A Thrill of Hope
Christmas: God with us • Sermon • Submitted
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· 44 viewsAim: Jesus is our hope in the midst of judgment
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Introduction
Introduction
I want us all to imagine that we are a group of scientists working on a cure for cancer.
If we haven’t met before, my name is Osmond. I’m a student minister at this church.
If today is your first time in church or it’s been a while since you’ve visited, I hope you’ll welcomed.
I’m a student minister at this church. and it’s a great privilege for me to be sharing with you from God’s word, the Bible, this morning.
We think that the most important thing we do in church is to know God better and to let this shape everything we do. But this only happens by understanding his word to us in the Bible.
So let us pray that God would help us do that.
Dear God, we thank you for your word to us. Please us to know you better this morning and to let that shape all that we say and do. We pray this so that Jesus might be glorified. Amen.
And after many years of late nights, gallons of coffee.
You finally do it.
You find the cure for cancer.
Christmas is great, isn’t it?
I love Christmas.
And after all the hugs, the high fives, the champagne and toasting ourselves silly, we sit down and we start to dream:
We dream about a day when cancer would be no more.
Christmas is a time of celebration, of gifts, of family and enjoying a feast with the people who are precious to you.
We dream about the joy of cancer patients no longer having cancer.
We dream about a day when cancer would be no more.
Can you imagine what this hope would feel like?
An as we trace it back to its roots, Christmas a time where we remember the coming of the Christ; the Son of God taking on flesh and being born as a man, and receiving the name Jesus because he will save us from our sins.
And “Hope” would be a good word to describe this, wouldn’t it?
Because, on the one hand, it wouldn’t have happened yet.
But on the other hand, the cure has already been found, and there is absolute certainty about it reaching hospitals and patients.
The only thing left to do is to wait.
But there is excitement.
And strength.
And joy.
Now, is this the feeling that you get when you think about Christmas?
When you think about the coming of Jesus, God in the flesh, “God with us”—is this the thrill of hope that you get?
Well, whether you do or you don’t, I hope you would walk away from church this morning with this hope in Jesus.
If you’re new or visiting, we’ve been going through a sermon series on the book of Isaiah.
And as we continue in it today, we come to these 3 chapters (chapters 7 to 9) which speak about the coming of a special king in the midst a mess.
But it isn’t a mess that we would recognise from our point of view.
These chapters show God teaching his people—the kingdom of Judah—that our deepest problem is not what our eyes see, but our broken relationship with God.
And it is in the midst of that deepest problem and mess, that we find humanity’s greatest hope.
A hope in the coming of a king.
And these chapters and
So here’s the deal:
So, I’m going to try and draw out the story behind these chapters as well as I can.
I’m going to try and draw out the story behind these chapters as well as I can.
And I would like you to have a Bible in hand so you could skim over the parts we’re not going to read directly.
And if you don’t have a Bible, just put your hand up.
And a Bible will magically find its way to you.
It’s like magic.
But one of the things I particularly love about Christmas is carols.
I love this line from O Holy Night:
My favourite line is from O Holy Night:
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
The weary world rejoices.”
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
And
Every time it makes me think, “Do we really live in a ‘weary world’?” And I think we do.
Is our world weary?
If we are to keep having a realistic picture of the world, we have to say ‘yes’, don’t we?
And just so I could empathise with the weariness,
Check out these news headlines from the past two months.
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I wonder whether you felt what I felt?
Accidents, murder, political issues that end up hurting people, sadness.
I think the news is hard to read sometimes because there is a sadness about death—whether it is through murder or accidents or injustice or neglect.
How do you trust in God when you see the weariness of the world?
When you face eleven year olds who murder their grandmothers?
When you see sea animals die because of the plastic that is in their stomach?
When the weather damages our world?
Is God really ruling?
How do you, at the end of the day, give that sigh of relief that there is hope in a world of weariness?
Well, as we continue on in our journey through the book of Isaiah, the message of Isaiah is that God promises a future when his people would be saved forever.
sleep
I have 3 headings:
Is there hope in the face of the enemy?
Is there hope in the face of judgment?
The year is 730BC and Isaiah is a prophet in the kingdom of Judah. And around Judah, the other countries are threatening to take over Judah to rule over all that area. There is the super power (Assyria) in the far North East, and just North of Judah there is a team up between the kingdoms of Israel and Syria.
