Waiting: An Intro to Advent - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) advent intro (2) “Vroegop” -- opposite of waiting (3) goal -- get honest about waiting

What makes waiting hard?
1. The uncertainty of delay: (1) uncertainty due to lack of info we’re used to having (cf. google age) (2) previous generations lived with far less info (cf. life 360) (3) angst around how long we expect something to take (cf. traffic jam, medical tests) (4) importance of living with margin
2. The pain of disappointment: (1) disappointment when expectations go unfulfilled (cf. marriage, pregnancy, adult children, physical healing) (2) pain that can be physical, emotional, relational, spiritual (3) importance of acknowledging these things, not letting Satan condemn us

How do we waste our waiting?
1. Complaining: (1) Exodus 14:1-7, 10-12 (2) v.1-4 -- God orchestrates situations of forced waiting so that he gets the glory (3) v.10-12 -- responses of fear, cynicism, complaint, preference for bondage (4) loss of control reveals fears, also sets up miracles -- Jesus on cross (cf. communion)
2. Settling: (1) Exodus 32:1-6 (2) waiting created by Moses’ absence (2) look elsewhere for security -- false gods that play to physical desires (3) how do we settle when anxiety/uncertainty from waiting overtakes us? (4) irony of this happening while Moses is receiving the law

How does God use waiting?
1. Waiting points: (1) practical examples -- mail, baby, guests, banquet (3) examples from the
psalms (cf. 40:1-3) -- waiting invites us to focus on the Lord (4) examples from epistles (cf. Rom. 8:23) -- waiting puts our focus on eternity
2. Waiting strengthens: (1) Isaiah 40:27-31 (2) historical context (3) v.27 -- waiting brings despair to our experience (4) v.28 -- waiting humbles us before God’s four-fold description, preps us to receive (5) v.29-31 -- God strengthens beyond human potential/ability (6) example of Jacob

Conclusion: (1) the Lord sustains us in our waiting (cf. Lam. 3:19-26) -- manna could not be bought in bulk (2) tension of waiting points us to eternity (3) kneeling response?