Sunday 5th December 2021

Well, I have asked this question earlier. And I was speaking primarily to the children. What are you expecting for Christmas? What are you expecting this Christmas? I hope you don't mind me using any of the example. She's hoping and expecting. That she will be able to get on the plane with their parents and fly to see her brother in America these days with Kevin. So what are you expecting? This particular Christmas 2021 presents? Family. Gatherings rest. Merriment. Hopefully not lockdown.

So, this is the second Sunday in Advent. And you might think this is rather a strange reading to have for Advent.

From the minor Prophet, kojo somewhere in the Old Testament.

But you know, it's about a time of expectation as you might have picked up. and I shall Explain that. And Unpack that a little bit later. So, who is Joel? Well, as you know, it is a couple of lads in this church. Cool. Joe. But who is this? Joe?

Rodger, read some articles from Well, not much is known about him actually, but he was probably a temple priest, but he wasn't much like the other Temple priest up his dad, as you will see in a moment. and then, Different Scholars to put different dates to when he said these things, but it just probably some way my slide picture of being somewhere around 500 BC five hundred years before Christ and therefore post Exile. In other words off that the Jews had returned from captivity in Babylon and probably after the second temple and being built by me and Maya. And this seems to have been couch worship going on and send pictures of mixing your religions. Okay?

Animations, John kids and farmers, and vomited probably being involved in painting. Art fertility, practices and Priests who had compromise God's ways and allowed other kinds of worship to creep in the United States, please, the people and probably to please the trading partners that Judah. Had some not all was well in Judah at the time. But Joe is God's spokesman to pronounce his oracles after the Locust Invasion not before. Now, you know that you know who was saying what y'all be careful. Don't disobey God. This is what's going to happen, you know, but yet is General who's making the spot to see the destruction? And he is really saying, look, what your behavior has brought you. Hence, the cool to render your heart, and not your garments return to the Lord, your God for. He is gracious and compassionate slow to anger, and abounding, in love, and he relents from sending calamity. So much for the background. It's ever look at this Locust. Invasion infestation. Have you ever seen pictures will maybe in real life? Have you ever seen the devastation that Lucas can cause he's a couple of photos to show you. Okay. Sorry, that was a field full of crops. Can you see what's left and look for another one. Looks like Today, we got Lucas damage, everything stripped.

Okay. Now. Hey, Stoopid, everything, they leave. Nothing. thanks, and, you know, I wonder if you Sing for the Moment. Have felt stripped of things.

Maybe. You felt stupid. Finances. Or job.

Or some sense of security that you have.

Hoover relationship.

Sometimes. God sees it as appropriate to strippers.

Sometimes because of sin. But not always. Perhaps in order to discipline us. The teacher something. Do cheerleaders in some new pain?

I have felt at times in my life.

And I'm not one to be gladly response to it. Thunder sometimes.

But you know, the Bible says the discipline is not pleasant. but, God disciplines whom he loves.

enjoy the Bible says that God is at work in us to willing to work for his good pleasure. Announce we have done. Our tenacious are being Stripped Away. We're getting old wood. UK has on being renewed. If you do what counts most

but since you lost fraternity, or a tinnitus What's going to be? The light of God, the charms out to others.

I in the nights is being moved every night. And you know, God is chipping at away in our lives and sometimes the chips so big. And that sometimes may feel like we're being stripped. You remember the story? I'm sure of the great artist and sculptor Michelangelo. New Rochelle in this abandoned piece of marble that. Nobody thought they could do anything with. Antique, white Michelangelo. I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

And that's the kind of thing God sometimes does with us, but whenever he does, he doesn't even concern for us and for our good.

God is at work in us to willing to work for his good pleasure and for our blessing. And Sophia go to the background of the Locust infestation and what stripping means. But have not been looking at this whole expectation. And here we I went to just remind you of Advent. Admin the expectation of Christmas. You know, on the first day of Christmas on the second day of Christmas on the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me with this event now. Did you not? That's between.

The preaching of the lost prophets in the bible to the town of Christ. There was a period of Silence of about 400.

Now, those who believe the scriptures and the prophets were waiting for this Messiah. Will you read last week? Okay, what is a rising did and Mark read this week, profit, the prophecies from Isaiah? He will be called wonderful, counselor, Prince of Peace with all, the prophecies are near the end of the Old Testament thought about this coming.

And the Jewish people, the faithful of God will waiting for this time.

The expectation was there for hundreds of years.

End. The birth of Jesus.

came just

But think of the expectations of people that we got to see some of you might go to spend two minds or whatever. And, of course, some people in the gardens that have got the whole thing with the shippens and everything. Okay, that's the expectations. The angel appeared to them and Save in Bethlehem. What you think I did? Like they were full of expectation. What do we going to find? Then I went into that cave. And found this baby Jesus in Russian.

The wise men, when I saw this. I mean, I went to the chief of the whole country. Damn it and said hey where is going to be looking for this place?

