Joy To The World | Pastor Chris | 12.17.23

Joy to the World

More than a cute story

INTRO:

Christmas is a time to renew our vision to connect and feed regularly on the majesty and wonder of Christ Jesus.

This morning we are going to focus on the Virgin Birth.

We are going to begin in Isaiah 9

Isaiah. 9:6-7

6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Our goal by the end of today is to give you a biblical understanding of what the Birth of Jesus meant. 

Isaiah 9 was written nearly six hundred years before Jesus' birth. 

Isaiah promised it would be a miraculous event, unlike any the world had ever known.

What was 600 years ago from today? December 17, 

1423

In Isaiah 9:1 he says:

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan

Jesus was born in Bethlehem and raised in the town of Nazareth, in

Galilee (formerly Palestine, now northern Israel)

Genealogy:

Genealogy - a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor.

In Matthew 1 there are 47 names in Matthew’s genealogy—5 women and 42 men.

The Genealogy traces the lineage of Abraham who entered covenant with God to the birth of Jesus.

How the genealogy shows that Jesus is the chosen king because of lineage and righteousness.

Lineage:

He had to come from Abraham and David: 

Genesis 17:7

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

Isaiah 9:7

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.

Matthew 1:17

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Righteousness:

In this genealogy is the story of the Gospel:

David - adultery (1 Chr 11-29)

Solomon - idolater (2 Chr 1-9)

Rehoboam - could not keep the nation together (2 Chr 9-12)

Abijah - king of Judah failed to unite the nation

Asa - made unholy alliances trusting foreign power instead of God (2 Chr 14-16)

Jehosaphat - showed mercy where God called for judgment s (2 Chr 17-20)

Jehoram - (2 Chr 21) walked in the compromise

Uzziah - (2 Chr 26) dishonored the priestly office

Jotham - (2 Chr 27) he was a good man, but ineffective in getting the people to follow his spiritual leadership (2 Chr 27:2)

Ahaz - walked in the compromise (2 Chr 28:9-22)

Manasseh - (2 Chr 33) led the nation in severe moral and spiritual compromise

Amon - (2 Chr 33:21-24) did evil like his father

Jeconiah - goes into Babylonian Captivity (2 Chr 36:9-10)

Then the God of Israel stepped into time and space to rescue, and redeem forever.

To break the grip of death, and fear, and shame, and all evil, for a people who have fallen short for thousands of years

All of that culminates the moment of the virgin birth.

Its not just a promise now! its not just a prophecy! but the very fulfillment of the promise has arrived!

Isaiah. 9:6-7

6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

This is a political verse. 

(Not a soft cuddly feel good baby Christmas verse)

Heres what the Bible says that moment looks like:

Luke 2:13-14 (the shepherds encounter)

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Thats why Herod saw the star and said bring me that baby!

Matthew 2

King Herod, upon hearing from the Magi about the birth of a new king, ordered the massacre of all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to eliminate the perceived threat to his rule.

The takeaway:

6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; 

and the government will be upon His shoulder.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end

We eagerly await his return!

Our Fortress | Pastor Chris | 12.3.23

Our Fortress 

Exegesis of Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph they served as gatekeepers at the tabernacle of the Lord (Chronicles 9:19)

The Psalm is divided into three sections, each one proclaiming God as a refuge and a  stronghold, and each is separated by a pause, or Selah.

Important word:

Fortress

Fortress - a castle or stronghold, a place of defense and protection against large-scale attacks.

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

1. As the first section begins, we are reminded of God’s abundant and immediate help, even though all nature is in opposition to us.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

1. The second stanza depicts the river of God’s presence and the temple of the Lord though the nations rage, and ends with a promise of victory.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

1. The final section calls us to see the mighty works of God. These works are presented as desolations — the ruins of the nations who oppose Him.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Who is singing this psalm and what is the context.  

The Sons of Korah who were Israelites. 

Isreal is a tiny country that in west Asia that is:

bordered by Lebanon to the north, 

by Syria to the northeast, 

by Jordan to the east, 

by the Red Sea to the south, 

by Egypt to the southwest, 

the Mediterranean Sea to the west, 

the Palestinian West Bank along the east 

the Palestinian Gaza Strip along the southwest.

There were more than 80 wars/conflicts in the Mesopotamian period when the writers would have been alive.
Against the: Amalekites, Canaanites, Amorites, Midianites, Jericho, Ai, Perizzites, Moabites, Philistines.  etc…  Etc…..

https://constantlyreforming.wordpress.com/every-battle-in-the-bible/

In the modern geopolitical landscape there have been approximately 16 wars, one which is ongoing. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel

Isreal is home to the most contested city in the world Jerusalem, and remains one of the most war plagued countries on the planet.

The first war:

After its official globally recognized establishment in 1948 every bordering country (6) attacked  Isreal at once.

The war lasted 6 days and when it was over Isreal had more territory than it started with. 

Currently: 

October 7th 2023 Hamas terrorists led attack on Israel was a series of coordinated incursions to massacre Israeli civilians.

The people who wrote this passage are a people who know war.

They know death they know destruction. 

They know hard times.

Continually!

What is Gods response?

Who do they know God to be in times of intense difficulty?

refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear

Even though there are natural disasters all around

There is a city of God 

That can never be moved!

It can never be shaken

Although the armies of the nations rage 

He speaks…..

The earth melts

The Lord of hosts is with us!

“Be still, and know that I am God.

The god of Jacob is our Fortress

God is the same yesterday today and forevermore!

He says:

  I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”

Here is why this is so encouraging for the believer……

Because like Isreal we are besieged on every side.

All of Gods people live in the midst of enemy territory. 

John 15:18-20

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

1 John 2:15

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

James 4:4

4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

We are besieged!

There are external difficulties like wars and inflation

Then there are interpersonal difficulties like betrayals, difficulty in relationships, etc

And there is the difficulty of us! Our fleshly desires that are contrary to God’s

Who is God in the midsts of those times of difficulty?

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.

Although trouble is at your door

You will be still because 

Because God is your fortress!

You can run to and be safe!

Here’s how he does it:

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, (come watch him work)
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.

GOD IS A GOD OF WAR AND HE WARS ON BEHALH OF HIS PEOPLE.