This powerful sermon from Easley Bible Methodist Church explores how God transforms impossible situations into miraculous victories through the biblical account of Israel’s deliverance from Syrian siege. Pastor Jonathan Slagenweit demonstrates that when we face circumstances that seem hopeless, God has unlimited resources and creative solutions beyond our human understanding to accomplish His purposes in our lives.

The message reveals practical truths about trusting God when surrounded by impossibilities, showing how His faithfulness extends beyond our limited perspective.

When Life Seems Impossible: Lessons from 2 Kings

Pastor Slagenweit begins by examining the dire situation in 2 Kings chapters 6 and 7, where the city of Samaria faces complete siege by the Syrian army. The conditions had deteriorated so severely that a donkey’s head sold for the equivalent of $300-500 in modern currency, and people resorted to unthinkable measures just to survive. This historical account serves as a powerful parallel to the impossible situations we face in our own lives today.

The sermon emphasizes that God is not confined to human frameworks or limited by our understanding of what’s possible. Just as He caused the Syrian army to flee by making them hear the sound of approaching chariots that didn’t exist, God can intervene in our circumstances through means we never imagined. This truth challenges us to expand our faith beyond the boundaries of human practicality.

The Danger of Desperate Measures

One of the key warnings in the message concerns how people resort to desperate and destructive measures when they feel trapped in hopeless situations. Rather than turning to God, the people of Samaria tried to solve their crisis through their own tragic means. This serves as a sobering reminder that when we rely solely on human solutions to spiritual problems, we often make matters worse.

Pastor Slagenweit points out that Israel’s dire situation resulted from their disobedience to God, fulfilling the warnings Moses had given in Deuteronomy 28. However, he also notes that sometimes we face impossible circumstances not because of our own sin, but simply because we live in a fallen world affected by the sins of others.

Four Lepers and God’s Unexpected Deliverance

The turning point in the biblical narrative comes through four unlikely heroes – lepers who sat outside the city gates. Their simple logic led them to approach the Syrian camp: “If we stay here, we die. If we enter the city, we die. Let’s go to the Syrians – the worst they can do is kill us, and we’re dying anyway.” Their discovery of the abandoned camp full of provisions demonstrates how God often works through the most unexpected people and circumstances.

The message highlights how God fulfilled His promise through Elisha that within 24 hours, food would be plentiful and affordable again. This dramatic reversal from famine to feast illustrates God’s ability to completely rewrite our stories, transforming desperate situations into testimonies of His faithfulness and power.

Breaking Free from Blame and Doubt

A significant portion of the sermon addresses our tendency to assign blame during crises rather than examining our own hearts. King Joram blamed Elisha and God for the city’s suffering, reflecting how we often point fingers at others, circumstances, or even God Himself when facing difficulties. This deflection prevents us from experiencing the breakthrough that comes through humble repentance and faith.

The king’s servant who doubted Elisha’s prophecy, saying “Even if the Lord opened windows in heaven, could this happen?” represents our own struggles with believing God can intervene in seemingly impossible situations. His tragic end – seeing the fulfillment of the promise but not partaking in it – serves as a warning about the consequences of unbelief.

Practical Applications for Modern Believers

Pastor Slagenweit provides several practical applications for those facing impossible circumstances today. First, he emphasizes that God has vast resources at His disposal beyond what we can see or imagine. Just as He caused an entire army to flee from phantom chariots, He can work in creative and unexpected ways in our lives.

The message challenges believers to stop relying solely on human solutions and instead bring their impossible situations to God in faith. Whether it’s a failing marriage, wayward children, financial crisis, or spiritual bondage, God specializes in doing what seems impossible from a human perspective. Hudson Taylor’s quote perfectly captures this progression: “There are three stages in any great work attempted for God: Impossible, difficult, done.”

The Call to Faith-Filled Action

The sermon concludes with a powerful altar call, inviting those facing hopeless situations to place their burdens on the altar and trust God to work in His way. Pastor Slagenweit transparently shares that even he faces situations where he doesn’t see a way forward, emphasizing that needing God’s intervention is not a sign of weak faith but an acknowledgment of our human limitations.

The closing prayer emphasizes the need for fresh faith to see what cannot be seen with natural eyes – to hear the sound of God’s deliverance approaching even when circumstances appear unchanged. This faith isn’t blind optimism but is grounded in God’s proven faithfulness throughout Scripture and in our own lives. The message leaves believers with the assurance that nothing is outside the realm of possibility with God, and He desires for us to lean heavily upon Him, trusting Him to write our stories for His glory.

This comprehensive church service explores God’s unwavering commitment to completing His spiritual work in believers through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The teaching emphasizes that despite our current struggles and shortcomings, the God who began transforming us will faithfully see that process through to completion.

Pastor Jonathan Slagenweit delivers a powerful message from Philippians 1:3-8, focusing on how believers can find confidence in God’s ongoing work in their lives.

Opening Worship and Prayer

The evening service begins with congregational singing and a time of corporate prayer. Brother Parker leads the congregation in singing traditional hymns including “I See the Crimson Wave” and Charles Wesley’s “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” The worship time emphasizes themes of cleansing, redemption, and God’s faithfulness to His people.

Several prayer requests are shared for the congregation, including prayers for Sister Lois Brown’s upcoming treatment, Sister Reed’s biopsy and PET scan, and Anthony Wah who is serving in a combat zone. The church also lifts up Sharon Teed, a missionary in Slovakia experiencing severe back pain and hospitalization.

Special Music: “I Know That I Can Make It”

Dr. Paul Peak shares a powerful testimony through song about God’s sustaining grace through life’s trials. He recounts how this song ministered to a young friend struggling to overcome vaping addiction, leading to her immediate deliverance after listening to it multiple times.

The song’s message reinforces that despite dangers and toils in life, God provides the strength and grace needed to persevere. Dr. Peak emphasizes that while our own strength may fail, God’s promise remains that in our weakness, He is strong.

The Apostle Paul’s Joy in Remembrance

Pastor Slagenweit begins his message by examining Paul’s remarkable statement that he thanks God for every remembrance of the Philippian church. This is particularly striking considering Paul’s initial experiences in Philippi included being beaten, flogged, and imprisoned.

The pastor challenges the congregation to consider what level of commitment they have to seeing souls born into God’s kingdom. He asks pointedly: “How much suffering are you willing to experience for the kingdom of God to be advanced?” Paul’s joy came from seeing the church birthed through his suffering, much like a mother enduring labor pains for the joy of new life.

The Gospel as Participation, Not Display

A key insight from the message is that the gospel is meant to be actively used, not merely displayed. Using the illustration of model cars and tractors kept safely in display cases, Pastor Slagenweit contrasts this with how the gospel should be “put in the toy box to be used.”

The Philippian church exemplified this by:
• Openly receiving the gospel message
• Actively sharing the good news with others
• Supporting missionaries and ministers financially
• Participating in Paul’s ministry even during his imprisonment

God’s Commitment to Complete His Work

The central verse of the message, Philippians 1:6, declares: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Pastor Slagenweit uses the baseball analogy of a starting pitcher who doesn’t need a reliever – God intends to finish what He started in each believer’s life.

The message directly addresses the lies of Satan who whispers that certain areas of our lives will never change. The enemy reminds us where we’re not yet, but rarely reminds us how far we’ve come. The pastor encourages the congregation to consciously reflect on God’s past faithfulness and ongoing work.

No Arrival Point in Spiritual Growth

Challenging certain theological misconceptions, Pastor Slagenweit emphasizes that there is no state of grace that eliminates the need for God’s continued work in our lives. Even those who have experienced entire sanctification still need God’s refining process through trials and growth opportunities.

He shares personally: “I see in my own life the areas that I’m saying, ‘Oh Lord, you’ve got some work to do. Boy, you’ve got some rough edges that you’ve got to refine out.’” This vulnerability helps the congregation understand that spiritual growth is an ongoing process for everyone, including pastoral leadership.

Practical Application and Ministry Updates

The service includes several practical applications for participating in the gospel. Pastor Slagenweit encourages the congregation to actively support missionaries by sending encouraging messages to Tim and Sharon Teed during their time of need. He emphasizes that communicating our prayers to others can be as important as the prayers themselves.

The church also celebrates the completion of major renovations to their ministry space, with before and after photos showing extensive structural repairs, new insulation, vaulted ceilings, and opened living spaces. Nine ladies from the congregation spent hours cleaning the renovated space, demonstrating the church’s commitment to working together for kingdom purposes.

Heritage Christian Academy’s upcoming school year is announced, with open house on August 12th and classes beginning August 14th. The congregation is asked to pray for all students returning to school, whether in public schools, Christian academies, or homeschool settings.

I’m inviting you to turn in your Bibles this morning to the gospel of Matthew for our reading of the resurrection account.

And while you’re turning there, I want to say welcome to each one of you. So good to have you here this morning. We have several guests that have joined us. And we want to say welcome. Glad that you are here.

