Ready to Roll on God's Signal
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Are you ready to roll? United Airlines Flight 93, Sept 11, 2001, fourth of quartet of planes - Are you ready OK let’s roll. Last words to Jefferson. Disucssed plan, veered south, descending 9 minutes from whitehouse… If you heard those words - respond? Well if oblivious, or knew a scufle or paralyzed with fear - probably not. But if like Todd Beamer - full knowledge of what’s goinog on, not only that discussed with crew and some other passengers . If just spent 15 mintutes on phone - reciting , in prayer, Lords Prsyer - if made arrangments tealk to my pregant wife - if knwoledge of carnage and dark valley - and then voted - heard the signal Let’s roll.
So it is with those ciritical moments of God’s greatest actions in our lives and in our world, especially of His greatest visitation of sending His Son into our lives! Event might be planned ready to put in action, it may be that Jesus has come, has performed great actof salvation; but listen, if you don’t have the signal, if you haven’t been tipped off to when and why its going to happen, what is the battle who is the enemey, what needs to be done, what’s my role - the great events may happen but it won’t have changed us, we won’t be involved in it. And so it is with thousands of those every Christmas - maybe know there was some commotion 2000 years ago, yah Xns bleive Son of God came to earth, how hum - no idea of the plan , the work sent to do, no idea of the imminent danger they are in the enemies that have control of the shipof their plane that’s goign down. And totday the jetliner of your life my life, cabin lights are ogiong to go off, goign to be chaos and darkness ultimately death, often in this world tragedy. But unlike Flight 93 and those who heroically gave themselves to prvent further carnage, God has a plan for this tworld through Jesus - going into that tragedy,darkness, and sin suffering and death - to bring us through. He has not a little salvation here and there workered indesperate situations,but He has the big salvation - eternal salvation - no question that he worked that events - but there remains the question whether you and I are roling with it!
What do I mean? All through history - God at work - reversing the darkness, death, sin - in relatively speaking little events, even the greaetest of them Exodus, relatively little, local - and with each of those actof salvation - he always sent not jsut the acts of salvation , but also a preparing word, a set of instruction, a game-plan - so that you and I would be ready to role in His great acts of redemption. So to Israel he says in
“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
That is Word-Act revelation and redemption, Not just the Act but the interpreting Word of God that must go with and explain and invite us into the act. Astoudning statement - never does naything without the WORD. Our celebration of the Son of God coming to us, are you just celebrating the act, or do you have the WORD, the prophesy that God uses to prepare you, to enable you to roll with God’s greatest acts? What would that mean for you and me 2000 years after Jesus came - how have you received God’s signal about Christ, do you know what it means, are you rolling with it?
Key Truth: The Lord gives us time and preparation so we can roll with His greatest visitation!
Key Truth: The Lord grants time and preparation so that we will be prepared to roll with His greatest visitation!
A) Take Time for God to Prepare (Your Hearts for His Personal Entrance into our Lives) - You by the prophetic word
Do you remember taht feeling? CAn’t wait until it gets here - - aching in heart until its here - big game. Antsy. Kid at Christams time - that time of wiaiting, anticipation of the joy - actaully makes the moment that much more sweet. When I was a kid, downstairs after candlelight service, sunday School children get hot chocoliat and book - peit prins scout - harldly wait - and the achingo f story didn’t have, a gift not yet received - made me want it all the more!
Well, that is the context of our passage - the people of Israel were waiting. And their was a dark rotten absence in their lives. God had visited - a number of times Exodus - big word used, , ,
And they remembered that - held dear his miracle salvation sin the past, and the words, the covenant relationships words taht explained his action,
He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!
but not permanent, little visits and never fullness of God with them. And so end of the OT - 400 years of silence, God’s glory left temple, and he was silent. So many not really rolling with it. Compared to Mary - Zechariah too at first not really - believing and remembering and having the picture idea - His turn to burn incense - little bit like Eli - sure do the temple rituals, sure throw up prayers to Go, but not really expecting an answer. Sure he knew that God had promises a future visit, when He himself come down from heaven work a real and full atonement, sure knew promises that Suffering Saviour who would be Son of God Himself. But unlike Mary who asks not how will this be, how are you going to do, and who responds I am the Lord's maidservant, let it be according to your what WORD!
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
How did Zechariah reply - not how will do it? But How shall I know this. I can’t belive it, holy man, believer, yet unbelief had gripped his heart, and he gives the reason - I’m old and barren and no life, jsut the curse… everything stays the same and I am trapped in this world of suffering. And God says - Zerchariah for your unbeilef - I am going to do something for you - why don’t you go over there - sit down - but God …no zip it - Zechariah, who has so much to sya in ubleief, who leads the people with words, no more of your talk - Zechariaih you who know the Sicrpture, yet haven’t seen my announcement yet, stop and think. What would happen to you if tomorrow lost your voice - how would work change, yoru relationships, your prayer life?
