Isaiah 9:2-7

Just before Christmas three years ago, I had a completely un-Christmassy experience.

! I was walking home from my office, which was in the middle of Richmond.

I walked out to the A316, which is the big dual carriageway, which, if you go down far enough, turns into the M3.

I just crossed over at St Margaret's with the traffic lights.

About five, maybe ten seconds after I crossed over the road,

all the lights went out. All the street lights, all the traffic lights,

and the person who walked in light was plunged into darkness,

which is, of course, the opposite of what Christmas is.

Now, at that point, I have to say, my first thought was,

I'm really glad I got across the road before the lights failed,

because if there had been no lights, I would have had no hope of getting across.

And sure enough, as soon as the traffic lights went out, I could hear the horns sounding,

I turned around and saw some cars, depending on the personality of the driver,

approaching the roundabout at high speed, kind of forcing their ways on,

others approaching very gingerly.

And it was just carnage and chaos.

Horns beeping, no doubt.

Angry voices in the cars.

You see, without light, there's chaos and confusion.

Without light, we cannot see reality.

We cannot see what is really there.

Without light, there is no hope.

I would have had no hope of crossing that road

if the lights had not still been on while I came to that point.

So we need light, don't we?

And that's what Christmas is about.

That's what this great promise that God made through the prophet Isaiah

over 700 years earlier was about.

Verse 2,

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Light that reveals reality.

Light that gives hope in the midst of darkness and confusion.

Light that provides peace and security

instead of cars driving into each other

and honking at each other and getting angry.

We often use light as a very powerful metaphor, don't we, for hope.

When Nelson Mandela died just over a year ago,

David Cameron's comment was,

A great light has gone out in this world.

Why?

Because to many people,

Mandela's life was an example of hope,

a beacon of hope.

Well, in Isaiah's day,

the people needed hope.

They needed light.

And if we understand the context

into which this promise was given,

then we'll start to understand its relevance

for Christmas,

its relevance for us today.

So the situation was this,

and if you were here last week,

you'll know some of this.

It was about 732 AD.

Jerusalem, the capital of Judah,

was full of fear,

full of anxiety.

After years of stability

and economic progress,

a new king had come to the throne,

King Ahaz.

And he faced a serious threat.

The Syrian army in the north

and the Israelite army to the north

had ganged up on him,

were encamped around Jerusalem.

And he was looking for any hope,

any sense of security

in the midst of that darkness.

There was uncertainty about the future.

It was fear.

The situation seemed bleak and dark.

And in the bleakness and the darkness,

where did people look?

Well, if you look up to the top of the page,

the very first line on 6-9-2,

the end of verse 19,

some were inquiring of the mediums

and the necromancers

who chirp and mutter.

People were going to superstition

and to the occult

and to any kind of thing they could get

to try and get some sort of hope.

Meanwhile, the experts

had their opinion as well.

So if you turn back over the page,

under the title where it says,

Fear God, wait for the Lord,

verse 12,

some people were talking about conspiracy.

The Lord says to Isaiah,

do not call conspiracy

all that these people call conspiracy.

Do not fear what they fear

or be in dread.

It's a sort of picture

of the experts of the day

sitting there going,

oh, it's all a conspiracy theory.

What do we have today

as we look in our newspapers

and look on the websites?

There are lots of conspiracy theories

out there, aren't there?

Maybe no one ever went to the moon,

but there are always conspiracies

about what's going on

in the Middle East.

So many people resorting

to horoscopes

to find some hope for the future.

Superstition, conspiracy,

it's all still rife in our days.

People look for light

in the midst of darkness,

isn't it?

Do you know what the real darkness

was in Isaiah's day?

The real darkness was

that people were turning

to the occult,

turning to human schemes

like Ahaz,

who had ignored God's promises

and trusted that he could form

a political alliance

that would get him through

the oncoming conflict.

People had turned away from God

and they turned away from light

and ended up in darkness.

Their refusal to trust God's promises

instead relying on their own efforts

is what the real darkness was.

It wasn't just the darkness of invasion.

It was the darkness

of turning away from God

and trusting in themselves.

That's not so very different

from today, is it?

People long for hope

and peace in the world,

don't they?

In the world out there,

we look for peace and security

in our own lives,

and yet so often

we rely on human things

and not on God's promises.

That's really the key issue here.

What will you trust?

