The Wonder and Delight of God’s Presence

-As we all read the Bible throughout our Christian lives it is easy to see that God has placed themes in the Scripture that run from beginning to end.

-One of the most obvious being that God is redeeming a people for Himself. From Genesis all the way to Revelation we see that God is calling individuals to Himself and transforming them to be a group of people who will worship Him with all of their lives. Genesis begins with two people made in God’s image and Revelation ends with a countless people standing around the throne of God praising His name.

-Another theme that is prominent through the Bible is that of God’s kingdom. This theme is very interconnected with His people in that God is creating a kingdom and eventually a place where all of God’s people will be and they will worship Him freely in His Kingdom. Genesis starts out with God’s Kingdom as being very small in physical form, a garden where His people can dwell. But if we look in Revelation, we see a city larger than we can even fathom. The kingdom in its entirety where God’s people will dwell and where they will worship Him for eternity.

-And intertwined with the theme of God’s people, and God’s kingdom, is the presence that God will have with His people.

- We can see from the beginning to the end of God’s word that God desires to dwell with His people and He fully intends to be where His people are.

- this theme plays out in important ways even in the very first chapters of the book of Genesis…where we read, for example, the amazing detail that not only were Adam and Eve placed in the Garden of Eden…but that God was there, talking with them and giving them instructions about how to live…Adam and Eve had the privilege of enjoying God’s presence in the Garden before the fall…

- in chapter 3 we’re told…Genesis 3:8 - They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…

- what would that sound be like?...a sound which by now would have been familiar to them? The sound of their Creator walking through His creation.

- they knew the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…

- that’s why it’s so sad to see the impact sin has on the equation…because that’s what Genesis 3:8 is actually reporting…Genesis 3:8 - They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

-Because of sin, man cannot dwell in the Holy presence of God. God must remove man from His presence and by the end of the passage…even after an illusion to a coming Messiah in Genesis 3:15 – we read these horrifying words…Genesis 3:22–24 - Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— [meaning live in that rebellious and unreconciled state] therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

- what an incredible progression…from “in the beginning, God”…to the lie of the devil “you can disobey and won’t surely die”…to experiencing multiple forms of spiritual death – where they have shame/guilt and hiding from God to by the end of the chapter -- …so (as an act of mercy) God drove the man out…

- This narrative and many others like it show that there’s nothing more important or necessary or treasured or needed than the holy and blessed presence of God…

- we continue to see glimpses of this truth in even the next chapter, Genesis 4:26 - To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

- there was a desire to live vertically…to be related to or connected to the Lord….to experience His presence and guidance and blessing…and we even find a man like Enoch…

- Genesis 5:24 - Enoch walked with God… he lived as some theologians have said – Coram Deo – before the face of God…in His presence…

- once you start looking for it, you find this theme all over the Bible…by Genesis 6, we read the regrettable commentary that Genesis 6:5 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

- yet who stood out?...Genesis 6:8–9 - But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

- we could find this theme all through the book of Genesis but we have to fast-forward a bit for sake of time… when God called Moses to lead His children out of Egypt, what was the repetitive promise the Lord made to calm Moses’ heart…Exodus 3:11–12 - But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” And He said, “Certainly I will be with you…”

- in the next chapter when Moses was trying hard to get out of fulfilling God’s calling by suggesting that he wasn’t eloquent enough…what did the Lord say…Exodus 4:11–12 - The Lord said to him, “…go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

- once the journey of the entire nation of Israel began…how did the Lord manifest His presence?... Exodus 13:21–22 - The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

- imagine that journey the desert – where you had a visible manifestation of the presence of God…

- next God instructs His people about the law…which they would invariably break…which necessitated the sacrificial system…but also the tabernacle…their mobile worship center…with very specifically designed utensils and furniture…including the ark of the covenant…with a mercy seat of pure gold…with angels on either end with their faces turned toward the mercy seat….and inside the ark would be the law…and we read…Exodus 25:21–22 - “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. “There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

- the ark of the covenant, signifying the presence of God, plays such an important role in Israel’s history…and we can look later in the Old Testament to the dedication of Solomon’s temple…an incredible architectural feat…and the highlight, accompanied by careful attention to following precise biblical instructions…along with an entire host of singers and musicians…was when they carried into the new temple the ark of the covenant…and do you remember what happened?...

- 2 Chronicles 5:3–7 - All the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, that is in the seventh month. Then all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark…And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5:12–14 - and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the Lord saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

- imagine a scene where the presence of God was so obviously manifested that the priests couldn’t even see clearly enough to perform their duties…

- but even though Solomon was a marvelous king we again see the reoccurrence of the consequences of sin

-Solomon was a very imperfect and corrupted man … like each and every one of us…

- which is why God warned Him…2 Chronicles 7:19–20 - But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

-Again, we see the separating of the people of God from their God

- and that’s exactly what happened, and it happens in many more places that what we’ve just looked at.