That have joined us, and we want to say welcome. Glad that you are here. One that I will actually call by name, and is not really a guest, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen. Sister Gwen, it’s so good to have you in service this morning. And, we’ve been praying for sister Gwen.

Tie into as we look at, the resurrection of our savior. We’re going to begin reading, the resurrection of our savior. We’re going to begin reading in Matthew’s gospel chapter 27 Beginning of verse 27, Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 20 7. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple.

And he was Joseph, who also in store was jesus, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be body. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had out of the great stone to the door of the sepulcher and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulcher. I just wanna pause here for a moment.

If we were to have read this text in Luke’s account, we would discover that it wasn’t just these two Marys, but it was actually several other women who had followed from Galilee that had particularly a because Luke records in this moment that 60 2 of our Now, the 60 2 of our the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together and day. We remembered that deceive that a while he was yet alive. After 3 days, I will rise. Command, therefore, that the sepulcher be made secure until the 3rd day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say into the people, sepulcher sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch. And behold, there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the and for fear of him, the keepers did shake and became his dead.

Said unto the women, fear ye not, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here. He is risen. As he said, come see the place where the Lord lay. Now, let me again pause.

Significant Because Luke’s account has recorded that they had taken particular note in where he was laid and now the angels have said come and go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see. Torpor. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples and they came and held him by the feet and worshiped and there, Let’s bow our heads in the This morning, we have rejoiced as we have sung together of your word that gives our faith meaning in and these next few moments as we look at your I pray, Holy Spirit, that you would illuminate this text to our hearts.

You know, the ones that are here this morning, those that are tuning in online, that the resurrection is just a story. It’s not a reality. And I would pray that this morning that their hearts would be so touched by your word that they would no longer view the resurrection as a story, but a reality in their lives. Accomplish the purpose for which your word is going forth today, Holy Spirit. For your glory, we pray it in Jesus’ name.

Amen. I had seriously considered I say seriously. The thought had gone through my mind. We’ve just come through a series of messages on the one another passages of scripture. The other Sunday, when we were in Sunday school class, somehow the subject had come up and I told them, I said, I think I’m gonna preach from one of, Paul’s texts that he says we are to greet one another with a holy kiss, to which everybody just kind of chuckled.

And the more I thought about it, I thought, you know, maybe I could somehow marry som that talks about righteousness and peace have kissed and somehow get us to the cross and the resurrection. Then I thought, maybe that’s a little stretch. So I put away all of those thoughts, and I brought us to Luke’s gospel this morning. Any time that we read a story or know an account that is a familiar account really, the wonder of the give you an example. When you have possessed something for a long period of time.

Often times, you just view that as, well, it’s that particular thing. Whatever it is. If you ever watched a child on Christmas day, when that new shiny toy is unwrapped, and the wonder in their eyes. You know what I’m talking about? Alright.

Sometimes it’s not just the kids, right? Right? Oh, that gun that I wanted. Looking around to all the gun enthusiasts. Looking around to all the gun enthusiasts.

You know what? A couple years ago, I had my first pistol that I ever owned was a Taurus PT92. And, I sold that gun. And anybody who’s ever been a gun owner or is a gun enthusiast knows, and Taurus PT92, and I thought, someday I want to replace that. And a couple years ago, I started doing some researching, and I found a different version of it.

Instead of just the matte black that I’d had the first time, I found the polished stainless steel. And I remember getting it, and I had to go up to the, the gun store where it was shipped to. And I remember opening that up, the nice gray, pocket that it and you don’t want to get fingerprints really on it. Some of you know what I’m talking about. May not be able to equate it to that, but you know what it is in your life that it’s that item.

And I’ll tell you where that pistol is. Awe at it. But we hear it over and over again. And some it just becomes another. And I wonder sometimes if we don’t do that even with the resurrection.

We’ve heard it over and over again. Yes, Jesus. Oh, halalorades. Do we really understand what happened that first Easter the wonder and the excitement. I wish somehow we could maybe transport ourselves back.

That. To them, it’s not an old story. To them, it’s a broken It was filled with all sorts of fear and doubt and tears and sorrow. If you and I could somehow capture the feeling that they had and what they had experienced, you and I would understand the feelings of hopelessness. Morning, when we pick up our reading this when we pick up our reading, the it’s fear that’s caused the disciples to be locked away in an uprare.

Loss that they had experienced was so palpable, that feelings of hopelessness, feelings of hopeless despair, feelings of floaters, fear that cripples our ability to go about life, and our being that it’s something that just lingers with to the tomb this first Easter morning. I want you to turn your attention for just a few moments to the tomb, the brokenhearted women who were surprised by the dawn. I want you to notice the surprise that came at the dawn, the first Easter. The texts that I’ve chosen for us to look at, we picked up actually before Resurrection Sunday. The world had been shattered by the darkness of Christ’s death.

The world had been shattered by the darkness of It seems that the scribes and the Pharisees had won, that Satan had accomplished the task of destroying the king of glory. And with Christ’s death, J. J. A. R.

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E. A. R. E They had watched not only their lord die, but with for hope of a restored Israel now laid in a tomb. Their hope of a restored Israel now laid in a tomb.

If we were to have rewound the story just a little bit farther than where we picked up, even as close as the upper room jockeying for position in the kingdom that was to draw. They’re arguing who will be the greatest. In fact, James and John’s mother was jockeying for positions for them in this new kingdom. But that’s all gone. The hopes of restored Israel were in shambles.

Their dreams had perished as well with the crucifixion. A their dreams of a future peace in Israel was All of their plans were shattered by the crucifixion. Their plans of prosperity and a renewed Israel were now encased in a tomb of despair. Now keep in mind, for years, the nation of Israel had been experiencing the blossom of hope. The Phar it’s one that many had started to whisper, could this be the micaia, now is dead and gone.

Mary and Mary and the women from Galilee had sat and they had watched the process take place. They had watched the process of their Lord be wrapped in cloth, wrapped in the spices that had been provided and was buried. If you have ever experienced the collapse of a dream or a plan, then maybe you have a little taste of what it must have been like to be these women. If you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one, the death of a child, the heartache of a divorce, the dissolvent of an engagement, the reversal of a business deal that has wrecked your business. Maybe you understand just a little bit what they felt.

Dream The dream was now a nightmare. Hope was gone, shattered. Luke records that the women from Galilee who had followed Jesus are now sitting watching all of their hopes and all of their dreams, the future peace of Israel be wrapped and laid for burial. Without a world without a word, these worm these women watched. They watched the silence that the tomb brought.

Matthew only records that Joseph of Arimathea was present Nicodemus was a part of this. They had rushed the burial of their lord. O’clock, the beginning of the Jewish SAB, Joseph has gone back into jurors, the body of his A disciple of the Lord. The pride is gone back into Jerusalem. Sought out pilot.

Beg for the body of Jesus. And gathering what is necessary for the proper in roar from the nails that have held him to that cross. They’ve carried him to Joseph’s They’ve begun the process drawer. Mary and Mary and the other women have watched this and realized that the full process of burial is not able to be accomplished. A part of it is, but not all of it.

Mark’s account tells us that on the morning tells us that on the. These ladies have gone and they’ve secured more them, where Jesus is buried. There’s something that is silencing about the death of our, do you say when your hopes have been shattered? What words can you give to comfort somebody who’s been robbed? And their And there’s a I imagine with the despair that the women had experienced, to the maybe until they got a little closer and they began to ask some questions.

And just picture them as they neared the I can just picture them as they neared the tomb. Now, Mary, we’re gonna need your help this morning to roll the stone away. Well, Mary, you know that I have a bad back. This because And as they near the tomb, what do they find? They don’t find a tomb with a stone rolled in front.

They find a tomb that is open for all to see. The Easter story is not only filled with hope, but If you ever wondered what it was like to have been a guard. These guards are temple guards. We when the scribes and Pharisees went back into after Jesus had been buried, they went back to Pilate and we want you to set a guard about this. Because this deceiver has said that after 3 days he’s gonna again.

So set a guard over the tomb. We don’t want the disciples to come and steal his body. And Pilots says, you have a guard secured as well as you want. Secured as well as you.

You can’t tell me that those guards were not informed and had full knowledge again. And they were probably told, now listen, more than likely the disciples are gonna try to come on the 3rd day and take his body, so be ready. Now picture this with me for just a moment. Imagine you’re one of the guards. You’re in a cemetery at night, And they had thoughts about the spirit world just like we have thoughts about the spirit world in our day.

I know that because you remember when Jesus came walking on the water? What did the disciples say? Is it a ghost? Just a puresthistoris with their they’re gathered around guarding this tomb. It’s And sta Yeah, Joanna heard that.

What was then, so And you imagine the surprise on their face when they turn around, tomb that they were guarding for the purpose to keep the disciples? The stone is now moving. And it’s not because disciples are there, but it’s because an angel is present rolling the stone away. Tell me that the dawning of that 1st day wasn’t a surprise to those guards. Imagine what a surprise it was to the scribes and Pharisees Were telling you Jesus isn’t there.

