Keith Chandler, Journey Christian Church
We all know waiting is difficult.
Maybe it’s when you’ve seen a gift that’s wrapped under the Christmas tree, but it’s not time and you’re not allowed to open it up yet so you’re waiting.
Maybe it’s excitedly waiting to be given the ring, but your boyfriend seems much more consumed with fantasy football and so you continue to wait.
Or maybe it’s when you have your hope for that closest relationship to be reconciled, but you still continue to struggle.
Or it’s when you’re praying for God to change things at your work situation. You believe He will and you know that He can, He just hasn’t done it yet.
It’s when you have in your mind a picture of “peace on Earth, goodwill toward men,” but then you see a racist outburst and you realize we’re not there yet.
We are waiting.
We’re caught in between Heaven and Earth.
We have the promise of one but we live in the pain of the other. In between can be a really tough place to live, but there are some truths we can learn from the very first Christmas that can help us get through.
1. Jesus was born a king.
In the New Testament, the wise men first called Him king when Jesus was an infant.
In Matthew 2:2 they asked the question, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and we have come to worship him.” Today we’re now waiting for this king to return.
He will come again to put an exclamation point on history and eternity will begin.
(Read the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-12)
God was willing to go to whatever lengths necessary in order to be sure that He came for us. He knew that there were people—throughout the centuries—who needed to know the love of God, and if a stable was to be His entry point then sign Him up!
Because God would rather live in poverty than have you live without Him.
God would rather live apart from Heaven than have you die apart from Him.
Waiting becomes a lot easier when you can trust and know that there’s an Almighty King who loves you.
When Luke records what the angels said in that setting to those first century shepherds, it sounded like they were announcing the birth of a king, because that’s exactly what they were doing. Notice this announcement was made by a group of angelic beings who announced that this baby was going to change everything for everyone!
So we need to know that the God who loves us is the true king of the world and nothing happens that’s not under His watch. Your pain does not go unnoticed.
(Your waiting is not in vain)
2. Jesus died a king.
That might seem strange to talk about Christ’s death at Christmas.
The only reason we can talk about Christ’s death is because He didn’t stay dead. Usually when you think of a king dying it means defeat. (Not in this case)
He was sacrificial. What this king did was different and distinctive and totally unexpected and people were caught off guard.
The Christmas story is all about getting something we desperately need but we didn’t deserve. Two thousand years ago, many people feared the wrath and justice of God.
But they were about to receive an unexpected, undeserved gift of love and humility. While God sees all and while God sees everything we do, I want you to know something today: He’s pulling for you. He is in your corner.
He knows people don’t need to be told they’re going to hell. They need to be shown how to get to heaven, and that’s the whole reason Jesus came.
One of my favorite Christmas cards is the one that says,“If man’s greatest need would’ve been for information, then God would’ve sent an educator. If man’s greatest need would have been for pleasure, then He would’ve sent an entertainer. If man’s greatest need was for money, then God would have sent a financial consultant. But God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that man’s greatest need was the forgiveness of sin and so He sent a Savior.”
And that has made all of the difference for each one who has swallowed their pride and put their trust in Jesus. Anyone who walks out of His own grave is whoever He says that He is—which leads us to the last detail of this king.
3. Jesus is coming back a king.
There is an inscription over the dome of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. and it’s an inscription that puts this life in perspective. It reads: “One God, one law, one element, and one far-off divine event toward which all of creation moves.”
We’re not just living in an endless timeline that goes on forever. There is meaning to the madness. There is a purpose for why the King of Kings came to Earth and why He is coming again.
People ask, “What’s the world coming to?” I’ll tell you what the world is coming to.
The world is coming to a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Please join us on Sunday, December 23rd at 10am for our Christmas Eve-eve service followed by a breakfast brunch.
Until next month,
Keith
7708 Van Dyke Rd, Odessa
813-920-0442
Services Sunday at 10:00
www.tampajourney.com