-God’s desire and plan is to dwell with His people, but His people are continually separated from their Holy God because they are not like their God. They are not holy, and they prove that over and over again throughout the entirety of the Old Testament.

-Now last week Pastor Nitzschke talked about the theme of God saving His people from their sin and that theme finds it’s pinnacle moment where?

-In the coming of the Messiah.

-So, in the same way, the theme of God’s presence takes a dramatic shift, a hopeful and joyful shift, on the first page of the New Testament.

- with that in mind, please open your Bible to Matthew chapter 1…page 1 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

Enoch, Noah, David, and Solomon were all great men, but none of those men were the one to make all things right. None of them had the capability of bringing us back into the presence of God, but the Lord Jesus provides that hope because He is the very presence of God.

- this Christmas we’re studying 5 Fulfillments of Christ’s birth that bring Joy…

- today we’re focusing on The Wonder and Delight of God’s Presence

-Ho God’s presence is pure, it was prophesied, and it is personal.

- Follow along with me as I read beginning in Matthew 1:18, read Matthew 1:18-25]

- In the remainder of our time we will focus on – 3 characteristics of the presence of our Savior

First we see that…

I. His Presence is Pure

- Matthew 1:23 – Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son

- this particular detail immediately gives readers and listeners an intellectual challenge because it goes against what the world proclaims about the meaning of Christmas…

- is your understanding of the Christmas story primarily sentimental and emotional without much required repentance, faith, and subsequent obedience…

- or do you have a place for the role of the miraculous in your celebration of the birth of Christ?...that the God of heaven and earth is capable of divinely intervening in the affairs of men?...

- generally speaking, if a person wants to begin chipping away at the Bible to try to make it more palatable to their unsaved friends and relatives…or maybe even to themselves…this is where it often starts…

- the virgin conception of Christ…did this angel truly report this to Joseph, and was Jesus Christ actually conceived by the Holy Spirit of God?...

- and why is this point so significant?...

A. The significance of the virgin conception

- because it answers a core theological question – how would the substitutionary atonement be accomplished?

- last Sunday, when Pastor Nitzschke preached, he spoke to us about verse 21 – where the angel told Joseph about Mary - Matthew 1:21 - “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

- the marvelous truth that Jesus’ own name means YahWeH saves, and then the angel could not have been clearer in his explanation of the reason that was the divinely chosen name…because He will save His people from their sins…

- a thoughtful person would have to ask – how is that possible?...how can a sinful human being save someone else from his/her sins?...

- because this baby is anything but a normal human being…He’s been conceived by the Holy Spirit…a crucial detail that focused Joseph’s mind…and hopefully our minds…on Jesus’ purity…

-it is possible for Jesus to pay for the sins of the people because He is both God and man. The virgin conception shows how this is possible.

-Something else to consider when we see the purity of our Lord in this passage, is that there is often a confusion on God’s primary attribute if you want to phrase it that way.

B. The focus on God’s primary attribute

- When it comes to contemporary Christian music, there are some great new songs out there.

-Songs that are theologically accurate while being practically edifying at the same time.

- but one of the newer songs that many of you might have heard on the radio suggests that there’s only love in the heart of God…

- Now the Bible is full of examples of God’s love and it describes God’s love from beginning to end. But to say that there’s only love in the heart of God, is simply not true –

- Scripture is clear that there is more in the heart of God than just love. It speaks of His righteousness, His justice, His faithfulness, and on top of there being more than love, the most central or primary attribute of God is His holiness…

- that’s why, for example, in Isaiah’s vision of the throne of God…Isaiah 6:1–4 - In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

- love alone cannot save anyone…and Joseph would have known that…verse 19 already reported that he was a righteous man…

- that means that the doctrine of the virgin birth is an essential belief for anyone seeking to seriously address the implications of the holiness of God…because it leads to…

C. The solution to man’s greatest problem

- and that is sin

- the sin nature is transmitted through the normal procreation process…

- none of us have escaped the curse and all of its effects…

- Paul explained that to Romans in chapter 5 - Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

- the only way that process could be interrupted is if the normal procreation process would be interrupted…

- and that would require a miracle from the hand of God Himself…

- Jesus’ presence would have been unremarkable…unless His presence was pure…

- that’s why Paul went on to explain…as he compared and contrasted the first man, Adam – to the perfect man, Jesus Christ -- Romans 5:17–21 - For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

- The virgin birth of Christ was necessary for our sin to be dealt with by our Savior

- That’s why no matter what you do this Christmas, whether you have family traditions to partake in, parties to attend, or gifts to give to those you love you need to make sure that there has been a definite time in your life when you acknowledged your “humanness problem”?...where you acknowledged that your sin has separated you from a holy God…and you needed a Savior whose presence is pure?...that because of the virgin birth and namely His death, burial, and resurrection we can be completely cleansed from our sin?...

