We have Waited for Him

Scripture:

Isaiah 25:9 “It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Introduction:

We are currently in the Advent season of the christian calendar. For those who don’t know, Advent means “The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.” It comes from the to Latin words “ad” which means “to” and “venire” which means to come. Over the years it became “adventus” and then in our tongue, “Advent”. And this time of the year has historically served the church as a rhythm to remind us again and again, that we are a people of waiting for the coming of Christ. Its unknown as to the start of this celebration in the church, but the ancient church started to celebrate this season, once there was a declared day of Christmas. To the Christian, the rhythm of Advent became a reminder to reorient our hearts and minds back to a very real, Incarnation of God, thus proving that his words and promises are true, and to cause us to look ahead to his second coming where he will return to gather his elect into glory, and to judge all those who rejected the gospel.

The Season This season through church history became a time to acknowledge our waiting, pain, suffering, and darkness and to be reminded that none of which are without purpose…It became a time to recall the gift we have been given in our waiting, a Son, who will one day return as King and Judge….A time of shedding off the unnecessary baggage of the year, the thoughts and cares of the world that weigh us down, to be renewed again to not only the “reason for the seaon” for the very reason for the Cosmos….I both love and hate this time of the year. I hate it because I hate the cold, and the snow, and the darkness. My flesh hates it!.. But on the other hand I love it because when I look to the trees bare, Im reminded of death and finality. When I see the cold harsh weather, Im reminded that we all are in need of warmth. Its as if God himself gave us a visual representation in nature of “restart” and the joy and glory of spring to hold onto in this time. It stirs within our hearts a longing, anticipation, for the sun. Thats why I love it. Because my heart looks like winter many times throughout the year, and unaware of it.

So I love this season, this time of advent, because we get to like the trees, remove all the noise of the World, that vies for our attention declaring “Im the most important thing you need to set your attention on, not this baby Jesus. You already know all there is to know about that!…Instead, Keep thinking about anything else because there are endless things more important, and more FULFILLING in your heart and desires that THAT. Many of us lay our head down on the pillow for many nights consumed with the worry, anxiety, and anticipation of “whats next?”. We wait for that next stage of life, or that special someone we have been praying for to end our season of loneliness, Or that next career opportunity, or the news from the doctors giving us more clear answers as to what is going on, Why is That? Why is it so hard to shift gears and set our mind back on the things of Christ, and when we do we would be lying if we said we instantly feel just as good, just as joyful, just as fulfilled, just as HAPPY as we are when we set our mind on anything else…

The Human condition I think the reason that its so hard: to set our mind on Christ alone, is because we have forgotten we are to be a waiting people. A people who wait for him.

Purpose of the Sermon:

To remind us what type of people we are, a waiting people, and to call each of us to examine our hearts to see if indeed we lives lives that wait patiently for Jesus alone.

God has ordained waiting…He has purposed seasons of waiting… He does this because:

Waiting serves as a test to see if our faith is genuine Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Waiting promotes dependency which strengthens our souls Isaiah 40:31 “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Waiting keeps us ready and watching for Christs return Matthew 24:42 “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

Waiting reminds us to remember the saints who faithfully waited before us Hebrews 11:39 “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,”

Waiting keeps us from planting fruit killing roots in this life 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”

This season is a gift for us. Its a gift because it unites us with what every saint of past, present and future must experience. the testing of our faith through Waiting and Patience…

George Swinock - “To lengthen my patience, is the best way to shorten my troubles.”

Transition to the Text:

Thats why I love this text…This text shows us a people that knew how to wait, because they knew what they were waiting for. And knowing what, or rather Who we are waiting for Tis the very hope we need.

Context:

The book of Isaiah is a sweeping prophetic vision given to God’s people in a time of crisis, fear, and uncertainty. Isaiah ministered during a season when Judah was threatened by powerful empires and tempted to place their hope in political strategies rather than in the Lord. Through Isaiah, God exposes the emptiness of human salvation and announces His own plan to redeem—a plan that stretches from immediate judgments all the way to the final renewal of all things. Isaiah is full of both warning and hope: the Holy One of Israel will bring down human pride, judge wickedness, purify His people, and ultimately reveal His Servant-King who will bring everlasting salvation. By the time we reach chapter 25, Isaiah has been describing God’s future victory over all enemies and His banquet for His redeemed people on His holy mountain. Isaiah 25:9 captures the heart-cry of God’s people when that day comes: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him.” It is a picture of Advent longing—God’s people looking back on His promises, looking around at their present need, and looking forward to the day when He finishes what He began. Lets read this verse one more time and pull three applications from it Isaiah 25:9 “It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

1. Wait For The Day God Has Promised

“It will be said on that day.”

They looked for “the” day

There was a day coming for Isaiah and his listeners. It was not that day for the children of Israel, nor did they believe that it was that day. It was a day to come. A day that did not come for any of them. In fact that day didn't come for over 700 years later….Yet the fact that there was a day coming, and they believed that, was hope enough for them.

In the midst of judgment, from God that was coming through the Assyrians and Babylonians, they held on to their future hope, the messiahs coming.

What was that day? The Day that God would come rescue them

“Behold, This is our God!”

God himself, would come on a day to redeem them, and they held on to this promise

Only those who wait will receive

Saul’s Kingdom was ripped from him because he did not wait

1 Samuel 13:8 “He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.”

To him, he did not realize that Samuel was his salvation, and it was for him he was to wait. He was impatient and tried to take that day in his hands based off his understanding. And because he did not wait, he was cut off from the throne…

The Children of Israel refused to wait for Moses

Exodus 32:1 “When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

They didn't want to wait anymore and what happend? They died in their sins

Exodus 32:28 “And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.”

