May I Have Your Attention, Please?
Notes
Transcript
ILLUST: Undivided attention. What is that?
Moms…ever felt like you were being pecked to death by ducks? All those ducks want your attention. All those ducks want your UNDIVIDED attention. Each duck doesn’t care about the other ducks, to them, that duck is the ONLY duck in the world. Enough about ducks…
Jesus Would Love Your Undivided Attention
READ Isaiah 61:1-3 and Luke 4:15-21
Busy, busy, busy
Suddenly - “May I have your attention, please?”
Do you stop and pay attention?
Goodness, we don’t pay attention to fire alarms in work places (I’m sure it’s a test…)
Prophecy regarding Jesus - powerful, predictive, perfect
Worthy of paying attention
Actually, pretty useless if we don’t
The Importance of Prophecy
The Importance of Prophecy
1) Prophecy’s Power
1) Prophecy’s Power
Yahweh spoke through prophets
No prophet spoke on his own
(Think of Balaam, not a good guy, but honest, he could only speak what God told Him)
The divine nature of prophecy - It’s how Yahweh conveyed His Word to His people
The power behind prophecy is the very Word of God
When Yahweh speaks…. Genesis 1:3
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
CREATION…
When Yahweh speaks…
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.
THE FAITHFUL RESPOND
Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him.
When God speaks His name…John 18:6
So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
THOSE OPPOSING HIM CANNOT STAND
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
(Those opposing Him are included in this, readied for judgment)
Yahweh spoke, through Isaiah, in Isaiah 61 (take a look there again now)
Yahweh meant what He said
2) Prophecy’s Predictive Nature
2) Prophecy’s Predictive Nature
So people know what to expect, what to look for
Remembering context!
Truth - not always “fun”
Prophesied 400 years away from Promised Land (slavery in Egypt)
Prophesied 70 years of exile to Babylon
Promised 483 years until the birth of Messiah (Daniel)
With one 7-year-period awaiting fulfillment yet (Tribulation)
Jesus fulfilled anywhere from 300-450 prophecies of the OT
Birthplace: Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
Ancestry: Descendant of David (Isaiah 11:1) and Jacob (Numbers 24:17).
Virgin Birth: Conceived by a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).
Betrayal: Betrayed by a friend for silver (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12-13).
Suffering: Beaten, mocked, and silent during accusations (Isaiah 50:6, 53:7).
Crucifixion: Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16).
Prophecy provides HOPE to hang on to
“I am coming soon” - Jesus
3) Prophecy - Pointing to Perfection
3) Prophecy - Pointing to Perfection
Dead-on accurate!
This is why we have faith, why we have HOPE
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
I am 100% reliant on the truth of God’s Word
Prophecies pointed to Jesus
Prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus
While Jesus was alive, there were always signs pointing to His greatness
Think on the Nativity account - the signs
Born in Bethlehem (Micah) - pointed to Messiah
Angels spoke the truth to the shepherds - pointing them to Messiah
The star rose from Jacob (Israel) - Numbers 24:17 ““I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.”
Pointing the way for the magi - the sign pointed them to Jesus
Now, think on the purpose of Messiah - His plan
All the signs - to get the attention of His people
MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?
Go back to Isaiah 61 passage
See Isaiah 61:2
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
The angels - “Messiah is here”
The star - “The King is here”
Fast forward to Jesus’ beginning His ministry
John the Baptist - “Messiah is here - repent!”
And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
(Mic drop!)
Or…scroll drop!
Jesus - “Messiah is here, I AM MESSIAH!”
Jesus said this prophecy was fulfilled in His reading
What did He read? (Is. 61:1-2a)
What did He NOT read? (Is 61:2b)
What did He fulfill at His first coming?
Offering salvation (Gospel to poor, sight to blind, captives released, freedom!)
The favorable year of the Lord
What has He held back, thus far?
The day of vengeance
Judgment - still forthcoming
CLOSE
Not your typical Christmas-themed messages - I know
(Suggest a chick flick hallmark movie…)
This is serious stuff - this coming of Messiah
(Resolve)
Christmas - what is/was it about for you? Why the excitement?
IF: Presents, Santa, lights, parties…you are missing it
Should never be losing sight of the purpose, the reason to be excited and celebrate
The Messiah - when he came, and confronted His people:
They loved celebrations, festivals, “religion”
As long as it did not get personal
Christmas today - sometimes about everything BUT Messiah
Oh, we feel good, busy, maybe stressed, busy
Take a look again at Luke 4 - What Jesus offers
The Gospel - preached to all
Slaves to sin, offered freedom
Spiritually blind - eyes opened to the truth
Eternal freedom from oppression
Favorable year = God’s kingdom is open to all who will come
So where is your focus?
What, or Who, is Messiah to you?
Most Importantly - Have you let the Power of God’s Word Change you?
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Prophecy is proclaiming God’s Word
Its Power, Prediction, and Pointing to Perfection
All to reach you, impact you, change you, save you, transform you
To get your undivided attention - That is the ask, the demand of jesus
Christmas - we celebrate to recognize all this
And to Personalize Jesus
That was God’s plan - to personally intervene in your life
To disrupt and destroy the penalty of sin in your life
That was, and is the gift - I trust you have thanked Him…
Merry Christmas!
