2005-12-04 A God First Christmas - Anticipates

How does Mary's anticipation during nine months before Christ's birth parallel believers' expectation? Why do most first-coming scriptures also address second coming in the same breath? This message explores planning a God-first Christmas by examining the hard-to-contain anticipation believers should feel contemplating God's promises about the future. Discover how even the Annunciation moved immediately from announcing Jesus's birth to prophesying His eternal reign that hasn't happened yet, and how Jesus reading Isaiah 61 stopped mid-prophecy before addressing second coming. Learn that 25-33% of Bible when written was prophecy, with no other religious writing matching its verifiable fulfilled prophecy record. Explore why God reveals future—to deepen worship, show His holiness won't tolerate evil forever, prevent fear from replacing faith, bring peace, and create motive for purity.