And the stone started rolling away, and we turned around, and it wasn’t. It was a disjprals. We can’t explain it but there was a man in shining tomb. And what a surprise it must have been when those guards came in and said, and the surprise of the dawn for Mary and the women. Doubt they were familiar with David’s Psalm, Psalm 30.

Night. Joy, comes in the morning. How are we going to get in, how will we finish this process? Imagine the surprise when they came to the and the stone was rolled away. And there was open access, but and it was scripture says, goes his way, or Peter goes his way, or and what’s surprised, and what’s removed.

The stone that had separated the disciples and these women from their lord had been rolled away. Let me just remind us this morning. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out.

The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away so that you and I could get in to see the truth of the resurrection of the Lord. Hallelujah. Justice didn’t need that stone rolled away for his departure. But you and I needed the stone rolled away so that our faith could take hold.

The place of the dead had become the billboard of the place of the dead had become the billboard. The it was supposed to be a reminder of death, now became evidence of a raiser The only way that I know how to help us grasp the reality of the in modern terms would maybe be to give us an for a And when you get there and you park your vehicle and you begin to walk in the direction of where your loved one had been. And you get you see a pall of that you’re going to see. And the closer you get, you realize that it’s not just any pile of dirt. That’s the pile of dirt that covered your loved one.

On top of that pile of dirt is a vault lid. At this point, Matt Moyer is getting a little bit perturbed. Somebody’s disturbed. One of the gravesites that he’s been a part of. And imagine that you get there and to your horror, your shock, your surprise, of your loved one lay there, but they’re -And, the surprise at dawn is that their loved one is no longer there.

The loss of their Messiah was replaced by the joy of his presence as Jesus comes in. You remember the account in John’s gospel. Up and begins to speak to her. And Mary, the covering that was over her eyes was lifted and she observed this is her lord because of the presence of her lord. Empty tomb, but they don’t know all that’s going on.

And as they’ve gathered in Jesus, comes into that upper room, what happens? Their fear that had locked them away was turned to joy as they worshiped their risen savior. But there is one more group of people that has been surprised by the dawn. And I would say that that is all of humanity, You and me this morning. Because of Christ’s resurrection, the world has seen the power of what a risen savior can do in the life of a fallen person.

Traits that have been dependent upon their drug of choice have been delivered, and then lost, the sin that used to encumber them has been delivered and they now have purpose. They’ve been restored to new life, despair that has been turned is that Jesus died for all men and was raised for all men. How many Jews are here this morning? JENNA: Yeah. JENNA: How many Jews are here this morning?

JENNA: Yeah. JENNA: All of us are here this morning. JENNA: All of us are here this morning. JENNA: All of us are here. JENNA: All of us are Gentiles.

And through Christ’s death and resurrection, because Christ is risen. Your faith now has made. Because Christ is risen, the shackles of and sin have been because of story. That the enemy wants for us to think that the enemy or that Christ is still buried and there is no hope? God has rolled the stone back so that you and I can go into the tomb to observe that there is a risen savior.

There is one who has the power to give us hope and meaning and life. We live in a world that is marked by the fall of your the surprise of the dawn is that But the surprise of the dawn is that that captivity, kimbi, that death can be made life. Those of you that may be familiar with the story, back in 1980, Lee Strobel was working for the Chicago Tribune. A celebrated writer, investigative reporter had been awarded a very high honor, 1980, for his work in a particular investigative trial that had taken place. It was right in that period of time that his wife, Lesley, they had experienced a very traumatic occasion with one of their children.

And through that, they were, Leslie was So moved by what she was hearing and her reading of the gospel accounts, Leslie became a follower of Jesus Christ. But Lee wasn’t buying it. Lee was a proclaimed atheist. Skeptical of everything, and to be skeptical of. And so it’s Leah’s had become a follower of Jesus Christ.

Leah set out on a course. This transformation in her life. But he’s there was also a part of me that said, I want the old right, that this cult is some infiltrating my wife’s mind and taking over. And so, I want the old and so they set out on a course to disprove the resurrection. And you know that systematically, he began the process of investigating every part of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.

And When he came to the understanding that there was no other way after looking at the historical evidence of the proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Why? Because of the surprise of the dawn. We’re standing together this morning as we close.

Maybe there are some here this morning that you’re still shackled by sin. The what it means to have been buried in a true I’m here to tell you this morning. There’s an empty tomb that reminds us that there’s a risen savior who wants to surprise you by the dawn of Easter. There’s a God in heaven who sent his son to pay the penalty for your sin and my sin, not just to be nailed to a cross to give his life’s blood, but to be raised from the dead, to overcome death, to overcome hell, to overcome sin, to overcome the enemy, so that you and I can have new life. To overcome the enemy so that you and I can have new life.

Their heads, their the story. The holy spirit is saying to someone here. The holy spirit is saying to someone here today. And there is salvation through the resurrection of Jesus. And if the Holy Spirit is talking to you and saying, you know what, It’s time this morning that you put your faith in the Lord Jesus.

It’s gift of salvation that is through the resurrection of J. R. D. I would I’d invite you to come and pray this morning. Buried under the weight of your sin, sobriety under the weight of your sin.

And I tell you this morning, that Easter has dawned. There is Let me just encourage you to reach out and fade to the god who has power over your the and the fact that we have gathered together to celebrate about our that it was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross. It is through your death that our debt was paid. It was through your death that the wrath of God was poured out on our saviour. Raiserrection that we have new life.

And I pray this morning this morning, they would reach out to the risen in. And I to set us for. And I pray this morning that you would set our hearts, to run-in the ways of your name. Amen. Amen.

The Lord bless you. You are dismissed.

This morning, we’re looking at 2 figures from scripture that are somewhat obscure in the Christmas story, but were 2 characters that waited upon the lord. Inviting you to stand with me as we read these verses together, Luke chapter 2. We’re looking at Simeon and Anna.

Beginning in verse 22 of Luke chapter 2, this is what we read. When the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him, being Jesus, to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or 2 young pigeons. Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel. Jisus to do after him after the custom of the law, blessed God and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word.

Let me just pause here. And this very moment, Simien’s life is so fulfilled I’ve mother, and Joseph and his, marveled at these things which were spoken of him. Ra, sword and that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was 1 Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Finneal, of the tribe of and she was a widow of about 4 score and 4 years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers. And she coming in, in that instance, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

You may be seated. In Jerusalem. You may be seated. When I was in college, I believe it was at the end of my 1st semester, the job that I’d had my 1st semester was transitioning out. I needed to find other work.

And so I was doing some job hunting the beginning of my 2nd semester. And there was a fellow that lived there in Hobe Sound and try to put up hurricane shutters on this condo. It’s a great job. You can make really good money doing it. I said, I’m interested.

Keep me posted. And I waited. And I waited. Because that job never materialized to anything. What I thought was going to be a great deal turned out to be You’ve waited for something that’s been promised and you wait and you wait and you wait until you finally say, you know what?

This is pointless. I’m wasting my time. It’s disappointing when there is a promise that is given only to discover that there is no fulfillment of that promise. May I ask you this morning, have you received a promise in your life? Are there things in your life, your way to be fulfilled, something that you’re longing for to come to pass?

That period between a promise given and the promise received, that waiting period, it can be a really challenging period. It can be a really challenging period. It can be a really challenging period. It’s a very challenging period. It’s a very challenging period.

It’s a very challenging period. It’s a very challenging period. It’s a very challenging period. Can be a really challenging period of time. We looked at a little bit of that last week.

We talked about what do we do talked about the importance of obedience and the importance of worshiping the Lord. And we’re looking at the characters of Simeon and Anna, 2, elderly people of Israel that are waiting for a promise that the Lord has given In our text this morning that we’ve read together, Luke records for us, Mary and Joseph coming to Jerusalem to take part in what was a Jewish tradition, something that had been passed down from generation to generation, a law that had been given, was to happen when a baby was born, particularly, a baby boy, and especially when it’s a baby boy that is the first to be born. The Jews in the 1st century, when a baby boy was born, the first to open the womb of his mother, would be brought into the temple. And as a part of this whole process, there was really 3 things that were happening in this process. 1st, there was the purification process.

Mary had passed her period of purification. She now comes to present her child to the Lord. As a part of that presenting this child to the Lord is the second element. A baby boy that opened the womb was holy to the Lord. If you go back into the old testament according to Leviticus chapter 12, this male child was to be given to the Lord.

And the only way that they could be received back to the family was through a sacrifice that would be given or was to be given, ordinarily, this was to be a lamb that would be offered and a pigeon dove that would be offered to the Lord. Luke records to us that Mary and Joseph come not with a Lam. What do they draw? What do they draw? A pair of pigeons, right?

