Advent: When God Interrupts Your Story
Part 3: From Unknown To Understood
John 1:1-5, 14:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Power Of Story
I Peter 2:9-10 describes the Power of Story:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Your Story Defines Who You Are I Peter 2:9-10 Do I Feel “Chosen”?
Your Story Determines What You Are Worth I Peter 2:9-10 Do I Feel Like “Royalty”?
Your Story Describes Your Purpose I Peter 2:9-10 Am I Living “Holy” or “Set Apart”?
Your Story Has The Power To Label Your Life and Experiences:
It is not the situation, but the story you tell yourself about the situation:
o Benjamin vs Ben-Oni In Genesis 35:16-21
It is not so much the events, but how you experience those events:
o Jabez In I Chronicles 4:9-10
It is not so much the facts, but about how you interpret the facts.
Story Connects The Right & Left Side Of The Brain, Thus Locking In Neural Pathways.
3 (More) Ways God Interrupts Your Story:
1) He Interrupts Our Story Of
With A Story of
The whole Christmas story and Coming of Christ was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that had been given hundreds of years before Jesus came. In just Matthew 1 & 2 alone, we see fulfilled prophecy 5 times!
The Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:14-17), and is “…the very words of God” (Romans 3:2). One massive proof that the Bible is the Word of God is the incredible amount of fulfilled prophecy. In the Old Testament there are 60 major prophecies concerning the Messiah alone. Here are just a few:
Bethlehem named as the place of Jesus’ birth Matthew 2:1-6
Jesus born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1,2
Jesus a descendant of David Luke 3:31
Jesus & family flee to Egypt Matthew 2:14-15
That Herod would kill the babies and Jesus Matthew 2:13-18
That Jesus would be Immanuel (“God With Us”) Matthew 1-2
The chances of just 12 major Biblical prophecies being fulfilled is 1 in 5 times 10 to the power of 59. That’s a 5 with 59 zeros behind it!
This Christmas, God wants to Interrupt Your Story Of Betrayal With A Story of Safety. God Keeps His Word!
What are you trusting God for? You can trust Him:
Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Numbers 23:19 “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Joshua 21:45 “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
2) He Interrupts Our Story Of
With A Story of
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Perhaps Our Greatest Need Is For
Peace With
Peace With
Peace With
In Christmas, Jesus brings peace by paying the price for our sin so we could be forgiven Colossians 1:19-23. We desperately need forgiveness Matthew 9:1-8. Guilt and shame hurts us. When we receive forgiveness, we benefit by receiving peace. And when we forgive people, we benefit by receiving peace.
Medical science has proven that guilt, resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness cause a depletion in our mental and emotional systems leading to disease, depression, and anguish. Guilt and unforgiveness is damaging to our mental and emotional health. The lack of peace hurts us mentally and emotionally.
Jesus demonstrated His love for us by paying the price so we could have peace. Peace is “shalom”. Shalom means health, safety, rest, wellbeing, and peace. Shalom spoke of a sense of wellbeing, completeness, and harmony. Jesus brings peace because He is the Prince Of Peace:
I John 4:8-10 “…God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His One and Only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and
sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
3) He Interrupts Our Story Of Feeling
With A Story of Feeling
When Jesus came, God put on human flesh. Hebrews 2:14-18 (TPT):
“14 Since all his “children” have flesh and blood, so Jesus became human to fully identify with us. He did this, so that he could experience death and annihilate the effects of the intimidating accuser who holds against us the power of death. 15 By embracing death Jesus sets free those who live their entire lives in bondage to the tormenting dread of death. 16 For it is clear that he didn’t do this for the angels, but for all the sons and daughters of Abraham. 17 This is why he had to be a Man and take hold of our humanity in every way. He made us his brothers and sisters and became our merciful and faithful King-Priest before God; as the One who removed our sins to make us one with him.18 He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.”
God Interrupts Our Story Of Feeling Unknown With A Story of Feeling Understood. God Understands You! God became flesh and so He understands us and what we go through Hebrews 4:14-16 (TPT):
“14 So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. 15 He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin. 16 So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”
Genesis 16 The Story Of Hagar (“Flight”):
The God Who Sees Me “Jehovah Lahai Roi”
The God Who Hears Me “Ishmael”
The God Who Understands Me “Where Have You Come From, and Where Are You Going?”
Jesus is closer than a brother and became one of us. He understands all we could ever go through! He sympathizes with our weaknesses because He faced pain and adversity:
o He Faced
o He Faced Stress, So He
o He Faced Loss, So He Lifts Us… John 11:35
o He Faced Suffering, So He
o He Faced
- All scripture is from the New International Version unless noted otherwise. *