Will God Be True?

WILL GOD BE TRUE?

A COMMUNITY OF EXPECTATION

Isaiah 9.1-7

S: Community

C: Expectation of Community

Th: Advent

Pr: THE MESSIAH REALIZES OUR GREATEST NEEDS.

?: How?

KW: Predicted and Fulfilled Names

TS: We will find in our study of Isaiah 9 four predicted and fulfilled names of Jesus that show how He met our needs.

Type: Propositional

The ____ name is…

I. WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

II. MIGHTY GOD

III. EVERLASTING FATHER

IV. PRINCE OF PEACE

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Trust Jesus

• Come under His care

• Receive His peace (salvation)

Version: ESV

RMBC 26 November 06 AM

INTRODUCTION:

Do you look forward to the future?

ILL Future

A certain family had experienced a new baby. When their daughter was born, the new dad rushed to send an e-mail to their friend Steve in Florida. But in his haste, the new dad made a mistake in the address, and the announcement went to someone in San Diego.

The next day they received a reply: "I’m not Steve, but congratulations on the birth of your daughter. My baby daughter is almost 16 years old and she just wrecked my car. Best wishes."

Well, there was a glimpse into the future…

This is the time of the year that we begin to look forward to the experience of the Christmas season, and especially Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

We are filled with expectation and hope, as we look forward to the times ahead of us.

TRANSITION:

ILL Time

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way . . .”

So begins Charles Dicken’s classic work, A Tale of Two Cities. The French revolution had brought the worst of times and the best of times to both France and England. Dicken’s words were truly descriptive of the mood of the world.

At the time of the writing of the New Testament, in some ways it seemed to be the best of times.

The pax romana, or peace of Rome, pervaded that part of the world and there was a measure of political stability.

Roman law brought order.

Progress and commerce came to Israel with the building of Roman roads.

Best of all, even though it was a political maneuver, Herod had rebuilt the temple for the Jews.

But…

1. Israel was looking forward to better times.

Because it felt like the worst of times.

There was both despair and hope residing in the hearts of the people of Israel.

Sometimes both emotional extremes made their home in the hearts of the people at the same time.

The Romans were occupying Israel.

Cruel soldiers walked the streets and the taxes of Rome kept the people in poverty.

A mood of despair had settled among many of the people, for not many years before they had experienced victory over their enemy, the Syrians, which they celebrate to this day in the holiday called Hanukkah.

But now they were again subservient to a foreign power.

When the Romans came to power, the Jewish rulers first tried compromise.

When that didn’t work, they tried to assassinate Herod the Great, ruler of Palestine, only to find their revolt crushed by Rome.

The Maccabees, or Hasmonaeans, who had liberated Judah from the Syrians had been looked to as modern messiahs, but when Herod killed their last leader, deep despair settled on the people.

The people of God were holding on to the dream of a homeland which was free, independent and centered on God’s law.

They saw a united Israel which would freely and fully worship God.

They were living with that hope because…

2. Isaiah prophesies that a great king is on the way (cf. 7.14, 11.1).

Before we study today’s passage, we should note that Isaiah has already described this king’s miraculous birth – born of a virgin.

He was also described by His name of Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

Then in the Scripture text that was read just a few minutes ago, we were to note that this king was of the Davidic line, that His origin is in Jesse, the father of David.

When we add today’s study, we are going to see that there are incredibly high expectations for this anointed one, this king, the Messiah.

How the people longed for His arrival!

They were right to do so.

They were a community of expectation.