As we go about our Christmas traditions, we would all do well to remember two things: First, God keeps his promises and, second, God means what he says. As we look at the lights in our neighbourhoods, the decorated trees in our homes, the nativity scenes on our mantles, the gifts on our floors remember that God keeps his promises and God means what he says.

DEVOTIONAL MANUSCRIPT

As we go about our Christmas traditions tonight and tomorrow, my hope and prayer for you is that you remember two things: First, God keeps his promises and, second, God means what he says. As you look at the lights in your neighbourhood, the decorated tree in your home, the nativity scene on your mantle, the gifts on your floor remember  that God keeps his promises and God means what he says.

There are countless places in Scripture by which we can illustrate these two realities but for the purpose of time and in an attempt to keep this talk seasonal allow me to point out a handful of advent-specific proofs.

Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

Genesis 12:1–3

When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 7:12–13

So, God says that the whole world is going to be blessed through the line of this obscure man, Abraham. He also says that there is going to come an eternal ruler from the line of David.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Matthew 1:1

God keeps his promises and God means what he says.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Matthew 1:21–25

God keeps his promises and God means what he says. Let’s keep going.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

Micah 5:2

What does that mean? It’s one thing to promise that someone great finds their origins in a tiny town, it’s another to claim he’s from eternity because the only one from eternity is God himself. So, maybe God misspoke. Maybe he was using hyperbole.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king …

Matthew 2:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. … And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1–2, 14

I could go on and on and many of you already know that. The point is this: God has given us plenty of evidence that he keeps his promises and he means what he says. There is no ambiguity with God, no rhetorical slight-of-hand, no bait-and-switch, and there’s no doubt.

As we come to Christmas Eve and we look around us at all the reminders of Christ’s birth we are also reminded that God kept his promises and meant what he said when he made them. But just as that’s true looking back at the incarnation, so it’s true looking forward.

Just as God made and kept promises like those around the birth of Jesus, so God has made promises to you and I that we can be sure he likewise means and will likewise keep.

Most importantly, God has promised eternal life to everyone and anyone who believes in this same Jesus who came as a baby.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

John 11:25–26

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9

The question we all have to ask ourselves is, will God keep those promises and does God mean what he said? When he says “resurrection” does he mean “resurrection”? When he says “everlasting life” is that what he means? When he says through “belief” does he actually mean “belief plus church attendance,” “belief plus baptism,” or “belief plus a good life”? Or does he simply mean what he says?

But God has promised other things as well. He’s promised that his grace is sufficient for us, he’s promised to forgive all sins when we confess, he’s promised to draw near, he’s promised to keep us eternity, he’s promised to empower us, he’s promised to come again and collect us, he’s promised to glorify us.

The question always becomes, does God keep his promises and does God mean what he says. And, as we come to Christmas time and the the scene at the manger that we especially remember today, God gives us all the evidence we need to say “Yes” to both of those questions.

Tonight I want to encourage you to trust the Promise-Keeping God! Trust him with your salvation, perhaps for the first time. (What a Christmas gift!) Trust him with your life. Trust him with your health. Trust him with your family and friends, security and future. Trust the promise-keeping God. He is a God who keeps his promises and who means what he says.

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