Sunday, December 3, 2006
Text: Isaiah 9: 6 – “For unto us a Child is Born”
Isaiah bursts into the Advent Season with these profound words uttered in prophesy in the 8th Century B.C.E. These words have the authenticity of one who has experienced the wonder and majesty of God’s presence in their life.
Too often people seek to speak a word from the Lord, even though there appears to be no visible evidence that the light of God’s countenance has shined in their life. When you have met God for yourself: you should move out of life’s dark shadows into the marvelous light.
There should be a change in your lifestyle meaning that what you do should be different, were you go should be beneficial, and what you say should be encouraging.
There should be a change in your lifework meaning what you put your hands to should enhance the Kingdom of God, what you put your heart in should bless the people of God, and what you set your mind to should usher people into God’s presence.
There should be a change in your lifeline meaning that you should depend on God’s word, you should develop a God like mind, and you should be assured of God’s provisions for your life.
This is what happens to Isaiah in the year that king Uzziah died, he met the Lord and in that moment he realized that God is Holy, Holy, Holy and that the whole world is full of His Glory.
That’s important because those were dark days in the life of God’s people. Northern Israel was under siege and Damascus had been captured. Judah is invaded and Ninevah and Jerusalem is destroyed. These where dark days people where being uprooted from there homeland and all vestiges of what was known as communal living was gone.
Foreign gods and idols where being erected everywhere and in the midst of these tribulations; Isaiah experiences a conversion. If you have met the Lord there should be no doubt that a wonderful change has been wroth in your life since Jesus has come into your heart.
So Isaiah experiences a conversion that gives clarity to his sinfulness and urgency to the need for God’s righteousness.
He hears the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and Isaiah responds by saying here am I, send me.
What better testimony can one give during this Advent season than to give to God a willing spirit to serve, to proclaim, to share, or to do what God needs done to redeem his world from destruction?
What better testimony can one give during this Advent season than to respond to God’s call by saying here am I, send me?
We find ourselves with a world that seems to be spinning out of control. Our terror alerts are at an all time high. We are afraid even of the shadows because we don’t know what lurking beyond our view.
We find ourselves not only in a world spinning out of control - evolving not into community; but into anarchy. There seems to be no center. Life’s anchors seem to have given way. Where are the absolutes in life? What can we depend on? Where can you go for assurances and affirmation?
These times are no different than the days of Isaiah. Mean spiritedness, violence running amuck, people of little faith, and people are ruled by dark forces of power.
Isaiah is touched by God in unique way. And God gives him an assignment. Speak to the power of the day and also, speak to my people.
You find Isaiah speaking truth to power. You also find him encouraging the people with prophesy. He tells them if you are looking for a sign from the Lord. Look no further!
He calls them to remembrance. Don’t you remember what happened at Midian.
When it was time to do battle with the Midianites, the Lord told Gideon that he had too many people with him to go into battle. Ask the people who are afraid? Those that where afraid were able to leave. The Lord then said, you still have too many people to go into battle with the Midianites. If you take too many people and you win, you will think it is because of your might. I want you to know that it is the Lord who delivers you in battle. Take your men down to the water and those who boweth down on the knees – leave them. And take the men who lap the water like a dog. And there remained only three hundred men. Gideon took that three hundred men and went against the Midianites and the Amalekites who where their allies and with the sound of the trumpet and the noise of pitchers breaking where able to destroy all the enemies of the Lord.
And they learned something that day. The battle is not yours it’s the Lords.
This same Isaiah, who reminded the people of what God had done, speaks a word into their spirits that still rings with hope until this day.
For unto us a child is born. This is a bold statement because not only was Israel and Judah under attack. They were divided. The Kingdom of Israel was divided North and South.
Isaiah speaks a word of unity to the community as he says - for unto us!
Sometimes we distance ourselves from our neighbors, but the blessings of God are not for a chosen few. Isaiah says they are for us.
That good to know that God’s grace and mercy is available to everyone, it’s available to us.
God does not distinguish us by where we where born. He does not separate us by what we may have. He definitely doesn’t care what school you attended or what colors you wear. The goodness of God is available to everyone, it’s available to us.
God power is not reserved for those who would boast or those who would brag. His power is made manifest by His will and it is available to everyone, it’s available to us.
For unto us a child is born. There are three things we learn from this Isaiah’s opening text.
A child being born gives us a sense of
1. Expectancy. When times are tough, when the way is dark, when you don’t know which way to turn – God will make a way out of no way. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. A spiritual key of God is your expectancy. Expectancy is tied to faith and faith is tied to belief. Just like a mother when she feels something wonderful happening in her womb and her body makes the necessary changes for the expectancy of a newborn child. Just as preparations are made to arrange a room, will it be blue or will it be pink, for the soon to be born child. Just as baby showers are held and cigars are passed. God wants our minds and spirits to be in a constant state of expectancy that he will show up. That what happened to Sari, Abram’s wife, when she began to wonder would she ever conceive a child. God had to talk with her and challenge her sense of expectancy by saying is there anything too hard for God.
Expectancy is based upon God’s shallness.
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
A child being born gives us a sense of
2. Potentiality. Potentiality refers to the powers a child possesses inherently by virtue of being God’s child. I was watching Sixty Minutes last week and the program centered on a 13 year old boy who has written his 6 symphony. People marvel at his ability to conceive of all of the mathematical and musical concepts and then write them on paper in perfect balance between the many lyrical lines, melodies, and movements necessary to orchestrate a symphony. I thought for a moment every child possesses inherent power to comes from God.
Last week the Young men read scripture, led worship, prayed prayers and excited us all with the potentiality that God had placed within them.
Potentiality deals with the fact that God can do exceedingly and abundantly more than you could ask or think.
Potentiality deals with the fact that God operates above our own understanding. That’s why we are instructed not to lean to our own understanding but in every way acknowledge him.
Potentiality deals with the fact that though you may now be in darkness, you can be led to the marvelous light.
Potentiality deals with the fact that though you may be weeping now, joy will come in the morning.
For unto us a child is born. It gives us a sense of expectancy. It gives us a sense of potentiality. And finally,
A child being born gives us a sense of
3. Responsibility. God will not do what you can do. And you can’t do what only God can do. God says here is my child. Here is life. Here is liberty. You have to be responsible and be a good steward with what I have given unto you.
You have a responsibility to guard the good deposit I have made in you and for you.
I can defeat the devil; but your responsibility is to resist the devil.
I can move mountains; but your responsibility is to face your mountain.
I can be your strong tower; but your responsibility is to believe that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
I can shut the mouth of a lion; but your responsibility is to pray while you are in the lion’s den.
