“SHARING A GREAT LIGHT”
Isaiah Chapter 9
It is exciting to notice how people communicate important information to others. Perhaps the communication centers on a sports event, such as one person’s take on a particular game. Sometimes, it has to do with the weather, the national political scene or someone’s personal opinion on things. When my family first moved up to the North state I regularly heard mention of the spotted owl and habitat preservation impacting the logging industry. At the present moment, many people include the lowest gas price they just saw posted at a particular gas station. Often this information is given to help another person get the same deal, and sometimes it appears to be bragging at the price they paid in comparison to the person they are talking to. It doesn’t matter what the motive is. It is interesting to note what people think is urgent or important enough to share with others, without being asked. Such topics can be heard going on at Sandy’s Specialties, the Branding Iron or Old Town Eatery over breakfast each morning, or wherever people hang out.
It is equally interesting to make another observation. Though the myth is usually stated that one should not talk about politics or religion, there is no reluctance to make the political scene a regular part of communication between individuals. The recent elections showed that people were quite willing to share what they thought and who they where voting for. We live in the most advanced era of communication mankind has ever known. Yet, (according to the Bible: God’s Word) an amazing life changing plan by God has been put in place. People can actually live as God designed life and they can experience it for all eternity. The simple, yet extremely life-and-death situation of peoples’ spiritual salvation has much more import for people than the current gas prices, the condition of the economy or other such topics. And while many Americans are concerned with “global warming” (as they should be) and will talk to others about it every single day, they would never think of talking about another’s spiritual condition. When it comes to the “good news” that God has provided a plan for the salvation of people for all eternity: “Mum’s the word!” This is not only true in our day; it was true during the life and ministry of the prophet Isaiah. We see this today as we visit the ninth chapter of the prophetic book of Isaiah.
This amazing chapter of scripture begins by telling us “there will be no more gloom for those who are in distress.” (verse 1) This same verse tells us that contrary to how God operated in the past: in the future “God will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by way of the Sea (of Galilee), along the Jordan River”. If you go to Galilee, if you see this area, if you visit several of the towns around the sea, you would know Jesus spent a bulk of His earthly ministry there. As one example, right on the coast of the Sea of Galilee is the town of Magdala. It was here that a woman named Mary was born. She was possessed by seven evil spirits and was healed by Jesus. Magdala was a town mostly composed of Gentiles. The town name means “mixture” or “variety”. All sorts of nationalities lived there in the Israeli countryside. Isaiah says it correctly when he is inspired by God, the Holy Spirit to write about “Galilee of the Gentiles”. As a matter of trivia, many Bible scholars believe that Mary was not Jewish at all but a Gentile. That is incidental! What is important is for us to realize that the message from God, through Isaiah, encompasses “ALL PEOPLE”.
Look at our first two verses. It is obvious to any careful reader that the human population is revealed as those who are in “gloom”, “walking in darkness”, even “living in the land of the shadow of death”. These verses fly directly in the face of the majority of folk who believe that people are innocent, born pure and not possessing a nature that is sinful and fallen. People don’t want to hear or believe that the Bible portrays man as tainted and sinful, but from cover to cover the Bible tells us God sees mankind in need of cleansing. We are a people in distress, burdened, searching for an escape; stumbling our way through this world of darkness. In verse 4, Isaiah likens man to an animal burdened by a yoke, a shoulder bar and the rod of an oppressor.
Today, the darkness resulting from generations of ongoing wickedness, depravity and sin pervades every nook and cranny of existence. From the weather to the morality of the human race, all is depraved and contaminated. Anyone who lives with their eyes open to see reality (as it truly is) is honest if they recognize the universal taint on all of God’s creation. But the key to understanding this passage of scripture is to notice God saying that almost every human being is blind to such truth. They live and walk in absolute, total darkness. Even those in this room today, who know Jesus as the answer to the human dilemma, came to such a realization out of the same world of darkness. The difference for them is that someone brought light into their environment of darkness. Instead of a person bringing them news of the lowest gas prices or the thoughts of conspiracy held concerning the government, someone told them some incredible, good news. Wondrous news that begins with a baby being born in a stable.
In verses 6 & 7 we read, “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 it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” This message is described back in verse 2 as “a great light”. To those “Living in the land of the shadow of death” the prophet says “A light has dawned”. Do you want to talk about a tremendous message of hope to those living in total darkness? It doesn’t get any better than this!
And yet, with all the tradition surrounding Christianity and the message of the Church, Christians are a distant second place to the proclaimers of the dark world in which we live. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Sorcerers, Eastern Religions, Wiccans, Witches, Occultists etc., etc., etc will talk with anyone they can about their beliefs (coming directly out of the darkness). Yet, ask a Christian to talk about the truth of the “Child to be born” and they don’t know what to say and many times are reluctant to utter a word. Though they have no problem telling people where they can get a good deal on fuel for their car, when it comes to sharing a life saving message (desperately needed in a world of darkness) they clam up!
Let’s get to the basics! The world in which Christians live is in serious trouble! Peoples’ lives are on the line, at stake! Praise God someone took the time to make sure those of us (who are Christians) heard the Word. What is the problem we face in openly sharing the gospel with those who are lost? If we’ve received Jesus as Savior and Lord,our life has been redeemed, put together, made complete. That is what the darkness needs to hear.
Those who oppose such a message laugh at it. It is foolishness to them. They are in darkness and cannot see truth even if it hits them smack-dab in the face. We know that because we were there also. We are not responsible to argue anyone into faith. We are not responsible for their response. We do not have to carry the burden of the millions who will never convert to the Christian faith. That is all God’s job! He asks us (as He asked Isaiah) to simply share the message so it is heard. The Holy Spirit will apply it to those who He has called to be a part of God’s family! If we are prepared to share what we have discovered in our own lives of faith, then let’s get with it and make sure we are talking to everyone about the “light that we have seen”. If we aren’t prepared, we MUST take time to think through what happened to us and figure out how to communicate it to people in darkness. This explanation must come from our hearts. It does not have to be perfect. It does not have to pass the theological test of a group of Bible scholars. It needs to touch people in the darkness, right where they are. It must touch them as it touched us!
To sum it all up: ministry is a command of our God. It is not optional. And the most important message we can impart to others is “the light”. We spread it like seed thrown on soil. God uses it as He sees fit to touch those He determines will receive it. This is much more important than sharing with people what the weather will be like this winter, what will happen in the next four years in the Supreme Court, when the war in Iraq will be over, need I go on?
The light of the gospel is a GREAT LIGHT! It’s our job to get that LIGHT out to the entire world. And that includes where you and I live. It includes our neighbors. If we don’t know them, it’s time we did. It includes our fellow workers. If we don’t know them, it’s time we did. How about classmates? If we don’t know them, it’s time we did. Those unsaved family members. If we aren’t close enough to them to talk about these things, it’s time we got close enough. God has called each one of us to the “people business”!
God’s design for this world is to invade it with humans who have experienced the liberating message of faith in Christ. Coming out of the world of darkness, they have a message they have experienced. Thus, others WILL respond if they know what the message is. How are we doing? How WILL WE DO during the remainder of this Christmas season? It’s time to SHARE THE LIGHT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED! Then we can share with them where to find the cheapest gas or the best deal!