Keion Henderson - It's Time to Make a Move

The word of the Lord today is found in the Gospel according to St. Luke, chapter number 2. Luke, the physician, offers a unique perspective on this text. As a doctor, he expresses the birth in different ways than onlookers would. He had delivered babies before, so now he discusses the Immaculate Conception. Luke chapter 2, verse 1, delivers the word of the Lord: «Now in those days, a decree"-don’t forget that word-"everybody say decree.» It went out from Caesar to tax everyone in the Empire. This was the first registration taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of Bethlehem, which is the City of David, because he was of the house and the family line of David. He went to be registered with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and who was expecting a child. Just touch a neighbor and say, «I don’t look like it, but I’m expecting.» You know, some things you don’t think about after you say them. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. She 's 14 years old. She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in strips of cloth, and laid him in a manger-not by choice but by necessity- because there was no place for them in the inn. This means she did look for somewhere else to place him, but it was unavailable. Some of you are looking for comfort, which is also unavailable. Don 't assume it 's available to you right now; it’s a hard manger because you have to give birth in a difficult place. You thought it would be easy, wanting the midwife, the doctor, the nurse, the epidural, the ice chips, and the ice cream. But God said no; I’m going to let you give birth on a dirty sheet in a hard stone trough that was used for animals to eat out of. While you’re not giving birth, another animal has just eaten out of it before you. That 's not sanitary! I wonder if the germs are meant to build up the system. I wonder if God allowed this environment to happen because it will be the very environment that will build the tenacity the gift needs for every person in this room today. I know this to be true: you are in a season where you must make a decision. This is a secret decision, though; not everyone knows you have to make this choice. This is not the one everybody knows about; this is a low-key decision you have to make, and this one could make you or break you. Do I stay at this job or leave? Do I stay in this house or do we move? Do I continue trying to pay for this car or just let them take it? Who else is with me? Come on now, we’re going to keep it real today. Do I kick him out of the house, or do I let him stay? Do I confront him like he stole something, or do I just talk to him? That decision is crucial! Whatever you do, don’t sit still. Here 's what I want to talk about over the next few moments: it’s time to make a move. I want you to tell five people on your way down, «It 's time for you to make a move!» Hallelujah! So yesterday, my wife, the girls, and I were in the car. I had a photo shoot yesterday. I hate photo shoots because you have to change clothes multiple times, and everyone tells you what to do: «Sit up, put your chin down!» But we did the photo shoot! Guess what? We were hungry, my stomach was growling, and the kids were eating chips, asking Daddy if we had any snacks. So I took them over to the Cheesecake Factory-no, no, Grand Lux, pardon me. I took them to Grand Lux to eat, and they didn’t even know that I had met their mother there. I brought them right to the place where I met their mother, and they were shocked. She said, «This is where you met Mama?» And Caitlyn replied, «This is my favorite restaurant in the world!» We looked at her and said, «Hey, you have a favorite?» She does! Then we left and went to the Container Store. Did anyone go there? I like that place! All of my shoes are in plastic containers; I don’t leave them in boxes because I need to see everything I have. I put the red shoes with the red shoes, the black shoes with the black shoes, the blue shoes with the blue shoes, the brown shoes with the brown shoes, the gym shoes with the gym shoes, and the dress shoes with the dress shoes. It’s a beautiful sight! Because if you don’t know what you have, you end up wearing the same thing over and over again. Most people say, «I don’t have any clothes!» No, you just have them all squished together. How do I know you have too many clothes? You have to iron every time you put something on because everything is smashed! So I got these containers and I like them. I put those containers in the store, and as I entered the Container Store, if you go to the one on Westheimer, there are two lines facing Westheimer.