You know, that’s a reminder to us this morning that Jesus was not born into some form of privileged life. He was born into a family that was just a common working class family. Born into a family that was more than likely on the lower echelons of the social life. Mary and Joseph knew what it was like to sit down with a budget, count their pennies. Jesus wasn’t born into an elite status family.

A family where there was great wealth. So Mary and Joseph have come into the temple to offer to the Lord these 2 pigeons. They’ve come for the purification process. They’ve come to pay the tribute necessary to purchase their son back, if you will. Waiting for the promise.

Of divorce. When I think about Simeon and Anna, I’m reminded of the words of the Old Testament prophet. When Habakkuk says, how long, oh, Lord? How long? For Simeon and Anna, they are they’re advanced in years, and yet both of them have been waiting for years for the promise of the Lord.

Both of them have spent their lives waiting on the coming of a promise of the Lord. Leading religious leaders of Israel were deeply interested in the Messiah, I asked myself, why did the Lord reveal to simian and Anna, the Christ child, the Christ child. Why didn’t he go to the religious elite of the day? They’re ones who have shown themselves to be righteous in Israel. Why does the Lord reveal himself to them?

Of all of the Jews that he might have chosen to recognize the child, the Messiah, why does he choose to reveal himself to them? I would suggest to us this morning, it’s because they represented as it were the very best of the old covenant who are waiting for the new covenant. They’re the ones who had been looking for the promise of the coming messiah. They’re the ones who are looking for the promise of Israel, the redemption of Israel. Simeon is waiting for the consolation of Israel.

Anna is waiting for the redemption of Israel. Promise that the Lord had given to his people. They’re waiting for something that’s tangible, something that’s more than just words of promise. You see, a promise many times is a word that is spoken or something that is indicated that is to come, right? You?

Somebody has given something to you, signed by their hand, something that indicates that you will receive something. Now, you’ve not received it in its full, right? Something. Now, you’ve not received it in its full. And you can go to the store and say, here, I want to buy something.

And they’re going to look at you and say, sorry, but if you go to the and you’re Well, you should. Now, maybe you’re like, I Now maybe you’re like, I’ve been at times, I’ve gone to the bank, and there’s one time in particular that I think I cashed a check or something, and I pulled out, and I drove away. And as I’m driving down the road, you know, you always check to make sure. And I counted it out and that was $20 short. So I went back to the bank, only to discover after I told them their mistake that I realized it was my mistake.

There were 2 twenties stuck together. A little embarrassing. Tangible reception of that trauma. It records for us that it had been revealed to Simien by the holy spirit that he would see the Messiah, the Christ, the child Christ. The equivalent to that in our day would be that the Holy Spirit the rapture.

That’s the equivalent that Simeon has been I imagine that Simeon would go to the temple day after day thinking maybe today, maybe today. Day after day, thinking maybe today, maybe today, day after day after day, day after day after day, and the promise of this messiah, Simeon would hold in his hands on this particular day that Luke records for us, Simeon holds that fulfillment of the promise that God had given centuries before to his children, is in this baby is the consolation for just a moment. Take us back into the old consolation of Israel takes us back to the time of Abraham when the Lord had said to Abraham, I will make of you a great nation. And through you, all of the nations of the world will be blessed. Promise and then to Jacob or to Isaac and then to Jacob.

But that promise continues to roll down through history. God told Moses that one day a great prophet would come who would be unlike any other prophet before him. He promised to David that he would give to him a son who would sit on his throne and reign forever. God promised through Isaiah that there would be a son who would be born to a virgin, and that his name would be called Emmanuel, God with us. And in the final moments, as the old testament is closing, God gives to Micah a promise and a prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

For generations, this promise has been repeated from father to son, from mother to daughter. It’s repeated from generation to generation, from family to family, the older, instructing the younger, passed down from history or from generation to generation. This promise, history that through Israel, the world would be blessed. A messiah would appear. By the time you get to the first century, you have centuries of expectation building up.

Keep in mind, it’s been silent for 400. Now there’s silence. But Siemens received a promise. Siemens received a promise that he would see the Christ child. By the time that you get to this point, there’s all sorts of and his great work, the life and times of Jesus, the Messiah, Alfred Eder Jesus was born there was great excitement in the nation of Israel.

Edersheim says that by the time Christ was born, one question above all others was on the lips of every expectant demise. The promise has been given. Why the delay? Why the delay? Why the delay?

And yet, Simeon waits. Simeon waits. A promise has been given specifically to Simeon that you will see the Messiah. And I wonder if there are days that after week after week and month after month and year after year of simians going to the temple. Do you think there are days that Simeon begins to question, Lord, how long?

How long? Don’t we ask that question sometimes in our lives? Lord, how long? How long? I struggle with this situation?

How long will it be that this goes on in my life? How long, oh Lord, until you do something about this? Lord, how long until you fulfill your promise. I can’t read this passage without observing some important truths for us that apply to us today as it pertains to waiting on the Lord’s promises. Here is Simeon, a man who’s waited for years.

Here is Anna, who has prayed for years and served the Lord for years, And now, after all of these years of waiting, centuries of waiting, and now here stands Simeon in the temple. Could you somehow grasp what it must have felt like for Simeon? Did you imagine what it must have been like when the spirit of the Lord spoke to Simeon that morning and said go to the what kind of anticipation Simeon must have had that morning as he walks into the temple and he looks around and the spirit of the Lord reveals to him this child. Now keep in mind, Simeon has no doubt been in the temple for years. And he’s watched as mother and father would come in and present their little.

He’s watched as all of this has taken place, and yet time after time after time, it’s not the consolation of his. But there’s something. Hands. Messiah. And in a moment, seen the Messiah.

I’ve beheld the promise that’s been given. And for Anna who had been serving the Lord for years in the temple, being a widow for years, sees the Messiah and knows this is the redemption of Israel. Let me give you 4 lessons that I just I think are takeaways for us as we look at this story. Four lessons that we can learn from these two figures. The first is this, God’s promises are precious, and they’re worth waiting for.

Day as Simeon had gone into the temple wondering if this would be the day, and yet day after day going home, no messiah. Do you think that there I could almost guarantee that there were days that he thought that. You say, how do you devout man. Because I happen to know that even good godly sure, Are the promises of God precious? Will they are they worth waiting for?

And Simeon reveals to us, yes, the promises of God are precious and they’re worth waiting for. I’m sure that there were days that Simeon questioned, will I ever see the Messiah? Yeah. I had a promise that the Holy Spirit gave to me, but will it come to pass? And I want to just remind us this morning of the words that Peter records in a second, his second epistle.

He says, great, his second epistle. He says, grace and peace be multiplied to you and the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. His divine power has been given to us all, has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. By which have been given to us, listen to this, exceedingly great and precious promises that through these, you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You know what the great and divine precious promises are for us today?

You and I can have our sins pardoned. He came to pay the ransom so that you and I can become the children of God adopted into the family of God. You know what the divine precious promises are for us today. Simeon was waiting for. The consolation of Israel.

That’s and it was waiting for the redemption of Israel. That’s and it was waiting redemption of Israel. God’s promises are and yes, their worth, They always come to pass. They always come to pass. Now I confess, I’ve made a lot of promises over the course of my lifetime.

And I’ve broken a lot of promises in the course of my lifetime. Of course, my life Now, there have been times that I’ve made promises with good intentions. I mean, if you’ve made promises with good intentions forget. And I remind us this morning that when God makes promises, they always come to pass. God never makes a promise but what he doesn’t intend to keep it.

Paul said it this way in his second letter to the Corinthians. He says, for Jesus Christ, the son of God, does not waver between yes and no. He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preach to you as God’s ultimate yes. He is always He always does what he says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding yes.

And through Christ our amen, which means yes, ascends to God for his glory. God never makes a promise but what he doesn’t keep it. He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. He will never abandon you in your weakness. But Paul says again, that his strength is made in our weakness.

He’ll supply all of our needs according to his riches and glory. Amen? The promises of God are sure. Third thing that I see from this passage of scripture is we look at Simeon and Anna’s waiting on the promises of God is that God’s promises are not always easily spotted, but sometimes packaged differently than expected. The spiritual leaders of Israel were interested in the Messiah.

Maesai. -It was obviously something that they knew about. Because when Herod asks, the Pharisees, where is this king of the Jews to be born? They said, Bethlehem. They knew all about.

Parker and I were talking last week. Seminars about how to recognize the messiah’s And while they’re holding all of these great conventions, God slips his promise through the back door messiah had come. It was an old man and an old woman who recognized him, while all of those who were studying the prophecies of old missed it. How many times do you and I miss the promises of God because we’re looking in the wrong places or looking for something and we expect God to do it this way. We expect him to come this way.

Want him to do something this way. And we miss his promises because he does it in a way that we don’t expect. Think about it. The Pharisees were there in the city of Jerusalem, probably in the temple that morning. Imagine the very presence of God was in the temple.