- The most important thing to do this season if you have not already is to acknowledge that you are not pure and that Jesus, the only pure One can save you from your sin.

-It is only through Jesus that we have…

D. The possibility of being made positionally pure ourselves

- normally when something that is clean comes in contact with something that’s dirty…what happens?...the clean item is tainted…

- People joke around with me and refer to be as the “pastor of building houses” because I work with our church’s community development corporation.

-Although they are joking, it is true that I spend quite a bit of my time focusing on building houses and with building houses I can get pretty dirty.

-I try to plan the days when I’ll be at a house a lot of the day and the days where I’ll mostly be in the office, but every now and then I’ll accidently wear the wrong clothing to work because there was a dirty task that needed to be done that day that I didn’t see coming.

-So every now and then I’ll either move some building material or a piece of equipment only to look down and see my nice new, cream colored, Old Navy, sweater has just been stained with either grease, dirt, or some other nasty substance you find in a 100 year old home.

-No matter what I touch in one of the houses we are working on, it is going to make my clothes dirty.

- But Jesus’ purity works in the opposite direction…it purifies what it touches…

- that’s the essence of the gospel…which is why Paul had already told the Romans…Romans 1:16–17 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

- those are the verses that brought the great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther to a saving knowledge of Christ…when after trying to earn salvation in a monastery and constantly living in guilt and shame because he never measured up…he finally understood that positional righteousness was not something your earn – it’s a gift you receive through the death of the perfect Savior who died in your place…

- and it’s in that position that we can be assured of the marvelous presence of God…

- one of the reasons we have all of these Christmas outreaches like Christmas for Everyone, the Taste of Christmas, the Living Nativity and including this service today…is to find the next Martin Luther…not to find someone who is great, but to find someone who has come to the realization that they are not great.

- someone who would say that they feel separated from God because they can never measure up by their own efforts…

- the message of the virgin birth is – you don’t have to measure up, and you never could…

- the perfect Messiah accomplished for you what you could never accomplish on your own…

- which is why Paul began Romans 5 by affirming…Romans 5:1–2 - Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

- if you’re not sure that you’re standing exclusively in the grace of God of alone…then we invite you to do that today…and let’s be praying that as we proclaim the gospel in all sorts of forms over this Christmas season…that others will be introduced to a personal relationship with a Messiah whose presence is pure…

- Not only is Jesus’ presence pure but this text in Matthew also explains that…

II. His Presence Was Prophesied

- Matthew 1:22 – Now all of this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet

- this is another reason that our faith is not based on sentimentality or emotion…it’s the powerful apologetic of fulfilled prophecy…

- modern man has to do business, not only with the question of whether you truly believe there is a God capable of performing miracles…but also of predicting exactly what He intends to do hundreds and in some cases thousands of years in advance…

- beautiful decorations…great…

- images that tug at our hearts…nothing wrong with that…

- but fundamentally, Christianity is a thinking person’s religion…

- if the sin nature is transmitted through the normal process of procreation, we had to have a Savior who was born of a virgin…

- and if that miracle was prophesied 700 years in advance…that fact leaves thinking people with no logical response than to repent and believe…

- and please notice the precise wording Matthew used…[repeat verse]…

A. An important note about the process of inspiration

- who was it who spoke this prophecy?...it was ultimately spoken by the Lord…and why did God do this for us?...to make it easier to believe…

- so it wasn’t spoken by the prophet I the sense that it was his words, it was spoken by the Lord, through the prophet…

- that’s what Peter explained to his readers…2 Peter 1:20–21 - But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

- now, why was this prophecy originally given?

B. The background of Isa. 7:14

- here’s just a couple of important dates…

- 1000BC – Reign of King David

- 931BC – Division of the northern ten tribes (Israel) and the two southern tribes (Judah)

- [Kari – please insert a map of the division of the tribes around 931 BC)

- a fair percentage of our Old Testaments record the tensions and sometimes war between Israel and Judah (the northern tribes and the southern tribes)…which is very sad because you have God’s chosen people at war with one another…

- and they even sometimes make alliances with pagan nations to strengthen their position against one another instead of trusting in the Lord…

- that’s what was happening in Isaiah 7 – about 735 BC…where the king of the southern tribes of Judah was an evil man named Ahaz…

- and he was making an alliance with the wicked nation of Assyria in an attempt to protect the nation instead of repenting and turning to the Lord…

- is he the last person who ever turned to sinful means during a time of fear or uncertainty?...

