Christ Is Born to Save, Part 1

On behalf of Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll and the entire team at Insight for Living Ministries, who serves you throughout the year, we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

I'm Dave Spiker, so glad you've joined us on this Christmas Day. During the next half hour, you'll take a front-row seat in the sanctuary of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas to experience a majestic celebration of Jesus' birth in sacred song. And while you're enjoying the full choir and orchestra, there's a global audience joining you today as well. Chuck Swindoll's Bible teaching is heard in multiple languages and on more than 2,000 radio stations around the world.

It's all made possible because like-minded friends step forward and support Insight for Living. We invite you to add your voice to the congregation at Stonebriar Community Church in singing this traditional favorite, Joy to the World. O, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

O, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so You are celebrating Christmas with your friends at Insight for Living Ministries. Coming up, Chuck Swindoll invites us to reflect on the surprise that disrupted human history more than 2,000 years ago.

He'll be sharing some thoughts on that in just a moment. But first, the choir and orchestra at Stonebriar Community Church present this beautiful rendition of a familiar Christmas favorite. This seasonal hymn finds its roots in Luke chapter 2. Feel free to sing along with us, Angels We Have Heard on High. And sing with mine, echo with their joys fairs. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strength alone? What the words of tidings be which inspire your head and soul? Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Gloria, in excelsis Deo. Translated, those Latin words declare glory to God in the highest. That's what the angel said when telling the shepherds that their Messiah was on the way. You're listening to a special Christmas Day edition of Insight for Living.

In a moment, Chuck Swindoll will open his heart and share a brief message with us. But first, let's spend a few minutes imagining the mixed emotions Mary felt when, as a teenaged virgin, she carried the Christ child. Did Mary truly understand that her baby would transform the world? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk with daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered was so delivered for you. Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would come astern with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? You kiss your little baby.

You kiss the face of God. Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know? The blind will see, the deaf will hear. The dead will live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak. The brave will sing, the poor will sing.

The faces of the deaf. Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will come to the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect land?

That this sleeping child you're holding, that this baby you are holding, that this sleeping child you're holding is the great land? Applause Our thanks to internationally renowned vocalist David Gashin and the Stonebriar Community Church Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Don McMinn. You're listening to Insight for Living.

And if you missed any portion of today's special Christmas Day edition, feel free to stream the complete program directly from insight.org. Well, setting everything else aside, we focus our attention now on this devotional from our Bible teacher, Chuck Swindoll. Surprises. There probably is not a better word to describe God's favorite method of working. Have you learned yet that you can never guess what he's up to? You think he's going to open one door and he closes it and then he turns around and closes the door? You were convinced he would open. He takes delight in doing what is the unexpected and can never be anticipated. I love that about him because it not only keeps me trusting, it makes me wait. And both are hard for me. Trusting and waiting.

Maybe you have the same issues in your life. But Christmas rolls around and here we are again at the greatest of all surprises. I mean, who would have ever expected that God would come as a baby and be placed in a feeding trough?

Of all places, Bethlehem. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I love to read, and I realize with a military background that the 75th anniversary of the Second World War will happen in 2020. In fact, early September, which means that a number of books are written about the greatest generation who helped win that war.

In fact, they won it. A great story I came across takes place in a most unusual place inside a B-17 bomber called back then of Flying Fortress. 10 men formed the crew of a Flying Fortress.

There are gunners all around, tail, belly, sides, top, front. There's a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier. And this particular flight has a crew that's unusually nervous, not only because they've lost friends in previous mission that they've flown, but because they've come close themselves. In fact, every flight is sort of a flirtation with death. The chaplain on the base in England realized that these men were really edgy.

Some were about to break. And he thought, maybe there's something I can do or say by being with them that would help. In this particular mission, that would take them deep into the enemy territory. So he got on board, and they took off. And after hours of flying, they found themselves very close to their destination when that payload would be released. But of course, there were tall anti-aircraft guns down below aimed right at them and the other planes. And there were these Messerschmitts and Focke-Wolds and other German fighters swarming around them like angry wasps, firing away. And the sound was almost deafening. And the chaplain figured, this is my moment.

There was a little lull in the fight. And so he got on the intercom. And he said, all right, men, listen to me carefully. The enemy is out there. But God is on this plane. He will see us through. He is here. He is among us. He will get us back safely to our base.

