Patience at Christmas. (397)

Patience

Isaiah 35:1-10

1 The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus
2 It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.
3 Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.
4 Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.
7 The scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
8 A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it.
9 No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

a shout of praise

• For redemption and freedom in the Lord:
• physically as well as spiritually.

The journey to Zion is a journey of joy,

• because the wilderness is blooming
• because the Lord is present.

Matthew 11:2-11

2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:
5 the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
6 “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see?
A reed shaken by the wind?
8 “But what did you go out to see?
A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!
9 “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.
10 “This is the one about whom it is written,

`BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,
WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.´

11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Jesus’ reply summarizes the message of the kingdom of God:

• A message of hope,
• Healing, and salvation
• Especially for the needy.

John,

• Spoke great words and was the greatest of his age,
• Even the least in the kingdom will surpass John.

James 5:7-10 ‘

7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.
8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The coming of the Lord often appears to be delayed. But James urges us to be patient
he reminds us that

• The Lord’s coming is near
• it’s difficult to perceive the Lord’s timing.

Psalms 146:5-10

5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free.

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
9 The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10 The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

The psalmist praises the Lord

• he’s the Creator of the world
• he’s the Provider for his people. >

The psalm with the list of the loving deeds of God,

• He gives food to the hungry
• he raises up those who are bowed down.

The words are reminiscent of the words from Isaiah that Christ applied to himself

Luke 4:18-19).

18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

Hymns:

Links to hymns are provided by various YouTube channels. Enjoy.

Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus

Hail to the Brightness

Hark! the Glad Sound

Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah