A preacher's unwavering faith leads to his drowning despite multiple rescue attempts. He later questions God about his faith and missed signs of help.

Flood Story and Faith

The speaker introduces the Christmas story through Isaiah and Matthew, emphasizing the themes of rebellion and redemption. Key concepts of rebellion, redemption, and reward are discussed alongside prophecies about the Messiah.

Introduction to Isaiah and Salvation

King Ahaz is frightened by the approaching armies, but God reassures him through Isaiah's message. The choice between believing God's word or pursuing his own agenda is presented, alongside God's invitation for a sign.

God's Assurance to Ahaz

Isaiah prophesies the birth of Emmanuel, a sign of God's presence and future deliverance for His people. The speaker discusses the fulfillment of this prophecy and its significance, including the virgin birth and its implications.

Prophecy of Emmanuel and Its Significance

The speaker elaborates on how Jesus saves people from their sins, emphasizing the need for repentance. A personal anecdote is shared to illustrate a spiritual point, leading to a call for repentance and a closing prayer.

The Role of Sin and Salvation

# Newsletter: Exploring the Christmas Story through Isaiah

## Introduction

In this week's newsletter, we delve into the profound message of salvation found in the Book of Isaiah, as we reflect on the Christmas story through the lens of Isaiah chapter 7 and the Gospel of Matthew chapter 1. We will explore themes of faith, deliverance, and the signs God provides in our lives.

---

## The Story of the Preacher and the Flood

A powerful story illustrates our tendency to overlook the signs of God's help. A preacher finds himself surrounded by rising floodwaters, praying for salvation. Despite being offered rescue by townsfolk in a canoe and a motorboat, he refuses to leave, insisting that God will save him. Ultimately, he drowns and later questions God in heaven, asking why he wasn't saved. God responds, "What did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter."

### Reflection

This story prompts us to consider how often we cry out for help but fail to recognize the signs and opportunities God presents. Are we missing the "boats" and "helicopters" in our own lives?

---

## The Message of Salvation in Isaiah

### The Three R's of Salvation

1. **Rebellion**: The people have turned away from God, displaying signs such as bitterness and stubbornness.
2. **Redemption**: God offers to cleanse them of their sins through His suffering servant, the Messiah.
3. **Reward**: Blessings come through faith and obedience.

### Key Verse to Remember

- **Isaiah 12:2**: "Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid."

This verse encapsulates the overarching theme of salvation in Isaiah, emphasizing trust in God amid fear and uncertainty.

---

## Signs of Deliverance

The Book of Isaiah outlines five significant acts of deliverance by God:

1. Deliverance of Judah from the Assyrian invasion.
2. Deliverance from Babylonian captivity.
3. Future deliverance of the Jews from worldwide dispersion.
4. Deliverance of lost sinners from judgment.
5. Final deliverance of creation from the bondage of sin.

Isaiah's name, meaning "Yahweh is salvation," reflects the essence of God's message throughout the text.

---

## The Prophecy of Isaiah 7

As we turn to Isaiah chapter 7, we find a prophecy about the Messiah. The context involves King Ahaz of Judah, who faces an alliance of enemies. God, in His sovereignty, sends the prophet Isaiah to encourage Ahaz.

### Key Questions to Consider

1. **Who asks for a sign?**
   - Surprisingly, it is God who invites Ahaz to ask for a sign, demonstrating His desire for a relationship with the king.

2. **Why did God want Ahaz to ask for a sign?**
   - To expose Ahaz's rebellious heart and to call him into a deeper relationship with God.

3. **How is the sign fulfilled?**
   - The prophecy of a virgin bearing a son named Emmanuel is ultimately fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, 734 years later.

---

## The Importance of Trust

King Ahaz's refusal to ask for a sign reveals his lack of faith and trust in God. Despite God's invitation, Ahaz clings to his own plans, demonstrating how easily we can miss God's help when we rely solely on ourselves.

