Nevertheless...

Things were looking bad for the nation. The countries to its north had progressively been invaded and taken over, and now it was in the sights of this militaristic power. The people’s failed attempts at appeasement had only turned others against them and on top of that they were struggling with dissent from within, threat from without and the daily struggles with poor harvests and oppression. The future was gloomy to the point of being black. Instead of joy and laughter the lives of the people were full of anguish and despair. They had lost hope and were afraid of what was to come.

In the midst of this most dismal set of circumstances a lone voice cried out ‘Even though it is your own foolishness and rebellion that has caused this situation, nevertheless it will not always be this way’. He went on to say that in fact the misery and anguish would be turned to gladness. In particular he identified four sources of this newfound joy: Their darkness would be turned to light, the gloominess of their future would be transformed into the clearest light. Their harvest would be bountiful, their poverty would be replaced by abundance, no more would they face the prospect of scrimping and saving but would have all their needs met. They would no longer be victims but conquerors. The history of defeat would be turned around – they would be returned to the winner’s side. Finally the chains of oppression that held them captive would be broken – they would be set free.

Understandably this news would bring some excitement and hope to the hearers, but what would cause this miraculous turnaround? What momentous event would change their dire circumstances to joy and expectation? The speaker replied ‘A baby will be born!’ Seriously – the birth of a baby will change all this? That seems highly unlikely. What is so significant about this baby that the world as we know it will change?

This was no ordinary baby – this is the Christ, God himself coming to live amongst us. Immanuel – God with us. The lone voice in this story was the prophet Isaiah and he was speaking to a people chosen by God but who were now under threat from Assyria. He was calling them to believe that a deliverer would come and rescue them from their plight – a Messiah, the Christ. By faith the people believed that which was dark would become light, that poverty would become abundance, defeat would become victory and captivity would be replaced by victory. It was some time off but it would happen.

Christmas is the time we remember that event, the coming of the Christ into the lives of men and women. What the people of Isaiah’s day looked forward to in faith, we look back on – likewise in faith. The Christ who was promised to the Jews as a future deliverer is given to us as the one who has delivered.

There are many whose prospect of the future is gloomy, who rather than enjoy abundance struggle with meeting the demands of everyday life. There are others for whom every day is a battle, a procession of skirmishes characterised more often by defeat then victory and who are bound by the chains of habits, circumstances or history. The Christmas message is one of deliverance, one of joy and celebration.  A baby has been born!

This baby, this child is a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. His peace will never end. He invites us to come and worship him because it is Christmas. He has come into our lives.

What about you? Is your future looking gloomy? Are you struggling to see a light ahead, do you walk in darkness? Jesus the Christ will change your darkness into light, he will guide your footsteps so that you will not stumble but will emerge into the light of his radiance. Has your harvest been poor, do you see failure when you look for success? Does the daily grind of making ends meet rob you of your joy? He is the great provider, he it is that assures us that we need be anxious for nothing but that his peace will keep us. Do you face daily battles? Are you feeling beaten and defeated and just worn out by the relentless nature of the warfare? Remember you are more than conquerors through him who loves you. Yes there is a battle, but it is being fought in the heavenly places where Christ rules. All you need to do is stand, for the battle is not yours but his. And do you feel that you are held captive by your past, or your weakness, or your sin? It is for freedom that you have been set free, if Christ shall set you free, you shall be free indeed.

How do we experience this? By faith. Belief that the one who came as a babe at the first Christmas is Christ the Lord and he comes to deliver you. The only reasonable response is to worship and to celebrate. Make Christmas a time of rejoicing for the hope that is in you. Let your hair down – laugh, sing, dance it is a time of rejoicing. You have been set free - act like you believe it!

A Vision for your Future

 After years in the wilderness the people of Israel were finally on the verge of entering their promised land. But just at the crucial time their leader, Moses, died.  In his place Joshua responded to God’s challenge and, with the people crossed into the Promised Land, ready to take possession of it. But they weren’t going to get it without faith and without a fight.

They needed to drive out their enemies. As Joshua camped near Jericho contemplating his plans and strategies he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword drawn. Joshua faced him and asked whose side he was on and in response the man told him that he was the Captain of the Lord’s army. Joshua fell on his face and asked, “What do you want me to do?” He was told to take of his shoes because he was standing on holy ground.

Why did this man appear to Joshua? Joshua was about to undertake a major challenge for God and he needed a vision that would be sufficient to prepare him for the task. He was about to embark on a military campaign – he needed to know that Lord’s army was with him. Like Joshua before we take on any mission for God, we too need a vision of him that is sufficient for the task.

In Isaiah 6, God revealed himself to Isaiah, In Ezekiel 1 and 8, to Ezekiel and in Revelation 1 and 4 to the apostle John. In each case the vision he gave to the prophet was appropriate to the task they were to perform. God has called us in to the land of promise, the land of service. He has given us a commission – go into the world make disciples, preach the word, set the captives free, feed the poor, heal the sick. But we cannot hope to accomplish this mission without a revelation of God.

We can plan, strategize and theorise, we may even see some success. We can adopt spiritual disciplines, pray, read, give, fellowship and serve. We can pump ourselves up with self-motivation, the 7 keys to success, the be-happy attitudes and the power of positive thinking. But without a vision of God, our successes won’t be sustained and we will find ourselves once again in the wilderness hopping from hilltop to hilltop scanning the horizon for some fresh motivation and blessing or reward for our labour.

The only way Joshua could face his enemies was for God to reveal himself to him. The only way Isaiah and Ezekiel could preach was to see God first, the only way John could prophecy was to have a vision of Jesus. Unfortunately for many of us our only experience of God is hearsay. We have heard of the revivals, God’s blessing and miracles. We may even have seen them – but they are always someone else’s. Job had this same experience. He was a righteous man and suffered because of his righteousness, yet his experience of God was based on hearsay – until God spoke out of the whirlwind (Job 38). After God revealed himself Job could say “Before I had heard about you but now I have seen you for myself” (Job 42:5). Is your knowledge of God based on hearsay, or have you seen him for yourself? Have you delighted in the testimony of others as you go from those hilltops to hilltops or have you had your own revelation of him?

When Joshua saw the Captain of the Lord’s army he fell down at his feet and asked ‘what do you want me to do?’ When Isaiah saw God he confessed his sin, when Ezekiel received his vision he fell down and worshiped while John fell down as though dead. In each case their response was recognition of God’s holiness and their uncleanness. All they could do was worship.

As you seek God’s help, expect him to reveal his holiness and your need. Expect to recognize your inadequacy, and then rejoice that Jesus has reconciled you to him and that you can approach this Holy God. The vision we need today is a vision of a Holy God who allows us to approach him though Jesus and then to show us that aspect of his character that will prepare us for the mission to which he call us. It is this God who will equip us and motivate us to complete the commission he has given – our only response is to worship.