The Equipping of Emmanuel: Sermon by Pastor John Snyder

"Behold, the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash;
Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down
And those who are lofty will be abased.

"He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron 𝘢𝘹𝘦,
And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

"Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

"The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

"And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

"But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

"Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist."

In the hustle and bustle which usually accompanies Christmastime, let us, who love and fear the LORD God Almighty, avail ourselves to every resource He has so kindly and mercifully provided for us to celebrate the First Coming of Christ—in spirit and in truth. As we prepare our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths to try to understand the unfathomable love of God in Christ Jesus, to us, who were once His enemies—well-deserving and destined for wrath; let us strive to adore Him.

0 comments