Christmas the Whole Story - Promise in the Silence

In this episode, Pastor Nate teaches on the first Sunday of Advent and the launch of our Christmas series, “Christmas: The Whole Story.” Our focus was hope rooted in God’s promises and His perfect timing.

We look back to the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 9:2, 6), written centuries before Christ’s birth, and noted how God’s people waited through generations and even 400 years of silence after Malachi's final words concerning a prophet who would come to prepare the way of the Messiah. Yet in the apparent silence, God was working behind the scenes the entire time.

The silence finally broke in Luke 1 with the announcement of John the Baptist’s birth, showing again that God answers prayers at the right moment. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story reminds us that God is sovereign and we can trust that he hears us when we pray.

Our teaching closes by reflecting on our own seasons of waiting. Advent teaches us to trust that:

• God keeps His Word.
• God is always present.
• God works even when we can’t see it.

As we continue through Advent, we hold onto the same hope Israel held: the God who fulfilled His promises then is still faithful today!