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Welcome to Unpacking the Mass with Keith Nestor. On this podcast, we dig into the week's readings for the upcoming Sunday for the Catholic Church so that when you go to Mass, you are ready to hear what God has to say to you through the scriptures. So grab your Bibles and let's get digging. Hey, everybody. Welcome to Unpacking the Mass. This week, we're looking at the readings for the fourth Sunday in Advent. Christmas is almost here. Are you excited? Are you ready? Or are you, like, ready for it to be over? You know, I always find that you can have those moments where all of the stuff that you deal with around the holidays is so. It's so great, but you can also easily get overwhelmed by all of the things. One of the things that I've determined in my life as I have grown a little bit older and doing ministry in a little different way, is to just try to have peace. Just try to enjoy it. And to never use the phrase hustle and bustle. I'm so tired of that. I remember it was always like, with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we're not doing that around here. I just got to let some things go. But what I won't let go are these amazing readings. And I want to thank you for taking time to join me here on Unpacking the Mass. As we look at this today, the readings deal with this issue of inviting the Lord in to your life through kind of an interesting way through, through asking him for a sign. I know that might not seem like the first thing you would think of when it comes to an invitation to Jesus. Show me something. Because sometimes we get frustrated when we're like, lord, why do I always need a sign? And, you know, Jesus was frustrated with people, too, and they were like, this wicked generation seeks a sign. But today we're looking at the importance of asking God for a sign. So what's the difference between the wrong way to do that and the right way to do that? We're going to get into that today, but before we do, let's pray. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We thank you, Lord, for these readings, for this season, and for your coming. And we do ask, Lord, that you would show us the sign that you have predetermined for us, that we might invite you into our lives. Show up, Lord. We need you. Thank you for this time to be together and for your word. We pray these things in the name of the Father and of the Son and The Holy Spirit. Amen. Okay, we're jumping right into Isaiah, chapter 7, verses 10 through 14. And it reads this way again. The Lord spoke to Ahaz. Ask a sign of the Lord your God. Let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. And he said, here. Then, O house of David, is it too little for you to weary men that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son. And shall call his name Immanuel. All right, now, it's very important that we understand what's going on here. Because it can be easy to look at this and think, Ahaz is a great guy. He's saying that we shouldn't ask for a sign. But as we'll see as we dig down further, it's exactly what he should have done. All right, let's do our second reading here. From Romans, chapter 1, verses 1 through 7. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. The gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness, by his resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship. To bring all the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among the nations, including yourselves, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And our Gospel comes to us From Matthew, chapter 1, verses 18 through 24. Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this. Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. And his name shall be called Immanuel, which means God with us. When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took his wife into his home. The world tells us that freedom is doing whatever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want to do your own will. But the promises of the world leave you distracted and pulled in all kinds of directions. True freedom is to do God's will. Freedom is becoming the men that God created us to be, men of worship, sacrifice and love. To grow in that freedom, we need to make an exodus from the Pharaohs and idols that keep us enslaved. That's why I love the Exodus 90 challenge. It's a powerful way for men to push themselves into true freedom. We prioritize silent prayer and practice asceticism with the support of a local brotherhood. And there's been nothing more effective and helpful in my life as a man than to go through Exodus 90. I promise you, it's worth it. So this January, I'm doing the Exodus 90 challenge and I invite you to join me and tens of thousands of men from all over the world. So if you want to become the man God made you to be physically, mentally and spiritually, check out Exodus 90, take the first step and download the Exodus 90 app today. Then invite a few friends to join your local fraternity. So go to exodus90.comkeith to learn more. That's exodus90.comkeith join me and tens of thousands of men from all around the world for Exodus 90 starting Monday, January 5th. Is it time for your Exodus? Foreign. My friends so God's promises are fulfilled in multiple ways. Of course, we've seen that before, the near coming and the far coming. But when we look at what's going on with King Ahaz, we see this incredible issue here asking God for a sign. Now, what you need to know about Ahaz is this. Ahaz is a wicked king. He he's not a good guy. And this is his chance to make things right. And he says, I will not ask. I will not put the Lord to the test. Now in verse 13 it says and he said, but the he is Isaiah. So when you look at the nab that you're going to see, Isaiah said, but in the RSV it says and he said the he is Isaiah. So Isaiah is talking to the king and he says, he says here then, O house of David, is it too little for you to weary men that you weary my God also. Now what he's saying is this. You can ask God. You put all of these pressure on other people. Is it too much for you to ask God So what he's saying is, you know, there is a sign coming. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall call his name Emmanuel. So what's going on here is this Ahaz has taken matters into his own hands. He's aligned himself with the wicked king of Assyria. And Isaiah is coming to him and saying, look, you need to consult with God on this, not yourself. You need to do things God's way. So ask God for what you should do. And he's like, I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it. And Isaiah chastises him for that. Now why is that important? Because God wanted to show up in his life and give him. Now, I know we said before, sometimes asking for a sign is not what you should do. And so I think sometimes people think that means that, okay, well, then you should just sort of go through life on your own. Because, you know, Jesus said, a wicked adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given it except the sign of Jonah. But yet here we see that it's important to ask God for a sign. Now why was that important? Because Ahaz had made the decision to do things his way. And Isaiah was saying, you need to check with God. That's really what he's saying. He's not saying ask for a sign to prove that God is real. He already knew that. He's saying, you need to be on God's plan and you need to seek his will for your life. That's the kind of sign that we're looking for, my friends. And that's what happens, right? We see God is saying, I'm going to give you a sign. And the sign is this. I'm going to come to you. I'm going to come to you. Matthew connects that, of course, to Jesus. Now, there was a fulfillment in the near, right, a woman that was going to give birth to. Because the word in the Old Testament is alma. It means virgin and it just means young woman. Okay, that's what the word virgin means. But Matthew uses a slightly different word to indicate someone who has never been with a man before. So these. And the truth is, people will speculate, well, who was this near fulfillment? Nobody knows for sure. Nobody knows for sure who that was meant to be. People speculate, but we do know this. Matthew connects that to Jesus in the far fulfillment. So that's what we have to recognize, that God had a plan. And I think it's cool. Matthew tells this story through Joseph's perspective, whereas Luke tells it through Mary's perspective. Right. Now, our second reading today is the bridge. It shows us a couple of things here. First of all, it shows us that Jesus is descended from David, right, the son of David, and that he is the Messiah. Okay, so our second reading is going to show us the connection between the two things. The gospel according to his son, who was descended from David according to flesh and designated the son of God in power and according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. So we recognize that we belong to him and that St. Paul is showing us this is the connection. And this was a big deal to make these connections between Jesus and the prophecies and the promises of the Messiah. Why is all this important? You might say, because you need to make that connection too. You need to understand the connection between what God is promising you and Jesus, because ultimately Jesus is the that fulfilled of those promises. You might say, well, okay, that was from the fulfillment of him coming to the earth. What about my life today? When I was a kid growing up, we had children's time during the service, and children's time was the time when they would go, okay, now let's invite all the children to come up for their time together. And, you know, you don't see this a whole lot in Catholic churches, but we had this in our Methodist church. So the organist would play Jesus Loves Me, this I know, on the piano. And all the little kids that were in the sanctuary would come up and the pastor or somebody else, depending on if the pastor didn't want to do it, would come down and sit right on the front, you know, right in the front steps of the. Going up to the front of the sanctuary or whatever. And the kids would come and they would gather around and the pastor or whoever was designated would tell a little story. Usually there was like a little object lesson, and sometimes it would start with the question and everybody thought it was the cutest thing in the world. They would say, oh, look at the kids. You know, they're up there. And the kids were, you know, there was usually one or two kids that would ham it up. They'd sit up there and they'd be. Look, making faces at their friends or their parents, and they'd be like, you know, that was me. And it was, you know, it's a cute, fun little moment. But sometimes they would ask a question, you know, oh, well, you know, who's the reason for the season? Or whatever they might say, or, you know, do you have a best friend do you know who really is your best friend? Things like that. And you could always bank on it. And the kids would pick up on this, that whatever the question was, the answer was always the same. Jesus. So you'd have the kids and the leader would try to come up with something clever to make the kids, like, have to really think about it, you know, you know who the greatest friend is, or you know, who. Whatever, whatever. Jesus. So it was always like this big moment of clarification when whatever was