God's Faithfulness: The Promise of Christmas

 

Summary

Merry Christmas, everyone. Today, we reflect on the nature of promises and the faithfulness of God. We all have friends who are reliable and those who are not. When a dependable friend makes a promise, we trust it without question. However, with less reliable friends, we often prepare for disappointment. This analogy helps us understand the promises of God found in Scripture. From the promise to Abraham of countless descendants to the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt, God has consistently shown His faithfulness. Despite the odds, God fulfilled His promises, demonstrating His power and reliability.

In the Old Testament, God made promises pointing to Jesus, such as the prophecy in Isaiah about a virgin giving birth to Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." These promises seemed distant during the 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments. Yet, God remained faithful, and 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling the promise of a Savior. This event reassures us that God always keeps His promises.

As we celebrate Christmas, we are reminded of God's unwavering faithfulness. No matter what burdens we carry—be it anxiety, loneliness, or financial worries—we can trust that God will come through. The birth of Jesus is a testament to God's promise-keeping nature, offering us hope, joy, and peace. The tradition of lighting candles symbolizes Jesus bringing light into the darkness of our world. As His followers, we are called to share this light, continuing His mission and spreading hope.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Nature of Promises: Just as we trust reliable friends, we can trust God's promises. His faithfulness is evident throughout Scripture, from Abraham's descendants to the Israelites' freedom. God's promises are not just words; they are guarantees backed by His power and love. [35:40]

2. God's Faithfulness in History: Despite the Israelites' enslavement and the odds against them, God delivered them from Egypt. This historical act of faithfulness reminds us that God can overcome any obstacle to fulfill His promises. [39:04]

3. Prophecies of Jesus: The Old Testament contains promises pointing to Jesus, such as the prophecy of a virgin birth. These promises, fulfilled in Jesus, assure us of God's plan and His commitment to humanity. [41:02]

4. Silence and Fulfillment: The 400 years of silence between the Testaments tested the faith of God's people. Yet, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem fulfilled ancient promises, demonstrating that God's timing is perfect, and His promises are sure. [42:43]

5. Spreading the Light: The tradition of lighting candles at Christmas symbolizes Jesus bringing light into the world. As His followers, we are called to share this light, spreading hope and joy in a world that often feels dark. [47:12]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - The Nature of Reliable Friends
[01:45] - God's Promises in Scripture
[03:00] - Abraham's Promise
[04:10] - Deliverance from Egypt
[05:30] - Gideon's Victory
[06:45] - Prophecies of Jesus
[08:00] - 400 Years of Silence
[09:15] - Birth of Jesus
[10:30] - Trusting God's Faithfulness
[11:45] - Candle Lighting Tradition
[12:30] - Sharing the Light of Jesus
[13:45] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 17:1-2
2. Exodus 3:7-8
3. Isaiah 7:14

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 17:1-2 demonstrate God's faithfulness despite Abraham's old age? [36:38]

2. In Exodus 3:7-8, what specific promise does God make to Moses regarding the Israelites, and how does this reflect His power and commitment? [39:04]

3. What is the significance of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 about a virgin giving birth to Emmanuel, and how does it connect to the birth of Jesus? [41:02]

4. How does the sermon describe the 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, and what impact did this have on the faith of God's people? [42:43]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham teach about trusting God's timing, even when circumstances seem impossible? [36:38]

2. How does the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt serve as a reminder of God's ability to overcome obstacles in fulfilling His promises? [39:04]

3. In what ways do the prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah 7:14, assure believers of God's plan and His commitment to humanity? [41:02]

4. How might the 400 years of silence between the Testaments have tested the faith of God's people, and what can modern believers learn from this period of waiting? [42:43]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was silent in your life. How did you maintain your faith during that period, and what can you learn from the 400 years of silence between the Testaments? [42:43]

2. Consider the promises God has made in your life. How can you remind yourself of His faithfulness when facing anxiety, loneliness, or financial worries? [46:02]

3. The sermon mentions the tradition of lighting candles as a symbol of Jesus bringing light into the world. How can you actively share this light in your community this Christmas season? [47:12]

4. Think about a promise from God that you are currently waiting to see fulfilled. What steps can you take to trust in His timing and remain hopeful? [36:38]

5. How can the story of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt inspire you to trust God in situations where you feel powerless or trapped? [39:04]

