The Fulfillment of Waiting
(Matthew 1:18-25)
Yearly Theme: “Patience is…”
Series Title: “The Advent of Patience”
December 11th, 2022

Something to think about:

Have you ever heard the phrase, “God’s timing is perfect?” If so, how many of you struggle with that? If I’m being completely honest, I do. I don’t like to wait. I don’t like to not have what I want when I want it, or do what I want when I want to. However, there’s a benefit to waiting, especially waiting on GOD and His timing. Consider the following examples from the Bible: Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, David, and Hannah.

As we learned last week through Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 9 of his book in the Old Testament, the long-awaited Messiah would come as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, but not for another 700+ years. And today, we come to the fulfillment of that promise of GOD in Isaiah’s prophecy as we explore the birth narrative of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel:

Here’s the takeaway this morning:

Key Point: “At just the right time in human history, GOD fulfilled His promise by sending the Messiah.”

How did all of this transpire? What are the pertinent things to consider in this particular passage with regard to GOD’s perfect timing?

· The waiting period during the ________.

Matthew 1:18a (NLT), 18a This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.

· GOD’s ___________ of the _______ of the long-awaited Messiah.

Matthew 1:22-23 (NLT), 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

Something to take home:

The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians that…

Galatians 4:4-5 (NRSV), 4 When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.

Why was Jesus’ arrival on earth at just the right moment in human history?

Though maybe not as convenient as it could have been, being born in a stable, surrounded by livestock, and having His first resting place be a feeding trough, Jesus’ birth came at just the right moment in human history to fulfill the promise of GOD to bring salvation to the world from sin and death.

And just as there were signs in those days of the coming Messiah, we too await patiently today as we see certain signs and wonders of Christ’s return. And at just the right time, unknown to mankind, GOD will once again fulfill His promise to send Jesus in the final judgment to confine sin and death eternally to the pit so that those who are called by His name through faith in Jesus will live with Him forever in the new heaven and new earth.

How do you think a typical church might have handled Mary’s pre-marriage pregnancy?

How do you imagine the “grapevine” treated the Mary-Joseph situation?



How does it feel to be the victim of unsubstantiated rumors and gossip?

How does it feel to know that you are innocent and yet have people attacking your character and whispering behind your back?

What significant mission in life would Mary’s child have?



Why is Mary’s virginal conception of Christ significant?

JOURNAL
Can you recall a time when you were certain that God was nudging you toward this kind of obedience?

How did you respond?

Are you currently in this kind of situation?

What are the “costs” involved?

What is most frightening about stepping out in obedience?

Would you consider yourself more of a patient or impatient person? Why?

Can you think of a time when you had to be patient under great stress or in the midst of struggles?

Imagine waiting 700 years for a promise of deliverance to come to pass. How might it stretch and grow your faith?

APPLICATION
How does our desire for approval or acceptance keep us from doing the right thing?



What difficult, hard-to-swallow command of God do you need to obey today?

MEMORY VERSE
Matthew 1:21
“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”

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