The gift of hope found in the king
Why is it so bad? It’s because Israel and Syria have already formed an alliance against Assyria, and
A gloom of darkness
A gloom of darkness
The first thing to point out the passage, is the gloom of darkness that sits over the people of God.
Have a look at verse 2.
Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
What is the biggest problem with darkness?
It’s that you can’t see!
And it’s scary when you can’t see what’s in front of you!
You can trip. You can fall. And it hurts.
But what is the darkness God’s people are facing? I think the passage has 2 things which make up this darkness.
The first and most obvious problem for the people of God is war.
The year is 730BC and there is a dangerous super-power in the North East that is looking to extend their power and rule as far as possible. And that super-power is Assyria.
There is a dangerous super-power in the North East that is looking to extend their power and rule as far as possible. And that super-power is Assyria.
And meanwhile, just to the North of Judah, and in-between Judah and Assyria, Israel and Syria have teamed up to boost their defences against Assyria.
Let’s get into Isaiah.
Darkness #1
Darkness #1
1. Is there hope in the face of the enemy?
1. Is there hope in the face of the enemy?
1 This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah: Rezin king of Aram, along with Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, waged war against Jerusalem, but he could not succeed.
Let me lay out the context.
The year is 730BC.
And there are whispers of growing super-power in the North East. And that super-power is Assyria.
The year is 730BC and there is a dangerous super-power in the far North East that is looking to rule over as much land as possible. And that super-power is Assyria.
[If you look at the map, the yellow parts are Assyria’s rule 30 years from now. But in the point of history we are looking at, they still haven’t pushed south yet.]
And meanwhile, just South of Assyria, two other kingdoms have teamed up together (a bit like the movie Avengers) to form a defensive alliance against Assyria.
These two kingdoms are Aram (which is modern day Syria) and Israel.
[The yellow parts on the map is Assyria’s rule 30 years from now. But right now, they still haven’t pushed south yet.]
And if you can see it, Aram and Israel they sit between Assyria in the North and Judah in the South.
And they sit between Judah and Assyria.
In order to grow their army, Israel and Aram send an invite Judah to join their team.
“Join us! And the three of us can defend against the might of Assyria!”
Both Israel and Syria had also tried to get Judah to join their team as well.
It sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?
Three is better than two.
Except the invitation doesn’t come in a card with pretty flowers.
It comes as an army saying, “We will smash you unless you join us!”
1 This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah: Rezin king of Aram, along with Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, waged war against Jerusalem, but he could not succeed.
but a deep tension whether to join or not to join them.
So now, Judah is scared and pushed to the corner.
And it’s not just because an army is knocking on her door, but because of the deep tension.
There is a deep tension of whether Judah should join them or not.
Why is there tension?
It’s because even though Judah has a human king (king Ahaz), ultimately Judah’s true king is God.
And Ahaz was supposed to rule under the word of this God—a God who speaks.
Ahaz was supposed to rule God’s nation under him.
And for Judah to trust in any other king apart from her God is treason against God.
So when it seems like Judah is refusing, both Israel and Aram decide to take over Judah and to replace their king with a king who would.
But Judah refused, they’re now preparing to invade Judah and replace King Ahaz with someone who would join their team.
To say “yes” to Aram and Israel is to say “no” to God.
You can imagine Judah saying, “What do we do? How do we keep trusting God yet keep our heads above the waters?”
W
Especially when the enemy looks like our friend?
Or, “How do we
And just to dig a little further.
Just to dig a little further:
Judah knows that God is all-powerful and dependable.
Our relationship with God is based on
It seems simple, doesn’t it? To give in to Aram and Israel, is to say no to God.
To give in to Aram and Israel, is to say no to God.
But how does knowing that translate under the weight of her problems and the decisions that she needs to make?
But if we say no to Aram and Israel, the enemy seems too big.
Yet sometimes we feel this tension too, don’t we?
Sometimes our problems or our temptations seem much bigger than God, and we think it’d be much more simple if God just wasn’t there—and we can just face our problems and our temptations without him.
And we feel this tension too, don’t we?
Sometimes, we don’t know what trusting God looks like in the face of death or sickness.
Wouldn’t it be easier
Sometimes, we don’t know how to trust God under the sadness or anxiety we feel about our finances, or our families, or our relationships, or our failures.
At other times, since we forget what God is really like, we might say, “No, no, no—these guys are a gift from God! Otherwise, why else would God put them in front of me?”
Slow
Sometimes the enemy feels too big.
Judah would’ve felt this tension.
