Living In Between

Promise Fulfilled

Isaiah 9:2–7 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

Revelation 21:1–4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

Happy New Year!

In our cultural calendar we are just weeks away from concluding another year. But for the church we are already 3 days into the New Year!

This past Sunday marked the beginning of the new year for the church calendar.

We mark the beginning of our year not in celebration, but in anticipation (advent: coming, expectation)!

I shared this simple statement with the men at HC this past Wednesday concerning how our faith works, and here it is:

All great promises from God, all the good that he is going to do in your life, begins in the DARK.

[SLIDE - Copy as written]

Genesis 1 “In the beginning…the earth was without form, and darkness covered the earth.”

Exodus 12 “[Passover] At midnight the Lord struck the Egyptians…and Pharaoh said ‘Go and serve the Lord as you have said.’”

1 Corinthians 11 “On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

2 Peter 3 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise…but the Lord will return on the day of the Lord like a thief in the night, then there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

For my part…nothing wrong with Christmas spirit (festive)…

I like watching ELF movie (Will Farrell) at Christmas… “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”… Believe it or not I once dressed up as Buddy the Elf for a church function, TIGHTS and ALL!!!

Truth: But if we skip (ignore) the disorienting night before the promise of Christmas, we will miss this critical truth.

It’s not the joys of Christmas morning that reveal Jesus in our lives. It’s the waiting, the anticipating, the enduring through the night, holding on to a promise even when it seems like all hope is lost.

Receive this word for your life today:

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Three things that happen when we can’t wait (advent):

We get ahead of God and his timing. 

We settle for a fake!

We lack the endurance to remain faithful. 

[Pray this Psalms - Read it with me]

Psalm 40:1–3 “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

Book of Revelation is about Seeing in the Dark

Personal question (you don’t have to raise your hand): Anyone else pretty regularly have to get up to the bathroom in the middle of the night?? When I was younger I never had to pee at night!!! I guess your bladder just start to give up when you get in your 40s!!! When you first get up its dark…can’t see anything…you have to wait for your pupils to adjust…

The book of the Revelation is actually translated from the word apokalupsis, which means "unveiling" or "uncovering”

Scripture Truth: The Book of Revelation is less about what’s going to happen in the future and more about teaching us to see in the dark.

Our eyes need to adjust to see what’s really going on!

One of the greatest strategies of the enemy over your life is to fool you into believing the lies you see and hear on news outlets and SM feeds, instead of the promise of Jesus and the light of his resurrection.

Promises of Advent for your Life (Promise to those Waiting)

[Consider these themes of Advent this month as God’s promise over your life & the world.]

1st Sunday: HOPE - When all seems lost, when the night is darkest, Jesus is there leading me out.

“I don’t know the way through this Lord, but you do.”

Learn to trust the “still small voice”.

2nd Sunday: PEACE - When the world is racing and chaotic, Jesus causes my heart and mind to rest.

The church should NOT be apathetic about the trouble in the world…but we should also not be moved off our PEACE.

3rd Sunday: JOY - When bad news floods my soul, I turn my ears to hear the good news of heaven.

One of the greatest losses in the church is we don’t really believe what we preach…we don’t have an inner joy that circumstances can’t touch.

“The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas

4th Sunday: LOVE - When fear & darkness creep into my life, I remember nothing can stand against the Love of God.

Romans 8:31–39 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Christmas Day: CHRIST - The same Jesus who came to the world in a manger will again return to this world and make all things new!