Here I come ready or not

Virtual Christmas Eve

Series Places where we meet God

Title: Here I come ready or not

Theme: God with us

Text:Isaiah 9:2-7

Goal: not only must you make room but you must be ready.

ME: ORIENTATION: FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE AUDIENCE

You need a Fire hydrogen, street light, and friends

Hide and seek Street version

Here I come ready or not

God’s time table is not are time table.

We gather to celebrate the birth of Christ!

We remember Mary & Joseph, shepherds and prophecy

Here I come ready or not

What a change that made!

WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)

We struggle with change?

In the last 25 years things have changed. Some of those changes may be revealed on Christmas Day as gifts

Cell phones cut the cords

Laptops made us mobile while pads set us free.

Technology changed the way we see things, from how small we can see and how far away we can see.

Things have changed forever

9/11 dried up the oceans while Covid displayed the vulnerability of the world.

You know longer have to have a physical presence to see a doctor and some treatments can happen through the phone.

Christmas Eve we are worshiping together through the internet.

What has not changed is the message, our God, our Savior and the Holy Spirit.

God who loves us

A Savior who came to deliver us and show us a better way.

Holy Spirit than can live in our hearts and lives.

While we celebrate his human birth we must keep an eye out for his return.

Places where we meet God

If God is with us, then we meet God continually and the statement becomes a time when we recognize that

A dark world

2  The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shone.

Isaiah

Ahaz, King of Judah (אחז, 'chz; shortened form of יהואחז, yhw'chz, meaning “he [Yahweh] has held, grasped”). The 12th king of Judah. Placed his trust in Assyria when faced with military threat. His actions led to divine judgment upon Judah

Pettus, D. D. (2016). Ahaz, King of Judah. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

The historical books and Isaiah portray Ahaz as an evil, wicked, idolatrous ruler. His sins and failure to heed God’s warnings led to divine judgment upon Judah in the form of invasion by a Syro-Israelite coalition and subjugation to Assyria.

Pettus, D. D. (2016). Ahaz, King of Judah. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Isaiah 7: 10 - 12

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Is 7:10–12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

B. Jesus

People were under Roman rule which could be harsh.

The religious community end attempting to keep peace so their temple could be opened.

Herod who killed everyone he considered a threat.

It has been said they were looking for someone.

C Us

How about us today with the virus, political fighting wars etc…. Similar days

In each event their was struggle and God being present.

Matthew 24:4-14

4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 24:4–14). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Joy is God’s presence & Deliverance

Isaiah 9:3-5

3  You have multiplied the nation;

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

4  For the yoke of his burden,

and the staff for his shoulder,

the rod of his oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

(

5  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

and every garment rolled in blood

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

God will triumph over this evil.

Gideon defeated Midian with 300 men. God used them to defeat their Army)

He did so with Judah and brought them back from captivity a second time. WE noticed that in Isaiah 40 where the path was made level.Same thing with the birth of Christ.

40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that her warfare is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.

Isaiah 40:1-5

3  A voice cries:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4  Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

5  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Jesus delivered humanity offering himself to pay for our sins.

The Birth of a Savior 6

Isaiah 9:6

6  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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Is 9:6). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Jesus came at the right time according to God’s timetable

He will come again at the right time too.

His Kingdom knows no end

7  Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Conclusion.

God is with us everyday and he calls us to be ready. Are you ready?

Know Christ as Savior. Place your trust in him as Lord

Salvation prayer

Break away from the demands in your life and help your children be raised in the faith ready. I predict if you, we are not careful our children will drift away and not be ready.Are you ready for his return