88. Merry Christmas. This Means War!

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Hello everyone and welcome back to the podcast where we prod the sheep and beat the wolf. This is episode 88.

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Merry Christmas. This means war One of the most significant accomplishments in antiquity in a history that has been littered with wars and violence was a 100 -year period of peace

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Known simply as the Pax Romana, which in English means the peace of Rome This unique and peculiar era of warless tranquility

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Which is unmatched and unrivaled in any other period known to man saw no more nations rising up against nations

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Wars and rumors of wars were not on the lips of women in the market for that hundred years and the myriad of complex personalities usually unrestrained and agitated were now contained within a

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Burgeoning empire of peace which lasted from 27 BC Under the reign of Augustus Caesar until the death of Nero in 68

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AD This is the world and the setting to which our

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Savior was born Now on that first Christmas morning in Judea God did not show up for a press conference at one of the palaces

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He certainly didn't show up for a precious moments commercial in the big city instead In a surprise attack, he stormed the beaches of Bethlehem he blitzkrieg the stables of that old country barn and Assembled all the legions of heaven to herald

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Christ as Lord to the shepherds in the field He held his fiery star on loft the

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Judean skies to announce his birth to kings and kingdoms Who would either worship him or be put down?

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While under the fragile peace of Rome the Prince of Peace was born

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And he was bringing that peace through war because this old world had fallen into a bitter soul -crushing slavery to the evil dragon a serpent of great beguiling and trickery who

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Swindled our only King into trading his scepter for over tightened cuffs

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His crown for rusty chains he traded freedom for slavery rule for servitude on that first Christmas morning, however

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After legions of men had failed and failed to slay the dragon

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The heaven -sent God man was born the Royal Man King Delivered as a helpless babe to deliver and set the helpless free this

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King brought peace through war Like Isaiah said for unto us a child is born and unto us a son has been given and The government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty

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God the everlasting Father Prince of Peace and Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end

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Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice

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From henceforth forever more and the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

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Incarnation as invasion Every Christmas time we celebrate that the invasion has begun

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The world was not left to pine away and oppression and deep darkness. No The light of the world has come

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Human governments which all have limits in various ends and seasons would be replaced by a government that knows no end a

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Government that would not bring about a measly hundred -year ceasefire among the competing peoples

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But a government who would bring his wonderful and perfect reign of peace forever our

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King is One who had put the world on notice the babe and swaddling clothes

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Announced to the nations that you would either bow down and worship him or you would be trampled under his glorious feet

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Son of man the Prince of Peace Made war in order to bring peace back to the land

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He entered into our brokenness in order to bring his perfect shalom He went raiding behind enemy lines rescuing his elect and delivering them safely back to God.

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He Triumphed not only over the manger but over the grave. He wrestled control of the cosmos away from the fallen serpent disarming the powers and the rulers and the spiritual beings and the authorities and beginning an uprising 2 ,000 years ago

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That would turn this world upside down far as the curse is found. That is

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Precisely what our King has done. He brought peace by first bringing war never -ending rain

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When you look at what God says in Isaiah 9, especially 6 and 7 he promises nothing less than total dominion

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He claims that the government that Jesus has inaugurated will continue until no ground is left on earth to take

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He will rule until his kingdom comes on earth as it already has in heaven

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This means brothers and sisters That Christmas is not about wrapping paper and gifts.

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It's not about trees and lights or anything else Christmas is About the downfall of the entire world order

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It is about the downfall of sinful nations. Christmas is about the end of Corrupt politicians padding their pockets and allowing their scumbag children to live above the law

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Christmas is About the war of God that will end sex trafficking

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That will annihilate abortion mills and it will put the world back right again

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Christmas is Not about gluttony Packages boxes bags or any of that Christmas is the first fruits of the death of democracy oligarchy

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Socialism and every other failed human government the Christ child in the manger signifies that the world is now under the rule and the authority of a king and his rule of total peace is

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Coming deeper and deeper in conclusion this Christmas as you enjoy your eggnog and figgy pudding and who doesn't as You feast on your ham and throw back us a couple glasses of hot cocoa

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Remember that Christ was born not as babe, but as king and As king he was born to reign and in that reign through his death, burial, resurrection, ascension to the throne of God All the iniquity that we see on earth will one day be put under his massive glorious feet

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Instead of despair brothers and sisters Allow the light of hope to fill your hearts remember

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He is sovereign and he is Lord and he will make all things new and that is the hope of Christmas Merry Christmas to you.

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Merry Christmas to your household and until next time. God bless you Thank you so much for listening to another episode of the broadcast each week

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We're going through the Christmas narrative and we're gonna be looking at and focusing on different aspects of the Messiah's birth and this week

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We did so by looking at the great hope that we can have in Jesus's reign If you'd like to support this show, you can smash the like button subscribe with notifications

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So you do not miss any new episodes that are coming out And if you want you can find a creative way to wrap it up and put it in someone's special stocking

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I don't know how you're gonna do it, but you can figure it out Also, if you'd like to give us a year -end gift to support this ministry go to www .theshepherds

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.church That's T H E S H E P H E R D S dot church and click the giving tab

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Every dollar that you give to this ministry will go to support ministry gospel ministry in New England and beyond So until next time have a very