Stopping by Woods On A Snowy Evening, Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping there
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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1. The Horse does not understand
2. Robert Frost does.
1. He has promises to keep.
1. Promise is such a wondrous word.
1. It has so many implications
1. Promise = Hope, Possibility, Potential, Prospect,
2. Promise = Guarantee, Oath, Pledge, Vow, Word.
2. When we have a baptism I hold that child in my arms and think of all promise.
1. The hope, the possibilities, potential, the prospects of that child.
2. The promise of the parents who are the guarantor, the pledge, the vow, the word.
3. Only time will tell if the promise is realized.
1. There are limitations to be taken into consideration.
2. Perhaps, promise is only partially realized.
3. We people who believe in promises.

MAIN BODY:

1. We are always looking for a promise and its realization.
1. You are delighted to take a child to visit Santa Claus
1. I have watched parents with children standing in lines in the mall for their turn.
1. To have their picture taken.
2. To tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
3. There is an implied promise In Santa Claus
4. At one time we believed that he brought us our Christmas gifts.

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2. Harley, L Schwadron has Santa is sitting in a department store.
1. Next to him is a sign which reads:
2. "The Consumer Protection Act requires me to inform you that I have no real power to grant wishes, but am here for entertainment purposes only."
3. We soon outgrow the promise of Santa.
4. We know that he does not bring us gifts.
5. He does not slide down the chimney on Christmas Eve.
6. We are often disappointed when Santa does not bring us what we have requested.
7. We need a better promise than that.
2. Its great fun to go to the mall and see the great crowds of people doing their Christmas shopping.
1. The stores are full of promise.
2. What kind of a promise does retail provide?
1. Mike Smith draws a manger scene with two modern marketing specialists speaking to Mary and Joseph.
2. One says: "The Son of God! Really?!! Just think of the potential. We start out with your own designer apparel...shoes, hats, t-shirts, jackets, even swim wear. Then we'll do a workout video, call it, 'Sweatin' with the Messiah,' or something. Maybe get a book or movie contract..."
3. There is an implied promise in the commercials of the retail establishment.
1. They show the joy of the giver.
2. The excitement of the receiver of the gift.

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4. Many of our gifts prove to be impractical.
5. Some of them have a very short useful life.
6. We need a better promise than that!
2. Joni Eareckson Tada in "Lamp Unto My Feet," writes, "Just think, every promise God has ever made finds its fulfillment in Jesus. God doesn't just give us grace, he gives us Jesus, the Lord of grace. It's peace, it's only found in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Even life itself is found in the Resurrection and the Life. Christianity isn't all that complicated...it's Jesus."
3. Jesus is a child of God's promise.
1. (Micah 5:2-5 NRSV) But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
1. One who is to rule
2. Whose origins is from old, from ancient days.
1. One who is before time
2. Yet one who is part of time.
3. He is described as:
1. One who shall feed his flock
1. [4] And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
2. One who will provide security.
1. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth;
3. And he will be a person of peace
1. [5] and he shall be the one of peace.
4. The promise of God is fulfilled in a spectacular way.
1. Mary, in the early stages of her pregnancy, sets out to visit her cousin Elizabeth.
2. When Mary enters Elizabeth's home a remarkable occurrence takes place.
1. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her child leaped in her womb.
2. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit [42] and exclaimed with a loud cry,
1. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
2. [43] And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
3. [44] For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.
3. [45] And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

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3. Mary responds to Elizabeth's exclamation
1. [46] Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
2. [50] His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
1. [51] He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
2. [52] He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
3. [53] he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
4. [54] He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, [55] according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
4. According to the promise, God's promise, God's unfailing promise.

CONCLUSION:

1. To receive the benefit of the promise Jesus must be unpacked.
1. Jordan E. Detzer ⁽¹⁾ was invited to preach for a pastor a week before Christmas.
2. During the service he noticed that there was a manger scene on the altar.
3. But on closer inspection, he saw only farm animals by the lighted barn.
4. He couldn't find a baby in the manger.
5. When the time came for the sermon, he walked to the altar and asked the congregation if they had seen Jesus.
6. Everyone look perplexed.
7. He told them I had looked all over the altar but couldn't find him anywhere.
8. A woman in the choir responded, "I know where Jesus is. He is still in the box we haven't unpacked yet."

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2. Christ is the child of promise.
1. Jesus birth creates the
1. Promise = Hope, Possibility, Potential, Prospect,
2. Jesus birth guarantees the
1. Promise = Oath, Pledge, Vow, Word.
3. If we do not unpack the promise
1. We are left with incomplete promise Santa Claus
2. We are left with the faulty promise of the retail establishment.
4. Solomon stood before his people at the dedication of the temple and proclaimed.
1. (1 Kings 8:56 KJV) Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised:
2. there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
5. If we do not find the fulfillment of the promise it is not because God has failed.
6. If we do not find the fulfillment of the promise it is because we have failed.
1. We have failed to understand.
2. We have failed to realize it
3. We have failed to capture it.
4. We have failed to own it for ourselves.
7. Christmas is the promise
1. Unpack the promise, it is everything that you really need
2. Unpack the promise it is everything and would want, if only you knew what you wanted.

   1. Jordan E. Detzer, The Upper Room, 12-10-88.

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