Why God Uses Waiting as a Key Part of the Christmas Story and our Life of Faith

1. Christmas
Is for Those who
Wait

2. Lamentations 3
Matthew 1

6. Christmas
The First

7. Gift
was a

8. Were Waiting
to Those who
on the Lord

10. “The charactersweencounter(in
thegospels) aremodelsofJewish
piety,thefaithful remnantofIsrael
awaitingtheirMessiah.

11. Zechariah andElizabethareof
priestlyancestry, righteousbefore
Godandfaithfultohislaw.

12. Thecentralthemeof thebirth
narrativeisthearrivalofGod’s
salvationand thefulfillmentofhis
promisestoIsrael.”-MarkStrauss

13. The Faithful Remnant

14. The Faithful Remnant
1. Mary
2. Joseph
3. Zacharias
4. Elizabeth

15. The Faithful Remnant
1. Mary
2. Joseph
3. Zacharias
4. Elizabeth
5. Shepherds
6. Magi
7. Simeon
8. Anna

16. Christmas
Is for Those who
Wait

17. People
hate
Waiting

20. People
wHAT kIND OF
are we

21. are forced
when we
to wait?

22. The Bible
is a book about
Waiting

23. Wait forthe Lord!
Be strong,and letyourhearttake
courage;waitfortheLord!
-Psalm27:14

24. "Bestrong,and letyourheart
takecourage,all youwhowait
forthe Lord!"
-Psalm31:24

25. "Iwaited patientlyfortheLord;he
inclined to meandheardmycry."
-Psalm40:1

26. Advent:
AperiodbeforeChristmaswhen
Christiansprepareforthe
celebration ofJesus’ birth.
Holman’sBibleDictionary

27. Advent:
isusedespeciallyof thecomingof
JesusChrist at theincarnation.
Holman’sBibleDictionary

28. O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

29. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

30. Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.

31. Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

32. Christmas
Is for Those who
Wait

33. Waiting
is
Hard

34. Waiting
is Even harder when
Life is Hard

35. Lamentations 3
Matthew 1

36. The cycle
and the
Judges
The United
Kingdom

37. The Kingdom
of Saul

38. The Kingdom of
David and Solomon

39. The cycle
and the
Judges
The United
Kingdom
The Kingdom Splits

40. The cycle
and the
Judges
The United
Kingdom
The Kingdom Splits

41. The Kingdom of
David and Solomon

42. The Divided
Kingdom
Israel (North)
Judah (South)

43. The Cycle
and the
Judges
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah

44. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah

45. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah
The Assyrian
Dispersion

46. The Divided
Kingdom
Israel (North)
Judah (South)

47. Assyrian
Dispersion

48. The Assyrian
Empire
(Early)

49. The Assyrian
Empire
(Late)

50. The Assyrian
Empire
(Late)

51. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah
The Assyrian
Dispersion

52. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah
Babylonian
Captivity
The Assyrian
Dispersion

53. The
Babylonian
Empire

54. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah
The Assyrian
Dispersion
Babylonian
Captivity

55. The Assyrian
Dispersion
Babylonian
Captivity
Medo-Persian
Empire

56. The Babylonian
Captivity
(70 years)

57. The Babylonian
Captivity
(70 years)

58. Judah
The Babylonian
Captivity

60. e
The United
Kingdom
Israel
Judah
The Assyrian
Dispersion
Babylonian
Captivity

61. You
should
own this
book

62. “Astoitshistorical andtheological
perspective,itishardforusatour
pointinhistory toappreciatethe
utterdevastationof thefallof
JerusalemforthepeopleofJudah.

63. Butbeyondthattherewasthe
largerquestionofIsrael’scalling
androleasthepeopleofGod.

64. Herewasapeoplewhosehistory
wassingularly boundupwiththe
Godwhohadredeemedthemfrom
slaveryinEgypt,

65. createdthemasapeopleforhis
Name,madecovenantwiththemat
Sinai,andeventuallyfulfilledhis
promisethatAbraham’soffspring
wouldinherittheland.

66. Attheheartoftheirself-understanding
wasthefactthattheir God,whowas
Godalone,thelivingGod,andCreator
of all thatis,hadchosento dwell
personallyintheirmidst,

67. Thus both thelandand thecity
helda significanceforIsraelin
terms ofidentityunlikemostother
peoplesinhistory.

68. Indeed,becauseofthis, many
wronglythoughtZion undefeatable.

69. Itis thistotalidentificationofthe
people with theircityasGod’sown
dwellingplacethatliesbehindthe
utter anguishofthesepoems,

70. and thatmakestheappeals over the
presentplightofherpeopleso
poignant.”
-HowtoStudytheBibleBookByBook,Fee&Stewart

71. Lamentations 3

83. "Thoughthefigtreeshouldnotblossom,
nor fruitbeonthevines,
theproduce oftheolivefail
and thefieldsyieldnofood,
-Habakkuk3:17-18

84. theflockbecutofffromthefold
andthere benoherdinthestalls,
yetIwillrejoiceintheLord,
IwilltakejoyintheGodofmysalvation."
-Habakkuk3:17-18

85. People
wHAT kIND OF
are we

86. are forced
when we
to wait?

88. Satisfied in God
Are we Able to be
when he is silent?

89. Satisfied in God
Are we Able to be
when Life hurts?

90. Satisfied in God
Are we Able to be
while waiting?

91. Matthew 1

92. The Assyrian
Dispersion
Babylonian
Captivity
Medo-Persian
Empire

93. Jerusalem

94. The Assyrian
Dispersion
Babylonian
Captivity
Medo-Persian
Empire

95. Medo-Persian
Empire
Rome
Greece Jewish
Indepen-
dence

97. Medo-Persian
Empire
Greece
Rome
Greece Jewish
Indepen-
dence

98. Greece
Rome
New Testament Events
Greece Jewish
Indepen-
dence

99. Greece
New Testament Events

100. Greece
Christ’s 3-Year Ministry

101. 630+ Years

102. Matthew 1

104. Abraham to David = 14

105. Abraham to David = 14
David to Exile = 14

106. Abraham to David = 14
David to Exile = 14
Exile to Christ = 14

107. Abraham to David = 14
David to Exile = 14
Exile to Christ = 14

110. Wait
The
is over!

111. Thecentralthemeof thebirth
narrativeisthearrivalofGod’s
salvationand thefulfillmentofhis
promisestoIsrael.”-MarkStrauss

118. People
wHAT kIND OF
are we

119. are forced
when we
to wait?

121. "Andjustasitis appointedforman
todieonce,andafterthatcomes
judgment,"
-Hebrews9:27

122. "soChrist, havingbeenofferedonce
tobear thesinsofmany,willappear
asecondtime,nottodealwithsin
buttosavethosewhoareeagerly
waitingforhim." -Hebrews9:28

123. Christmas
Is for Those who
Wait