Sermon Series: What’s Love Got To Do With It? Everything! “God (Love) Keeps His Promises, Past, Present and Future.”

by | Dec 22, 2024 | Sermon

Presenter: Rev. Dr. JoAnne P. King
Date: December 22, 2024

Praise the Lord Saints and Merry Christmas!

You know when we read the Scriptures, we don’t try to figure out what God is trying to show us through His Word. I dare say most of us have heard so many Christmas sermons, we know most of the stories by heart. But have you stopped to ask yourself, what message is God trying to get across to me?

As I have told you many times before, God is the most purposeful person in the world. He doesn’t do or say anything that doesn’t have a special meaning, expectation or fulfillment attached with it. Let’s look at some of the examples concerning Christ’s birth and I will show you what I mean.

God wants each hearer to understand these lessons from the birth of Christ as recorded in the book of Matthew that had been prophesied 600 years before. Three lessons from the account of Matthew will be presented of the birth of Christ: 1) God keeps His promises, 2) Obedience leads to salvation, and 3) Jesus is the Messiah.

God (Love) keeps His promises. (Matt. 1:18-25 Amp.)

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her [promised] husband being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.” All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet (Isaiah): “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL”—which, when translated, means, “GOD WITH US.” (Is. 7:14)

Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary [to his home] as his wife, but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation.)
About the text we just read,

  • Jesus even as an infant, fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament.
  • From the evidence given, leads to the conclusion that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.
    • Emmanuel= God with us.
    • Only the Messiah can save people from their sins.
    • Only a virgin being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit can give birth to the Messiah.
  • There are three lessons regarding salvation from the birth of Christ.
    • God (Love) keeps His promises of salvation.
    • God kept His promises that Jesus would be …
  • Born of a virgin.
    • Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
    • “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:22-23).
    • Before Mary and Joseph “came together” (1:18).
    • And that Joseph “knew her not” until after Jesus was born (1:25). [In this way, there will be no doubt as to the Father of Jesus.]
    • Many things could have undermined Mary’s claim of a virgin birth.
    • Jesus was born that way because God took care of all the details.
  • Born in the city of Bethlehem.
    • Micah 5:2 Amp.: “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah; From you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel. His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, From ancient days.”
    • “So, he called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people and [anxiously] asked them where the Christ (the Messiah), the Anointed) was to be born. They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]: ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, ARE NOT IN ANYWAY LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH: FOR FROM YOU SHALL COME A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” (Matthew 2:4-6 Amp.)
    • Many things that could have invalidated this prophecy.
    • God promised that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and He made it happen. [Bethlehem is known as the city of bread. Many times Jesus is referred to in the Bible as the “Bread of life”
      (John 6:35)].
  • Called out of Egypt.
    • Hosea 11:1: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”
    • (Matt. 2:15 Amp.) He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the Prophet [Hosea]: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” [Hos. 11:1)
    • Evil men cannot thwart the purposes of God.
    • God’s promise that the Messiah would come out of Egypt and it happened.
  • God (Love) keeps His promises:
    • Isaiah 55:11 Amp.: “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
    • “For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37 Amp.).”
    • God kept His promises; He will keep His promises for salvation if we are obedient.
      • Obedience leads to salvation.
  • Joseph was obedient to the command of the angel.
    • “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel: which is being interpreted, God with us” (Matthew 1:19-23).
    • And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:24, 25).
    • Joseph was obedient in doing the following:
      • Taking Mary to be his wife, and calling the name of the child Jesus.
      • The text says, he “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” [He didn’t hesitate, hemmed and hawed nor questioned, he immediately obeyed!]
  • Joseph and Mary were obedient to the law of the land.
    • Caesar declared an enrollment for all people (Luke 2:1-4 Amp.) “Now in those days a decree went out from [the emperor] Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be registered [in a census]. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city. So, Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David.
      [If ever there was a possibility for a woman not to want to travel a distance on a camel’s back at 9 months’ pregnant, it was Mary! She didn’t hesitate but went with her husband to Bethlehem.]
  • In obedience to Caesar’s command, Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem.
  • Do we obey our government as Joseph and Mary?
  • “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities: For there is no authority except from God [granted by His permission and sanction], and those which exist have been put in place by God. [Prov. 8:15] Therefore whoever resists [governmental] authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who have resisted it will bring judgment (civil penalty) on themselves (Romans 13:1-2 Amp.).
  • The wise men were obedient to God’s warning.
    • Matthew 2:12 Amp. records, “And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”
    • Isaiah 50:10 Amp. reads, “Who is among you that fears the LORD, Who obeys the voice of His Servant, Yet Who walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust and be confident in the name of the LORD, and let him rely on his God.”
    • Joseph and Mary were obedient in fleeing to Egypt. Matthew 2:13-15 Amp. records: “Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.’ So, Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” [Hos. 11:1]
  • Jesus is the Messiah of Salvation.
    • The testimony of the Holy Spirit in the virgin pregnancy.
  • The testimony of the angel.
    • That the Holy Spirit has conceived this child (1:20).
    • That the name of the child would be Jesus-savior (1:21).
    • That the child would save his people from their sins (1:21).
    • That this was in fulfillment of the prophecy (1:22).
    • Jesus would be born of a virgin (1:23).
      That Jesus would be called Immanuel (l:23).
  • The testimony of the name “Joshua and “Immanuel.”
    • The name Jesus in Hebrew is Joshua and means savior.
    • The name Immanuel means “God with us.”
  • The testimony of Joseph.
    • He heard the Word of God (1:24).
    • He kept Mary to himself for his wife (1:24).
    • He named the child according to the word of the angel-Jesus (1:25).
  • The testimony of Mary.
    • She submitted to the will of the Holy Spirit.
    • She was obedient to her husband.
    • She was obedient to the government.
  • The testimony of the star.
    • The star appeared in the sky east of the wise men to show the birth of the Savior (2:2).
    • The star disappeared in the presence of Herod (2:2) and reappeared later.
    • “The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was” (2).
  • The testimony of the wise men.
    • “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him (2:2).
    • When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (2:10).
    • iii. They sought for and found the one who was born “King of the Jews” (2:2).
    • The wise men “worshipped” Jesus and offered gifts (2:11).
    • They refused to return or to send word to Herod (2:12).
  • The testimony of the chief priests and scribes in answer to Herod’s question, “In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matt. 2:5-6).
  • The testimony of the prophets.
    • Isaiah testified of the nature of Jesus’ birth-of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).
    • Micah testified of the place of Jesus’ birth-the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
    • Hosea testified of the protection of Jesus’ birth-to come out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1).
  • The testimony of Matthew himself as an historian, Apostle, and an inspired man of God.
  • Even the testimony of Herod who took the wise men seriously.
  • Eleven avenues of testimony have been given regarding the birth of Christ.
    • Each avenue of testimony builds the case that Jesus is the Messiah.
    • Each avenue of testimony directly supports Jesus’ claim to be the Savior of the world.

