Jesus was born as the Word of God...

...and the Prophets had foretold. Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord...Simeon recognizes him as the Messiah and blesses Him. Anna is there also.

Luke 2:36‑38 (NIV) “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty‑four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”  Fasting is probably one of the more difficult things we American Christians are asked to do especially after the abundant food we have during Thanksgiving and during all the Christmas season.  Let’s see what we can learn from Anna in regard to Christ coming.

1. To be ready for Jesus to come Anna had a dedication to God’s House...She never left the temple. 

Church was not optional for her because she had a passion for God’s house. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV) “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Anna was expecting the Messiah to be revealed and she knew the temple would be the greatest place for having an encounter with Him. The same is true for us. My house…God says…not your house!

2. To be ready for Jesus to come Anna made a choice to worship God night and day. Don’t miss it...Anna saw Jesus because she was a worshiper. Worshipers encounter God because when you seek Him with all your heart…you find Him!

3. To be ready for Jesus to come we must be willing to fast and pray. Anna loved God’s house, she worshiped night and day, and she fasted and prayed. Your pastor and church leadership are admonishing you to join with us in fasting and praying beginning January 1.We are asking you to do a true biblical fast...fast food...you can fast TV, FB, watching sports, or other stuff but fast food in some way. It helps understand what it means to crucify our flesh. Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” We believe that as we are unified in this fasting and praying that God will reveal Jesus to us in a greater way. 

Matthew 1:20-23 (NKJV) “But while he thought about these things...

... behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." The angel of the Lord gave Joseph a very important message and I want you to hear the same message.

1. Do not be afraid! Joseph’s world seemed to be shaken…His girlfriend is pregnant and he is not the daddy. How hurtful…how embarrassing…how shameful. His whole world is upside down. Maybe your world has been shaken by marriage problems, kid problems, health problems, finance problems, employment problems, or whatever…the message is the same. Do not be afraid. What Joseph did not know…really could not know before this time…had no conception of what God was up to. God was just getting ready to say the King is here. What seems to be bad news to you may just be God wanting to announce…The King is here. The King of kings and the Lord of Lords is on the way. Do not be afraid. 

2. Jesus will save us from our sins! We all come today to hear a Christmas program with good singing and good entertainment. Maybe you came for a different reason. Jesus will save us from our sins. Maybe no one knows the loneliness and pain in your heart, they don’t know your sin or your addiction, they don’t know the darkness in your heart…the sin. Jesus will save us from our sins. Oh, Pastor, you don’t know the depth of my sin. You’re right, I don’t know but Jesus knows and He still loves you! The King is here. He is here to save you and to set you free!

3. Immanuel – God with us! The King is here! Matthew 1:23 (NKJV) "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Listen to His Name. Immanuel – God with us! The King is here! So why did He come? He came for you and He came for me! The King is here to save you from your sins! He did this for Zacchaeus: Luke 19:9-10 (NKJV) “And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." The King is here! Immanuel! He is here for you!

In Isaiah 9:6‑7 (NKJV) it says ...

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” As we draw close to the time we celebrate the birth of Christ I want to make sure that we are worshiping Him. As I attempt to magnify Christ today I want to take these words from Isaiah and share what an incredibly awesome God we serve.  Please celebrate and worship Him with me.

1. Jesus is to be called Wonderful! How many of you with a shout will say that you believe Jesus is wonderful? The main reason I believe that Jesus is wonderful is this: Psalm 40:1‑3 (NKJV) “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth.”

He is wonderful because He listened to my cry. He is wonderful because He brought me out of a horrible pit! 

2. Jesus is to be called Counselor! Isaiah 41:28 (NKJV) “For I looked, and there was no man; I looked among them, but there was no counselor, Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.”  John 15:26 (NIV) "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” When you have problems...before you run to everyone else...run to Jesus...run to Holy Spirit...Run to your divine Counselor...He is the Spirit of Truth!

3. Jesus is to be called Mighty God!

–Unto us a child is born...unto us a Son is born...and the government shall be upon His shoulder. Who else can handle the govt. being on His shoulder other than the mighty God...Jesus Christ! Jeremiah 32:18 (NKJV) “You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them‑‑the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts.” 

4. Jesus is to be called Eternal Father! “Maybe some of you did not have a good example of a father or maybe you did not have a father at all. This God child has been born so that gap in your life can be filled.

Psalm 68:5 (NIV) “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” 

5. Jesus is to be called Prince of Peace! Pastor Rick, I have anything but peace today. Run to the Prince of Peace! Psalm 29:10‑11 (NKJV) “The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever. 

The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.” Worship Him!