A Child

It would be so easy! It would be easy for me to talk and focus on what I was doing as the news broke about the second worse school violence. It would be so easy to relate to you how I felt, how I feel even now. Yet, despite all that is going on, I made a vow to preach messages of encouragement. Not messages that make us feel good listening, but messages that hopefully give your strength and courage, or fortitude to go out and be the Church in this dark world. For that is where we live. We live in a world where someone turns schools into a bloodbath, be it Newtown CT, China or Bath Township, MI.

We live in a world where people are out for themselves. They redefine morality by making laws about it. If it feels good, then do it. Follow your heart, for it will not steer you wrong. (Despite that the heart is deceitful is deceitful above all things and is beyond cure, according to the prophet, Jeremiah 17.9) I cannot help but wonder how much darker this world will get.

Though I must confess, I am taking an easy road. It is easy to take this opportunity and mesh it with the Christmas child. Both the news and the Christmas story has death of children, for remember, after the magi visit the young Jesus, Herod commanded all boys 2 and under to be killed. Even the broader picture, the Christmas story isn’t complete without death of the very child, then a grown man.

Nothing has really changed. The world was in a bit of topsy-turvy. Joseph found himself moving his family to Bethlehem to reestablish his home and his livelihood. Change is not easy when you find yourself moving, and with your wife about to give birth.

More was at play here. You see, the world was dying. The world still is dying. Back then, people who never went but a few years between hearing from God through the prophets had become silent. They were asking themselves if they were still God’s chosen people. The have gone from captivity to one occupation after another. Where was God? Where is God? Does he still know us?

You see, for just the right time, God sent his son Jesus. In the midst of dying in sin, in chaos, Jesus comes as a beacon of life, a beacon of light. Even though there is death, today, the world still struggles and will for only a short while before focusing on the cradle so long ago.

So as we look at our passage this morning, in the midst of death, let us consider how in death, a child in particular means so much to us. Who is Jesus right now?

Let us consider this morning’s passage from Isaiah 9. 2-7: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

Now I am wondering about the Mayans and their calendar. No, I don’t think we have only 5 days left, though I wouldn’t mind in the least. I am tired and wore out. This weekend has been stressful, hard. I can see the pain wherever I tend to look. Who here is not at least a little weary from the news of death of children? These kids were Shea’s age. It would be good to have it all end, to be no longer battling sin in the world and within ourselves. It would be good to be resting in our Father’s presence.

But until then, the battle rages on. People are scarred by the sins of others. We are walking in darkness, but you and I have something that the world needs, those who are hurting, confused. We have seen a great light. The world once saw it thousands of years ago, and they look for it every day; for we are now that light of Heaven. How we respond in the face of tragedy is of the utmost importance. You see, this event serves to remind those in the world how lost they are, how dark their paths are, and all without us having to echo it.

They don’t need to hear the political diatribes or the religious vitriol. They need to see the light, to be shown the light. This is a time for compassion and grace on our part. While we cannot answer why, other than to say we live in a dark world, we can offer a way to something better. We are now that light, showing God’s love to those around us.

Jesus is our source of joy. Even though it is hard, do we truly find joy in Christ? I mean, you see the news, you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, but as you think of Christ, does the burden feel to lighten? Can it be in times like this something like what God told Isaiah? In the midst of darkness, they shall celebrate as if they had a plentiful harvest, as after a great military victory happened. After all, what does Jesus do for us? He gives us the hope of salvation, to overcome the grave, our sins, our short comings. No matter how bad life seems to be, Jesus is our joy. We, as a church, need to rejoice more often. We rejoice because we know that even though we see much rot now, a time is coming that there will be a worldwide peace.  

We rejoice because Jesus is our comforter. As comforter, he does two things for us: he trades us burdens. Take my yoke, for my burden is light. To be burdened as He is, is rather simple. That is what he meant in Matthew 11.28ff. Rather than worrying about things we cannot control, mainly the sins and evils of others, we can take up Jesus’ burden, take up His task. What was that task? Preach, teach. Preach that the kingdom is at hand. Tell others about the hope of salvation they can have as well.

The next part of Jesus being our comforter is that he is our peace. Now I must stress that peace isn’t to come to us between us as our Christmas songs imply, as the movies and shows state. For that peace, Jesus promised the opposite. There will be war between nations over Jesus. Families will be divided over Jesus.

Yet in Luke 2, the angelic host appeared and said, “peace to those upon whom God’s favor rests.” This means Jesus is our peace that is between myself, the believer, and God, our father. Between you, the believer and God, our heavenly Papa.  How many others would love to have that peace? Paul tells us in Philippians 4.8-9 that whatever good and praiseworthy things we think about, aka God’s redemption of us through this child, through our Lord Jesus. It is such an action that can bring us peace.  It is this peace that allows us to live in harmony not only with God, our Heavenly Father, but also with one another.

This same peace also assures of something. Though many believe that the shooter met out his own justice, there is an ultimate justice. However, we must be careful at this point. It would be so easy to rejoice that he did such an action. As I have quoted earlier, many have taken this easy road. We shouldn’t rejoice in the killer’s demise. Instead, we should be concerned with those who are hellbound. We should be trying our best to make sure that as we see the world perishing around us, we might be the source of peace that they seek. We might be the only light they see, because of the joy we have.

Even though we may hurt, this is a time of opportunity. It is a time to make sure that our words are seasoned with God’s love and grace. It is possible because God gave us that power when we were clothed in Christ, to see beyond ourselves, to go and reach others. Let this truly become a time of light, joy and peace, even though the world seems dark.