Isaiah 9 2-7 60:1-3 Third Sunday December 14, 2008
Jessica & Judy Share
Scriptures from the Messiah – 2nd most famous of songs
Isaiah 9
2 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.
3 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.
The place of thickest darkness is the place where he sees the light of the dawn of redemption first.
Galilee was always the first to be attacked
The darkness of Haiti, D.R. Los Algadones, Zimbabwe
Present economic crisis, government crisis
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I’m waiting for the dawn – U2, “Yaweh”
-A prayer for redemption
…
6 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.
7 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.
It might surprise you to see the Christ child described as bringing good governance – we have been taught that faith and politics don’t mix!
But the picture is one of a great leader.
Much of the the problems of Haiti, D.R., L.A., Zimbabwe, the economic crisis can be attributed to bad governance. D.R. has suffered from bad Government from the beginning of European contact.
The Child:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Wisdom and power
Wisdom without power
Power without wisdom does not work
Everlasting father – God has come among us
Prince of Peace – Shalom – well being, prosperity: not just absence of strife.
It is absence of strife – peace between Haitians and Dominicans
– Ephesians 2:14-18 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
At Christmas we celebrate the coming of this child.
So what? Has it come? – we are still in darkness.
Are we waiting for the kingdom to come?
Are we waiting for kingdom come?
The Kingdom is here – Jesus message.
It is voluntary. Will you enter the kingdom?
The child has been born, but we have a part in seeing the kingdom come.
Pray that our leaders will live in the ways of the kingdom – biblical ways
1. You don’t burden the poor with loans they can never repay
2. You treat foreigners with the same rules as you treat citizens – people are treated with equity regardless of their race, their economic status, their gender – Gal 3:28
3. True leadership lays down it’s life and its power for the sake of the people. – no corrupt self-interest
Rom 8:19-21 The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Reveal yourself – Elio building Esperanza
Rachel creating employment, hope and dignity
Dave & Sandy living in solidarity with the poor
Janice (&Judy) ministering with the elderly poor
This brings the light of the kingdom into the darkness
Matthew 514-16
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Isaiah 60
The Glory of Zion
1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
