OUR LORD FULFILLS HIS GRACIOUS PROMISE (Outline)
November 30, 2008 --
ADVENT 1 --
Jeremiah 33:14-16
INTRO: During Advent we learn about the promises of God concerning his plan of salvation for mankind. Unlike man, God always keeps all of the promises that he makes. Advent can be considered the season of “promises made, promises kept”. The prophet Balaam was hired to curse Israel. Each time he tried Balaam could only bless God’s people. Man can try but he will not change any of God’s promises. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it"(NUMBERS 23:19,20). God promised blessing at the birth of his Son, Jesus. God’s promises are made. God’s promises are kept.
OUR LORD FULFILLS HIS GRACIOUS PROMISE.
I. Jesus is a Branch from David’s line.
II. Jesus is the Lord our righteousness.
I. JESUS IS A BRANCH FROM DAVID’S LINE
A. Jeremiah would direct his attention to the tribe of Judah. Unbelievers already conquered Israel.
1. The nation of Israel was divided: Judah, the southern and Israel the northern kingdom.
2. Bad kings had ruled over Israel from beginning to end. God’s judgment was harsh.
B. Verse 14. The Lord declared that better days were to come. The future was still in God’s hands.
1. The Lord God Almighty promised to carry out his promise made long ago to his people.
2. In Genesis 49 (esp. verse 10) the Lord promised that the scepter would not depart from Judah.
C. Verse 15a. The Lord puts his “time stamp” on all the events to take place. God is in control.
1. Verse 15b. A descendant from David’s line would rule over Judah.
2. This king would do what is just and right in the land. Jesus always did what was just and right!
D. Time and again God’s prophets provided a very clear picture of the Savior who was to be born. Today Jeremiah speaks of “a righteous Branch”. This comparison may be lost on us today. There are olive trees in and around Jerusalem that are thousands of years old. An olive tree grows and expands. The outside trunk of the tree is dead. Still it continues to grow by sending forth a branch from the inside of the core of the tree. God’s Old Testament people knew this and understood this example from today’s verses. This comparison was not uncommon. "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit"(ISAIAH 11:1). Jesse was David’s father: “Branch from David’s line”.
E. There are some today who still try to deny that Jesus was from the house and line of David. Worse there are many who try to extinguish that very fact that David even existed. There are those who feel there is not enough (or even any) archeological evidence that links David to any significance. The Bible makes it very clear the importance of David in the history of the world. Yes, even also in the history of God’s plan of salvation. Jesus is the righteous Branch from David’s line. "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David"(LUKE 2:4). Remember Mary was also from the house and line of David.
F. Promises made and promises kept fittingly describe the very nature of our gracious God. We note the time stamps in today’s verses: “the days are coming, in those days” (2 times), and “at that time”. All of these terms remind us of the infinite care God has established in carrying out what he wants done when he wants it done. God promised a Savior to Adam and Eve. The angels proclaimed the coming of the Savior to Mary and Joseph in a most miraculous way. Everything was timed to perfection. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons"(GALATIANS 4:4,5). During Jesus’ lifetime there was peace in the land of Israel. The Roman government provided this peace. God’s gospel was freely proclaimed. The Jewish nation did not always appreciate the Romans. But they were there to further God’s eternal plan.
OUR LORD FULFILLS HIS GRACIOUS PROMISE.
Jesus is a righteous Branch from David’s line.
II. JESUS IS THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
A. Jeremiah was an Old Testament prophet of doom and gloom. He was sent to preach God’s judgment.
1. Today’s verses were a bright glimmer of hope in the midst of God’s stark preaching.
2. These words were filled with joy and excitement that events could and would change.
B. God’s people needed to listen. God’s people needed to understand God’s plans were filled with hope.
1. Verse 16a. Note again, “in those days”. The future would hold peace and safety for Judah.
2. The city of Jerusalem was considered the center of worship and the center of civilizations.
3. God promised safety. This did happen in Jesus’ time due to the Roman government in charge.
C. Verse 16b. God’s gracious promise would be fulfilled in Christ the Lord: “our Righteousness”.
D. Promises made and promises kept. We rejoice that our God is a faithful God. When Adam and Eve sinned they ruined God’s perfect creation. Before God drove them from the Garden of Eden he promised them a Savior. They recognized their need for rescue. Until one sees the need for a rescue he will not find any help. Thankfully, the Lord God Almighty graciously provides us eternal rescue without any merit or worthiness on our part. "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men" (ROMANS 5:18). The first sin brought about God’s promise made and kept: “the Lord our Righteousness”.
E. There was and is only one perfect sacrifice that can and does take away our sins. That perfect sacrifice is not our works, nor our money. We all fall short of the glory of God. Thankfully our Lord God Almighty fulfills his gracious promise. Christ, our Savior, is able to do what we cannot. Christ is our sinlessness, our holiness, and our righteousness. Jesus has to be all these things for us. Simply put, we are sinful, unholy, and unrighteous. "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin"(1 JOHN 3:4,5).
F. Our lives are changed now and forever. We may not always remember this simple fact so important to our Christian living. Without Christ we are lost for time and for eternity. There is a traditional site in Bethlehem considered as the spot where Jesus was born. As Christians we note this site as the source from which our eternal salvation sprang. Others come and worship the same spot. But they only see the place as the place of Jesus the prophet -- not Jesus the Savior. How sad! For every believer the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have changed our lives forever. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed"(1 PETER 2:24). It is by grace we have been saved. It is by faith that we can live changed lives.
CONC.: Promises made and promises kept is important during the fast, four weeks before we celebrate that birth of Christ, our Savior. At the miracle of Christ’s birth the world welcomes the Savior of the world. At the miracle of Jesus on the cross in sheer agony the sins of the world find payment and forgiveness once and for all. At the miracle of Christ’s death and resurrection death is destroyed forever. All of these events are promises made and promises kept by our faithful, long-suffering Lord. OUR LORD FULFILLS HIS GRACIOUS PROMISE. Jesus is a righteous Branch from David’s line. Jesus is the Lord our righteousness. Our self-righteousness cannot save us. Only the righteousness of the King from David’s line can and does cover up our own sinful unrighteousness. Promises made and promises kept -- this describes the blessed season of Advent and this summarizes the Lord’s love for his creation! "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God"(2 CORINTHIANS 1:20). Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min.(Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
ADVENT 1 rdgs.:
ISAIAH. 63:16b-17. 64:1-8;
1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9;
MARK 13:32-37;
(PSALM 24)
