Church of the Nazarene (Mission Valley, Mt.)
11am Service
- Joyful (The One Who Saves)
Isaiah 12:2–6NLT
- This Is Our God
- How Great Our Joy (Jungst)
- Last week we looked at how God remembered Zechariah, Elizabeth, the People, and how God remembers us. God Remembers, God Hears, and God Responds.Today, we will look at the promise of God with Us!
Matthew 1:18–25 NLT 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.Some thoughts about JosephRighteousGoing to lose his righteous standing...Reminder of the Promise of EmmanuelGod will be with Joseph in the midst of the struggles of lifeGod will be with US in the midst of the struggles of life!Context is KEY!Isaiah 7:10–18 NLT 10 Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.” 12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted. 17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!” 18 In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees.God will provide a DIVINE SOLUTION to a human problemAhaz knew that the Northern Kingdom - Israel (Ephraim) and Syria had become allies and they had tried to march on Judah in the past - but stopped their seige.Ahaz, king of Judah, began considering looking to Assyria for help. Isaiah, earlier in ch. 7, warns Ahaz of turning to another man for help - thus breaking his loyalty to God. According to 2 Kings 16, Ahaz was already doing evil in God’s sight, so he wasn’t too loyal to God anyway.Well, it turns out that Ahaz decided to turn away from God, and God’s protection, and turn to Tiglath Plieaser III of Assyria for help. Here in this passage God declares that he is willing to provide a DIVINE Solution - the presence of an anointed one who would be a reminder of God’s presence - to the human situation.The word translated “virgin” could simply mean “young woman, not yet married, or without children.” It is possible that for the original context God has in mind for Isaiah’s son, who is born in ch.8, to be known also as Immanuel - or the sign that God will do what God has said.Ultimately, this sign is given greater significance in Jesus, who was literally born of a virgin. He is the ULTIMATE reminder of God’s presence with us. He is the ULTIMATE reminder of God’s DIVINE solution to our human problem.This IS the story of Jesus Christ - God provided a DIVINE solution to THE human problem - sin. But, also to ALL our human problems. God with us has the solution!But, how often do we turn to human solutions?How often do we ignore the presence of God with us? How often do we assume that God knows nothing of our situation, and therefore, God cannot provide a solution.How often do we go through life ignoring the promise and blessing of God with us? That in the midst of hardship and trouble, and joy and laughter, God is present. And, because God is present God is familiar with our grief, our pain, our struggles, our concerns.God was one of us and he is familiar with our strugglesHebrews 2:16–18 NLT 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.Hebrews 4:15–16 NLT 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.Isaiah 53:3–4 NLT 3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!Joseph was able to get through his task because he had the promise of Immanuel - God with us.What do we need to journey through with confidence knowing that God is with us?Knowing that God is familiar with what we are journeying through?Knowing that God became a human - one of us - to be like us in every way. He is familiar with our struggles and weaknesses. He knows what it is like to be a human. He’s been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. And, he has promised to continue to be Immanuel, God with us, through our life.We have the same promise!Matthew 28:20 (NLT)20 … And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”May we have assurance that God Remembers, God Hears, God Responds and God is with us. May we allow God with us to provide DIVINE solutions to our human problems! Matthew 1:18–25NLT
Isaiah 7:10–18NLT
Hebrews 2:16–18NLT
Hebrews 4:15–16NLT
Isaiah 53:3–4NLT
Matthew 28:20NLT
- We Have A Savior
Church of the Nazarene (Mission Valley, Mt.)
(406) 675-0081
15 members • 2 followers