And if you know the feeling of being a failure towards God, you are not alone—because as we read on, we see Judah reject her God.
and as we read on we see Judah say ‘no’ to God.
Sometimes, we don’t know what it looks like to live with God as our king but for the kingdom of Judah,
Point 2, “Is there hope in the face of judgement?”
2. Is there hope in the face of judgment?
2. Is there hope in the face of judgment?
Let’s keep reading in in our Bibles, or you can follow along on the screen.
Judah would’ve felt this tension, and as we read on it becomes clear what Judah chooses.
This is God speaking with Isaiah.
Read quickly
12 Do not call everything an alliance these people say is an alliance. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.
13 You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be held in awe.
This took place during the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah king of Judah: Rezin king of Aram, along with Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, waged war against Jerusalem, but he could not succeed.
5 The Lord spoke to me again:
6 Because these people rejected the slowly flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 the Lord will certainly bring against them the mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates River— the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will overflow its channels and spill over all its banks.
12 Do not call everything an alliance these people say is an alliance. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.
13 You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be held in awe.
Isaiah 8:20
What is happening here?
Judah decides that the bigger enemy is Assyria.
And so, Judah ignores God’s word and says to the king of Aram and the king of Israel, “Yes, I will join your team. With our kingdom’s powers combined, we will hold our own against Assyria!”
Judah found
Judah decides to ignore God and forms a team with Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel.
But God sees things in a different way.
Did you notice how God
Did you notice how God says he will actually send Assyria against them for her decision?
The bigger enemy is not Assyria.
See, Assyria is a big enemy—God is not discounting that—but Assyria is not the biggest enemy.
God will teach them that their biggest enemy is a fractured relationship between them and God.
The much bigger enemy is actually not listening to God and saying ‘no’ to God.
Judah’s sin wasn’t just forming an alliance with neighbouring cities, it was a personal rejection of God’s word to her.
This is what the Bible calls “sin”.
The Bible calls “sin”.
The Bible’s word for this saying ‘no’ to God is “sin”.
Sin is not just hurting people or doing wrong.
Sin is terrible because you are closing your ears against your God and pretending that he isn’t there.
And the Bible’s word for saying ‘no’ to God is “sin”.
5 The Lord spoke to me again:
6 Because these people rejected the slowly flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 the Lord will certainly bring against them the mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates River— the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will overflow its channels and spill over all its banks.
See, “sin” is where you live and think your way, rather than God’s way.
And so, particularly from this passage, you can see how “sin” is an absolutely terrible idea, can’t you?
For at least 2 reasons:
It always has to be saying ‘no’ to God.
One, we see the bigness of God’s reputation and rule—you don’t want to offend someone who can use the whole kingdom of Assyria like his chess piece.
Judah’s sin was a personal rejection of her relationship to her God and king.
Two, we see that sin is a personal offence against God—Judah’s action was a personal rejection of her relationship to God—just as all sin is a personal rejection of OUR relationship to God.
Sin is a personal rejection of our relationship with God.
Thirdly, you see the weakness of sinners.
But you also see the weakness of Judah.
Judah was scared.
because there is no one higher than God.
Because there is no one higher than God, and there is no God but one.
The enemy
Is there hope in the face of our sin?
Is there hope in the face of our sin?
Is there hope in the face of our enemies?
ust as all sin is a personal rejection of our relationship to God.
Judah was pushed to the corner.
God created us and calls us to be perfect as he is perfect.
And so, when we cheat or lie about our taxes, the most offended person is always God.
When we are selfish
When we are selfish or hurt people, the most offended people is always God.
Whether big or small, all sin is a personal rejection of God’s kingly relationship over us.
And you are a sinner.
And whether it is big or small, the most offended person is always God.
Judah was tempted by an alliance against Assyria.
Just as I am a sinner.
Just as all Christians are sinners.
And since he is God, sin is an utterly terrible and wicked thing.
So how can there be hope in the face of sin?
For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say,
‘Let us go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.’ ”
Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.
But the terrifying thing about sin is that God judges sin.
We all ignore and rebel against God.
You are a sinner.
Just as I am a sinner.
Just as even all Christians are sinners.
In 1970, there was a comic strip that became very popular particularly for this quote:
“We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
There’s a bit of truth here, isn’t there?
In fact, the bible says that all of humanity are sinners.
We tend to blame others rather than to take responsibility.
The bigger enemy is not Assyria, it’s our own sin.
