Advent 2003 - 1 Rejoice Give Thanks and Sing!

Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you. Isaiah 12:6 (NIV)

I.   Draw Joyfully from salvation’s well

     A.  I will Trust and not be Afraid

           1.  Our Wonderful Counselor removes our fear

                 a.  Angels most often say: “Be not afraid”

                 b.  He rescues us from what we feared

                 c.  He helps us see we need not fear again

           2.  He helps us trust

                 a.  He helps us convert fear to trust

                 b.  As we trust Him more, we fear less

                 c.  Simple trust = not afraid

     B.  Because God’s anger has turned Away

           1.  He was rightfully angry with us

                 a.  Anger is the right response to injustice

                 b.  We hurt Him, His creation, His people.

                 c.  When God is angry we should be afraid

           2.  B/c of Jesus His anger has turned away

                 a.  God took out His anger for us on His precious Son, Jesus.

                 b.  Jesus paid for all of our injustice

                 c.  He has become our Salvation/Savior

     C.  We drink the water of Deliverance

           1.  We will haul out salvation by the bucketful!

                 a.  Picture of a never ending supply

                 b.  Not just enough, but abundance

                 c.  The dry well is full again!

           2.  Hauling water–a basic, daily chore

                 a.  How can we live without water?

                 b.  We need it daily (just like salvation!)

                 c.  We need to go to the well daily

           3.  This is the well of Yeshuah (Jesus)!

                 a.  Yeshuah=Salvation (also Joshua)

                 b.  We draw from the well/fountain of Jesus

                 c.  The well is at the foot of the cross

II.  Give Thanks to the Lord

     A.  Because He has Comforted us

           1.  As a parent comforts after disciplining

                 a.  A disciplined child need reassurance

                 b.  The Father assures us of His love

                 c.  He comforts until we are comforted

           2.  Our Wonderful Counselor comforts us

                 a.  Jesus comforts us with His words

                 b.  He comforts us with His presence

           3.  Jesus sends us the Counselor

                 a.  The Holy Spirit (John 16:7)

                 b.  To guide us into all Truth (Jn 16:13)

                 c.  The Truth is God loves us very much

     B.  We thank Him by Calling on Him (4a)

           1.  “Give thanks...Call on His Name”

                 a.  We reflected on this last week & b/4

                 b.  We call on Him b/c we’re thankful

                 c.  We call on Him thankfully (in faith)

           2.  Who [else] ya gonna call?

                 a.  When you’re in need, who do you call?

                 b.  “Call on”=belief or trust on some level

                 c.  We’re thankful and so call on the Lord

     C.  By Telling others what He has done (4b)

           1.  Make known . . . what He has done

                 a.  Daniel called on the Lord publicly

                 b.  Among the nations! No private religion!

                 c.  Nations=gentiles: those on the outside

           2.  Proclaim “His Name is exalted!”

                 a.  Huh? What does that mean?

                 b.  =He has a great reputation with us

                 c.  =He is exalted/He is great

III. Shout and Sing for joy!

     A.  The Lord is my Strength and Song (2b)

           1.  Tho I am weak, He makes me strong!

                 a.  The Lord, the Lord (2X) Not Him & me!

                 b.  We are [only] as strong as He makes us

                 c.  Tho dead we now live!

           2.  Tho I was in despair, He gives me a song!

                 a.  Tho I was hopeless, He gives me reason to sing!

                 b.  He is my song! (?) Object of my praise, content of my words

                 c.  My Wonderful Counselor teaches music!

     B.  Sing of the Glorious things he has done (5)

           1.  Don’t just tell it. Sing it!

                 a.  Why sing? Response of a stirred heart.

                 b.  God commands us to express our praises in song.

                 c.  Who is our primary audience? God!

           2.  Sing of the glorious things He has done

                 a.  Amazing miracles. Creation. Salvation.

                 b.  What God does shows His glory, no matter how humble His deeds seem

                 c.  Especially Jesus’ birth in a stable!

           3.  Sing so the whole world hears (5b)

                 a.  All the earth overhears our singing.

                 b.  They’re also supposed to join in!

                 c.  Some day every knee will bow . . .!

     C.  Because the Holy One is Among us!

           1.  Another reason to sing: He is Immanuel!

                 a.  God is with us; with us!

                 b.  What a wondrously outrageous idea!

                 c.  O come, O come Immanuel

                 d.  Our Savior, strength, song, the great Holy One of Israel, who does glorious deeds lives among us

           2.  The Holy One comes to make us holy

                 a.  Not to condemn us, but to change us

                 b.  With a contagious holiness that transforms us from within

           3.  If God is far away, how can we sing?

                 a.  What would we sing about?

                 b.  Maybe just songs of despair, of lost love, of sarcasm, cruelty & hate.

                 c.  Certainly not songs of joy!

           4.  If God is among us, how can we not?

                 a.  Words without music aren’t enough!

                 b.  Sing joyfully: God is with us! Jesus is coming back!

                 c.  Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

The Bottom Line:

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