Behold: A Savior Is Born The Promised Hope - Isaiah 7:14

Devotional

Day 1: The virgin birth confirms the Messiah’s authenticity.

The virgin birth is presented as a distinct, miraculous sign so that God’s people could recognize the authentic Messiah and not be distracted by knockoffs; this wonder shows God entering creation in a way only He could accomplish, giving a sinless, sufficient sacrifice and pointing to Emmanuel — God with us — to be marveled at and trusted. [08:24]

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: Identify one belief or image of Jesus you’ve settled for that feels like a “knockoff”; tonight read Isaiah 7:14 aloud, ask God to replace that image with wonder at Emmanuel, and tell one person tomorrow what receiving Emmanuel means to you.

Day 2: The cross accomplishes our healing and peace.

Isaiah’s suffering-servant prophecy makes clear that the same One born of a virgin would bear the punishment that brings peace and, by his wounds, bring healing; this connects the manger and the cross so believers grasp that the Christmas gift is ultimately about redemption, restored relationship, and deep spiritual healing. [24:15]

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Reflection: Write down one deep hurt or shame you carry; pray Isaiah 53:5 aloud and confess that wound to Jesus, then take one practical healing step this week (make a phone call, seek counsel, offer forgiveness) before Sunday.

Day 3: Christ frees believers from condemnation and sin.

Because God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin once for all, those in Christ are no longer under condemnation; the Spirit’s life frees believers from the law of sin and death so they can live according to the Spirit rather than under guilty striving. [15:46]

Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Reflection: Name one shame or failure you still carry; read Romans 8:1-4 aloud, declare “There is now no condemnation for me,” and write one sentence describing one concrete habit (prayer, accountability, confession) you will begin today to live by the Spirit.

Day 4: God's love shows in Christ’s timely sacrifice.

Paul reminds that at the right time — when humanity was helpless and ungodly — Christ died for us, demonstrating God’s unexpected, patient, and proactive love; this truth calls people away from earning favor and toward receiving the free, timely gift of atonement by faith. [17:55]

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV)
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: Identify one area where you feel powerless today; read Romans 5:6-8 aloud asking God to meet you “at the right time,” then take one specific step before tomorrow evening (reach out for help, confess to a trusted friend, or begin serving someone) that shows trust in God’s timely love.

Day 5: Prophecy identifies Christ’s humble birthplace and rule.

Prophecies like Micah’s point to a Messiah who would come from an unlikely, humble town yet exercise true rule and origins from ancient days; remembering Christ’s humble birth in Bethlehem keeps worship rooted in wonder and compels believers to live with humility and expectant hope for His return. [21:17]

Micah 5:2 (ESV)
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Reflection: This evening, write one practical way you will practice humility this Advent (serve a neighbor, give anonymously, listen without speaking); choose one person to serve and complete that act of humble service before Saturday.

Sermon Summary

Advent invites us to look again at our hopes and ask whether we’re trusting the authentic Christ or settling for a look‑alike. I began with the way children make Christmas lists and how disappointing a knockoff toy can be. That image matters spiritually: many today carry a “variation” of Jesus that looks close enough on the outside but isn’t the living, true Son of God. Isaiah prepared us to recognize the real Messiah. Seven hundred years before Jesus, he handed us an I‑Spy clue: a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and his name will be called Emmanuel—God with us. God deliberately gave a sign so specific that we wouldn’t mistake the original for an imitation.

The virgin birth isn’t a seasonal curiosity; it is theological necessity. Sin came through Adam; only God’s initiative could bring a sinless Savior. In Jesus, fully God and fully man, God crossed the chasm we could not cross, becoming the sufficient, perfect sacrifice. Paul calls him the second Adam—where the first brought sin, the second brings salvation. Romans 8 says what the law could never do, God did by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be our sin offering.

Emmanuel means God with us—present, personal, and perfectly timed. At just the right time Christ came, not as the conquering king Israel expected, but as a child. And at just the right time he will come again—this time in glory. Until then, the Spirit dwells within us so that our waiting is not idle but love‑shaped and self‑giving, a living witness of Jesus’ presence.

We also carry a privilege Israel didn’t have: we can look back at hundreds of fulfilled prophecies—Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), betrayal price (Zechariah 11), the unbroken bones (Psalm 34), the suffering servant (Isaiah 53). Christmas and the cross are two sides of the same coin; the manger points to the atonement. He was pierced for our transgressions and by his wounds we are healed.

