Advent - God's Great Orchestration

Advent - God's Great Orchestration
Luke 2
Pastor Miles
Dec 8, 2013

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son ... (Galatians 4:4 NIV)

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son ... (Hebrews 1:1, 2 NIV)

LUKE 2

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:1-7 NIV)

1. God works his plan through circumstances.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6, 7 NIV)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son ... (Galatians 4:4 NIV)

2. Sometimes we can see God's hand in circumstances.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:15-19 NIV)

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son ... (Hebrews 1:1, 2 NIV)

3. Sometimes we can't see God's hand.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV)

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son ... (Hebrews 1:1, 2 NIV)

- when we look to the Cross, we can see God's heart even if we can't see His plan
- we see the One who unconditionally bore our sins even when we rejected Him
- He knows what suffering is about. God uses suffering to accomplish His plan

"I know not all His plans, but I do know that I'm in His hands."