The Return to the Land

I love the Christmas season. I don't know about you, but I love the opportunity to stay focused. You know, we get so distracted. We get, you know, our minds are everywhere. It's so easy for us to get off kilter and get off track. And yet, the month of December, it seems to be a great month for me, specifically, to stay focused and to keep my family focused. That's why we have gone through this booklet together, The Advent Jesse Tree, a devotional book, speaking of the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah would stem from the root of Jesse.

And this whole book is about the promises and prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. And while it doesn't go into great detail, it does give you that opportunity for a brief moment each and every day to keep your family focused. And we've made a decision that each and every year for the next several years, we will do this book because it gives me the opportunity on Sunday mornings to preach on something different each year. Specifically, one of the promises that are recorded in that book. And, you know, you can buy all the CDs and you can store them up over the years.

So hopefully, you'll be able to have enough that you'll be able to have a wealth of information to talk to your family about as you sit down together and explore these prophecies and promises together. We want you to stay focused. And maybe for the first time in our church's history, one month out of the year, we are all on the same page doing the same thing in our homes and on Sunday morning.

So that makes the month of December a very special month as we as a church family stay focused on what it is we are celebrating this Christmas season. And today's lesson is a lesson that might not seem so Christmassy. You know, this is the Sunday we celebrate Christmas because, of course, Christmas is a Thursday this week. So next Sunday, Christmas is over and we move on. And yet, this is the Sunday we celebrate Christmas. And on day 21 in our Advent Jesse Tree devotional book, it's about the return to the land.

Once Israel has been in exile for some 70 years, they return to the land. So how do we make the return to the land a Christmas message? How do we look at this aspect and this promise of Christ to focus in on the Christmas season?

Well, for me it's easy. And so I want to show you how easy it is for me to focus my family in on how it was that when God gave a promise to the land of Israel, to the people of Israel, to return to the land, how that is a fulfillment of Christmas promise. Christmas is all about the fulfillment of promises. It's all about God being faithful to His word. And while the children of Israel were in exile for those 70 years under Babylonian captivity, God made a promise to them. And when God makes a promise, He always keeps His word.

The promise He made is found in the book of Jeremiah, the 29th chapter. A very familiar verse, but it will be the text we will use this morning. You will note that on day 21 in your Jesse Tree devotional book, you will talk about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall. And how under Zerubbabel, they would restore the temple. Under Nehemiah, they would rebuild the wall around Jerusalem when they would return to the land. And then they would begin to wait for the Messiah. They would live in anticipation for the arrival of the Messiah.

But like most of us, that anticipation grows cold when Jesus doesn't show up. Jesus said that He was going to come quickly. He would return to earth. That was a promise He made some 2,000 years ago. And for some of us, that anticipation has grown cold. He made a promise some 2,000 years ago that He would return, and where is He? And so we don't live in anticipation of the arrival of the Messiah. We don't live as if He would come back today because our anticipation has begun to dwindle. And our longing for Him has grown cold.

Like it did for Israel. And so when the Messiah finally arrived, nobody was looking for Him. Oh, there were a few. There was Simeon. There was Anna. There was Joseph and Mary, of course. There was Zacharias and Elizabeth. There were some shepherds. There were the Magi. Hardly anybody else. Who was looking and anticipating the arrival of the Messiah? God made a promise He was going to come. And all throughout the Old Testament, it's all about the coming of the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Deliverer of Israel.

Well, while Israel was in captivity because they disobeyed the Lord, God made a promise to them. This is what He said. Jeremiah 29, verse number 4, Israel was in captivity because God sent them there. That was very important for Israel to understand. Because false prophets had arisen in the land. And if you read through the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah who had prophesied during the Babylonian exile, they would see that they would prophesy from a different perspective. That's why it says in verse number 8 of Jeremiah 29, They would prophesy saying, oh, peace, peace, when there was no peace.

They would prophesy safety when there was no safety. You can read all about it as Jeremiah would recount what they were saying and they were wrong. And God says, I didn't send them.

They would come and say, this is not the discipline of the Lord. But it was the discipline of the Lord. God said, I sent you into exile. This is my plan for you. Why? Read on. Verse number 10, God made a promise. God said, I sent you into exile because I have a plan for you. I need you to seek me. I need you to search for me. And when you do, you'll find me. But you see, you stopped longing for me. So I'm going to discipline you. I'm going to send you into exile because my plans for you are beyond what you can comprehend.

