Messianic Gifts: The Gift of Light

For you to be there.

If you have your Bibles, you'll turn with me to

Isaiah Isaiah chapter eight. This morning, she'll turn there with me.

We're continuing our series called Messianic Gifts. And in this

series we've been looking at the prophecies of Isaiah and

how Christ fulfilled the promises that God gave to his

people Israel in Jesus, and how when Jesus came, he

fulfilled these Messianic promises. These Messianic promises, we're gifts, gifts

that God would give Israel through this Messiah, and we've

been looking through that. You know, as we come in

we think a lot about gifts, and this time of

the year with Christmas, we gifts are a big part

of our minds and we're thinking a lot about what

gifts we're going to buy. Hey, we're getting pretty close here,

So if you've not done that, it'd probably be good

to start, especially if you're married and you have a spouse,

you need to start. You know, buying gifts is difficult.

And you know Brandy, when I buy gifts for her, normally,

brandis like she's really easy.

Most of the time.

She's I'll ask and say, hey, what are some things

that you want for Christmas, and she'll you know, write down.

A few things and send me a few things.

And most of the time, you know, I'm just man,

I'm easy, you know, happy mama, happy life, right, happy wife,

happy life. So I'm like, let's just go with what's

on the list, not buried from the list, just to

get what she wants.

Right. So this year, you know, I didn't get a list.

She did, she didn't send me a list.

So she's got the most random gifts that you can

ever imagine this year for Christmas. Most of the time,

Brady is really good about picking out what I get

her for Christmas. This year, she ain't got a chance

because she didn't send me a list, and so she's

just got a bunch of random things.

But you know, when you.

Think about buying a gift, you want them just to

give you a list because it kind of makes it easier.

You kind of know what they want. You don't have

to guess what.

They want you, you know, and you you know, if

they don't give you a list, you're you're kind of thinking,

you know.

Maybe this will they like this gift?

You know, will they really want that toaster? I didn't

get her a toaster, you know, but will they really

like it?

But if you know what they want, it makes it

a lot easier, right, so you know, don't worry.

I took her somewhere real nice this Saturday, and she

bought the rest of her Christmas.

I took her.

SAMs and she picked out a bunch of bunch of things.

But I say that to say, at times, do you

kind of feel that with the Lord? Maybe there's some

times in your life where you're really seeking for answers

from the Lord. There's some problems, some things in your

happening in your life. Maybe there's some decisions that you're

making in your life, and you just kind of feel like,

you know what, Lord, this would be a lot easier

if you would just tell me what you want.

If you just tell me what you want.

From my life, then I would just do what you

asked of me or want for me, and then this

would be simple. But at times you feel like, Lord,

I don't know what you want from me.

I don't know what you want for my life.

So therefore it's kind of like guess work of guessing

at getting a gift. I'm guessing I'm making decisions, and

I'm not sure, Lord, whether you'll be pleased with my

decisions or whether you won't.

Be pleased with my decisions. God, it would just be

easier if you would just tell me.

If you would just write it down and tell me

exactly what you want me to do, this would be

a whole lot easier. Maybe today you're you're wrestling with

some decisions. Maybe it's a career decision. Maybe there's what

school you're going to go to for our students. Maybe

you're wrestling with the decision that you and your spouse

are making.

Or maybe this is a decisions.

About what you as your spouse, or just determining for

a decision for your child. Maybe it's decision about a

relationship issue that you're having conflict with with a family member,

and you're looking at what's the right decision?

Lord, what would you want me to do with this relationship?

Maybe it's a decision, or maybe it is, Lord, I

wish i'd knew some answer to some things that happened

in my life. Lord, I don't know why they died.

I don't know why they had to die so young.

Maybe it is, Lord, I don't know why did I

get cancer, or why do I have this? Or Lord,

why do I battle with anxiety? And why do I

battle with depression?

Lord? I just wish you'd tell me, Lord, if I

just had answers to the things in my life, it

wouldn't be a lot easier. So just tell me.

As we come to this passage in Isaiah, we're looking

at a passage of scripture where people are looking for answers.

And in this.

Pastor of scripture we see how they look for the

answers to life's questions. We're in our second we're in

our third part of this Christmas series. As I mentioned

Messianic gifts, and this morning, I really want to look

at Isaiah chapter eight and how God promised in Isaiah

talked in Isaiah eight, but led.

