Introduce Marie—

Nov 29- will always remember i was there- we all want to our dad to he with is- theme

Have you ever thrown your hands up in the air in a moment of despair and cried out, “God, where are you?”

Job, the greatest man of his day did. Job 23:8–10 says, “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; And backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Between April and July 1994, approximately one million people were killed in Rwanda as tribal conflict in that central African country escalated into genocide. [1]The conflict transcended religious and social boundaries. Nearly every family was touched by the tragedy. The Christian church in Rwanda was deeply impacted as well. During those one hundred days, approximately 70 percent of the pastors in the country were murdered, sometimes at the hands of other Christians. Hutu Christians killed Tutsi Christians, and Tutsi Christians killed Hutu Christians. Tribal loyalty had become more important than Christian identity. Brothers and sisters in Christ had become enemies of one another.

After the war survivors were asking deep and troubling theological questions. Where was God in such tragedy? How could God have allowed such evil? Why had God not intervened to protect his followers, especially the innocent?

Where was God?

Maybe you’ve often felt like Isaiah, when he wrote,

Isaiah 45:15 “Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.”

Two types of God’s presence:

omnipresence of God

Jeremiah 23:23–24 “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

manifest presence of God

God’s omnipresence is His attribute of being everywhere at once. He is omnipresent even when we do not experience His presence; He is here, even if we do not recognize Him. God’s manifest presence is, of course, His presence made manifest—the fact that He is with us is made clear and convincing.

Psalm 139:8–10 “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me.” So, I ask you again, where is God?

Where is God?

700 years before Bethlehem, the king of Israel was in trouble. Syria and Israel came together to invade Judah and to take spoil.

The Threat from Israel and Syria (Isaiah 7:1-2)

As Ahaz reigns over Judah, kings Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel unite to wage war against Jerusalem, causing fear and panic. However, they could not overpower it.

Isaiah's Message to Ahaz (Isaiah 7:3-9)

God instructs Isaiah to meet Ahaz and assure him not to fear the two kings. The message from God is clear: these kings' plans will not stand and will not come to pass, as long as Ahaz holds on to his faith.

The Sign of Immanuel (Isaiah 7:10-16)

God, through Isaiah, offers Ahaz a sign to confirm His promise. Ahaz, in a false show of piety, declines. Despite Ahaz's refusal, Isaiah gives a prophecy of a virgin conceiving a son named Immanuel, symbolizing God's presence with His people. The prophecy foretells that before this child knows right from wrong, the lands of the two threatening kings will be forsaken.

The Coming Assyrian Invasion (Isaiah 7:17-25)

Isaiah warns Ahaz of a coming invasion by Assyria, which would bring devastation to Judah, turning it into a land of briars and thorns. This is the dire consequence of Ahaz's lack of faith and reliance on Assyria for help.

700 years later:

65 years from giving of this prophecy, the tribes of Israel are all lost. A century later, Judah, including Jerusalem and Temple are gone!

NO KING ON THRONE IN JUDAH!

Judah and Benjamin are taken to Babylon.

400 years of silence

Babylonians…Medo-Persians….Greeks…Romans

Rome is in control of all!

Where is He that is to be born of a virgin— where is the Messiah?

It’s been so long that the greatest promise of Messiah in Isaiah 53 has now been attributed to Israel, God’s suffering servant. WHERE IS GOD?

Matthew 2:2: “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

God is Here

Hebrews 1:1–3“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” :

Matthew 1:21–23 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The OT saint knew that God was present:

Deuteronomy 33:27: UNDER US- “The eternal God is thy refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, Destroy them.”

Psalm 113:4–6 ABOVE US- “The Lord is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”

Deuteronomy 31:8: BEFORE US- “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

Jeremiah 23:23–24 AROUND US- “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

Romans 11:33: BEYOND US- “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

Colossians 1:27: IN US- “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

Here, Matthew says, God is with us! He is here in the person of Jesus Christ!

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” :

A CHILD IS BORN- Bethlehem- 1:23

A SON IS GIVEN- Calvary- 1:23, 25

THE GOVERNMENT IS ON HIS SHOULDERS-

Preach the gospel!

