The HOPE of the Coming King

This is the first Sunday in the season/celebration of Advent. It the preparation of the coming King, the Savior of all mankind. This Sunday we begin with HOPE. Why do we start with that? Well, it is the anticipation of the one who brings us salvation from sin. We begin today looking at the promised Messiah in Isaiah:
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:10-14 (ESV)
Ahaz knew not to test God. It is this that prompts the telling of the coming Messiah. Because of Ahaz’ faithfulness, hope for eventual peace, and his understanding of the Scripture, Ahaz was given the sign of the coming Savior. God gave him hope because of his faith.  

John the Baptist “prepared the way.  
John the Baptist was given the task of being the mortal herald for the coming Christ. He prepared the hearts of the people. When enough people were prepared, Jesus began His ministry. John gave the people hope that the Savior would be coming soon to bring salvation from sin. Back then it was misinterpreted as they believed the Messiah was lead them out of the tyranny under the Romans. But Jesus was so much more as they would find out. Some would hear but many would listen.
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When God calls you to do something unexpected or even shocking, what do you do?
Joseph and Mary had the most desired role at the time when the people Israel were always waiting for the Messiah to come. With the knowledge of the prophets Isaiah and Micha, they knew that the child would be of the stump of Jesse and born in Bethlehem. All of the descendants of David wanted it to be them but it was on God’s timing. Unexpectedly, the angel Gabriel came to Mary, a young woman who was betrothed to Joseph in the line of David. Luke speaks of this encounter:
30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. Luke 1:30-35 (ESV)
What a blessing to be the chosen one. Mary was given the hope of the nation. She accepted the task because of her faithfulness in the hope of salvation.
Joseph was a faithful Jew who was very skeptical of his betrothed once she was found to be with child. He knew of the hope of the coming Messiah but did not realize that he would be the one charged with raising Him as the Proverbs spoke of rearing the children. Matthew gives us this glimpse of the truth:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:18-24 (ESV)
Their response brought the nation Israel the Messiah they were waiting for even though they didn’t fully understand His purpose. They figured He would just give them relief from the Romans and restore them as the holy nation that they were at the time of Moses. We, as Christians, await the coming Christ because we know Him as God Incarnate, Son, Savior, Our Salvation, Redeemer.  We not only celebrate the advent of the Birth of Christ, we anticipate the promise of His return.
Join me in prayer:
 Father God, Thank you for giving us the hope in the coming Savior. Your Grace and Mercy gives us the hope that we will be in Your comforting arms when the time of Your glorious return comes. Continue to grant us peace, patience, and understanding while we prepare ourselves for Your Glorious Appearing. In Jesus Name. AMEN