Where it’s Winter But Never Christmas:
There’s a Prophesy
Matthew 1:22 (NIV)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Intro.
The happenings in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are not just happenstance. The arrival of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy in Narnia is . . . well listen to this (play section from Narnia where Mr. Beaver lists the events that are coming together and that it all has to do with a prophecy.)
You see in the conversation around the table in Mr. & Mrs. Beaver’s table, they mention three rhymes, prophesies.
(Found in chapter 8)
1st
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teach, winter meets its death
And when he shakes his name, we shall have spring again.
2nd
When Adam’s flesh and Adam’s bone
Sits a Cair Pravel in throne,
The evil time will be over and done.
3rd
Down at Cair Paravel ... there are four thrones and it’s a saying in Narnia time out of mind that when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit in those four thrones, then it will be the end not only of the Whtie Witch’s reign but of her life.
The events that will play out have long been part of The Emporer Across the Seas plan of Redemption for Narnia.
Let’s leave Narnia where winter is losing it’s hold and come back through the wardrobe to our world where the Lord of the Universe too has long been planning the redemption of his broken, fallen creation.
Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah:
Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will soon be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light—a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. [3] Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvesttime. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this! Isaiah 9:1-3, 6-7
The events of the Christmas story are not accidental.
1. A Decedent of David, from the Tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 (NIV)
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.
Isaiah 9:7 (NLT)
His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this!
Matthew 1:1-3 (NIV)
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
[3] Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
2. The City of His Birth
Micah 5:2 (NAS)
"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me
to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity."
Matthew 2:1b
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king.
3. The Messiah Would be Born to a Virgin
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.
Matthew 1:18
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Transition
Refer back to Matthew 1:22 - “What the Lord had said through His prophets.”
- God sent prophets to share His promises concerning a messiah
- These prophets brought hope in the middle of rebellion and judgement
This should give us hope as well because we too are waiting for the fulfillment of the prophesies concerning the second coming of Christ
1. Jesus is Coming Again
And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; [11] and 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 1:10-11 (NAS)
2. He Will Come in Glory
Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. [12] His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. [13] He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white horses. [15] From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. [16] On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 19:11-16 (NLT)
3. Everyone Will Pay Him Homage
Isaiah 45:22-23
"Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
[23] By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
Philip. 2:9-11 (NIV)
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
[11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Concl.
So how do we live?
Jesus says, “You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." Luke 12:40 (NLT)
The message paraphrase puts it this way . . .
So don’t you be slovenly and careless. Just when you don’t expect him, the Son of Man will show up."
Because you see Jesus also said, in Rev. 22:20 (NLT)
"Yes, I am coming soon!"
And our response should be
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
