God’s Sign - God’s Son

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

Jesus is the ultimate sign!

• The omnipotent God identified and joined with the human family.
  
• The sign of God
  
• The image of God was restored in humanity in Jesus incarnation, God’s sign in man.

Christ rules not merely by the traditions of what He once was, what He once spoke, or did or endured; but by a living power which even now, seated as He is at the right hand of the Father, He exercises over lands, nations, generations, families and individuals.
--- Abraham Kuyper

Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts,wWho dwells in Mount Zion.
Isaiah 8:18

• I Corinthians 1:22a “For Jews request a sign”
  
• Matthew 12:39b “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign”
• But God gave at least 3 signs:
  
  • Isaiah 7:14
    
  • Luke 2:12
    
  • Luke 2:34-35

A God of Signs and Wonders

• This One who was raised, the same One who died, had performed the miracles of God’s kingdom in our time and space.
  
• John testified that in the doing of God’s mighty works Jesus was the prophet sent from God!
  
  • John 6:14
    
  • Signs & Wonders = Miracles

Sign & Wonder

• “Sign” may be an object or daily activity as well as an unexpected divine action
  
• The basic nature of a sign is that it points people to God
  
• “Wonders” describe God’s supernatural activity, a special manifestation of His power

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7

Angelic Anticipation
Luke 2:1-20

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled“
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem“
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!”

Angels

• I Peter 1:8-12
  • Angels fascinated with God’s plan unfolding, eagerly watching!
    
• Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

Angels are the dispensers and administrators of the Divine beneficence toward us. --- John Calvin
An angel is a spiritual creature, without a body, created by God for the service of Christendom and the church.” --- Martin Luther

• There are about 300 biblical references to God having angels at His command.
  
• There is a spiritual dimension that is unknown to most but revealed to God’s people.
  
• Many angelic manifestations are misunderstood by those who do not believe in them.

5 Blessings of this reality:

• A greater faith in God’s provision & pre-creation culture.
  
• A greater faith in God’s providential care.
  
• It teaches us humility.
  
• It helps us in the struggle against sin.
  
• It enlarges our concept of the dignity of our own being.

Waiting On God
Luke 2: 21-35

Advent

• Christmas & Easter
  
• Incarnation & Resurrection
  
• 1st Advent & 2nd Advent
  
  • Advent designates the coming or second coming of Christ.
    
  • The English term advent comes from a Latin word meaning “coming.”

Oh, The Waiting!

• Waiting is the act of remaining inactive or stationary
  
  • to remain or rest in expectation
    
  • to remain or be in readiness
    
  • to remain temporarily neglected, unattended to, or postponed

Wait On The Lord
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His under-standing is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

• Waiting for the Proto-prophecy of:
  
• Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
  
  • This is where the story of Christmas begins!
• Proverbs 13:12, 19a
  
  • “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”
    
  • “A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul”

The Coming of Christ

• He came in his first advent “in the fullness of the time”
  
• I John 5:20
• He will come with reference to his coming again the second time at the last day
  
• Acts 1:11; 3:19-21
  
• I Thessalonians 4:15-18
  
• II Timothy 4:1-5
  
• Hebrews 9:28

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

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Answered Prayer

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth
Psalm 65:5a NLT

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.
I Thessalonians 1:5 NKJV

When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions. You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves.
I Thessalonians 1:5-6a Mssg

The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

• I am not trying to meet your needs, only God can do that!
  
• My goal is to help you become less needy!
  
• Our aim is a life of faith, trusting God, cooperating with Him in His purpose.

Prayer

• Prayer is our relational conversation with God expressing our heart in need and desire as we learn and line up with His will.
  
• Prayer is not:
  
  • Information that God does not have!
    
  • A formulae to get what you want.
    
  • A program to get God to meet your needs.

7 Types of Prayer

1. Rejoicing in Prayer
   
2. Prayer of Confession
   
3. Conversational Prayer
   
4. Prayer of Petition
   
5. Intercessory Prayer
   
6. Contemplative (Listening) Prayer
   
7. Fasting with prayer

Rejoicing in Prayer

• Deuteronomy 26:11
  
• I Chronicles 16:10
  
• Philippians 4:4-7

Prayer of Confession

• I John 1:9
  
• John 3:17

Conversational Prayer

• I Samuel 3:10
  
• Prayer Testimony

Prayer of Petition

• Psalm 20:1-4
  
• Luke 11:9

Intercessory Prayer

• Luke 23:34
  
• Numbers 15:46-48

Contemplative Prayer

• I Thessalonians 5:17
  
  • “pray without ceasing”
    
• Jude 1:20

Fasting With Prayer
January 3-24, 2010

Prayers Yet To Be Answered

• Revelation 5:8
  
• Revelation 8:1-5
  
• Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!