What Child Is This?

Are We Fooling Ourselves?

Are we fooling ourselves?

Denial is more than a river in Egypt.

All the suffering in the world and we sing happy songs about peace, joy, love and salvation.

We light candles, turn on colored lights, and celebrate while turmoil troubles so many of us.

We declare God’s answer to all this is this baby.

Does a baby inspire confidence?

He doesn’t seem like much of a big deal!

Maybe, he’s not that small of a deal!

In 1809 all of Europe was focused on Napoleon. He was the first since Alex the Great to be on the verge of ruling the civilized world.

He was marching across Europe crushing every opposing army w/ little effort.

Not much attention was bing paid to the babies being born that year.

Wm Gladstone. The greatest parliamentarian in English history.

Edgar Allan Poe

Alfred Tennyson

Charles Darwin

And, in a log cabin in rural Kentucky a little boy was born to the Lincoln family, they named Abraham.

All of these baby boys grew up to make significant contributions to the world but in 1809 nobody noticed. They were babies. There is little inspiring about a baby.

Do you recognize these 2?

Mr. Incredible and his baby from The Incredibles 2.

(A little about the movie)

There were 3 pressing questions the family had about the baby.

Does he have power? The other children did.

What is it?

How do they unlock it and use it when they need it?

At Xmas, all attention is focused on a baby.

The baby that was born in Bethlehem as God’s answer to all the trouble and turmoil in our lives and throughout the world.

Are we fooling ourselves?

In 1809, who was focused on the babies? No one!

But, it wasn’t about the fact that those were little babies. It was about WHO those babies were and what they grew up to do.

Our focus is not about that this baby was born in Bethlehem. It’s all about WHO that baby is and what He grew up to do that determines our answer to the question of whether or not we are fooling ourselves.

And, as we focus on this baby we have the same questions for Him that the Incredibles had for their child:

Does He have power?

What is it?

How do we unlock it and use it when we need it?

The answers to these questions and confirmation that we are not living in denial fooling ourselves come in .

What Child is This?

Isaiah wrote about 700 years before Jesus was born.

He wrote to a people embroiled in controversy and terrified for their future.

They were on the verge of being invaded and losing everything.

The Assyrians had invaded and destroyed the northern kingdom.

The Babylonians were marching steadily closer to Jerusalem from the south.

Imagine, the Russians gathering at the Mexican border and in Cuba while the Chinese gather at the Canadian border all preparing to invade.

We have no means to repel them or fight them off.

Our army and weaponry have long since been extended and expended.

What will our government look like? What will our grocery stores look like as all the produce will be used to feed the invading armies. What will happen to this church and all others like it?

What will happen to your money? Your children and grandchildren?

It’s a dark time in Judah. It’s bleak. It’s a foregone conclusion.

And, God’s answer is a baby.

Isaiah 9:1–5 NIV

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

One day, in the future, there will be no more gloom.

In the future He will honor Galilee.

The 2 Israeli tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali occupied the regions where Galilee will be in the c1. They were vulnerable as they were seaside areas, the first to be invaded and occupied by opposing forces.

Galilee of the Gentiles. Nazareth the town where Joseph and Mary were from.

A great light will arrive and pierce their darkness.

He is writing to an oppressed people under the yoke of slavery, a bar that binds them to the service of their oppressors.

They would hold up the bloody clothes of those who tried to rebel and lost their lives as intimidation and motivation to keep slaving away.

Isaiah is saying, don’t despair. God has an answer. He is going to destroy those who oppress you. He will break the bar that binds you and bury the clothes meant to intimidate you.

And, He will do it all with a baby.

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

It’s less important that He was a child. It’s most important Who He is.

Not only was a child born, but a son was given.

Signifying He existed before being born to Mary.

He was already somebody else’s son and He’s being given to us. Now, He’s ours.

Another Father gave His Son to us. ()

He’s the only baby ever born that at the time of his birth He was as old as His Father and older than His mother.

We are trapped behind enemy lines. They have invaded and established their government rule. Their military is the enforcement. We are pinned down. All Hell is breaking loose around us. Something is terribly wrong. Any act of rebellion results in severe punishment.

Fear. Intimidation. Distress. Conflict. Turmoil. Trouble.

Something inside you tells you this is the world we live in. Something is terribly wrong.

Where is God? He is responsible for putting us here. Where is our rescue? Where is He? AWOL?

Get the message of Christmas. God did not leave us in trouble. He sent a rescuer, a baby.

What good is a baby?!

It’s less about He was a baby. It’s mostly about Who that baby is and what He grew up to do.

The government of world rule will be on His shoulders. No continent, nation, region or town will be free from His authority and law.

Every knee will bow.

Every rule He establishes is in support of the relationship He has w/ us. Relationships have to have rules and there has to be authority to enforce them for the relationships to survive and thrive.

But, the relationship is the priority, not the rules.

So, Mr. Incredible, does your baby have power?

This baby does!

Wonderful Counselor.

Wisdom, knowledge.

Brilliant guidance and leadership.

Advisor. Representative. Defender.

Mighty God.

Jesus is the Creator. He existed at creation and the One who spoke the worlds into order.

He spoke on His Father’s behalf and created the universe.

He has the strength to protect, preserve, and save us.

Everlasting Father

Eternal. No beginning nor end. He was there when everything was created and He’ll be there as long as it exists.

A Father. Intimate relationship, not distant nor aloof.

Redeemer Who has come to save us out of our despair and darkness.

He is the Prince of Peace.

In Him there is no conflict.

He is true and right. Everything fits together and works when He is the center.

In the midst of our darkness and turmoil He leads us the eye of the storm where we can be calm as everything rages around us.

Redeemer Who has come to save us out of our despair and darkness.

He protects us while we are here and delivers us safely into heaven when our lives here are over.

He pre-existed (He was already old), left heaven, came as a baby so we could relate to Him and He could save us.

Does He have power? Yes!

What is it? All this and more!

So, then, how do we unlock it and use it when we need it?

Faith. Believe in Who this baby is and what He came to do.

This baby, who was already old, grew up.

It looked like He failed for a day or two b/c He died.

But, then, He proved He could successfully save us when He walked out of His grave. He showed everybody.

And, He will be the first to greet you when you leave this life and walk into His.

So, are we fooling ourselves? Creating our own happy existence while the world is in turmoil around us? No.

Does He have power? Yes.

How do we unlock it? Believe in Who this baby is.

God sent His son as a baby to pierce out darkness.

This is the light that created us, counsels us, redeems us, and saves us.

He protects us, preserves us, and provides for us.

This is the light that shows us the way to be saved.

When this baby was born there were so many distractions, so many other people who were the focus of attention.

But, today, He has outlasted all of them. And we focus all of our attention on Him and the Light that He is that pierces our darkness and shows us the way to be saved.