Things Are Going to Change (Matthew 1:18-23)
Gary McManus, 11/27/2022Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
November 27, 2022 First Sunday in Advent Matthew 1:18-23
Captain Obvious: too much of what you like
is not as nice as at first; it’s fatigue.
We tire of it.
Yet, many ancient religions worked to keep
things the same; day after day and season after
season.
The God of the Hebrews was not like that—
our God is not like that. Our God guarantees
the seasons (Genesis 7:22). It doesn’t depend
on God’s people to do anything (right).
SO, let’s notice that God was at work from the
beginning to fix things, or help us, or love us, or
change our circumstances. 2,000 years ago, Jesus
came to save us because that is what God wants to do. (1 Timothy 2:4)
God does not do things willy-nilly. God works with us, his people, to bring about this different future.
Examples: Moses, Noah, the prophets.
Nothing happened overnight.
God used the Babylonian Emperor to destroy
Jerusalem, and take the people away to live in Babylon.
To these Babylonian Jews; refugees, aliens, slave
laborers from Israel, the prophet Isaiah spoke
(Isaiah 4:1-2)
The new normal for the last 70 years (refugees)
is going to change for the better.
Matthew is sure to declare what the prophet had
declared hundreds of years before in Isaiah 7:14.
(God would bring the Messiah through Joseph
(by legal naming) and Mary (by the Holy Spirit)
to be born to come along side us—and save us.)
What was declared hundreds of years before by
the Lord God (through Isaiah), Matthew is sure
to write down was finally taking place. . .
Matthew may have heard it from Jesus (Luke 24:27,
Luke 24:44 and also Luke 16:29-31).
Jesus had said to some of the Pharisees: (John 5:38-40 ). . .
There is going to be a new day. . .there is going to be a new birth (John 3:3). . .there is going to be a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). . .new creatures (KJV). . .things WILL NOT BE as they have been. . .God is at work still (John 5:17). Creation is going to be redeemed. (Romans 8:22)
Remember some of the other promises or futures God had proclaimed through the prophets? Something about the throne of David lasting forever (30 mentions of it)? See 2 Samuel 7:13( 1 Chronicles 22:10 ), Psalm 18:50, Proverbs 29:14 .
But there is no king! The whole city of Jerusalem was
destroyed. . .no Temple.
The Kings of Israel have been cut down and cut off.
Remember what Ezekiel said? (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Isaiah was told something very similar: Isaiah 11:1-2:
Then a shoot will grow from the (dead) stump of Jesse. . .
The words of the prophets—the word of the Lord doesn’t sound reasonable at all.
Still the New Testament also states, Luke 1:37:
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Amen.
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