But, alas. I was compelled:
I'm going to talk about Christmas before Thanksgiving.
Sigh.
I'm a firm believer in keeping the two sacrosanct. I tried to conjure a sweet message of Thanksgiving, but this message of Christmas hit my heart quickly this morning. The Lord supplied it with very little effort from me.
So here I am, bidding you to jump into Advent this week. I hope you'll forgive me. I hope you'll come along.
My favorite passage of Christmas scripture is Isaiah 9. I love it for so many reasons: it is powerfully prophetic and unyielding in it's truth. I love this scripture because on the night of Jesus' birth perhaps the very words of it resounded in the hearts of Mary and Joseph.
Let's read:
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 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.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9 asks two questions and just as quickly answers them.
What has He brought? Why has He brought it?
A summation of this passage tells us exactly what Jesus brought:
Hope. Joy. Freedom. An end to all wars. A righteous and just reign from a wise and brave Ruler. An everlasting Kingdom where humanity is wholly loved. Peace. Fulfillment of every promise made by the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Justice for all evil and goodness to replace it.
Friends, we will stand in praise for eternity because of what Jesus brought. This is reason enough for a forever of singing, shouting, dancing, laughing, celebrating.
But the second question and it's answer is enough to bring you to your knees. It is reason enough for an eternity of sincere and breathtaking heart-song to a Holy and Good Father.
We know what He brought. Why has He brought it?
Let's look again at verse 7. The very last line.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Why has He brought all of these perfect gifts? Because of the zeal of the Lord.
See, the Lord is a God of honor. What He says He will do, He does. He is honor bound to Himself, to His Son Jesus, and to you and me, His people.
He is intensely passionate about the promises He has made to you. Why?
A man much smarter than me, John Gill the 18th century philosopher, said this:
"...and his zeal or fervent love to his people will put him upon all this, since it is for their good, as well as for his own glory, and the honor of his Son."
He made you good promises, promises He knew He would be mandated to keep simply because...He loves you.
The greatest minds and theorists, philosophers and scholars, can wax poetic and create highly sophisticated notions on why Christ came, but it only and simply boils down to this:
Love.
He brought you good things because of His great love for you.
As the world cried out in sin and hopelessness, sweet redemption was born in a stable.
What has He brought? Why has He brought it?
He brought perfect love. Because of His perfect love for you.
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