Into chapter nine and the promise that God gave Israel.

You see Israel at this time, as you remember, just

a few weeks ago, we're in Isaiah chapter seven, and

where we're going to in this passage of scripture Isaiah

chapter seven, there was a king who had questions. If

you remember that a few Sundays ago we talked about

this and the king was and a has the problem

that had came upon a has Is. The Bible describes

a has and the people of Israel were shaken. They

were like trees. Scripture describes shaking in the wind. The

hearts of the people of the king. The hearts of

the people and the heart of the king was shaking.

And the reason why they were shaking because two nations,

Syria and the Northern Israel, which was called Israel at

the time, had formed an alliance and they were threatening

that they were come and destroy Southern Judah, which king.

Ah Has was the king of Southern Judah.

And so they were shaking over this so much so

they wanted answers what should they do about this? And

God actually gives a has just what we were talking about.

He spoke to him directly. He told him exactly what

he wanted to do. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter seven,

he sent a prophet named Isaiah to a has the king, and.

He told a has A Has these two, these two.

Kings, the king of Syria and the King of Israel,

and these nations, it will not last.

Their threats will not come to pass. Just trust in me.

He told him exactly what he wanted, what he wanted

to do.

The Bible says a Has so much he wanted to

affirm to a Has that these two kingdoms would not

stand and their threats would not come to pass.

That he told a Has, listen to this.

Ask for a sign, any sign, anything, and I'll give

it to you as a sign of what I said

is true. The Bible says that a Has says, I

don't want anything from you, Lord, I don't want to sign,

And the Bible says he did not trust in the

word of the Lord. Instead, a Has decided he do

something different. He trusted in his power. The Bible says

the second Kings, if you could read this passive scripture

Second King sixteen, that he formed alliance and he sent

money to the King of Assyria, which was the world

power at the time, and formed alliance with another kingdom,

that that King Assyria and the nation of Assyria would

protect Judah if a war came. The Bible says, the

Lord was displeased with King King a Haas and the

people of visual and therefore he says, I'm gonna give

you a sign. I'm gonna give you a sign of

a sign that you weren't asking for. And that sign

is that your's gonna be a child that's gonna be born,

and his name is Emmanuel. And for I really believe,

and this is a question maybe you had a few

weeks ago when we came to Isaiah chapter seven, I

really believe during a had I mean during King A

has his time, there was a child that was born,

and that.

Child would be called Emmanuel.

And for Isaiah's time and for A has his time,

that Emmanuel was it Emmanuel God with us in peace.

It was Emmanuel God with us in judgment. He tells

A Has the king that you formed alliance with, I

promise you that I'm gonna take that king.

And the king that you trusted in is going to

be the king who comes against you, and he's going

to destroy your land.

He's going to cross over the northern part of Israel,

and he's going to destroy Israel because you've trusted in

man and trustead of trusting in God. As we come

to Isaiah chapter eight, Isaiah's reminding is he's showing us

what would happen in those days and when darkness would

come into land over war, a war that would take

over the northern part of Israel, and lives would be

lost and people would carry it in captivity. He's showing

that in the time of darkness, what will people do,

what answers? Where will they look for answers in times

of trouble? And so this morning, I want to look

at what people will do when the darkness come. And

I want you to see in the midst of the rebellion,

how they seek instead of seeking God, they seek other means.

And this morning, in this you'll see two promises of

this gift. And this morning we're looking at the gift

of God's life.

Light. Two promises of God's gift of life. Let's light.

Let's stand together, and let's look at it together.

In Isaiah chapter eight, and we're gonna pick up in

verse sixteen. This morning, Isaiah says, and he's talking about

these times to come. He says, this words to the

words the people of Issuel, bind up the testimony, steal

the teaching among my disciples. I will wait for the

Lord who's hiding his face from the house of Jacob.

I will hope in him. But hold I and the

children whom the Lord has given me are signs and

portunence in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwell

in Mount Zion, and they will say to you, inquire

of mediums and necromancers who chirp and mutter. Should not

a people will inquire of their God? Should they inquire

of the dead? On behalf of the living. To the

teaching and to the testimony, they will not speak according

to the word. It's because they have no dawn. They

pass through the land greatly distressed and hungry. And when

they're hungry, they will be enraised and will speak contipuously

against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward,

and they will look to the earth. But beyond distress

and darkness, the gloom of anguish. They'll be thrust into

thick darkness. But there will be no gloom for her

who was in English. And the former time he brought

into contempt the land of Zebelem, the land of Nephtili.

