Isaiah 8:19-9:7
· Intro
The gospel comes in many different forms. It is impossible to put it in one way because the Bible presents it in so many different ways with so many different themes. For instance, some of you grew up hearing the Romans Road. Or if you grew up in the Christian Churches or Churches of Christ you heard the five finger exercise. The Bible itself talks about righteousness by faith (Rom. 1), becoming blameless before a judge (Colossians 1), Jesus humbling himself then taking his rightful place (Philippians 2), and being washed (Titus 3). You all get the idea.
Today I want us to look at a familiar Christmas passage in Isaiah 8-9 and see what good news the child’s birth has for us.
READ ISAIAH 8:19-9:7
Two kingdoms: Lord of the Rings, Buckeyes vs. Michigan
1. This world is in darkness
· We assume we are in light. US vs. Taliban, health care pro vs. against.
· God sees the world in darkness. John 8, I am the light of the world
· We agree. My Sister’s Keeper, “When I was little, the great mystery to me wasn’t how babies were made, but why…I’m telling you, if aliens landed on earth today and took a good hard look at why babies get born, they’d conclude that most people have children by accident, or because they drink too much on a certain night, or because birth control isn’t 100%, or for a thousand other reasons that really aren’t very flattering.”
o Isaiah 8:19-22
· How did the world become a dark place?
o Corporately, Adam in the Garden.
1. In kingdoms, there is only one king. When Adam disobeyed, he rebelled against the king and moved from light to darkness.
2. It affected him. It affected his descendants. It affected the entire creation around him from that time on. The world is no longer God’s good garden, but Satan’s playground.
o Individually, we are like Adam. It is easy for us to see the darkness in others. But we also attempt to find security, safety, and stability in things other than God. When we do, we attempt to take him off his throne. In doing so, we change have moved from light to darkness.
2. Light defeats darkness
· The cry of our hearts is for good to triumph over evil. It will.
· Isaiah 9:1-7, qualities of the light kingdom.
o There is a large joyful nation of light (9:3)
There is peace on earth (9:4-5)
There is a just, fair, and rightful ruler (9:6)
This kingdom will last forever; darkness won’t suddenly make a comeback (9:7)
And it is God’s will that this will happen. So if he is truly God and more powerful than anything else, then this is a sure promise (9:7)
3. What this means for us
· We can rejoice
· We need to fear
o Remember what we agreed upon earlier. We not only live in a dark world, but also partake of it. We attempt to take God off his throne.
· Our dilemma: We want light to defeat evil, but if it did, we would lose. Light is our hope and dread.
· A modern response to this sermon would sound like this, why cannot God merely forget about this light and darkness stuff, good and evil and just forgive everyone?
o Judges are only just if they pronounce guilt for the guilty and innocence for the innocent.
4. What this means for the child
· Here is the solution found in the Gospels. Colossians 1:21ff
o Christ = King. The child king, the rightful ruler, the son was given. He took the darkness on his shoulders and took the punishment for that kingdom. He suffered for it.
· Why?
o Justice? No.
o God understood our problem. On the one hand light is our salvation from this world, on the other hand it is our trouble. God saw this and out of love for you, he gave his son to suffer our punishment. If the punishment has been paid, then we are free to join a new kingdom. The cross is the way God ends darkness, without ending us (2x).
5. Conclusion
· When Jesus came into the world, he preached, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is approaching (Matt. 4:17).
o Not be better.
o But trust in the right things. The right own to find security and peace in is the only one who can truly offer it, he is the one who loved you and me enough to die the death we deserved that we might have the light that he offers. Put your faith in him. Trust in him for the grace he offers.
o And when you understand the peace that this kingdom offers and the meaning of this child, then you won’t search for other kings and kingdoms. You won’t turn your heart to kingdoms that will ultimately fail.
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