Do you trust in God

and what he's doing?

Or in human plans

and human wisdom

and human endeavour?

This year is a very poignant year,

isn't it?

2014.

It's a hundred years

since the end of World War I.

And I'm sure you know

what they used to call World War I.

It was the war to end all wars.

It hasn't quite worked out like that,

has it?

But why do people think

that would be the war

that would end all wars?

Because at the turn of that century,

to the 19th and to the 20th century,

in a time of great optimism,

there's been so much progress

in human understanding

and advancement

over the previous century.

So much that was new.

That people believed

that actually human beings

would solve all the world's problems.

We could live at peace

with one another.

Human rationality,

human advancement

would lead to all the progress

we needed.

So the world was deeply influenced

by the so-called enlightenment

of the 18th century,

which put great faith

in human reasons.

Yet what happened

in World War I?

The great advanced powers

of the day

entered into a futile battle

where it got no one nowhere

and destroyed millions.

It showed that no matter

how advanced or clever

we thought we were,

we could not provide peace

for ourselves.

Human institutions

and philosophies

could not provide peace.

Well, fast forward

from 1914

towards the end

of the 20th century,

1989, 1990,

as the Berlin Wall

came tumbling down,

Francis Fukuyama,

political scientist

in America,

declared it was

the end of history

as communism tumbled.

Why did he say that?

Because really,

over the previous 200 years,

there have been

two human philosophies

that sought to bring

prosperity and peace

to the world.

There was capitalism

on one hand

and communism

on the other.

So as communism fell,

Fukuyama,

a learned American

political scientist,

declared this is

the end of history.

Capitalism has won.

From now on,

there will be peace.

Well, has it worked

out like that

in the last 25 years?

Of course not.

Neither communism

!

Neither communism

nor capitalism

has brought peace

on the earth.

These are human philosophies,

human ideas.

They cannot solve

the deep problems

in the human heart.

Even over the last few years,

I was fascinated to read

about two or three years ago

in the midst of

the Eurozone crisis

when politicians

across the Eurozone

were scrabbling

to find a solution

to all the debt problems

and Greece particularly.

What would happen

would the Eurozone

fall apart?

British political scientist

John Gray

wrote this.

European institutions

have preserved the peace

for more than a generation.

That's true.

It's been a long time

since the end

of World War II.

These institutions

have provided

a steady growth

and prosperity.

And so now

the very idea

that they could break up

challenges the prevailing belief

in steady improvement

which is

get this

the faith

of practical men

and women

who imagine

they have no religion.

The faith

of practical men

and women

who imagine

they have no religion

but actually look

to human institutions

and human philosophies

for peace

and security

and growth

in this world.

That doesn't just happen

out there

on the global scene

does it?

It happens in here

in our own hearts

and lives.

We want hope.

We want life.

We long for hope

and security

in the midst

of personal darkness

be that

insecurity

in our work situations

problems

in our families.

And every human being

longs for

some hope.

We cannot live

without hope

do we?

So some of us

place that hope

in achievement

if I work hard

and if I get

the next promotion

then I'll be happy

then I'll be secure.

Yet the promotion

comes

and just extra

insecurities are added.

We think

our children

if they're safe

if they're secure

if I get them

safely out of the house

off to university

as reasonably

responsible people

I'll be happy

and secure then.

And yet even that

doesn't happen

does it?

Because then just

bigger worries

take hold.

And of course

people look for

inner peace

in all sorts of places.

A great trend

over the last five years

has been mindfulness.

I don't know if you've

seen the stuff

on mindfulness

that you need to

kind of cut out

the world's distractions

and just focus

on things

and that will

bring you peace.

Of course

there is some truth

that if you block

out the rest of the world

you can find

some sort of

short-lived peace.

But these are all

human ideas

human achievements

human aspirations

and none of them

brings lasting light.

Because all of us

all of them

at the end of the day

are turning away

from a God

who loves us

and is in control

of everything

instead seeking

a solution

seeking peace

seeking life

in our own efforts

to build up

our security.

We are people

who walk in darkness

we need

a great light.

So what is this light

that God promises

to rise to?

Let's have a look at it

I want you to see

first of all

the change that comes

about as this light

dawns

verses 2 and 3

the people

who walked in

darkness

have seen

a great light

those who dwelt

in a land

of deep darkness

on them

has light shone.

Do you notice

this is not a light

that the people

light up for themselves

it's not a light

people have generated

for themselves

it's a light

that suddenly

shines on them

a bit like

the street lights

when they came

back on

just shone

so we could see

what does this

light lead to?

Verse 3

what does it mean?

You've multiplied

the nation

you've increased

its joy

they rejoice

before you

as with joy

at the harvest

as they're glad

when they divide

the spoil

it's a picture

of partying

it's a picture

of happiness

suddenly

the nation

that looks like

it was decreasing

and going to be

destroyed

is growing again

it's like the

happiness

that people

in the city

feel

when they get

their bonuses

that's the

harvest there

the joy

when the spoil

is divided

and what's

the reason

for this?

why is there

now hope?

well the immediate

reason is in

verse 4 and 5

for the yoke

of his burden

and the staff

of his shoulder

the rod of his

oppressor

you have broken

as on the day

of Midian

so at the time

Isaiah was speaking

about Israel

being

or Judah rather

being ruled over

by the Assyrians

being forced

into working

for them

the rod of the

oppressor

but now that's

been lifted

the oppression

they would deal

with has gone

the army that

was marching

in would be

destroyed

look at this

verse 5

for every boot

of a tramping

warrior

in battle

tumours

and every garment

rolled in blood

will be burned

as fuel for fire

it's not just the

weapons of war

that have gone

it's the very

uniform

the very shoes

that soldiers

would wear

that's all being

chucked out

it's no longer

needed

peace has come

as this light

dawns

so what's

causing the

end of

oppression

what's causing

the end of

all conflict

is it a mighty

army

what's doing

what world war

one didn't do

what's going to

do what the

UN has never

managed to do

and bring peace

and the end of

oppression

well look at

verse 6

the ultimate

reason for this

for to us

a child

is born

to us

a son

is given

the solution

to a world

without peace

solution to

insecurity

solution to

the darkness

of not being

able to see

reality

is a child

coming into

the world

a child being

given to us

coming from

outside

and look at

who this child

is

it's an amazing

series of titles

isn't it

verse 5

as it goes on

the government

shall be upon

his shoulder

and his name

shall be called

wonderful

counsellor

mighty God

everlasting

father

prince of

peace

here he is

this child

he born

is going to

grow up

as literally

a wonder

of a counsellor

a wonder

of a counsellor

someone who's

got divine

wisdom

to lead

human wisdom

fails doesn't

it

I'm so glad

I'm not a

prime minister

or a president

I can't

understand all

the things

that are going

on in the

world

who can

that this

child he born

would have

divine wisdom

a wonder

of a counsellor

not only that

he is mighty

God

born as a

baby

yet fully

God

as well as

fully human

I don't know

if you've ever

had Jehovah's

witnesses come

and tell you

that Jesus

was not really

God

it's a great

verse to confuse

them with

right here in the

Old Testament

God promises

that

the eternal

son of God

will be born

as a child

as a gift

to his people

as a true

king

to rule

over them

and bring

the liberty

and peace

they needed

so he's a

wonder of a

counsellor

he's a mighty

God

he's the

everlasting

father

a father

should care

for and provide

for his

children

the father

of a nation

cares for

and provides

for a nation

doesn't he

Nelson Mandela

again

when he died

many South

Africans had

called him

the father

of the nation

in a sense

as though he

was

it was

under his

rule

that white

only rule

was ended

in South

Africa

but here

is an

everlasting

father

he will

not die

he will

not like

some human

fathers

lose interest

and walk

away

he is a

father to

his people

who will

always care

always provide

always be

there

and what

else is he

prince of

peace

in other

words he's

the prince

the ruler

whose reign

is characterized

by peace

whose reign

is characterized

by peace

so what are

the prospects

when this

child grows

up and

rules

what are

the prospects

what's going

to happen

well

let's look at

verse 7

of the increase

of his government

and of peace

there will be

no end

isn't that what

we'd all love

isn't that what

people hoped

the end of

world war one

would bring

but it didn't

or the end of

communism would

bring

but it didn't

peace

now what do

you think of

when you hear

that word

peace

I guess many

of us probably

think of the

absence of

conflict

don't we

but in the

original language

this is a much

bigger word

than that

it's not just

the absence

of conflict

it's the presence

of wholeness

shalom in the

original

it's every hunger

satisfied

every relationship

mended

every joy

made complete

the world

restored

to the wholeness

that we all

long for