But in the latter time he made a glorious way

of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan galilee of

the nations.

And the people who walk in darkness have seen a

great light.

Those who dwell on the land of deep darkness, on

them a light has shown. Let's pray together, Lord, we

love you, We thank you, Lord, for this morning. And Lord,

we come here today, Lord to study your word of Isaiah,

to look at your passages in the New Testament.

And Lord we seek answers. Lord.

There's many people in the sound of my voice there

and a period of darkness of their life may be lost,

or they're a period of where they're looking for answers

from you. And today Lord, we come united and together

and the Lord, that's the look to your word for answers. Lord,

just as your light shone that day when Jesus came,

as your word was spoken in Isaiah's time, Lord, may

your word today be spoken.

Lord.

May your light shine in this place today. And may

Lord we look to you. May we seek your word.

May we hide your words in our hearts today. Lord,

I pray that just as you filled the lips of Isaiah,

as you filled his heart with your word, May you

feel me, Lord, and my heart with your word. May

you feel my lips and give me clarity of speech

that I might declare, Lord, not my words, but your words.

And Lord, I pray that you would give ears to

hear those people who hear, those are watching on line

on TV.

Lord, may they hear your word today. Lord, I pray.

I pray for your power upon me, a power upon

this place, a power upon us. Lord. We love you,

We look to you today, and your name we pray. Amen.

He may be seated.

Two promises of God's gift today, the gift of God's light.

God promise Israel a gift, a gift of his light

in the midst of darkness. The first two promises of God,

the gift of God's life. First, the gift of light

would come. You imagine Isaiah's talking about time of darkness

is going to come upon the land. He says, Isaiah's

I mean at king has is trusted in Assyria, and

he says, a Seriah is going to come and he's

going to strike the land. He's going to bring death

and destruction. And with death and destructions, they'll be hunger.

People will be hungry because of war. They'll lose food supplies.

The land will be devastated. The people would be carried off.

Some people would actually be carried from Israel into captivity.

There would be hunger, there would be lost, there will

be death, there will be destruction.

And this is the time that's coming. Has brought this because.

He's rejected the word of the Lord, and Isaiah is saying,

there's time of darkness. It's going to come, and when

that time of darkness comes, people will.

Search for answers. And it gives a description.

And as we begin this passive scription in verse eight,

he's given a description of how people will search for answers,

and he's given them instructions of what to do when

the darkness comes. Now, how many of you today, How

many of you have flashlights at home? We probably all do,

right you, Probably all of you have flashlights with you

here because you probably have a phone as a flashlight

on it.

You know.

The wonderful the crazy thing about flashlights outside of your

phone is we probably all have them in our house,

scattered all around different places, maybe different every room. You

got one somewhere, or maybe you don't. But the crazy

thing is is although we have them, we don't use

them except when what the darkness comes.

Except in the middle of the night, something happens to

the power.

Breakers you know, trips, or something happens in the community

and shuts off the power. And then what the flashlight

that you know you have, you're desperately trying to find,

right and the answer.

The crazy thing is most of the time. At that time,

you can't find it, right, I know, I.

Saw it in that drawer, and you go to the

drawer you know that it's in and it's not there.

Or you go to it and you're like, oh yeah,

sure it's going to work, and you pull it out

and turn it on, then there's no the batteries are

dead in it, right. That's the way flashlights. They're great, right,

but we really don't use them unless the darkness comes.

And as this, as we look at this, you can

see that this is the time of darkness and people

are searching for the light.

They're looking for how do I find.

Answers, And Isaiah tells them listen, he tells Israel when

the darkness.

Comes, and it's going to come.

And can I tell you today, whether you come into service,

you may be a.

Pe in your life that everything's okay.

You know, I don't really have relationship problems pastor I

really don't have a crisis in my life right now.

And my health does good, my job is good, my

family is good. All these things are good. But can

I tell you darkness is coming. There's not one of

us and this life will not be impacted by some

crisis or some tragedy.

Or some loss.

And there's gonna be dark peers in our life, and

as we know they're coming, what should we do how

we get prepared for the.

Darkness before it comes?

Where Isaiah instructs them and he tells them first and

verse eleven he says, for the Lord spoke to me,

and I mean verse sixteen, I'm sorry I went to

the wrong verse verse sixteen he tells them, bind up

the testimony, still the teaching among them, disciples, wait for

the Lord.

He gives the imagery.

You'll probably want to know what's he mean by who's

hiding his face from the House of Jacob. He's saying

he's hiding his face because his judgment is coming. And

there's gonna be a period of time where it seems

like when the darkness comes upon the land, that they

can't find where God is because the destructions it's upon

their life. And he says, in those times, listen, bind up.

The word of God and hold on to it. If

you're looking for the light, looking to the light of

God's word, hold on to that reality is.

There will be those in Isaiah's encouraging those remnant in

every generation. As we look into the Old Testament, there

are those who rebel against me. Nation the visual at

time will rebel against the Lord. And we see that,

and we'll go see that in just a minute. But

there's always a small remnant of God's people who are

true to God's word. And he's telling that small remnant. Hey,

when the darkness comes, hold on to the light, hold

on to the word of God, and listen to what

he says. In verse eighteen, says, behold, children whom the

Lord has given me or signs and portuitence of Israel,

the Lord of Host who dwell in Zion. And then

he says to them, listen, hold on to the word

of God God. When the darkness comes and it seems

like God is hiding his face from you, hold on

to the word of God. Hold on to these words,

and I'm giving you today. And then he says this.

In verse nineteen, he says, in those times, listen to this.

In those times of darkness, there will be people who

will tell you to look for answers in different places. Listen,

look at where he says that they will hear from

people Israel. These are Jews who will tell them where

to look for answers.

Look what it says.

And when they say to you inquire a mediums and

necromancers who chirp and mutter. Should not a people inquire

of their God? Should not not inquire the dead on

behalf of the living. He says, in those times of

darkness Israel, I'm telling you he's prophesying again. These things

have not happened, but these things are coming. And Isaiah says, listen,

when Assyria comes upon the land and he destroys the

northern part of Israel, and where there's a destruct when

there's death, and when there's hunger, and when the people

of Israel start looking for answers, there'll be some who

will hold on to the word of God.

But there'll be some in that land.

There'll be Jews, there will be people of God in

that time, and they'll tell you know what God's words.

Not speaking God's words hide his voice from us. We

can't hear God. We can't see what God's had, and

we're looking for answers. And in that time there will

be people who says, you know what you know where

you should find answers.

You need to go talk to the witch doctor.

You need to talk to the witches in the area,

and you need to find answers from them. And I

tell you what if that doesn't work, there's necromancers. Necromancers

were people who talk to the dead. You go find

a good necromancer who they believed at the time in

ancient Near East that the dead talked in like a

bird like chirped, They talked in the whisper. So these

necromancers would chirp and mutter. They would whisper trying to

call the dead. And they're gonna say, and there's times

of darkness when things come, when death and devastation, destruction

comes upon your life, go look to the witches, go

look towards the evil. And I tell if that doesn't work,

the best place if you find answers is to talk

to people who've already died. And so find you a

good necromancer. Chirp a little bit and mutter a little bit,

and they'll give you answers to your problems.

You would say to me, you read that you hear

this today, and you said, that's crazy. Nobody ever does that, Preacher,

There's nobody does that stuff today. Can I tell you

that you may have heard of a quarterback.

I don't know if you're into sports, but there's a

quarterback who is still in the NFL today.

His name is Aaron Rodgers. You know, twenty twenty, Aaron

Rodgers travel.

To Peru and he took this drug as a plant

based psychedelic And they're doing this. By the way, this

has happened in the last few years. Many players who

are doing this, and this is happening in our world today.

Is not just players, but there's very wealthy people who

are doing the same thing and they take they go

to these retreats in different places of the world and

they take this plant base psychedelic drug and the purpose

of this plant based psychedelic drug is to bring them

a place of enlightenment. And this is what Aaron Rodgers

said about that experience. He said, I had a magical

experience with a sensation of feeling one hundred different hands

on my body imparting me blessings and love and forgiveness

of myself and gratitude for this life. And what seemed

to be the blessings seemed to be from my ancestors.

What does he say, Hey, I took this drug and

it gave me a stage of enlightenment and from the dead.

My ancestors were giving me blessings and healing and forgiveness.

You say, in Isaiah's time, Isaiah says, watch out. They're

people who say look for answers and evil.

