I. Introduction
There are a lot of things that I love about Christmas. The music. The get togethers. The excitement over giving gifts. Haven't you noticed the older you get how much more exciting it is to give the unexpected gift than it is to receive the unexpected gift? The lights. The jog down memory lane. There is just a lot to love. However, there is one thing that I absolutely, whole heartedly, with every fiber of my being, at a deep soul level despise, hate, loath and detest about Christmas. I hate the process of exchanging something that didn't fit or wasn't the right model. The long lines. The suspicious stares. The task and chore of finding the alternative size or model. In fact, I have been known to just keep something I can't use rather than going through the devil created process of exchanging something. However, there is a Christmas Exchange that should and must take place. It is part of the upside down aspect of Christmas that I would like to examine and for you to experience this Christmas.
Join me in Isaiah. Isaiah, 700 years prior to any fodder for songs like Silent Night or Mary Did You Know?, prophecies the arrival of Jesus. Shockingly accurate. Amazingly detailed. Isaiah pens a statement about this Christmas Exchange and in doing so pulls the covers back on the upside down impact of the arrival of Jesus.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (TLB)
For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. This is going to happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has dedicated himself to do it!
I don't know if you caught it or not. We rush past it as we get caught up in His royal titles. We fixate on the fact that He is wonderful. That He is the wise counselor. That He is the Prince of Peace. In our rush to the implications of His titles, we miss the exchange. We miss the upheaval. We miss the upside down nature that His arrival has on the condition of our lives.
Jesus' arrival turns government upside down.
You may think man as messed up as our government is right now (and has always been) we really need this exchange right now. In our focus on democrat, republican, presidents, senators and our own lens of government we pass right over the personal exchange that this addresses. Our perspective on government only comes in handy to answer this question . . . What does government do? In our day it produces order, manages and provides health care and mental health services. We look to them, correctly or incorrectly, to deal with those issues. So, let's go back to the Scripture.
Isaiah declares that when Jesus arrives, He will take government on His shoulders. Another way this can be said is . . . The weight of the world will be upon His shoulders. Let's drill down even further. The full weight of all your problems can be placed on His shoulders. He is equipped and was sent to bear our problems.
And yet even though this exchange has been offered and provided I wonder how many of us have refused to let go of the weight of our world? Jesus came to turn our world upside down, but so often we won't let Him!
I want you to notice something with me if you will. There is a progression in the passage that we miss. We want Jesus to operate in His royal capacity. We want Him to produce what rulers produce - counsel and peace. We want the result of His government without releasing the rule of our government. We want what He can produce but we still want to shoulder the responsibility of control.
The only way to He can operate in the authority and ability of His titles and give us counsel and peace is when we allow Him to overturn government of our life. We must resign as general manager of our universe. He will accept your resignation. The only way He can provide what government provides - order, health care and mental health - is when we let Him govern! We must exchange, turn upside down control and relinquish authority to Him.
The fact that He is able to produce these things is certain.
David testified to this truth in Ps.55:22 - “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.
Peter testifies of the governing ability of Jesus when he proclaims - “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 Peter declares when we give Him government His care kicks in!
Paul knew that if we would make this exchange, then we would experience the order that Jesus brings called peace. That is why he said in Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Maybe you won't take it from others. Maybe you need to hear it from Jesus Himself. Jesus talks to us about this exchange. Knowing His ability to handle the government of our lives, He implores, pleads, begs for us to “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light!” (Matthew 11:28–30)
In other words, Jesus is begging us to unload on Him! As one man said, "This babe in the manger came to set us free from the terrible burden and inevitable failure of trying to run the universe!" That is why at Christmas we sing "The weary world rejoices!" You are unloading on everyone else. The problem is they don't have the shoulders for it!
But when we let Him govern, then we also meet Him as Wonderful Counselor or Prince of Peace. When we let Him turn things upside down and when we relinquish government (control), then what we were meant to carry, He carries. What we were incapable to bear, He bears. Isaiah prophecies what Jesus would do. He would be strong enough, powerful enough, mighty enough to bear our burdens. Jesus flips everything upside down and when we allow Him to govern, we discover that what was meant to bury, He can carry! He is built for it! He was birthed for it!
Some of you are stooped over in your spirit simply because your shoulders aren't strong enough for what you are facing. Some for are bent to the breaking point because you are trying to carry the burden of government and you lack the ability and authority to turn chaos into peace. sickness into wholeness or hurt into health. Why don't you allow Jesus to establish a new government in your life? Give Him rule and reign. Unload on Him and you will find that peace is His policy. Healing is His west wing.
I must ask you this question today . . . it is a question regarding government . . . If His burden is light, then why is yours so heavy? The answer is simple the exchange that is available hasn't taken place yet.
If you are weighed down with fear, pain, worry, anxiety, shame, brokenness, anger, despair, sickness then won't you unload on Him today?