The bigger enemy is not Assyria, or Israel or Aram. It’s our sin against God.
Let me show it to you and listen out for the word “only”.
And as if that isn’t enough, liste
Isaiah 7:5–6
If there is a world of weariness, Isaiah felt it.
You’re the prophet—the mouthpiece of God to the great king.
And you’re the prophet—the mouthpiece of God—to the great king.
And you feel this heavy, heavy tension.
It’s a tension between what you see, and what you know to be true. And the two don’t seem to fit together.
And yet God is still saying
It’s a tension between whether your problems are bigger than God, or is God bigger than your problems.
I wonder if you’ve been there?
And if you don’t join them, all the king’s advisors are saying you should join Assyria since they would eventually knock on your door and steal your kingdom away.
The problem seems bigger than God.
On the other hand, God is saying, don’t trust in man and don’t fear them.
And especially, don’t trust in Assyria to get you out of trouble with Israel and Aram.
And Isaiah knows this—he saw the great King back in chapter 6, high and exalted, the whole earth full of his glory.
I am the supreme ruler.
God is your king.
I am the King.
Don’t trust in Assyria to get you out of trouble with Israel and Aram.
And Isaiah knows this—he saw the great King back in chapter 6, high and exalted, the whole earth full of his glory.
He saw the great King back in chapter 6, high and exalted, the whole earth full of his glory.
And I rule t
God says this really clearly in chapter 8.
Have a look at the screen.
11 For this is what the Lord said to me with great power, to keep me from going the way of this people:
12 Do not call everything an alliance these people say is an alliance. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.
13 You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be held in awe.
You’ve already
Because there is no one higher than God, and there is no God but him alone.
The word ‘holy’ in verse 13 sums it up really well.
Holy simply means ‘unique’ or ‘distinct’.
That is how we should regard God because “holy” is what he is.
If you were with us on Sunday, you would know that Isaiah knows this all too well
He has already seen God—the great king—on his throne back in chapter 6, high and exalted.
Behind all appearances, the whole earth is full of God’s glory. Not Assyria’s.
Don’t trust in man.
God is bigger than the problem.
Trust in the one and only holy God and fear him.
Trust in the one and only God.
And so, you can imagine the stress of King Ahaz,
See, all sin is sin because we have failed to regard God as ‘holy’.
And because God cannot tolerate injustice and untruth, he punishes
If there was ever anyone who it is completely wrong to not listen to or to say ‘no’ to, it has to be God.
Holy simply means ‘unique’ or ‘distinct’ or ‘set apart’.
And Isaiah knows this.
It’s a bit like my phone.
This phone has been “set apart” distinctly for my use.
The problem is we are all sinners.
You are a sinner.
Just as I am a sinner.
Even Christians are sinners.
In fact, the bible says that all of humanity are sinners.
And yet it is so hard to match it with what you see is happening around you.
He saw the King in his throne room back in chapter 6, high and exalted, and the whole earth full of glory.
This year has been a hard year for a lot of my friends.
And if you’ve been there, you know what it’s like.
But the
It’s hard to trust in God
This year has been a hard year for a lot of my friends.
In our community at Moore College where I study,
A family that I know had a miscarriage of one of their twins at 28 weeks. The mom carried both twins to full-term and they met both their daughters.
Another friend just had a really rough year, dealing with miscarriages of her friends, of losing her home unexpectedly, and the death of people she knew.
And as I chatted with both of these friends separately, the thing that they are thankful for is that they did not curse God.
It’s hard to trust in God.
What you see and what you know to be true doesn’t always match up.
It isn’t because God can’t fix our situations.
But
He actually has something to say in these situations.
And his word is to fear him and to hold him in awe.
Some of these are hard situations, but some of these are also
The darkness my friends faced was death.
The darkness that the people of God were facing was war.
But there was another problem that added to the darkness.
The people of God
Assyria within 10 years destroy both Aram and Israel
But there is another reason for the darkness.
And it’s actually much more important that we understand this second problem.
If the darkness is like the shadow under a great big tree, then this second problem are like the tree roots which keep the tree and its shadow standing.
Which is fine if there were no consequences to being a sinner.
But the terror of sin is not the sin itself—the
You see, the much bigger problem for the people of Jerusalem was God’s judgement upon them.
But the terror of sin is that God judges sin.
Darkness #2: The darkness of God’s judgment
Darkness #2: The darkness of God’s judgment
Imagine if these words of judgement were spoken against you.
