Isaiah 9:1-7

December 25th, 8.30am. It would be a clear night, a cold frost on the ground and then sunrise

! It's 1914 and it's World War I. Imagine war in the trenches.

! But it is December 25th and Christmas trees decorate the parapets and across no man's

land comes the sound of carols. You might have seen the very sanitised version on the Sins

Bizarre. But here's the diary of Captain Sir Edward Holtz. A scout named Merker went out

and met a German patrol and was given a glass of whisky and some cigars. Soon you had troops

standing around on no man's land swapping cigarettes for haircuts and taking photos. There's a

German lieutenant who wrote a diary to, I practice the translation, Kurt Zamich. He kept a diary

as well. The English brought a soccer ball from the trenches and pretty soon a lively game ensued.

The score was 3-2. Well you can guess who won. There's no record of penalties at all.

And it's a great story since my sense of use of peace on earth, goodwill to man. His diary goes on,

it says how marvellous, how wonderful, yet how strange it was. The English officers felt the same

way. They wrote, Christmas, the celebration of love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends

for a time. But that is it, isn't it? Is that enough? The last man alive to remember that Christmas

truce said this in 2005, we shouted Merry Christmas even though no one felt merry. The silence ended

early in the afternoon and the killing started again. It was a short peace, wasn't it, in a terrible war.

And Captain Sir Edward Holtz, who was killed three months later, is 25. Mortal enemies became friends. I don't think so.

Five in every nine people died in that war that we remembered this year. Kurt Zamich, amazingly, he survived

the war. He lived on to rejoin the German army in World War II and he died in Russia in November 1945.

Even on that day, peace wasn't everywhere. The sort of nice Christmas picture that we have in the adverts.

Here's another English captain and hear what he writes. The Germans tried a truce, they came over

towards us singing, so we opened rapid fire on them, which is the only truce they deserved.

Don't you wish for peace? Don't you wish that the darkness of death and war which hangs over us all was dealt with?

100 million people died violently in the last century, to a minute. Bad news comes in, doesn't it?

On the internet, on the TV, every day. Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan. And don't you wish for just more than a moment,

a Christmas moment, for the start of a truce that might last longer than a Christmas football match?

Longer than a day where Isaiah, 700 years before Jesus was born, if you'll look at this, it describes a day like that.

Do pick it up and look at it. And Isaiah begins, really, like Christmas Day in the trenches.

We start in gloom, don't we? And there is darkness. And there is anguish.

But that is about to change, dawn is about to break. In the disgrace land of Zebulun, can you see that?

The land of Naphtali and Galilee of the nations. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, verse 2.

On them, light has dawned. And it's much more than whiskey and football matches.

This is a nationwide party. Look at verse 3.

You've enlarged the nation and increased their joy.

They rejoice before you. They're full of joy.

As people rejoice at the harvest three times, it talks about joy and rejoicing.

Joy and victory. And why are they so happy?

Well, we get the answer in verse 4. Can you see that?

And verse 5, verse 6.

They all begin in the same way.

Why are they so happy?

Well, in verse 4, it's because the yoke of burden has been broken.

You've shattered the yoke that burdens them.

And then this lovely last line, isn't it?

The rod, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

That's something to be happy about, isn't it?

When slaves are freed, when oppression is ended.

We know what it is to rejoice about that.

And so how did it happen? Look at verse 5.

Every warrior's boot used in battle,

and every garment rolled in blood will be destructed for burning,

and will be filled for the fire.

It's the end of war.

It's one enormous bonfire.

It would be quite a bonfire, wouldn't it?

If every piece of military equipment in the world

was gathered in one place and was torched.

In World War I, the British Army issued 46,973,000 pairs of boots.

Imagine them on fire.

For Isaiah, do you see, a day of peace is not enough.

He wants oppression to be snapped forever.

Isaiah wants peace forever.

He wants every soldier stood down and disbanded.

