Anticipation: Expectation, Hope, and Christmas

Well this morning we continue on in our Christmas sermon series on anticipation expectation. Hope and Christmas and I want to start this morning with what you all can consider my Christmas gift to you. More 80s rock lyrics I know how much you appreciate them. Let me see if you know I can think of what song this was from the 80s. Where have all the good men gone? And where are all the gods. Where is the StreetWise Hercules to fight the rising odds, isn't there a White Knight upon a fiery Steed late at night. I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need. I need a hero. I'm Holding Out for a Hero till the end of the night. He's got to be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero. I'm Holding Out for a Hero till the morning light. He's got to be sure and it's got to be soon and he's got to be Larger than Life Larger than Life. They sound so ridiculous when you read them. I mean, I remember them so well and songs I liked but anyways, I wanted to share that with you because as silly as it may seem reading 80s rock lyrics it conveys a truth about Mankind just as last week, we considered the universal anticipation of a new place. It seems that most people in general in God's people particularly also are anticipating a new person a hero as it were someone who can lead us and someone who can restore us to that place where we worship and fellowship with God. Culture in our society in around the world people will look to eight a prime minister or a president or a pope or a pastor or a philosopher or physician or a philanthropist someone. Who can save us someone who can be that hero that we need to take us to that place. We were reconciled with God and we can fellowship and worship with him and really that speaks to the main idea of these sermons in regards to anticipation God's people anticipate a new person to bring them to a new place where they're fellowship with and worship of God is restored. Christmas Is the initiation of the consummation of our anticipation of a new place and a new person? Let's read again this morning from Isaiah chapter 11 verses 1 through 9 verses which convey that anticipation that we have for a new place and a new person.

I can read along in your Bibles on your devices or in the back of the insert in the bulletin.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit in the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon in the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord and his Delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what is IC or decide disputes by what is years here, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall strike the Earth with the rod of his mouth and what the breath of his lips. He shall kill the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his waist and faithfulness the belt of his loins the wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the younger and the lion in The Sun cast together and a little child shall lead them the car when the Bear show Grey's their young shall lie down together in the lion shall eat straw like The nursing child shall play over the whole of the kobra and the weaned child shall put his hand on the outers then they shall not hurt or destroy and all my Holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Let's pray father God we come to you this morning needy. We are finite creatures we still struggle with sin and we desperately need your help this morning. Would you father God by your spirit? Help us. To understand with our minds and to embrace with our hearts your truth. And father got as we look. at the anticipation of a new person it almost Universal desire that we all feel. Would you father God by your spirit help us this morning to see Jesus to see the glory of his birth? And all that is mint and all that. It will mean for us Assets in Jesus name. Amen specifically this morning for this sermon. Here's the main idea God's people anticipate a new person who will restore them to fellowship with and worship of God. Jesus is the Fulfillment of that expectation and whole us Christmas is the initiation of the consummation of our anticipation. I can say that another way Christmas is the beginning of the realization of all that we hope for and expect Or another way the birth of Jesus and Nod rates the culmination of God's plan to reconcile his people to himself so that they might worship and fellowship with him Christmas is the initiation of the consummation of our anticipation a time of anticipation. And why is it that God's people in particular anticipate a new person to save them? Well similar me guards to anticipation similar to the answer last week as to why we anticipate a new place this week. We see that we anticipate a new person because the person we had to lead us and the people throughout history got sent to save us all fell short.