going on would be about Jesus. Now, the really good children's time, people were able to connect that to whatever the pastor was going to preach about in his sermon. So if they were, and it was funny because I remember doing this when I was a preacher, sometimes I'd have people, they'd be like, well, you know, Keith, what's your sermon about? So we can connect this to the children. And sometimes that'd be about, there is no way you can connect what I'm about to preach about in the children's sermon. You know, you can't do it. It's impossible. You know, we're going to talk about the wrath of God, or we're going to talk about, you know, some sort of weird, obscure prophecy or something like that or whatever. There's no way. And they would. Sometimes they would be able to do it. But the point I'm making is this. The answer to those questions was always Jesus. And one of the things that we have to remember when we're looking at the answers to the questions of life and the promises, this is still true. I know I'm kind of picking on it a little bit, but at the end of the day, the answer to whatever problem that you have or whatever promise that God's giving you is ultimately found in Jesus. Is that too simplistic for you? Is it too just stock? I hope not, because the reality is he is the answer. The question that we have today, we look at these readings is, who? Who are you like? Are you like Ahaz, the King, who's like, I don't want to bother him because I want to do my own thing. I don't want to ask the Lord. He says, I'm not going to. I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Sometimes we can fool ourselves into thinking that we're being, like, super awesome believers because we're not going to bother God with asking for his will to be done in our lives. Let me tell you something. Jesus came. He showed up in the flesh. Emmanuel, God with us because it's that important to him that he's involved in what we're doing. He didn't just want to give us a message. He came to be with us. So how do you think it makes him feel if you're just like, nope, I'm good. I don't need that. Have you ever invited somebody to something like that you were going to do for them? Maybe you were going to invite somebody to dinner or you were going to do something for somebody. Maybe you were going to, you know, go to the town where your friend lived and you were like, hey, I'm coming into town, I want to hang out with you, I want to do something for you. Let me take you to dinner or whatever. And the person was just like, no, I'm good. How did I make you feel? Now, there are legitimate reasons why that doesn't work out sometimes, but the reality, what if you found out that they just didn't want to be around you, that they just were. And you were like, no, I was gonna like, buy you a nice dinner or take you out or do something, whatever. We were gonna have a good time. And then you found out later that they were just like, nah, I didn't feel like it. That's what so many people do to Jesus this time of year. He wants us to be ready for his coming. He wants us to be appreciative of the fact that he didn't work remote. He showed up. He enters into our world to be with us because he is our answer. And yet there are many times when we're just like, no, I'm good. Where have you been doing that in your life? Where have you been? Just saying, I'll handle this on my own. I know Jesus wants to come in and wants to take part in my life and show, show me the way and save me and all those great things. I know he's the ultimate answer, but eh, I don't want to do it. We're going to compare that with what happens in our gospel with St. Joseph, because remember what's going on with St. Joseph. He didn't ask for any of this. And yet the angel shows up to him and says, look, dude, my paraphrase, I know that this stuff with Mary is crazy, but here's the deal. This is the sign. This is the sign that people have been waiting for. And you're the guy who's going to take care of this whole situation. You're the guy who's in charge of caring for the sign. God with us isn't Joseph Amazing. Saint Joseph is incredible. I think it's interesting that, you know, they're betrothed, they're engaged now. Of course, Jewish betrothal is different from our idea of engagement. I remember this kind of threw me off when I became Catholic because I always was like, brought up in the mindset of, well, they were engaged, so, you know, it was no big deal. But it's always interesting, like, why did he have to divorce her quietly? Betrothal was a stage of marriage for them. Now. They hadn't consummated the marriage, they didn't live together yet. So it was still scandalous that she was pregnant. But it wasn't just like he could just disappear and say, ah, you know what, Nevermind, it's not working out. No, there had to be a proceeding. And Mary would have been completely cast out of society in that situation if she had been found to be pregnant, not by her betrothed husband, right? And Joseph doesn't want to put her to shame because, I mean, imagine him, he knows she's an honorable woman, but he doesn't understand what's going on. And the angel comes to him and says, no, you don't need to do that. This is the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what's going to happen. This has come to you to fulfill what God had spoken to the prophet. This is so amazing, isn't it? Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Immanuel, which means God is with us. Don't be afraid, Joseph. You're part of this plan. I'm showing up, I'm coming in. Think about that. What did Joseph have to do? All he had to do was say, I'm ready to receive the sign. I'm ready to receive what you have for me. He didn't say, wait a minute, what about me? What am I supposed to do? How's this going to affect my life? All these things? No, he was ready to receive. Ahaz wanted to push the sign away. He didn't even want it. He's like, I'm not even going to ask. Joseph said, let's go. He said, I'm not going to be afraid, going to do this. I'm going to give my life that this sign, God with us, can be given to the world. He recognized that the importance of what he had been called to do. This is the key, isn't it? These signs that God wants to give us aren't about us, they're about him and what he has come to do. In our lives. But see, here's where the disconnect was with Ahaz. He knew that. I believe he knew that if he sought the Lord and wanted to know what God's will was, it was not going to be his will. So he said, I don't want to bother him. Boom. Is that hitting you yet in your heart? Where are you doing that? Where are you saying to God, hey, look, I'd just rather not hear from you because I'm afraid that what you're going to say to me is going to bump up against what I want to do and. And I don't. So I'm just not going there. Friends, we see this all the time. People who say, I'm not going to go to mass, I'm not going to go to church, I'm not going to listen to God, I'm not going to read the Bible, I'm not going to pray, I'm not going to do any of that stuff. Because deep in their heart, they know that what they're doing isn't right. And they know that God's going to call them to repentance. That's why a lot of people have, like, you know, stopped going to church. And they'll blame other things for it. They'll be, oh, well, that guy was mean, or that woman said something to me, or the church did this, or whatever. Well, blame all day long, other stuff. But at the end of the day, the real reason why people stop going to church is because they don't want to face what God has for them. They don't want his sign for their life because, guess what, it might be difficult. And yes, bad things happen. Maybe the sign is forgiveness. Maybe the sign is trust in the face of. Of woundedness. Maybe the sign is repentance. Maybe the sign is detachment from the things of the world, whatever it might be. And we're really good as human beings at shutting our ears off when we don't want to hear what God wants to say. So we, like Ahaz, say, I will not seek that sign. I will not do. Didn't go well for him. And guess what? The sign came anyway, didn't it? He says God's going to do it himself, whether you buy it or not. He says the Lord himself will give you a sign. You know, at some point in time, you can't outrun God and you can't outrun his plan for your life. Man, do we try, though, don't we? Ahaz tried. Ultimately, it didn't work. Joseph said, okay, I'm Ready to go. I'll do what you ask. Mary says, be it done unto me according to Thy word. The disciples dropped their nets. They left their tables. They did what they needed to do, friends. And that's what we're called to do as well. This whole Advent season, you might have not understood what this was about. Ask God to show you what it means for him to be with you, God with us. Because remember, he is the ultimate sign and he's coming for you. What God wants to give you is not just a piece of advice. What God wants to give you isn't just some sort of moral wisdom or guidance. What he wants to give you is Himself. He wants to abide in you, and he wants to have you abide in Him. He wants to give you his flesh and his blood. He wants to dwell within you. He wants to cause you to bear fruit. It's pretty amazing. And he doesn't do that remotely. He shows up, he enters in. And that might freak you out. You know, when we first started Advent, we were talking about, hey, Jesus is coming over. Are you ready? Are you ready to receive Him? He's coming. You're going to have that divine appointment with him one way or another, whether you are ready or not. He's inviting you to get ready because he is coming. The Lord himself will give you a sign. What's it going to be? It's going to be him. Ultimately. What's that going to look like in your life? Hey, get on board, friend. Get on board. Be like St. Joseph, say, okay, I thought it was going to be this, but now I see what you're doing. Let's go. Sacrifice your life for that. Give of yourself for that. Don't put any boundaries around that obedience, whatever it is that he wants to show you in Himself, Coming into your life, friend. That's what Advent is about. That's what Christmas is about. And we're here, we're ready to do this. And I hope that it changes your life. I hope that it changes my life. It's never just a one and done deal, is it, my friends? We're constantly in that place. We're constantly in that place where we need to ask a sign of the Lord, your God. Let it be deep as Sheol or high as Heaven. That's what he said to Ahaz. Don't just say, give me a little bit, Give me all, give me all. Let it be as deep as Sheol's highs. The heaven. That was him saying, look, give God the ability in your life to tell you anything. Don't just say, well, what do you got over it? No, no, no. Clear the board, my friends. Let him have his way in your life because he's coming. He's coming, man. Powerful. I wonder what that looks like for you. Let us know in the comments. I love when people leave comments under Unpacking the Mass and just say how this affected them. I think it's good for people to see that, my friends. It's encouraging to me, and I know it is for other people as well. So as we step into now, Christmas coming up, you know, just let's celebrate and rejoice, but let's not miss it, because the ultimate answer has come. The ultimate sign has come. And his name is Jesus. Thanks for watching, my friends. Take care and God bless you.