December 18-19, 2004, Selected

CSI: CHANDLER
FINGERPRINTS ON THE MANGER!

***Isaiah 41:20 "People may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." [NIV]

WE CAN SEE GOD'S FINGERPRINTS ON THE MANGER:

1. IN THE TIMING OF EVENTS!
*** Galatians 4:4 "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman...." [New American Standard Version]
*** Luke 2:1-5 "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 his 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." [New International Version]
*** Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." [NIV]

IF GOD CAN LEAVE HIS FINGERPRINTS ON THE TIMING OF CHRIST'S BIRTH, THEN I CAN TRUST GOD'S TIMING FOR MY LIFE!

2. IN THE REALITY OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH!
*** John 6:42 "They said, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven?'" [New Living Translation]
*** John 8:41 "They replied, "We were not born out of wedlock!" [NLT]

GOD BECAME MAN SO MAN COULD COME TO GOD!
IF JESUS IS JUST A MAN HE CANNOT ATONE FOR OUR SIN!

*** Luke 1:30-35 "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God." [NLT]
*** Matthew 1:20-21, 24-25 "As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph..." the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born." [NLT]

MT. 12:46, Mt. 13:55

BECAUSE OF GOD'S FINGERPRINT ON THE MANGER,
JESUS CAN TAKE AWAY MY SIN!

3. IN THE SUPERNATURAL VISITS!

***Matthew 1:20 "Joseph..." the angel said, "do not be afraid...."
*** Luke 1:30 "But the angel said to [Mary], "Do not be afraid...." [NIV]
*** Luke 2:10 "But the angel said to [the Shepherds], "Do not be afraid." [NIV]

THE FINGERPRINT OF GOD ON THE MANGER ASSURES ME OF GOD'S
PRESENCE, PROTECTION AND PEACE!

4. IN THE ANCESTRAL CHESS MATCH!
*** Isaiah 9:7 "He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom...from that time on and forever." [NIV]

Luke. 3:31; Matthew 1:6

*** Jeremiah 22:28-30 "Is this man Jehoiachin despised...an object no one wants? This is what the Lord says: 'Record this man as if childless...for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah.'" [NIV]
*** 2 Kings 24:15-17 "Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon.... He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah." [NIV]

THROUGH MARY, JESUS WAS A DESCENDENT OF KING DAVID!
IF JESUS WAS THE LITERAL SON OF JOSEPH HE COULD'T LAY CLAIM TO DAVID'S THRONE.
BUT SINCE HE WAS THE LEGAL SON OF JOSEPH, HE COULD RULE ON DAVID'S THRONE!
IF GOD'S FINGERPRINTS ON THE MANGER SHOW HIS AMAZING, INTRICATE INVOLVEMENT, I CAN TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE!

5. IN THE PROPHETIC HOPE!
*** Luke 2:29-32 "Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me. With my own eyes I have seen what you have done to save your people, and foreign nations will also see this. Your mighty power is a light for all nations...." [CEV]
*** Luke 2:38 "She...also began thanking God and telling everyone in Jerusalem who had been awaiting the coming of the Savior that the Messiah had finally arrived." [Living Bible]

GOD'S FINGERPRINT ON THE MANGER WITH THESE MESSAGES OF HOPE GIVE ME AN ETERNAL HOPE, TOO!

*** Job 37:14 "...consider carefully the many wonders of God." [CEV]

BECAUSE OF GOD'S FINGERPRINTS ON THE MANGER, I CAN:
TRUST HIS TIMING! FORGET MY FEARS!
FIND FORGIVENESS! TURNOVER MY TRUST!
HANG ON TO HOPE!