LESSONS FROM THE NATIVITY - GOD WILL COME THROUGH
Isaiah 7:1-14 J14aPV07
What do you know about the background of the prophecy in Isaiah that Jesus would be virgin born? My guess is you don’t know much about it and might even yawn at the prospect of hearing about it. But it is an important scripture to grasp. First of all the fulfillment of this prophecy is foundational to our faith. And secondly there are some great lessons to learn here.
I. understand the historical background.
A. Judah was in trouble.
1. Israel had united with Syria to invade Judah. Vs 1
2. The king of Judah, Ahaz, and his people were moved with fear. Vs 2b
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Ahaz had walked away from God and so had little reason to expect God’s help.4. But God’s heart was for his people in Judah and it wasn’t time to deliver them to their enemies.
5. Instead of trusting in God, Ahaz, king of Judah, gathered all the temple vessels of gold and silver and sent them to the king of Assyria, the superpower of that day, and hired him to deliver Jerusalem. (II Kings 16:1-9)
B. God sent a message of reassurance.
1. Isaiah was sent to encourage Ahaz to trust God. Vs 3,4
2. He was exhorted to be quiet, don’t fear because the two kings would not be permitted to overthrow Judah or subdue Jerusalem. Within 65 years the power of Israel would be broken and they would be taken into captivity.
3. Isaiah told Ahaz to ask for a sign of the Lord’s confirmation. Ahaz refused. Vs 10-12
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His words sound pious, "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord."·
Actually those words came from an unbelieving heart; he was afraid to ask for a sign lest it would fail to come to pass.C. God would give an unmistakable sign.
1. Isaiah declared that God Himself would give a sign so bold that men would think it impossible to occur. Vs 13,14
2. This refers to the Virgin Birth of Christ. All others born into the world are the seed of the man, but the great Deliverer would come only through the woman. Read Matthew 1:18-25
Reuel Lemmons said, "A crisis is the moment when potential danger meets an opportunity."
3. Isaiah 7:14 is a double or two-level prophecy. It was first partially fulfilled in the 8th century B.C. in the time of Ahaz. Christ’s virgin birth 750 years later was a sign that God would carry out His promise.
4. Christmas is the fulfillment of God’s promises and gives us assurance of His faithfulness. There are at least 3 lessons we can learn from this promise.
II. The first LESSON - DON’T LOOK AT THE SITUATION – LOOK TO GOD.
A baby would be born of a virgin and his name would be Immanuel, "God with us." All the beauty, mystery and majesty of Christmas gathers around that name.
A. The fulfillment involved a miracle.
1. A miracle surmounting the limitations of time. This promise was given 7 centuries before Mary or Joseph.
2. A miracle that overcomes the natural process.
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Medical science has done a lot to help infertile couples have children, but always a man's sperm is required. But this case is different.·
The miracle is in the conception. Deity entered the stream of human life as the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in Mary.3. A miracle that demonstrates a God is unlimited. Time, distance, powerful governments, insurmountable obstacles are nothing to God.
B. The fulfillment carried a strong message.
1. First - God cares for his creatures.
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This promise demonstrates that God is continually involved in this world.·
God would enter into this world in the person of a baby.2. Second - There is hope for the future. One key message of this promise was to give hope. That’s also one message from Christmas, there’s hope.
3. Thirdly - Nothing can thwart God’s will. He always keeps his promises.
C. The problem was one of perspective.
1. Fear will cause you to focus on the wrong things.
A married couple were sleeping when an intruder entered their home. He put a knife at the woman’s throat and said, "I like to know the names of my victims before I kill them. What is your name?" "My name is Elizabeth," she replied. The intruder said, "You remind me of my mother who was also named Elizabeth, so I can’t kill you." He then turned to the husband and asked, "What is your name?" "My name’s Phillip, but my friends call me Elizabeth."
2. Ahaz looked at things and people, which were transient and temporary; but Isaiah was looking at the unchanging God.
3. The message Isaiah gave to king Ahaz was don’t fear men, trust God. Don’t look to Assyria for help, look to the living God.
4. That is the message for us. You may be feeling the pressures of living. But the truth is none of them are eternal, they won't last.