But it will need, won't it, much more than a nice feeling and a few candles

and a happy moment for this to happen.

So Isaiah, how will it happen?

Well, look at verse 6.

Here's the secret.

Here's the climax.

It's the famous words we read at the Star Wars.

It says, for us a child is born.

To us a son is given.

There's this bright daylight of dawn.

A new day of peace.

Because slavery is both broken.

Armies are disbanded.

Because, when a baby's been born.

Now some children arrive, when they're in the world,

with big expectations on their shoulders.

Poor old Prince George.

I don't know if you've seen these photos of him.

In a kind of funny tack job with socks pulled up for his knees.

This little two-year-old boy, or one-year-old boy.

They have great expectations there.

Around Brooklyn, Beckham, when he was born.

Some children, celebrity children, they're born, aren't they?

With unrealistic expectations.

Well, look at this father.

Look at verse 7.

This son, this baby that is born,

where he's going to rule the world.

A government that increases,

and a throne that increases,

and a kingdom that will be from this time forth and forevermore.

And we've been using his name all night.

Jesus, our Emmanuel, we sang.

You shall call his name Jesus.

He will be given the throne of his father David.

And of his kingdom there will be no end.

It'll go on forever.

There are Gospels.

If you ask me for one reason, we'll give you one.

We'd love you to give you one.

We'd love you to read them.

Where they are, what is a Gospel?

It is an eyewitness account.

Of the Lord Jesus, of this son.

The man who was written about by Isaiah 700 years before he was born.

With the expectation of the nations on his shoulders.

And if you read through Matthew's Gospel,

you would come to this bit of Isaiah chapter 4.

Isaiah 4 · chapter mention

So when does dawn break?

It breaks when Jesus moves to live by the sea,

in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.

And the Gospel writers want to ask you,

is this the one?

Is this the guy?

Does he live up to his prayers?

Does he do enough to give us more than an afternoon of peace in the middle of war?

And a fuzzy feeling.

Is he different?

And to see the difference, I just want us to look at the four names that are there in verse 6.

Can you see them?

Four prophetic names.

Four names given to you 700 years before he was born.

Which tell you what kind of man Jesus and Nazareth three is.

And we're expecting a baby next month.

And we're at the stage of trying to decide on names.

We think we're at one with a girl,

but we don't know what to do with a boy.

And so we're looking at these books, isn't it?

And the dictionary of first names.

A comprehensive list in easy to use A to Z order of 5,000 names for boys and girls.

Your name can say a lot about you, whether you like it or not.

So it is vital, absolutely vital,

to choose an appropriate name for a new baby

to give him or her, you know,

the best possible start in life.

This book promises a comprehensive list of names from around the world

with their derivations and meanings to help you make the right choice.

Do you know who it's written by?

Geddes and Grosset.

And isn't it ironic that they don't put their first names on that?

And so the four inverse things, they're not in here actually.

I checked this afternoon.

Princes, but all the rest are not.

Wonderful counsellor, mighty God,

everlasting father,

prince of peace.

You never find those names on a human child.

Look at them, the first thing it says about

what the Lord Jesus will be like is

he will be the wonderful counsellor.

That means to have

the supernatural wisdom of God.

This baby is different.

Don't we need rulers like that?

Should we spend however many millions of pounds

it's going to be to build

high speed train link number

15 or whatever it will be?

Don't we need wisdom

for our country to know

how to get the economy going?

Or Barack Obama and David Cameron

when they meet to decide

how should they respond to the Middle East?

How should they respond to what is going on in Iraq?

Do you know what they should do?

Do you?

Are you wise enough to rule?

Is anybody?

Well we've read from Luke's Gospel tonight

and if you were to read on in Luke

or in Matthew's Gospel

you would see Jesus

amazed with his wisdom.

He starts doing it at 12.

They are amazed at his answers

and how wise he is.

People throw hostile questions at him

and he can turn them back at them.

As he faces sensitive personal questions

or as he gives a way to live

that millions still live by today

2,000 years later.