Because Judah teamed up with Aram and Israel, God would send Assyria against her?
Because sin deserves the darkness of judgement.
I’m going to replace some of the words so you can feel the tension.
Judah eventually turns to Assyria for help.
And within 10 years, Assyria destroys both Aram and Israel.
But because Judah chose to directly ignore God’s command, listen to how God responds in chapter 8:
Judah eventually chose to directly ignore God’s command, and turns to Assyria for help.
Within 10 years, Assyria pummels both Aram and Israel.
But listen to how God responds in chapter .
5 The Lord spoke to me again:
6 Because these people rejected the slowly flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 the Lord will certainly bring against them the mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates River— the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will overflow its channels and spill over all its banks.
5 The Lord spoke to me again:
6 Because these people rejected the slowly flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 the Lord will certainly bring against them the mighty rushing waters of the Euphrates River— the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will overflow its channels and spill over all its banks.
Listen to how dark the language is in 8:20–22.
This leaves us with a question—is sin really that bad? Does God really need to react the way he does to sin?
Because Judah rejects God’s protection and turns to Assyria, God will use Assyria as judgment agains them.
This is the picture of sin in the Bible.
At its heart, sin is rebellion against what God says and how he thinks.
And instead, living according to whatever we say and however we think.
Have a listen to the ugliness of Isaiah’s language.
Sin deserves the darkness of judgement.
Isaiah 8:20-21
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.
21 They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.
21 They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.
22 They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.
God basically outlines what h
If there was a world of weariness, Isaiah saw it. Not only were they threatened by the destruction of Israel and Syria, they were inevitably going to face God’s judgement when he sends Assyria upon them.
Isaiah 8:6–
This
Is it that big of a deal Judah needed to go to Assyria for help?
What is the big deal?
And as we were growing up, whenever my sister or I did something wrong, mom would use the cane on us.
Like, never.
And as we were growing up, whenever my sister or I did something wrong, mom would grab the cane—usually a wooden spoon.
We called it the “tun teal”.
I
And I’ve never heard my mom say sorry,
And mom would give us a good beating.
Is this the picture of God that Isaiah is painting for us?
That wrong doing deserves to be punished?
No, sin is more personal.
What we see seems more scary.
It’s more like the a child saying to their parents, “I don’t want you to be my mom or my dad.”
I dont’ think so.
We are weak in our sin.
This is the picture of sin in the Bible.
At its heart, sin is rebellion against what God says and how he thinks.
And instead, living according to whatever we say and however we think.
The problem is we are all sinners.
I am a sinner.
You are a sinner.
Just as I am a sinner.
Even Christians are sinners.
In fact, the bible says that all of humanity are sinners.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
I
Is sin really that bad?
Is sin really that bad?
s
I
God says it is.
But why?
It is because sin is personal.
The heart of sin
Sin is more like a child saying to their parents, “Mom or Dad, I don’t care about what you say, but I want to run the house my way.
But I want to run the house my way.
I don’t want to go to bed on time. I don’t want to take the rubbish out. I don’t want to do my homework.
I want to eat whatever I want. I want to do whatever I want.
But I want you to keep buying me toilet paper, washing my clothes, to keep paying the rent, cleaning the house.
Otherwise I will complain.
The Bible uses
I am a sinner.
You are a sinner.
Christians are sinners.
In fact, the bible says that all of humanity are sinners.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
In Australian terminology, we are ‘stuffed’!
Sin deserves the darkness of judgement.
It is in this bleakness of Judah’s history that God makes an astounding promise.
Wow. That’s intense, isn’t it?
Our biggest enemy is not war.
Our biggest enemy is not even ourselves—as though a self-help book would do.
God teaches us that our biggest enemy is facing God’s judgment for our sin.
So what hope can there be in the face of judgment?
What would make sense is if there was be no hope for Judah for her sin—just as it’ll make sense if there was no hope of us for our sin.
Sin deserves the judgment of darkness
And this one human is the dawn of the great light that Isaiah sees in his vision in verses 2–7.
There should be no hope for Judah for her sin; nor should there be hope of us for our sin.
But the surprise is that God himself gives the gift of hope.
And the surprise is that God says that there is.
Point 3. God gives the gift of hope.
And the gift comes in the form of a king.
3. The gift of hope found in the king
3. The gift of hope found in the king
Have a look at these promises about the coming of a king.
Have
14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:
A king will be born that will prove to the world that God is our our team.
14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:
Let’s read the verses
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian.