6. The prophecy of Jesus' birth in Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled in a way that many did not expect. How can you remain open to God's plans, even when they differ from your expectations? [41:02]

7. As you celebrate Christmas, what specific actions can you take to spread hope, joy, and peace to those around you, reflecting the light of Jesus? [47:12]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: Trusting in Divine Promises
God's promises are not mere words but guarantees backed by His power and love. Just as we trust reliable friends, we can trust God's promises. Throughout Scripture, His faithfulness is evident, from the promise to Abraham of countless descendants to the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. These promises are not just historical events; they are a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His people. When God makes a promise, it is a reflection of His character—steadfast, loving, and true. [35:40]

Hebrews 6:13-15 (ESV): "For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, 'Surely I will bless you and multiply you.' And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise."

Reflection: Think of a promise from God that you find difficult to trust. What steps can you take today to deepen your trust in His faithfulness?


Day 2: Overcoming Obstacles with Faith
Despite the Israelites' enslavement and the odds against them, God delivered them from Egypt. This historical act of faithfulness reminds us that God can overcome any obstacle to fulfill His promises. The story of the Exodus is not just about liberation from physical bondage but also about spiritual freedom. It shows that no matter how insurmountable the challenges may seem, God's power is greater. His faithfulness in history assures us that He is capable of overcoming any barrier in our lives today. [39:04]

Exodus 14:13-14 (ESV): "And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.'"

Reflection: Identify a current obstacle in your life. How can you invite God to work through this challenge, trusting in His power to deliver you?


Day 3: The Fulfillment of Prophecies
The Old Testament contains promises pointing to Jesus, such as the prophecy of a virgin birth. These promises, fulfilled in Jesus, assure us of God's plan and His commitment to humanity. The birth of Jesus is a profound reminder that God's promises are not bound by time. Even when they seem distant or delayed, they are fulfilled in His perfect timing. This fulfillment of prophecy is a testament to God's sovereignty and His unwavering love for us. [41:02]

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV): "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Reflection: Reflect on a promise from God that has been fulfilled in your life. How does this fulfillment encourage you to trust in His future promises?


Day 4: Trusting in God's Timing
The 400 years of silence between the Testaments tested the faith of God's people. Yet, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem fulfilled ancient promises, demonstrating that God's timing is perfect, and His promises are sure. This period of silence was not a sign of God's absence but a preparation for the fulfillment of His greatest promise. It teaches us that waiting on God is not in vain, and His timing, though often mysterious, is always perfect. [42:43]

Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV): "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt God was silent. How can you find peace in His timing, trusting that He is working even when you cannot see it?


Day 5: Being a Light in the World
The tradition of lighting candles at Christmas symbolizes Jesus bringing light into the world. As His followers, we are called to share this light, spreading hope and joy in a world that often feels dark. This calling is not just a seasonal reminder but a daily mission. We are to be bearers of His light, reflecting His love and truth in our interactions and relationships. By doing so, we continue His mission and bring His hope to those around us. [47:12]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: Identify one way you can be a light to someone in your life today. How can you intentionally share the hope and joy of Jesus with them?

Quotes



"We read about this promise to Abraham. In this passage, his name is Abram. God changes it later. It says, when Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am El Shaddai, God Almighty. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I'll make a covenant with you by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants. But he's 99. And I'll just fill you in on the other important details. He's married to a woman who's 89. Now, I've learned over the years, you don't throw out an age and call that old, okay? That's like a guarantee to offend somebody, no matter what. You think you're in a room and everybody in the room is like in their 30s and 40s, and you're like, oh man, 92. That's old. And sure enough, one of them's like, I'm 92, right? Like guaranteed." [00:36:10] (56 seconds)


"And God shows up again with a new promise, right? He says to Moses in Exodus chapter 3, So I have come down. I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey, the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. You're just going to get them, like, freed from slavery, God? How are you going to do that? They don't have an army. The Egyptians do. They don't have weapons and chariots. The Egyptians do. They are not just going to let them go. This is their free labor force, except that this is God. And this is a promise that is given, and then it is a promise that is kept." [00:38:22] (58 seconds)


