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Schedule

FRIDAY, Jan 31st (5:30-9pm)

Dinner @ 5:30pm

9:00 Evening Conclusion

SATURDAY, Feb 1st (9-3:30pm)

9am Kickoff

Noon Lunch

3:30pm Conclusion

SUNDAY, Feb 23rd

1-4pm Final Sessions

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There’s a thread that runs throughout the Scriptures - The Promise of God’s Presence. What began with a PROMISE MADE to Abraham extended to his family and then to all nations. Today we discover how the Promise of God’s Presence impacts us today.

E. B. White: To perceive Christmas through its wrappings becomes more difficult with every year.  

What if we started thinking & talking about the significance of Jesus’ birth for the next 10 days in our homes?

There is a thread that runs through every writing in Scripture - The Promise of His Presence. It all started with a PROMISE MADE to Abraham. And that Promise made to Abraham extended from Abraham to his son Isaac,

to his son Jacob, and for generations of Jews to come. But The Promise of His Presence was extended to US too! And here’s why that matters.

There are times in ALL of our lives when we ask the question King David asked:

God…WHERE are You? Don’t You CARE? It’s okay to ask that question. 

God reminded Abraham’s son, Isaac, of the Promise Made and how it extended to him.

After Moses’ death, Joshua took over. Joshua no doubt felt like he was in over his head. How could he fill the shoes of Moses? God encouraged him with these words. So, in the middle of the fear & discouragement Joshua could say…I’m Not Afraid, because I’m Not Alone

The promise made to Abraham extended generations to those who carried out the plan of Yahweh. He would not leave them because of a PROMISE MADE years before - a promise that God would use the family of Abraham to bless all nations.

Hundreds of years later, the PROMISE of His Presence was extended to 

• King David when God reminded him, “I have been with you wherever you have gone.” (1 Chr 17:8)

• King Solomon: David hands the kingdom over to his son, Solomon, and David echoes the words of God to Joshua saying, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. (1 Chr 28:20 LSB)

When the difficult days came, the times they wondered where God was, they could lean on this BIG TRUTH:

I’m Not Afraid, because I’m Not Alone.

Fast forward about 300 years and Judah (the land where the temple stood in Jerusalem) is in danger of being overtaken. Syria & Israel had combined forces to war against Judah. Judah, was in very real danger. But God sends Isaiah with this word of encouragement for King Ahaz of Judah - in the family line of David & Solomon.

What did God promise Ahaz? The same promise He made to Abraham over 1000 years before - The Promise of His Presence.   

The baby born and the enemies defeated was the proof of Immanuel - ’GOD WITH US’. And because of that, the people of Judah could say during a difficult time, I’m Not Afraid, because I’m Not Alone

We have the privilege to look forward and see how JESUS was the ULTIMATE fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, (more on that next week). 

Scholars believe this 69 weeks of ‘sevens’ is 69x7years = 483 years. The word or decree to rebuild Jerusalem would be given by Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:11–26) in the year 457 B.C. In other words, the Jewish people were looking for the Messiah - the Anointed One to appear 483 years from 457 B.C. That would fall around A.D. 26, about the time many scholars date Jesus’ baptism and anointing of the Holy Spirit (John 1:32). And Daniel’s prophecy wasn’t finished.

As we see in the New Testament, by the time Jesus lived on the Earth, the Jewish people had come to believe that this Messiah would appear miraculously and never die. Because of this, most weren’t expecting nor awaiting the birth of the Messiah…but SOMEONE WAS. 

The dragon represents Satan, who wants to kill the baby about to be born. This male child represents Jesus being born through believing Israel - the woman.

Despite the enemy’s desire to destroy the Promise Made to Abraham to bless all nations, the Messiah would be born and will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.

In Hebrew, Jesus would be Yeshua (pronounced Ye-shU-a). In Greek it is spelled Iesous (sounds like e-A-soos). In English, Jesus. In Hebrew the name Yeshua means ‘Yahweh is salvation.’ As we have learned before, Yeshua name was very common for men at that time…but the following description of this Yeshua was absolutely UNIQUE. He will be great; the Son of the Most High.

Jesus - the Son of the Most High - was about to put on skin, live as a human, and show/tell us about the Father.

He will reign on David’s throne forever. God had promised David that his throne would continue forever if his son Solomon was faithful to the Lord and His laws (1 Chronicles 28:7). Sadly, Solomon failed - the kingdom was split in two, and by 586 B.C. - ever since the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took many of them captive - no Davidic king had sat on the throne in almost 600 years. But what Solomon had failed to do - keep all of Israel under the Davidic throne - the coming King of Israel would FULFILL. His reign and His kingdom will never end.

› We have taken a brief tour of the Old Testament writings pointing to the Promise Made to Abraham and his future family, to bless ALL NATIONS (Gen 26:4), and that includes US!

As many of the first followers of Jesus spilt their blood to obey Jesus, and take the good news of Jews to all nations,

I can’t help but wonder what their last thoughts were before leaving this world. I have to believe they thought something like this:

I’m Not Afraid, because I’m Not Alone

Can YOU say that? Are you certain that you KNOW the God who wrapped Himself in flesh?

Let the Promise of His Presence lead the parade of your thoughts.

Throughout the day, ask yourself, “If He really IS here…how should that change my actions, reactions, attitudes, & thoughts?”

Use the Discussion Questions w/ your Small Group, friends, or family this week. Have spiritual conversations on purpose.

Consider Elaine’s [my sister’s] ideas to honor ‘the birthday Boy’. Get the focus back on JESUS instead of everything else.

These open-ended questions are designed to help you LIVE what you LEARN with your Family, Friends, or Small Group.

1. ‌Read Psalm 13. How does David’s prayer bother or encourage you? Do you think it’s okay for us to tell God how we really feel? Explain your answer. Why do you think David ENDED this Psalm differently than how he BEGAN?
2. How does tracing the promise of God’s Presence from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, and ultimately to Jesus impact your confidence that God is with us? Explain the typical difference between how the obedient follower of Jesus views God’s Presence, contrasted to someone living in disobedience.
3. How might asking yourself this question impact you? “If God really IS with me…how should that change my actions, reactions, attitudes, & thoughts?”
4. What impact did Jesus’ promise “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20) make on His first century disciples? Share about a time when you knew of someone (it might be you) who, being convinced of God’s Presence, could say, “I’m not afraid, because I’m not alone!”
5. How does the hindsight of history help us to see how Jesus fulfilled Daniel 9:25–26 & Rev. 12:4-5?
6. What is it that God wants you to do with what you heard & studied today?
7. Share your prayer needs and PRAY to the FATHER together!