In 2 Cor. 13:1 Amp., it says: “This is the third time that I am visiting you. EVERY FACT SHALL BE SUSTAINED AND CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.” [Deut. 19:15] We have had eleven witnesses, therefore, Jesus’ claim to be the Savior of the world has been confirmed.

We have covered three specific lessons from the birth of Christ that God wants you to remember. They are that God keeps His promises; Obedience leads to salvation and that Jesus is the Savior of the World.

Just as God wants you to remember the three lessons from the birth of Christ. He wants you to be even more aware of the signs and promises He has left in His Word about the return of Jesus Christ to rapture the Body of Christ (the Church) from the earth pre-Tribulation, as well as, the 4 other raptures, and the Second Advent of Jesus coming to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, post-Tribulation.
God (Love) is a Promise keeping God!

This is a scripture that is read at a lot of funerals.
John 14:1-3 Amp.: “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places . If it were not so I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

Let not your heart be troubled must be important to God, He used it 32 times in John; 16 times in Matthew; 2 times in Luke and not once in Mark. When God says, let not your heart be troubled, He is telling us that we have control over letting our heart be troubled or not.
In the book of John, there are 4 troubled things listed: 1) Troubled water (5:4-7) = “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had…”2) Troubled spirit (11:33; 13:21) = “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” 3) Troubled soul (12:27 Amp.) = “Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour [of trial and agony]”? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place].” 4) Troubled hearts (14:1, 27 Amp). “Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]”

The Father’s (oikia- Gk.) dwelling place is heaven. (2 Cor. 12:1-4; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 8:1) Heb. 9:24 Amp. = For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but [He entered] into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf;”
Many mansions (Gk. mone, abiding places, mansions) used only here and in verse 23 as “Abode.” “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love, Me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.”
A place for you, (Gk. topos) a place of habitation as a city.
I will come again—This refers to the rapture and not the second advent. (1 Th. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:23 Amp. = But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected with incorruptible, immortal bodies] at His coming.” [At this time, He will receive to Himself all the dead and living in Christ who will come back to earth with Him at the second advent (Zech. 14:5; Jude 14; Rev. 19:11-21).] [Since Christ is in heaven, that is where we are to go at the rapture (Acts 1:11; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 8:1; 9:24).]

