So many signs- Too few believers.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaih 7:14
Introduction:
Introduction:
When approaching the subject of the gospel, it is most important to understand that we are never asked to believe a fairy tale that cannot be substantiated.
And yet, as true as this is...
No amount of substantiated evidence, will ever make someone believe.
This morning I want to talk to you about signs!
We are all aware of signs:
Road signs
Billboard signs
Warning signs
What do these do?
Well, they tell us what’s ahead!
And unless you are like my friend who once ignored the arrow signs on the highway in the middle of the Siera Madre montains of Mexico causing us to drive southbound on a one lane northbound highway, you believe what the signs point to.
There are other types of signs in life, like the kind that determine our overall health, or some particular sickness or disease.
If we ignore these signs, we do it to our own peril.
Signs are part of our everyday lives. and so it shouldn’t surprise us that God has signs!
In fact He has lot’s of signs!!
Warning signs
His laws
Regulatory signs
Our consciences
Directional signs
And they’re all found in His word!
But the signs I want to talk about specifically this morning, are the signs that point the way to everlasting life.
Our text this morning is loaded with signs.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
So let’s look first of all at:
I. The sign of the virgin.
I. The sign of the virgin.
A. This sign is properly a miracle.
A. This sign is properly a miracle.
I think we pretty much understand this concept.
When people talk about getting a sign from God, they are referring to something miraculous. Something that can’t be explained by natural causes.
This is also why many are sceptical!
Yet, people are drawn to miracles.
Remember back in the 1980’s? Medjugorje, a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was the scene of apparitions of the virgin Mary.
In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared in apparition many times, the most recognizable names being Guadalupe (Mexico), LaSallette and Lourdes (France), Knock (Ireland) and Fatima (Portugal). But never in recorded Marian history has she appeared daily for so long a period of time, to so many chosen visionaries, with such profound global results.
The history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared in apparition many times, the most recognizable names being Guadalupe (Mexico), LaSallette and Lourdes (France), Knock (Ireland) and Fatima (Portugal). But never in recorded Marian history has she appeared daily for so long a period of time, to so many chosen visionaries, with such profound global results.
Now, do I believe this was of God? Absolutely not!
Do I believe something supernatural was happening? Absolutely! Just not of God.
How can I be so certain of this?
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Because Hebrews chapter one tells us clearly that
B. This miracle is confined to one.
B. This miracle is confined to one.
Mary alone fulfils this prophecy from , as there can be only one virgin.
Now, for those of you who may not be familiar with Old testament prophets and the rules of prophecies, let me say that if a prophet prophecies something and it does not shortly come to pass, that prophet would be considered illegitimate.
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
Isaiah’s wife does not fulfill the supernatural aspect of the sign, only the immediate.
Isaiah’s wife does not fulfill the supernatural aspect of the sign, only the immediate.
God uses the Hebrew word “Almah” for our word virgin in verse 14.
Why is this significant?
Because the word properly means young maiden in most cases, which coupled with the the word sign, would make the conception miraculous.
God did not use the Hebrew “Betulim” which is used for proof of a girl’s virginity.
20 “But if the thing is true, and evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman,
20 “But if the thing is true, and evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel, to play the harlot in her father’s house. So you shall put away the evil from among you.
Thus, God’s word provides for both aspects of the prophecy, the immediate fulfillment giving credibility to the prophet, and the true prophecy fulfilled in Mary.
deut 22:20-21
II. The sign of the coming messiah.
II. The sign of the coming messiah.
Isaiah tells us plainly that His name will be called Emmanuel (God with us from ).
Who is...
the everlasting King of Judah.
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
The Ruler of the earth.
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
A. He will come at the prescribed place.
A. He will come at the prescribed place.
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
B. He will come at the prescribed time.
B. He will come at the prescribed time.
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God,
25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
That equals 483 years
Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible 5. The revelation of Israel’s future in 70 sevens 9:24–27
There are four decrees concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem that Scripture records. The first was Cyrus’ decree to rebuild the temple in 538 B.C. (2 Chron. 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4; 6:1–5). The second was Darius I’s decree in 512 B.C. confirming Cyrus’ earlier one (Ezra 6:1, 6–12). The third was Artaxerxes’ decree in 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:11–26).364 The fourth was Artaxerxes’ decree authorizing Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem in 444 B.C. (Neh. 2:1–8).
Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary c. Reassurance and Further Understanding (9:20–27)
The starting-point of the interpretation is the command to rebuild the temple, given by Cyrus in 539 BC (Ezra 1:1–4)
Messiah’s triumphal entry occurred when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey when He was about 33 years of age. Giving a few years to account for discrepancies in dating, Simeon knew that the Messiah would be born just about the time he was waiting at the temple.
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Daniel
III. The sign that He arrived.
III. The sign that He arrived.
IV. The sign of His arrival.
A. Confirmed by a star and eastern astrologers.
A. Confirmed by a star and eastern astrologers.
The wise men from the east, bearing gifts, were part of God’s message that the King of the Jews has come.
They were directed to Jerusalem making known to Herod that the promised one had arrived.
They saw a star and followed it there.
They knew of the prophecies and came to welcome the king.
B. Witnessed by shepherds.
B. Witnessed by shepherds.
They were eye witnesses who told everyone they came in contact with, what had happened, and what they saw.
C. Heralded by Angels.
C. Heralded by Angels.
The shepherds were just doing the shepherd thing, watching over their flocks.
God chose them to be visited by an Angel and reveal to them what was happening.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
D. Confirmed in the Temple.
D. Confirmed in the Temple.
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Conclusion:
The world around us does not believe these signs, because they were so many years ago.
But, God in His mercy provides continuing signs every day:
Every time a sinner repents and trusts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we see a miracle.
The evidence of a changed life amongst those that once knew how unholy we were, is a powerful testimony of the grace of God, and a witness that something supernatural is going on.
Let your light shine that men would see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.