ANNOUNCER: COMING UP ON "MARRIAGE TODAY WITH JIMMY & KAREN"... JIMMY: GOD IS WITH THE COMMON. GOD LIVES IN A COMMON WORLD, AMONG A COMMON PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHY WE MISS HIM, BECAUSE WE'RE--WE'RE HANGING OUT IN THE WRONG PLACES, LOOKING FOR GOD IN THE WRONG WAYS, AND HE'S ALL AROUND US. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. HE WAS THERE. HE WAS TOO--HE WAS RIGHT OUT THEIR BACK DOOR AND THEY MISSED HIM. SOMETIMES, IN OUR LIVES, WE FEEL AS THOUGH GOD IS VERY DISTANT AND HE DOESN'T HEAR OUR PRAYERS. THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH A DARK OR CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE. TODAY, WE'RE DISCUSSING THE CHRISTMAS STORY AND HOW WE CAN FIND GOD IN OUR COMMON, EVERYDAY LIVES. WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT, GOD ALWAYS LOVES US AND HE WANTS TO HAVE A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH US IN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WISE MEN AND THE JEWS AND ALL OF ISRAEL THAT MISSED JESUS, BECAUSE THE WISE MEN WERE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, AND HERE'S WHY THEY FOUND JESUS. THE WISE MEN CAME TO BETHLEHEM. BETHLEHEM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR--IN OUR WORLD WOULD BE LIKE A ONE-STOPLIGHT TOWN WITH A DAIRY QUEEN, GAS STATION, AND THAT'S IT. IT WAS JUST A SMALL, LITTLE VILLAGE 2 MILES OUT OF JERUSALEM. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO IT. ALL THE ATTENTION WAS IN JERUSALEM, WHERE--WHERE EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING, WHERE ALL OF THE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY OCCURRED. AND THE WISE MEN CAME THAT NIGHT AND TOLD HEROD, AND THEN THE JEWS TOLD HIM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MESSIAH WAS GOING TO BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM. THEY TIPPED EVERYBODY OFF TO THE FACT THAT SOMETHING GREAT WAS HAPPENING DOWN THE ROAD AT BETHLEHEM, BUT NO ONE WENT BECAUSE IN THEIR MINDS, NOTHING GREAT WAS HAPPENING IN BETHLEHEM 'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T SEE IT. IT WASN'T HAPPENING IN THE NATURAL REALM. BUT LISTEN: THE WISE MEN GOT TO BETHLEHEM AND THEY WENT AND WORSHIPPED A COMMON BABY. NOW, WE KNOW THAT JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD. HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE SON OF GOD. JESUS WAS BORN IN A BARN. WE ROMANTICIZE THIS. WE SAY JESUS WAS BORN IN A STABLE AND HE WAS LAID IN A MANGER. HEH, A STABLE IS A BARN, AND A MANGER IS AN ANIMAL FEEDING TROUGH. I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING ROMANTIC ABOUT IT. IF THERE WAS A CHILD EVER BORN OF COMMON CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS JESUS CHRIST. THEY WEREN'T--THEY WEREN'T WORSHIPPING A BABY LAYING IN A GOLDEN, UH, YOU KNOW, CRIB, YOU KNOW, WITH ANGELS AROUND HIM THAT--THIS CHILD WAS LAYING IN AN ANIMAL FEEDING TROUGH, AND HIS PARENTS WERE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, GREAT PEOPLE. THEY WERE NOT PEOPLE OF FAME. I MEAN, WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE. AND THE WISE MEN CAME AND FOUND JESUS AND WORSHIPPED HIM, THOUGH HE WAS A COMMON CHILD IN A COMMON PLACE BORN OF COMMON PARENTS, AND THIS IS WHY, I BELIEVE, THAT SO MANY OF US STRUGGLE WITH FINDING JESUS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE JEWS HAD BACK THEN. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SPECTACULAR EVENT. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SPECTACULAR GOD. IN OTHER WORDS, THE JEWS DIDN'T GO TO BETHLEHEM BECAUSE THEY KNEW ANYTHING GREAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, IS GONNA HAPPEN ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. ALL OF THEIR ATTENTION WAS FIXED UPON HEROD'S TEMPLE AND THE TEMPLE MOUNT IN JERUSALEM, BECAUSE THEY KNEW ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS HANG AROUND JERUSALEM AND GREAT THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE GOD'S GONNA SHOW UP HERE. WHEN THE MESSIAH COMES, HE'S GONNA COME IN THE CLOUDS WITH POWER AND GLORY AND GREAT MIGHT, AND WE'RE GONNA SEE HIM AND HE'S GONNA PARADE HIMSELF INTO JERUSALEM, AND