The Rapture – 1 Thes. 5:4.

Christians are not in ignorance and darkness about the day of the Lord (v 1-2, 4-5, 9). The Rapture takes place at least 7 years before the Second Advent (2 Th. 2:7) “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” Let’s investigate who is this hinderer! [The hinderer is one of three things:

1) Governments (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13)

2) The Church (Mt. 5:13; 2 Cor. 2:15-16; Eph. 6:12-18; 2 Cor. 10:4-7)

3) The Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:7-15)

[The hinderer of lawlessness must be the one that will be taken out of the world before Antichrist can be revealed (v 6-8). Will governments be taken out of the world? No, because Antichrist reigns over many kingdoms (Dan. 7:24; 11:40-45), and other kings reign over the rest of the earth all during the time the hinderer of lawlessness is removed (Rev. 11:15; 16:13-16). Will it be the Holy Spirit? No, for He will be here all through the tribulation and forever (Jn. 14:16; Acts. 2:16-21; 13:1). Multitudes will be saved by the Holy Spirit during the tribulation, as now (Acts 2:16-21; Rev. 6:9-11; 7:1-21; 12:5, 17; 15:2-4; 20:3-6). It is the church. It will be raptured before Antichrist comes and this is the only one of the hinderers of lawlessness that will be removed from the earth.]

You may question, if it is the church that is taken out of the world why is the pronoun “he” used?

Let’s examine the “he” of 2 Thess. 2:7.

[The only argument used to prove that the Holy Spirit is the hinderer of this passage is the pronoun he. Some believe that the church could not be referred to as he, because it is the bride of Christ: that the church is spoken of as a virgin, a woman, and that it is referred to by feminine pronouns.]

On the contrary, the church is:

  • Not referred to by feminine pronouns
  • Never symbolized by a woman
  • Never called the bride of Christ (Rev. 21:9-10)=
    “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
    God.”
  • The church is called a man (Eph. 4:13) = “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
    And the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27; Eph.1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24) [Because Christ is a man, it would not be proper to compare His body to that of a woman or to use feminine pronouns in referring to the church. Since the church is not a woman, a lady, a virgin, a bride, and is not referred to by feminine pronouns; and since the church is called a man and the body of Christ who is a man the church can be referred to by the pronoun he.
  • The church is the only one of the three hinderers of lawlessness that will be taken out of the world. We must therefore, conclude that the he or the hinderer of lawlessness of 2 Th. 2:7 must refer to the church being taken out of the world…And then shall that wicked be revealed who will be destroyed 7 years later by Christ at His Second Advent (v 7-8).]

[As you see from above, the church will not be here, so that day will not overtake them as a thief like it will the ungodly (v 2-5). The Jews had a tradition that God would judge the Gentiles at night when they were careless and asleep in sin, but would judge the Jews in the day time when they would be employed in keeping the law. But both Jews and Gentiles who miss the rapture will have the day of the Lord come upon them as a thief. It is only brethren who will be translated and escape this day (v 4-5, 9; Lk. 21:36; 2 Th. 2:7)].

I don’t want you to think that there is just 1 Rapture. No, there are 5 Raptures in the first Resurrection. They are as follows:

