172 - 2023 Christmas Eve Special

[00:00:09] Speaker A: Well, hey, everybody. Thanks for tuning in to the Christmas Eve special of the Recovering fundamentalist podcast. That's Nathan. That's Brian. I'm JC. Merry Christmas. [00:00:20] Speaker B: Merry Christmas. [00:00:22] Speaker C: Merry Christmas, everybody. It's here. [00:00:24] Speaker A: I am so excited about this special. We've got some guests coming on tonight. Road. Mark Lowry, Mark Milioni, the RFP network. It's going to be a great night. We've got a big announcement to tell you later on. And I'm fired up. Y'all excited? [00:00:41] Speaker B: I am. [00:00:42] Speaker C: I am. [00:00:42] Speaker A: Well, let's do this thing. Y'all ready? [00:00:45] Speaker B: I'm ready. [00:00:45] Speaker C: I'm ready. [00:00:47] Speaker A: Let's go. Hold it. [00:00:50] Speaker C: JC, I need to ask you a. [00:00:53] Speaker A: Uh oh. [00:00:54] Speaker C: So for four years, you've been saying let's go? [00:00:57] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:00:58] Speaker C: Since it's Christmas just one time, can you say let's go? [00:01:03] Speaker A: Ho. Oh, my goodness. [00:01:07] Speaker C: Just for me, it's Christmas. [00:01:10] Speaker A: All right, here we go. Let's go. Hey, RFP fam. [00:01:19] Speaker B: It's Chosen Road and we would love. [00:01:21] Speaker D: To wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy and blessed new year. [00:01:25] Speaker A: Here's a little song that you might know to get you in the Christmas spirit this Christmas Eve. [00:01:28] Speaker D: Well, glory. [00:02:20] Speaker A: Oh, I love those guys right there. That is Chosen Road. Some of the. Some good friends of the recovering fundamentalist podcast go check their music out today. Chosen Road on YouTube and anywhere music can be downloaded. [00:02:35] Speaker B: Those boys can sing and play. [00:02:38] Speaker A: Yeah, they can. [00:02:39] Speaker C: Yes, they can. And if they're anywhere nearby you in concert, they're not just great musicians, they're not just great singers. They are great people. They love Jesus. And if you go to one of their concerts, you will leave fired up. [00:02:53] Speaker A: Yeah. I love those guys to death. They just came down and played our church's birthday party outdoors in the sun for an hour nonstop. They are first class all the way. Chosen row. Merry Christmas. We love you all. Guys, can you believe it's Christmas Eve already? It's like we were just here and it's back. It's Christmas Eve. [00:03:14] Speaker B: It really feels to me like it's still 2019. And we're getting ready to launch the podcast. I can't believe we're getting ready to go into our fifth year of recording as the RFP. [00:03:28] Speaker C: It's insane to even think about that. And how awesome is it that we get to spend these christmases together and for just a few minutes, have this time? It's become a Christmas tradition for the three of us. [00:03:40] Speaker B: It really has. [00:03:41] Speaker A: It really has. And we are here Christmas Eve. I mean, there are parents right now putting things together with Allen wrenches and trying to read instructions. And my kids, we don't have a lot for them this Christmas, but we got all of them bicycles and they're not going to listen to this, I hope, but we're going to surprise them tomorrow. I've got them all set up on the stage at church and going to have the lights on. And so I'm just super excited. I love that we're right here in the thick of the Christmas season, and I'm glad that you're here with us. [00:04:14] Speaker C: Speaking of Christmas, JC, this is the time of year when we see more angels, we think about angels more. And I have to tell you guys, one of the funniest things that's happened in a long, long time. So you guys know how my little girl, you know, she's just as sweet as she can be. And we have this tradition. A lot of times late at night, we'll sit in by the kitchen table and I'll get on YouTube and I'll play songs and give her only a few bars. And then she tries to guess. Her musical taste is so wide and so varied. So the other night, I told her, I said, marley, I'm going to make this really hard for you. I'm going to go way back into the want to see how good you are? So I'm playing some songs and she's not getting many of them. So finally I said, well, let me throw you an easy one. I'm just going to throw you a bone. And so I start playing this song and I stop it. She said, daddy, I know it. I know that. Please, please, just give me the first letter of the artist's name. I said, marley, I'm going to do you one better than that. I'm going to give you the greatest clue of all times. A disciple and an angel. That's his name. A disciple and an angel. She said, george Michael. I said, oh, yeah, george was my favorite disciple. And George was on the boat with Jesus, and George, and Jesus walked down by the sea of Galilee and George helped feed 5000. So we laughed for about 20 minutes. George the disciple. But she said, okay, daddy. Peter Gabriel. I said, aha. Now you're there. There is an angel named Gabriel. There is no disciple named George. Just in case anybody's confused. [00:06:06] Speaker A: That is awesome. George Michael. Well, he's not a character of Christmas, if you will, but I'm interested. I don't know if we've ever talked about this, because one of the things that we've done is we talked about our favorite traditions and things like that. What is your favorite character of Christmas, Brian? [00:06:33] Speaker