The King of Glory Draws Near
Advent 4: Year A: Isaiah 7:10–17; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1–7; Matthew 1:18–25
Have you ever noticed how easily we can turn Christmas into a feeling rather than an encounter? We chase after that "holiday spirit" or seasonal warmth, when Advent is pointing us toward something far more profound. Advent does not end with a mood. Advent ends with a Person—Jesus Christ, not an emotion to be felt, but a Lord to be received.
God Comes to Us, Not Just for Us
The unifying message across Scripture is striking: God does not merely send help from a distance—God comes Himself, as the rightful King, to dwell with His people. He enters our world, our struggles, our fears, and our hopes. As Psalm 24 cries out, "Lift up your heads, O gates!" Isaiah offers a sign: "God with us." Romans announces the Gospel: "God's Son, descended from David." And Matthew gives us the name that changes everything: "Jesus... Emmanuel."
The Sign Given to the Faithless
In Isaiah 7, we find King Ahaz of Judah trapped in fear. Threatened by enemy nations, he's tempted to secure political deliverance through an alliance rather than trusting God. Into that fear, God sends Isaiah with startling kindness: "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven" (Isaiah 7:11). God is essentially saying, "Ahaz, you are about to trust your own calculation rather than My covenant. Ask Me, and let Me be the ground on which you stand." But Ahaz responds with pious-sounding unbelief: "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test" (Isaiah 7:12). That sounds humble, but it isn't. It masks a settled decision: "I've already chosen my plan."
Then comes the famous prophecy: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). The sign is God's initiative. Ahaz refuses a sign; God gives one anyway. Grace is not God rewarding our faith; it is God rescuing us when our faith collapses.
The King Comes to His Temple
Psalm 24 shifts our perspective, beginning with creation: "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1). This isn't merely stating God's ownership—it's declaring His rightful Kingship as Creator. The psalm asks a penetrating question: "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?" (Psalm 24:3). The answer is sobering: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart... who does not lift up his soul to what is false..." (Psalm 24:4). This is reality: we do not wander into His presence casually.
Then comes the dramatic call: "Lift up your heads, O gates!... that the King of glory may come in" (Psalm 24:7). And the response: "Who is this King of glory?" The answer thunders back: "The LORD, strong and mighty... the LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!" (Psalm 24:8-10).
Joseph's Obedience and the Name That Holds the World
Matthew brings us to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through Joseph's perspective. When Mary is found to be with child, Joseph's world collapses. Being "just," he resolves to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:19).
Then God speaks through an angel: "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20). And then the mission statement: "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
This is crucial: the first threat Jesus comes to deal with is not Rome or political oppression. It is sin. Sin is what locks the gates. Sin is what dirties the hands. Sin is what corrupts the heart. Joseph shows us what Advent obedience looks like: "When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him" (Matthew 1:24). Not flashy. Not noisy. Just faithful.
Advent Obedience in Ordinary Life
How do we apply this profound truth that "God is with us" in our daily lives?
When Fear Drives Your Decisions
What would it look like to choose as if God is truly with us? Not "What will keep us safest?" but "What will keep us faithful?" Not "What will preserve control?" but "What will honor the King?"
When Worship Becomes Casual
Come to worship like you are entering a throne room. Not with anxious dread—Christ has made the way—but with reverent seriousness. A simple practice: arrive early enough to be still. Let the heart stop running. Let the gates lift. Let the King come in.
When Obedience Feels Small and Unseen
Some of the most decisive moments of faith are quiet:
· A faithful conversation
· A truthful confession
· A decision to protect someone else's dignity
· A refusal to cooperate with bitterness
· A steady pattern of prayer when nothing feels dramatic
The Name Over the Door
Advent places a name over the door of the world: Immanuel. Not "you can fix it." Not "try harder." Not "everything will be fine." But: God with us. The King of glory comes in. He comes promised. He comes incarnate. He comes crucified and risen. He comes by His Spirit. He comes to His Table. So lift up your heads, O gates. Not because we are worthy—but because He is worthy, and He has come to make us His.