Title: The Hope of Christmas (1)
Series: Thoughts of Christmas
Author: Tim Melton
Text: Matthew 12:21, Romans 15:4
Dr. Nathan Foxx, who directs the Children Development Laboratory at the University of Maryland, tells of arriving at a Romanian orphanage. He expected to hear activity and the clamor of children, but instead he only heard silence. In his words, "The most remarkable thing about the infant room was how quiet it was, because the infants had learned that no matter how much they cried no one would respond. So they no longer cried."1
That must have been similar to how the Jews felt. The Jews were very familiar with waiting with what seemed like no response. We see the children of Israel as slaves for 400 years in Egypt. We see them wondering in the wilderness for 40 years. Years after they had turned from God in the Promised Land they were exiled to Babylon for 70 years. Even after they eventually returned to their land their hard-heartedness kept God's deliverance at a distance.
What made it worse was that they had been given promises from God through the prophets. Centuries before they had been told that one would come who would 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 forever."
But where was this promised Messiah. They had heard nothing since the last prophet Malachi. It had been 400 years since God had spoken through the prophets and since the Old Testament had ended. Since then they had been ruled by the Persians, then the Greeks, and now they endured the heavy and brutal yoke of Roman occupation.
For over a millenium scriptures had promised that a Messiah, a Deliverer, would one day come, but still they waited.
Have you ever been in a similiar situation where you prayed, called out to God, waited and nothing seemed to happen. What did you do next?
We know that there ...
Series: Thoughts of Christmas
Author: Tim Melton
Text: Matthew 12:21, Romans 15:4
Dr. Nathan Foxx, who directs the Children Development Laboratory at the University of Maryland, tells of arriving at a Romanian orphanage. He expected to hear activity and the clamor of children, but instead he only heard silence. In his words, "The most remarkable thing about the infant room was how quiet it was, because the infants had learned that no matter how much they cried no one would respond. So they no longer cried."1
That must have been similar to how the Jews felt. The Jews were very familiar with waiting with what seemed like no response. We see the children of Israel as slaves for 400 years in Egypt. We see them wondering in the wilderness for 40 years. Years after they had turned from God in the Promised Land they were exiled to Babylon for 70 years. Even after they eventually returned to their land their hard-heartedness kept God's deliverance at a distance.
What made it worse was that they had been given promises from God through the prophets. Centuries before they had been told that one would come who would 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 forever."
But where was this promised Messiah. They had heard nothing since the last prophet Malachi. It had been 400 years since God had spoken through the prophets and since the Old Testament had ended. Since then they had been ruled by the Persians, then the Greeks, and now they endured the heavy and brutal yoke of Roman occupation.
For over a millenium scriptures had promised that a Messiah, a Deliverer, would one day come, but still they waited.
Have you ever been in a similiar situation where you prayed, called out to God, waited and nothing seemed to happen. What did you do next?
We know that there ...
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