Thank you for stopping by and taking to time to watch, listen, or read this week’s message, The Hope of Christmas.
I hope you find encouragement in your faith in Jesus, and maybe even learn something new along the way 🙂
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Recap
Time is going by quickly. We are now past Thanksgiving and are in full Christmas mode. The busyness of the season is in full swing as people are on the mission of finding the best deals and making plans for a festive holiday. Whatever Christmas may look like for each person, there are some things we must remember.
We’ll begin by taking a look at Isaiah 7.1-14…
When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.
Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘It will not take place,
it will not happen,
for the head of Aram is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.’”Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
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A few things we can glean from this passage include the importance to…
1. Remain hopeful during hardships
Ahaz was an evil king in the sight of God, yet we read here that there was the fear of being destroyed. This fear is seen in verse two where it states, “the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken.”
In response to this fear, God sent Isaiah to encourage Ahaz, to give him some direction. Isaiah brings encouragement to Ahaz by telling him that his fear of destruction was not going to happen. God had other plans and would be working things out in His way.
We may not be facing destruction, but what hardships are we facing? Are there things in our day to day lives that are causing us stress? Do we have issues with our family, friends, or finances? Is there trouble at home, work, or school?
How are these hardships magnified during the Christmas season? As we go through each day, where are we placing our hope? Are we trusting in ourselves, other people or things, or are we trusting in God?
During hardships, we must…
2. Remain hopeful in regards to faith
Isaiah tells Ahaz that what he was fearing was not going to take place. Those who were coming to attack were going to come to nothing. Even with this promise, Isaiah reminds Ahaz that “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
Ahaz received good news. He received words of hope and encouragement from God through Isaiah. However, there was something that he needed to do as well. He had to stand firm in faith in the work that was to be done.
This brings up a good point for each one of us. Whatever we face, are we trusting in God? Are we remaining faithful to Him? Are we standing firm in our faith? Do we believe that God will accomplish all that He has promised in His Word? Will we lean into Him and not be swayed by the events that may be happening around us?
While standing firm in the faith, we can also…
3. Remain hopeful and seek the Lord
Isaiah tells Ahaz to “Ask the Lord your God for a sign.” Even though he was an evil king, Isaiah still encourages Ahaz to seek the Lord. Not only was he to seek the Lord, he was encouraged to ask God for a sign, no matter how grand it may be.
Interestingly, though, Ahaz says, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Here was a king that did evil in the sight of God, yet when given the chance to call out to Him, he chose not to.
Isaiah responds, “will you try the patience of my God?” Even though Ahaz had already tried the patience of God by his actions, he now goes a step further when given a direct offer from God.
We have the opportunity to seek the Lord for whatever we need. Are we, like Ahaz, choosing not to call out to Him? Or are we seeking the Lord in the midst of what we might be facing? Are we asking for His guidance? More importantly, are we listening?
As we seek the Lord, we are to…
4. Remain hopeful in God’s response
Even though Ahaz would not ask for a sign, the sign was still given. We read, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” While dealing with the fear of destruction, God gives Isaiah the prophecy of the One who would come as “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”
Now consider the magnitude of this promise. Isaiah was written 700 years before the time of Christ. It concerned the people of Judah during a time of hardship, but it pointed to all people throughout the whole world who were in need of a Savior, “God with us.”
Are we hopeful in the sign that was given 700 years before its fulfillment? Do we realize the significance of this prophecy that came to fruition precisely as it was foretold? Will we look to God’s response to Ahaz’s hardships and trust in His help in our own hardships we face?
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The Christmas season can be stressful… Will we lean into the hope of Christmas and not the activities of the season?
The Christmas season can be challenging… Will we remain faithful to the true reason for our celebrations?
The Christmas season can be draining… Will we remain connected to the source of our hope and faith?
The Christmas season can be overwhelming… Will we remain grounded in the meaning of this season?
These actions are not limited to the Christmas season. There are enough struggles as we go through life in general. God is the One we can turn to and trust in no matter the season we may find ourselves. The question is, will we trust Him completely?
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Have a Great Day!