SERMON

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Romans 15:4-13 and Matthew 3:1-12

INTRODUCTION:  In the summer of 1968, I had an experience that solidified my faith in using a compass and map and by extension the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

I was anxious to prove my new wrist compass with a real wilderness situation.  So I set up a situation where I would be dropped off on the western side of a ridge and I would plot my way over the ridge to the ranch where I was visiting. The ranch was located in a beautiful valley in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.  I started confidently up the mountain range until I got to the ridge.  The ranch was well marked on my topographical map, but as I observed the ranch from the altitude of the ridge, a wave of uncertainty engulfed me.  It did not look like the ranch I knew from walking on it.  I thought to myself “Am I lost?” I was doing pretty well at keeping my cool when I unexpectedly walked into a bevy of about a “gazillion” quail hiding in the grass.  They all flocked up together.  I just stood there with my mouth wide open making some kind of a gurgling sound and my heart pounding so hard I almost popped the buttons on my shirt. I had broken out in a cold sweat.  I was in a state of shock I began to blame my compass.  I walked up and down on the ridge for about an hour trying to figure out what went wrong.  Was it my map or my compass, or me?  It couldn’t be me. After all I was an expert in land navigation, wasn’t I?

I was just getting over the quail incident when a big black cloud came over the ridge and there was thunder and lightening and torrential rain.

Then in the middle of that cloudburst, I came to my senses and trusted my map and compass.  I had to get off that ridge or the lightening was going to make a crispy-critter out of me. 

I stumbled and slid down the steep muddy mountainside following the compass’ direction to that spot on the map that meant “home” to my bedraggled soul.   Fifteen minutes later, I dragged my humiliated ego and my soaking wet-muddy body back to the ranch.  I should have trusted my compass in the first place.

 That was quite a lesson.  I learned that I could trust my tools to do what they were meant to do.  The problem was my lack of faith.

A pilot also has to learn to trust his instruments also when he is in mountainous terrain or flying in low visibility or he will crash.

Likewise, Christian men, women, and children must learn to trust the Bible and the Holy Spirit when they navigate the wilderness of life or they will suffer greatly. We must study the Word and live intimately with the Holy Spirit if we want to prosper in our Christian lives.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t prop yourself up on your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your path straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Moses told Joshua when was about to lead Israel into the promised land—“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8)

I.     Israel’s view of Messianic prophecy. 

It is vitally important to all of us that we keep on studying the Word of Truth, and not only that, but that we are in agreement with the Holy Spirit which dwells in of all us who have been saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

They didn’t understand because the Rabbi’s did not teach them the whole story about the coming Messiah.  The Prophet Isaiah said,

          “Those who guide this people mislead them,

 and those who are guided are led astray”

(Isa. 9: 16).

In the context of this verse, Isaiah had especially harsh words

for the elders, the prominent men and the prophets who prophesied falsely (v. 14-15).  Was it dishonest scholarship, political manipulation of the population, or just laziness?

          It is vitally important that we learn the Word of God from worthy teachers, and it is equally important that we study the Word faithfully and consistently—daily, on our own, so that we will interpret the Scriptures correctly and understand prophecy correctly.  Paul in writing to Timothy said,

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15 KJV).

It is a true saying that anything or any body left to their own without accountability to authority will degrade and run down.  It is also true that, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This applies to those of you who are in the pews and those of us that occupy the pulpit.  Paul said of those saints who lived in Berea were “more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

II.            What did the leaders teach the Jewish People?

Isaiah 9:2-7 (Read from the Bible) This is wonderful and good, and true, but it is not the whole story.  The rest of the Messianic Prophecy they didn’t teach.  It was written by the Prophet Isaiah, but it is if they had a veil over there eyes. THEY LOOKED AT IT, BUT IT DIDN’T REGISTER IN THEIR MINDS.  THEY WERE BLIND TO IT!

What did they not see?

The question is where is His sacrifice on Calvary for our sins?

Consequently, the false prophets, prominent men, and the elders saw only from one mountaintop to another and neglected to see or even consider the valley between the mountaintops.

Isaiah also taught about the Messiah being a suffering servant, a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.  The whole messianic picture was looking them right in the face and they did not acknowledge it.

III.        What did the Jewish teachers leave out?

(Genesis 3:15) God speaking to Satan, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” This is the very first Messianic prophecy.

(Isaiah 7:17) Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.

(Isaiah 52:13-53:12) Read from the Bible (Micah 5:2) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from old, from ancient times.”

THE SUFFERING AND GLORY OF THE SERVANT.  (Psalm 22) He will be crucified and exalted among the nations.   

Jesus, while hanging on the cross of Calvary said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34);  they really didn’t!!

JESUS SAID, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME” (JOHN 14:6).

IV.  He is Coming Again; This Time in Glory and in Power.  (next sermon)