WE'RE AT THE RIGHT PLACE, AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SIT HERE AND WAIT ON HIM. WASN'T TRUE AT ALL. JESUS CAME AS A COMMON BABY AND WAS BORN OF COMMON CIRCUMSTANCES AND COMMON PARENTS AND GREW UP IN A LITTLE TOWN CALLED NAZARETH. I MEAN, JESUS WAS JUST A COMMON CHILD. NOW, WE KNOW HE WAS GOD, BUT HE DIDN'T ACT LIKE IT. HE REALLY DIDN'T. HE WAS JUST A VERY NORMAL CHILD GROWING UP IN A VERY NORMAL FAMILY, JUST BEING VERY COMMON. NOW, I WANT TO SAY THIS: YOU CAN'T FIND JESUS IF YOU'RE LOOKING CONSTANTLY FOR SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL OR ROYAL OR POWERFUL OR OUT OF THE ORDINARY BECAUSE JESUS IS CLOAKED IN THE COMMON. THAT'S WHAT THE BIRTH OF JESUS TELLS US. JESUS CLOAKED HIMSELF IN THE BODY OF A COMMON PERSON. HE CLOAKED HIMSELF IN A COMMON FAMILY IN A COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD, AND PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T HANDLE THE COMMON COULD NOT HANDLE JESUS. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN THIS MESSAGE. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT ISRAEL AND THE JEWS HAD. IT'S A PROBLEM THAT ALL OF US HAVE. WE HAVE A PROBLEM ACCEPTING THE COMMONNESS OF JESUS CHRIST, AND SIMPLY THE WAY THAT HE RELATES TO US. AND HERE ARE 3 COMMON PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN FINDING JESUS IN OUR LIVES, RELATED TO THIS ISSUE OF HIM BEING SO COMMON, AND THE FIRST IS, WE HAVE AN UNCOMMON CONCEPT OF GOD. WE CREATE IN OUR MINDS THIS UNCOMMON CONCEPT OF GOD IS THAT HE SOMEHOW DOESN'T LIVE WITH ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE US. I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HUMAN HISTORY, GOD--GOD HAS TOLD US, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, HOW BADLY HE WANTS TO LIVE WITH COMMON PEOPLE, WITH US. HE WAS THERE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WITH ADAM AND EVE, WALKING AND TALKING WITH THEM IN THE COOL OF THE DAY. I MEAN, HE WAS JUST HANGING OUT WITH THEM. HONESTLY. LITERALLY. GOD JUST CAME AND HUNG OUT IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. IT--YOU KNOW, NOT FLASHES OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER, NOT ON A BIG THRONE AT A DISTANCE. HE JUST WALKED AND TALKED WITH THEM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. THIS IS GENESIS 5:24. IT SAYS, "ENOCH"--THIS IS AFTER MANKIND SINNED AND GOT KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN--"ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD AND HE WAS NOT, FOR GOD TOOK HIM." EVEN AFTER THE GARDEN OF EDEN, GOD WAS STILL WALKING WITH MANKIND. HE WALKED WITH ENOCH. IN EXODUS, WE FIND GOD WITH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, FOR 40 YEARS, GOING THROUGH THEM, INTIMATELY, UH, A PILLAR OF--CLOUD BY DAY AND A PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT--INTIMATELY WALKING WITH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. THEN HE CAME AS OUR MESSIAH TO PAY FOR OUR SINS, AND NOW, HE LIVES WITH US. I MEAN, LITERALLY, GOD LIVES IN YOU. AND WHEN WE BECOME COMMON WITH THAT, AND WHEN WE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED, UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN MISS GOD ALL DAY LONG AND HE'S STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. HE'S INSIDE OF YOU, HE'S INSIDE OF OTHER PEOPLE, AND WHAT WE MANY TIMES THINK IS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M SO COMMON, I'M SO ORDINARY, I'M SO FRAGILE, I'M SO SINFUL, I'M--I'M SO SCARRED UP, I'M SO BEAT UP THAT GOD JUST COULDN'T LIVE WITH A PERSON LIKE ME AND GOD JUST--GOD WOULDN'T LIVE IN MY HOUSE. MY--GOD COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, DRIVE IN MY CAR. GOD COULDN'T BE WITH ME. BUT HE IS. HE--GOD IS--GOD IS WITH THE COMMON. GOD LIVES IN A COMMON WORLD AMONG A COMMON PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHY WE MISS HIM, BECAUSE WE'RE--WE'RE HANGING OUT IN THE WRONG PLACES, LOOKING FOR GOD IN THE WRONG WAYS, AND HE'S ALL AROUND US. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. HE WAS THERE. HE WAS TOO--HE WAS RIGHT OUT THEIR BACK DOOR AND THEY MISSED HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING FOR SOME GREAT, REGAL EVENT, AND SOME GREAT MESSIAH TO PARADE HIMSELF INTO JERUSALEM. THAT'LL HAPPEN WHEN ETERNITY HAPPENS, BUT IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY, GOD IS CLOAKED IN THE COMMON. HE'S AROUND US EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHEN I GOT SAVED, I HAD NO CONCEPT OF GOD EXCEPT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS AGAINST ME BECAUSE I WAS A--A VERY SINFUL YOUNG MAN. I KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, GOD HAD ISSUES WITH ME, BUT WHEN I GOT SAVED, GOD WAS VERY REAL TO ME. AND--AND THEN THESE WERE THINGS THAT BEGAN TO ROCK--ROCK MY WORLD, AND BEGAN TO LET ME KNOW GOD LIVES WITH ME. AND THEN, I BEGAN TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE. I REMEMBER WHEN GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME REGULARLY. HE BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME. AGAIN, IT LET ME KNOW HE'S WITH ME BECAUSE HE'S SPEAKING TO ME. AND THEN, I REMEMBER WHEN GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT HIM BEING A FATHER. THE LORD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME EVERY SINGLE DAY IN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE. HE ONLY SPOKE TO ME THROUGH THE FILTER OF HIM BEING A FATHER, AND I REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENED, HE WOULD SAY, "JIMMY, I'M YOUR FATHER. JIMMY, I'M YOUR FATHER." AND I WOULD GO TO HIM AND I WOULD SAY, "LORD, I'M PRAYING ABOUT THIS. I'M PRAYING ABOUT THIS. I'M PRAYING ABOUT THIS." AND HE WOULD SAY, "JIMMY, I'M YOUR FATHER. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU NEED. I'M THERE WITH YOU." AND IT TOOK SEVERAL YEARS, HONESTLY, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THAT CONVERSATION, UH, AND--AND EDUCATION FROM THE LORD UNTIL I WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND I REALIZED, "YOU JUST LOVE ME. I'M NOT WORTHY OF IT. YOU HANG OUT WITH ME. YOU'RE--YOU'RE WITH ME IN THE MOUNTAINTOPS AND THE VALLEYS. YOU'RE WITH ME IN SIN AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. YOU'RE JUST WITH ME." THE SECOND THING IS FAMILIARITY, AND THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. NOW, THIS IS JESUS' OWN FAMILY. JESUS' OWN FAMILY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN HIM. THEY HAD A HORRIBLE PROBLEM WITH BELIEVING IN JESUS. THIS IS MARK 3:21, AND IT SAYS, "BUT WHEN HIS OWN PEOPLE"-- THAT'S HIS FAMILY--"HEARD ABOUT THIS, THEY WENT OUT TO LAY HOLD OF HIM, FOR THEY SAID, 'HE'S OUT OF HIS MIND.'" JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY AND WHEN JESUS BEGAN TO MINISTER, HIS FAMILY DIDN'T SAY, "OH, MY GOSH. ISN'T JESUS SOMETHING?" HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND HIS FAMILY CAME TO GET HIM WHEN HE WAS HEALING THE SICK AND RAISING THE DEAD AND DOING ALL THESE FANTASTIC THINGS IN MINISTRY. THEY THOUGHT, "YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR EVER LOVIN' MIND, BUD." YOU KNOW, "WE USED TO PLAY," YOU KNOW, "BALL WITH YOU OUT IN THE YARD." YOU KNOW, "WE USED TO--TO SLEEP WITH YOU AND WE USED TO EAT WITH YOU AND GO TO SCHOOL WITH YOU, AND NOW, YOU'RE OUT THERE ACTING LIKE SOME BIG SHOT PREACHER. YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND." THEY CAME TO GET HIM. JESUS, THE CITY OF NAZARETH, HIS HOME TOWN, HERE'S WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE CITY OF NAZARETH, WHICH IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE, "HE WENT OUT FROM THERE AND CAME TO HIS OWN COUNTRY." THAT'S TALKING ABOUT NAZARETH. "AND HIS DISCIPLES FOLLOWED HIM. WHEN THE SABBATH HAD COME, HE BEGAN TO TEACH IN THE SYNAGOGUE, AND MANY HEARING HIM WERE ASTONISHED, SAYING, 'WHERE'D THIS MAN GET THESE THINGS? AND WHAT WISDOM IS THIS, UH, IS GIVEN TO HIM THAT SUCH MIGHTY WORKS ARE PERFORMED BY HIS HANDS? IS THIS NOT THE CARPENTER? THE SON OF MARY AND THE BROTHER OF JAMES, JOSEPH, JUDAS, AND SIMON? AND ARE NOT HIS SISTERS HERE WITH US?' SO, THEY WERE OFFENDED AT HIM, BUT JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'A PROPHET IS NOT WITHOUT HONOR, EXCEPT IN HIS OWN COUNTRY AMONG HIS OWN RELATIVES AND HIS OWN HOUSE.' NOW, HE COULD DO NO MIGHTY WORK THERE EXCEPT THAT HE LAID HIS HANDS ON A FEW PEOPLE AND HEALED THEM, AND HE MARVELED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. THEN HE WENT ABOUT THE VILLAGES IN A CIRCUIT TEACHING." YOU KNOW, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PROBLEM WITH--WITH GOD, AND THAT IS THAT PEOPLE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND BEGIN TO TAKE HIM FOR GRANTED. HOW CAN HE RELATE TO US AND US NOT TAKE HIM FOR GRANTED OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM? BECAUSE GOD IS A HIGHLY RELATIONAL GOD. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE MOVIE, IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT, CALLED "THE WIZARD OF OZ." I GREW UP WITH "THE WIZARD OF OZ," SO I'VE SEEN IT A HUNDRED TIMES. IN "THE WIZARD OF OZ," THERE'S DOROTHY, THE SCARECROW, THE TIN MAN, THE COWARDLY LION, TOTO. ALL OF THEM TAKE A TRIP TO OZ. AND WHEN THEY GET TO OZ, THEY GET INTO THE PRESENCE OF WHAT THEY THINK IS THE WIZARD OF OZ. BUT THE FIRST WIZARD OF OZ THAT THEY MEET IS A FLASHING HEAD WITH THIS BOOMING VOICE, AND THEY'RE--ALL OF THEM ARE TERRIFIED. THEY'RE SHAKING IN THEIR BOOTS. THEY DREAD THE EXPERIENCE. WHEN THEY GET AWAY, THEY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK. AND THE WIZARD OF OZ TERRIFIES THEM. WELL, THEY GO AND THEY DEFEAT THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST AND BRING HER BROOM BACK AND LAY IT DOWN, AND IN THE PROCESS OF THE SECOND EVENT OF THE FLASHING HEAD, TOTO, THE DOG, GOES OVER AND PULLS THE CURTAIN BACK AND THERE'S THIS SWEET LITTLE MAN THAT'S THERE THAT ACCIDENTALLY GOT TRAPPED IN OZ AND HE'S THE REAL WIZARD, BUT HE CREATED THE--THIS BIG, HUGE FLASHING HEAD TO PROTECT HIMSELF BECAUSE HE KNEW IF THEY EVER FOUND OUT HE WASN'T REALLY WHO THEY THOUGHT HE WAS, THEY WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM. WELL, I WANT TO SUBMIT TO YOU THAT GOD HAS THE SAME DILEMMA, AND THAT IS, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GOD CAME ONE TIME TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ON THE TOP OF MOUNT SINAI WITH FLASHING THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AND A BOOMING VOICE, AND THE PEOPLE SAID TO MOSES, "WE WILL NOT RELATE TO HIM. YOU GO RELATE TO HIM. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT." SEE, OUR GOD IS A HIGHLY RELATIONAL GOD, AND SEE, THE ISSUE IS THIS: HOW CAN GOD BE RELATIONAL WITH US FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A BOOMING VOICE WITH A FLASHING HEAD AND LIGHTNING AND THUNDER AND ALL THAT? AND THE ANSWER IS, HE JUST--HE CAN'T. THAT'S WHY JESUS CAME. THAT'S WHY, IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, HE WALKED AND TALKED WITH THEM. THAT'S WHY IN ETERNITY, WE LIVE IN THE MIDST OF NEW JERUSALEM WITH GOD FOREVER AND EVER AND HE'S OUR FATHER, OUR LOVING FATHER AND OUR HUSBAND JESUS. AND THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW, JESUS DOESN'T RELATE TO US ON THE BASIS OF A FLASHING HEAD SCARING US TO DEATH. SEE THAT--THAT WAS THE CONCEPT THAT THE IS--THE JEWS HAD. IS, WHEN JESUS COMES, HE'S GOING TO COME AND HE'S GOING TO MOUNT THE TEMPLE MOUNT WITH THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AND GLORY AND REVELATION AND--AND HE'S GONNA AWE THE WORLD AND ALL THAT. NO, SORRY. THAT'S NOT THE WAY HE DOES THINGS. HERE'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. THIS IS JESUS IN MATTHEW, CHAPTER 11. "COME TO ME ALL WHO ARE LA--WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT." JESUS TOLD US, HE SAYS, "LISTEN, IF YOU--IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ME, UNDERSTAND IT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING, BUT I'M GENTLE AND LOWLY." GENTLE AND LOWLY MEANS THAT HE'S HUMBLE. YOU'RE SAFE IN HIS HANDS. WITH ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, WITH ALL YOUR HANG-UPS, WITH ALL YOUR FAILURES, HE'LL NEVER HURT YOU. HE'LL NEVER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU. HE'S NOT A FLASHING HEAD BARKING AT US FROM HEAVEN. HE'S A LOVING SAVIOR HOLDING OUR HAND ON EARTH. FAMILIARITY IS A PROBLEM. THERE'S ONE MORE THING I WANT TO SAY BEFORE I CLOSE. THE THIRD ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH IS CALLED "MAGIC MOMENTS AND MONUMENTS." MAGIC MOMENTS AND MONUMENTS. AND THAT IS ATTRIBUTING TO THINGS OR PLACES THE PRESENCE OF GOD. AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. IN MATTHEW 17 AND IN MARK 9, UH, YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, OF--JESUS TOOK PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN UP ON THIS MOUNTAIN AND HE WAS TRANSFIGURED, AND MOSES AND ELIJAH APPEARED. AND WHEN MOSES AND ELIJAH APPEARED, PETER, WHO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAD, YOU KNOW, SANDAL-IN-MOUTH DISEASE. HE WAS ALWAYS KIND OF SAYING THE WRONG THING AT THE WRONG TIME. 'CAUSE I LOVE PETER 'CAUSE I CAN RELATE TO HIM. PETER SAID, "OH, LORD, LET'S--LET'S BUILD 3 TABERNACLES HERE. ONE TO YOU, AND ONE TO MOSES, AND ONE TO ELIJAH." AND THIS CLOUD IMMEDIATELY OVERSHADOWS THEM AND GOD SAYS TO PETER," THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. LISTEN. LISTEN. STOP TALKING. LISTEN." AND PETER, OF COURSE, IS, YOU KNOW, REBUKED AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING MAGICAL ABOUT THAT MOUNTAIN. THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT JESUS. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS WANTING TO TAKE THE PLACE WHERE SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENED AND TO ATTRIBUTE SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT TO IT. THIS IS THE STORY NOW IN JOHN 4 OF JESUS AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. "THE WOMAN SAID TO HIM, 'SIR, I PERCEIVE THAT YOU ARE A PROPHET. OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPED ON THIS MOUNTAIN AND YOU JEWS SAY THAT IN JERUSALEM IS THE PLACE WHERE ONE OUGHT TO WORSHIP.' JESUS SAID TO HER, 'WOMAN, BELIEVE ME. THE HOUR IS COMING WHEN YOU WILL NEITHER ON THIS MOUNTAIN NOR IN JERUSALEM WORSHIP THE FATHER. YOU WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW. WE KNOW WHAT WE WORSHIP, FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS. BUT THE HOUR IS COMING AND NOW IS WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. FOR THE FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM. GOD IS SPIRIT AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.'" AND THIS HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM NOW FOR--FOR GENERATIONS, UH, RELATED TO SPIRITUALITY. PETER THOUGHT THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION. I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE GOD IS BECAUSE--I MEAN, LET'S BUILD A TABERNACLE TO HIM. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE MOUNTAIN WHERE HE LIVES, AND SO, LET'S JUST WORSHIP ON THIS MOUNTAIN. AND--AND GOD REBUKED PETER RIGHT THERE. AND THEN, THE SAMARITANS BELIEVED THAT YOU OUGHT TO WORSHIP OVER HERE AT THIS MOUNTAIN. JESUS SAID, "LADY, THE DAY HAS COME WHEN NO LONGER DO PEOPLE WORSHIP ON MOUNTAINS OR AT CERTAIN PLACES." GOD IS SPIRIT. WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HE'S EVERYWHERE. HE'S LIKE OXYGEN. HE'S EVERYWHERE. GOD IS SPIRIT. YOU CAN'T PUT HIM IN A FIXED PLACE. HE DOESN'T LIVE IN FIXED PLACES. HE LIVES EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY WHERE HUMAN BEINGS ARE. HE LIVES IN US. LADY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORSHIP AT THAT MOUNTAIN ANYMORE. WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. THAT IS THE KIND OF WORSHIP THAT GOD WANTS. SOME PEOPLE THINK, IF THERE'S NOT A--IF THERE'S NOT A MOUNTAIN, IF THERE'S NOT A CHURCH BUILDING, IF THERE'S NOT A--A CERTAIN, UH, PLACE OR A CROSS OR A--OR A CRUCIFIX OR A--OR, YOU KNOW, ROSARY OR SOMETHING PHYSICAL THAT TANGIBLY I CAN HOLD ON TO AND ATTRIBUTE GOD TO THAT PLACE, I'M NOT READY TO WORSHIP. I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU'RE STRIPPED NAKED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD ALL BY YOURSELF ON YOUR WORST DAY, YOU'RE READY TO WORSHIP BECAUSE GOD IS WITH YOU. HE DOESN'T LIVE IN PLACES AND IN THINGS. HE LIVES EVERYWHERE. HE IS A COMMON GOD AND HE LIVES IN COMMON PLACES, AND NOT IN MAGIC MOMENTS AND MONUMENTS. AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES AT CAMPS OR REVIVALS OR AT CERTAIN PLACES AND THEY