And the ones who should have known it missed it. But there was a simian. And there was an who were waiting for the consolation of Israel, the redemption of Israel. And because of their waiting, God revealed the promise unto them. Maybe in ways are sure and they’re precious.

Let me give you the final one. God’s promises are worth sharing because they are the hope of the nations. And look at Ana’s response. Ana sees the child. She recognizes this is the Messiah.

And without any hesitation, she goes off to start sharing that the redemption of Israel has come. Can I just tell you this morning that the promise of God is still here? Available. And can I tell you this morning, it’s worth sharing to a world where there’s a lot of broken, hurting people? In a world that’s filled with broken promises, there needs to be a broadcasting of the truth that the Messiah has come, that the promises of God are sure and steadfast.

This Christmas is you wait upon the Lord. Let me encourage you to lean into his precious promises. Talking about the things that God has promised to you in his word. And I’m talking about the things that God has promised to you in his word.

And I’m talking about the things that God has promised to you in his word. The promises that God has given to you in his word. Lean into those this Christmas season.

May this be a season of renewing your will to wait on the Lord as he stretches your faith. Why? Because the promise that was given was a promise that was fulfilled in the very presence of God. In the very presence of God, given to a man who had waited for years on a promise. A promise made, a promise kept, a presence received.

This morning as we close, I’m going to ask Brother John Parker to come and Brother Armstrong to slip to the organ. We open the service by singing a song, your presence for Christmas. You know, amidst all of the promises that are made, the greatest promise that was ever made, the greatest promise that was ever made, the greatest promise that was ever made was that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us. And if we avail ourselves to that promise, you and I can receive the greatest promise of Christmas, his presence in our lives. Let’s stand together as we close with this song.

And let’s just invite the presence of the Lord to be a part of our Christmas this year. Lord, I want your presents for Christmas. Father, that’s our desire this Christmas is for your presence to be with us. Thank you for the promises of God that you have given to us that are sure and steadfast, precious promises. Laura, thank you for the promise that you will fill our hearts with all joy.

Salvation. I pray this Christmas season that there would not be a one who would reject that promise of salvation to those who would because of the sin of this of their life. Because of the effects of the fall, they’re so keenly aware that they’re broken. I pray this Christmas, May they have you for your presence for their Christmas this year. I pray.

Lord, we ask it in Jesus name. But Lord bless you. You were dismissed.

This morning, we’re looking at Luke’s gospel chapter 1. I’m gonna invite you to stand with me. I always love preaching Christmas series. There is so much richness, in the Christmas account. And I believe it was John Piper once made the statement.

He said, you could preach on the subject of Christmas for years, never repeat yourself and always have new There is so much richness in the Christmas story. Reading in Luke chapter 1, beginning in verse 5. So this is a setting that’s taking place that is before In reverse 5, there was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias of the course of a bi. Daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

Blame, and they had no child because that Elizabeth was barren. And they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass that while he executed the priest’s office before the Lord or before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense and there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Troubled and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said unto him, fear not Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee acedure. Thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, And many shall rejoice at his birth, for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall be turned to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just Lord.

And Zachariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife, Welles Striking in the and said unto him, I am gay tights shalt be dumb and not speak and not be able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words, and the people waited for Zacharias and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple and when he came he could not speak into them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple for he beckoned into them and remained speechless. And it came to pass that as soon as the days of his administration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid herself 5 months saying, thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach.

Among This morning, we’re grateful for your word that you have given to us. Words that are meant to be a lamp into our feet, a light into our path, words that are intended to instruct us in the way in which we ought to go. This morning is we are looking at this passage of scripture, I pray that you would speak truth into our hearts in those moments of waiting. We can find you to be real in that process as we wait patiently. I pray it in Jesus name.

Amen. Your maybeseed. And Trismus is a season Christmas is a season of waiting. Children, you’ll find them, they can hardly wait Or maybe they’re waiting with anticipation that hopefully, sledding. How many of you kids say, yes, yes.

Let me This is a sideline note. I just saw that Chris Justice, our local meteorologist, is predicting a good snowy season this year. So kids just keep waiting. All right? Kids are waiting.

Parents are waiting. School. They’re waiting in lines as they’re purchasing gifts. Grandparents are waiting. They’re waiting for their children and their grandchildren to come into town, visiting.

Do you remember how it was when you were a child, the waiting process for Christmas? How many of you can remember back that A stripper, a As kids, it was like, oh, I just I can’t wait. And I can’t wait a Old enough to know better. There was a gift under the tree that I just could not wait any longer. And so he peeled back the tape.

I slid it out. I looked at it. I slid it back, put the tape back on, and then had to act surprised them. Just couldn’t wait. All of that waiting, especially in our childhood years, may just be preparation for what we as adults are waiting for today, right?

Degree to finally be completed. Maybe your waiting for to come along. You’re waiting for the office space that you really want, you know, the one with the window view, We’re waiting for enough money to be built up in our bank account so that we can put that addition on the house. We’re waiting for that report from the doctor.

Life is full of waiting, isn’t it? You know, Christmas is a reminder of the waiting room of life. This year, I’ve been drawn to that idea of waiting. Waiting produces a whole host of emotions, the build up, the anticipation, the excitement of what’s about to happen. You know what I’m talking about?

The emotions that come with the waiting process. And oh, it’s just so exciting when it finally -And it also sometimes produces -Awards of dread, because you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait, and nothing ever happens. Waiting experience. It’s warning I want to talk to us about patiently. That’s not probably what you would really like to hear about this morning.

Waiting. There are several things that I want to point out to us this morning. As we look at Luke’s account, he’s writing to Theophilus. He’s giving him an account of Jesus I want you to notice this morning that in our text, there was a Herod, King of Judah, there was a priest named Zacharias, it gives us a time stamp of when these events are taking place. So Luke gives us a time stamp of when these events are taking place.

It’s in the period of time when Herod is a Now, that’s an interesting statement to me. And there are several things that I think we need to just pause and reflect on that this the rule of Babbleon. You find Israel in captivity. Now they’ve been allowed matriculate back to Israel. They’ve begun to process of rebuilding.

Testament, you know that of the new testament. You know that Israel has gone through a series of transfers of power within the and history tells us that there’s at least 4 major transitions of power that take place. We could look at those this morning. One of those would be Alexander the Great, brought in Greek culture, established much of what became the foundational elements for the opening of the new testament. But then you roll a little farther along and you discover the Roman, overthrow of power and their rule that is now taking place.

And Herod is king of Judah, king of Judaea. But Herod’s not a Jew. Herod’s not of the descent of David. So we’re looking at a period of time in history that Israel is again in captivity, this time to the Romans. First is this, waiting accentuates the problems that we’re facing.

Waiting will accentuate the problems that you’re facing. Within this particular account, if we could just zoom out for just a little bit, Israel is in a waiting process. Aren’t they? Silent. God has not said a word.

It seems like all is dar. For 400 years, they’ve been waiting from some word, from a prophet somewhere. They’re waiting for a messiah. They’re waiting for deliverance. Just a little bit on this picture, we begin to see Zaccaria and Elizabeth have been waiting.

And their waiting process has accentuated the reality of their barrens in our text we read, that our and Elizabeth have no that’s significant in their that if a woman was not able to bear her husband children, it was grounds for divorce. Her. It’s waiting process. We’re told in this passage of scripture that they’re old in years or advanced in years. Raider, and as a raider, and this has been missing seats around your table.

For some of you, that barrenness is unanswered prayers for family members that you have prayed would receive Christ as their savior. For some of you, that barrenness is the loneliness that you feel from the loss of a accentuate barrenness, but it also has a tendency to elevate hopelessness. As we read this passage scripture, Luke records that while Zechariah was in the holy place, he was administering the offering of incense on the altar. It says that an angel appeared to him. Approached.

You know the difference between approaching and appearing, right? If somebody approaches you, it’s not as troubling if somebody just appears. I have to confess this morning that, that I love scared and to Open the door and there stands somebody and they’ve got phone in here. Don’t look at me funny.

It’s, it’s great stuff. Phone in hand. Don’t look at me funny. It’s great stuff. You know, phone in hand and all that the phone goes and they’re on the floor.

I love that And watched when the angel appeared in Zachary. -And verse 13, it says, but the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been And your wife, Elizabeth, will bear a and you will give him the name. And when I read that, I thought, well, that’s interesting. There are 2 ways that we could read that or interpret that.

Read that or interpret that. And this is amazing. Here’s Zach Rice. He’s advanced in years. We know that from verse 8.

He’s advanced in years, and here he is still praying because the angel says to him, Gabriel says to him that your petition has been heard. That’s, that’s amazing. But the more that I read through this passage and you come to verse 18, I realized that I think Because in verse 18, his excuse to Gabriel is, how can this be? I’m an old man. My wife is old.

