Synopsis of the Armenian Message

John1:10-14

What Are We Waiting For?

Pregnancy is quite a challenging period in the life of a woman and her family. The mother-to-be goes through lots of changes. Enormous hormonal changes take place. Certain smells start bothering her. Her lifestyle is not the same anymore.

But most of all, the mother-to-be waits; she waits with anticipation. She waits for the child who will bring joy to the family. Although she does not know the child yet she keeps thinking and dreaming about him/her.

On the third Sunday of Advent we too are waiting for Christmas. For children who wait for their gifts, time goes real slowly. They wait with anticipation to find what is inside those packages.

What are we waiting for? Who are we waiting for? Who is going to come?

The Word of God is full of promises about the coming Savior. We are waiting to the fulfillment of the prophecies.

-Isaiah writes about the one who will come: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (9:6). God will give us a sign, says Isaiah. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son” (7:14).

These prophecies are fulfilled a thousand years later. The Gospel of Matthew gives that account (1:21-23).

-Micah prophesies about the location of the birth. He writes: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, one of you will some for me, one who will be ruler over Israel” (5:2).

Luke tells us that this prophecy was fulfilled (2:4,15). The newborn king was not born in the glorious city of Jerusalem but in the small insignificant town of Bethlehem.

-Hosea gives us another prophecy: “Out of Egypt I called my son” (11:1).

Matthew confirms these words saying, “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (2:15).

-Malachi talks about the road opener. “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me” (3:1).

Last Sunday we read Mark 1:2 and met John the Baptist, the road opener.

-Zachariah 9:9 says: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion… See you king comes to you… gentle and riding on a donkey.”

The story of the king riding on a donkey is found in all four gospels. A humble king enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey and not a horse.

- Isaiah 53 presents to us the Suffering Servant. We are not only waiting for a King, but a Suffering Servant as well. He is a King who is ready to bear all kinds of suffering.

- Isaiah also describes the people who saw great light: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light” (9:2)

The Gospel of John opens with a beautiful passage about the Word becoming flesh and Christ as the light. “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (1:9).

What are we waiting for? Prophecies becoming reality. Prophecies fulfilled.

We will continue in English.