Finally, grace must be received. A gift retains its value even if left unopened, but the one who doesn’t open it misses the joy and the Giver. God has wrapped the most precious gift in Jesus. Don’t admire it from a distance. Receive him—turn, trust, and open what the Father has given.

Key Takeaways

1. Don’t settle for a counterfeit Christ We’re tempted to embrace versions of Jesus that affirm our preferences but avoid his authority and divinity. Isaiah’s sign and Jesus’ own claims confront us with the real God in the flesh. Test what you believe by Scripture, not sentiment, so your hope rests on the authentic Savior. [04:45]
2. The virgin birth is necessary hope Only a Savior conceived by the Spirit could be sinless and sufficient. If Jesus were merely human in origin, his blood could not atone for all. The mystery guards the mercy: fully God and fully man, he alone bridges our chasm. [12:03]
3. Emmanuel transforms waiting into presence God arrives at the right time, not necessarily our time. Emmanuel means our waiting is with God, not for God at a distance. The Spirit within us turns delay into formation and witness. [16:48]
4. Christmas and the Cross are one story Isaiah bookends the mission—from virgin birth to suffering servant. The manger leads to the atonement where peace with God is purchased. To preach Advent is to preach Golgotha’s love. [24:15]
5. Grace must be received, not admired A gift unopened still has value, but the receiver loses its joy and the relationship it signifies. Don’t leave Christ on the mantle of sentimentality. Open the gift: repent, believe, and live. [27:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:21] - Christmas lists and knockoffs
[03:40] - Things aren’t made like before
[04:45] - Counterfeit Christs vs the authentic
[06:39] - Isaiah’s signs for the Messiah
[08:24] - The virgin birth promise
[12:03] - Why the virgin birth matters
[15:07] - The perfect sacrifice explained
[16:48] - Emmanuel: God with us
[19:24] - Waiting well with the Spirit
[20:42] - Prophecy fulfilled strengthens hope
[23:21] - Isaiah 53: pierced for us
[27:13] - The gift must be received
[29:55] - Advent invitation and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (read together)
- 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.

Observation questions (3–4)

What two specific elements in Isaiah 7:14 stood out as the “I‑Spy” sign the preacher said people were to watch for? [08:24]
According to the sermon, why was the virgin birth necessary for Jesus to be the sufficient sacrifice? Name the reasons the pastor gave. [12:03]
How did the speaker describe the meaning of “Emmanuel” for believers who are waiting? What does “God with us” change about waiting? [16:48]
When the preacher pointed to Isaiah 53, what images linked the manger to the cross (how did he say the birth and the atonement form one story)? [24:15]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

If the virgin birth is the means by which God gives a sinless, sufficient sacrifice, how does that affect a person’s confidence in the atonement? [12:03]
The sermon used the “knockoff” toy image to describe people’s views of Jesus. What specific criteria could someone use to tell whether their picture of Jesus is a genuine, biblical portrait or a “variation”? [04:45]
The preacher said the Spirit is given so our waiting is not idle but love‑shaped witness. How would that change the church’s priorities during a season of delay or disappointment? [20:42]
The sermon pointed to fulfilled prophecy (Micah, Zechariah, Psalm, Isaiah) as strengthening hope. In what ways does pointing to fulfilled prophecy help in evangelism, and what limitations should the preacher be aware of? [21:17]

Application questions (5–7)

Think of one belief you hold about Jesus that might be more shaped by culture or preference than by Scripture. What specific passage will you read this week to test that belief? Who will you ask to discuss it with you? [04:45]
If you have doubts about the virgin birth or what it means for salvation, write down one concrete question and arrange a time this week to bring it to a trusted believer or pastor for study (when will you do that?). [12:03]
Name a real situation in your life right now where you are waiting (job, relationship, health, finances). What is one practical act this week to invite “Emmanuel” into that waiting—e.g., a short daily prayer, a faithful act of service, or a Scripture to memorize? [16:48]
Identify one person in your life who thinks of Jesus as only a nice teacher or moral example. What one fulfilled prophecy or Gospel detail will you use this week to show how Christmas points to the cross? When will you bring it up? [21:17]
Do you have Christ as an “unopened gift” in your life—admiring him from a distance but not receiving him? What single step will you take this week to open that gift (confess, pray a prayer of faith, talk to a Christian friend, come to a baptism/class)? Set a day and a person who will hold you accountable. [27:13]
Where in your life are you tempted to settle for a “knockoff” Jesus who affirms convenience over authority (examples: moral compromise, selective obedience, private Christianity)? Name one specific habit to change in the next seven days that would reflect submission to the authentic Christ. [04:45]
As a group: plan one simple, tangible way to show “God with us” in your neighborhood this Advent (deliver a meal, visit a shut‑in, invite a neighbor to church, do a cleanup). Pick the action, assign roles, and set a date. [20:42]

