Delivered by Rev Dr John Evans
on 24th December, 2009
Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
In Isaiah 9.6 we read:
“For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulders, and his name will be called ‘wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.’”
If I was challenged to say what was the word, or concept that summed up why the Christian faith was so important to me, I would say that word would be “hope”. Hope. Hope in the face of despair, hope when I look around the world, and our own community. Hope even when selfishness and greed derails great opportunities like the recent Copenhagen talks. The hope that gives you the drive to put the feet on the floor when you wake up in the morning. Hope, rather than fear, or envy or greed, or selfishness or some other emotion is the power and the force which should drive us all. The hope that we can live in peace, we each can have a fulfilled life, that we can live in harmony with nature – and that we are all God’s children and may a relationship with God.
For a hopeful soul, this is why this time of the year so important. At Christmas we remember the birth of Jesus. His coming among us is the ultimate reminder of that hope we have in God.
“For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given.”
Of course the words that I quote here, come to us from the prophet Isaiah, and although we have quickly claimed them for our Christmas cards, or Christmas music, they were however, originally offered by the prophet in a particular situation over seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Yes these words may apply to Jesus, but the context in which they were originally uttered, was very different but still may help us understand the hope we have in this event we celebrate tonight.
It was a time of high drama in the middle east – sadly it always seems to be the case. The Assyrians were in the ascendancy: a particularly brutal outfit. Now the states of Israel – that is just the northern tribes (the children of Israel were divided into two nations – Israel in the north, and Judah in the south); well just Israel and Syria formed an unholy alliance against the Assyrians and in the meantime sought to defeat Judah. Meanwhile in Judah, the southern kingdom there was a new, young king, Ahaz, on the throne. What should he do? Should he give into the invaders from the north, or seek outside help. Perhaps even seek help from the dreaded Assyrians?
It was at this point, a dark moment in the nation’s history, that Isaiah confronted him with a simple message: “Trust in Yahweh; trust in God. Be quiet; keep calm.” Ahaz however, was not so sure. Yes he would trust in God, but then God had no army. He wanted a sign. A sign that Yahweh could be trusted; a sign that the power of Yahweh could be his hope. This sign did not have to be a stupendous miracle – something even from the ordinary course of life would suffice. He wanted to base his hope on something.
So Isaiah mentions a sign. Quite simply a child would be born to a young woman; he would be called Immanuel “God with us”. Hence the prophet could made the claim “unto us a child is born “. And the child? Well Isaiah most probably was merely referring to the queen, Ahaz’s wife, and her child, Hezakiah, the next king of Judah.
Simply, Isaiah was affirming that the birth of a child, in the time of crisis, from the house of David, was a sign that God was with them. The birth of a child, in a time of crisis spoke of hope.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. “
It is undeniable that a child can inspire hope. Trishna and Krishna, the two formerly conjoined twins have inspired us all: their story, the miracle of their separation ; their smiles just inspire hope. Children, a child focuses us on the future and what can be. It reminds us of the miracle of birth, and the wonder of creation. A new born child does remind us that God indeed with us.
I used to be a fan of Leon Uris’s books. I don’t quite know if they are politically correct anymore, however, he told a gripping tale. I remember this incident in MILA 18, a story about the Warsaw Ghetto in the Second World War. There was this extended family, several generations – forced to live in a couple of crowed rooms. Amid this appalling squalor, a young women gave birth to her first child. True it would be another mouth to feed, it was another body to be forced into those appalling conditions of the ghetto, but as the author said, it was an act of defiance, a show of confidence for the future, it was a miracle. This child was a link to a better life. Perhaps it was a sign that God was with them.
Hope.
Of course all around us there are signs of hope, if we care to look; and see signs that God is with us, even if this world does seem somewhat dark and grim. This is more than just being optimistic, rather than pessimistic – seeing the glass half full, when those around us see a glass half empty. The friendly greeting and the care of a neighbour; the commitment of volunteers – here at CAN or in so many fields and facets of our community life; and the birth of a child, all are indeed signs that God is with us. Tonight we celebrate that a God is with us, in the birth of the Christ child – and this offers to us hope.
When Isaiah prophesied to Ahaz there was a political dimension to his prophecy.
For this child, their “authority would grow continually. There shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.” (vs 7) We are talking about kingship. We are talking about that quaint phrase “the government shall be upon his shoulders”. This is about political power. Hope here, had a hard edged – a political side. And the birth narrative of Jesus – surprisingly also has a political edge. In Matthew’s gospel – all that argy bargy between Herod and the wisemen was deeply political. We are talking here about a child, an unknown child, and the might of the Roman Empire and their political lackeys like Herod. Even the angels in Luke’s gospels were bringing the good tidings at a quite specific time. Luke sets the story very specifically “in those day a decree went out from Emperor Augustus”. The empire dominated all life – and yet there was hope. Life would be different.
However, we are not talking here of any new model of kingship, or political power, a new improved army. Isaiah says this new political rule, will not be with might; an army that might confront Israel, or Syria or even Assyria. This new king will “establish and uphold his kingdom with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.” (vs7)
Justice and righteousness – not power and might would be basis of this new hope. And for the angels outside of Bethlehem, this new kingdom will be of peace. (2:14) The sign was not a mighty army massing in the City of David, Rather the angels said:
“This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Here was the sign for hope: a baby in a feed trough. God was humbly coming among us offering us peace. Of course how it all worked out, unfolds in the life of this child – but that is another story. For us today we have a sign of hope how to live, not just for the coming couple of days, but for the rest of the year, and the rest of how lives.
“Unto us a child is born.” . .. the confirmation of our hope!
