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[0:00] As you think about Christmas and you talk to families about some of their favorite times growing up, a lot of those memories sometimes center around Christmas.

[0:26] ! I truly believe that's because I think an emotion that really sums up what we feel during the Christmas season is anticipation.

[0:37] Whether you're a believer or not, anticipation really does take up the forefront of your thoughts. If you're somebody that is, you know, that doesn't really believe in Christ, anticipation is still a part of what you believe or what you feel as you wait for those Christmas presents on Sunday morning or your Christmas dinners.

[0:59] Now, I know that's not what Christmas is about, so I don't want you to think that I am shining a light on that. But anticipation, I think, really sums up what we feel during this time of the year.

[1:11] Now, from the time that humanity fell into sin, God made a promise that the curse of sin would not always reign supreme.

[1:24] But that one day, he was going to provide a deliverer. So from Genesis 3, all throughout the Old Testament scriptures, this anticipation has been set in motion.

[1:36] We see that God is beginning to set the stage for the coming Messiah, the one that would finally crush the serpent's head and release us from the wages of our sins.

[1:48] Through the patriarchs, we see that God was setting aside a bloodline for himself that would bring his son to earth in the form of man to establish a priestly line that would show a lost world.

[2:02] What it meant to follow God and how to bear his image. Through the judges, we see a glimpse of God's deliverance. When sin would seem to have won the day in the children of Israel's lives, God would hear the repentant cries of his children.

[2:19] And he would send a deliverer to save them from the consequences of their sins that they rightly deserved for the way that they had rebelled against God. Ultimately, these judges fell short of delivering Israel from their greatest problem.

[2:37] Then we see the first king that's crowned. There's a lot of good things that were said about this first king before he started his reign. And we kind of begin to think, could this be the chosen one?

[2:49] Could this bring the one that was going to bring peace to Israel to restore what was broken by sin long ago? While these kings should have played a major role in leading the children of Israel back to God and directing their hearts and their attentions and their worship back to God, time and time again we see these kings falling short.

[3:14] We see these kings that have constantly led Israel into greater sin, thus leaving us again in suspense and anticipation of what God was going to finally do for us to break the curse of sin.

[3:28] We see the prophets.

[3:58] Judgment finally fell and there was 400 years of silence. There was no words from the prophets. The kingly line that they had held on to for so long seemed to have ceased.

[4:13] And the tree of Jesse had been reduced to a stump. And after all this time, we began to wonder, has God forgotten his promises?

[4:26] Has God finally decided to leave the children of Israel, to leave the lost world and sin? But then it happened. The hope that God had promised so many times in the past had finally come into the world.

[4:42] And not like anyone would have expected. Not with the triumphant fanfare that his divinity deserved. Not with political prowess. But his hope came into the world.

[4:55] But the sound of baby boys cried. All that God had promised. Every hope for man now lay in a manger for us.

[5:06] The divine savior as a baby boy. The good shepherd who came to be the lamb for sacrifice. Our high priest who could sympathize with all of our weaknesses.

[5:19] Where the kings fell short, Jesus would succeed. Where the prophets' words would fall on hardened hearts. Jesus would take those hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh.

[5:33] Where the patriarchs pass the faith and promises down through their bloodlines. Jesus would build for himself a church made from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

[5:44] A household not of lineage, but a household of faith. Jesus has fulfilled all that was promised in the law and the prophets.

[5:57] Now while the first part of the Bible seemed to have this anticipation of Jesus' first coming. Jesus has indeed come. He has been born. He has completed his work for salvation.

[6:09] But now we find ourselves in anticipation again. We find ourselves waiting. For Jesus to return.

[6:22] When Christ himself will come back for his church and glorify her with him for all eternity. In the book of Revelations. Jesus gives John a vision of the things that were to come.

[6:35] And of all of the things that are written about in the book of Revelations. I believe that this verse sums up where we are at now as God's people. And as a world that is groaning for the return of their Savior.

[6:49] In Revelations 22 verses 20 through 21. He who testifies. It's Jesus. He who testifies about these things says, Yes, I am coming soon.

[7:03] Amen. Come Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen. So we do indeed wait for the return of Christ.

[7:17] And it is his grace that sustains us until that day. The promises of old kept many in suspense. They provided hope for those who had none. For those living in darkness.

[7:29] And under oppression. We are sustained. By a very similar hope now. A hope that is grounded in a promise from Jesus Christ himself. From our Savior.

[7:39] Who has already come into this world once. And he is coming back church. Now whether you find yourself in the time of great joy. And success.

[7:50] Or maybe you find yourself in the midst of darkness and despair. Our cry as God's children should be the same. Which is this. Come Lord Jesus.

[8:04] That should be the cry of our hearts. The blessings and the trials of this life pale in comparison to the glory that awaits us in Christ. And it's all because he has made that promise.

[8:15] That he is coming again. If there is one thing that we can learn from the Christmas story. It's that God is faithful to his promises. Now at this time.

[8:27] I want to ask all of you to spread out. You should have gotten candles as you came in. There are people that are scattered throughout that have lighters. So I want to ask all of you to go and spread out. And begin to light your candles.

[8:39] As the children of Israel. Waiting expectantly for the light of the world to come.

[8:53] We now anticipate his return. But when Jesus does come back. And he will come back church. We have that promise.

[9:06] And when God makes a promise. We know that it is already as good as fulfilled. But when he does come back. It will not be as a baby. But it will be as our mighty king.

[9:18] Coming to redeem his people once and for all. So that we may dwell with him for eternity. So my final words. To all of you are the same as John.

[9:31] Come. Lord Jesus come. I want to close our time. As we sing this great hymn together. Come thou long expected Jesus.

[9:44] And as we celebrate Christmas this year. As we not only celebrate the first coming. Of our Lord and Savior. We are going to celebrate his return. Because God has promised.

[9:55] That Jesus is coming back. And we can celebrate that promise. With full hope and assurance. Let's sing church. Come thou long expected Jesus.

[10:11] Born to set thy feet. Let us find our rest in thee.

[10:35] Israel's strength and consolation. Hope of all the earth.

[10:48] Thou art. Dear desire of every nation.

[10:59] Joy of every longing heart. Born thy people to deliver.

[11:16] Born a child and yet a king. Born to reign in us forever.

[11:32] Now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit.

[11:51] Rule in all our hearts alone. By thine own. By thine own. By thine own.

[12:02] All sufficient. Bear it. Raise us to. Thy glorious throne.

[12:16]  Amen.