Give Me a Sign: The Gospel of Isaiah (4)

2013/12/22

Prayer,
Luke 1.46b-55

Children,
Matthew 1.18-25

Message,
Isaiah 7.10-16

Blessing,
Romans 1.1-7

Geopolitical context:

      Judah
– Jerusalem –
Ahaz

      Israel
– Samaria –
Pekah

      Syria/Aram – Damascus – Rezin

      Fear,
alliance with Assyria

      Greater danger

Two futures:

      Near-term, end of the hostile kingdoms,
rise of Assyria as a regional power

      Long-term, applied to Jesus by Matthew’s
gospel (Matthew 1.18-25)

Two children & two themes:

      Shear-jashub = a remnant shall return
(7.3)

      Immanuel = God with us (7.14)

“Give
me a sign”, Bruce Almighty

      We crave signs in our times of fear

      Bruce: Totally overlooking the signs in
front of him

      Joseph: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as
your wife” (Mt 1.20)

      Ahaz: “I will not put the LORD to the
test” (7.12)

      WestJet Christmas miracle (see YouTube)

In
the bloopers video: Warm socks … I tell you, you are going to wish you asked for
a big screen TV

      To Ahaz: “as deep as Sheol or high as
heaven” (7.11)

My
experience with signs:

      Not for guidance but for confidence in
fearful times

      Never in a position to “ask for the moon”

Elizabeth
Anne – yet a miscarriage

      God is with us

Hospital
Code 007 – my dad a spy

      God is with us

Our
sign: A child is born

      Incarnation

      “Immanuel”

      We live after the fact, after the sign

      And, we are NEVER alone

Joseph:
“Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife” (Mt 1.20)

Ahaz:
“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you shall not stand at all” (7.9)

We
are never alone

      In our grief

      In major career changes

      In the personal risk of following Jesus