He is the wonderful counsellor.

But he's also mighty God.

You see the only way to end war forever

is to face the armies of the world

the way a teacher

or the way a parent

faces a fighting child.

Do you know how you do that?

You see them sometimes.

Do you?

You simply put

your hand on their forehead

and you hold them

like that.

They're that small aren't they?

They might

fly their arms around

or try and kick

but if you put your hand on their head

you stop them.

Don't we need rulers like that?

Can anybody guarantee

security?

Can they?

Can anybody secure a border

or a single life

or read on in Matthew

and you find this Jesus of Nazareth

he tells the tall stone

to be still

as easily as I turn off the tap.

He raises the dead

with a word

in public view

all the power

of mighty God.

The ministry of Jesus

is like a three year window.

It's like a three year window

into the future.

The world that Isaiah

longs for

and I guess the world

that you long for as well.

Jesus and his life

works as a kind of

three year

try before you buy

for

human rights.

Read the eyewitness accounts

of the Lord Jesus.

Hear his disciples.

Let them persuade you

that this is the one.

We run a course here

called Christianity Explores

and if you want to do that

in the company of others

asking the same kind of questions

it's a great thing to do.

Speak to me

or the person who brought you

or the person who invited you

and we'd love you to do it.

We'll be running one

in the new year.

That is a great way.

Read the evidence

and see Jesus

live up to his press.

He is different.

He's the everlasting father.

The everlasting father.

See only God lasts forever.

It's a puzzle isn't it?

It must have puzzled Isaiah.

How could a newborn baby

do you get that?

Be an everlasting father.

Because in Jesus

God

became a human being.

The everlasting

became flesh.

with all the strength

of God

but all the care

of a father.

And don't we need that

as well?

Someone to care

for the hungry.

Someone to protect

the weak.

Again

read on

in those gospels

you see Jesus

cure every sickness.

You see Jesus

restore families

and minds

and seek out

the sinner

and rescue them.

And he is

the prince of peace.

And here the gospels

give us two great pictures.

They give us a future

Jesus

who will bring peace

by destroying

every army

and every enemy.

The Jesus of Isaiah 9

who will return

as God

and King

and Mighty God.

But before Jesus

returns

as Mighty God

to wipe out

every single enemy

we get a Jesus

don't we?

That lives out

perfect peace.

who says

turn the other cheek

who they come

to arrest him

and he will not

allow a fight.

He accepts

a beating.

He keeps silent

at his trial

and he walks

willingly to his death.

And that is where

we see that there are

no pat answers

to the problems

of this world

and your problems.

Jesus

the promised

son of God

is crucified.

world peace

is not as simple

as changing

prime minister

or changing

government.

And Jesus'

life

and his teaching

are not enough

alone.

More is needed.

Jesus'

life

is a window

on the world

that will come

when Jesus

comes back

one day.

It's a window

of peace

but necessarily

it is a short

one because

Jesus must

die.

Jesus must

die.

This baby

must die.

This son

must die.

You see

because the war

between human

and human

is not really

the big deal.

not for Isaiah

and not for

Jesus.

We fight

each other

actually

only because

we're really

fighting God.

And that is

the real

deep darkness.

We all

sit in our

trenches

giving God

the rapid fire.

And the

darkness of

death

is this

just response

to what

Jesus must

deal with.

It's easy

to see tonight

if you are

in the

trench

firing

at God

by checking

your attitude

to Jesus.

You see

Christmas is

not really

the story

of a nice

little baby.

It's the

story of

your recently

arrived

new boss.

It's the

government

on his

shoulders.

The king

forever.

You should

think about

Jesus the

way that

those of you

who were in

work.

A new

boss arrives

in the

office.

He's a

new boss.

Maybe

you're

pleased to

have him.

Maybe

you're

scared of

what he

might do.

Maybe

you just

plain don't

like him.

But he's

in charge

now.

