Why is God Making Me Wait?
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WE EXIST TO HELP PEOPLE KNOW JESUS AND FIND PURPOSE
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”
ONE OF THE WORST FEELINGS IN LIFE IS TO WAIT — FOOD — 4 WAY STOP — CHRISTMAS GIFTS — AMAZON…
especially when it comes to waiting on God — You’ve prayed — God have you forgotten? — Migraines — People come to know Jesus — Job that would provide — depression — marriage — You wonder “God where are you”
WHY IS GOD MAKING ME WAIT? — I want to show you what God is doing while you wait
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE FELT LIKE IN THE BIBLE — God promised messiah and then nothing… for centuries… — Let’s go all the way back to Genesis — Garden
RECAP GEN STORY — WEIRD VERSE IN GEN 3 — MANY THEOS SAY IT’S THE FIRST JESUS — SEED OF A WOMAN WOULD CRUSH SERPENTS HEAD — One who would come — destroy spiritual enemy — sin and hell conquered — then… Centuries pass...
14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
THIS IS WHAT WE READ IN MATTHEW! 700 years before… and we had to wait… SO WHAT IS GOD DOING WHILE YOU WAIT? WHY IS GOD DOING THIS??? What is he doing when he could… but he’s not? You can ask these questions to God…
INTER-TESTIMENTAL PERIOD — 400 YEARS BETWEEN OT AND NT — MALACHI AND MATTHEW — God didn’t speak at all — Before at least God was speaking — But now they wait with nothing. —MAYBE YOU FEEL THIS WAY!
JUST BECAUSE GOD FEELS SILENT … DOESN’T MEAN HE’S ABSENT
WHILE YOU ARE WAITING… GOD IS WORKING
He has good plans for you — He’s working — even when I can’t see it.
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
PLEROMA CHRONOU — THE PERFECT TIME
REMEMBER BORN OF A WOMAN? WHY? — Everywhere else it’s man — Jesus was born from virgin — not sinful man — instead Holy Spirit — Perfect — that’s why he could be the sacrifice! — That’s how good God is — CENTURIES LATER — AT THE PERFECT MOMENT — GOD SENT HIS SON
SOMETIMES IN HINDSIGHT YOU SEE THE WHY BEHIND THE WAIT
I WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH THOSE 400 YEARS OF SILENCE
1. ALEXANDER THE GREAT -- Conquered in 12 years -- First time in history that there was a common language Almost everyone spoke a little greek
2. OT was translated into greek. Before then it was all Hebrew — 280 BC
3. Socratic Method was the new way of teaching. It was the first time people were encouraged to ask questions.
4. 63 BC ROMANS CONQUERED THE GREEKS (PEACE) Romans developed roads throughout the entire empire
5. DIASPORA -- Jews were forbidden from living in Jerusalem. Dispersed throughout entire Roman world
FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
Everyone could read the Bible in a language they understood --1st time encouraged to ask questions -- GOD SENT THE ANSWER — Good news of savior could travel in common language — Roads, highways, through Jewish people spread entire Romans World
WHILE GOD’S PEOPLE WERE WAITING GOD WAS STILL WORKING
Holding pattern?—Seems like God’s giving u the silent treatment. — TRUSTING IN A GOD WHO SAYS HE CAN… BUT HE HASN’T — Did I fail? Lack of faith? Sin in my life? Does he not care — Not alone—Not spiritual failure
• Abraham/Sarah waited 25 told hold baby Isaac
• Joseph waited 13 yrs—Prison—before ruling in Egypt
• Woman with issue of blood—12 years
• Man who couldn’t walk for 38 years
GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT GOD’S DENIALS
While you are waiting on IT is because it’s not ready. God is still working on it.
MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE IT’S NOT READY
MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT READY
DON’T WASTE THE WAITING — GOD OFTEN DOES SOMETHING IN YOU BEFORE HE DOES SOMETHING FOR YOU — Teaching you to depend on him in a way you never have
4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!
CHRISTIANITY IS SO UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER RELIGIONS — People pursue their God so he will love them — With good works — offering — sacrifice — Perform your way to favor — BUT WE HAVE A GOD THAT PURSUED US — AT OUR WORST — CAME FOR SINNERS
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
WHAT IF THE GOD YOU ARE WAITING ON… IS WAITING FOR YOU