### The Odds of Prophecy

To illustrate the improbability of the prophecies being fulfilled by mere chance, consider this analogy: Imagine spreading a million loonies across Canada, marking one with an "X." The odds of someone randomly picking that marked loonie are similar to the chance of a single person fulfilling all the prophecies made by Isaiah regarding the Messiah. Yet, every prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ's birth—700 years later.

### A Modern Parable

Consider the story of a mountain climber who, after years of preparation, attempts to conquer a peak alone. After a fall, he hangs precariously, shouting for help. God responds, but the climber refuses to cut the rope that holds him. The next day, he is found frozen, just two feet above the ground. This tragic tale reminds us that sometimes, we must let go of our own understanding to truly trust in God's plan.

---

## The Birth of Jesus: A Fulfillment of Prophecy

As we read Matthew chapter 1, we see the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies:

- **Verse 18**: Mary, a virgin, was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit, affirming both Jesus' humanity and divinity.
- **Verse 21**: The name Jesus signifies His purpose: "He will save His people from their sins."
- **Verse 23**: The prophecy of a virgin conceiving and giving birth to a son named Emmanuel is fulfilled, reminding us of God's desire to be in relationship with us.

---

## Conclusion

As we reflect on the Christmas story and the messages in Isaiah, let us remember the importance of recognizing the signs of God's grace in our lives. Trust in Him, for He is our salvation, and do not be afraid.

### Call to Action

- **Reflect**: Take time this week to consider areas in your life where you need to trust God more fully.
- **Engage**: Share this message with friends or family who might need encouragement in their faith journey.

Thank you for joining us this week. May you find peace and strength in God's promises.

"Discover the Christmas Story: Trust in God's Signs of Salvation"

- A preacher during a flood refuses help, believing God will save him.
- He ignores multiple rescue attempts (a canoe, a motorboat, and a helicopter) and ultimately drowns.
- In heaven, he questions God about his faith and lack of rescue.
- God responds that He sent help, but the preacher did not recognize it.
- The speaker reflects on missed signs of divine assistance in life.
- The message transitions to the Christmas story and the book of Isaiah, emphasizing themes of rebellion, redemption, and reward.
- Isaiah's prophecy about the Messiah is highlighted, with a focus on the importance of recognizing God's signs.
- The speaker encourages memorization of Isaiah 12:2, emphasizing trust in God's salvation.
- The narrative introduces King Ahaz of Judah facing threats from Syria and Israel, showcasing God's control over the situation.

- The speaker draws parallels between a biblical story and contemporary struggles, emphasizing God's control.
- References Jesus sending disciples to fetch a donkey, highlighting divine knowledge and guidance.
- Encourages calmness and trust in God amidst fears and challenges, using Isaiah's messages.
- Lists common struggles: health issues, mental health, trauma, work-life balance, and financial pressures.
- Emphasizes the importance of belief in God's word for stability and peace.
- Shares a story about a mountain climber who fails to trust God's guidance, illustrating the challenge of faith.
- Concludes with a reminder of God's promises and the power of His word.

- God encourages King Ahaz to ask for a sign to strengthen his faith.
- It's unique that God invites Ahaz to request a sign instead of providing one directly.
- Ahaz's refusal to ask reveals his rebellious and untrusting heart.
- God addresses not just Ahaz but the faithlessness of the entire house of David.
- The prophecy of Emmanuel (God with us) is given, indicating future events.
- This prophecy has both immediate and long-term fulfillments, notably the birth of Jesus Christ.
- The statistical improbability of fulfilling multiple prophecies about Christ is highlighted, emphasizing divine revelation.

