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Nov 22, 2020

Advent 00 - Long Expected Jesus (Click Here for Resources)

Passage: Matthew 17:1-8

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Advent 2020

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: advent, king, prophet, priest, jesus as fulfillment of the old testament.

PreAdvent! In order to understand the magnitude of the birth of Christ, we have to know the thousands of years of preparation that very specifically and intentionally led us to it. Before Christ, God had given us the Law and the Teachings, to reveal His very nature and how to be in relationship with Him. He also gave us the Prophets, Priests and Kings to be mediators between us and God. In the birth of Jesus we see the Law, Teachings, Prophets, Priests and Kings all coming together, manifest perfectly in the manger; the One that would be the ever-living and ever-loving liaison, mediator and ruler as he would, on our behalf, live perfectly, die sacrificially and resurrect victoriously. So now, on this side of the tomb, the presence of God is no longer contained in the Old Testament temple but was made manifest in Christ and now within us, the new temple of the Living God.

11.22.20 GBV Livsestream from Grace Brevard on Vimeo.

Order of Worship

PRELUDE: Sunrise Song (for the poor) 

WELCOME  / ANNOUNCEMENTS / OPENING PRAYER: 

CALL TO WORSHIP: Zechariah 9:9

MUSIC: 

  • Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
  • My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
  • Is He Worthy

PRAYER & READING: Matthew 12:41-42

MESSAGE TITLE: PreAdvent - “Long Expected Jesus”

CENTRAL TEXT: Matthew 17:1-8

ILLUSTRATION: Montage - Carry Me

BENEDICTION: 2 Peter 3:18

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

  • Matthew 12:41-42 (Jesus = Prophet and King)
  • John 1:1-2
  • Isaiah 6:1-3
  • Zech 9:9 (quoted in (Mat 21:5; John 12:14, 15 )
  • Matthew 19:28
  • Zephaniah 3:17
  • Malachi 4:2

ILLUSTRATIONS:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

HERE are the Sermon Discussion Questions in printable form

Are you more prone to focus on the New Testament or Old? Why?

Summarize the story of the whole bible. What’s it all really about?

We can’t understand the magnitude of Jesus if we don’t grasp what came before him, how God passionately pursued His rebellious people...and how Christmas is a dramatic step in “catching” the ones he’s been pursuing. 

Talk about these ways God has pursued us:

1) Prophets

Job Description: God speaking to His people. 

Name some of the prophets and what they did and said.

    What was their overall message?

    ...think Jonah, Daniel, Moses, Abraham....

       How did God use them to pursue his people? 

2) Priests

Job Description: God’s liaisons from us to Him

What were the main jobs of the priests?

    What role did they have in the temple and sacrifices?

       How did God use them to pursue his people?

3) Kings

Job Description: God human agents to rule and reign.

What were the things kings did (or were supposed to do)?

       How did God use them to pursue his people?

4) Temple

Job Description: God place of Presence and Redemption.

Why was the Temple so meticulously beautiful?

    What things happened at the Temple?

       Why was it significant?

       How did God use it to pursue his people? 

It is utterly shocking and glorious to see that Jesus is the summation of these 4 pursuits! And not just that he is “better than...” these 4, but that he is truly the embodiment and definition of them!

Matthew 12:41-42

(Jesus at Prophet and King)

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 

How is Jesus THE Prophet?

Read John 1:1-3 -- How Jesus didn’t just give God’s words, but IS God’s WORD 

How is Jesus THE Priest?

Read Hebrews 2:17, 4:14-16 and 7:26-27 -- How does Jesus perfectly function as the ultimate priest for YOU? 

How is Jesus THE King?

Read Jeremiah 23:5 -- What kind of KING is Jesus.

What is the great irony of “KING OF THE JEWS” being written above his head on the cross (Priest & King)

How is Jesus THE Temple?

Read Matthew 1:21-23 -- And here is the significance of Christmas...how does knowing about the TEMPLE reveal how amazing Jesus as IMMANUEL is? 

    ...and then how WE are now the TEMPLE of the Living God?