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

JP Bohanan -

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