You can count on it. The tail gunner, about 75 feet on the other end of the plane, grabbed the intercom and said, with all due respect, chaplain, he may be up there at the cockpit with you guys. But he ain't back here with me in the tail of this plane. And about that time, boom!

Would you believe it? A shell went through the bottom of the fuselage and out the top. But it didn't explode miraculously. It didn't explode.

It just tore a hole in the bottom and ripped its way out the top about three feet from the tail gunner, who is now about as wide as a bed sheet. He gets back on the intercom, and he says, as you were, chaplain, God just stepped in. I don't know of four better words to describe Christmas than God just stepped in. He comes quietly, almost reverently. He comes in peaceful moments that calm our spirits and get our attention. There he lay, for shepherds to find him, for the wise men to see him, for angels to announce him. You see, he doesn't always come without explosions in his surprising moments. God often steps in in the most unobtrusive, unexpected ways. James Allen Francis searched for a way to describe the beauty and simplicity and subtlety of Jesus' person and work.

He put it in words that we love to return to every Christmas. He wrote, here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where he worked in a carpenter shop for 30 years. And then he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book, never went to college, never owned a home, never had a family, never put his foot inside of what we would call a big city. He never did one of the things that usually accompanied greatness.

He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of his divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of public opinion, turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him, another betrayed him. He was turned over to his enemies, went through the mockery of a trial, six of them, all of them illegal. Though innocent, he was nailed to a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for his only piece of property he had on this earth, and that was his coat. When he was dead, he was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. 19, now 20, wide centuries have come and gone, and today he is the centerpiece of the human race. He is still the leader in the column of progress.

I'm far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever were built, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings who ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of mankind upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life. Bow with me, will you? There are some in this place who have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. This may be the reason you came, to let Christ just walk into your life.

Invite him in. Lord Jesus, right now, please come into my life. I give you my heart.

I take your life. Thank you for coming in. Dear Father, we are grateful for this place to worship. We're grateful for wonderful music and time to be still and to hear again that you are God. But most of all, we're grateful for Jesus, who loved us and gave himself for us. We pause right now to give him first place. And we invite you, Lord, this season to just walk right in.

Take charge. Use our gifts now for the purpose of making your son known here in this community and beyond around the world. We give joyfully and generously, like you give, in the name of your son, whom you gave, Jesus Christ himself. And all his people said, amen. While you're enjoying this special Christmas Day edition of Insight for Living, you're joined by countless thousands, perhaps millions, around the world.

And it's all because men and women like you voluntarily support this program with your prayers and your financial support. On behalf of Chuck Swindoll and all of us at Insight for Living Ministries, we express our profound thanks. And now we have the privilege of celebrating the birth of Christ through this majestic musical presentation by the Stonebriar Community Church Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra. Sing, Noel. Sing, Hallelujah. Come, ye olde, this child in the manger, give to the Father's great God.

Angels, look out, as his glory surrounds and soars in heaven above. Sing, Noel. Sing, Hallelujah, with us now come to dwell. Sing, Noel, and in it high his praises, Christ our Emmanuel, Christ our Emmanuel. Make up your heads, all who wander in darkness, shine, for your light has come.

Down through the ages, who sings, battle rages, Christ our Messiah has won. Sing, Noel. Sing, Hallelujah, come, the power of living. Sing, Noel, and in it high his praises, Christ come to set us all free.

Christ come to set us all free. Let every daughter and son of the Father rise on this Christmas day. Let heaven and earth sing of praise and rejoice, Christ our Emmanuel. Sing, Noel. Sing, Hallelujah, come, the creation great has come. Sing, Noel, and in it high his praises, Christ come to set us all free. Sing, Noel, and in it high his praises, all creation great has come. Sing, Noel, and in it high his praises, Christ come to set us all free. Christ come to set us all free.

Hallelujah. Today's special Christmas celebration was brought to you by your friends at Insight for Living Ministries and made possible through the generous support of loyal listeners like you. To give a year-end donation today, call us if you're listening in the United States, dial 1-800-772-8888.

You can also give online at insight.org. This is a production of... I'm Dave Spiker wishing you a wonderful Christmas. Please join us again Monday to hear the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll on Insight for Living. Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. is deeply grateful to Stonebriar Community Church for permission to use their 2019 performance of the concert Christ is Born to Save. The musical performances were copyrighted in 2019 by Stonebriar Community Church, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2020 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.