But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 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.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
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 forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
This morning we explore the promise from Isaiah 9 that the Promised Child will be called, “Mighty God”. But first consider the odd text in the middle of Exodus 23 that at first reading makes us scratch our heads. The context is the giving of all kinds of laws regarding the sacrifices and feast days of God’s redeemed people. And then we read as if quite out of place: “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
Commentators have struggled with the verse, some concluding that this was mistakenly added by confused scribes. Others conclude that this must have been what the false religions were doing and God’s people were to be different. That is probably true or at least is likely, but is that it? Is the reason they were not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk simply because pagans did boil a young goat in its mother’s milk? I read some years ago a commentator who said, the principle is simple: Do not take what is meant for life and use it as an instrument of death. That is the ultimate perversion. The milk of the mother is unto life, do not use it as a means of death.
God gave man authority and power over the created order to subdue it, to make it fruitful. And what have we done with that power, but use it for our own ends, not the good of others…not to honor the wonder and beauty of creation…and not in joyful service to Yahweh. No, we have used the power given…for death…to create weapons that wipe out entire cities, to steal life from a mother’s womb before the life breathes his or her first breath…To put young girls into slavery to be abused and thrown away as trash…to feed our greed because two mansions are not enough. That is what we have done and that is what our Mighty God will destroy.
Even in our small little worlds, whatever authority and power we have is most often directed to ourselves, and although not so blatant, the question remains; do we use whatever little we have to give life or to take it?
Rome’s power in these days, as the power of nations in ours, in fact all the power structures that oppose Jesus, are powers used to oppress others so that certain folks can revel in the lusts their power affords them. Jesus will face all these powers in his life including the last great power, death itself and vanquish them all…He will destroy all rival powers that take life so that He might give life to the world.
An article published in the Personality and Social Psychology Review claims that people are 40% more likely to help someone in need if they had just passed a cemetery. They said that being reminded of one’s own mortality brings out more compassion and kindness and that a person is less xenophobic, judgmental and arrogant. For all the legends about quests for the power of immortality, searching for the Holy Grail, etc…death is a power that man cannot conquer and we know it, that is why we talk about it so seldom and like to pretend that it doesn’t loom over every single life as an inevitable shadow… and perhaps what is being suggested by the article I mentioned, is that even a small recognition of it, even the slightest bowing to the power of death as that which we cannot transcend as men, sends man back to the realization and fear that in ultimate things…we have no power at all.
Perhaps…for many, not all to be sure, but for many, despite our attempts to not grow old, and our lathering ourselves with anti-aging cream, whatever that is, and our few seconds of looking the power of death in the eye, again, just maybe, we have to conclude that we are powerless…any sane person would conclude such.
Jesus, our Mighty God, has with fearless courage taken on the last enemy and defeated him soundly. With that power before us it is easier to see what Jesus was doing in his earthly ministry to and for the people. Jesus tells the paralyzed man to stand up and walk and that his sins are forgiven, he is boldly proclaiming, much to the dismay and anger of the Pharisees, that He and only He, is the one who makes new life possible!
One commentator after reading Psalm 103 concluded: “It takes very little imagination to see that in the Gospel narrative, taken one episode at a time, Jesus is precisely performing a doxology as the ‘divine hero’ or mighty God. It is in these narratives that the truth becomes clear: Jesus is the One who forgives, who heals, who redeems, who crowns and…Jesus and only Jesus is the One who satisfies.”
Jesus demonstrated His power for the sake of others…He vanquished the world’s powers by a contrary power. His might was not by coercive, manipulative strength but his power was demonstrated by His giving of Himself at ultimate cost for the sake of those he loves. And throughout his time on earth, he called his disciples, those who followed him to do the same. Remember, not only did Jesus die for you, He also lived for you: his life is also the pattern for you. As He lived…so shall you and I live. He invited his followers into a life of power that was realized only through sacrifice. The disciples did have those times of healing diseases in imitation of their master. They participated in the Feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000…they even cast out demons in Christ’s name.
They became agents of life to the world! That is what they waited for after Jesus ascended, that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them…power to speak and live the life of sacrifice, love, forgiveness and mercy to the world. Their power, as the power of Jesus, the Mighty God, was for the sake of others.Jesus’ power would be and is to STILL be, on the loose in the world through the church. That is how it is expected that we would use any power or authority we have…not for our own sakes but for the sake of others.
During the season of Advent people are a bit softened up, there is something in the air so to speak that makes folks want to be more concerned with their fellow man. Oh, I know it is oftentimes nothing more than sentimental, short-lived and even the motives for folks using their might and power for others could easily be called into question. But if we can stop being cynical for just a moment perhaps we might see something otherwise missed, even a power at work that is subtle and yet pervasive. For there is a witness being born, a powerful witness during Advent and Christmas time, the happiest time of the year, is it not?
People, if even or just for a moment or only partially, might be willing to stop and think…and this, no matter how the culture rages against nativity scenes, mangers and even saying Merry Christmas…this in a sense, short lived though it may be, reminds men and women that things should be different…kindness should prevail, thinking of someone besides yourself for once, might be in order. Maybe there is a higher order of things…maybe giving life instead of taking life should be considered. And, in the background unseen to the world, in all of this, there stands our Mighty God, whose power, ultimate power, was demonstrated in the love and weakness of the cross.
That is our gift to the world. I am not sure that any of us can fully appreciate to what extent the public celebration of Advent and Christmas has preserved Christian faith and Christian virtue and dare I say offer a foil to the destructive powers of this world. We probably do not realize to what extent the Christian message, that underlies 6 weeks a year, every single year, has brought notice to our faith, a faith of using power for the sake of others…and how this has made our faith credible to unbelievers and just how it has helped to preserve in the hearts of Christians and Christian children how it is in humility and weakness, Christ conquered, in love and mercy He has wielded His power and so shall we. Oh, the culture might not recognize it, and would probably scoff if you suggested such a thing, but when you witness acts of kindness, giving that is unusual or hear in the background Silent Night, or Joy to the World, or O Come Let Us Adore Him…You are right to say to yourself with a chuckle as though speaking to those around you, Your Welcome.
Prayer: Father, I pray that the subversive power of the Advent season will permeate my home and my life. I desire to be a blessing to those around me and to embrace the pattern of life that Jesus has set for me. I thank you for the gift of the Lord’s sacrifice, and I also thank you for the gift of His life that is counted to me as righteousness and that has set for me an example that I might walk in His steps. Lord, give me grace and strength to do so, in Jesus name, Amen.
Song: Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Piano and Cello)