- The speaker uses a metaphor involving a blindfolded person (Marco) searching for a marked coin to illustrate the improbability of fulfilling eight prophecies about Jesus.
- Emphasizes that the prophecies made by Isaiah over 700 years before Christ's birth were fulfilled in Jesus.
- Discusses the virgin birth of Jesus, highlighting his dual nature as both human and divine.
- Jesus is presented as the savior from sin, emphasizing the need for salvation from the consequences of sin.
- Draws parallels between the angel's message to Joseph and God's call to King Ahaz in Isaiah.
- Shares a personal story about a hospital incident that illustrates the urgency of responding to spiritual needs (sin).
- Encourages listeners not to ignore the signs of salvation through Jesus and to trust in God's word.

- Trust God and do not be afraid; rely on Jesus Christ.
- Acknowledge God's salvation and seek forgiveness for sins.
- Pray for a desire to live for God and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Address personal struggles (health, mental health, trauma, etc.) and release them to God.
- Seek to develop deeper trust in God for resilience and strength.

- A preacher refuses rescue during a flood, believing God will save him, but ultimately drowns.
- In heaven, he questions God about his faith and lack of help; God explains the help was sent but unrecognized.
- The narrative shifts to the Christmas story and Isaiah's prophecy about the Messiah, emphasizing the importance of recognizing divine signs.
- King Ahaz of Judah is introduced, facing threats, with God showcasing His control over the situation.
- The speaker parallels biblical stories with contemporary struggles, encouraging trust in God amidst challenges.
- Common struggles like health, mental health, and financial pressures are mentioned, highlighting the need for belief in God's word.
- The prophecy of Emmanuel is discussed, linking to the birth of Jesus and the fulfillment of Isaiah's predictions.
- The improbability of fulfilling multiple prophecies about Christ is emphasized.
- Jesus is presented as the savior from sin, with parallels drawn to God's messages to both Ahaz and Joseph.
- Listeners are encouraged to recognize signs of salvation, trust in God, and seek forgiveness for sins.
- The message concludes with an emphasis on developing deeper trust in God for resilience and strength.

And by and by 1 of the townsfolk comes up to him in a canoe.

He says, better get in preacher, the waters are rising fast.

And Noah says to the preacher, I have faith in the Lord, he will save me.

And still the waters rise and now the preacher he's up on the balcony and And he's wringing his hands in supplication when another guy zips up in a motorboat Come on preacher.

The dam's gonna break any minute now." And once again the preacher, he's unmoved.

I shall remain, the Lord will see me through.

And after a while the dam breaks and the flood rushes in over the church until only the steeple remains above the water.

And the preacher, he's up there and he's clinging onto the cross.

And when a helicopter descends out of the clouds and there's a trooper and he's got 1 of those megaphones and he's going, grab the ladder preacher, this is your last chance.

And once again the preacher insists the Lord will deliver him and predictably he drowns.

He was a religious man and this preacher, he goes to heaven.

And after a while he gets an interview with God.

And he asks the Lord Almighty, he says, Lord, you know, I had unwavering faith in you.

And God looks to him, shakes his head and says, What did you want from me?

As I read this story, I asked myself, how many times in my own life have I cried out to God for help, only to ignore or perhaps not recognize his extended hand of grace.

How many times have I missed the sign, missed the 2 boats and a helicopter.

This morning we're gonna look at the Christmas story through the eyes of Isaiah chapter 7 and we'll enter a time in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 1, where we're gonna consider the birth of Jesus Christ.

Now some of you may be asking why the Book of Isaiah?

And as we heard this morning by our brother Cave, simply because it is the message of salvation that is later found in the Gospels in the New Testament.

You see early in the book of Isaiah we read about on the next slide people have turned away from God.

It could be bitterness, stubbornness, an unteachable spirit, undisciplined living, argumentation.

These are 5 signs of a spirit of rebellion.

But God offers to cleanse them of their sin through the life and ministry of his suffering servant Messiah.

The act of God's grace by which he rescues and restores his people from their sins.

And then thirdly, we see God offers blessings that come through faith and obedience, which I've called reward.

3 R words to help us remember the message of salvation.

Now, when considering the major theme in the book of Isaiah, what we've been calling here the big idea over the last couple of weeks, if there is 1 key verse, 1 verse that I want us to remember, that I want us to memorize, that I want us to leave here this morning with, and Keith last week ended his message referencing it.