- God in his mercy sends his prophet Isaiah to tell Ahaz - Isaiah 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

- what’s the lesson?...God is able to bring salvation and deliverance in ways you would have never even contemplated if you’ll simply trust in Him…

- and Matthew later explains – that prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ…

- imagine someone 700 years ago…in the 1300’s…predicting exactly what would transpire this Christmas season?...would that capture our attention?...that’s exactly what happened in the event we have before us this morning…

C. Which gives us hope as we consider the fulfillment of God’s promises to us

- we were treated to a series of marvelous testimonies at our stewardship celebration…

- one of them was from Renee Myer, who said - The Lord is good. I thank God because he graciously provided this church to be a blessing in my life.

I once lived to party – to have as much fun as possible. While I was afraid to die, I did not believe there was anything after death. I buried the fear in fun and was numb to sinful behavior. Thankfully, God intervened. I attended a funeral for a Christian friend. I saw something different --. believers in Jesus spoke about heaven as if it was real. They knew they would see their loved one again. The sting of death did not phase them. Wow! I also met Corben, my now husband, whose name means “God’s Gift”. How fitting is that? I started attending Faith Church online. Corben, his family, and this church welcomed me and shared the gospel with me.

Months later, I fell to my knees, raised my hands to God and told him, “I am a sinner, You know this and still love me. I need you and I am giving my life to you.” That moment I trusted Christ as Savior. I was released of all the regret that haunted me and the fear of death that I tried to hide with fun. Then, God used all of you to give me a home. Doing God’s will can be a tall order, especially when you don’t know what that means. I am learning it is the only solution for true happiness, peace, and honoring Christ.

- the point is – if God is powerful enough to keep His promise about the virgin birth in order to glorify Himself and secure our salvation, what does that tell us about His ability to keep all of His promises to us?...

- so, His presence is pure, and His presence was prophesied, but the ultimate point is that…

III. His Presence is Personal

- Matthew 1:23 - …and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

A. The meaning of Immanuel

- we don’t even have to wonder about that, do we?...because Matthew gives us the interpretation…

- when this baby is born, God will be with us…

- and what does this mean for people like you and me today?...

B. The implications of this wonderful name

1. When you feel alone

- one of the amazing impacts of the gospel is that Colossians 1:27 - to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

- we realize that the holidays can be difficult for all sorts of reasons…especially for those who have suffered some kind of loss…our prayer is that this aspect of the Christmas story will bring hope to your hurting heart…because you will never have to face such difficulties alone…Jesus is our Immanuel…

2. When you are frustrated by seeming weaknesses or inabilities

- the doctrine of God’s presence can also remind us that God made us the way He did under very specific oversight, and for very specific reasons…

- Psalm 139:13–14 - For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

- God was with us, even when we were being formed in our mother’s wombs…

3. When you are ready to confess sin

Psalm 51:7–12 - Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.

- in Christ who is our Immanuel, the answer to that prayer is simply a word of confession away

4. When you are struggling with contentment

- it’s interesting to note the way the author of Hebrews discusses the doctrine of God’s presence…

- Hebrews 13:5–6 - Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

- we don’t have to trust in material possessions…nor do we have to fear human beings…because Jesus is our Immanuel…

5. When you are facing a challenging ministry assignment

- what was it that the Lord repeatedly explained to Joshua after the death of Moses, and his assignment to lead God’s people into the promised land?

- Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

6. When you are suffering and in need of grace

- we saw earlier that in the tabernacle, God met His people while positioned on the mercy seat

- the writer of Hebrews alluded to that image when he said…

- Hebrews 4:13–16 - And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

7. When we go forth to evangelize

- How did the Great Commission end?...

- Matthew 28:18–20 - And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

-The theme of the presence of God finds one of its central occurrences in the birth of Christ. He is the very presence of God, Immanuel, “God with us” and this should bring us all joy for both today and tomorrow.

-Today it should bring us joy knowing that our Savior is pure, His coming was prophesied for hundreds of years, and His presence is personal. There are countless ways the presence of God in Christ can impact the way we live and walk through life.

-And it brings us joy for tomorrow knowing that this theme is not yet complete. The arch of God’s plan has not yet reached its final destination where we will be with our Lord Jesus, and we will physically be in His Holy presence for all of eternity.

-The Christmas season is just a taste of the glory that is to come in Christ.