5 Raptures in the first Resurrection

  • Christ and the many saints that were resurrected after His resurrection (I Cor. 15:20, 23; Mt. 27:52-53; Eph. 4:8-10).
  • “Afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23, Jn 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 2 Cor. 5:1-8; Eph. 5:27; 1 Th. 2:19; Col. 3:4; Jas. 5:7-8; 1 Jn. 2:28; 1 Pet. 5:4). Everyone in Christ, dead or alive, will be translated at this time. Not one person will be left on earth who is in Christ. 1 Th. 4:16-17 Amp. = “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up raptured] together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!”
  • The 144,000 Jews saved in the first 3 ½ years of Daniel’s 70th week (Rev. 7:1-8). They will be caught up as the manchild in the middle of this week or 3 ½ years before the second advent (Rev. 12:5; Isa. 66:7-8; Dan. 12:1). Rev. 14:1-5 Amp. = “Then I looked, and this is what I saw: the Lamb stood [firmly established] on Mount
    Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father’s name inscribed on their foreheads [signifying God’s own possession] ….”
  • The great multitude of tribulation saints who are saved after rapture 2 above, and during the whole of Daniel’s 70th week (Rev. 6:1-19; 21). The first martyrs of this period are told to rest until the rest of them are killed (Rev. 6:9-11) when vengeance will be taken and all raptured in time for the marriage supper (Rev. 7:9-17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6). Even those killed by the beast in the last 3 ½ years of this week have part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4; 20:4-6). This proves their rapture in time for the marriage supper (Rev. 19:1-10) and in time to come back with Christ (Rev. 19:11-21; Jude 14; Zech. 14:5).
  • The rapture of the two witnesses, ending the first resurrection which began with the resurrection of Christ Rev. 11:11-12 Amp. = “But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear and panic fell on those who were watching them. And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they ascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.”

God (Love) warns and gives in the Bible 24 signs of the Second Coming of Jesus. As I list these signs, you will recognize that some of them are occurring right now!

24 signs of the Jesus’ Second Coming: (Matt. 24)

  • Deceptions (v 4-5, 11, 24)
  • False Christs (v 5, 23-26
  • Wars and rumors of wars (v 6-7)
  • Famine (v 7; Rev. 6:5-6)
  • Pestilences (7; Rev. 6:8)
  • Earthquakes (v 7; Rev. 6:12-17)
  • Anti-semitism (v 9; Mk. 13:9, 13)
  • Offences (v 10, Cp. Mt. 18:1-10)
  • Betrayals (v 9; Mk. 13:12)
  • Hatred (v 10; 2 Tim. 3:1-9)
  • False prophets (v 11, 24; Rev. 13)
  • Lawlessness abounding (v 12)
  • Love decreasing (v 12-13; 2 Tim. 3)
  • Increased missionary work (v 14)
  • Abomination of desolation (v 15; Dan. 9:27;
    2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 13)
  • New Jewish nation in Judea (v 9, 15-26; Ezek. 37;
    Dan. 9:27)
  • New Jewish temple (15, 26; Rev. 11:1-2;
  • Dan. 8:9-13; 9:27; 11:45; 2Th 2:4)
  • Great tribulation of 3 ½ years (v 21; Dan. 12:1;
    Rev. 12:1-19:21)
  • Martyrdoms (v 9, 22; Dan. 8:21; Rev. 7:9-17; 11:7;
    15:2-4; 20:4-6)
  • Flight of Jews from Judea (v 16-21; Rev. 12:6, 14;
  • Isa. 16:1-5; Ps. 60:4-8; Dan. 1:40-45; Ezek. 20:33-38;
  • Hos. 2:14-16)
  • Increased satanic powers (v 24; 2 Th. 8-12; Rev. 13;
    16:14; 19:20)
  • Surfeiting (v 38; Lk. 17:28; 21:34)
  • Sex Crimes (v 38; Lk. 17:27)
  • Procrastination and lethargy (v 39)

Another difference between the Rapture and Jesus’ Second Coming is: in the case of the Rapture—Jesus meets or raptures the Saints in the air and returns to heaven. While the Second Coming, Jesus with the Saints return to earth to fight in the last great war called Armageddon. They will fight against the beast, the kings and political leaders of the earth with their armies. “The Antichrist and false prophet and all who worship him will be thrown into the lake of fire. The rest will be killed with the sword of him (Jesus) that sits on the horse, which sword proceeds out of his mouth: and all the fowls will be filled with their flesh.” (Rev. 19:20-21)

God (Love) is faithful and as we have learned a promise keeper from the past with the promised birth of His Son. His Son’s sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead for the sins of all mankind. And then to the future when we, His children will be raptured in one of the 5 stages listed above. And last but certainly not least, we will come back with Jesus to destroy all of His enemies and to rule and reign with Him forever. What a mighty promise and covenant keeping God we serve!! And as the song lyrics say: Who wouldn’t serve a God like this! To God be the Glory! Amen and Amen – so let it be done!