It is very interesting that Elizabeth also has this time of reflection on what God is doing giving aged woman a baby who will go before teh Messiah preparing hearts of people for His salvation. Look what happens to Elizabeth:
“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
And its interesting that Mary who knows she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit with teh very Son of God - what does she do for three months, she leaves home in Nazareth, and she goes with haste - very specific town in the hill country of Judea - no small 100 mile journey.
Not with Joseph, not with immdeidate family, not cointnuing doing work of young Jewish woman. She takes a time out. The angel told her Elizabeth herrelative also miraculous important baby. mary walks through her door, and the baby John leapt for joy in his proximity to the Messiah, And Elizabeth full o the Holy Spiriit - gives Mary a word - mother of my LORD has comeinto my house Blessed are you who blieves the popehtic word and that fulfillment is uopio you! ANd that’s when Mary proclaims more of God’s paln for tyhe child her song of praise!
Do you see the time to mull over God’s visitation - Son of god in my womb, Elizabeth hidden away mulling it voer - my Son giong to go before the Messiah in teh spiirit of Elijah. And for Zecharaiah who though an expert in God’s Wrod plagued with this unbelief - what do you think he was thinking of for 9 moths. What weas he praying? And then it happens, there’s this exceptional miracles - of the tablet - imagine not even texting - write on little chalk board, Don’t call him family name - John - gift of grace. And all the neighbours hear of the rumour of angel visits, of two miracle pregancies, the priest struck dumb , the teenage girl and aged mother-to-be prophesying - and now this naming of child -
If that happened next door to you, in the apartment of senior citizen home, that was the talk, or a new girl from up north at school and she’s pregant but… all these otherthings beign said. Look at the repsonse:
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
God sends his interpreting word before he acts in your life and in our world. And witha reverent fear, an awe not that drives us aaway, but fasicnation that draws us closer, lay these words of of god’s signal his plan - where in their hearts. Literally not side your hearst, but to set upon, Rabbi - why place on heart, not in heart = when hearts breaks these sink into your heart! And what is it that their hearts and minds are focused on - this child - one born already John, or the one about to be born from Mary? What is God going to do with this child? And teh answer that Zechariah gives as the last OT prophesy before the birth of Jesus tells us what Zechariah has been doing the last 9 months off duty as a mute preisn ow at home on disability. He isn’t thinking about his miracles child, often what parents big concern is. But pouring over the Scritpures for 9 months, wit these little heads ups - his focus and heart and the first and lion share’s part of this prophesy is about what God in Christ will do, not John!
Dear freinds, five months hidden long time, three months away from home away from fiancee giong to need to lean on long time away. 9 months cut off from conversation - long time. But 400 years God didn’t converse - and before His gereatest event ever! But God had said: . Do you hear taht teh days of Messiah, of the kingdom of rightesounes, are \giong to be kicked off by the Spirit reutning.
You are more familiar with .
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
Wasn’t jsut fulfilled at Petnecost that was for new believers asa sign that the new kingdom comes to all new believers in Christ, and even ot the nations. But already here, the age of the Messiah announced to world, with these words that God spoke again - now porphesysing througha teenage girl, aged barren woman and a pirest seeing and hearing the appearanceof an angel and now prophesying in full out OT fulfillment, somoen counted 200. THis was teh signal that the big new END TIMES had come, God’s people begin to experience the opwer of teh prophets in new ay , when God would do His most powerful acts. Why Peter says - in this new age of the Messiah, when God’s come in most personal way into our lives, all NT believers are what?
And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’
Now of course the Scirputres are full of prophesy and various types of God’s revelation. But these prohecies not just law, not just small acts of salvation picture gbigger future one, not just words of comfort, but therese are ike that Todd Beamer’s words assessing the big situation, devising a plan, and saying to those around him - ready to roll. Does God need to strike us dumb, to receive thsee instruction, description, the game plan with Jeuss. Do ywe need 3 or 5 months of seclusion to quiet ourselves and ready ourselves. What we use this church season of advent - - may as welll not celebrate Christmas at all if not - receive the prophetic plan that explains, and even releases Christ's kingdom in our lives and prepares us to roll with him. Holy awe and holy anticipation - who is this child? and drawn to I wnat to roll with Him!
Zech cound’t have done that without this. Can tell Mary Eliz a teenageer whose heart cpatured by Hannah’s song -Elizabeth like Corrie Ten Booom life of service - aged woman with Scirutres in her hart. Neeed Holy Spirit Words - now we have those made more certain inscriputurea\ted, but still Holy Spirit breathed. Begin this season - would you join with me in reading every week before church. Would you join with me in memorzing this song Benedictus - words of this prophesy? Simply ask show me the program!
