Advent 2022, Pt.1

Isa.9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

Isa.9:5-7 “For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

Dealing with Darkness

Christmas lights are one of the first indications that the Christmas season is upon us. Did anyone notice when the lights started going up around town? I won’t say THE first, because Hallmark starts Christmas movies on January 1st I believe, and the music starts now in what...September? But, when the lights come out, it’s officially the Christmas season. At our house, the lights go on the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. One of the best times of the year.

Well, Keller notes, “No matter what you want to do in a room, you have to first turn on the light, or you can’t see to do anything else.” Here is an essential truth to really understanding the meaning of Christmas: we will never really find our way in this world unless we begin to see by the light that has come into the world: Jesus.

In order for the light to come, to shine, it must first be dark. Two fundamental aspects about the darkness in the world: It is dark because it is evil, and it is dark because people are ignorant.

The first deals with the fact that sin exists in every part of the world, that every thing has been touched by sin, that all people are plagued with sin, that sin runs rampant, particularly where there is no concept of Christ, that sin brings with it a whole host of wickedness and, experientially, suffering. I mean it’s every where.

But, because of sin, there is a second type of darkness in the world: ignorance. This again comes in several different ways, but chief among them is that there is not enough knowledge in the world to cure the darkness, to cure the evil, to heal the pain and suffering. But going even further, there is not amount of knowledge that could heal the darkness anyway. Our fundamental problem isn’t that there a secret knowledge that has been lost or forgotten. Our fundamental problem is sin.

Thinking about this parable between light and dark…you know the fundamental issue with darkness is the absence of light. Much in the same way, our fundamental issue is the absence of Light, that is, the absence of God, in our lives. We can look to a bevy of places to fill this void, but ultimately, nothing truly does. More darkness added to more darkness is just darkness. You’ve heard me talk about going caving at Camp Living Stones back in my counselor days. You know, once you turned out the headlamps, it was dark. But, it never got darker. It was just pitch black empty devoid-of-light darkness. And that’s where sin has left us, empty and devoid of God in our lives, stranded in utter darkness.

Back to ignorance, it’s vain ignorance that leads the world to think, “We can end the darkness if we find the right scholar…mystic…pastime…toy…relationship...” You name it, we’ll cram it into the void and think we’ve found a solution. All the “intellect and innovation” in the world can’t cure the darkness disease.

If we find ourselves stricken with such a sickness, what is the cure? Here is where Isa.9:2 (“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”) pierces the darkness. What is missing is God, and in Christ, the Light was coming into the world!

Loving the Light

Light gives us life.

In general, we need light to live.

First, consider how a plant takes sunlight and turns it into life. Then, that plant is consumed, either by us as a source of food and energy, or by animals that eventually become food and energy as you work your way up the food chain.

Second, as we have moved to a becoming a more indoor society, our Vitamin D levels have decreased and with it, a host of health problems. (Discuss uniqueness of vitamin D).

Light gives us sight.

Length of time in a cave before we go blind

Light enables us to avoid the pitfalls

Lig

Light gives us liveliness.

Read here: joy

Unveiling the Light

How does this light come? Isa.9:6 (“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”) gives us the answer.

Notice the titles given to this child:

Wonderful Counselor. His wisdom knows no bounds. His ways and His will are laid out in perfection.

Everlasting Father. He is a benevolent protector, and He never forsakes His role.

Prince of Peace. Not only will He bring peace, but His king will rely on His perfectly wise counsel because He is the Wonderful Counselor, and His people will live under His perfect protection because He is the Everlasting Father.

Mighty God. Finally, here is the kicker. While all of the other titles could be applied in some way to an earthly king and his dynasty, there is no way to truly apply this title to someone else. A title of the Lord Himself, this child comes not as an avatar or simply appearing to be God…He is God. The Creator, now born.

Implications? First, if this child is The Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, how can we simply just like Him? How can we think of Him simply as a good teacher or a model citizen. How can we do anything other than fall at His feet in adoration that He would come to bring us out of our dreadful darkness that we might walk in His marvelous light (1 Pet.2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”).

Further, the fact that He is the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace means that it should be our pleasure to walk with Him. In His life, Jesus will be tempted in every way that we are, yet remain perfectly obedient. And, He settles the matter of eternity once-and-for-all, so that our hearts need not worry nor fear. John 14:1-6 ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” is a beautiful promise that should allow the peace of our Prince to rule in our hearts.

And this is the light that has come. He is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the light shining in the darkness, the “divine Light of the world,” bringing new life and replacing our spiritual darkness…our spiritual dead-ness.

Finally, notice the nature of this light: it comes by grace. Isa9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;” Even backing up, notice what Isa9:5 (“For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.”) says. This new kingdom isn’t taken by the warrior’s might, but by the King’s decree. The great victory over sin and death doesn’t come by our will, but by the grace of God. While the “how?” isn’t revealed until the Suffering Songs in later in Isaiah, the what is shown here: grace!

What’s the key to this grace? Honest and humble acceptance. Imagine for a moment if, on Christmas morning, you’re opening gifts and one of them is book: How to Lose Weight in Six Easy Steps. Ouch. And then, another book, The Sin of Selfishness. If you are to honestly be thankful for these gifts, what MUST you admit? I am fat and self-centered. “Some gifts are hard to receive” because in receiving them, we must be honest about ourselves. So, when it comes to the grace of God, Keller nails it when he says, “There has never been a gift offered that makes you swallow your pride tot he depths that the gift of Jesus Christ requires us to do.” Amid the joy and festivities of Christmas lies this truth: we are terribly lost and unable to save ourselves, and the grace of God revealed in Christ is the only remedy. But, He freely gives it to those who admit their brokenness, surrender control of their lives to His leadership, and trusts that His death and His righteousness are sufficient to save us.