For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
(Which means “God is with us”.)
The scope of the promises is big
The gloom of sin
The gloom of sin
Read quickly
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
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14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian.
5 For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
Isaiah 7:
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6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:4–7
1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian.
5 For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
In the midst of her
In the midst of her
1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
isaiah 9:
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as You did on the day of Midian.
5 For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
In his vision from God, Isaiah sees the coming of a King.
For Judah, this king is going to be God’s solution to their
But here’s another question:
Of all the things God could’ve done for Judah, why will God give Judah a king?
If you think of Judah’s situation, do you think a King is what Judah needs?
How is a king going to give God’s people hope?
But here’s the question—HOW is this king a sign of hope? How is this king going to help Judah?
What is so special about this king?
Just think about that for a second.
I think the answer lies in the King’s name.
More and more today, people choose baby names based on whether they sound good or not.
But there was a time when your name was a sign for who you are.
So, if your name is Osmond, which means “protected by God”, it means your parents were concerned about your safety.
(Or they just really liked Donny Osmond.)
In the same way, this king will be what his name will be.
So Judah personally offended and rejected her God, but when this future king “Immanuel” comes, God will be with his people.
But when this future king “Immanuel” comes, God will be with his people.
Judah’s human king had rejected her God and king.
He will be called “wonderful counsellor”: This king will be wise.
“Mighty God”: This king will rule as God himself.
The kingdom of Judah had rejected her God and true king.
“Eternal Father”: This king will care for his people as his own children.
He will be called “Prince of Peace”: This king will put an end to wars, to establish security and safety for his people forever.
And going beyond the name, did you hear how the promise is on the scale of a kingdom?
This promise is on the scale of a kingdom that will be immense and will never end.
And an eternal kingdom.
The hope in the face of judgment is concentrated on this King and his kingdom.
And isn’t it amazing?
It is a hope where sin and its consequences will one day no longer be a thing.
Where God will be their king and they will be his people, in a kingdom where there is complete safety and security.
But can you see how God still calls Judah to trust in him.
God is teaching his people to hope in him.
No more sin.
There will be no longer any brokenness in their relationship with him.
What it looks like to hope in God is to hope in this king.
But it’s interesting, isn’t it?
Of all the things God could’ve done for Judah, why will God give Judah a king?
Just think about that for a second.
And of course, the claim of Bible is that this king is Jesus.
To hope in this king
Well, the claim of Bible is that this king is Jesus.
To trust in God is to trust in Jesus. (I hope you can see that connection—if you can’t, come talk to me a little later.)
And then, 700 years later, an angel spoke to a man called Joseph (who was engaged to a young woman) about a son who would be born to them.
20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1
And I hope, as you hear this, you can feel the weight of excitement and anticipation.
matthew 1:2
20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
And Matthew saw really clearly that Jesus is Immanuel.
20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
Matthew saw really clearly that Jesus is Immanuel.
Is Jesus the promised Christ?
Is Jesus the promised Christ?
I hope you’re
See, the claim of the Bible is that Jesus is this promised king.
Jesus is Immanuel.
Do you guys know the feeling of waiting for doctors to give you a diagnosis?
Jesus is Immanuel.
You can imagine how as Jesus was born in that lowly manger that first Christmas morning, it was incredible news.
And the feeling of breathing out a sigh or a laugh of relief at the sound of good news?
I think of all the times I’ve been stranded at night with a flat battery and my car won’t start.
The long-awaited promised king has come.
I think of all the times I’ve been stranded at night with a flat battery and my car wouldn’t start; and my phone is running out of battery.
And the excitement and relief that I would feel when the headlights of NRMA van pierces through the night as it comes to rescue me.
And eventually the headlights of the NRMA car pulls up right next to my car to help me out.
And I am always smiling and extra grateful to the NRMA man.
The birth of Jesus was like a bright glorious light piercing through the darkness of sin and brokenness in our world.
Hope in the face of the weary world’s broken relationship with God has come!
He has come to be our king, but he’s also come to be our saviour.
He is the hope in the face of sin.
Jesus has come to be our king, to be “God with us” in the flesh.
I think of all the times I’ve been stranded at night with a flat battery and my car won’t start.
And the excitement and relief that I would feel when the headlights of NRMA van would shoot through the night as it came to rescue me.
Jesus restores our relationship with God.
Jesus is the one who has come to bring peace.
What is incredible about that first Christmas day is that we learn so much more about God’s plan for his people.