All that happened today? Oh yeah, it does. Can I

tell you that he in the last year, he's done something.

Now imagine, imagine if I say, okay, hey, you go

tonight about eleven o'clock you have a power outage.

You will lose your power, and you know when the

darkness comes. Don't look for the flashlight, don't get the

flashlight from your phone. Just sit in the darkness. It's

in the darkness. You'll find the light. Now you would

say me preach you. That sounds that's crazy, that's crazy,

Like you don't do that.

If the light goes out and you're sitting in darkness,

the best way to find the light is go find

the light, right, go turn on the light. Or Aaron

Rodgers and others who are doing this new thing and

it's called a retreat in the darkness.

You think I'm making this up, you can look it

up for yourself.

And this retreat of the darkness, you go to this

darkness retreat and this remote part, and it's like a

cave or like a cabin, and for three days or

four nights, you just sit in darkness, and there you

can find all the answers to your troubles and the

problems of your life, and searching.

For answers from the dead and in darkness.

We look at that today and say that's you can't

get your comprehend that. But the same thing was happening today,

and Rogers is doing that with these psychedelic drugs and

this retreat of darkness.

It's the same thing people were doing in Isaiah's time.

They were looking for which doctors, they were looking for darkness.

Even if you look at this pastor's of scripture, they

were looking for answers in darkness. Looking verse twelve, it's

in conspiracies. Don't call conspiracy all that this people cause conspiracy.

Don't fear what they fear, nor be in dread. They

were looking for answers in the darkness of conspiracies. They

were looking for answers in verse nineteen that have just

talked about in the occult and searching for answers from

the dead in verse twenty two, when that doesn't work

when they don't find answers and conspiracies. They don't find

answers in the occult. We look for answers in the world.

In verse twenty two, we see they get mad, they

get enraged, they get angry at God because God is

not answering, and they rebell it against God.

In verse twenty three, it'll look to the earth. Behold

the distress and darkness.

They will look for the answers, and the earth they

will look for answers in our world.

We see this in scripture too.

By the way, you remember there's a passage in First

Samuel twenty eight about Saul, King Saul. You remember the

king Saul. King Saul was rebelled against the Lord. Luck

like King a has it didn't obey the Lord. And

therefore God brought judgment upon him. And the God's voice

went silent on Saul, as his judgment was for Saul.

And you remember so much. He was going against war,

and he's trying to find out, what would God want

me to do with this war? And he couldn't hear

from God.

So what do you do? He went and found a witch.

You remember, you go read the passage Scripture he goes

seeks a witch who brings about Samuel so that he

will hear the voice of God.

We see Bible says this past and one Timothy.

We just read it a few weeks ago in our

Bible reading on on Timothy four. The Spirit says, especially

says that in the latter times, people will depart from

the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits, teaching of

demons and sincerities of liars who consciously seers is seared.

Listen.

The Bible says, in Isaiah times, when darkness comes, there's

gonna be a time where people don't find answers in

the Word of God, but goes signs find answers and

demons and witchcraft and talking to the dead.

And they did it. Saul did it. People in Isaiah's

time did it. And the Bible says that when we

come to the last days, people will still be doing it.

And Aaron Rodgers an example of that. Here's the beautiful

part of this passage scripture. You say, pastor, where are

you going with this?

If God says these things were going to come, God

says that people are gonna look for answers in these things.

But you know, we look, we can find answers like this.

Every one of you probably have a phone in your pocket,

and within a second, if you had to answers to, Hey,

who sang this song?

You can google it? She's damn it or whatever it is. Right.

You can hit Siri and ask sirih what's a math problem? Right?

You can ask Syria how the spirit spells? In just

a second, She's probably gonna answer me. Right, she probably

hears me in my pocket. You can ask Google in

just a second. Literally, with the push of a button,

you can find answers to every problem, any question you

might have. But there's some buttons that you cannot push.

And you know what you cannot And this is what

the frustrating part for us. We cannot just push a

button for God, can we. You can't just say God,

I'll do this, and God, you'll tell me what you want.

You'll tell me the answers to my problems and to

the issues of my life.

And you'll give me directions, you'll giving me guidance. So therefore,

we like Isaiah, it's time, and the people of Isaiah time.

We look to other things.