I Will trust and not be afraid Altogether now behold God is my salvation.

I will trust and not be afraid Salvation is the overarching theme of the book of Isaiah.

In 5 separate occasions, Isaiah will speak about 5 different acts of deliverance performed by God.

If you have a phone, if you want to take a picture of this, if you want to read through the chapters during the week, it was a great encouragement to me as I was studying through the book of Isaiah.

But here you have 5 examples of deliverance.

The deliverance of Judah from the Assyrian invasion, the deliverance of the nation from Babylon captivity, the future deliverance of the Jews from worldwide dispersion among the Gentiles, the deliverance of lost sinners from judgment, and the final deliverance of creation from the bondage of sin when the kingdom is established.

Plenty of signs of deliverance and salvation in the Book of Isaiah.

It's no coincidence that Isaiah's name in Hebrew means Yahweh is salvation.

And carries the same meaning as Joshua, Elisha, and Jesus.

Now, if you have a Bible, you're going to need a Bible, because I didn't put the verses up there.

A Bible, a Bible app, whatever you have, please turn with me to Isaiah chapter 7, which is a clear prophecy about Messiah.

And our big idea with respect to our text this morning will be, don't miss the sign.

And as we make our way through this passage in Isaiah, I'd like us to consider 3 questions.

Let's begin our reading in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 1.

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pecca the son of Romalia, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it.

I don't want to lose anyone out of the gates.

Unfamiliar places, unfamiliar kings, unfamiliar kingdoms.

King Ahaz, next slide, King Ahaz assumes the throne in 735 BC.

And it's under attack from the northern kingdom, which is in blue.

I think they're color coordinated, but we're going to see in a second, which is Israel.

So Southern is being attacked by Northern Kingdom and Syria from the north.

They went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but they could not prevail against it.

They could not win, they would not conquer, they would not triumph, they would not succeed.

Verse 2, and it was told to the house of David, now that's a reference to Ahaz, king of Judah, saying, Syria's forces are deployed to Ephraim.

So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.

This is just a poetic way of saying that the king of Judah and his people were scared.

As these armies, they approached on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Verse 3, then the Lord said to Isaiah, go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shir Jezeb, your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field.

He's not surprised that there were plans to make war and he will not be surprised by the outcome.

Now, as you look at this verse, notice how God knows when to send Isaiah.

He says, go out now, and whom Isaiah is to meet, King Ahaz, and whom Isaiah is to bring his son, and where they are to meet with such precision.

You know, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool on the highway of the field.

Now perhaps you like me are hearing echoes of the Easter story.

When Jesus says to his disciples, go to the village ahead of you and at once you'll find a donkey tied there with her colt by her.

If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them and he will send them right away.

Question, how did Jesus know where to send the disciples?

How did he know that there'd be a donkey next to a colt?

How did the disciples know what to say when somebody would approach them.

And say to him, take heed, which means pay attention, and be quiet.

Do not fear or be faint-hearted, which is another word for a lack of courage.

For these 2 stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Resin in Syria and the son of Romalia, because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Romalia "'have plotted evil against you, saying, "'Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, "'and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, "'and set a king over them, the son of Tabell.'" See, these 2 kings with fierce anger, right?

Intense, ferocious, aggressiveness, they're plotting evil things against King Judah and the southern kingdom of Israel.

Do not lose heart because of these 2 smoldering stubs of firewood.

Smoldering stubs of firewood, they're not that threatening when there's not anything left to burn.

You see how this fits in with the overall theme of Isaiah.

This is the complete opposite of what I would do.

Is there anything in your life where you need to be reminded that God is in control.

Is there anything in your life that is keeping you up late at night, waking you up early in the morning, or preventing you from sleeping altogether?

According to author, writer, Brett Helling, here are some of the common things people struggle with.