"God gives these promises through service. We continue to read about them through the Old Testament. I'll give you another one, right, in the book of Judges, okay? This is Gideon this time. And at this point, the people of God are facing the oppression of the Midianites. And Gideon is raising an army to face off against them. But God shows up and says this, With these 300 men, I will rescue you and give you victory over... The Midianites send all the others home. Now, for context... here, the Midianite army was over 100 ,000. This is a big promise. But God comes through." [00:39:30] (50 seconds)


"We read about this promise given to David in 2 Samuel, where he says, your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time. And your throne will be secure forever. A kingdom that will never end, that will be established and will carry on for all time. Big promise. But only a couple generations later, the kingdom of Israel that David had ruled over will become divided. It will split into two. kingdoms. And then the northern part of that will be completely conquered. They'll be wiped off the face of the earth. And then the southern kingdom will be conquered and taken into captivity. And it starts to look like maybe this is one that God won't come through on." [00:40:25] (54 seconds)


"We read other promises that point us towards Jesus like this. In Isaiah chapter 7, all right, then the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel, which means God with us. We get these promises from the prophets of the Old Testament, like this one in Micah. But you, Bethlehem, Ephraeth, I cannot say that this weekend for some reason, are only a small village among all the people of Judah, yet a ruler of Israel. Whose origins are in the distant past will come from you on my behalf. He like doubles down on this promise to David here. This is the city of David, Bethlehem. He's like, oh, also a ruler's coming out of you. Another one." [00:41:27] (48 seconds)


"Something we can miss in scripture as we turn the page from the Old Testament, which is the part of the story that happens before Jesus, to the New Testament, is that there are 400 years, in there. It's just a gap where God goes silent. No promises fulfilled. There aren't even new promises. There's just silence and waiting. Generation after generation after generation for 10 generations. 400 years. This is enough time to watch the Assyrian Empire which at that point was the largest empire the world had ever known fall. And to watch a new largest empire the world had ever known rise the Roman empire it's enough time to to have the the language that the the Israelites spoke transition from Hebrew to Aramaic it is generation after generation after generation all of a sudden there are these distant distant promises" [00:42:39] (70 seconds)


"and I wonder how many of God's people started to wonder which kind of a friend God was because at one point they seemed sure that God was the kind of friend who always came through he was the kind of friend who always delivered he was the kind of friend who always kept his promises but it's been a long time and yet 2 ,000 years ago in Bethlehem Mary gave birth to Jesus and that night we we received our Savior Emmanuel God with us and I don't know what you brought in here tonight but but but this is why we celebrate we we we celebrate because we know for sure that our God always keeps his promises our God is always faithful our God will always keep his promises come through we can trust in him he will always deliver that's who he is and we see it over and over and over again through scripture and so this Christmas if you are carrying anxiety or depression or you came in feeling lonely or or consumed with financial worries or medical conditions I just want to say to you today our God always keeps his promises and we're going to make sure that our God keeps his promises our God is always faithful and in the life of Jesus we learn that our God will always come through that we can look ahead to our our future we can look at the brokenness and the hurting of this world and we can look ahead with with hope and joy and peace because of the faithfulness of our God and we can look ahead with with hope and joy and peace because of the faithfulness of our God see in in Luke 2 an angel shows up and delivers the news right the Savior yes the Messiah the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem the city of David" [00:43:30] (152 seconds)


"God will always come through you can place your faith and your hope and your trust in him every year as we gather to celebrate Christmas Eve we have these traditions right? There's so many of them, and you came in with a song, right, that it was like, I hope they do this one, but one of these is the candle lighting, right? This is a beautiful tradition that we get to celebrate together, and we love it because it's fun, and it stirs emotion for us of nostalgia, but it represents something incredibly beautiful, doesn't it?" [00:45:52] (38 seconds)


"You see, what this represents is that Jesus stepped into the darkness of our world, and with him, he brought the light. He brought light that pierces through the darkness. And in the Bible, we read that we as his followers get to continue the work of Jesus, that we're invited to be a part of his mission, and we now have the opportunity to share the light of Jesus with the world. And as we celebrate Christmas, and we remember the birth of our Savior, we watch the light spread through the room, as the light of Jesus has spread through our world." [00:46:47] (51 seconds)


"I have a couple reminders for you. The first one is that once you're holding a lit candle, you will be holding an open flame in a crowded room, okay? All right, thank you. The second one is that parents, we really trust you to make a choice about whether or not your child should be holding an open flame in a crowded room," [00:47:40] (22 seconds)


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Transcript
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