The Humility of God - The Hope and Expectancy of the Ultimate Joy of Christmas
Sermon Notes
1. There is something challenging and humbling about waiting.
Hope deferred (waiting) makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13.12).
2. When Jesus was born, they expected “God with us” to become king of their lives and king of their land.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matt 2.1-2).
“and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1.33).
3. Seeing Jesus go and waiting for His return would not be so hard if we knew He would return soon. I’m sure that’s what they thought.
They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1.11 - waiting).
4. We cannot wait to go to heaven because our true citizenship is there - nevertheless we must stay a while longer.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3.20).
5. We cannot wait to get our rewards for our faithfulness now - therefore we live for Jesus and care nothing about comparing ourselves with others.
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God (1 Corinthians 4.5).
6. We place our hope in Christ, waiting on Him to deliver us from the judgment to come.
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1.10).
7. We wait on God’s timing for His final, triumphant judgment.
and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest [wait] for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also (Rev 6.10-11).
Applying these truths to out lives:
1. In the story of Christmas, we learn the value of waiting - the humility of waiting.
2. God does not give us everything we want when we want it.
3. God doesn’t even give it to Himself - He Himself is our example of waiting, and He Himself suffers with us through this process.
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth"
(Psalm 46.1-3, 10).
4. Through it all, He continues to work to redeem His world (Romans 8.28). Will we?
5. Is He King and Lord in our lives today?