C: Well, every year I talk about the shepherds. They're my favorite. I love them because they were unknown, overlooked. They were the lowest on the totem pole of society. And Jesus just made this great statement by allowing the news of his birth to be announced to them first. And then I think it's also cool that keepers of the lamb of lambs were the first to worship the lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world. So for me, I'm going to have to be traditional and repetitive and say, I love the shepherds. [00:07:14] Speaker B: Well, Brian, I agree, the shepherds are pretty amazing. But my favorite has always been Jesus. I mean, he's my favorite Christmas character, but I'm assuming JC meant besides Jesus. Obviously Jesus is the greatest Christmas character. He is the Christ. But I love thinking about Simeon waiting his entire life to see and hold the baby Jesus. God had told him that he would not die until he saw the messiah. And for him to be at the temple at just the right time and to know through the power of the Holy Spirit that that was the Christ child, and to hold him and to worship and to make this prophecy and declaration. Man, every year when I read it, I just get chill bumps. It's an amazing story. And he's just like, man, my soul can rest in peace. Now I'm ready to go because I've seen the salvation of the Lord and that gets me every year at Christmas time. [00:08:24] Speaker A: That is really good. I think this Christmas, one of my favorites. I love every aspect of the Christmas story, but this Christmas I've really wanted to dive into the lesser known characters of Christmas. And I've really been in Malachi three, two and three and four where it's talking about the prophecies of what's coming. And then we know that there will be two messengers coming, and Zechariah and Elizabeth and how she has a baby in her olden days. But how Zechariah was mute when he doubted that this elderly woman, 88 plus years old, was going to give birth. I mean, can you imagine that? Let's be honest. That's crazy. I mean, here's Mary. It's two supernatural encounters. Mary, a virgin, Elizabeth in her eighty s, and Zechariah, he's like, are you sure? Muted. Can you imagine being mute your entire wife's pregnancy? Like she probably would think that's a Christmas miracle. But, I mean, I got to thinking about this and the thought process of Zechariah being mute. So his son would be the one who would be the voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Messiah. It's not a character of Christmas that we necessarily think of, but it's one that prepares the way for the coming messiah. He was mute. What a contrast. He was mute, but his son was the one crying out, behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the just. Man, I got goosebumps reading that the other day, just thinking about the whole aspect, the 400 years of silence between Malachi four and Matthew, and then boom, here comes Jesus, and just, wow, what an incredible. And that led into Simeon and the shepherds and just the whole Christmas story. But looking at how all of the prophecies were fulfilled, it's such an incredible story where Jesus, the light of the world, stepped into darkness. Born as a know, he didn't console us here on the RFP with how he should come, because we'd have been like, hey, come on the RFP and tell everybody know. Come down at the Super bowl and be like, people of the earth, I have come, but he came as a baby in a manger, in a stable. Stinky, nasty, rotten, dirty stable. Not a place that a king should come. No fanfare. He came as a baby. And what an incredible, credible way for the messiah to come. [00:10:55] Speaker C: Amen to all of that. [00:10:56] Speaker B: JC. [00:10:57] Speaker A: I agree. [00:10:57] Speaker B: I've mentioned Zacharias in two of my last Christmas sermons because his prophecy is just so full. When he finally says his name is John after the child is born and he prophesies, man, it is amazing. It's so full of gospel. It's so full of the Holy Ghost. I've talked about that in two of my last sermons. I love that. Another part I love about Christmas and all the traditions that we have are the Christmas songs, and there have been many Christmas songs. Hey, speaking of that, what are your favorite Christmas songs? [00:11:35] Speaker A: Anything. Casting crowns. [00:11:40] Speaker B: Hey, actually, so casting crowns does my favorite Christmas song. It's been my favorite for, I think, three or four years now. And I heard the bells on Christmas day. Dude, that song is so good. And casting crowns took it to a whole new level. That song is amazing. [00:11:59] Speaker A: Listen, I love Christmas music, period. I start Christmas music October 1, and I listen to it all the way up until Christmas. Now, December 26, I'm done with Christmas music on December 26, but I love it all from the cheesy traditional stuff to the incredible, incredible song. There are so many good ones out there right now. Torn Wells has some incredible Christmas music right now. I don't think pinpoint one song. There's the familiar and the favorites, but they're all just good. [00:12:31] Speaker C: Well, I love away in a manger because as we all know, jesus was away in a know there's a, there's a non traditional Christmas song that I've really come to love. Have you guys heard the song I. [00:12:45] Speaker A: Want to hit the bottom of? [00:12:47] Speaker C: You know, that one always blesses my heart for sure. But