Message 12-24-07
Series: Lectionary – Say the Words
Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7
Title: It Will Never End
Christmas is all about the work and promise of God. Here’s what God promises in this Scripture:
Life
Satisfaction
Freedom
Peace
Relationship
Here’s the offer that’s held out to us:
Life –
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
We are the people who live in the land of the shadow of death. No matter how strongly we deny it or pretend that it isn’t part of our day, death is a destination of everyone. Human beings live within the shadow of death. And have you ever noticed that everything humanity creates is dead? Buildings, books, chairs, guitars, slides on a playground… whatever you can point at, it’s dead. It’s not a living thing. We bring it to “life” by using it, getting into it or making it work but it’s not really alive. What humanity creates is dead. What God creates – even humanity – even the baby that comes from the womb is alive. We messing around with the things of God now, but that’s all we’re doing. We’re taking the living elements, embryos, eggs and sperm, cells but, essentially we’re still gardeners who cultivate, graft in branches from one plant into another – we’re manipulating the living things God has created, but we’re not creating life.
God shines a light on us and says to us that we are part of life, not just life now, but life that transcends death. We no longer have to pretend that we won’t grow old. We don’t have to deny or pretend that death is not inevitable. God offers us the chance to be a part of life on our planet, life in our universe and life beyond death. He invites up into his daylight in Jesus Christ and to come back into the life we should be living in connection with him.
Satisfaction
You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
People who get in on what God is offering in Jesus not only feel a part of everything, of life, they feel enlarged and their life becomes enlarged. They begin to experience a deeper experience of living and a greater sense of satisfaction. They fit, but there’s more. There’s a sense of things working, of getting in on life coming together, on participating in a bigger thing then just their own lives. They feel a sense of celebration, a sense of joining in on winning, of creating something that is coming to fruition. It is a sense of harvest, of planting and growing and gathering in and so they celebrate. It’s a sense of satisfaction.
Freedom
For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
The story of God and God’s people is the story of people being led out of slavery. Whether you are reading the story of the people of Israel in their exodus from Egypt or listening to Jesus saying that he came to: preach good news to the poor… to proclaim freedom for the prisoners… and recovery of sight for the blind. . .to release the oppressed. . . to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Or Paul saying that we have been led into freedom from the law, the story of God’s work in people’s lives is that he brings us freedom. God calls people out of debt. He calls people out of addiction. God calls people out of darkness, out of prison and into freedom.
To all the things that we point at and say, “Now that is the “real” world” and what we’re talking about is pain, frustration, despair, God says bring those into life with me. I’m in those places as well. I’m not distant or separated from that. Those things are actually less real because you aren’t dealing with them with me.
Peace
Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
Real life includes harsh reality. When God is part of that we find a peace that transcends understanding. We aren’t excusing what’s wrong and we don’t pretend it isn’t there. But with God we can face it. God gives us other people who can come alongside us and help. God gives us strength we did not realize we had. We have resources that calm our hearts, that clear our minds and that guide us into wholeness. All the things that used to mean that we were struggling, that we were fighting our way into surviving in the world are torched in the light of Christ.
Relationship
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Forever
And how long of this work of God will last.
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.
Do you want in on this? There’s a way in. It’s easy. You can get in on this. All you need to do is be homeless. You just have to be jobless. You have to have no hope. If you are helpless and can’t do it on your own – and you know it – you can get in on it. You must see yourself as a receiver. For most of us Christmas is all about giving and as Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive, but when it comes to Christmas, when it comes to getting in on Christmas you must be a receiver. When it comes to God’s work in Christmas we all are receivers. But you know, it’s not just a one time thing. It’s not like, “Oh sure, I’d like that.” You don’t think, “Sure I’d be happy to get one of those.” When you admit you are receiver to God, that you don’t have any right or way or strength to get you into the kingdom of God, you admit you’re a receiver for the rest of your life. Every day you wake up and say, “It’s only with you that I get through today, so show me what I should do.”
How much does God want this? How much does he want to give these things into our lives and hearts? Christmas cost God everything just to get in on what we call reality. How is going to pull it off?
The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Zeal – God can’t wait to do this.