Sermon Clips

No amount of sacrifice. No man could fix that. And for Mary's child to be from God, not just from an ordinary conception, but from God through the Holy Spirit, means that the child born to her would be the sufficient sacrifice. It means that God himself had to cross the chasm that separated us from him. It means that that man couldn't jump over that chasm himself. God came down to us to make a way in this world. [00:13:48] (34 seconds) #GodBridgedTheGap

He entered her womb. And so that authentic sacrifice could be given, that sufficient one. Again, not a bootleg version, not a variation, but the only perfect sacrifice. Paul calls Jesus the second Adam in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Through the first Adam, he says, sin was born, but through the second Adam, salvation is made possible. That could only have happened through a virgin birth, where God presented himself. [00:14:21] (35 seconds) #SecondAdam

It's so vitally important for us to not water down and not diminish the doctrine, the belief, the trust in the virgin birth of Christ, to recognize that that was God's approved means and way to enter into creation and provide what creation was not able to provide for itself. My second point is that God with us is the hope that we need. Not only did Isaiah give the people the way in which the Savior was to be born, a virgin giving birth to a son, but he also said what his name is going to be, Emmanuel, God with us. [00:16:17] (46 seconds) #EmmanuelIsHope

We cling to so many different things, but do we cling to Emmanuel? Do we cling to the idea that God is with us? Isaiah told the people that God would be with them and when they needed it most, Jesus arrived. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 5, 8, he says, you see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ Jesus died for the ungodly. He died for us. When? At the right time. [00:17:23] (34 seconds) #DiedForUsAtTheRightTime

That's what we are. That's what we are to do as we await for what? His second coming. God's plan comes simply but his return is going to be majestically. He came to us because he loves us and he knew that we could not get rid of the mess that we're in of ourselves. And so he gave us a way to be redeemed, to be bought, to have our sins atoned for and then to give us a new reason for living, a new reason for believing. [00:19:51] (43 seconds) #AwaitHisReturn

There was a miraculous pregnancy. There was a virgin birth. This child was and is Emmanuel and this child grew up sinless and this child who became a man walked on water and this man he fed thousands with just a little bit and this man healed and this man raised the dead and this man also died and rose again. God was with us. God was present and he still is because Jesus said that now we have the Holy Spirit of God. He's still present. So our hope is in the sacrifice provided. [00:22:43] (53 seconds) #GodWithUsStill

The story of Jesus in Isaiah is kind of bookended in the different prophecies that he gives and he gives a number of prophecies but you saw in Isaiah 7 but I want us to turn our attention to Isaiah 53 for in Isaiah 53 we have this passage this passage that says he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed. Bookended how he was to be born and then how he was to die. [00:23:37] (39 seconds) #Isaiah53Fulfilled

``Christmas isn't just about a baby in Bethlehem it's about a savior on a cross. They are two sides of the same coin Christmas and Easter. He was pierced for our transgressions because humanity needed rescuing he was crushed for our iniquities because he took our sins upon himself and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him because of Jesus we can have peace peace with God hope in our salvation trust in a savior no more fear of judgment no more fear of death no more fear of separation no more trying to earn our way back no more having to sacrifice a lamb on an altar no more shedding of blood because as Isaiah says here by his wounds we are healed. [00:24:32] (60 seconds) #CrossAndCradle

The deepest the deepest hurts the deepest separation the deepest shame the deepest spiritual sickness all of it has been erased because Jesus took it on himself the bible is clear we're the ones that are going to Walgreens and buying the knockoff we're the ones that are believing in something that just has the littlest variation we're not giving ourselves or giving Jesus actually the credit that he is due we're still trying to earn favor with God when all we need to do is trust in what he's given us in Christ. [00:25:32] (48 seconds) #NoSpiritualKnockoffs

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God the wages of sin is death but the good news is is that God demonstrated his own love in this while we were still sinners Jesus died for us to have any hope we must accept Jesus into our lives we must confess our sins believing that he died and atoned for our sins and rose again on the third day. [00:26:22] (26 seconds) #AcceptJesusToday

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