They're for your welfare, not for your calamity. They're to give you a future and a hope. So you will seek me. You will search for me. And when you do, you will find me. And I will bring you back to a place, to the land that I have promised you. The land of promise. The land of Canaan. The land of Israel. God made a promise. So when you talk to your children about the return to the land, it was a fulfillment of promise. Because God said this is what he was going to do. It was about the faithfulness of God.

This Christmas season, I want you to understand the faithfulness of God. That God is always true to his word. He never fails. Remember back in the book of Joshua. Joshua said these words to the nation of Israel. Joshua chapter 23 verse number 14. Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed. All have been fulfilled for you. And not one of them has failed.

Joshua wanted to remind the children of Israel that the word of God had not failed. He was true to his word. Joshua wanted the people to know about the faithfulness of God. So few of us understand God's faithfulness. We live in a society that's unfaithful. Husbands are unfaithful to their wives. Wives are unfaithful to their husbands. Believers are unfaithful to their God in keeping his word. Leaders of countries, leaders of churches, leaders of government are unfaithful in keeping their word. We live in a society where it's hard to find a faithful man.

It's hard to find a trustworthy man because there are so few and far between. But our God is faithful and therefore we need to understand his faithfulness. Joshua says God has not failed to keep all the good word that he spoke to you. That is so important. You see when God makes a promise he keeps it. Way back in Genesis chapter 15 he told Abraham. Remember the Abrahamic covenant? God said listen this is what I'm going to do. Your people will be sent to another land. And they will be in exile for four generations.

And at the coming of that fourth generation I will lead them out of exile into this land. And sure enough Israel was in Egypt for 400 years. For four generations. And when you read the book of Exodus it was after 430 years that God brought them out. To that very day the book of Exodus says that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. And that's why Joseph said to the children of Israel to his brothers. He says when I die I want you to carry my bones from Egypt to Israel. Because God made a promise that we will return to that land.

That land that was promised to our father Abraham. And when that happens I want you to carry my bones from Egypt and bury me in the land of Israel. And sure enough when you read the book of Exodus. Moses gathered up the bones of Joseph. And moved them from Egypt to Israel. Because it was a symbol of the faithfulness of God to keep his word perfectly and precisely. Folks God keeps his word. That's what Christmas is all about. God said way back in Genesis chapter 3. I'm going to send a seed. The seed that will crush the serpent's head.

Galatians 3 tells us that seed was the Messiah. Who crushed the serpent's head at Calvary's cross. You read on in the book of Exodus. You understand that God says a star will rise out of Jacob.

And that star is a symbol of the Messiah. And sure enough we know that Jesus Christ is that bright and morning star. And we also know that it was a star that led the Magi to the place where Jesus was. When the Magi would worship him. Because it was a fulfillment of prophecy. That's why there's a star of David on the flag of Israel. It's a messianic sign. It's a sign that the Messiah will be a star. A star that will rise out of Jacob. God is true to his word. God said that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem.

Micah chapter 5 verse number 2. Micah chapter 4 verse number 8. So you understand about the prophecy that the coming Messiah. And the place in which he would be born. You know if it was me and I was an Israelite. I'd make my home in Bethlehem. That's where I would have built my home. And that's where I would have taken my family. Because I would be looking for the Messiah. If the Old Testament says he's going to be born in Bethlehem. I'm not going to live in Cana. I'm not going to live in the Decapolis.

I'm not going to live in the northern part of Galilee. I'm going to live in Bethlehem. Because I'm going to anticipate the arrival of the Messiah. Because that's what the Bible says.

He'll be born in Bethlehem. The city of David. God is true to his word. God said that in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17. That there would be a prophet that would arise. Who was greater than Moses. And that prophet was the Messiah. And John chapter 7 verse number 40 tells us. That Jesus is that great prophet. That would arise from Israel. God is true to his word. Christmas is about the fulfillment of promise. Christmas is about the faithfulness of God. God is true to his word. In fact the Bible says these words.

In Isaiah 11 verse number 5. Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins. And faithfulness the belt. Of his waist. Isaiah says. That faithfulness is what ties the clothes of God together. It brings all the parts of God together. His faithfulness. He's true to his word. And that's what Joshua wanted the children of Israel to understand. That's what we need to understand today. That God is faithful at keeping his word. If God said it. He meant it. It will happen. That's what faith is all about. We believe by faith.

That what Christ said will happen as he said it. If you read the Old Testament. The words faithful and true are used. Almost interchangeably side by side. Because they come from the same root word. God is faithful because God is true. That's why when he returns in Revelation 19. He has written on his robe. Faithful and true. It's almost as if he said. I told you so. And you didn't believe me. It's there for all to see. I told you I was coming back. I told you I was the king of Israel. And you didn't believe me.

So read it. Read it well. Read it and weep. Faithful and true. That's what it says. Because that's who he is. And when you read the Old Testament. It's a continual emphasis upon the faithfulness of God. That's why the Bible says in the book of Hebrews.

The 11th chapter of Sarah. Remember Sarah? The wife of Abraham. Hebrews 11. Verse number 11 says this. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive. Even beyond the proper time of life. Since she considered him faithful who had promised. God was true to his word. And Sarah had to come to a point in her life. Where she believed that if God said it. It will happen. And in the Old Testament. Those men who didn't have a Bible like we today. Had to believe that what God said was going to happen.

Would happen just as he said it would happen. That's why the Bible says in the book of Deuteronomy. The 7th chapter. God says this.

Verse number 6. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession. Out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you. Because you were more in number than any of the peoples. For you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath. Which he swore to your forefathers. The Lord brought you out by a mighty hand. And redeemed you from the house of slavery.

From the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God. He is God. The faithful God. Who keeps his covenant. And his loving kindness. To a thousandth generation. With those who love him and keep his commandments. God chose Israel. Because he was faithful to the promise he made to Abraham. God made a promise to Abraham. He says I'm going to make you a father of a great nation. And God says to the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 7.

The reason you are loved by me. Is because I am faithful to my word. I am faithful to the covenant I made with Abraham. That I would bless him. And I would make him a father of a great nation. God is faithful. God is love. And God demonstrates that to the nation of Israel. When you look at Israel.

You see one thing about God. You see the faithfulness of God. The land of Israel exists today. Because of the faithfulness of God. The nation of Israel exists today. Because God himself is faithful. He made a promise to Abraham. He took Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees. He brought him across the river. That's what it means to be a Hebrew person. Hebrew means to cross the river. He brought Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees. He brought him across the great river Euphrates. He made Abraham who was a Gentile.

He made Abraham a Jew. He made him a Jew. And from him came the Jewish people. It's hard for a Jew to understand that. I talk to my Jewish friends in Israel and say you know. You guys were Gentiles before you were ever Jews. You guys were one of me before I was one of you. They don't get that. But Abraham was a Gentile before he ever became a Jew. That's what it means to be a Hebrew person. He crossed the river. And God made a promise to Abraham. I'm going to bless you. And I'm going to bless those who curse you.

Because I'm going to make you the father of a great nation. And God says to the children of Israel. In the book of Deuteronomy. I love you and I chose you. Because I made a promise to Abraham. I made a covenant with Abraham. I am true to my word. I am a faithful God and I keep my word. And when you look at the nation of Israel.

You see the faithfulness of God. We need to understand that faithfulness. This Christmas season. We need to understand the truthfulness of our God. The Bible speaks about the counsels of God. Are faithful and true. The Bible speaks in Psalm 119 verse number 86. In Psalm 119 verse number 138. About the commandments of God. And the testimonies of God are faithful. You see if God himself is faithful. Then the words he speaks are faithful. Right? So we can take God at his word. What he says is true. So we believe him because he is faithful to his word.

Listen to this. Psalm 89. I'm sorry. Psalm 33 verse number 4. For the word of the Lord is right. And all his work is done in faithfulness. All of his work is done in faithfulness. Do you believe that? Do you believe that all the work God does. Is done because he is a faithful God. Let me give you a personal illustration.

This past week we had some rain. You know last year at Christmas time we had some wind. I talked to you about how the wind was so strong that it blew my block wall over in my backyard. Well this Christmas we had wind and rain. Okay? So God added to the disaster this Christmas in my home. And so because there was wind and rain. And my windows were not sealed properly by the builder. Rain came into my home. So last year it was wind. This year it was wind and rain. Next year wind, rain, and you can fill in the blank.

Whatever it may be. And so as the water came gushing into my bedroom. And flooded my carpet. And ruined my carpet. And was flooding in my slider glass door downstairs. And through various windows downstairs. I was reminded of the fact that all God's work is done in faithfulness. God wanted to drive home a lesson to me. At the same time earlier that week I realized as I was watching the news. There was a young lady who had gone to the hospital because she had a kidney stone. And she was unable to pass that stone while in the hospital.