A lady was about to be evicted from her home because she couldn’t pay the rent. On Sunday her preacher asked the church to help and they responded with enough to pay the rent. First thing Monday morning he went to her house with the money. He could hardly wait to tell her the good news. He hammered on the door, but no answer. He knocked again and again, but still no answer and he went away feeling dejected. Sometime later he found out she had been at home all the time, but had been afraid to answer the door, thinking the landlord had come for the rent. While she was cowering in fear, her preacher was bringing her the money she needed. When we shut God out of our lives we close the door to the one who can meet our deepest needs.
III. The second lesson - DON’T ALLOW DISTANCE to grow BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.
A. Beware the drift away from Him.
1. Ahaz was leading them away from God. So when the testing time came, He didn’t think God would come through.
2. When God promised them a Messiah who would deliver them, it was a down time. Isaiah put it this way,
3. God hasn’t moved. We can draw near.
4. How does God get our attention? Do we hear the still small voice or do we have to be hit over the head with a brick?
B. Christian hope is the message of Christmas.
1. "He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21b) The gift of hope is the message the world needs to hear.
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Pessimism is the view of most of mankind today. People are cynical.·
The disease of sin is at the root of despair and cynicism.·
Sin won't go away by ignoring it. Jesus has the only antidote for the problem of sin. Only he can heal it. This is why he was born - to save - it led him to the cross and the empty tomb.2. Hope comes to us through God's grace, prompted by his love. It is "glad tidings of great joy." We aren't alone in this world. "Immanuel" has come - God with us.
A new survey from the American Psychological Association found that nearly a third of U.S. adults report "extreme stress." 32% report extreme stress; nearly one in five (17%) reach their highest stress level 15 or more days per month; and almost half (48%) say their stress level has risen over the last five years.
(The Pastor’s Weekly Briefing 11/1/07)3. In the midst of our hurry and pressures, remember: Christmas is all about hope. Jesus came down so to give us access to God and ultimately heaven.
4. I am reminded of a scripture that always gives me hope and assurance.
For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. II Chronicles 16:9 NASV
5. Focus your heart on the Lord and you can be confident of His support.
IV. The third lesson - DON’T GIVE UP ON GOD - HE WILL COME THROUGH.
A. God keeps his promises.
On Larry King Live, Feb 15, l996 George Stephanophilos said, "Bill Clinton kept the promises he meant to keep." But isn't that true of all of us? We keep some, but not every promise.
1. God is different from men in that when He promises something you can risk your life on it and be safe. He will fulfill it in His time and in His way.
2. Ultimately no one can thwart the plans of God.
3. In His providence, God used many unlikely individuals in the Christmas drama.
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He worked through a secular Empire. Roman peace had brought a break from war, so people began to think of other things.·
Augustus Caesar, a pagan Emperor, called for a census that caused Joseph and Mary to be in Bethlehem instead of Nazareth.·
Simple shepherds, outcasts in society, were used as messengers.·
Herod’s threat to kill the babies helped fulfill more prophecy and lead to Joseph’s little family going to Egypt, fulfilling another prophecy.·
Gentile seers, called wise men, saw a sign in the heavens and traveled a great distance to honor this new born king, giving Him gifts signifying his royalty and his destiny.·
Mary, an obedient young woman, and her righteous intended living in an obscure village, with a bad reputation, were instruments through whom God blessed the world.GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE. But when the fullness of time came. God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that he might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4,5 NASV
B. Every promise of God is built upon 4 pillars of His nature.
1. God's justice and holiness. He is not capable of deceiving. He is constant – always the same. He will do what is right.
2. His grace or goodness. He gives to the undeserving. He is not capable of forgetting.
3. His truth. He is not capable of changing. What He says is what is – reality.
4. His power. He is fully capable of accomplishing that which He has promised.
Conclusion
: We accept the virgin birth by faith – faith based on evidence. As we learn the lessons beware of two responses.Don't lose the wonder of what God did at Bethlehem.
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He loved you so much that He came to rescue you from the logical result of your failure.·
Jesus was God with skin on. He is not a mythical character, made up by some dreamer, but a real person who experienced humanity with all its joys and sorrows.·
Think about it: God, the Creator, walked this earth. He came because He loves you and it all began at Bethlehem.Don't allow yourself to be distracted from the truth that God does keep His word. He can be depended upon. Remember His ways are often different from ours.
Don't give up on God: He will come through.
It will be on His terms and in His time but He will fulfill every promise.
He CAN be trusted with your life, all you are and have.
Don't give up on Him, He won't give up on you!
Whatever your situation – focus on God, not the situation – make sure your heart is fully His – continue to trust that He will keep His promises.