Note:    There is 1 minute of intentional silence as the beginning of the mesage.   You will hear footsteps and me breathing a I took a sip of coffee.   This was an idea I borrowed from another preacher as an introduction to make a point.   

Every year, the Christian church celebrates the anniversary of the coming of our Lord – of God choosing to step out of Heaven and taking the form of a baby – to be born a human being.  Jesus lived, and died as a human being – he is fully God and fully man.  He rose from the dead.  He died in our place – so that we would not be punished for our sin – but he instead took the punishment for our sins.     

So, today, we recognize the 2nd week of Advent Season – so we are looking forward to that special day when we remember that he came.    

Today…I want to recognize the special significance of the TIME…of the very moment that Jesus came.    Did you know it was not just a random time that Jesus came?    God knew from the very beginning that he was going to send Jesus to die for us…and it wasn’t a coincidence that the world looked like it did at that very moment.  God wasn’t just HOPING that the world would be ready for him.    Our God planned it out very specifically—very intentionally for that moment.