Sermon Notes – December 21, 2014 Fear Not Isaiah 9

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Discussion Questions

• What were some things you wanted for Christmas as a kid?

• How did you feel when you got what you wanted?

• Why do some people struggle with disappointment when Christmas is over?

• How did Isaiah describe the coming Messiah?

• What promises are carried with each description?

• What would our world look like if there were peace that had no end?

• How can you obtain the kind of peace that is promised here?

Bible Reading Plan

2014-15 Chronological 2-Year Reading Plan: Week 51

Monday

• Isaiah 20-23 • Proverbs 27:1-11

Tuesday

• Isaiah 24-27 • Proverbs 27:12-27

Wednesday

• 2 Kings 18:1-8 • Proverbs 28:1-12

Thursday

• 2 Chronicles 29-31 • Proverbs 28:13-28

Friday

• Hosea 1-4 • Proverbs 29:1-11

Monday – Fear & Eternity “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;” Isaiah 9:6

Public speaking is near the top of every survey of our greatest fears. It beats out heights, spiders, plagues, even death. There is something terrifying about standing in front of an audience, presenting our best effort and being evaluated by the crowd. And this fear of public speaking doesn’t necessarily diminish with each speech. It can linger even if our profession demands it. Dr. Singe Dayhoff is a social psychologist and teacher, but crippling fear would grip him every time he stepped in front of his students. “My tongue stuck to the roof of my dry mouth and I couldn’t swallow, I blushed, sweated and trembled,” he said. Eventually his reactions got so bad that they interfered with his ability to do his job. The situation only improved after he received professional intervention. “As I recovered 12 years ago,… I found that nearly 20 million individuals suffer from some form of social anxiety. They fear being negatively evaluated in anything they do; fear being rejected; fear being abandoned.” The fear of public speaking goes deeper than speeches, crowds and their criticisms. We fear our best isn't good enough. We are afraid we will not measure up and will be ultimately rejected. The fear of public speaking is a fear of rejection. In this fear, I believe we can discover a deep power at work in us. Our fear of being rejected drives much of what we do. From professional decisions to fashion choices, we are motivated in part by the avoidance of rejection. This fear factor is so influential it is not only listed above death; it extends after death. In our Fear Not sermon series, we turn this week to our ultimate fear – that we will one day stand before a crowd of One, deliver a rundown of our best moments, only to discover they are not enough. We fear eternity because we know we don't have what it takes to avoid rejection by the only opinion that matters. Every man and woman who ever lived will one day stand before God and give an account of his or her life. All our earthly fears find their source in our inadequacy to stand up to that moment. When we deliver our life speech, will we be rejected? Though our fear is warranted, it does not hold the final verdict. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we also stand on the hope that He is the answer to all our fears. If you have surrendered your life to Him as Lord and Savior, you no longer have to fear eternity or anything else. Your acceptance before God does not have to be based on the merits of your life. When your last breath brings you face to face with your Creator, you do not have to stand and deliver a speech on your own. There is someone who can speak on your behalf. Jesus came to bring peace to your deepest fears. Read Isaiah 9:1-7. Have you found the peace that can only be found in Him?

Tuesday – No Need to Fear “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Luke 2:10

It only takes two notes to strike fear in the hearts of millions. In 1975, movie theatres were filled with an alternating pattern of E and F notes as Jaws broke box office records around the world. Its images of a ferocious, man-eating great white permanently cast sharks as public enemy number one, but sometimes, even our greatest fears are misplaced. The Florida Museum of Natural History maintains the International Shark Attack File which reports there is an average of one shark attack death per year in the United States. Compared to the data from the National Safety Council and the Centers for Disease Control you are:

• Ten times more likely to be killed by fireworks • 47 times more likely to be killed by lightning • 620 times more likely to die from exposure to cold • 17,000 times more likely to be killed by a fall