So we anticipate a new person because the old people who are supposed to save us fail also see that we anticipate a new person because a new person was promised. And finally, we'll see that a new person was delivered pun intended to get that a new person was delivered. Okay? Anyways, let's talk about the failed sons from the very beginning of Humanity's existence. God was looking and intending there to be a leader there to be a head there to be someone who could be a covenant partner with him so that he could demonstrate and Lead his people to fellowship and worship with God it started with Adam. He was the original one who was the Covenant partner with God and yet is we looked at last week. He failed he let us away from God and his actions actions frustrated our worship. And separated us from our fellowship and since that failure every other cover Covenant partner of God failed as well. And so we anticipate a new person to lead us and save us because we know what it was supposed to be when we see this through the history of the Old Testament begin with Adam who's sitting in the garden and funniest Humanity into sin and it's interesting even though Israel wasn't created. We see in Genesis 3 that that song Rejoice Rejoice O Israel Emmanuel is coming to save you that song began and it didn't just stick with Adam. We saw Kane. What did he do? He was supposed to be the next leader. He was this the first sign of but he murdered his brother and Noah, who is it coming to partner with God lived a life where he became drunk at one time and brought shame upon himself showing his unfaithfulness even Abraham, who was the father of the faithful. Throughout his life showed that he couldn't remain completely faithful to God. He lied about his wife's identity even slept with his wife's concubine to try and produce an heir for himself. Moses broke Faith with God by not obeying. His command was not permitted to enter in the promised land David broke Faith with God when he committed adultery and murder. Even David's son Solomon broke Faith with God when he worshipped Idols throughout the history of God's people God was looking for a new person a faithful leader a son as a worker who could lead his people to worship and fellowship the true God. But they failed to live in faithful Covenant with God every leader. God raised not to help his people to get to that place of Fellowship to get to that place of worship proved themselves to be unfaithful Unfaithful in accomplishing. What we are anticipating is God's people that fellowship and that worship of God. And so we know we need new leader a representative who can help us in this because the old ones failed and fell short We lost what we once had it so we anticipate a new person to get us back there. That's not the only reason we anticipate is just like the new place a new person was promised. We see that promise in the first verse of chapter 11 and Isaiah there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his route. Shall bear fruit. This is not person that Isaiah spoke about a little earlier and Isaiah 9 the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light those who dwell in the land of deep Darkness on them has light Sean for to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name Shall be Called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace. He was promised. This is a new person would restore our fellowship with God where we store our worship of God. They would bring us to that new place that we all anticipate. We see here that this leader would come from the House of David and even though the House of David the line of David had been decimated. It wasn't a tree any longer. It'll become a stomp that have been cut down and yet there was still life in it and I would have that death and decay of the line of David. God would bring life to God's people and so he promised a new person to restore. And that new person was the faithful son. God fulfill that promise of a new person to lead us that plays when Jesus was born. That's why Christmas is the initiation of a consummation or anticipation. His birth was the beginning of God fulfilling that promise we read in Luke chapter 1 in the 6-month. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to average of a troll to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and The Virgins name was Mary when he came to her and said greeting so favored one the Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the same and try to discern what sort of greeting this might be in the angel said you were do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your room and bear a son and you should call his name Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the son of the most high and the Lord God will give to him the Throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and I'll his kingdom there will be no end and Mary said to the angel how will this be since I am a virgin in the angel answered her the holy spirit will come upon you in the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the child to be born will be called. Holy the son of God. Again promising to marry this new person is coming. This son of God is coming this air of David's line who will save his people is coming and then we read Luke Chapter 2 in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when penurious was governor of Syria and all went to be registered each to his own town and Joseph also went up From Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed was with child and while they were there the tiny time came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the end. And in that same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock By Night an angel of the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were filled with great fear and the angel said to them fear not for behold. I bring to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people for unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the lord and this will be a sign for you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying a major and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those who he is pleased. When the Angels win away from them into heaven the shepherd said to one another let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us and they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger and when they saw they made known the saying that have been told that I'm considering this child at all who heard it wonder that was a shepherd's told them but Mary treasured up these things is pondering them in her heart and the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it has been told them. This was the promise that was fulfilled the birth of Jesus. We had a leader and God raised up many leaders who were to be in Covenant with him and we're supposed to show us how to worship God and lead us into fellowship with God but each one of them sales. Each one of them didn't remain faithful to the Covenant of God until the promised one came. He was born in this was fulfilled in Jesus and show his birth was the initiation the initiation of what God would do the initiation of the consummation of all we anticipate What did this first Christmas initiates it initiated the faithful life of our savior? It initiated our Salvation which would bring us back to worship and fellowship with God we read about this in the second and third verse of Isaiah chapter 11, the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon in the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge in the fear of the Lord and his the light shall be in the fear of the Lord this describes the life of Jesus that was initiated at his birth and we've seen all these things as we've gone to the Gospel of Luke. We seen his his wisdom to judge correctly in situations. Like when he spoke to Mary and Martha about their actions when he visited their home, we see his understanding that is perceiving the heart of an issue as he addressed the Pharisee who asked who is my neighbor with the parable of the Good Samaritan. We see his fear of the Lord is he is tempted by the devil who offers him all the glory of the world and he says you shall not worship or so you shall Worship the Lord your God and him only shalt you serve. we see his counsel and his might is ability to plan and the power to accomplish that plan as he begins to bring God's kingdom to the people of Israel with healings and exorcisms in Miracles. This was his life his birth initiated a life in which he fulfilled. These things that Isaiah spoke about so much so that in Luke chapter 24 verse 19 as a resurrected. Jesus walked with his disciples on the road to Emmaus. Can I have some one of these things that you're talking about that have gone on and Israel? They said concerning Jesus of Nazareth a man who was a prophet Mighty and deed and word the live the life in accordance with what Isaiah prophesied the spirit of the Lord was upon him. And then after Pentecost pewter understood that he was more than a prophet Mayan word and deed and understood because of the spirits help that this pertain not only to his birth and his life but also his death Peter in Acts 2 says men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested you by God with Mighty works and wonders and signs that God did threw him in your miss that you yourself know this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of Lawless men. God raise them up losing the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it. His birth was the initiation of a life lived in perfect obedience to God that obedience. However that took him to the Cross where he died a substitutionary atonement death. for the sins of his people

