The Principle of Visitation

- God ordains holy visitations, times where He draws near
-  If we recognize these times and embrace them there is great blessing that can be experienced
- If we fail to recognize these times, then not  only do we miss the blessing but we may experience negative consequences for  rejecting what God has offered.

SALAVATION: God draws to a moment of decision by the Holy Spirit

- What you do with that moment will forever  effect your life.

Crossroads of Life:
- God draws near to guide
- What you do with His guidance will set the course of your life.

Moment that Needs Faith:
- God draws near and says trust
- What you embrace changes everything

I. Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem  Lu 19:37-41

Historical Background

A. Jews were looking for Messiah
B. King David, the 2nd king of Israel, 1000 years earlier was given a promise

Ps 89:3 You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,  4 'I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

C. Jeremiah spoke of the coming Messiah

Jer 33:14 "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.  15 "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.  16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'

D In 586 BC The Jews were taken into Captivity and seemly hope for Messiah Dashed

- They came back to Jerusalem in 537 BC
- Under the leadership of Zerubbabel
-  Matt 1:12 Zerubbabel was a direct descendant of David and in the kingly line

Messiah hope once again sprung to life

 E.  Finally a corrupt leadership brought Israel into an age of darkness
- Rome brought Israel under bondage

F. Until one day a young girl got a visit from an angel

Lu 1:31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Angel's announcement of Jesus Birth

Lu 2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Why town of David? - Roman census had brought people back to the city of their family origin.

Now in Luk 19 Jesus is getting ready to enter Jerusalem

- The people have seen his miracles
- His unparalleled teaching and wisdom
- He raised Lazarus from the dead
- He was a descendant of King David

THIS IS THE GUY!  THIS IS MESSIAH!

Lu 19:37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:  38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 

Other gospels record what the people shouted

Mt 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

Hosanna:  Greek transliteration of the Hebrew yasha'na

Refers to salvation and deliverance in relation to Messiah - but not a cry for salivation to come, but instead a declaration that salvation and deliverance had come and was there.

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"  40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."  41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it  42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-- but now it is hidden from your eyes.  43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.  44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. KJV

because you did not know the time of your visitation." NKJ

Because you did not recognize the time of your visitation NAS

knewest not the season of thy visitation. Darby

 Visitation:  ep-is-kop-ay'  inspection, - To see, come close, pay attention

The Over Arching Truth is Salvation through the Promised Messiah.

Embedded within this Story is a Principal
 

II. The Principle of Visitation

God expects us to be looking for His presence, guidance, opportunities, and be ready and willing to respond

- We've all heard the story about the guy in flood.
- Rejected, boat, canoe, and helicopter
- Drowned and asked God why….
- What do you want, I sent you a boat, a canoe, and a helicopter.

There were those in Israel that God spoke clearly to: "This is the Messiah!"

They said: "Nay" "Couldn't be"

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You may be saying: GOD SEND HELP - And you see nothing

GOD HAS SENT HELP -BUT YOU HAVEN'T RECOGNIZED IT!

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A. In LK 19 God had brought Jesus close to bless, bring peace and salvation

Israel needed help - wanted help

B.  But did not recognize help when it came In Jesus Christ.

Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

 The result of not recognizing….

- Forfeiture of peace and blessing

The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD

Luke 19:43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.  44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

Lu 11:48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.  49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'  50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,  51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

Lu 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

C. Example of recognition of God's visitation is Zaccheus

Lu 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  2 A man was there by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

- Jesus had Zaccheus on His mind long before He got to that tree

- Zaccheus sensed that something unusual was happening and he acted upon it.

- Zaccheus took action - climbed the tree

- He was in the right place, at the right time

(Only one person that can orchestrate supernatural timing - that is the Holy Spirit)

- When the opportunity came He obeyed Jesus

Result:

Salvation came to Zaccheus' house

III. God Still Operates in the Principle of Visitation Today.

A. God can lead you to knock on the right  Door

- Wednesday we hit the streets to invite folks to Easter
- Who knows what adventure will open up to you if you recognize God's visitation on that night

- Or His visitation in telling you to go to Wednesday night prayer meeting

- Thursday night at the hospital
   - Man told us about daughter in law
   - Life threatening Kidney stones
   - Pregnant and needing to deliver
   - "Can't get the surgeon and the baby doctor together to talk about what to do.
   - We prayed for them
   - Hour later we saw them: both doctors were there and working things out

- In 2008 we saw a document that was put on the internet by a church from a city that I had never been to
    - We sensed that God was visiting us in this document
    - Miraculously we arrived at Christ Community Church in November of 2009

IV.  How Do We Recognize God's Visitation?

Or we can say it this way: How can we know God's will and immediate desire for us?

#1.  Be prepared and expectant

"God speaks Bible!"
- More than anything else God will use the scripture to teach, guide, and help us

- Prepare by knowing God's word
- Prepare by learning what His voice sounds  like

Preparation is key to any real success
10% perspiration, 90% preparation

One day your preparation will be crucial
- In one moment of time it will pay off big

Expect that God is always bringing something around the next corner.  Expect - look for it
 

#2. Recognize that God uses people
     - Some will bring wisdom
     - Some will bring correction
     - Some will bring encouragement
     - Some will bring a key open door

God send people into my life that will help me glorify you and help me complete my mission

 

#3. Be willing to Stretch
- God always stretches people He wants to use
- God will hardly ever do what you think He should like you think He should
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#4. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see when God comes near,

through an opportunity,

a challenge,

a person,

a direct word of direction

See with spiritual eyes what God is doing