have you guys heard the song? You have come to save us. Oh yeah, Jesus, you're the one who saves us. You're the one who saves us. King of all kings, lord of all lords. Man, I love that song. It's just a rich outpouring of the gospel message through the Christmas story. And each time I sing that song, I finish singing that song. More in love with the gospel and more the way more in love with the way that Christmas testifies of the gospel. [00:13:25] Speaker B: Another song that has been a favorite of mine over the past few years, probably the past 20 years, is a song that we're going to let a friend of ours introduce. Hi, folks, this is Mark Lowry. Thank you for listening to the recovering fundamentalist podcast. I hope you have a very merry Christmas. [00:13:48] Speaker A: And here's a little song I wrote a few years ago I hope you enjoy. [00:13:52] Speaker D: It's Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new. This child that you delivered will soon deliver you. Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? Did you know your baby boy has walked their angels trot? When you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God. Sa end the lame will leave the dark, will speak the praises of the love. Mary, did you know that your baby. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Boy. [00:17:10] Speaker D: Is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nation? Did you know that your baby boy. The sleeping child you're holding is the. [00:17:47] Speaker A: Great. [00:17:49] Speaker D: The great I. [00:18:35] Speaker E: Hi, this is Mark Milioni from Springfield, Missouri. Would you join me as we hear the Christmas story as told in Luke, chapter two. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quorinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered. Everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling claws and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling claws, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherd said to one another, let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Amen and merry Christmas. [00:21:22] Speaker A: Amen. Of course, that was our friend Mark Billione, president of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, reading just the incredible Christmas story there. And we thank both Mark Lowry and Mark Milioni for being on with us tonight. Guys, we also have a part of our family, the RFP network, just an incredible group of folks that we love and are so thankful for, and I think we should let them say a word. What do you think? [00:21:53] Speaker C: Let's do it. [00:21:55] Speaker A: Hi, we're Shanna and Kristen from Growing grace podcast. We'd like to wish you all a very merry Christmas. We pray that 2024 is just a sweet year of knowing God and loving him more. So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hey, recovering fundamentalist podcast family. This is Anthony and Michael with the Bears and Bible podcast. [00:22:19] Speaker B: And we wanted to take a minute. [00:22:20] Speaker A: To wish you guys a Merry Christmas and a happy new year, and we look forward to seeing you guys in 2024. [00:22:27] Speaker B: Hey, this is Bret from the four Freedom podcast. [00:22:30] Speaker C: And this is James. [00:22:31] Speaker A: And we want to wish you a. [00:22:32] Speaker E: Merry Christmas and a happy new year. And don't forget, to Jesus, not Santa, be the glory. [00:22:40] Speaker A: Hey, RFP family man. We're so excited to be a part of the RFP Christmas Eve special. My name is Eric Stewart. [00:22:51] Speaker C: I'm Jordan Loggins. [00:22:53] Speaker A: I'm Randall Blue. [00:22:55] Speaker C: And I'm Travis Watson. We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and thank you for making our family here at the Mov podcast something special and a great place to be. Have a great holiday season. [00:23:07] Speaker A: Merry Christmas, everybody. [00:23:09] Speaker C: Merry Christmas. [00:23:10] Speaker A: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. [00:23:13] Speaker B: One of the amazing things about the last four years is that God has allowed us to partner with some amazing people, to do ministry with at conferences, at meetups. And seeing the RFP network grow has just been such a special part of this journey for all of us. Accounted an honor to serve with the host of the RFP network and looking forward to bigger things coming in the. [00:23:44] Speaker C: Know. Nathan, one of the great things that this podcast has provided for us is an opportunity to be a part of actually living out. Our fellowship is in the yeah, because through this gospel work of the RFP, we have met so many incredible people and made so many incredible friends. And there's differences between us and variations and different personalities, just all types of things in the mix. But there's been such a beautiful unity created fully and completely on the basis of the gospel. And I just really feel like I have made some great gospel connections through this podcast. God has brought men into my life that I now have the privilege of serving with, and people that I've gotten to known that I now consider great friends and can't even remember living life without them. And so we have really had the privilege of witnessing our fellowship is in the gospel. And speaking of Christmas, that's been the gift that the RFP has given to all three of us by the grace of God. [00:24:54] Speaker A: Yeah, it has been an incredible journey. I'm