Love Delivered
Notes
Transcript
o Intro.
Lindale/Bo & Penny/Pastor Allen/Looking ahead for December (Play, Wesley House, Christmas)
o Tracking a Package
“I don’t know who needs to hear this, but stop trying to track that package. It’s in God’s hands now.”
“Delivered” But not there./Tracking the driver
This morning we’re tracking the movements of another important delivery
Suspension of belief; spoil ending, Israel waiting and yearning
Love Delivered
Love Delivered
This message really has one point, and here it is.
Destinations Have Divine Purpose.
Destinations Have Divine Purpose.
“Out for Delivery.”/ Tell me location via GPS/Out for delivery: 8:01
Israel weary and giving up hope of Messiah? Joseph and Mary puzzled?
o : “This was to fulfill…” hand of divine sovereignty at work in these events/purpose in these movements.
· Is that for anyone this morning? feel like your life is a package that was delayed, but God is always on time.
· Matthew 2 “tracks” the Gift to three significant locales. Each played strategic role in fulfilling· The first location that we’ll look at is Bethlehem.
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will Shepherd My people Israel.’”
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will Shepherd My people Israel.’”
Here’s what Bethlehem teaches us:
1. God’s Greatest Gifts Often Come from Humble Beginnings.
1. God’s Greatest Gifts Often Come from Humble Beginnings.
· Bethlehem: 6 mi. from Jerusalem: for us/for Jews: Rachel, Ruth, Naomi/700 years before Christ
Micah 5:2 (NASB 2020)
Micah 5:2 (NASB 2020)
2“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah [Insignificant], From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel [significant]. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
2“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah [Insignificant], From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel [significant]. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
o Your Significance
God determined your significance and station in the Kingdom before the start of time/Your potential/God’s metric
o Duck Dynasty
Application
· Bethlehem was a small town that exported the Bread of Life outside of the House of Bread.
· Zechariah 4:10 has the famous verse: “Do not despise small beginnings…”
something brewing in Bethlehem/Don’t underestimate the mighty thing God wants to do.
The second place mentioned is Egypt.
The second place mentioned is Egypt.
o Why Egypt?
- “…For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”/Not King of the Jews, not born recently, not his own star. not worthy of worship.
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Favor in temple rebuilding/favor w/ Rome/Magi told in dream not to go back
13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
15 He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happenedso that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
15 He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happenedso that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
o What now?!
· If I were Joseph, I would be devastated./Poor Mary/Did they get frustrated? Incubator? Gabriel left this out/Where are You?
You ever feel like this shouldn’t be allowed to happen?
- Does it ever seem unfair? God is winning.
2. Our Advocate Is At Work Even When It Seems That Our Adversary Is Winning.
2. Our Advocate Is At Work Even When It Seems That Our Adversary Is Winning.
- The enemy may try to get God’s plan for your life delayed or derailed, but God’s plan is still in transit.
He could trust Joseph and Mary to trust Him.
prophecy from Hosea: “Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”
prophecy from Hosea: “Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”
Jewish community./Roman occupation/gold funded/
Egypt Seasons
Nazareth.
· Herod’s reign of terror ends
Let’s keep reading in verse 19.
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”
20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”
21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
23 and came and settled in a city called Nazareth. This happened so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.”[1]
23 and came and settled in a city called Nazareth. This happened so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.”[1]
Here’s our final point:
3. Don’t Despise Where You Are Because God is Using It to Define Who You Are.
3. Don’t Despise Where You Are Because God is Using It to Define Who You Are.
o “He Will Be Called a Nazarene.”
· This process fascinates me/God-given wisdom/ “He will be called a Nazarene.”/Jesus of Nazareth.
Isaiah 11:1 which says, “1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.” [2]
Isaiah 11:1 which says, “1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.” [2]
- The Hebrew word for branch is netser,
o Nazareth
· But Jesus’s affiliation with Nazareth wasn’t a positive one./Pre-Herodian: 480 pop./Agricultural
· “Can anything good from Nazareth?” (Jn. 1:49)
something supernatural began stirring in Jesus—and people recognized it!
Luke 2:40: “Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”
Luke 2:40: “Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”
· Even in this “dead-end” town, God was working something supernatural in Jesus.
Application
· Listen: you may be in a....don’t discount God/Jesus learning trade, but impacting hearts/History with God/Intimacy w/ Father
Luke 2:51-52
Luke 2:51-52
51 And He [Jesus] went down with them [his parents] and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
51 And He [Jesus] went down with them [his parents] and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.
“A new and glorious morn.”
Stand.
o Perfectly Timed
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.”
· Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.”
· 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls You and HE also will bring it to pass.”
· Stop trying to track that package. It’s in God’s hands now.
Response
· Let me ask you something: Who, more than God the Father, was more invested in getting Jesus to safety and fulfilling His word when Herod and all of hell came against Him?
· If you’re in a season of waiting on God, or trying to make sense of His timing, I’d like to ask you to raise your hands. I want to pray over you.