What do we learn?
That though he was God the Son, Jesus was willing to sympathise with our weaknesses, putting on flesh, so that he would be born as one of us.
But he wasn’t born in a palace or a luxury Air BnB.
And he willingly did this on that first Christmas so he could willingly represent sinners, willingly die in our place, taking on the judgment that we deserve for our sin.
That first Christmas was the beginning of the work on a cure for judgement, and will be completed as Jesus dies on the cross.
And judgment was paid for everyone who would receive this King as their king and their Saviour.
The cure has been found and judgment has been paid, but one day, Jesus will return to bring us into his heavenly kingdom, where there will be no more death, no more mourning, no more crying and no more pain.
And after God raised him from the dead, he is still at work, inviting all people (like you and me) to receive him as our King and Saviour, so that we would belong to him and his heavenly kingdom even now.
So that if anyone who would receive Jesus as their King and Saviour, they would belong to him and his kingdom even today.
But there is a day
And his kingdom would be a kingdom with no more death, no more mourning, no more crying and no more pain.
So that anyone who would receive Jesus as their King and Saviour, Jesus’ sacrifice claims them as his own, and they would belong to Jesus and his eternal heavenly kingdom, even today.
He has come to be our king, BUT he’s also come to be our saviour in the face of sin, who restores our relationship with God.
A king who is a saviour.
He is a king whom God raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, so that anyone who would call upon the name of Jesus (and accept him as their king and saviour) would belong to him and his kingdom.
He is a king I want to serve.
That is tremendous hope.
He is our hope in the face of sin, who restores our relationship with God.
And God has set a day when King Jesus would return to
A name is an interesting thing
He is a saviour worth boasting about.
To hope in God is to hope in Jesus.
Usually names are given because it is what you would become.
Chinese names are a little bit harder to illustrate, because Chinese society traditionally operated in clans.
Just as to hope in Jesus is to hope in God.
My surname is ‘Wong’ and it literally means ‘Yellow’—so I belong to the clan of Yellow. Very fitting!
My fiancé, who is white Caucasian, is thrilled to become part of the Wong clan.
But say your name is Paul Webb.
Paul means ‘Small’, so that he would grow up to be a humble man.
His surname is a title that means ‘Weaver’, and his job description would have been to make baskets.
In the same way, Jesus is his name.
Jesus means ‘Saviour’ because he will save people from their sins.
His title is Christ, which means ‘King’, and his job description is to rule the world.
‘Jesus’ (which means “Saviour”) is our hope in the face of sin, because he will save his people from their sins.
Jesus is the king whose kingdom and dominion will be vast.
He will establish and reign with justice and righteousness forever.
And he does this by dying
is our hope in the face of sin, because he will save his people from their sins—which means he alone restores our relationship with God.
Jesus is the king of kings laid thus in lowly manger,
Jesus is the one who saves his people from their sins, who restores our relationship with God.
In all our trials, born to be our friend.
‘Jesus’ (which means “Saviour”) is our hope in the face of sin, because he will save his people from their sins.
The reason why Jesus came in the flesh is so that he could face the darkness that we should’ve faced for our sin.
Jesus doesn’t bring the hope to weary world.
He does this by facing the darkness that we were supposed to face for our sin.
Jesus is the hope.
He dies on the Cross in our place.
Jesus dies on the Cross in our place, to face the judgement for our sin, so that we might belong to him and his kingdom—washed and made right with God.
The thrill of hope at Christmas is Jesus himself.
He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
And he is prepare a place for us in his heavenly kingdom.
Jesus, the Son of God, came in the flesh in order to die
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
And Christmas is a joyous time when we remember the thrill of hope as the coming of this king is announced.
Jesus doesn’t just bring the hope.
Jesus is the hope.
He is the King you want to serve.
He is a Saviour you want to boast about.
But it’s interesting, isn’t it?
He is such good news that it is worth remembering the thrill of hope every Christmas.
Of all the things God could’ve done for Judah, why will God give Judah a king?
But it’s interesting, isn’t it?
If you think of Judah’s situation, do you think a King is what Judah needs?
Of all the things God could’ve done for Judah, why will God give Judah a king?
Just think about that for a second.
And so, the question I want to put to you all is, “Do you believe that Jesus is Immanuel?”
Do you believe in the name of Jesus?
Have you set your hope on him?
Have you set your hope on Jesus?
This is the most important question you would ever answer in your life.