Feels like the letter C is coming up more and more in conversations.

This week, someone within our circle was talking about suicide.

Somebody else was having some pretty bad episodes of depression.

I was hearing this morning about how students in elementary school are running around threatening other children.

This is like grade 5, grade 6, maybe younger, you know, with scissors, threatening to stab.

I mean, there are mental health issues, and it's good that we speak about them, and we should not be ashamed, and if that's somebody, something that you're struggling with, I encourage you to reach out.

Overcoming trauma, I mean in our prayer this morning, you know, many people are mourning the loss of a loved 1 this year.

Doug 2, 3 weeks ago spoke about discouragement.

Anybody feel like a hamster on 1 of those tread, those circle things, and you're just running and running and running and running, and there's just not enough time in a day, or What about feeling empty?

Always seeking something to fill that void.

What about starting and maintaining friendships?

Think about group dynamics at school, at work, in young adults, in Bible studies, as we get together, you know, accountability to 1 another and being vulnerable.

And anybody like failing, raise your hand.

Career and financial pressures, trying to make ends meet, read an article this week, inflation alone next week, next year, 2025, average grocery bill is going to go up by $800.

You know, if you're struggling with any of these or others, allow God's words through the prophet Isaiah to bring you peace, comfort, and strength.

Thus says the Lord God, it shall not stand nor shall it come to pass for the head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin.

Ephraim will be broken so that it will not be a people.

Ephraim, Israel, represented the 10 northern tribes of Israel, and sure enough, within 65 years, you could read about this in 2 Kings 17 6, the people would be captured and later, foreign settlers would be imported into their land.

So everything that was written here came true.

Verse 9, the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is Romalia's son.

If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.

2 choices are here presented to the king.

He can believe the word of the Lord or he can pursue his own agenda and fall into enemy hands.

The consequence of unbelief as stated in this verse, you shall not be established, should have sent a child down he has his back.

It's better to believe the word of the Lord.

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.

Keith last week spoke about snow, he referenced snow, so I thought this picture of snow was appropriate for the following story.

It's a story of a mountain climber who is desperate to conquer the Aconcagua, that's a mountain in Argentina, and I know I didn't pronounce it right, and he initiates his climb after years of preparation.

But he wanted the glory to himself, therefore he went up alone.

He started climbing and it was becoming later and later.

He did not prepare for camping but decided to keep on going.

Night fell with heaviness at a very high altitude.

As he was climbing a ridge at about a hundred meters from the top, he slipped and fell.

Falling rapidly, he could only see blotches of darkness that passed.

He felt a terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity.

He kept falling, and in those anguishing moments, good and bad memories passed through his mind.

He thought certainly he would die, But then he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half.

Yes, like any good mountain climber, he had staked himself with a long rope tied to his waist.

In those moments of stillness suspended in the air, He had no other choice but to shout out, help me God, help me.

All of a sudden he heard a deep voice from heaven, what do you want me to do?

Then cut the rope that is holding you up.

There was another moment of silence and stillness.

Next day, the rescue team found a frozen mountain climber hanging strongly to a rope 2 feet off the ground.

Imagine arriving to heaven and God shows you a picture of how you died Holding on to a rope 2 feet above the ground.

Because you refuse to heed his advice and to cut the rope.

Now, it is always so much easier to give advice when you're not the 1 holding on to the rope.

But when that's you holding on for dear life, that's when we're really challenged to trust and not be afraid.

As we were reminded last week in Isaiah 55-11, as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth.

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

And God in our story in Isaiah 7 is gonna do this amazing thing to encourage King Ahaz to believe.

Which brings us to the first question this morning.

And When I read this, honestly, I was blown away.

Verse 10, moreover, the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God, ask it either in the depth or in the height above.

You see, God knows King Ahaz's heart, and to encourage his faith, and may I suggest his unbelieving heart, God wants Ahaz to ask him for a sign.

It's not Ahaz that is asking God for a sign.