Think of Simeon, who was the righteous men devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Bible says, and the Holy Spirit is our name is a Godly Man and the scriptures and it had been revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Imagine that the expectation of him moved by the spirit. You went into the temple courts, just when Mary and Joseph and Jesus to do for him with a customer of the new wasn't that is to presenting at the time at the temple. And praise God, saying you have promised. As you have promised, you might not dismiss your servant in peace for my eyes. Have seen yourself vacation, but you have prepared in the sizable Nations. I like for the Revelation to the Gentiles. The weather to admit you were not Jews. And the glory of your People, Israel. And think about Anna, the other old lady. Who was a widow until she was 18 for and never left the temple but worship day and not fasting and praying. She also came up to marry at that very moment and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the Redemption of these people and how many others who would really trust. In God, we're expecting the Messiah. However, those who were responsible interesting enough for an expanding the law and the prophets. The high priests and the Sadducees in the Pharisees play. The next him. Jesus. When he came and they contrived.

You Seafood coming to church, doesn't make you a Christian. These religious men who were responsible for preparing to people the law and the prophets, Jesus call them Whited, Sepulchre on the outside. But in the inside, unit is dead, as a bunch of butter.

And a lot of people today. That mannequin perhaps as Christians, but in their hearts, they don't know. Jesus.

It's the inner person that counts. Is having a relationship with the living Christ because otherwise we're wasting our time here.

That's what time. And touch this. Jesus, you want the landscape of Israel and whose life and teachings are recorded in the gospels to pay the price for your sins and mine on the cross hitting is innocent blood. Freely is coming. We celebrated Christmas, although it is unlikely, of course that he was born at this time of year. And if you want some background to Christmas and what it's all about. And so you see it's Christmas. I know this sounds strange, but it Christmas. We need to be looking forward to Easter because that's the reason why.

And then look ahead is even a great expectations, which we read about in job is that? And off to Adele pour out, my spirit and old people and your sons and daughters will prophesy and so on. And Peter, the Apostle. Weren't you that on the day of Pentecost, in Cincy? It's happened. A holy spirit is coming being pulled out. But as I've said before when we look at the scriptures and the prophets of the Old Testament of a telescopic Vision that we see things happening in sequence. And there are many today that believe that before Jesus comes again. They will be an outpouring of his Spirit, but it goes on to say always show wonders in the heavens and the Earth blood and fire and Billows of smoke. And they are the other engines that Sydney believe as Sydney. I do that. This also refers to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We live in not learning, just post Exile, but be living. A d and an alarm spice for us, people and changes people and heals people in God's people and bless us. People. and one day, It could be today. It could be any day, but one day, he's coming A guy. Would you be ready to meet him then? Will you be locked the shipments who rejoice and Anna and Simeon Rejoice to see Jesus face-to-face?

I hope you wouldn't say to any of us. Yeah. I never really knew you another way to didn't have a relationship with me. What side is this Ty was actually this is really strange reading inch.

But I wanted to cook late. You there was a time of expectation. And God promised, I will. Restore to you the years, the locusts eat.

It wasn't just four hundred years of Silence. Between the lost prophets in the coming of Jesus. They were four hundred and fifty years that the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt. They lost the dignity. They lost their nationality. They lost who they were, they were slaves. How long is this going to last? Until Moses was raised up to lead them? After today from the stand and still had to wait 40 years because of Disobedience waiting expecting drawing. To see what God's purpose is healthy. No wonder if you've perhaps of being stripped of something. Think of what's happened this covid time and how many people have beat?

What is your expectation?

God says, I will restore to you the years that you've been stripped the years that the locusts have eaten.

And your night? Just to remind you. That made me think of how people long before the coming of Jesus say Lord, Will the person said to me yesterday or the day before we said, I know this world is just

But the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness to the Bible. Instead. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

And enjoyment. Reread. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the Pains of childbirth right up to the present. Another but we are so you have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we write English for adoption to sonship the Redemption of their bodies, but hope that is seen is no hope at all. He has already seen what he has. But if we hope for what we do not yet. Have we wait for it? Patient. He wait for it. Patiently. and so, You know that your heart in the center since the scripture to do lesbians jealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you and your help will not be cut off. That means an awful lot to me. How's your heart today? Are you one that needs to be turning away from something? That isn't right? Just as Mark was mentioning in India. Tell Lisa to know, you not only about Christmas but of Christ.

What are you expecting? Not any for Christmas, but what are you expecting God to do for you?

When does the last thing? Before we plants. United stat.

I'm just finishing a year ago. I'll show you a picture. I didn't show you that. Let me just tell you that lost pictures at their Andy 2020 and it spread to Ethiopia and Yemen and Sudan. Okay. Thanks, Andy. The Locust infestation that happened in Jose time. It wasn't just a few days. It happened over a long time and years of work. We destroy.

And the people were stripped and jealousy. As you see. The Lord has compassionately. The Lord does not want harm to you. He will restore. He will repay. He would regenerate to you. He is the life is chimichurri. The locusts have eaten some things in my life. Probably figured. I'm looking forward from God to restore this for him. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and in the midst of the Steeler, Bryson and merriment, which I believe God is part of remember who loves you, remember, who gave himself for you? Remember who has a plan for your life, whatever state you are in life. He has a plan for you. And seriously, expect a wonderful time for Christmas considering. Whatever nationally has been Stripped Away, personally, has been Stripped Away. Mystic Forge with time. Even though we wait for it patiently and God has blessed things and restoration and uplift for a school. God bless you, so we just be quiet for the moment and just reflect on that and as we do. So, I just invited my mom to come up as we just be quiet. And if you want to just leave it with more reflection, Mark take me up to you brother. God bless you and I are so grateful for you.