Fear of shark attacks keeps many people away from the ocean, but very few of us head for cover every Fourth of July or creep through life petrified to trip and fall. Our fear may be real, but it is nonetheless misplaced. Every day we face internal and external fears. We try to avoid heights, dogs or thunderstorms as our fears of failure and rejection rattle around in our minds. Truth be told, most of our fears are unfounded and will never come to fruition. However, everyone who does not know and believe the good news of Jesus will one day find that their earthly fears may have been real, but they were eternally misplaced. When the angel announced Jesus's birth, his message to the shepherds was "Fear not." His encouragement was not only for their moment in the presence of an angel but also for mankind's eternity in the presence of a holy God. The Christ child in the manger would grow to be a man who lived, died and lives again so that all people may have the chance to surrender to the good news of salvation and eternal life through Him. Because of Jesus, we need not fear the sins we could never overcome because every confessed sin is a forgiven and forgotten sin (Read 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 103:11-12). This Christmas, remember the angel's message and ask God to help you fear not. Allow His perfect love to drive out all external, internal, and eternal fears from your heart (Read 1 John 4:17-18) because there is no need to fear in light of His good news of great joy.

Wednesday – Truth and Happiness “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace

among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Think of all the people you have met in the past year. Would you say they are on a quest for truth or a quest for happiness? Viewing the world through the lens of a Christian worldview, we want everyone to find both and are convinced from God's Word that the only route to happiness is through His truth. However, if you crawled inside the heart and mind of the people you have met, you would most likely find they are in pursuit of happiness. In his book Deep & Wide, Andy Stanley states, "People are far more interested in what works than what's true... Nobody in your church is on a truth quest... they are on a happiness quest."

Hedonism is the belief that pleasure or happiness is the chief good in life. Truth be told, we could all make a momentary god (small g) out of that which brings us the most pleasure in that moment, but this quest can lead us to painful dead ends when we pursue happiness along the wrong routes. Every earthly path to happiness ends in something that is, at best, shallow and fleeting, and at worst, utterly destructive. If people are truly on a quest for happiness, how do we reach them with the Gospel?

On the night Jesus was born, the angel declared to the shepherds and to the world, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The angelic multitude then resounded, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" What is happiness if it is not filled with peace and great joy?

Perhaps our presentation of the good news should speak directly to the world's pursuit of happiness. Instead of cramming truth down their throat and telling them they should like it, we should deliver the hard truth that the only route to great joy and happiness is through the person of Jesus Christ. After all, God's peace only resides on those with whom He is well pleased, and "God is more glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." (John Piper) If worldly hedonism is not the answer, perhaps we should show the world what it looks like to be hedonistic about our love for Jesus and our passion to make Him known.

Read the following verses and discover what God has to say about finding happiness and satisfaction in Him and His ways: Acts 20:35; Philippians 3:8; John 15:11; Psalm 37:4; 1 Timothy 6:6; Nehemiah 8:10; and Psalm 16:11.

Thursday – This Christmas “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths

and laid him in a manger” Luke 2:7”

The little ones are bouncing with excitement. They skip along a shiny sea of crumbled wrapping paper from toy to toy. The bigger ones move less and yawn more. Their adolescent grunts of gratitude are harder to detect but no less heartfelt. The early wakeup call has mom and dad looking forward to their second cup of coffee as they gather strength for the day. It's Christmas morning and there will be toys to put together, Christmas dinner to fix, and family gatherings to attend.

Amidst the buzz and bustle, pause for a moment and reflect on the first Christmas morning. In the darkness of the early hours, Joseph marveled as he remembered the words of the angel (Matthew 1:18-25) and as he saw the wonder of the Christ child in his young wife's arms. His strong hand, calloused by years of

carpentry, dwarfed the tiny one wrapped around his finger. God the Son who held all creation together was grasping his hand.

As she looked on the baby Mary recalled the promise of the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38). Her

tiny infant was the "Son of the Most High" and the King whose reign would never end. How could this be? In that quiet moment, she held the One who would hold her for eternity. A part of creation was cradling her Creator. In her arms was a tiny reminder of how far God's love would go. And contrary to the classic carol, the Christ child probably let out a cry. Soft and unremarkable on this night, but that quiet little voice would one day shout "It is finished!" from the cross.