THINK, "WELL, GOD WAS THERE." NO, HE'S WITH US. GOD DOESN'T SHOW UP IN A SPECIAL WAY AT SPECIAL TIMES BECAUSE HE'S ONLY IN CERTAIN PLACES AT SPECIAL TIMES. GOD SHOWS UP POWERFULLY AT CERTAIN TIMES TO REMIND US HE'S ALWAYS THERE. I'M SURE YOU'VE HAD SOME SPECIAL MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU JUST KNEW THAT YOU KNEW THAT YOU KNEW THAT GOD WAS THERE. HE WASN'T THERE ONLY BECAUSE HE SHOWED UP AT THAT MOMENT AND THEN HE WENT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO REMIND YOU, "I'M ALWAYS THERE. I'M ALWAYS THERE." I TELL YOU, THE WISE MEN WERE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. THEY CAME TO BETHLEHEM. NO ONE ELSE DID. BUT THEY CAME TO A VERY COMMON PLACE AND A COMMON-LOOKING CHILD WITH COMMON-LOOKING PARENTS, BORN IN A VERY COMMON WAY. AND THEY WORSHIPPED. WELL, I HOPE THAT THAT MESSAGE GETS YOU IN THE CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY MOOD BECAUSE IT'S A VERY SPECIAL SEASON THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, AND KAREN AND I, AND ALL OF THE STAFF HERE AT "MARRIAGE TODAY," WE JUST WANT TO SAY, "MERRY CHRISTMAS." YOU KNOW, AREN'T YOU THANKFUL THAT JESUS CAME TO THE EARTH? HE'S THE GREATEST GIFT THAT WAS EVER GIVEN. IT WASN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, A CAR OR AN iPHONE OR AN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS JESUS CHRIST. IT WAS A PERSON, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. SO, WE ARE SO GLAD TODAY ABOUT JESUS AND THE DIFFERENCE HE MAKES IN--IN ALL OF OUR LIVES. THE MESSAGE THAT YOU HEARD TODAY, "FINDING GOD," WE WANT TO GET YOU THAT FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT SO THAT YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT IN ITS ENTIRETY AND GIVE IT TO A FRIEND, AND JUST ENCOURAGE YOURSELF FROM TIME TO TIME BECAUSE IT IS AN ENCOURAGING MESSAGE. THE--THE PRESENCE OF JESUS, THE REALITY OF GOD IN OUR LIVES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BAR NONE, THAT ANY OF US CAN HAVE, AND SO, WE WANT TO GET YOU THAT FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT. FOR YOUR GIFT OF $60 OR MORE--NOW, AS WE'RE GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS TO--TO WORK ON YOUR MARRIAGE, WORK ON YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. AND I HAVE A NEW BOOK CALLED "LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR." WE ALSO HAVE A CD SERIES, A 4-PART CD SERIES ON THE "LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR" SEMINAR, AND FOR YOUR GIFT OF $60 OR MORE RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT "MARRIAGE TODAY," WE WANT TO GET YOU THAT ENTIRE 4-PART CD SERIES ALONG WITH THE BOOK. FOR YOUR GIFT OF $90 OR MORE, WE WANT TO GET YOU THE "LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR" DVD SERIES, PLUS THE BOOK, PLUS OUR VISION RESOURCE CALLED "THE MOUNTAINTOP OF MARRIAGE." WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BEGIN THE YEAR BY SITTING DOWN TOGETHER AND PRAYING AS A COUPLE AND FINDING GOD'S VISION FOR YOUR MARRIAGE. THAT'S WHAT "MOUNTAINTOP OF MARRIAGE" IS ALL ABOUT. SO, FOR $90, YOU GET THE DVD SERIES, THE BOOK, AND THE VISION RESOURCE "MOUNTAINTOP OF MARRIAGE." WE WANT TO GET THESE TO YOU. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET THEM. ANNOUNCER: TRANSFORM YOUR MARRIAGE INTO A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR. FOR YOUR GIFT OF $60 OR MORE, WE'LL SEND YOU JIMMY'S LATEST CD SERIES AND BOOK. FOR YOUR GIFT OF $90 OR MORE, WE'LL SEND YOU THE DVD SERIES, BOOK, AND "THE MOUNTAINTOP OF MARRIAGE" VISION RETREAT GUIDEBOOK. IN THIS INSPIRING SERIES, JIMMY REVEALS HOW TO STAY IN LOVE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, HOW TO HAVE VISION FOR YOUR MARRIAGE, AND HOW TO HAVE GOD'S BLESSING ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. JIMMY: AND I'M SAYING YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN HAVE A MARRIAGE THAT GETS BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER AND YOU CAN HAVE A MARRIAGE THAT LASTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. ANNOUNCER: FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT TO SUPPORT "MARRIAGE