But the beautiful thing about this passage is this. You

cannot push a button and make God come. You can't

push a button to make God answered. But the beautiful

thing of Isaiah chapter nine is God promise a gift,

and that gift is the gift of God's light, and

that although you can't make God come, the promise of

Isaiah nine is God would come right to where you are.

Listen what Isaiah nine says this is but there's no

gloom for her who was in English. The former time

brought contempt in the land of Zebelin and the land

of Aftai. But in the latter time He's made a

glorious way in the land of the Sea, the land

beyond the Jordan, the galley of the nation.

Listen to the people who walk in darkness have seen

a great light those who dwell in the land of

deep darkness on them has shown.

The promise that God had in Isaiah chapter nine was

those who were in darkness. You're looking for answers, and

all you're trying to do different things, push different buttons,

whether it's going to a which doctor or going through

talking to the dead.

All you're doing is trying to make God speak to you.

But can I tell you that there's coming a gift

of God's life light, and that light is coming to you.

Can I ask you today, how are you seeking the light?

How you seeking the Lord? Maybe today you're not trying

to find the answers and sorcery. You're talking to the dead,

and you've not done a retreat to the darkness. But

you're trying to find answers everywhere else for the issues

of your life except the Lord. You know, it's funny

that we all have flashlights at home in a drawer somewhere.

We pull them out when the darkness comes. And flashlights

are a lot like.

Bibles.

We have them, we just don't get them out unless

darkness comes. We don't read them during today, we don't

read them during the week. We'll pull them out on

Sunday morning. Oh but when the darkness comes, Oh, where's

that Bible?

Lord? I need you listen.

The good news is the promise of God and that

Jesus would come to be your light.

He would come right to where you are.

That's what Jesus says in John eight twelve. Again Jesus

spoke to them, saying, listen to this. I am the

light of the world, and whoever follows me, will not

walk in darkness.

But will have the light of life. Do you have

that today? Where are you seeking light from? Today?

Which you see two promises of gift on two promises

of God's gift of life light. I keep flipping those

words around life and light, two promises God's gift of light.

The gift of God's light has come, and the gift

of God's light has come.

To those in darkness, the Bible says. In Isaiah chapter nine,

he says, listen, but there's no gloom for her who

was in anguish glooms.

The idea of no darkness is grief despair, he says.

Former time he brought contempt in the land of Zebelin.

Zebelin was northern Israel. When Isaiah promised that Israel Seria

would come and he would bring war and destruction and

death and overtake Israel, he would start in northern Israel.

He would starting the land of Zebelin. Isaiah promises prophesies

that when the light would come, he would come to

the land of Zebelin. Once you turn with me to

Matthew chapter four. Matthew chapter four and verse twelve, the

Bible tells us of Jesus.

Who came.

He's starting his ministry. And in Matthew chapter four, starting

in verse twelve, it says, when when he heard that

John had been arrested, that John the Baptist, he withdrew

to Galilee, leaving Nazareth, and he lived in Capernaum by

the sea in the territory. Listen to this of Zebelin

and Naftaia, the way day of the sea beyond the Jordan,

the Galilee of the Gentiles in verse fourteen, So that

the words so what was spoken of the prophet Isaiah

might be fulfilled. Look at verse sixteen. The people in

dwelling and darkness have seen a great life. For those

who dwell in the regions of the shadow of death

on them, the light has dawned. From that time Jesus

began to preach, saying, repent for the Kingdom of Heaven

is at hand. Jesus the light of the world. When

he began his ministry. Where did he begin it? He

began it where the destruction first begin. He began it

where the darkness first entered the land. Jesus fulfilled the

promises the prophecies of Isaiah chapter nine.

He was the light of the world and He was

a light that came right where.

The darkness began. Listen to me today, here's the promise

of Jesus. The promise of Jesus that God had given

Isaiah is that Jesus would come.

Right to you.

You may not come to him, but he would come

to you. And the second promises is that he would come.

To your darkness.

He come right where you are, right in the midst

of your despair, right and in the midst of your destruction.

And today he wants to be the light in your darkness.

One of the I don't know about you.

One of the passage of scripture I've always just loved

is a passage in job. Job is in the midst

of darkness. He's lost his family, he's lost his wealth,

he's lost his health. Darkness has surrounded Job. Job's angry,

Job's looking for answers. And in Job he goes to

the Lord and he says, if there was a courtroom God,

that I could go to you, and I stand before

you God, and I could tell you why I did

not deserve what's happened to me. I didn't deserve what

happened to my family, didn't deserve what's happened to my

my wealth. I've not deserved what's happened to my health.

God, I'd stand before you and I would plead you

my case. But Job says God. I look for you.

I look forward, and you're not there. I look behind me, God,

you're not there. God. I look to my right and

you're not there. God. I look to my left, and

you're not there. God. I've looked for you. But God,

I cannot find you. But in job, Job says, but God,

you know right where I am. Can I tell you?

In Isaiah Chapter nine, Isaiah is telling the people of Israel,

God knows right where you are. He knows right where

your darkness is, and when he comes, he's coming right

for your darkness.

He's coming to be the light in your darkness.

You may not feel like you can find him, but

he knows exactly where you are, and when.

He comes, he's coming to your darkness.

I wonder to you today, Jesus knows your darkness, he

knows your doubts, he knows how you're looking for answers.

This morning, will you come to him? Will you seek

his face? I wonder today, what's the darkest moments of

your life? So far.

Maybe it's been a divorce, maybe it's been death, there's

been a loss of job. Maybe it's been depression or anxiety.

Maybe it's been abuse of the past, maybe it's health issues.

Will you today, just says Lord, you promise that you

would come to me. God, you promise you would come

and be the light of my darkness. And today I

seek you, Lord, I seek the gift of your light

in me. Lord, I ask you if you'll do that today.

I want to close with this passage of scripture. It's

passage I think we may all know pretty well.

It's John three sixteen. That's what John three sixteen says.

For God so loved the world that he gave his

only son, that who's your ever believe in him, shall

not perish, but have everlasting life.

This wonderful promise, if we all know.

Dear two, listen to what the passage continue says. For

God did not send his son into the world to

condemn it, but in order that the world might be

saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned.

But whoever does not believe in him is condemned already

because he's not believed in the.

Name of the only Son of God. This is the judgment.

The light has come into the world.

But people love the darkness rather than the light because

their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things

hates the light and does not come.

To the light. At least his works be exposed.

But whoever does come, whoever does what is true, comes

to the light, so that maybe clearly seeing his works have.

Been carried out in God. You know.

The tragic thing is today as we celebrate the gift

of God's promise Messiah, a Messianic gift, the gift of

God's light, a light that would come to us, we

could not come to him. But he came to us,

a gift that he came for us in our darkness

of our sin and the darkness of our suffering. But

the devastating part of this story is some people love

the darkness more than they love the light. I ask

you today, may you remember that he came for you.

He knew darkness would come to you, He knows sin

would come into your life, He knew you would suffering

come into your life.

That Jesus came.

At Christmas to be your light, to be the light

in your darkness. Today where you receive the light. Will

you love the light more than you love the darkness?

Will you pray with me? Lord? We love you. We

thank you Lord for this word. God.

I thank you Lord that you are the light of

this world. And God, you know the darkness of the

sin in our life. God you know the darkness of

suffering in our life. And God, you call us to

seek you today, to seek your light. And I pray

there'd be those today, maybe in this time of Christmas,

they say there's a crisis, there's an issue, there's a darkness,

there's a suffering, there's a sin. And it would be

those that may become this altar maybe right where they

are in their seat, that God that would just.

Seek you today.

They've looked for answers in many, many different places. But today, Lord,

you're calling them to seek you.

Lord. I pray they'd be those who would lay their

burdens on you.

Your word says, come to me all who weary in

heavy lady, And what I pray they'd be those who

would come to you, Lord today, lead us in response

where there's praying this altar praying their seat, Lord, if

you would want some to come forward, that I could

pray with them, Lord, I pray they would respond, Lord,

I pray, there's someone here that doesn't know your Lord, Savior.

They've looked for answers for their sin through all different

places in this world. But God, they've never found savation

in you. They've never found Lord, that you were a

gift that came to save them from their sins. I

pray they'd be those who would believe on you today, Jesus,

those would confess you today as Lord, And why I

pray they'd be those who were putting their faith in

You for salvation today for the first time.

Lord.

If if you lead some today who's making that decision

for the first time, Lord, if I could pray with them,

I pray you'd lead them to come talk with me,

or talk with me.

After the church and one of our staff members, or

I pray today.

Would be the time, Lord that as the light has come, Lord,

that we Lord look to you the light of the

world today, and your name we pray.

Jesus pain a to