and his birth initiated a life in which after he died. His whole life lived his whole message of the kingdom of God was verified because of the conclusive victory of his resurrection. Christ birth initiated our Salvation in our reconciliation. We now can have fellowship with God as his children and worship him. as we were meant to if we put our faith in our trust in this Jesus was born on Christmas Day live that perfect life and died that sacrificial death and rose from the dead then we have fellowship with God we can worship him as we're meant to

but even that isn't the full consummation What is birth initiated? We read about that in the latter later Pacers versus of our passage today. But we even see it in verse 3 and 4 and 5. He shall not judge by what is Icees or decide disputes by what is ears here, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall strike the Earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips. He shall kill the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his waist and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

I see his whole work and we could take those versus I just read and put them very simply would say he is going to set things right. He's going to fix them. He's going to bring Justice back to the Earth and he's going to judge. And this is the Fulfillment. of what his birth at Christmas time initiated just like last week where we saw the Bible gives us a glimpse of that combination gives us a picture of that new place Revelation also gives a picture of this new person of what he looks like at the consummation of all things Revelation 19 verses 11 through 16 that I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. The one sitting on it is called faithful and true and in righteousness. He judges and makes War his eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many diadem's. And he has a name written that no one knows but himself he is clothed in a robe dipped in Blood In The Name by which is called as the word of God and the armies of having a raid in fine linen, white and pure with following on white horses from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nation's and he will rule them with a rod of iron he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the almighty on his robe and on his thigh. He has a name written king of kings and Lord of lords the one who would consomme God's plan is that same Jesus who was born in that humble manger in Bethlehem.

His birth was the initiation that led to the consummation which results in our fellowship and worship of God. We see that because just before that passage in Revelation 19:1 216. We read and 69th the purpose of his coming then I heard what seemed to be a voice of a great multitude like their war of many Waters and like the sound of money peals of Thunder crying out Hallelujah for the Lord Our God the Almighty Reigns, let us rejoice and exalt and give him the glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. It was granted her to clothe yourself with Vineland and brighten pure for the fine linen is the righteous Deeds of the Saints and the angel said to me, right this blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb and he said to me these are the true words of God. This was what the birth of Jesus is leading to this is what we are anticipating. A new personal savior a covenant partner with God who will be faithful who will do what he needs to do so that we might be reconciled to our Heavenly Father so that we might have fellowship with him that we might worship him. Not just now but for eternity that's what the birth of Jesus initiated and that's why we have to be people who anticipate at Christmastime all those feelings of anticipation the opening of presents the the celebrating with family the taking time off of work all those feelings of anticipation that swirl around Christmas time. We need to be people who anticipate because Christmas is when Christ was born.

It was the initiation of the consummation of all that we expect in Hope for I'll finish with this. The doors of you for whom Christmas is a difficult time as we talked about last week for many people. It's hard. It's a time of Despair. It's a time of loneliness set a timer for stration for all of you. Let me encourage you persist and persevere in expectancy and Hope anticipate all that the birth of Jesus resulted in now and in the age to come persevere and persist in them Let me say to those of you who find Christmas easy who fighted a joyful relaxing celebratory time. Well people who find it difficult persist and persevere. Let me encourage you to prioritize. Prioritize the expectancy of what Christ has Dinah what Christ will do over all the gift-giving all the overall the gift receiving over all the parties and celebrations and meal. This is far more important than those things to my prayer for you. This Christmas season is that you will be people of anticipation knowing that Christmas was the initiation of the consummation of all that you anticipate let's pray. Father we thank you for your words, and we thank you for this wonderful story of the birth. of that new person Bring us back to God who would.

Restore our fellowship with him who would lead us into worship with him in one day will bring all of it to its consummation.

through judgment Which is done righteously in Faithfully.

That's reassuring in of his people into that marriage supper. After which we will be with you forever and worship you forever. I pray for all here today. That would be great. Joy and great expectancy in great. Hope this Christmas season in Jesus name. Amen.