He Has Always Been Here

This genealogy of Matthew 1-

to recount the whole story of scripture- first 16 words- also found in Gen. 2:4 and 5:1

to contextualize the story as being historically accurate and absolutely true

to highlight the family of the Lord Jesus-

prostitutes

trauma victims

broken homes but rebuilt lives

non-Israelites; Gentiles without hope

four women- Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba

to note that God is faithful throughout all ages

to convey that Jesus Christ is mankind’s only hope. He is our Messiah and Lord!

Philip Yancey wrote that “The Jews schooled in the OT had a statement about Messiah and would say “Where Messiah is, there is no misery,” but when you look at the life of Jesus Christ, you would say it differently: “Where misery is, there is Messiah!”

Our Messiah, Jesus, does not sit on the sidelines of our pain rooting for us to score, nor does He sit in an Ivory Palace in heaven cheering us on as we fight the good fight of faith. No, He comes into our experience— He entered our world. He suffers our pain and ministers as the Captain of our salvation.

Philip Yancey said of Jesus, “God doesn't exempt even himself from pain. God joined us and shared our human condition, including its great grief!”

Hebrews 4:13–15“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

He was always there!

-healing the hurt of childlessness- those awaiting a promise of life to come and spring forth into joy

He brings life out of death! Twice, actually! Isaac’s birth and resurrection!

-healing the hurt of destitution, loneliness, and poverty- Naomi knew the pain of uncertainty and the risks which widowhood presented-

-healing the hurt of failure- David, Bathsheba, and Solomon

-healing the hurt of consequences- Matthew 1:11-16 chronicle the stories of those who reaped a harvest of captivity and bondage. And when you read that phrase “about the time they were carried away to Babylon” and “brought to Babylon” it might appear to be the end of the story. BUT IT’S NOT.

Think of Esther. She was caught up in the middle of all this. She and her uncle, Mordecai, lived in the midst of this conflict. And when you read the book bearing her name, you won’t read God’s name one time! You might wonder Where is God in all of this?

He was just at work anonymously!

You may know that the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, lived with crippling depression. He once said of himself, “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to.” Yet, Spurgeon is known as the Prince of Preachers. At times, he, too, even said, “Where is God?” but he knew God and loved the person of Jesus.

Zach Eswine wrote an amazing book entitled Spurgeon’s Sorrows, and he relates Spurgeon’s melancholy, he provides a means of spiritual victory. When tempted with despair, say, “you might be right…..” but Jesus.

You might be right, things are worse than I thought, but Jesus!

You might be right, all is lost, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I am abandoned, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I am past due on that bill, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I can’t defeat my enemies, but Jesus! 

You might be right, it would be too late for me, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I am out of reach, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I am a sinner, but Jesus! 

You might be right, they might be better off without me, but Jesus! 

You might be right, I could deserve to die, but Jesus!

Ladies and gentlemen, this IS the Christmas story. The world and those who dwell in it are hopeless and despairing and walk in darkness, but Jesus. He is here, no longer in a manger, no longer on a cross, no longer in a tomb. He is alive with power to save you.

Back to Isaiah-

7:14-

8:8

8:10- His identity becomes the people’s identity!

Revelation 21:3–6 “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

Dr. MR DeHaan- Radio Bible Class

What’s all this hectic rush and worry' Where go these crowds who run and curry' Why all the lights—the Christmas trees' The jolly “fat man,” tell me please!

Why, don’t you know? This is the day For parties and for fun and play; Why this is Christmas!

So this is Christmas, do you say' But where is Christ this Christmas day' Has He been lost among the throng' His voice drowned out by empty song'

No. He’s not here—you’ll find Him where Some humble soul now kneels in prayer, Who knows the Christ of Christmas.

But see the many aimless thousands Who gather on this Christmas Day, Whose hearts have never yet been opened, Or said to Him, “Come in to stay.”

In countless homes the candles burning, In countless hearts expectant yearning For gifts and presents, food and fun, And laughter till the day is done.

But not a tear of grief or sorrow For Him so poor He had to borrow A crib, a colt, a boat, a bed Where He could lay His weary head.

I’m tired of all this empty celebration, Of feasting, drinking, recreation; I’ll go instead to Calvary.

And there I’ll kneel with those who know The meaning of that manger low, And find the Christ—this Christmas.

I leap by faith across the years To that great day when He appears The second time, to rule and reign, To end all sorrow, death, and pain.

In endless bliss we then shall dwell With Him who saved our souls from hell, And worship Christ—not Christmas!

HE CAME- HE WAS ALWAYS HERE— AND HE’S COMING AGAIN!