Anticipating Our Messiah Series

“ANTICIPATING OUR MESSIAH”

Isaiah 7:14; 9:2; Micah 5:2

FBCF – 12/8/24

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Sermon bump video – “That He Gave”

About 700 yrs before that actual event happened, the OT prophets, Isaiah & Micah, were told by God to let the world know to anticipate that something special would be happening one day.

Late 70’s, Heinz ketchup came out w/ a commercial that showed how long it took for their thick ketchup to come out of the bottle. And by the way, Heinz ketchup is really the only ketchup anyone should ever use! In the commercial, an elderly grandmother & her granddaughter were sitting on a porch, trying to enjoy a hamburger together but couldn’t get the ketchup out of the bottle. The granddaughter held the bottle poised over a juicy hamburger while Carly Simon sang her song, “Anticipation, anticipation, it’s making me wait.” Finally, the thick liquid came out of the bottle for them to enjoy together.

Anticipation is what characterized the words of Isaiah & Micah. They let the people know that something special was coming.

- That something special was a lot more important than ketchup. That something special would change everything for everyone

- In fact, that something special came into the world to give His life to save the very people in that commercial – Nedra Volz (the grandmother), Carly Simon, Casey Kasem (narrated the commercial), the little girl, & everyone else who was involved in producing that commercial & everyone who has ever watched that commercial!

- That something special was some-ONE special & His name is JESUS!

Christmas is a time of waiting & expectation; of wonder & preparation; of watching & anticipation. Truthfully, a large part of our lives as Christ-followers is spent in preparation & anticipation.

- Our short time on earth is a time of preparation to spend eternity in heaven.

- It’s a time of excited anticipation of just how awesome our eternal home is going to be.

- Not just sitting around twiddling our thumbs as we wait. Not like we’re just sitting in a spiritual waiting room flipping through old People magazines.

- Our waiting & anticipation is an active waiting & anticipation as we use our time on earth to help others get prepared to meet Jesus in heaven, too. We work as we wait. We proclaim Jesus as we prepare to see Jesus.

- And even now, we anticipate that this Jesus who has come into the world is going to work in someone’s life today in this place. Is it YOUR life? Is this the day that you are going to give your life to Jesus & be saved? Is this the day that you are going to renew & recommit your life to Jesus & start walking in obedience to Him again? Is this the day that you are going to respond to His call on your life – the call to missions or ministry? Is this the day you’re going to join this church FAMILY?

- We come into this place week after week in anticipation & expectation that the Savior of the world is going to meet w/ us & change our lives for all eternity!

And that is our application point for this message today!

APPLICATION – Because Jesus came into our world & is alive today, we should anticipate His work in our lives today.

3 POINTS OF ANTICIPATION ABOUT JESUS:

ANTICIPATE HIS PRESENCE – Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Immanuel.”

The prophets of the OT were men who were called by God to deliver His message to the world. Sometimes they were called “seers” b/c God gave them the ability to see things from a spiritual standpoint. Came from different backgrounds, spoke to different audiences, & possessed different styles of communication.

But one thing was clear about all of them: They were to communicate God’s message clearly & accurately. One prophet stated in 1 Kings 22:14, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell [the king] only what the Lord tells me.”

Clear, accurate communication is so important. Vicki is listed in my contacts as “Vicki My Awesome Wife.” Once said to Siri, “Siri, call Vicki my awesome wife” to which Siri replied, “Which one? You have 8.” You gotta be clear!

Prophet Isaiah was very clear when he stated that there would be a virgin who would have a baby boy, & his name would be “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” I could just park right here the rest of sermon! LOVE this name for JESUS! Isaiah spoke these words to the people of God in a time of great tumult & trouble. They needed to know that God has not abandoned them & that there was still hope for them. His clear message to them was that hope WAS coming to them, not temporarily, but eternally. Jesus, the everlasting hope for the world, would be WITH THEM forever! Immanuel was coming! He came for them, & He has come for us. He was w/ them, & He is with us! His presence is: