Arrival of the Messiah

Opening

We are on the 3rd week of Advent

Advent as we all now know is waiting for a notable person, the Lord Jesus Christ

In preparation for the second coming of Christ, we learned very important traits from the “willingness” of Mary and “acceptance” of Joseph

Willingness to accept everything that the Lord puts in our way

Since Advent entails waiting, patience was made to be a virtue

BREATHE!

Last Friday, we came to Newark Airport early to make it on time for our return flight home here in San Diego.

Looking at the board, we were notified that there was a slight delay of just about 20 minutes.

When boarding time came, we heard announcement over the PA system inviting passengers of this flight to proceed to the gate for the boarding process.

Excited to get home to sunny San Diego, we went through smooth boarding process and took our designated seats.

It was a 3-seats row on every isle, so I prayed to ask God to leave the one seat open, so that me and my sister wife could have the extra space to cuddle and warm each other during the flight coming home.

All belongings were stowed, seat belts fastened and ready for take off. But, 30 minutes had passed… an hour… an hour and a half had passed… but still our plane is not moving.

Until we heard the Captain spoke over the PA to share with us the flight issues that he had on hand.

Which are:

1. Due to weather our flight, along many other flights at Newark are held until further notice

2. If ever we are permitted to fly, the Captain said there’s no way we can make it to San Diego Airport on time. Because SAN Airport has a curfew from 12:30-6:30am, meaning, because of the “noise restrictions” in our City of San Diego, there should be no incoming or outgoing flights within that time window

3. So, the possibilities are:

- If we decide to stay on that flight they will take us to LAX, and then from there, they will provide shuttle busses to bring us to San Diego Airport

- Or, depending on the actual time of departure, they might consider having an hour lay over in LAX and take off the jet with us in it to San Diego

- Or, depending on the actual time of departure, they might consider having an hour lay over in LAX and take off the jet with us in it to San Diego

- Or, we can disembark from the plane and talk to their customer service for other possible arrangements

Me and my wife decided to get off the plane and see what the customer service can offer us given our situation and our need to be home before Sunday

All flights out of Newark to San Diego the next day are super full. And because the cause of delay is weather, the airlines is not offering any “free” hotel accommodation

Other passengers became restless and impatient. I even overheard a couple demanding that their luggages be pulled out from the aircraft’s belly, which the airlines won’t do at that point

Some even said, I don’t want to go to LA, I just want to go home to San Diego… and yada yada yada!

When it was my turn to be assisted, I asked the airline associate what are my options on the table. None of what she said looks good.

Until, my wife came up to me and reminded me of what I taught the church: That “Advent is Adventure!”

She suggested for us to stay with our delayed flight and “enjoy the moment”

Because, it was me who taught these things, how can I even say NO?

So we stick to the flight where we are originally booked to fly with. Our plane took off almost 4 hours after it’s original departure time. We arrived in LAX at 3am where busses were waiting for us that took us down to San Diego Airport, and then I ordered for Uber pool, Craig safely delivered us to our apartment at 5:40am.

So, if ever you grow impatient or restless waiting upon the Lord. Just remind yourselves that...

“Advent is Adventure!”…

let me hear this side say “Advent”

Let me hear this side say “Adventure!”.

“Enjoy every moment with the Holy Spirit.”

BREATHE!

In our month long series entitled “iShare”, we are seeking to share “The Real Purpose of Christmas”

Not how the world is trying to give definition to it

But how the truth of God has originally defined it

When the “Sign was Given” to Mary, we saw her “willingness”

And when “He accepts Jesus as His Son”, we saw the “acceptance” of Joseph

BREATHE!

In preparation for the second coming of Christ, we learned very important traits from the “willingness” of Mary and “acceptance” of Joseph

Willingness to accept everything that the Lord puts in our way

BREATHE!

Today let’s look into The Birth of Jesus

Text: The Birth of Jesus ()

As you turn your Bible to Luke chapter 2, let me bring you back in the old testament when Micah prophesied about the birth place of the Messiah

Micah is a contemporary of Isaiah whose prophetic activities was from around 740-686 B.C.

He is a Judean prophet from Moresheth, a town about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem

While Bethlehem, the birth place of David and Jesus is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem

Hear this...

Micah 5:2 NIV

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Micah was not prophesying about David because David reigned over Israel in 1011-971 BC which is way before Micah

Micah actually prophesied about the birth place of Jesus

BREATHE!

Let’s take a look of the event surrounding the Birth of our King

Luke 2:1–7 NIV

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Show the Map of the Birth of Jesus

Does God use unbelievers to fulfill His will?

Who says yes, raise your hand… Who says no, raise your hands...

This is a practical but very significant question that we christians should seeks answers to

Because we ourselves are surrounded by unbelievers every day of our lives

If Augustus, Ruler of the Roman Empire, and an unbeliever, did not issue a decree calling for a census, this prophecy of Micah could have not been fulfilled

Jesus could have been born in the town of Nazareth where Joseph and Mary were

So, to fulfill this prophesy, God used Augustus, an unbeliever. In the same way that the Lord will also use unbelievers around you to fulfill His will for you

Let’s look at the map: Show the Map of the Birth of Jesus

BREATHE!

Luke 2:8–12 NIV

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Why Shepherds?

Why not kings, so that a grand welcome and red carpet reception could have been arranged?

Why not soldiers, so that he will have the protection fitting for the awaited King?

Why not to hotel magnate or the rich people, so that a suite room with warm comfortable bed could have been arranged for Him?

Why shepherds?

To find the answers to this, let’s take a deeper look into characters that are definitive of a shepherd:

A shepherd is a protector of his flock

He guides and leads his flock

He nurture and provides for them

He search out whenever there’s anyone missing

He loves and takes care of his flock

Humble and lowly people

Perhaps because Shepherds are iconic symbol of a people that takes care of his flock

Obviously, it is a sign of “humility”

BREATHE!

We can see two purposes of Christmas from the words of the Angel to the shepherds

Celebration - verse 10 said, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.w I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.w I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people

w See

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

w See

Anon, 2011. The New International Version, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Anon, 2011. The New International Version, Grand

Salvation - verse 11 said, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Today in the town of David a Saviorx has been born to you; he is the Messiah,y the Lord

x See ; See ; ; ; ; See ; ;

y ; , ; ; ; ; See 9:22

Anon, 2011. The New International Version, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

HE!

The GREAT Reason for our Celebration is Salvation!

God gave us His son as Gift

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Reveals the truth about God

John 1:18 NIV

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Expression of God’s Love

1 John 4:9 NIV

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Allows Relationship with the God

John 1:12 NIV

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

They Spread the Word

Christmas is a time for Salvation

Luke 2:

Luke 2:17–18 NIV

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Prayer