Jesus is exciting not because he makes our lives
Because this is what Christmas points to:
But the promise of Jesus is for everyone.
12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,
To be the one who restores your relationship with God?
43 All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins.”
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”
He is still our hope today because Jesus will return to bring us home to his heavenly kingdom.
If you already, then I pray that this Christmas might be a day of thankfulness towards Jesus’ power and glory.
Jesus doesn’t bring the hope.
Jesus is the hope.
The thrill of hope at Christmas is Jesus himself.
Jesus is the hope.
The thrill of hope at Christmas is Jesus himself.
Jesus doesn’t bring the hope.
Jesus is the hope.
The thrill of hope at Christmas is Jesus himself.
, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all,
the righteous for the unrighteous,
that He might bring you to God,
after being put to death in the fleshly realm
but made alive in the spiritual realm.”
The promise of Immanuel was for Judah.
Is Jesus really that good?
Is Jesus really that good?
It isn’t asking what God has done? The real question is whether you believe in Jesus—is Jesus the promised king?
Trying to fix __, and eventually giving up and calling in the experts — the only expert against God’s perfect justice is the Son who willingly comes.
Response: Waiting for the break of morn
Response: Waiting for the break of morn
The sun hiding behind the clouds, and you’re waiting.
Hope
The vision of a future time of rejoicing.
The message of Jesus is offensive, isn’t it? Because it tells us that all the misfortunes and suffering in the world is due to our helplessness in sin.
And we don’t like be told that we are helpless.
Yet it is only by acknowledging that we are small, and weak, and helpless that there is a need for a better king and a better kingdom. And out of God’s kindness, that king is Jesus.
Some people grab onto these news straight away, and some need to go away and think about this for a while.
I encourage you to do that. Because at Chester Hill Church, we are not a club—we are on about people’s relationship with God. And Jesus Christ.
My message today is to remind us all of his invitation to restore your relationship to God
Jesus doesn’t bring the hope. He is the hope. He is our hope.
Jesus saves us fro our sin
But the promise of Jesus is for everyone.
And the hostility that was there between us and God is completely dealt away with in Jesus.
It means that those who have experienced death this year—whether it was murder, sickness, a miscarriage—will see the end of death.
It means those who experience anxiety, insecurity, loneliness and depression will feel the warmth of eternal peace.
He invites us to life in his kingdom, which will endure forever.
It means those who live for family… or don’t live up to your own epectations can find peace
Conclusion
Conclusion
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If you want to learn how to rejoice in God —> consider how God is so much bigger than the little God we sometimes make him out to be.
As you enjoy Christmas today and this evening, will you praise the name of Jesus?
Jesus doesn’t bring the hope.
Will you praise his power and his glory?
Jesus is the hope.
Will you recognise him as your King whom you should follow; and your Saviour whom you rely on?
The thrill of hope at Christmas is Jesus himself.
Because Jesus is definitely a thrill of hope for a weary world to rejoice in, especially as we remember him on Christmas.
My grandfather passed away from cancer when my dad was only 16 or 17.
He was an 18th Century slave trader, best known for writing the song Amazing Grace.
My other grandfather passed away from cancer too so the family would have to
My grandmother passed away from a mixture of cancer and Alzheimer’s.
And he wrote this very famous line in his personal diary,
“I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Saviour.”
A cure for cancer would be great.
And when it comes, I’m sure there would be a moment when the whole world would stop to dream about a life free from that dragon called cancer.
But when it comes to the dragon of sin and judgment, the cure has already been found.
Jesus has come.
The penalty for sin has been paid.
The doors to the kingdom of heaven are open.
So I want to encourage you to not stop dreaming of the day when Christ Jesus returns.
And his kingdom will be established.
And there will people from all tongues, and tribes and nations worshipping Jesus.
And you can belong to that kingdom today.
As you enjoy Christmas today and tonight, will you praise the name of Jesus?
So as you enjoy Christmas today and this evening, will you praise the name of Jesus?
Will you praise his power and glory?
Our hope in the face of a weary world weighed down by sin.
Will you praise his power and his glory?
Will you recognise him as your King whom you should follow; and your Saviour whom you rely on?
I want to finish with my favourite verses from these chapters.
For Judah to trust in God is to wait for this King, and trust that this king will come.
This is Isaiah speaking.
Isaiah
Do you think sin is terrible? (How you see God = how you see sin)
17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will wait for Him.
Sin is utterly terrible
Scale of promises = kingdom