The Promise of Christmas: A Very Special Child
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro:
Intro:
So this week as we continue our Christmas series, we are going to talk about the significance of the Very Special Child that was promised. So we are going to focus on just that this morning, focus on this very special child.
So what does it mean to be special? Well the dictionary defines it as : better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.
So what is better, greater or otherwise different about this child? Pastor Ron spoke of it last week, He came to save us from our sins, which is indeed no small task.
But I want to elaborate some more on what is special. Because what is special to me, may not be special to you.
Illustration:
When I was a kid, I saved all summer for this video game that was coming out in the fall that I really wanted. I didn’t get much allowance, but I worked to earn and save every cent I got until i had to $59.99 that the game cost on release. My mom picked it up for me while I was at school, and when I got home, i was so excited, I played that game for hours upon hours, every time I took the cd out and put it back into my playstation i was careful about it, I kept it clean. I cherished it as something special.
Guys, a few years later when I finally was willing to trade it in, it was worth $.35 , it had no value as far as resale, so I kept it, cause it was worth more to me.
Something special to you, is something you want to keep, something you want to cherish. To a Christian, Jesus is so special, that He must be kept not at our desk, or in a video game console, but in our heart.
So what is so special about this child? Let’s look together at today’s passage:
Alot is going on in these verses, so will establish what it all means in a breakdown of the passage.
Dark and Light
Dark and Light
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.
IVP Bible Background commentary
Old Testament 9:1-7: Future Hope
The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali were among those hardest hit by the Assyrians in the 733 campaign (see 2 Kings 15:29,
The Assyrians overtook these lands, Isaiah was seeing his prediction being fulfilled:
The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8
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.
It was happening the darkness and despair came to their land, and it overtook the people. Much like we have all experienced darkness in our lives, much like the darkness that this year of covid has brought to the world. I continue to hear about the increasingly high rate of depression, anxiety, fear of the future. My friends, we have all seen darkness.
but listen, if we camp in the reality of darkness and despair, we will get stuck there. Isaiah turns us to the hope of the future, that hope in this special child.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
In darkness, light brings a hope of deliverance, of salvation.
Often times humanity can struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but friends there is light at the end of every tunnel, we need to be looking to it.
Isaiah foresaw a dark time, but he also foresaw a future hope.
So how do we handle our situations and circumstances if we are in despair, in a depressed state, lacking hope?
Like Isaiah, look to the future hope that is promised to us all, the Hope that Jesus Christ will return, and right all that is wrong in this world, where every tear will be wiped away, and their will be no more pain or suffering. Isaiah knew this, and he speaks of it with an immediacy not because it was gonna happen immediately, but because his eyes were fixed on faith in what God will do.
Apostle Paul tells us we walk by faith not by sight. (2 Cor 5:7) Which is true, and like Isaiah, it’s our faith that helps us see the light.
Remember we discussed what a promise is, and the difference between man’s promise and God’s. God will do what He says He’s gonna do. This means that no matter how dark things get for a time, God’s light is at the end of it.
Are you struggling in a job right now, God’s light is at the end of it,
are you struggling financially Gods light is at the end of it,
are you struggling in a relationship to a spouse, child, family member or friend, God’s light is at the end of it,
are you struggling with addiction, God’s light is at the end of it!
Have faith so you can see it!
Here’s what it will look like
Here’s what it will look like
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.
So something is to follow this moment of clarity, that points to hope of the light to come in the future.
We have two important contrast to notice here starting in verse 3
The remnant will become enlarged!
The Light will bring Joy
Let me explain these, this time of darkness leaves behind a mere remnant of God’s people, but with the Coming of this very special child, comes an incredibly large nation of the redeemed. We are all part of that if we trust Jesus as our Lord and savior! We are part of the Redeemed! That is awesome!
but also, those who love the Lord, love His Light, His light brings joy to us. That is exactly what Jesus is for us, the light at the end of the tunnel.
But God is gonna do more, He will shatter oppression! And then Isaiah unites this thought with the Story of Gideon, and the battle with Midian. Remember that historic account? God keeps telling Gideon to shrink down his army, and shrink it down until he has only 300! And they Win! Why? Because God did it friends. God didn’t need an army of 22,000, and God shows in this victory that it was won because of God.
Listen Jesus came to us in the form of a child, as a man, but jesus didn’t come from man.
What’s my point? God is going to do this, God is going to bring deliverance, not a mere man, but God.
Here’s how He does it
Here’s how He does it
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.
Tammy and I, as most if not all of you know, are expecting our 5th child next year. In fact, we already know we will be having a girl. Here’s the thing, this baby girl is a very special child, and each one of my kids are very special to us, but the weight of the world, though it may feel like it sometimes, is not on their shoulders. They aren’t saviors for anyone else, and they aren’t expected to be! They can’t be.
you my friends, are all very special children of God, but friends, the weight of the world doesn’t belong on your shoulders. God has taken that burden for you. Some still need to learn to let go of it.
So who is this very special child? We know Him as Jesus
So here is what is so special about Jesus.
The government will be on His Shoulders!
Man is that awesome, no more voting for officials that are far from perfect, or that support unbiblical policies, Jesus will carry it all as the perfect ruler.
2. He will carry a set of unique names:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
3. His Kingdom will prosper forever!
4. He will do this with justice and righteousness
No one else can do what Jesus has done for this world, and will do when He returns. No one. There isn’t a politician we can elect capable of it, there isn’t a ruler on this earth capable of it, no man can do it. But in the midst of darkness, in the midst of despair, a prophecy went out across the lands, a child will be born. Isaiah lived in Jerusalem about 700 years before Jesus was born! This child was a long time waiting friends, but just like Isaiah said, the Lord of Hosts accomplished it!
A promise was given to this world, that a very special child would be born, born of a virgin, in an impossible way, would live a sinless life, impossible for man to do, would die for our transgressions, and be raised on the third day in an impossible way, and save all who call upon the name of Jesus as Lord and savior!
My friends, a very special child came into this world, all that God promised He would do, He did, and He promises us that their is a light at the end of the tunnel, their is a reason to hope and look to the future.