We’re beyond the years of bearing children. And I think he had given up. It is a bit It’s given up on the idea that they would have a stripper. And we asked you a question this morning. Are there things that the waiting for Maybe there are prayers that you have prayed and you’ve thought are some of you this morning that your marriage is And maybe there are prayers that you have prayed and you’ve thought And I’ve prayed about it and I’ve prayed about it and nothing is your situation that you’re facing you say there’s, there’s no hope of it ever.

I’ll forever be in this situation. Nothing is ever going to change. I don’t see Maybe you’ve lost hope for a promise that the Lord has given to you. You see, the waiting process has a way of just accentuating barren places and hopelessness in our lives. But as we read in our something about our and the waiting process not only is our barren places accentuated, but I believe also that the divine is high.

It was a priest to the line of David’s rule, if you go back in Israel’s history, you go back to David’s rule. David’s rule, if you go back in Israel’s history, you go back to David’s, preparing to slip off of the face of his rulership and his life was in. He took the priestly line and he divided it into 24 divisors tell us that at the time of Zacharias Priesthood, there was more than likely somewhere around 20,000 priests that were administering the priestly duties in the church. Could you imagine having 20,000 pastures, so every division was given a 1 week period Prius. So they would take lots as to who would do what duties.

And it just so happens at this particular occasion. At this particular occasion. And it was Happenstance, right? Pure luck.

A luck of the draw, and sta. It was divinely ordered by God. It was divinely ordered by God. It was divinely ordered by God. It was divinely ordered by God.

It God. I want you to notice within this text, there is nothing special about the time that Zachariah is ministering at the temple. Again, if you look at the history of the priesthood, at the high times of the year, the festival seasons of the year, all of the priests would come to minister when the Passover was taking place, the Feast of Booths. On those high occasions, all of the priests would come to be part of the administration of the priestly duties. But through the rest of the year, it was just each one of these divisions would take a week every, twice a year that they would come and time of the year.

Zachariah happens to be there because it’s his division’s turn, a Bayou’s division’s turn. That’s important because it’s a lot of times in the mundane activities of life that God is doing his divine work in the midst of our. I want you to observe that there was nothing special that’s going on, other than the fact that it was special that Zachariah was in the but there’s nothing special about the events. It’s just the everyday activities. Draw run the kids to school, pick up gross.

It’s just the normal activities of life, and God slips into the scene and reveals himself to Zachariah. I wonder what so many times in our lives we think God only works And in reality, it’s oftentimes in just the everyday that are standing outside of the temple. Their but they’re done praying, and Zachariah has a and Zechariah is still inside speaking. To the I look at that and I say, here’s, here is all of this stuff that’s going on outside of the holy place. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle and prayers and things that are taking place.

And in the midst of that, God is communicating. The divine is communicating with, with Zachariah through the angel Gabriel. Often the mundane events that God reveals. Process of waiting, just the everyday grind that God begins to reveal his divine purpose. The experiences of your about your business and you’re not really you’re not engaged in anything extraordinary.

And you’re not engaged in anything extraordinary. And you’re not engaged in and anything extraordinary. Nowhere God slips into your world and begins to minister grace in your there have been times that it seems like I can be going about just my routine activities when God the Holy Spirit begins to work and navigate through my mind and into my heart to give me aid and give me help. Do you know, in the every day activities of life, God is looking for opportunities to highlight his divine presence in your world. In the middle of your waiting process, God is looking for ways to highlight his divine revelation in your life.

Jaccariah thought I’m just simply going in to do my priestly duties. Sagerai thought, I’m just simply going in to do my priestly duties. I’ll offer my sacrifice. I’ll do what is asked of me. Now, this, this was a great honor for him.

No doubt. But instead sun. A son. It’s not just any son. You know, if you go back to Malachi chapter 4, the closing out come along, One who had the spirit of Elias.

One who would prepare the way for the coming of the mausai. That were some of the final words that were given in the Old Testament, they become the first words, some of the first words that we hear recorded in the new who has the spirit of Elias is coming. What is it? It’s the promise that had been given years before coming to fruition. This morning, maybe the barren areas of your life that waiting will accentuate your problems, but it’s the opportunity for God to highlight the divine work that he wants to do.

Strikes me about Zachariah and Elizabeth is the fact that even after What strikes me about Zacharias and Elizabeth is the fact that even after all of these years of and what seemed to be hopeless situation, they’re not Right. The fact that God is still God in the world. Waiting will reveal a lot of stuff about us. 1 it reveal what you’re willing to sacrifice in the process of waiting. A brain?

When year after year after year, the promise of a child didn’t come to pass, what did he do? He and Sarah conspired together and said, Ah, Hagar. We’ll have a child through Hagar. That’ll be God said, prom. Waiting will reveal to us what we really value.

I watched this with interest, with some in my family. I really want this. I really want this. Okay? You want that.

It’s going to cost this much. Okay? You want that. It’s gonna cost this much. And it’s not a small amount.

You realize that if you spend that $10 here, what you won over here, You realize that if you spend that $10 here, what you want over here, you’re never going to get there. Waiting reveals how easily you and I can lose sight of process of waiting, That waiting reveals to us the barren areas of our life, whatever that might would be, And it’s easy for us to lose sight of the big picture in life. By getting our eyes off of the big picture to see the little picture. We get caught up in seeing the temporal, the here and the now, what’s right before us. The here and the now, what’s right before us.

And we lose sight of the bigger picture, the grander scope. Picture, the grander scope. So the patient waiting that you’ll find God working out the details of your life. For, it’s in the patiently all of those areas of your life, the barren areas, the hopelessness, are accentuated that God wants to come into your world and reveal his divine appointment with you and his purpose to means to begin to press in on your faith. Do you believe?

Do you trust the Lord? This Christmas season is you and I are patiently waiting for the Lord to work in our lives. They continue to be faithful in the mundane. The same way that Zachariah and Elizabeth were faithful in their daily activities, they didn’t lose sight that God is still God. You and I not lose sight that God is still God.

Amen? In your everyday activity that just seems like the regular run of the mill daily grind, God is at work. Knows what I’m going I don’t think God understands any more. And I’ll tell you that God is still God. And he’s divinely working in your life to bring about the fulfillment of his promise to you.

So this morning, the things that you’re waiting for that the Lord has given promise to you, don’t lose sight that he’s still in control. Know this morning that you can trust his plan. You can trust that he’s still working out his divine plan and purpose. Amen? So as this Christmas, we wait upon the Lord, whatever that might be in your life.

May I remind you that God is still God. Wait we acknowledge that it’s so easy for us to hear your word in the intervening time of waiting to see that promise, to hear your word, to hear your word, to at one point take great confidence in that word, those promises that you’ve given to us. For all sorts of things to transpire that cause us to lose hope. So it’s a things to transpire that cause us to lose hope. So, to lose reasons for us that we begin to doubt in our faith to be Zachariah of Zachariah and Elizabeth that here’s a couple that they had waited and waited and waited and you, the divine, showed up on their behalf.

Trying to breed hopelessness. Maybe there are some that have even despaired of the promises that you have given. But this morning, I pray that you and allowing you to accomplish your divine purpose. We know that you are still God and it’s God you are good and you’re working all things together for our, so help us to wait patient as you work. I pray it in jesus as you work.

I pray it in Jesus name. Amen. The Lord bless you. You are dismissed. And then, the Lord bless you.

You are dismissed.

We have come We have come into his house, and yeah, it is Christ. So forget about yourself. Concentrate the Vow your head with me this morning. Father We do lift up holy hands and worship of who you are. Oh, help us to forget about ourselves concentrate on you and worship you.

Prayer: God, you are worthy of our praise.

You are worthy of all of our praise. You’re worthy of glory and honor and majesty. This morning, we, we want you to know that we love you for first loving us. We love you for sending your son to die on a cross to pay the penalty of our sins, to give us new life, to release us from the captivity of sin to set us free to run-in the ways of your direction. Oh, we worship you today.

I pray this morning in these next few moments as we are opening our hearts and opening your word that Holy Spirit, you would take the words that have been recorded for us and our consideration, you would help those words of truth to We planted and plowed deep into the soil of our hearts so that it would bear forth fruit today. Pray that you would be exalted through the ministry of your word. We ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.

Thank you, boys, for reminding us that the lord is worthy of our praise. Let us forget about ourselves and concentrate on him. Amen. Inviting you this morning to turn in your Bible to the book of Psalms. I have mentioned this before, and I just referenced it to my wife again last night.

Ministry of the Psalms

I looked back over the ministry of my preaching over the years. And for many years, the early years of my ministry rarely did I ever preach out of the Psalms? But it seems like in the last year or year and a half, I have been drawn more and more to the book of Psalms for sermon content, there’s some great truth, in the book of Psalms. If you want a great exposition, of Psalm 139. You need to go back about 2 Sunday nights ago.

And Doctor Hutchison spoke, about reasons why we should trust the lord from Psalm 139. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. This morning, we’re considering Psalm 132. I’m gonna invite you to stand with me as we read this Psalm. So I’m 132, beginning in verse 1.

