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SCRIPTURE READINGS:

ISAIAH 7:10-16

ROMANS 1:1-7

MATTHEW 1:18-25

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT RELECTION

Nothing is impossible with God is the theme for our reflection. Nothing is impossible with God, means that the success of every endeavour begins and ends with God. We shall reflect on the fact that:

1. We must put our trust in the Lord because nothing is impossible with Him.
2. Anyone can be saved because nothing is impossible with God.

First, we must put our trust in the Lord because nothing is impossible with Him. Let us not be unfaithful or disobedient to God like King Ahaz. King Ahaz was one of the kings of Judah in the Southern Kingdom of Israel. His kingdom was threatened by King Pekah of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and his ally, King Rezin of Aram. King Pekah and King Rezin threatened King Ahaz of Judah because Ahaz refused to join them in fighting against the Assyrian Empire. Alternatively, King Ahaz thought it wise to be an ally of the Assyrian King. Prophet Isaiah who was a prophet in Judah was sent by God to assure King Ahaz to put his trust in the Lord and not in the Assyrian Empire, for the Lord will save His people Judah from the invasion of King Pekah and King Rezin. It is for this reason the Lord gave an assurance through the Prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz that “the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:14-16). Isaiah’s message had an existential and prophetic interpretation. Existentially, it meant a child would be born during the time of King Ahaz and the name Immanuel shall be given to the child to prove that God is with Judah and will not let them be destroyed by their enemies, the two Kings. Unfortunately, King Ahaz trusted the Assyrian King and relied on him for his protection, although God saved Judah from the two kings, he later brought the Assyrians upon Judah as their punishment. “The LORD will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” (Isaiah 7:17). Prophetically, the world is to expect the birth of a child who will be born to a virgin, this was revealed to Joseph when He was contemplating leaving Mary because she got pregnant and he was not responsible. “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:20-23). The difference between King Ahas and Joseph is that King Ahaz did not believe the message from Prophet Isaiah hence he failed to put his trust in God but Joseph believed the message from the Angel and put his trust in the Lord, knowing that nothing is impossible with God. Again, from time immemorial, God has always shown His love to the people He has set apart for Himself. Although we continue to be unfaithful like King Ahaz and disobedient to Him, God has sent Jesus Christ who is the Immanuel (God is with us) as a sign of God’s presence and faithfulness to those who have a covenant relationship with him. Those who have been saved must always put their trust or faith in Him, for nothing is impossible with God. We are greatly assured in Romans 10:11 that “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame“. Again Isaiah reminds us that “…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31). Jesus further gives us an overwhelming assurance that “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Beloved in the Lord, Obstacles will come our way, people will scheme and conspire against our progress or success in life, sickness and accidents will come our way but so long as we put our trust in God, nothing is impossible with Him. Indeed, “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

Secondly, anyone can be saved because nothing is impossible with God. Because nothing is impossible with God, we have the hope and assurance that when we come to Him in repentance and regeneration we shall be saved. Paul points us to this assurance when He wrote to the Romans, “Through him, we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.“ (Romans 1:5-6). Let us remember that were once upon a time considered Gentiles, people who were not part of God’s holy nation but grace has found us because nothing is impossible with God. Indeed because nothing is impossible with God, when the robber said to Jesus on the cross, ““Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43) This is the message of Advent and Christmas, that nothing, including the salvation of the lost is impossible with God, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17). Beloved in the Lord, Jesus Christ the Holy One of God has been set apart by God to come and save us. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10). Therefore, nothing is impossible with God. All Jesus requires of us is repentance and faith in Him and we shall be saved to the glory of God. Advent season offers us the opportunity to repent and turn to the Jesus who is in our midst through the power of the Holy Spirit and be saved. On Christmas Day, December 25th, we shall be celebrating or commemorating the day of His first Advent. Are we going to observe this special day in the spirit of repentance and regeneration or we are going to celebrate it as usual, without reflecting on our lives as lost souls who need to be saved? Nothing is impossible with God but the decision to surrender our lives into His hands is ours to make, let this advent season be the end of your fornication, infidelity in marriage, dishonesty at work, unfaithfulness to God, drunkenness and all manner of worldly and fleshly desires! Jesus says “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20-22)

In summary, the theme for our reflection is “Nothing is impossible with God”. We have discovered that we must put our trust in the Lord because nothing is impossible with Him. Again, anyone can be saved because nothing is impossible with God. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to always put our trust in the Lord and also help us to preach the Gospel for the salvation of many who are still beyond the walls of salvation, for nothing is impossible with God. Amen.