Christmas Eve 2024 - Deliverance (Pt 1)

Opening

Merry Christmas everyone!

We’ve been receiving a lot of deliveries this season - boxes of goods traveling from one place to another

Some of these deliveries are very exciting! Video games, electronics, jewelry, bicycles, toys, candy. So fun!

However, as great as these are, they pale in comparison to the gifts that God gives us through His deliverers.

You know, I have a couple of packages here that I think will help me tell you about some delivery people in the Bible.

Joshua

[Open box #1 - Sword]

Sweet! My new sword. This reminds me how God sent a number of warriors to deliver his people from their enemies.

One of my favorites is Joshua - I even named my son after him. Joshua was Moses’ apprentice.

This last month we talked about the Glory of the Lord while the Israelites were in slavery, when they wandered in the wilderness, and when God dwelt among them in the Tabernacle. God used Moses as a delivery man.

And when Moses passed away, it was Joshua who was the leader for the people.

God told Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:7) and he was.

He did what the Lord commanded and led God’s people out of the wilderness and into the promised land.

God used Joshua to lead His army into victory over many enemies in the land.

One of their obstacles to settling into their new home was an enemy city called Jericho. It was surrounded by a great wall and secured gates. No one could come in or go out. God had his delivery man, Joshua, gather the priests and army to silently march around the city for seven days and then on the final day and final lap Joshua gave the command to make some noise.

I’m going to count to three and I want to hear your best shout. Can you do that? Ready 1-2-3

Wow! The trumpets blew, God’s people shouted, and the walls came tumbling down!

Thank God for sending Joshua to deliver His people!

King David

Let’s see, I have another box here.

[Open box 2 - crown]

Ah yes, the crown my wife got for me. It’s nice to be treated like a king.

The most beloved king in Israel was King David. When he was a boy, he delivered God’s people from a giant named Goliath.

Do you remember how he did it?

Though later David would wield a sword, as a boy his weapon of choice was a sling and some stones and that is exactly what he used to knock the giant down so His people would remain free another day.

He continued as a delivery man when he grew and became King

Now David made some serious mistakes along the way (like all of us do) and his sins hurt himself and others, but He always turned back to God and acknowledged his sins. He became known as a man after God’s own heart. He taught the people how to pray and worship through his beautiful psalms. And God blessed him for it.

As King, David not only delivered his people from serious enemies, including the Philistine armies, but he also delivered them from the consequences of their own sins.

When an evil act called for God’s judgment against the whole Israelite community, David delivered them by building an altar to the Lord to appease Him. And God, by His mercy, relented.

That very spot that David built the altar became the location where his son Solomon would construct the temple so that the people could have a continuing place to seek deliverance.

Thank God for sending David to deliver his people!

[Damien interrupts with one more passage]

“I have a package for an El Jefe”

Great timing! That’s me. Thanks! Hey, Merry Christmas . . . I don’t have my wallet on me, but why don’t you see that guy over there for a tip.

[Open box #3]

Esther

You know, it wasn’t just deliverymen, God also used some incredible women to deliver His people. There’s Deborah, Rahab, Ruth, and Esther. This scroll reminds me of Esther’s story.

Esther was a beautiful Jewish woman - so beautiful that she gained the attention of a Persian King named Xerxes. He married her and she became Queen, but she didn’t have the right to just do whatever she wanted. In fact it was dangerous for her to approach the king in public without first being summoned by him.

Esther found out about a wicked plot to have all the Jewish people killed. We call that genocide. Esther was challenged to do something about it.

After she and the Jewish people spent time fasting and praying, Esther worked up enough courage to go to the king, expose the evil man behind the plot, and ask for the king to reverse any orders that would harm her people.

The king honored her request and had a decree written that enacted protection on God’s people throughout the land

Esther delivered her people by making the courageous move and doing what was right.

Thank God for sending Esther to deliver His people.

Closing

And there are many other delivery people in the Bible, but ONE stands above them all and that’s the reason we are here today.

More on that after we worship together. Let us sing to the one who is worthy