So they gave her some painkillers to go home and pass that stone. She went home and the next day she went into a coma. And when she woke up from that coma she had no hands. And she had no feet. And she was blind in one eye. For some reason there was an infection that was caused. Because of this kidney stone that went to the outer extremities of her body. That caused the doctors to have to amputate both her hands and both of her feet. So she wakes up knowing that she had a kidney stone. Went into a coma, woke up, no hands, no feet.

Blind in one eye and partially blind in the other. And I began thinking to myself. You know what? At least I had hands to get down and wipe up the water with. At least I had feet to carry the wet towels from one part of the house to the other part of the house. You see all God's works are done in faithfulness. God never does anything by accident. God does what he does because he has a plan. Unfortunately most of us don't get that. That's because we don't understand the faithfulness of God. He is true to his word.

Psalm 89.8 says God's faithfulness surrounds him. It surrounds him. Listen to this. Psalm 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed securely on his faithfulness. Do you know that the faithfulness of God is to be your food? Feed securely on his faithfulness. That's why the Bible says that man should not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

What's going to sustain you from day to day is the very word of God. Because the word of God is faithful and the word of God is true. In the context of Psalm 37, the psalmist says, Look, you can worry. It's not going to do you any good. Because what's going to happen is going to happen. God's in charge. What you need to do is not worry, not be filled with anxiety concerning all the conflict you encounter. But you need to feed on the faithfulness of God. That is, you need to feed on the character and nature of God.

You need to have your whole life have a feast on God and his wonderful nature and character. Because God is a faithful God. That's why Psalm 84, 11 says, Our God is a sun and a shield. Sun talking about his provision, shield talking about his protection. Our God is a sun and a shield. And then it says this, And no good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. If God is a provider of man and God is a protector of man, Then no good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

The question is, do you believe that? Because God is faithful and God is true to his word. And you, as a Christian, need to understand that if God says it, you've got to believe it.

Let me give you another personal illustration. When my first wife died some 24 years ago, I realized that I wasn't cut out to live a single life.

I understood that. And so I trusted God. And I said, Lord, I know the Bible says in Psalm 84, 11, That you are a sun and a shield to those who trust in you.

And that no good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. And so Lord, I believe that and I know you're faithful to your word. I also know the Bible says in Proverbs 18, 24, That whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing.

So if no good thing do you withhold from those who walk uprightly, And whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing, I'm going to trust you to give me that good thing. Because I believe that you are faithful to your word. The Bible says in Psalm 119, 68, That our God is good and doest good.

Our God is good and doest good. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. And whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing. I also know that Romans 8, 28 says, That God works all things together for good to those who love God And are called according to his purpose. And I know that Joshua 24 says, As we read earlier, I'm sorry, Joshua 23, That the Lord has fulfilled all of his good word to Israel. And so I took God at his word. I said, Lord, I'm taking you at your word. If you are faithful, and I believe you are, Because the Bible says you're faithful.

That you are true to your word. Lord, I need you to provide for me. I'm going to walk uprightly. I'm going to serve you. I'm going to honor you with my life. And I need you to provide for me a wife. And God did. God provided a woman for me that goes way beyond whatever dream she would be. Most didn't think we were ever going to make it. She was a college student. I was a college pastor. They thought she was some young thing and that it wouldn't last very long. Boy, were they wrong. But the Lord had done a great work.

And the Lord provided that good thing for me. Because he promised no good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. That's a promise of God. And I believe that God is faithful to his word. And because God is good and do us good, right? It's all about the goodness of God. I trusted him to fulfill his word because I knew he was faithful to his word. And God did a great and mighty work. Way beyond anything I could ever dream. And 22 and a half years later, 7 kids later, I have seen God do a tremendous work in the life of my wife.

In the life of my family. Because God is faithful to his word. Do you believe that? I trust that you do. This Christmas is about the faithfulness of God. Every Christmas is about the faithfulness of God. Every day is about the faithfulness of God. Because the faithfulness of God surrounds him. That's why Hebrews 10.23 says, Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. God is faithful. Now, let me give you.

That's all introductory material. Let me give you 7 principles that will help you understand God's faithfulness.