and believe

we should have

so how does

Jesus' birth

bring that light

to people

walking in

darkness

how does it

bring light

to people

like us

well of course

to understand

that we really

need to look

at the whole

of Jesus' life

and we don't

have time to

do that

in five minutes

now

but let me

just say this

a little bit

like the street

lights

or light

generally

helps us to

see what is

really there

so Jesus

in his life

and teaching

reveals reality

to us

he shows us

what we are

really like

and what God

is really like

and just as

the lights

provided security

for me

crossing the road

not after your

fear of being

run over

by the traffic

so this

this baby

as he grows up

Jesus

the king

will provide

security

through his reign

see that in the rest

of verse 7

on the throne

of David

David the great

king over

Israel

to whom God

had promised

a throne

forever

on the throne

of David

and over his

kingdom

to establish it

and to uphold it

with justice

and with righteousness

from this time

forth

and forever

more

see he will

he will rule

forever

and so he will

bring justice

and righteousness

we see the disaster

that happens in the world

when there is no

just rule

we see that in Syria

we heard the news

yesterday

about trial

falling apart

in South Africa

and the

heartache

obviously I don't

know the rights

and wrongs

went on there

but the heartache

of the family

of the murdered

woman

that they

feel they haven't

got justice

they'll never

understand what

happened to their

daughter

it's a terrible

thing isn't it

and yet here is

the one who will

rule and bring

absolute justice

and righteousness

and that means

he will judge

justly

he will destroy

all who oppose

his reign

all who bring

grief and strife

on this world

so he reveals

reality

he provides

security

he brings hope

of the increase

of his government

and of peace

there will be no end

and as you read

on through the

story of Jesus

life you'll see

that hope

that he died

but then rose

again

and his resurrection

the fact that he's

alive is confirmation

that he really is the

king

that he really is

the one reigning

yes he has not yet

destroyed all evil

he has not yet

brought in his

perfect eternal

kingdom in its

fullness

the peace and

security we all

long for

but the day will

come

his resurrection

proves that

one of the reasons

I'm a Christian

is I'm convinced

that Jesus Christ

really rose from

the dead

so how can this

child do all this

how can he

reveal reality

provide security

and bring hope

well he does it

ultimately

through the

culmination of

his life on earth

when he died

on the cross

to pay for

all the wickedness

all the

unrighteousness

all the injustice

so that all

who trust in him

can be forgiven

all who will

turn and bow

down to him

as the rightful

king

can be forgiven

so that's how he

provides everlasting

security

for those who

accept that offer

of forgiveness

who accept the

offer that Jesus

death can pay for

our punishment

we can have

everlasting security

as part of his

kingdom

so really there are

two ways to live

just as the people

of Isaiah's day

found

we can either

trust in God's

promises

trust what God

does

including sending

his son

to be the king

who will bring

peace

for those who

submit to him

or we can look

to human solutions

human ways

to find our own

hope

see Jesus is the

one

this baby born at

Christmas

the child given

to us

is the one who

brings real hope

he is the light

who comes into

the world

who reveals the

reality about

God and his

love

about us

human beings

and our

desperate need

our desperate

rebellion in

our hearts

that causes the

troubles in the

world

he is the one

who provides a

way for us

to be right

with God again

to have hope

to have life

and light

so really quite

two questions

for us as we

close

firstly how do we

respond to this

gift of a child

at Christmas time

you know what it's

like at Christmas

don't you

perhaps remember

this from being

a kid

we got gifts

under a Christmas

tree

and I'm sure

as children

none of us

left the gifts

there did we

in fact the

trouble was trying

to get them

before Christmas

morning if we're

honest

we'd always take

them and open

them up and see

what they were

well here's a

gift that would

be foolish to

leave behind

wouldn't we

so what will we

do with this

child that's been

given to us

will we just

leave him there

unopened

be rude to do

that wouldn't it

let me ask

another question

where do you

really look for

light in your

life where do

you look for

hope and

security where

do our friends

look for light

and hope in

the midst of

darkness

human philosophies

man made

ideas they

fail they leave

us stumbling

around as I

was stumbling

around when those

lights went out

we need the

light that God

gives the people

who walked in

darkness have

seen a great

light

let's pray

you