excited to see how God is going to take this and just continue to use it in the years to come. And we do have an exciting announcement about the future of the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast. It is growing and just continuing to get gooder and gooder. Here's something that's going to be happening in 2024. We are going to do twelve in 24. And so every month you will have one episode from the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast, and we're going to do twelve of them over the next year. And you may be like, well, this is taking away from once a week, but what we're going to be able to do is pour so much more into that one episode. We've already got some incredible interviews lined up. There are also some things that are coming in 2025, 2026, like we're thinking long term here that we can't share with you right now, but you're going to find out more over the next year. And this is not just cliche. The best is yet to come. Yeah. [00:26:04] Speaker B: The vision and the mission that God set us on has just grown in our hearts. And I genuinely believe that there are some things that we need to do this coming year that are going to set some things in place. We're leaning into the conference. We're having that in 2024 in Katusa. I can't wait for that. That's going to be a central location for a lot of our listeners, and I hope you'll start planning now for that. But we've got that coming. And also just maybe a little teaser, some more podcasts, some different directions that God is sending us in, and some things that have been on our hearts. All three of us have had some goals that we wanted to accomplish and we've accomplished many of them, but there's some more that we think we can do in other ways. [00:26:53] Speaker A: Let's just say the RFP network is going to grow. [00:26:56] Speaker B: Yes, it is. [00:26:57] Speaker C: Yeah. And let's not forget the old saying, less is more. I think people could look at this and say, oh, you're only recording once a month, but I think we'll be fresher for that episode and hopefully you'll be a little more excited about that episode rolling around and hopefully we'll be able to pour more into those episodes and be better prepared. And hey, with all three of us pastoring, it's definitely going to be needed for us. And I think in the end it'll be a blessing even to those of you who have faithfully stood with us and stayed with us. And man, I'm looking forward to 2024. [00:27:44] Speaker A: It's going to be incredible. Twelve in 24 is coming starting January 2024. The RFP Fam is still a group on Facebook. Go and follow that. We're about 3000 strong now and we would love for you that's a great community where you can come in and find folks of like mine and stay connected. There's a ton of people on there that don't even know it has anything to do with the podcast. So go and like them. It'll be great. But follow us on there. And like Nathan said, this is just going to be an incredible year as we are setting up what's coming. 25, 26 and man, we're pressing on, boys. It's going to be incredible. I look forward to next Christmas Eve jumping on with you all. This really has become a tradition every Christmas jumping on here. And I think this one has been the best yet. [00:28:39] Speaker B: Yeah. And if we could give one final shout out, there are a group of people, and we haven't made their names public, but the moderators of the RFP group, the fan page on Facebook, you guys are the unsung heroes. Thank you so much for everything you do. You know who you are and you appreciate more than anybody the fact that we don't tell everybody who you are. So thank you for serving in that. That would just be way too much for us. And you guys provide such a great service. There's some incredible conversations going on over there. I can think back of ones of people sharing their salvation story and how they're plugged back into a church, how they've forgiven people from their past, how they've asked questions of how can you forgive? How can I move forward in this journey? And we're three voices that have been trying to speak on this for four years now, but there's a couple thousand voices on the page that can speak into life situations. [00:29:45] Speaker A: You're exactly right, Nathan. And one of the things that I want to encourage you to take advantage of, maybe you're still part of the RFP fam and you've never done this. We would love to hear your story. We still have a tab on the website recoveringfundamentalist.org that says share your story and there is power in your story. It is your story, the chapters that God is writing. And one of the things that we've learned over this last five years is we don't judge anybody based on the chapter of their story we're walking in on, because there's a lot of people, maybe you're just finding the recovering fundamentalist podcast. You're on episode two and you're beginning this journey out. There's a lot of people and they look back and they're like, oh, come on, be where I'm at. But you got to remember, we all start at different places and we're all on different chapters of the story. And so whatever chapter of the story you're coming in on, welcome to the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast. We're here for you. We pray that God will use our voices to continue to be a light in the darkness for you as we point you to the hope of the gospel, the good news of Jesus. And that's our prayer this