offends you but how sad is it if you're saved today and you don't know how to give someone the gospel like you know how you got saved you know what you believed you know what you trusted you know what you repented from your false beliefs to the true belief on Jesus Christ but you can't tell someone else that doesn't make a lot of sense really it doesn't make take a lot of sense and you know what giving someone the gospel is not that complicated it really is not okay and with God's Word it's even easier okay because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God look if you're not comfortable giving someone the gospel I'm not saying that you even have to come out door-to-door with us but you might just in your personal life come across a family member a friend that is not saved where God gives you the opportunity to be with someone one-on-one with that person and you if you love them if you really are a friend you're going to use those opportunities that God has given you to give that person the gospel and if you can't you need to create have this testimony about yourself learn from the shepherds they only just heard it like that very night they just heard that Christ has come into the world and they go see Christ they run and immediately they're not worried about the animals they're worried about souls they're telling people Christ has come into the world they're able to do it within 24 hours giving someone the gospel is not that complicated and again if you want like someone to guide you and direct you please ask me I'm happy to do it I'm happy to show you you know how to go soul-willing I'm happy to you know tell you what verses to memorize or what where to go in the scriptures and how to form a plan together more than happy to show that to you because we need to have that testimony of personal salvation or personal soul-willing personal soul-willing verse number 19 please look to the service number 19 so after they do some soul-willing they proclaim Christ abroad it says in verse number 19 so they've seen Jesus they've done the soul-willing what are they doing now they're praising God the glorifying God for all the things that they have heard and seen it was as it was told unto them you know I hope you leave church and you're able to praise God for what you've learnt I hope you have to go hey God man I've seen something your word at church and thank you for giving me your wisdom thank you for giving me some knowledge thank you for challenging me Lord thank you for showing the areas of my life that I need to fix Lord I'm not going to get offended Lord in fact I'm just going to realize that you're holy I'm not perfect but you can help me well there are certain elements in this list that I don't have I don't have this in my own personal testimony can you help me create this in my life and I have no doubt the Lord's gonna help you but what do they have they have the testimony of personal worship the testimony of personal worship look it's one thing to worship God at church and it's a good thing to do you guys have sung so well this morning praising God glorifying his name we want God to be able to look at a new life at this church with a smile now we join his heart for our praises that we've lifted to him but is this the only place you praise God the only come yeah is that the only time you open your mouth and glorify him and sing him praises is it only at church what about in your own personal life do you praise God do you worship him do you sing him praises you sing him songs that's my challenge for you this coming year you know if you don't do it at home start doing it you know the Bible says in Psalm 59 16 I will sing of thy power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning for thou has been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble unto thee are my strength will I sing for God is my defense and the God of my mercy the psalmist says our God I'm gonna sing to you in the morning Lord when I wake up the first thing that I want to be thinking about is you and how you're gonna help me in my day how you've helped me in my difficulties I'm gonna praise you and worship you do I personally always remember to do that no I want to it's my goal in life just wake up in my first thoughts is not Facebook my first thought is not YouTube or discord or signal or telegram or what else the people use Facebook messenger whatsapp now my first thought ought to be my Lord before I communicate with these devices let me communicate to you first let me pray to you let me ask you for your help this morning let me sing you a song of praise of worship so you can hear my voice all right my voice might not be the greatest in church so I sing quietly but home in my bedroom alone I can sing to you Lord I've said it to you many times as I'm driving by myself I do a lot of driving by myself that's why I like to just pray to God and to praise God because no one can hear me I guess people are driving past they probably think I'm singing some worldly song I'm singing praises to my Lord God do you have the testimony of personal worship can you come with me to Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews 13 verse number 15 Hebrews 13 verse number 15 you know one thing I've learnt about God is he likes to be praised and he's worthy of praise it's not like a man who likes to be praised man's not worthy of praise but God is his love is worthy to be praised and his grace his mercy his forgiveness his salvation even his judgments are worthy to be praised even his chastisement in our life is worthy of praise because the Bible says he does it for our profits for our benefit to teach us all right that we can mature we can grow Hebrews 13 15 Hebrews 13 15 by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God who this continually that is the fruit of our lips given thanks to his name the fact that it says continually tells me every day we should be given God thanks every day we should be praising him for the God that he is you know to the families let me encourage you to have a time of the day it doesn't have to be long ten minutes five minutes well you as a family come together and just pray give God thanks there's always something to be thankful for and sing up a song sing even this Christmas belt out the Christmas hymns that glorify Christ not Santa Claus is coming to town okay but the songs that we sing in this church glorifying our Lord God how about we do that like nobody's gonna think you're weed if they hear you singing Christmas hymns right now or at home because it's the season they'll say but I'm saying make that the season every day for your family every day for your life make this the testimony of your life praising God continually I'll read to you one more passage 1st Corinthians 6 19 it says what no you're not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and you're not your own for year bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are gods this body now that you're saved you were purchased by the shed blood of Christ this body as weak as it is belongs to God and the spirit that's born again praise God for the spirit that's what the strength lies that's also that also belongs to God we belong to the Lord and what does he want us to do with our bodies in our spirit to glorify him to praise him okay the Holy Spirit of God lives within us we ought to be used as instruments some of you guys are learning different instruments and you pick up you know a flute or you put your hands on a piano and it plays what you want it to play that will to be you you're the instrument of God God wants you to glorify him do you glorify God do you praise God do you have that testimony of personal worship all right brethren those are the six points that I have for you this morning not so much Christmas themes but lessons from Christmas hey lessons from the first Christmas let me give you what those six points are once again the testimony of personal responsibility the testimony of personal salvation the testimony of personal peace the testimony of personal encouragement the testimony of personal soul win the testimony of personal worship have you got all of these things in your life today you know honestly when you look in the mirror you say yep I've got those six boxes checked there's probably some that are not checked or there might be some that are kind of half checks but they need improvements you know think about it this Christmas okay the shepherds were worthy to be visited by the Angels the shepherds were worthy to receive such great news and so let's learn from the shepherds this morning all right let's pray