Sermon Tone Analysis

Reading

Intro

Two new year’s messages,

Choosing a passage traditionally associated with Christmas

But both in proximity and in reality, Christmas heralds the new year (history of BC, AD)

It speaks of a time before, and a time after Jesus Christ is born and the New Year formalizes it on the calendar

Orthodox Christmas

12 days of Christmas

The New Year heralds a period of hope and joy.

Somehow, automatically

Which is weird because nothing really changes in the new year.

we are still in winter, your bills dont disappear, etc

But as we see in this passage, something does change and bring joy and hope, not because of a change in calendar but because of a change in history, or specifically a change in the relationship between God and man

Context

, famous, Handel’s Messiah

Multiple references to time

But it begins with a ‘but’, which is something is changing or not as before

Chapter 8, talks of a people, a believing remnant, who are a people of hope as opposed to the majority around them who are hopeless.

And their hope stems from the Lord

Distinct orientation ( )

Distinct expectations for the future ()

Distinct authority ()

So chapter 9 is really the story of this people and their hope

They are the people of faith in God, and that is who we are today as well.

As we come into yet another new year, this passage will be a good reminder as to why people of faith have hope in the new year, not just in the new year, but for all time that is the present and the future

Immediately follows

So its the same time but somehow for these people, there will be no gloom and no anguish, though it is the reality.

All the people were taken into exile so circumstances dictate that there will be gloom and anguish yet somehow, not for the people of faith.

The people of faith have to decide how they experience reality.

Will the circumstances dictate how they feel, act and behave, or is all that dictated by something else?

Here we see that time (circumstance) does not dictate their experience of reality but something else or really someone else, and that is the God who they put their faith and trust in

Its their trust in God.

First off, the people of faith do not let present circumstances convince them that God has forgotten them.

They look to the past and remind themselves of God’s faithfulness

Our testimony time was a reminder for us to never forget that God is always faithful and even when circumstances tell us otherwise, he is still faithful

Second reason is that people of faith trust in the promises of God, in such a way that, even if those promises have not Come to fulfullment yet, they behave like that have already happened

Here the rest of the verses are something that is going to happen for these people and yet for them, their trust in the promises of God is so strong they act like its already happened.

Former time of contempt, latter time of glory but they behave like that glorious time is already present

And this joy and light, their faithful experience of it, is given an explanation, or three explanations, with the v6 being the ultimate explanation

First it describes in v2 and 3, their experience

They walked as in lived their life in darkness because God seemed to hid his face from them.

AS if the whole land was forgotten by God, deep darkness

On them, God has shone his light.

God has made his presence known to them, (or will make his presence known to them in a very real way)

As a result, God has increased the joy and rejoicing of his people

Joy at the harvest (joy when overcoming adversity in circumstances)

Joy at dividing the spoil (joy of defeating adversity from the world/people)

And who is responsible for this victory?

Not the people themselves but it is God alone who has fought the battle but his victory he shares with them.

So in v4

God breaks the yoke of the people’s burden, that is suffering

He breaks the staff on his shoulder, which is a unjust rule or government

the rod of their oppressor, similar but hostile personal persecution

All these things God has broken

And it is a comprehensive victory that God has brought about as we read in v5, the boot and garment of the oppressor is burned in the fire

Now we come to v6, which is the ultimate explanation

All of this stems from one event, one fact in history which divides history into two, which divides time into two, an old age ( a former time) and a new age (the latter time)

What is that time?

Notice it is very specifically about the birth of Immanuel

It is not about the life of Immanuel when he grows up or what he does though that is the fulfillment but the mere fact that God has entered into the world is enough to change history and fulfill the hopes and expectations of his people

For to us a child is born, a human being born in the normal process of childbirth

But unto us a son is given, that is his title, He is the Son, of royal lineage, he is given as from God

What is unique about this child is that He is born as of Mary but given as from God.

His lineage is by right not by human parentage

And we know this child is Jesus Christ.

Notice what the wise men ask about him?

Now that would make sense if he was born in the palace?

But he was not born in the palace but in a lowly stable, of lowly parents

Maybe when Solomon was born, someone would have come to ask where is the future king of the Jews?

But no one would have come to David when he was born

And notice he is born king.

He is not future king, or prince who will inherit the kingdom, but his rule is his by right, not by heritage

He is God and man, Immanuel.

Our Lord and our savior Jesus Christ

Notice the aspects of his rule.

The govt shall be upon his shoulder.

There was a staff upon our shoulders, but Jesus Christ has taken the government upon his shoulders and in his rule, he has broken the yoke of our burdens and the rod of the oppressor

Look at his character, wonderful counselor, perfectly wise, Mighty God, perfectly powerful

He is not like the rulers of men, but he is God, perfectly wise to lead his people, perfectly powerful to accomplish his purposes for them regardless of what the world thinks

Everlasting Father - His eternal rule is in the pattern of divine fatherhood, he is concerned with the welfare of those who are weak, he takes care of his people, he disciplines them

Prince of peace - he brings perfect peace, fulfillment in life, to have well being, to have freedom from anxiety and most of all to know that we have peace with God and we have his favor

His rule over his people cannot be broken by anything or anyone, once it has started it will not end.

He will rule with justice and righteousness, and his peace for his people, of that there will be no end.

That is the zeal and promise of the Lord

Conclusion

If this promise of Immanuel was enough to give real hope for a people to whom Immanuel had not yet come, for whom these were all promises yet to be fulfilled, how much more we need to ask ourselves?

What will our testimony be in the New Year?

What will our perception and experience of reality be?

Gloom and anguish, as dictated by circumstances, or joy and peace knowing that Jesus Christ has come, he has shone his light on us, God’s favor is upon us and he will always be faithful and he will indeed accomplish his purposes

Let not the calendar be the source of our hope and expectation but the promise of God, made real in Christ Jesus, for unto us a Son is given, wonderful counselor, mighty god, everlasting father, prince of peace

And how apt that we end this old year and begin the new year by remembering our saviour and Lord Jesus Christ and by partaking of the Lord’s Supper

For we remember that today we have joy because he took upon himself the rod of our oppressor, the yoke of our burden, he bore our sufferings on the tree, he paid the price of our deliverance by giving himself up so that today we who were once in darkness can now rejoice in the presence of God