And like

it or not

he calls

the shots.

But most

of us

react to

King Jesus

the way

that the

Welsh rugby

team would

react if I

was announced

as the

new head

coach.

Can you

just imagine

it?

There's a

press conference

and then I

roll up to

the training

ground.

Can you

imagine

Jamie

Roberts or

Alan Wynne

Jones,

this 6 foot

6 giant,

looking down

at me,

this kind

of 12 stone

weakling who's

very out of

shape.

You can

imagine the

team kind

of falling

apart.

They would

do it

differently,

wouldn't

they?

Depending on

what they're

like.

Some of

them,

some of

the players,

they would

ignore me

completely.

They would

say,

what do

you know?

And they'd

be right to

say it.

Some would

probably try

and do their

own training.

Some of

them would

be more

direct,

possibly

even more

physical,

and they

would try

and get

rid of

me as

fast as

they can.

And so

tonight,

can you look

at Jesus

in the eye

and tell

him that

you live

with him

as king?

Maybe,

probably

tonight,

you politely

ignore him.

Or you

urgently maybe

want Jesus

out of your

life, but

either way,

we don't

submit to

him as

God and

king.

And if

he returns

to destroy

his enemies

tonight,

and bring

peace,

human beings

like us

would actually

be his

enemies.

So if

Jesus wants

to end

all war,

he has to

bring peace

between man

and God

first,

which means

he has to

die.

You see,

there are

no easy

answers.

Death stands

over us,

doesn't it?

And Jesus

swallows it

up on our

behalf.

Which means

tonight,

Jesus can

speak like

those singing

and voices

over the

trenches.

Marvelously

wonderful,

yet how

strange to

bring mortal

enemies

together as

friends.

And he

will bring

peace between

human beings

one day.

He will wipe

out all his

enemies one

day.

But the

amazing thing

is this,

he offers

you today

in West

England

tonight,

between you

and God

that peace.

And it is

much better

than voices

calling over

the trenches.

Christmas is

saying to you

that God

has crossed

the lines

and God

has become

a human

being.

He set

out unarmed

to be

killed.

It's better

than whiskey.

It's better

than cigarettes.

It's better

than a game

of football.

And that

is the

difference.

He died

so that

God could

end the

war with

us.

And it

could end

today for

you.

Jesus

began his

preaching in

Galilee

as the

dawn of

that light.

And he

said this,

he said

repent

for the

kingdom of

heaven is

at hand.

And Christmas

is a call

to take up

his offer.

To stop

fighting God.

to repent,

to turn

from that

way of

life and

to join

the kingdom

of the

king,

the king

of peace.

And anyone

who will

crawl out

of their

trench and

ask for

peace,

hold their

hands up

and say

I'm sorry.

you can be

sure of

the answer.

The prince

of peace,

the king

of all,

will happily

accept you

in his

kingdom.

No matter

what you've

done,

no matter

how much

darkness

you're in

that you

walk in,

there is

Christian

forgiveness.

He

swallows

death for

you and

asks for

peace and

nothing

stands

between

you and

God.

Call

Jesus

your

king.

Repent

and change

him and

want to

join his

kingdom and

thank him

for his

death which

made peace

between God

and us.

And so

following him

will mean

recognising

him as

king.

And we

repent of

living our

own way

and we

say I

want to

join your

kingdom and

I thank

you for

your

death.

I thank

you for

forgiveness.

Jesus

made peace

between me

and God

and to

do that

is more

amazing than

two sides

kicking a

football

around in

the middle

of a

war.

To do

that is

to move

from

darkness

to light.

To join

the increasing

celebration of

verse 3.

To be

part of

why his

kingdom has

been increasing

for 2,000

years.

Increasing

one by one

as people

put their

trust in

him.

It is a

great hope

that we

look forward

to the

return of

King

Jesus

when he

will

stop

all

wars.

And you

and I

can be

his people

free and

at peace.

And that

can begin

tonight.

Let's pray.