Today we celebrate the fullness of God wrapped in a small, swaddled baby. On Christmas, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). In His arrival we see the promise of peace – peace now in our lives and one day in our world. The typical Christmas day is not all that peaceful. We can find busyness in even the most beautiful days, but don't let today pass without His peace reigning in your home and in your heart.

As you dig through the paper and boxes to find those missing batteries, don't miss the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Read it to your children, share it with your family, live it in your life. This Christmas make sure you remember that Jesus came to us so we could share His love with the world.

Today we celebrate the fullness of God wrapped in a small, swaddled baby.

Friday – Rebellion and Redemption “…he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The coming of the Christ child was the culmination of God's redemptive plan to rescue His creation from their rebellion. But as God pursued Adam and Eve in the garden even after they sinned, the Lord continued to chase after His people through history.

When you read the prophets of the Old Testament … you get a glimpse into what it feels like to be God. I long to be gracious to you. You are precious and honored in my sight, because I love you. But you are the offspring of adulterers. You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill, forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide. You have been false to me. (From Isaiah) I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me ... What fault did you find in me that you strayed so far from me? You are a swift she-camel running here and there, sniffing the wind in her craving-in her heat who can restrain her? Should I not punish them for this? Should I not avenge myself? I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness. What have I done to make you hate me so much? (From Jeremiah) [From Epic by John Eldredge]

At the heart of it all, the sinfulness of mankind is the rejection of the loving kindness of our Heavenly Father. We are angry rebels against the most benevolent of kings. But in spite of our rebellious hearts, God sent His Son to take on flesh and take our place. The greatest Christmas present is the presence of Christ in our hearts. If you have not surrendered your life to Christ, you have not experienced the peace that comes from a certain eternity. You are still the rebel against a King who only wants to adopt you as His child and overwhelm you with His everlasting love. What is keeping you from answering His call on your life today? If you have been saved, you possess the answer to the fear and emptiness of every heart. What are you doing to draw others to Christ?

Weekend – Why Am I Still So Afraid? “For you are the God in whom I take refuge…” Psalm 43:2

Kids have their fair share of fears. They unravel during their first haircut, they lose it when they're dropped off on the first day of school, and some kids flip out when they have to sit on Santa's lap. (Although in their defense, some Santas are just plain creepy.) From creatures under the bed to monsters in the closet, young imaginations seem to invent ways to incite fear. All along the way to adulthood, older and wiser voices seek to assure them there is nothing to fear. Parents hold their hands in the barber chair, pry them off their leg at the schoolhouse door, and cringe as they scream bloody murder in the ear of jolly old Saint Nick. There comes a point in life when grown-up understanding puts away childish fears. We no longer check under the bed or make sure the closet door is tightly shut before turning in for the night. We learn to not be so afraid of some things. And yet our fears grow up with us. Santa might not bring us to tears, but sitting down in the doctor's office to hear the test results might. Going to school doesn't make us lose it, but we worry for the child we send there every day. We no longer check under our bed, but we do fear the loss of the spouse who shares it. After a month of hearing from God's Word why we should Fear Not, why are we still so afraid? In preparation for this week's final sermon in our Fear Not series, read Psalm 43 and consider how the Lord can be our refuge in a world so filled with fear.

Pray for the World: Israel The land where Jesus walked is now home to more than seven million people. Less than one percent of them are evangelical Christians. The nation lives at the intersection of three major world religions and its people experience unrelenting conflict and strife. Pray for: • The ultra-Orthodox Haredi are only 10% of the population, but they see themselves

as the preservers of true Jewishness in Israel. Strong religious legalism makes them quite difficult to reach. Pray that many more of these modern Pharisees may become like Nicodemus, a process that is already happening.

• Young people and children. They face security threats and an uncertain future, irreligious attitudes, New Age concepts and many cults and deviant groups seeking to win the hearts of the younger generation of Israelis.