Lord, remember David and all his afflictions how he swore into the lord and vowed into the mighty god of Jacob. Surely, I will not come into the tabernacle of my house. Nor go up into my bed. I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find out a place for the lord and habitation for the mighty god of Jacob. Lo, we heard of it in Afrezza.

We found it in the fields of the wood, We will go into his tabernacles. We will worship at his footstool. Ariso, lord, into thy rest, thou and the arc of thy strength. Let thy priest be clothed with righteousness and let thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed.

The lord hath sworn in truth and to David, he will not turn from it, of the fruit of thy body, will I set upon thy throne? If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne forevermore. For the lord hath chosen Zion. He have desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever.

Here will I dwell for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation and her saints. Shall shout aloud for joy.

There will I make the horn of David to bud? I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed His enemies, will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish? He may be seated. Psalm 132 is a unique Psalm for several reasons. First of all, it is a part of a series of Psalms that are known as the Psalms of ascent.

Purpose in Reciting the Psalms

These were Psalms that were written and would be recited by the children of Israel’s. They would be making their way up to Jerusalem on feast days. They would be recited by those companies of people that would be, ascending into the city of Jerusalem. Maybe if I could put it into perspective to us today, this is a Psalm that is a part of a body of Psalms that if we were to put it in modern context, you would recite these on your way to church every Sunday morning. How many of you want to go and memorize these Psalms so that as you come to church, you can be reciting these Psalms.

It was a reminder of what the lord has done, and they were Psalms to draw the people’s attention towards god. These Psalms of ascent were divided into 5 different categories, 3 Psalms apiece, this particular Psalm is the first Psalm of the final set of Psalms of ascent. It’s a Psalm that is really the longest of the Psalms of ascent. Now I asked you if you’d like to memorize these. If you just have your Bible open or your Bible app open, you can scroll.

If you have your Bible open, you can flip pages. Some of you don’t know what pages are anymore. You know, what a finger and a scroll is, and you just thumb, down through. But if you look through them, you’ll discover that a lot of the Psalms of sent They’re very short. This one is lengthier.

In fact, it’s the lengthiest, the lengthiest song of ascent. It’s also a historical Psalm. If you paid attention to the reading, it recounts, in its broad spectrum, god’s establishment of the covenant with Israel, all the way back to Abraham. You may not have caught all of that just from reading it. If you follow through the Psalm, you’ll see that, but it doesn’t end.

The Psalm really doesn’t end. Until the book of Revelation. And so, I want for us this morning to look at this particular song, There’s no author that is ascribed to the Psalm of ascent. Some would say that this is a Psalm that David wrote. Some have attributed it to Solomon.

References in to the Psalms

We know that this Psalm has been used in various other passages of scripture, for example. If you were to go to 1st King’s chapter 8, you would discover that some of the words that are penned in this Psalm Solomon recites these words at the dedication of the tabernacle. In fact, this Psalm talks to us about the Tabernacle. This is a Psalm that was also repeated by Jesus, in, I’m sorry, by Peter in his sermon that he preached on the day of Pentecost. He references this Psalm.

Stephen references this Psalm in Acts chapter 7 in his discourse there. The Psalm unveils for us god’s promises that he has given from ages past to ages to come. It’s a beautiful psalm of promise to us. In fact, it’s really broken up in to 3 promises. The first being a promise that David has made to God.

And as you read through it, then you discover that David has made this promise to the lord, but the lord responds with a promise for David. But it ends with a promise to us today, and I want for us to look at this together. The first promise that I want us to consider is the promise that David made to the lord. The Psalm opens with a plea for the lord to remember for David’s sake, the affliction that he endured. Now we all know, I’m sure, the affliction that David experienced in his life and his pursuit to being the king.

He was mocked by his brothers when he went into the camp and discovered that Goliath was mocking the armies of god. And his brothers made fun of him. You’ve only come down here just to see what’s going on. You carry that through and you discover the affliction that David experienced in his ascent to the throne. Saul hated David, wanted this to destroy his life.

And for years, David ran for his own safety. You trace through David’s life and you discover that within his own family, his son sought to usurp his position and David fled from Jerusalem for his life as Absalom sought to take the throne. Then you read about the turmoil within David’s own family, the destruction that was there, but I don’t believe that the psalmist is pointing to those afflictions that, David experienced. I believe what the psalmist is pointing to was David’s passionate concern for the building of a habitation for the lord. And the bringing of the arc of the covenant back into, Jerusalem.

And finding a place for its housing. The arc of the covenant is we read this Psalm plays a central role in all of this. The arc of the covenant was given to Israel as a representation of the place upon which god would come to dwell. If I could carry us for just a moment all the way back into the book of Genesis, God has established a covenant relationship with Abraham. He’s made a promise to Abraham that through his seed all of the world would be blessed.

And that through Abraham, he would build for him a great nation. We carry that all the way down through, and we discover Israel finding their way into, into Egypt at the end of Genesis. And when we pick up in the book of Exodus, we discover that Israel spends over 400 years in captivity. And upon their departure, god comes and he speaks to Moses, he gives them the law but he also gives him the plan for the Tabernacle and the arc of the covenant. And upon that arc of the covenant god comes and he dwells, and you remember the story is The Tabernacle was set up, and the glory of the lord came down and filled that Tabernacle and when Moses would go in to be before the lord and be with the lord, he would come out and his face would shine with such glory.

That were told that he would veil his face that arc that was a representation of this the place that god would come to dwell at this particular juncture is by and large been in obscurity. In fact, if you read through the history of Israel, you come down to the book of judges and you find a tragic scene with the arc of the covenant. You may remember the story. We’re coming out of the period of the judges. It’s a dark period in Israel’s history.

We’re told in first Samuel that there is no word or the word of the lord is precious. It’s rare in the days of Samuel. And you remember the story of how Israel goes into battle against the Philistines and they lose, and they send word to Shiloh that the Israelites have lost. And so Hafna Infineas, Eli, the high priest sons, devise a plan. Let’s take the arc of the covenant.

Let’s use it as a good luck charm. Let’s take it into battle. Israel goes into battle with the arc of the covenant and they lose and the arc of the covenant is taken by the Philistines. Eventually, as a result of the lord cursing the cities of the Philistines, they send it back into Israel. And it’s housed for 20 years in Curieth Durham where it seems to be lost to the children of Israel.

8 miles away from the city of Jerusalem, but it’s in obscurity. David has a passion to bring the arc of the covenant into the city of god into Mount Zion. And so he calls for the arc to be brought back into Jerusalem. And you know the story, no doubt, as it’s being brought up on a cart in disobedience to how the lord has prescribed for the arc to be transported Usa reaches out to steady the arc as it begins to teeter on that cart, and the lord strikes him dead. Talk about reigning on the parade that David had of bringing the arc of the covenant back.

David says we’re not transporting it any farther, and it stays for 3 months with, obed edom, and it’s housed there for 3 months. But eventually, David says, no. Let’s bring the house or bring the arc of the lord back to Jerusalem. And when he brings it back into the city of Jerusalem, This is where our Psalm begins to really pick up. It tells us that David is so burdened about the fact that there is no place to house the arc of the covenant.

David says, I look at my palatial mansion. I look at this house of cedar that I have to dwell in, but there’s nowhere but a tent for the arc of the covenant. And David purposes in his heart and promises to makes a promise to the lord. I’m gonna build a place a housing, a dwelling place for the lord. The section of this Psalm recounts David’s passion to build this permanent house for the lord, the place where the lord can dwell, a place where the ark of the covenant can be placed in for the mercy seat to bring about the presence of the lord.

He wouldn’t rest, he says, until that happens. You know the account. You know the story. The lord says to David through the prophet, no, David, you’re not to you’re not the man to do that. Now imagine if you have a passion to do something, and now the lord reigns on your parade.

I have a feeling there are probably some of us that would just go back home, and we’d pout, say, well, I had a desire to do it, but I’m not allowed to do it. David didn’t do that, did he? No. David put everything in place. He goes out.

He begins to he buys up the property where the house of the lord would be built. He goes to the nations and begins to collect all of the goods. He puts everything into place. Reminds me quite a bit. A number of years ago, those of you that are new to EBMC, you wouldn’t know the name JD Smith.

Buying up property

Many of you would. A number of years ago, as the church was in the process of making preparations for the building of this new facility. Brother Smith was a part of that committee. And he had in mind a piece of property that he thought we need to build here. It was over off of 135.

And he encouraged the purchase of that property. It was eventually chosen that this place right here along Gentry Memorial Highway would be the place that we’d build. When the vote came down that this would be the property we would build and brother Smith was out voted, Rather Smith pulled out his checkbook and wrote a $1000 check, and he said, I want to be the first person. To put money down on the purchase of that new property. Reminds me a lot of David in this Psalm He says, look, the lord may say, no, I can’t do it, but I’m going to do everything necessary to put into place the building of a permanent habitation for the lord.

