Advent: When God Interrupts
Your Story - Part 1: Emmanuel
Matthew 12:18-21:
“18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”
Around 550 BC, over 2500 years ago, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a Servant who would Interrupt Our Story. This is talking about Advent. Advent comes from the Latin adventus and means “coming.” The main event is the coming, or birth, of Jesus our Savior.
The four weeks of Advent, beginning the Sunday nearest November through midnight Christmas Eve, represent the four great “comings” of Christ. The first is His coming in the flesh, His birth, which we celebrate on Christmas Day. The second is His coming into the hearts of all who believe in Him. The third is His coming at the hour of death to the faithful, and the fourth is His coming at the final judgment. To symbolize this progression, believers use Advent wreaths and candles.
Advent Is God Interrupting Your Story:
God Interrupted The Aimless and Comfortable Story Of Abraham In Genesis 12,
God Interrupted The Stressed and Panicking Story Of Jacob In Genesis 28,
God Interrupted The Betrayed and Forsaken Story Of Joseph In Genesis,
God Interrupted The Almost Murdered Story Of Baby Moses In Exodus 2,
God Interrupted The Story Of Slavery and Bondage Of The Israelites In Exodus,
God Interrupted The Backslidden and Disobedient Story Of Jonah In Jonah,
God Interrupted The Story Of A Virgin Girl, Mary In Luke 1:26-56,
God Interrupted The Story Of The Roman Empire In Luke 2 To Get Mary Home,
God Interrupted The Story Of Shepherds In Luke 2 To Share The Coming of Jesus,
God Interrupted The Story Of 3 Wise Men To Bring Them To Jesus In Matthew 1-2,
God Interrupted The Broken and Bruised Story Of All Humanity - and Interrupted History Itself - By Sending Jesus “B.C.” (Before Christ) vs “A.D.” (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord).
The truth is that each of us is on a personal and unique journey, shaped by our individual experiences, choices, and path. No two Stories are alike; your journey is uniquely yours. Though we often walk on similar paths to others, our individual perspectives, emotions, and purposes make each journey deeply personal.
Your Story matters because it reflects who you are and the person you’re becoming. It is about how you
experience the world and how you see the experiences that shape you. Your Story is filled with moments of joy,
struggle, growth, and discovery. These moments, though sometimes ordinary, weave together to create something
extraordinary. Every chapter has meaning, and every step you take is essential in shaping the bigger picture.
So when God interrupts your Story, He steps into your life in unexpected ways, redirecting your plans or altering your path to align with His greater purpose. He Interrupts your Story to bring you into a better one.
Far from being random disruptions, when God Interrupts Your Story it is an act of love and grace, guiding us toward a Story that is more meaningful and fulfilling than anything we could have imagined on our own.
Christmas Is All About God Interrupting Your Story! How does He Interrupt Our Story? By showing as Emmanuel, which means God With Us Matthew 1:23: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel” (which means “God with us”).”
John 1:14 “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.”
Isaiah 9:1-6 helps us discover more about God Interrupting Your Story:
“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…The people walking in darkness have seen a great light…You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy… you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor… For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince Of Peace.”
How God Interrupts Your Story:
1) “Wonderful” He Interrupts Your Story With
Our God is the God of Wonder & Miracles:
Exodus 15:11 Parting the Red Sea “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
Psalms 77:11-14 Rescue From Egypt “…I will remember your miracles of long ago… What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”
Isaiah 25:1 Promise Of Deliverance “LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
Isaiah 29:14 Promise Of Massive Intervention “Once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish…”
2) “Counselor” He Interrupts Your Story With
Jesus is a COUNSELOR: Literally He is the one who helps you down the healing path. His plan for you is WHOLENESS Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
How Can You Tell If You Need To Go Down The Healing Path?
1. Persistent Emotional Pain,
2. Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms,
3. Physical Symptoms Without a Clear Cause,
4. Difficulty Forming or Maintaining Healthy Relationships, or
5. Feeling Stuck or Disconnected from Yourself.
3) “Mighty God” He Interrupts Your Story With
Jesus is a MIGHTY GOD. The Battle Belongs To The Lord:
I Samuel 17:47: “All this assembly will know that it is not by sword and spear that the Lord saves. For the battle belongs to the Lord, and He will give you into our hands.”
Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Deuteronomy 20:4 “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
2 Chronicles 20:15 “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
Zechariah 4:6 “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” says the Lord.”
4) “Everlasting Father” He Interrupts Your Story With Love
Emmanuel, God With Us, is an Everlasting Father.
We see fatherlessness today. The very word fatherless means lonely and without hope, and many today are lonely and without hope. When we live without a Father (or with a flawed one – or abusive, neglectful, selfish, or distant), it leads to unhealthy outcomes.
But God Interrupts Your Story With Love Psalm 68:5-6:
“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity…”
Romans 8:15-17: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs…”
5) “Prince of Peace” He Interrupts Your Story With
God Interrupts Your Story With Peace. “Peace” is the Hebrew word, “shalom”. Shalom means health, safety, rest, wellbeing, and peace. Shalom spoke of a sense of wellbeing, completeness, and harmony.
Jesus came to bring us peace. He gives shalom. He is the Prince Of Peace:
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.”
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.”
Judges 6:24 “So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace…”
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.”
- All scripture is from the New International Version unless noted otherwise. *