Waiting for Christmas

 The wisdom of waiting for God’s plan of salvation…

How does the first Christmas represent the wisdom of waiting? How can every Christmas thereafter remind us of the wisdom of waiting?             

Four Time Periods                

- From the announcement to Abraham to the announcement about Jesus  (Matthew 1:1)

- From the announcement about Jesus to the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18)

-  From the birth of Jesus to the death of Jesus (Luke 3:23) 

-  From the ascension of Jesus to the return of Jesus (Acts 1:10)

Four Sets of Contrasting Responses

- Anticipating Jesus’ first coming…

       Herod and the Scribes (Matthew 2:3)

       Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25)

- Anticipating Jesus' birth...

       Zechariah (Luke 1:18)

       Joseph (Matthew 1:23)

- Anticipating Jesus' death...

       Jesus' brothers (John 7:3)

       John the Baptist (John 1:29)

- Anticipating Jesus' return...

       Scoffers (2 Peter 3:3)

       Believers (Hebrews 9:26)

Four Theological Principles of Waiting

- God always keeps his word!

- God's timing in keeping his word is always perfect!

- God keeps his word through the undulating circumstances of life and individual's lives!

- God desires for the time between his word and him keeping it to be received by his people with faithfulness!