Christmas, that you'll just continue to find the hope of the gospel and continue to carry on. God is with you. He is for you. And this Christmas I pray that he will bring you the peace that Christmas is all about. [00:31:06] Speaker C: Yeah, I really hope everyone has a great Christmas. Make sure that you're grateful for Jesus. Express that in worship. Express that through prayer. Such an extravagant gift, an undeserved gift. Guys, can you believe that God was willing to give his only begotten son and then that he would make that a matter of believing? Not a matter of deserving, but a matter of believing. And so be grateful for Jesus. And also, if you're privileged to have family around you this Christmas, be grateful for know, I used to hear my dad say frequently, be grateful for each time you're around the table with the people you love, because you may never gather around the table again in that exact way. And it's true, we don't have an unlimited amount of holidays or christmases to spend together. And so make sure this Christmas that as you are with your family, that you're engaged with them, that you're focused on them. And the people in our lives are the greatest of gifts and so make sure that you're grateful for them as well. I really hope everyone has a great Christmas this year. [00:32:22] Speaker B: Guys, I want you to know that I'm thankful for you just being able to record with you and the friendship we've built and the lives we've been able to minister to. Our lives have been changed through this process. And I wouldn't prefer to walk through this with any other two guys on this planet than you two. I appreciate you. [00:32:41] Speaker C: Thank you, bud. I appreciate you and JC both. And thank you for letting me be a part of this journey. [00:32:47] Speaker A: I love both of you. Like my older, wiser brothers, I love. [00:32:52] Speaker B: Merry Christmas. [00:32:53] Speaker A: Merry Christmas. I think as we're closing out, would one of y'all just take a moment and pray? Just thanking God for the RFP fam, for those that the Christmas season may be difficult. And just close this out as we get ready to celebrate Christmas tomorrow. [00:33:09] Speaker B: Brian, would you lead us? [00:33:11] Speaker C: Hey, I will. Heavenly Father, we thank you tonight for Jesus. He is our hope, he is our treasure. Thank you for the great announcement that was made over the world for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior that was the most desperate need of all of humanity, the need for a savior. God, thank you for providing that in Jesus. But just because we experience salvation in Jesus doesn't mean that we don't walk through valleys and that we don't face difficult times. And while we've talked about the festivities of Christmas with music and decorations and family and laughter and gifts, we've even celebrated tonight with music already, there's a lot of people who hurt during the holidays. This may be the first holiday they will spend without a child, a parent, a spouse, a mom, a dad, a grandma, grandpa, brother or a sister. Or there are other people who are struggling with anxiety and depression, people who listen to the RFP, who are likely struggling financially. And they're not able to give everything during Christmas that they would really love to be able to give. God, we thank you that in Jesus we also have, according to your promise made to the apostle Paul, grace that is sufficient. This expandable grace that stretches so that it is more than enough for the need that we face, or more than enough for the hurt that we face or the trial that we face. And so I pray this Christmas that those who are hurting would find this incredible gift called grace and that they would know that you are more than sufficient. Lord, thank you for all your blessings. Thank you for being able to record this podcast for the people whose lives are being touched. None of us deserve this opportunity. We're so grateful for it. I pray that 2024 would be the most effective year we've ever lived. For the sake of the gospel and for the praise of Jesus Christ and his glory, pray this in Jesus name. Amen. [00:35:33] Speaker B: Amen. [00:35:34] Speaker A: Amen. Well, fellas, I love you. We'll see you next year. Merry Christmas. [00:35:40] Speaker B: Merry Christmas. [00:35:40] Speaker C: Love you too, guys. Merry Christmas. Be sweet. [00:35:46] Speaker B: Peace on earth, goodwill to men. [00:35:59] Speaker D: Surprise at where this road had taken him because never in a million lives would he have dreamed of Bethlehem. And standing at the manger he saw his own eyes the message of the angel come alive in Joseph of white I'm just a simple man of trade why with all the rulers in the world why inside this stable fill with pain? Why? She's just an ordinary girl now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say this is such a strange way to save the world think of how good have been if Jesus had come as he deserved there would have been no, no shepherds at his birth but Joseph knew the reason love had to reach so far and as he held the savior in his arms he must have thought I'm just a simple man of trade why, with all the rulers in the world why inside this stable fill with pain why, she's just an ordinary girl now I'm not wondering guess what angel said this is such a strange way to save the world, no yeah, now I'm not wonder second guess what ain't sad to say this is such a strange way this is such a strange way safe the world.