Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

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Today we begin preparing our hearts for Christmas.

In traditional or more orthodox churches people celebrate advent, it is a season with candles and scripture.

It is a very beautiful time.

And while we do not celebrate advent traditionally, I want you to consider the meaning of Advent… Advent refers to His coming into the world.

God loved us… He sent His Son… I pray that through this Christmas season your hearts will be ready, prepared for worshipping, celebrating the time of His coming.

Now think of this.....

If there is anything that has been difficult for man, I think I could name perhaps one point in particular that we find it difficult to wait on God.

Would you agree with me?

I think there is a reason for this…

We have forgot what it is like to wait on God, we have forgot patience and dependence.

We live in a microwave world and we expect everything to be fine - quickly....

We cannot see the whole picture, we cannot see everything like God sees and understands all that is happening....

Consider the wait that took place as God prepared the world for the advent of His Son.

Many wondered when God would redeem Israel...

We cannot see the whole picture, we cannot see everything like God sees and understands all that is happening....

Waiting is difficult....

Consider this with me.... Have you ever found it difficult to wait on God?

I think I know the answer to that question…

Yes… and honestly we all do....

We all have a hard time waiting… we don’t like it but at times it is necessary.

But think back with me… What about Adam and Eve, Abraham, or Moses… do you think they found it difficult, ....you know to wait on God?

Honestly, the world has found it difficult, they waited and wondered when the promise of God would come...

Listen to the first promise....

That is the first promise God made concerning redemption and restoration.

God said a day was coming when the Devil will know just how powerless he really is in front of an Almighty God.

One day, all the deception of the devil would be dealt with, Sin would no longer render the world guilty, one day sin and death would be no more.

And Satan would be dealt with forever and forever.....

The day was coming.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and with it the old hymn, that we still sing today began to be used in 1710.. Veni, Veni Emmanuel .....translated O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Listen to this first verse that is used in worship at Christmas in many churches...

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.

‎Chorus.

Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.”....

The world was waiting on the promise of God....

Now with this in mind, lets look at the first thought today....

The promise foretold by the prophets...

1.

The Promise Foretold by the Prophets....

Think back to the Book of Genesis with me...

When Adam and Eve sinned, that day when those two pure, un-corruptable lives fell to Satan’s schemes, sin came into the world and everything changed.

When I look back and consider all that God said to them in response to sin, to their sin and disobedience.

I see two things, thoughts that God communicates to them…

I think it is good for us to pay attention to these two thoughts as well.

Perhaps you can think what they might be..... the first I think perhaps is a given, but it is a truth the world needs to hear today.

A. You messed up and have sinned....

That was the basis for everything else God the Father was about to say to Adam and Eve, to Satan and yes to us, those of us who would have access to the written record of God’s word in the future.

This event

Sin was a new concept for for Adam and Eve, oh they understood it for sure (remember they have eaten the from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), but they had never dealt with anything like sin before.

In the swiftness of an act, Adam and Eve went from proudly walking in fellowship with God to being ashamed to face God after the fact.

They needed to hear about their sin and what it had done to them and all mankind.

Sin had brought death into the world.

Then there is a second thought....

B. I (God) will deal with this problem....

One day there is one who is coming who will crush the head of the serpent.....

The Off-spring of Woman would deal harshly with the evil one… the Serpent.

These two things are the two essential thoughts that Adam and eve needed to hear that day…

And we are still talking about both of those today......

Now, roll forward with me just a little over 2 centuries, and you come to the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah is the prophet of the Lord (God’s man) to the nation of Israel after the the nation divided into a Southern and Northern Kingdom.

In the midst of a nation and people who are understanding very rapidly that God punishes sin, Isaiah would be allowed to remind the people once again, God says “Don’t forget!” a Promise is coming....

Let me share a verse from Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah would be allowed to remind the people once again, God says “Don’t forget!” a Promise is coming....

One

A beautiful prophecy, lets look at it....

The word “therefore” is that transition word again for you… remember it is an important word.

Therefore says because of that.. this is happening...

The word “therefore” is that transition word again for you… remember it is an important word.

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God is sending Isaiah with a message…

Isaiah has been sent to Ahaz, and Isaiah is not alone, God has told him to take his son, Shear-Jashub whose name means “A remnant will return”, with him to meet Ahaz by the upper pool, a reservoir that held water for the city.

And with the threat of war, perhaps Ahaz was looking to make sure the city’s water supply was intact, that it would be safe.

So here is Isaiah and his son, and the Son’s name bears witness to what God promises to do in the future.

But here is what is interesting, Isaiah’s and his son are there, they are giving the Word of the Lord to Ahaz that in spite of the upcoming invasion there was hope.

Israel would be gone before you know it… and Jerusalem will follow, but there was hope.

The Lord himself is telling of the sign through the prophet.

The miraculous would happen… a virgin would conceive and bear a son.

Now let me tell you what....

The Lord makes it real clear…

A Virgin… a young maiden who has never known a man, she will be found with child and she will deliver that child, and not just any child.

A Son!

The virgin will have a Son! Did you hear… A Son!

And listen my friends, his name will be called Immanuel… (God with Us).

You see as Isaiah delivered that prophecy, there was his son with him, and remember his name.

A remnant will return....

And with the remnant, there is a Son who will do great things…

Isaiah will go on a tell them

Isaiah 9:6-8

Hope was coming ......

Regardless of what is happening right now, understand this is not the end.

It wasn’t to late for Israel, even in captivity they could return to the Lord with their whole person and the Lord would receive them.

Daniel walked with God, the three Hebrew children walked with God, many did… even when walking in a foreign land so far from Home.

Was was sending His Son into the world soon....

There is hope in that prophecy!!!!

There is hope in that prophecy!!!!

Hope that was promised a long time ago is the hope that is renewed....

Transition....

Now God would continue to share words through the Old Testament prophets, even telling the place, the city of His birth.

All they had to do was be faithful, watch and pray and wait on God..