Passion for the House of God

David’s passion for the house of god speaks to us, I believe, in at least two ways. Wanna believe that you and I should have a passionate drive to enjoy god’s presence in our own lives that our hearts would truly be the place his dwelling. Amen? Yes. And second, we should have a passionate desire that the blessing and the benefit of the house of god would be for us as a community of believers.

Listen, I can’t stress to us the importance that as long as we live on this earth, you and I need this church. Amen? You and I need the fellowship of the community of believers. And David recognized the importance of a place of dwelling for the lord to dwell. And he had a passion for it as you and I should have a passion.

Charles Spurgeon said, he said, I wish that this same zeal would take firm hold of all Christians. How many there are who dwell in their ceilinged houses while the house of god lies waste. They can provide abundantly for themselves, but for god’s cause, for god’s gospel, for a place wherein the poor may meet for the preaching of the word, they do not seem to take care. Oh, may that not be true of our lives? May you and I have a similar passion in our hearts as David promised to the lord, I want to build to you house.

May you and I have a similar promise that says, lord, I desire to build your house, your church, your kingdom. What is your passion for the house for the lord this morning. David’s passion drove him to make promises to god. What about for us? The second section of this Psalm tells us about the promise of David.

From David’s Promise to God & God’s Promise to David

I’m sorry. The first section of this Psalm tells us about the promise of David to the lord, but the second section tells us about the promise to David. In verse 10, if you have your Bible still open, I want you to notice this. David makes a promise to the lord. I want to build to you a house.

I’m going to I’m not going to let slumber or sleep come to me until I’ve done something about this until I’ve brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem until I’ve found a dwelling place for the lord because of David’s promise to the lord. The lord responds with a promise to David. Look at it. For the sake of David, your servant, do not turn away the face of your anointed The lord has sworn to David a truth from which he will not turn back. The fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.

If your sons will keep my covenant and my testimony, which I will teach them, their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever. The promise that god gives to David is twofold One is based on a condition. The other is unconditional. If you looked at it this morning, you will notice that the first promise that he made was the unconditional. The second was the conditional.

I’d like to start with the conditional promise, if you will. The conditional promise was that the sons of David would be the ones who would be seated on the thrown in Jerusalem as long as they kept the covenant of the lord. If you follow Israel’s history, sadly, David’s sons did not keep the covenant of the lord. Sadly, for Israel’s history, you read through the remainder of the old testament and you find that this the nation of Israel divides And it’s not long until Judah, the southern kingdom, the place where Jerusalem was at. Was eventually overrun in 586 BC by nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians.

And the last king of David’s line Hezekiah was taken into captivity, and there would never again be a son of David to sit. On the throne in Israel and the city of Jerusalem. A tragedy. Reminds me this morning of the importance for you and I to keep the commandments of the lord or suffer the consequences of rejection of his promises. But there was an unconditional promise made to David.

Wasn’t there? God said to David, there will be one who will sit on your throne forever. And that was realized in the person of Jesus. God made this unconditional promise. The lord has sworn to David a truth from which he will not turn back the fruit of your body, I will set upon your throne.

While for years, after the last king of David’s line, had been had disappeared. The lord sent in the fullness of time, his son listened to what Paul writes to the Galatians But when the fullness of time came, god sent forth his son, born of a woman born under the law, so that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons because you are sons, god has sent forth the spirit of his son into hearts crying Abba father, hallelujah. Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir through god what a wonderful promise you and I have received through the promise that god gave to David. You and I are reaping this morning the promises of god.

You say, pastor, what are you trying to say to us? If there’s anything that I want you to catch this morning is I want for us to live in light of the promise. The promise that god gave through David is that you and I have reaped the advantage of becoming the sons of god through Jesus Christ. The unconditional promise that god made today that has great bearing on us today because of the promise made to David regarding the Messiah as a promise that was made to you. And to me.

I believe as we wrap up the final element of this Psalm, you begin to see the promises of god that are for us through the promises that came to David. The psalmist closes this particular Psalm with a reminder that god has chosen Jerusalem to be the place of his habitation. Now that seems odd to me. When I read the rest of scripture. Does it you?

 Heaven is God’s Throne: Isaiah 66

Let me just read to you, Psalm, 60, I’m sorry, Isaiah chapter 66. Thus says the lord, heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where then is a house that you could build for me. Where’s a place that I may rest? The Bible tells us that the lord dwells in all places.

And in Isaiah, recounts the words of god. Where can you build me a place that I can rest? And yet, David has desired to build a Tabernacle, a temple, a place where the lord can find a resting place. The truth is currently the lord dwells within our hearts. Amen?

That’s the dwelling place where the lord resides presently, but can I tell you that this Psalm reminds us that there’s even more yet to come? There is more that is yet to come about the place of Israel. There’s a present tense comfort that you and I can have in that Christ can dwell within our hearts by faith but can I remind you what Peter tells us in his first letter, chapter 3, beginning in verse 8, but do not let this one fact escape your notice beloved that with the lord one day is like a 1000 years and a 1000 years like one day, the lord is not slow concerning his promise? As some count slowness, but is patient toward you not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance Listen to me this morning, the promises that the lord has made to us are sure instead fast. Do you feel like the lord has forgotten about his promise?

To be your helper? Do you feel like he has forgotten you and has left you where you are? Do you feel like he is sealed up heaven and barred you from entering therein? I have good news for you this morning, church. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verses 1920 for the son of god, Christ Jesus, who is preached among you by us by me and by Sylvanius and Timothy was not yes and no, but is yes in him.

Listen to this. For as many as are the promises of god in him, they are yes. Aren’t you glad that the promises of the lord to us today are always yes, and amen. Therefore, also through him is our amen to the glory of god through us. The promises that god made to David, that he would seek one upon his throne that would dwell forever Is a reminder of a promise to us that the lord dwells with us today

Yes. He dwells in our hearts, but can I just complete the rest of this Psalm? Because the Psalm reminds us that god has a dwelling place in Jerusalem. Amen? Right now, we’re witnessing upheaval in the world around us, particularly in the Middle East.

You look at the Middle East and what’s going on there and you look at the nation of Israel and you look at the nations around them that hate Israel, and have literally, in some cases, their guns trained upon the country of Israel. Can I just remind us this morning? That’s god’s holy place. The city of Jerusalem is god’s holy city. When I read the headlines and I hear the rise of anti Semitic rhetoric around the world, It almost seems as if god has abandoned Israel, but he’s not.

He is never slack concerning his promises. His promises as his promises to us are always yes in Amen. Can I tell you this morning god hasn’t abandoned his dwelling place? He’s simply getting it ready for his permanent occupation. I I’m not a prophet.

Not a son of a prophet, but I know this much the lord is shaping up things in our world today. The things that are happening in our world today are in preparation for the lord’s final fulfillment of the promise that was made in, Psalm 132. Listen to what John writes to us in Revelation chapter 21. Let me just remind us of the promises that are ours in Christ Jesus because the promises that were made in Psalm 132 are promises for us. Listen to what John recorded Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there’s no longer any Sea, and I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying behold, the tabernacle of god is with men. Did you catch that this morning? The tabernacle of god is with us. The tabernacle is with us, and he will dwell among them.

And they shall be his people, and god himself will be among them. And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no longer any death. There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. The first things have passed away and he who sets up upon the throne said behold, I’m making all things new. And he said, right, for these are words that are faithful and true.

Then he said to me, it is done. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the springs of water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his god, and he will be my son. I say to us this morning, Hallelujah for the promises of god that are sure instead fast.

I know we’re living in a world that sometimes we look at and we scratch our heads and we wonder What in the world is god doing in the world around us? Can I just tell you? He’s fulfilling his promises. He’s fulfilling his promises, church. Oh, that you and I will live in light of the promises that are ours today.

Sure the enemy will come and bring fear and doubt and question, but the promises of god to us are yes in Amen to the glory of god. Can I encourage us this morning? Let’s live in light of promises that are ours today. Let’s stand together. Father, this morning, we rejoice in the promises of god that have been given to us.

Thank you for the promise that you gave to David. Who had a passion to build a dwelling place for you, a place that you would have a habitation Lord, this morning, you promised to David that you would have one who would sit on his throne forever. And this morning, we rejoice in knowing that Jesus Christ is seated on the throne. We rejoice in knowing that that throne will be a throne that will be forever. This morning, lord, we rejoice in the promises of what is to come Right now, you’re making preparation and ready heaven for us.

We rejoice in knowing this morning that your promise is that you’re gonna bring the new Jerusalem down and that we, your children, can dwell with you. Oh, help us this morning to live in light of promises. Help us to live our lives, worthy of the calling, wherewith we’ve been called father, we delight in you today. We love you. We thank you for the promises that you’ve given to us.

Oh, may you give us grace? May you give us courage? May you give us strength to live in the light of those promises? I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. The lord bless you. You are dismissed.