Holy Night: Anything Impossible with God?

The second coming of Jesus is never to be thought of as an impossibility, because all things have been proven possible for God.

Because the coming of the Messiah was a long time coming, it was easy for God’s people to start to think of it as an impossibility.

Again and again in the Old Testament, God promises a broken and pained world that he will send a Messiah — that is, a Deliverer — to start to renew and restore all things.

Isaiah 9:1-7
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
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.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Micah 5:1-4
A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

There was a marked delay in God fulfilling these promises.

The period of the New Testament, nearly 400 years had passed since the last messianic promise had been given by God — and the Messiah still hadn’t come.

The first promise of a coming Messiah is in Genesis 3:15.

Hopelessness

Because the coming of the Messiah was a long time coming, it was easy for God’s people to start to think of it as an impossibility.

Two messages broke the 400-year silence
— the angels’ messages to Mary (Luke 1:26b-36)
— the angels’ messages to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-24)


This is how God is going to do it? Really?

How on earth were Joseph and Mary able to relentlessly press on, believing in the work God said he was going to do?

Because they relentlessly remembered.

“This all seems impossible,” she replies, “Yes, yes, but remember what the messenger said to me....”

The coming of the Messiah, Jesus, was never to be thought of as an impossibility, because all things had already been proven possible for God. into the future

“Yes, yes, but remember what the messenger said to me: nothing is impossible with God.”

—it is both a declaration and an invitation.

Relentlessly remembering: the story of Abraham and Sarah.

The coming of the Messiah, Jesus, was never to be thought of as an impossibility, because all things had already been proven possible for God.

“advent” means “coming,”

Because the second coming of Jesus has been a long time coming, it’s easy for us to start to think of it as an impossibility.

Maybe…
-the powers of the world hold too much power forJesus to topple them.
-the powers beyond this world hold too much power.
-we’ve sinned too much, and we’re undeserving.
-too much is needed by way of miracles to pull this off.”

Because the second coming of Jesus has been a long time coming, it’s easy for us to start to think of it as an impossibility.

“But” — The second coming of Jesus is never to be thought of as an impossibility, because all things have already been proven possible for God.

The messenger’s word to Mary is also a word to us.

It’s a declaration — nothing is impossible for God — but it’s also an invitation for us to consider whether the declaration is true or not.

The only way we can relentlessly press on as we wait for the second coming — the second Advent — is if we relentlessly remember what God has faithfully brought about in the past (and even in our present).

Remember.

The second coming of Jesus is never to be thought of as an impossibility, because all things have already been proven possible for God.

It’s a time to remember how His coming brought about a great turning for the world.

“Nothing is impossible with God.” Which, of course, gives us hope — a confident expectation that nothing is impossible for God, because nothing ever has been.”