That you can claim every single day. That you can begin to apply to your life every single day. My God, your God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is so faithful that he assures your salvation. He assures your salvation. 1 Corinthians 1.7-9 says this, So that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful. Through whom you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ.

Our Lord. Your eternal security is based on the faithfulness of God. He is faithful. God is faithful. He assures your salvation. I've never understood people who don't believe in eternal security. I never quite get that. Because eternal security is based, listen, on the character of God. If you don't believe in eternal security, you doubt and deny the character of God. It's based on his faithfulness. It's based on his omnipotence, right? How about this? 1 Peter 1.5 says, We are kept by the power of God.

My security is based on the power of Almighty God. So if God is all powerful, that means that he's able to keep that which I have entrusted to him. Right? Because he's the all powerful God. My eternal security is based on the faithfulness of God, the power of God, he's omnipotent, plus the sovereignty of God. Because Ephesians 1 verse number 5 or verse number 4 says, that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. So you see, the eternal security is based on the character and nature of God.

It has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with God. And because God is faithful, he says that he assures your salvation. He puts you into the fellowship with him, and therefore you are eternally secure. God's faithfulness assures your salvation. Number 2, God's faithfulness affirms your sanctification. God's faithfulness affirms your sanctification. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse number 23 says, Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he who calls you, and he also will bring it to pass. Our God is faithful. So faithful he assures your salvation and affirms your sanctification. That is, he will, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 23, sanctify you entirely or sanctify you completely. In other words, that means that God is going to save you, he's going to grow you, and he's going to ultimately glorify you. Why? Because if you read Romans chapter 8, those in whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to his image.

Your being conformed to the image of Christ is based on the predetermined plan and call of God in your life. Faithful is he who called you, who also will bring it to pass. He affirms your sanctification. He assures your salvation. Number three, he accepts your confession.

Because God is faithful, he accepts your confession. 1 John chapter 1 verse number 9. It says, what? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and he is just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God promises because he is faithful to accept your confession. When you say the same thing about your sin that God says about it, that's what amalegao means.

When we confess our sins, he is faithful and he is just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You see, we have a hard time with that because, you know, we have those who are close to us, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, grandfather, grandmother, those closest to us, that when we sin against them and ask them to forgive us and they say, yes, I forgive you, they still treat us differently. They give us a cold shoulder. They don't communicate with us like they used to communicate with us.

So we assume that God is going to be the same way. We confess our sin to God and we assume that God is going to give us a cold shoulder because those closest to us give us a cold shoulder. That God is not going to be so willing to hear my conversation with him. But that's not true. Because God is faithful and God is just. And your husband and wife are not faithful and are not just. But God is, see. And so because he is faithful, he is the one who accepts our confession. Jeremiah 31, 34 says, I will forgive their iniquities and their sins.

I will remember no more. That's our God. He is faithful. So faithful, he assures our salvation. He affirms our sanctification. He accepts our confession. And number four, he applies his protection. He applies his protection. 2 Thessalonians 3. Verse number three says this.

But the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. Because God is faithful. He will protect you from the evil one. He will apply protection to your life. He will protect you. That's what Jesus said in John 17. In his high priestly prayer. He says, Father, I pray not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one while they are still in the world. I pray that you not isolate them, but that you insulate them. I pray that you protect them from the evil one.

So Paul is saying in 2 Thessalonians 3, verse number three, that God is answering the prayer of his son in John 17 because he is faithful to protect you from the evil one.

That's why we have what is called the shield of faith. That huge shield that we as Christians bow down and are protected by. So all the missiles of the devil fall into that shield because we are protected by what God said. We are protected by the word of God. We are protected by the faithfulness of God. And because he is faithful, he applies that protection to you and me. Number five, he assists us in temptation. Because God is faithful, he assists us in temptation. 1 Corinthians 10, verse number 13.

No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond that which you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. God promises to assist us in every temptation. God says in every temptation there is a route of escape.

Now you might not see it, you might not find it, but the only reason you don't see it is because you don't want to see it. Think about it. You don't want to find it. Because you like that temptation. See? And yet God says in every temptation, the temptation you have is common to man.

No temptation you encounter, no parosmos that you encounter is uncommon to man. So don't sit back there and say, you know what, no one has experienced what I'm experiencing. Nobody is going through what I'm going through. If you could just see the problems I have in my family or my situation, you can't relate to me because mine is an uncommon temptation. No, you can't say that. Because there is no temptation that is not common to man. It's common to every man. Every man. And in every temptation, God promises, because He is faithful, a route of escape.