The next 4 weeks that plan unfolded before us through Zechariah’s song. But for the conclusion of this introduction into God’s promgram with sending jesus to us, just this one verse that gives us the reason why. The rest of the verse the how with Christ with john. But if you have dedcided to give the time fortheHoly SPiriti to speak thiese words, what is the reason for jesus plan! You can know this by three keys words, Bless, Visit, Redeem! And we will tackle thjopse in reverse order - why jesus coming to redeem, visit, and restoring our blessing is what the Christmas program, the comiong of Christ is all about!
B.
B. Christmas is All About Redeeming, Visiting, and Blessing!
Now hear is good news. This world and our lives are really incomplete aren’t they - piant them up nice and rosy - but nothing golden here stays - if we saw the world and our lives the way God does - recognize how broken and full of sin and suffering. And that’s the background forh tis word redemption, it is like we have been sold as a human race into slavery - you know how the saying goes, you reap what you sow. We were sold to sin and suffering, evil task master tricked us - try to get out, try to make our lives as fulfilling or compfortable as posbbile but itis still - like Israel in OT, Israel in the land of slavery the house of bondage - Buthtegood news is that this Messiah came at Christams - for redemption.
Don’t think of that wrodsa s religiuos wrod first of all. Shopping word, economy, word. LIke reddeming a coupon - let’s say you owe me, mortagged your house, sold your business - - but you have this note that says, “Dear friends, if ever you are int trouble, prsent this coupon to me and I will release all your debts, I will cover all your debts and expenses, and save you! Basically taht us our lives are forfeit - puncishment, suffering, death.
But this Messiah is comiong why? He’s got this certificate to deliver to you and me. The Creditor can’t be forced to accept the coupon, but jesus the Son of God comes from heaven, and he says, “In sending me God is choosing to accdpt a creation coupon… This is my life mssion - special coupoon baeed on ransom - … Bond of the king, he has poromised that it is his duty to redeem - law of blood - picture in the OT Goel - knsman redeemer - next of kin - like Boaz - takes on the debt
That’s the word. Lke Jacob, his life ,problems in his family, problems in his character, problems financially, with a famine,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
Need to see that like God sent Joseph before to make sure that blessing and life and restoration and forgiveness, and was prepared, God shas sent jesus to redeem. The Son of God limited himself and is now in the virginmary’s womb on planet earth. And that redemeption is as good as delivered. Certain. Jesus is here God has redeemed! That was the prophesy
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Didn’t have to but looks on ous and ays - I am going to recover you, i am going to redeem you:
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.
Like Ruth looking to this surrpising Boaz who will redeem her life - bringing her into totally didferent time of blessing and blessing others - in to ew house - We all need to be looking to Jesus - he is our redeemer, he will marry us a people in bondage and borkeneness - cover all our liabilities and weakness and credit to us all his blessing and fulness and sterngth.
Greatest news. It’s likethe fmaly -law of the universe, nearest of Kin has to buy you back - has to stand absolutuely commiteed to seeing you thorugh, and God has come inJesus - I’m shoiwnig up in your life like that!
But it gets even better:
B. Christmas is All About Redeeming, Visiting, and Blessing! This Christmas program of God coming to redeem in our world and in our lives, it’s not just a financial arrangement, nor just a pay for your sins and take you to heaven when you die arrangement. If just a religious scheme, belive this get this - no real transformation! But look at the middle word: visited: Now this is so beautiful hope you will dig deeper into the is program in the Word for what redeemed looks like in your life; but you don’t have to go much further into the word to understand what Jesus coming means for visiting you!
You already know what it means to hve someone visit you. Christmas holidays ever have company, ever have somone come and enjoy your food. Sit around a table palying cards? had a brother after number of months apart - came to check out how I was doing in Slovakia - showed him teh place, my new friennds, my work - did it with sister in japan, other sisster in the NWT! Do you believe God would do that for you? From perfect heaven into the your cpmaritively little home. That God would visit you? Not even just draw close but to come with the idea of inspecting, comeing to help . Often used in Roman world for a genrela of the army, comiong to an outpost to see how the troops wree doing, often a surprise visit - ensure that they are prepared.
Now if God were to interprut your life this week witha visit how would that make you feel. If you summoned to judgment seat of God this week -
Many of us I’m not ready, I am not worthy - fear punishment! If Christ were to return and visit for the last day, not ready let me get htings in order first. But again I’ve got good news for you who love His appearing, in faith, even if unbelief needs correcting, still by faith long for his appearing:
NOt a coming for judgment. God drawing near in the humlity of Jesus - wants to get close to you and me - at retreat - remember face to face, knows his sheep, remember Sunday night - gains face fell, remember Judas fless into the night, remember peter can’t bear to lookiin jesus eyes, failure… remember even jesus taking our sin on His shoulders - falls to the ground, his face fell - but this visit is God looking in mercy - darws near to HIs people in their sin and distress - no shepherd in the world can bring them back. But look at Zecharich
That’s what he promised in the OT. Look at
a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
God’s eye of blessing on you - that is what happens when he visits you in grace. It’s what promised in the Messiah comong in
“My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
And that is exactly what happens as Jesus shows Hismelf the perfect propeth and priest, and king with God’s people. he deomnstartyraes his care and his ower. REmmber that widow of nain, and how jesus raised her Son from teh dead -and they say:
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
And jesus himelf, dies for us and rises, perfect atonement to help his beleagured handicapped troops - and says You believe and take to yourself what my sacrfice is, what my salvation and help is, then even though not ophysically with you, I am visiting you, and making you into s apecial people - that has the prmiosed land in them - eheve rthey go - my protectionk b\y blessing my Spiriti , my kingdom growing amond them.
So
“ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.
When you bleive in Jesus, receive his gospel, filled with His Spirit that’s Jesus, the Son of God visiting you - perosnally - and taking yoruself to Him and moulding you into His speicial people on earth! Same word for bishop, episcopos - overseer - Jesus coms to your investigatges and applies his grace to cheer you and rebuild you, heal you - and incoprorate you into new fellwship.
In human relitnships - when you actually show up in a persons life when they are in need - see whwere they are at and minsiter to them - that’s what visit means:
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
And that brings us to the last purpose of Christmas, not just redeeming, not just visiting, but blessing! B. Christmas is All About Redeeming, Visiting, and Blessing!
Jesus said that sadesst thing when he went ot the Cross on the Mount of Olives, can see all the different section of Jerusalem: from their: all the different kinds of people Jesus came for: some big whigs in preistly class, some rich saducees, some in Roman administration, many in oporr working class, some buiness men, surveys the whole city and do you remember what makes Jesus cry:
and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Folks its not like Jesus Christ ust visits twice a year, Christmas and Easter, he came once and for all int he fulness of time. His visitation - fullest revelation of God and his love and gospel - our yearly rememberance is about our response until he comes again. Jesus cries because some just give a nod to the event but don’t by his Word get tot he visiting with Jesus! Have you recognized his visitation and what it means. He investigates every part of your life, draws near not to judge but to visit us in our aflfliction and mniister to us! And if you recnognize why Jesus showed up, instead of Jesus crying over you, do you know like inthe OT the LORD sings over you this morning! Heaven rejoicesin you the one siner who repepnts and finds this salvatio and now walks with God’s oepole on earth!
This is why, teh word of Zechariah’s prophesy is BLESSED. Don’t miss this as we begin to seek what’s Christ’s visitation and redemption mean to us. NOt all the blessing God gives, but i see tihs Jesus comnign and my heart exalts, filled with greatest joy and priase Why this porpehsy this ecstatic song - called the Benedictus - the words of how the frist three book of Psalm s end 41:13, 72:18, Each of the early book of Pslams begin with troubles battle, the sin, suffering, - but they end with God working salvation through HIs king, through HIs Son and then God’s people have hearts full of blessing. These are the exact words that David uses when God who promised an heir to sit on this throne, Solomon the Son fo David look at it:
And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’ ”
And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying,
In the past in the OT, God redeemed and he visited Israel, but it was more like he had that salvation dleivered by Canda Post. There’s a human being giving a little box - and those people never stopped exalting in God’s work of salvation; But Christams is God saaying ot the world, now you open that door, not a little human being with a little box, I myself have stooped down, Jesus is God HImself - Word made flesh - full of grace and truth, th true shepehrd, over see our slives, provide atonement and everything else - to be brought back face to face with God - you have that experience of jesus of salvation - and like Moses on the Mountain Gvien to se ejust a glimpose of God’s glory - your face and your life will shine - bless the LORD.
Conclusion: The rest of this prophesy will unpack how we must have eyes to see, and hearts that seek after how Jesus will redeem and visit us. How when that light dawns on us, we want to oin Jesus in seeing that same light dawn on more and more of those around us. Yo can bet Mary, Zech, Elizabeth - parent to get that light shining! But even before the child is born, all of their hearts exploding with praise.
How serious beleivers waiting for the Messiah began all their prayers in Jesus day. Found them at Qmran - “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel”… invite you recognizing Jesus to finish that praise with your life. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel - for you have not only given me bread or wine, or a job or family or friends, or a church family - but you have given us Jesus - He has given us … you fill it in!