It's God speaking to Ahaz through Isaiah saying, ask me for a sign.

Verse 11, ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God.

I can't think of anywhere else in scripture where God wants us to ask him for a sign.

Now I'm sure many of you are thinking right now Judges 6.

Gideon asked God for a sign and God provided it.

But God did not ask Gideon to ask him for a sign.

In Matthew 12, 38, 39, Jesus said, an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

In Jesus' ministry, he used signs to confirm his presence in power.

And so why did God want Ahaz to ask for a sign?

Hey, King Ahaz, I want you to pay close attention now.

I'm about to provide you with a sign to convince you what is true, that Jerusalem's not gonna be invaded by its enemies, and that I promise you're gonna be protected and you're gonna be safe and you can trust in me so you ready for it, here comes the sign.

Instead, God wants Ahaz to ask him for a sign.

1, he wants to expose Ahaz's darkened, rebellious, and sinful heart.

But more importantly, 2, God is calling Ahaz into, here's the other R word, relationship with him He's calling him into a relationship the sign would confirm God's presence and power But he has his heart it needed to be in the right place in order for him to ask God, to approach God, to ask him for a sign.

And Ahaz needed to know that God cared for him and loved him and can always be trusted no matter what the circumstances.

It was time for Ahaz to examine his heart and to cut the rope.

Verse 12, But Ahaz said, I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord.

Again, you see the condition of Ahaz's calloused heart.

He trusted only in himself, only in his rope.

You see, secretly, King Ahaz was playing politics and was in a treaty with Assyria.

And you can read of that historical account throughout the week, 2 Kings, chapter 16.

So instead of confessing and repenting of what he had done, he refused to ask for a sign.

Then he said, here now, O house of David, it is a small thing for you to weary men, But will you weary my God also?

God through Isaiah extends his focus past Ahaz and addresses the faithlessness of the kingdom of Judah.

The whole house of David is guilty of testing God's patience.

And what follows is the prophecy concerning Emmanuel.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.

Curds and honey he shall eat and he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.

The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people in your father's house, days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.

This Prophecy was spoken by Isaiah in 734 BC.

We know from history that 2 years later, Assyria defeats Syria.

And 10 years later, following the defeat of Syria in 722 BC, Assyria invades the northern kingdom.

Both the kings of Syria and Israel will have met their doom as foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

And this brings us to our third question.

Now at the time of this prophecy, many believe that the virgin Isaiah was referring to his second wife and that the son, Shiboram was both named Emmanuel and Mahir Shalaa Hazba.

This short-term prophecy would soon be fulfilled with the birth of Isaiah's son, Emmanuel, whose Hebrew name means God with us.

But more importantly, the ultimate fulfillment of this long-term prophecy would occur 734 years later at the birth of Jesus Christ.

As we heard this morning, it's not Peter and Paul writing about accounts that happened before.

This is what Isaiah is seeing in his vision and his relationship with God, and that he's writing down things that are gonna happen 734 years from now with incredible precision.

And in his writings, he's referring to the coming Messiah, With such precision that only God himself could have revealed this to him now In order for us to better appreciate the fulfillment of this long-term prophecy and this is really cool.

Peter Stoner replies the modern science of probability to just 8 prophecies regarding Christ.

The probability of getting 8 prophecies of Christ true 700 years before they happened, as written in

So for instance, If I took a loony out of my pocket and I flipped it and I said what's the probability or the chance of getting heads or tails, we'd say 1 in 2 or 50%.

And if I said okay, the 649, right, how many tickets would I have to buy in order to be guaranteed to win, the answer would be 1 in 14 million.

Like that, that's, the odds are pretty small.

Peter in his writings, what he says is the chance that any man might have fulfilled all a prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 17th.

That's the number 1 followed by 17 zeros.

Okay, you're probably still not getting it, and that's okay.

I know there's like 6 zeros in a million, 7 in a billion, I get that.

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12-08-2024