TODAY," WE'LL SEND YOU THE ENTIRE "FINDING GOD" CD SINGLE FROM TODAY'S TEACHING. NO MATTER WHERE YOUR MARRIAGE IS TODAY, YOU CAN HAVE A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR. EXPERIENCE JIMMY'S LATEST SERIES TODAY. JIMMY: TODAY IN AMERICA, 49% OF ADULT AMERICANS ARE MARRIED. FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE ARE BEING MARRIED, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, MANY PEOPLE FEAR IT. YOU KNOW, AS WE APPROACH THE END OF THE YEAR, I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU WILL BE GIVING END OF THE YEAR GIFTS. AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER "MARRIAGE TODAY" AS A PART OF YOUR YEAR END GIVING. WE'RE A MINISTRY AND WE'RE A MISSION, GOING ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND HELPING THEM TO SUCCEED. AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. AND WE'RE ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE GO INTO OVER 110 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS EVERY DAY IN NORTH AMERICA, PLUS 200 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT WITH YOUR SUPPORT. WHAT OUR PASSION IS IS TO HELP PEOPLE SUCCEED IN MARRIAGES. YOU DON'T HAVE A 50/50 CHANCE. YOU HAVE A 100% CHANCE IF YOU DO IT GOD'S WAY. IN OUR TELEVISION PROGRAM, IN OUR LIVE EVENTS, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE TOUCHING MILLIONS OF LIVES EVERY YEAR, AND MILLIONS OF FAMILIES AND MARRIAGES. WILL YOU CONSIDER GIVING A VERY GENEROUS YEAR-END GIFT TO US HERE AT "MARRIAGE TODAY" TO HELP US CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACHES, AND TO REACH FAMILIES, TO REACH YOU, TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND KEEP COMING BACK TO YOU, WE'RE RAISING A BIBLICAL STANDARD FOR MARRIAGE AND HELPING PEOPLE TO SUCCEED. PLEASE STAND WITH US IN THIS CRITICAL TIME. GOD BLESS YOU. THE WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AND THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS WE HAVE A SAVIOR THAT LIVES WITH US EVERY DAY. WHERE--WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM, WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THE CAR, WHEN YOU'RE AT WORK, WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, WHEN YOU'RE OUT, YOU KNOW, PLAYING SPORTS, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD DAY, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, WHEN YOU'RE JUST IN THE MENIAL THINGS OF LIFE OR WHEN YOU'RE IN THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LIFE, GOD IS WITH US. I MEAN, HE LIVES WITH US, AND IT'S THE MOST PHENOMENAL THING ABOUT CHRISTIANITY. AND LET ME SAY THIS, HE'S IN THE COMMON. AND THAT'S WHY, IN THIS MESSAGE, I WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE--THE WISE MEN WERE JUST THESE BRILLIANT PEOPLE. THINK ABOUT THIS JUST A MINUTE. THEY WERE THE KINGS. YOU KNOW, THE WISE MEN, THE MAGI FROM THE EAST. AND THEY CAME TO A BABY LAYING IN AN ANIMAL FEEDING TROUGH AND WORSHIPPED HIM AS GOD. THAT'S THE PHENOMENAL THING ABOUT THE WISE MEN. THEY KNEW THAT GOD WAS IN THAT BABY IN THAT ANIMAL FEEDING TROUGH. I MEAN, EVERYBODY ELSE WAS LOOKING FOR JESUS TO SHOW UP ON THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN OR IN A PALACE SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THEY KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT GOD THAT NO ONE ELSE KNEW AND THAT IS THAT HE WAS IN THAT COMMON PLACE. CAN I TELL YOU THAT GOD'S WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? HE IS WITH YOU. YOU MAY BE WATCHING THIS FROM PRISON. YOU MAY BE A MUSLIM. YOU MAY BE A HINDU. YOU MAY BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. I'M JUST TELLING YOU, JESUS LOVES YOU AND HE DIED FOR YOU ON THE CROSS. HE CAME TO LIVE AND DIE FOR US SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A PERSONAL, LIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. PERSONAL. IT'S NOT JUST A GROUP THING. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT A FEW SPECIAL PEOPLE GET. YOU. YOU. YOU MAY BE THE POOREST PERSON ON EARTH OR THE RICHEST PERSON ON EARTH. YOU MAY BE THE MOST COMMON-LOOKING PERSON ON THE EARTH OR THE BEST-LOOKING PERSON ON EARTH. I'M JUST TELLING YOU, GOD'S WITH YOU RIGHT NOW AND HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. YOU RECEIVE HIM INTO YOUR HEART, THAT'S WHY HE CAME IS TO BE RECEIVED. THE MAGI RECEIVED HIM. THAT'S WHY THEY WERE CALLED WISE PEOPLE. WE'RE WISE PEOPLE WHEN WE BELIEVE IN JESUS, THAT HE'S WITH US, THAT HE LOVES US, AND WE INVITE HIM INTO OUR HEARTS. YOU KNOW, THIS--THIS PROGRAM, THIS CHRISTMAS PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WHAT A JOY TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, AND WHAT A JOY TO KNOW THAT OUR GOD IS--IS THE GREATEST GIVER ON EARTH. THE GREATEST GIFT THAT WAS EVER GIVEN AT CHRISTMAS WAS CHRIST. THE ORIGINAL GIFT THAT STARTED EVERY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION WASN'T SOMETHING, IT WAS SOMEONE. GIVING IS IN THE SPIRIT OF JESUS. THAT'S WHY WE DO IT AT CHRISTMAS, AND SO, I HOPE THAT THIS IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE JESUS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL GIVE HIM AWAY AND TELL SOMEBODY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, KAREN AND I ARE ABLE TO COME TO YOU BECAUSE OF A SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE CALLED OUR ROCK SOLID PARTNERS. THEY STAND WITH US EVERY MONTH FINANCIALLY, AND FOR THAT, THEY GET A SPECIAL RESOURCE. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO BECOME ONE OF OUR SPECIAL PARTNERS AND HERE'S HOW YOU CAN DO IT. ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU STAND WITH "MARRIAGETODAY," YOUR INDIVIDUAL EFFORT MULTIPLIES WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED PARTNERS, AND TOGETHER, WE CAN REBUILD THE DREAM OF MARRIAGE FOR COUPLES AROUND THE WORLD. BEING A ROCK SOLID PARTNER WITH "MARRIAGE TODAY" GRANTS YOU IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO AN EXCLUSIVE LIBRARY OF THE MINISTRY'S RESOURCES AND INTIMATELY CONNECTS YOU WITH OUR MISSION OF HELPING COUPLES SUCCEED IN MARRIAGE. WOMAN: THAT'S REALLY WHY WE BECAME ROCK SOLID PARTNERS, JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH AVAILABLE TO HELP US TO HELP OTHER MARRIAGES HEAL THE WAY THAT WE HAVE. MAN: THAT'S WHY WE'RE TIED INTO THE MINISTRY. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BLESS AND GIVE SO THEY CAN KEEP DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WOMAN: YOU'RE GUARANTEED IF YOU LISTEN TO ANY OF THE RESOURCES, YOU READ THE RESOURCES, YOU COME TO A CONFERENCE, YOU WILL BE CHANGED. ANNOUNCER: EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO GIVE, AND THERE ARE MILLIONS OF UNREACHED COUPLES WHO DESPERATELY NEED THE MARRIAGE STRENGTHENING RESOURCES OF "MARRIAGETODAY." THAT'S WHY WE NEED YOU TO JOIN US. BECOME A ROCK SOLID PARTNER WITH THE MINISTRY AND MISSION OF "MARRIAGE TODAY." JIMMY: I WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU WERE CREATED BY LOVE TO LOVE. THAT'S WHO YOU ARE. IT'S NOT THE LUCKY FEW THAT SUCCEED IN MARRIAGE. ALL OF US CAN SUCCEED IN MARRIAGE. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, IN THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD TIMES, GOD IS GREATER THAN ANY ISSUE THAT WE'LL EVER FACE. KAREN: IN SPITE OF US, HE MADE SOMETHING GOOD OUT OF IT. HE CAN DO THAT WITH ANYBODY. JIMMY: THIS IS ABOUT HELPING US TO BUILD A FAMILY THAT WILL LAST. KAREN: I'D PROBABLY SAY MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS WITH THE FAMILY WAS ONE ONLY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. WE GOT THE--THE TREE AND THE--THE ORNAMENTS WERE HANDMADE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE--THE GIFTS WERE, OF COURSE, HANDED OUT BY THE GRANDKIDS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE--WE JUST DIDN'T MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT EVERYTHING, AND IT WAS JUST THE MOST EASY, LAID-BACK, CASUAL, FUN TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE EVER HAD AS A--FOR CHRISTMAS. ANNOUNCER: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "MARRIAGE TODAY WITH JIMMY & KAREN." SECOND ANNOUNCER: DON'T MISS THE XO MARRIAGE CONFERENCE WITH JIMMY AND KAREN EVANS, FEBRUARY 12th AND 13th, LIVE AT GATEWAY CHURCH. OR FIND A HOST SITE NEAR YOU. VISIT XOMARRIAGECONFERENCE.COM.
