Bulletins - Keystone Presbyterian Church

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If you have ever thought about having dinner with the President or maybe the King of England, then you probably have the idea of a very formal dinner; maybe you would be nervous. There would probably be a bunch of other people there so your time with the President would be limited, very limited. Your ability to actually see and converse with him would probably be just minutes, maybe just seconds as you go through a welcome line.
Or maybe you think of meeting him here, at a rally, or if he is giving an award to someone locally. There would be lines and throngs of people around that you would have to navigate through to get to him.
Either way, there will be pomp and circumstance, a sense of royalty or an air of prestige would be around our meeting of the President or a king.
In contrast, the Christ’s birth was the opposite. No bands; no secret service and no line to greet the new born King of kings. In a lowly animal stall, Mary gives birth. Aside from here, there was Joseph, maybe a midwife, some animals and of course, the baby Jesus, wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger.
The biggest even to happen to earth is almost unnoticed
We have been looking at the advents of Christ. We have briefly studied Christ’s Entrance, Christ’s Timing, Christ’s Appearance and Christ’s Purpose.
Tonight, we are looking at Christ’s Arrival.
I. Christ’s Arrival for His First Advent
First, let’s look at Christ’s arrival for his first advent.
This advent was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 9:6–7 NASB 2020
6 For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.
It is also announced in the New Testament.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and tells her she will become pregnant with a Son who will fulfill the Davidic covenant.
Joseph has an angel visit him in a dream. This angel reassures Joseph that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph is also told to name this child Jesus.
Matthew connects this birth with the Isaiah prophecy of virgin conceiving and bearing a son called Immanuel.
And then, after the birth we read the announcement to the shepherds.
Luke 2:10–14 NASB 2020
10 And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”
The first advent was announced to many people throughout time.
II. Christ’s Arrival for His Second Advent
Second, let’s look at Christ’s arrival for his second advent.
Author Doug Mendenhall shares a brief parable that should cause all of us to pause and reflect:
Jesus called the other day to say he was passing through and [wondered if] he could spend a day or two with us.
I said, “Sure. Love to see you. When will you hit town?”
I mean, it’s Jesus, you know, and it’s not every day you get the chance to visit with him. It’s not like it’s your in-laws and you have to stop and decide whether the advantages outweigh your having to move to the sleeper sofa.
That’s when Jesus told me he was actually at a convenience store out by the interstate.
I must have gotten that Bambi-in-headlights look because my wife hissed, “What is it? What’s wrong? Who is that?”
So I covered the receiver and told her Jesus was going to arrive in eight minutes, and she ran out of the room and started giving guidance to the kids—in that effective way that Army Drill Sergeants give guidance to trainees….
My mind was already racing with what needed to be done in the next eight—no seven—minutes so Jesus wouldn’t think we were reprobate loser slobs.
I turned off the TV in the den, which was blaring some weird scary movie I’d been half watching. But I could still hear screams from our bedroom, so I turned off the reality show it was tuned to. Plus, I turned off the kids’ set out on the sun porch, because I didn’t want to have to explain Jon & Kate Plus Eight to Jesus, either, six minutes from now.
My wife had already thinned out the magazines that had been accumulating on the coffee table. She put Christianity Today on top for a good first impression. Five minutes to go.
I looked out the front window, but the yard actually looked great thanks to my long, hard work, so I let it go. What could I improve in four minutes anyway?
I did notice the mail had come, so I ran out to grab it. Mostly it was Netflix envelopes and a bunch of catalogs tied into recent purchases, so I stuffed it back in the box. Jesus doesn’t need to get the wrong idea—three minutes from now—about how much on-line shopping we do.
I ran back in and picked up a bunch of shoes left by the door. Tried to stuff them in the front closet, but it was overflowing with heavy coats and work coats and snow coats and pretty coats and raincoats and extra coats. We live in the South; why’d we buy so many coats? I squeezed the shoes in with two minutes to go.
I plumped up sofa pillows, my wife tossed dishes into the sink, I scolded the kids, and she shooed the dog. With one minute left I realized something important: Getting ready for a visit from Jesus is not an eight-minute job.
Then the doorbell rang.
There were several announcements regarding the first advent of Christ. However, there will be no eight-minute warning prior to the second advent of Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians and said in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 NASB 2020
1 Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.
Just as a thief gives no warning about when he will strike, so Christ will arrive unannounced, like a thief, for his second advent.
As we celebrate the first advent of Christ tonight and tomorrow, let me encourage you to be prepared for his second advent by turning to him in faith and repentance.
Let’s pray.
- - Isaiah 9:6–7NASB2020
- - Luke 2:10–14NASB2020
- - 1 Thessalonians 5:1–2NASB2020

Isaiah 9:6–7NASB2020

Luke 2:10–14NASB2020

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2NASB2020