If you do not live a life of waiting for Christ, you will not receive his reward when he returns. We are no different from those who have gone before us. Yes We have lived through, and been redeemed because of the First Advent. Yet we are in between the two advents of Christ, and our live now must be lives pressing towards, and bending towards his second coming.

What do I mean? Verses:

1 Thessalonians 5:1–9 “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

2 Timothy 4:7–8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Only those who loved the appearing the appearing, the coming, the advent of Christ will recieve the crown of righteousness.

We are a people who have not yet recieved our full salvation.

We have been saved from the power and judgment of our sin, but not saved from the presence of our sin. And So we wait, and are reminded in this season, that we too must long for “that day”

Because on that day

Isaiah 25:8 “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

2. Wait For the Lord Himself

“We have waited for him..”

Exposition: The true people of God have always known who it is that is there Savior. The reason there was not a fixed day, is because that day depended on a real person, a real Savior. The Children longed not just for a day, but for the One who brings the day, Jesus…. Jesus tell John 10:3 “… The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” The people of old, knew Christ was coming. His name was and is Immanuel and it was him that they waited for. Moses looked for Christ. Hebrews 11:26 “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” The point is that Gods people, his true people, accepted him as Jesus when he came, because they were waiting for him.

I love this vers because its a cry, a declaration to all saying “We knew exactly who we were waiting for and this is him, our God and King! We were not deceived into looking for another, and in in our hunger and desperation when wolves and snakes have crept in amoung us distorting who he is, we did not accept! Why? Because we know him, because he has given us his Word and Spirit, as a pillar of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night to lead us in our wondering to him! Though we have only seen him dimly as in a mirror, we have keep on eyes on him. We have’nt waited for “someone” to save us, no we have waited for Him For he is our salvation..

Waiting, is not enough. We must know who it is we wait for

The Jews are still a waiting people…They still long for the Messiah that will never come..Why? because he already came, and they reveal they don’t know him

If we do not know who we are waiting for, we will miss him when he comes

The Jews missed his First advent

John 7:42 “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

He did!! And if only you Got to know him you have have seen that “All the promises of God are “yes” in Christ.”

There are many who will miss his second Advent

Matthew 7:22–23 “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

We didn't have a relationship!

Many don’t know that to have a relationship means you know and grow in your understanding of the one you are in a relationship with. It is Jesus we love, because he loves us. It is Jesus we treasure and desire to learn more and more about because in our learning, our loving grows. And as our loving grows, our longing grows! We long for that wedding feast where we are finally and completely and wonderfully united to Jesus in glory forever more!

Thats why we sing “O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.”

3. Wait with Joyful Hope

“This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

The Light That Shone

In the darkest time of the Year, we get to point ourselves back to the stable, where God robbed in full humilty and manhood lay among the animals and declare with joy “Behold! This is our God! We have waited for him!” Yes him! See his beauty shine like the starts in the heavens! See his meekness and humility on display! See his accessibleness to even the poorest of beggars! He knows everything we face, even painful patience and waiting!

John 2:4 “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus was patiently waiting not only down to the day, but to the hour! I would even say down to the very millisecond!

The Light that shines today

We have this hope, that the Same Christ Jesus who came as our humble servant, will return one day in glory as our mighty King. So let us Rejoice!

2 Corinthians 6:3–11 “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.”

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing

You want to know what will blind the world with glory from heaven? Not that we are loaded, and drive the nicest cars, and make lots of money, and have big homes, and fancy toys, and the nicest clothes, and the most loving family that don’t get divorced and have family dinners each night, and when someone looks at us theres nothing Ugly to see! NO! i. What blinds the world, and attracts those to Christ is when they see a suffering YET always rejoicing people! When the World sees a broken people. A dissatisfied with the American dream people. A roots deep, not in the temporal, but eternal people. Pilgrims, not settlers. Conquerers not colonizers. Those who Wait and suffer for it because we are only satisfied with the treasures of Christ waiting for us in glory for more than the buffet of worldly pleasures ready to be gobbled up now..

Why can we always Rejoice beloved?

No matter what we face in this life of exile away from our home, we can rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and full of glory, If we have faith and trust in the Lords Salvation. Its “his salvation”, and His salvation has been revealed to us in Jesus. Yet we must not stop longing for more of Jesus, until we have obtained all of him. We have been scooped out of the deep waters of sin and death by Christ alone. And we currently are being transported in and through the stormy waters, like Noah in the ark, yet we in the life boat of Christ. And this life boat is taking us home. But we are not there yet. We are constantly being tossed by the waves and wind. being told by many that our boat is leaking and we need to abandon it for another before we sink. But Christ will not sink. And during our transit home, we sing “O come, O Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar! Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

Closing:

Beloved, Advent reminds us that we are a waiting people. Not drifting, not wishing, not wringing our hands in uncertainty, but waiting with confidence for the God who has already kept every promise. We look back and say, “He came for us,” and we look forward and say, “He will come again.” So lift your eyes from the cold winter of your circumstances. Lift your eyes from the long nights, the unanswered prayers, the burdens you carried into this room. Fix them on the Lord Jesus Christ, the One we wait for, the One who saves, the One who will swallow up death forever and wipe away every tear. And as we wait, let us wait with joy. Let us wait with endurance. Let us wait with hearts that whisper even now, “Come, Lord Jesus.” For He has come, He is coming even now by His Spirit, and He will come again in glory. Rejoice, beloved your salvation is nearer today than when you first believed. Amen.