In The Waiting

Presents

The last few weeks we were in our “Cautionary Tale” series - about leadership and really highlighting the critical importance of obedience, trust, and humility before God. Really an incredible reminder and lesson that our actions and choices have profound spiritual implications. And I point that out because I think the time of year in which that series was taught was really just - well - perfect, because it provides such a great backdrop for us today as we shift our focus from the lessons we learned of Saul’s reign to the beauty of just the hopeful expectation of not just another king, not just a great king, but the King. The King of all other kings. A period marked not just by waiting, but by waiting with purpose and promise.

It’s a time when our hearts, perhaps scarred by past challenges, by past hurts, can find renewal in the anticipation of God’s unfailing promises. So as we kick off our new sermon series, “The Good King,” I’d like to start with a question. Do you remember what it was like to be a kid in the Christmas season? I know this may not be the same for everyone, but I know that for me it conjures up memories of just pure excitement, eagerness - seemingly always counting down to Christmas morning? Maybe you were staring at the tree, eyeing that one special gift, that one that was wrapped, the box was just the right size, and the tag had the most important words you could read on it: “To: Austin”. It’s just calling your name. Over the days and weeks you sneak into where the tree was, and you pick up the box. You angle it this way and that, hoping to hear something inside sliding around.

“Oooohhhh that felt solid.” What could be in there?

You shake it and speculate what’s inside. Just counting down the days til you get to open it. Maybe for you, the question of “How soon is too soon to listen to Christmas music?” is a paradox because you never stopped.

Or… maybe the Christmas season doesn’t evoke such warm memories. Maybe it’s a difficult time - family issues, loneliness, maybe it’s brought about more questions and challenges than celebrations. Maybe you just can’t wait to skip past all of that and just get back to the day to day life that’s normal. So I’ll just say this - whether your memories of Christmas are filled with eager anticipation waiting for Christmas morning, or just waiting for day-to-day life to return, we all understand the feeling of waiting - of eager expectation. And that's what we're diving into today.

But I’ll just say this, as believers, we’re all waiting for something truly extraordinary, the return of Christ, of getting to meet Him face to face, and in that waiting, it actually can be a lot like the image of a young child during Christmas, full of hope and barely contained joy.

The Israelites’ Waiting

And in the heart of this season, I think it’s pretty easy for us to connect with the Israelites' long-standing hope for a righteous king. Their deep longing for a leader who embodied wisdom and strength sets the backdrop for the profound hope we find in Isaiah's words. Now to give us just a little bit of background, the beginning of Isaiah ch. 9 is where we’ll be today. Isaiah ch.8 ends with a description of the darkness experienced by those in Israel who reject the Lord. In the previous chapters Isaiah warns Ahaz (a descendant of King David) that the Assyrians will be the first to chop down Israel, leaving it like a scorched stump in a field. Eventually in the book Isaiah warns of the Babylonian exile, but in chapter 9 is where we see Isaiah also giving a message of hope. He describes a day in Israel's future, after this destruction when the gloom will lift and glory will return, like a branch out of the stump of David’s family. And this is where we pick up today, the entering of a season of waiting for the ultimate manifestation of God's promise.

So read with me, starting in Isaiah 9, verse 2:

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”