Word + Walk: The Virgin Will Conceive: Immanuel and the War on Unbelief

✝️ Sermon Recap: The Virgin Will Conceive: Immanuel and the War on Unbelief

Text: Isaiah 7:10–16
Big Idea: The greatest danger in Ahaz’s day wasn’t only enemy kings—it was unbelief. Fear tempts God’s people to compromise and reach for what feels controllable. God answers not with a lecture but with a sign: Immanuel—God with us. And in the greater ripple, Matthew shows the fullest meaning: Jesus is Immanuel in the flesh, God with us to save us from sin and call us into obedient faith.

Fear v Faith (Isa. 7:10-13)
God speaks again to Ahaz—God is not silent in crisis.
God invites Ahaz to ask for a sign with no limits, calling him to trust.
Ahaz refuses to ask, using spiritual words to cover a fearful heart.
Isaiah exposes the issue: unbelief isn’t harmless—it wearies the house of David and dishonors God.
Fear always tries to look “reasonable,” but it leads to compromise.

The Virgin Shall Conceive (Isa. 7:14-16)
Because Ahaz refuses, God gives the sign Himself: a child and a name—Immanuel.
The sign is not for curiosity—it is for assurance: God is with His people.
“Curds and honey” reminds us this sign unfolds in real life and real time, not instant spectacle.
Before the child matures, the two kings Ahaz fears will be removed—God’s word outlasts the threat.
The point: fear doesn’t get to write the future—God does.

The Shadow of the Christ?
The first ripple: God calls Ahaz to trust and not form fearful “alliances” that replace obedience.
The greater ripple: Matthew shows the fullest meaning—Jesus is Immanuel, God with us to save us from our sins.
Unbelief still wages war today: it tells us to manage sin, hide sin, rename sin, or compromise to feel safe.
But victory comes only through Christ—and access comes by faith that obeys.
The question Advent presses is simple: will we trust the Sign God has given?

🙏 Walk It Out: 5-Day Devotional

Day 1 – When Fear Looks Reasonable
📖 Isaiah 7:10–12
Walk It Out: Identify one place fear has been calling the shots. Write what fear is “promising” you. Then pray: “Lord, I will trust You more than what I can control.”

Day 2 – Unbelief in Spiritual Language
📖 Isaiah 7:12–13; James 1:6–8
Walk It Out: Where have you been delaying obedience while waiting on a “perfect sign”? Confess that delay to God and take one small step of obedience today.

Day 3 – Immanuel Changes the Battle
📖 Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21–23
Walk It Out: Say “God is with me” out loud when temptation hits today. Ask: “If God is with me, what does faithfulness look like in this moment?”

Day 4 – The Threat Won’t Last Forever
📖 Isaiah 7:16; Psalm 27:1
Walk It Out: Choose one fear-based habit (avoidance, control, people-pleasing, secrecy) and replace it with one faith-based action (prayer, confession, reconciliation, accountability).

Day 5 – Access Through Obedient Faith
📖 Romans 6:3–4; Colossians 2:12
Walk It Out: Jesus didn’t come to help us cope with sin—He came to defeat it. Respond with obedient faith: repent where needed, and recommit to walking in newness of life.

🗣️ Adult Bible Class & Family Discussion Questions

Why does God invite Ahaz to ask for a sign?
Follow-up: What does that teach us about God’s patience toward weak faith?
Isaiah 7:10–11; Isaiah 1:18; 2 Peter 3:9

What’s the difference between faith that seeks understanding and unbelief that demands control?
Follow-up: How can you tell which one is operating in you?
Isaiah 7:12; Proverbs 3:5–6; James 1:5–8

How can fear disguise itself as “wisdom” or “common sense”?
Follow-up: What are modern “alliances” believers make when fear is in charge?
Isaiah 7:12–13; Jeremiah 17:5–8; Psalm 20:7

Why does Isaiah say they are “wearying” God?
Follow-up: What does that reveal about how seriously God takes trust?
Isaiah 7:13; Hebrews 3:12–15; Numbers 14:11

What is the significance of the name “Immanuel”?
Follow-up: How does God’s presence change how you face temptation?
Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21–23; Hebrews 13:5–6; 1 Corinthians 10:13

Why does the sign involve a child and a timeline rather than something instant?
Follow-up: What does this teach about trusting God while waiting?
Isaiah 7:14–16; Isaiah 28:16; Hebrews 10:36; Romans 8:24–25

What might “curds and honey” communicate about the child’s world?
Follow-up: How does God meet His people in hardship?
Isaiah 7:15; Psalm 23:1–4; Philippians 4:11–13; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10

How do people attempt to manage sin instead of surrendering to God?
Follow-up: Which one do you struggle with most: minimizing, hiding, redefining, delaying?
Romans 6:1–2; 1 John 1:8–9; Proverbs 28:13

How does Matthew’s use of “Immanuel” deepen the meaning of Isaiah’s sign?
Follow-up: Why does it matter that Jesus is both “God with us” and “Savior from sin”?
Matthew 1:21–23; John 1:14; Titus 2:11–14

What does “obedient faith” look like this week in your life?
Follow-up: What is one compromise fear has been pressuring you toward?
James 4:7–8; Hebrews 11:6; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3–4; 2 Corinthians 7:

📄 Scripture Reference List

Isaiah 7:10–16
Matthew 1:18–25
James 1:6–8; 4:7–8
Psalm 27:1
Romans 6:1–4
Colossians 2:12