An escape route. That when you trust Him and you believe in Him, you will not fall into sin. You will not succumb to that temptation because you are carried away by your own lusts and enticed. No, you can find that route of escape. Because God promises, He is faithful. If you fall in temptation, it's not because God is not faithful. It's because you are unwilling to trust His faithfulness and follow that route of escape that He Himself provides. Our God is faithful to assure our salvation, to affirm our sanctification, to accept our confession, to apply His protection, to assist us in temptation.

And here's the zinger. To allow your affliction. To allow your affliction. Verse Psalm 119.75 says, In faithfulness thou hast afflicted me. Now that's a little different slant on God's faithfulness, isn't it? God is so faithful, He allows your affliction. If you follow through with Psalm 119, you realize that the Bible says these words in verse number 67.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word. That's why I said, in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me. God is so faithful and so true to sanctify you entirely, that He will allow affliction to come your way so that you will learn to keep His word. He also says in verse number 71, It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes. God is so faithful to sanctify you entirely. God is so faithful to sanctify you completely. God is so faithful to conform you to His image, that He will allow affliction to come in His faithfulness, so that you will learn His statutes and you will keep His word.

That's the promise of God. That's something we need to understand at Christmas time. That's something we need to understand every day of our lives. Because it's the truth of the word of God. Let me give you one more, number 7.

See, you thought this was going to be a real long sermon. I know how you think. You're those evil wicked hearts out there, I know. Okay, number 7. He answers our petition or our supplication. He answers our supplication. Psalm 143, verse number 1. Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications. Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy righteousness. God is so faithful, not only to allow your affliction, but to answer your supplication amidst that affliction. That's the faithfulness of God. He wants you to cry out to Him.

He promises to answer. That's why over in 1 John chapter 5, it says these words. 1 John chapter 5, verse 14. And this is the confidence which we had before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. God is faithful. Now, because He is. That's who He is. It's the belt around His waist that ties His clothing together. Faithfulness is that which surrounds Him. It's His character.

And we are to feed securely on that faithfulness based on Psalm 37. It's to be a part of our diet every single part of the day. Because it's the truth of God's word. We need to be able to shout aloud about that faithfulness. Psalm said, Psalm 89, these words. I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever. To all generations I will make known thy faithfulness with my mouth. For I have said loving kindness will be built up forever. In the heavens thou will establish thy faithfulness. And then verse number 30.

God says if His sons forsake my law, and do not walk in my judgments, if they violate my statutes, and do not keep my commandments, then I will visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

But I will not break off my loving kindness from them, nor deal falsely in my faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever. And His throne as a sun before me shall be established forever. Like the moon and the witness in the sky is faithful. Psalm says God is true. God made a promise. And when God makes a promise He keeps His word. He uses the illustration of the Abrahamic covenant and the Davidic covenant as an assurance of the faithfulness of God.

Is it any wonder that Jeremiah, when he wrote the book of Lamentations, said this, This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindness and deed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. Jeremiah, when he awoke every day, Jeremiah was the dreaded prophet. Liked by no one. Hated by all. Except of course for God. God loved Jeremiah. God appointed Jeremiah. And every day Jeremiah would awake, he would awake to pain, misery, dread, and horror.

Every single day. But on this day in the book of Lamentations, the weeping prophet would recall to his mind that one single hope. That great is the faithfulness of God. He said, I don't trust you. Because I know what's going on in my life. Or I don't trust you because I know what's going on in the life of the nation of Israel. He says, no, I trust you because you, God, cannot fail. And that's why I trust Him. And that's the essence of what we at Christmas need to understand. That we trust and believe that our God is faithful.

Let's pray. Father, we thank You for today. This day in which we celebrate the greatness of Your birth. A day in which we gather together to sing praises to Your name. And to focus in on Jesus Christ, the one who is faithful and true. We are so grateful, Lord Jesus, that we can trust You. We can't trust anybody else. We can't even trust ourselves. Because our hearts are so deceitful and so desperately wicked. But we can trust You. Because what You said will happen. It will happen just as You spoke it.

Because You are true. Father, this Christmas, may each of us cling and feed and cultivate the faithfulness of God in our lives. That we might learn to trust You and Your Word more this Christmas season than ever before. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our soon coming King. Amen.