Sermon Series: Christmas 2016: The Promise of Better Days Isaiah 9:1-7 Nevertheless, Better Days With God 1 Pastor Brian Long: December 24h, 2016 Big Idea: Nevertheless, God will bring better days Merry Christmas! Great to see all of you! I m grateful you re here. We re just hours away from the event we ve all been anticipating for several months now. We re all ready around my house. In fact, even my dog is ready. Some of you are aware of this, but, I have a couple of small dogs at home. One is a very old wiener dog, and the other is 6 year old Welsh Terrier, named Moosie. Now, some of you have heard a few of my Moosie stories over the years. My wife calls her spirited and extroverted. She s a Terrier, so I call her my Terrorizing Terrier. But, to be fair, she s gotten less hyper from the days when I nicknamed her Legion, because it seemed like there were many evil forces at work in her. But, this Christmas Eve I m happy to report to you that she s been doing a ton better. In fact, she s mellowed over the years and I wanted you know that I ve been working with her and doing some manners training and tonight, I wanted to show you a short video of her that I think indicates her improvement and progress as a safe and sane little doggie. Introduction: In these last few moments before Christmas, so much anticipation and excitement swirls around in us plans have been made, special dishes have been prepared, travel has been mostly completed, thoughtful gifts have been purchased and wrapped the stage is set for some special times. In fact, there is so much fun and eager anticipation in us that it works pretty well to drown out the not so fun parts of our lives. For many of us the holidays provide a welcome distraction from things that pull at us the fears, the uncertainties, or the gnawing anxiety. For some, the holiday gatherings, and interactions don t drown out things, they actually stir them up. As a pastor, you know one of the most common prayer requests I get sent to me around the holidays? Its prayers regarding awkward family relationships prayers regarding anxiety struggles prayers regarding holiday induced depression or despair.
2 I know it s a bummer to bring up these kinds of downer thoughts so close to Christmas. But, the reality is, under the surface and behind all the festive merry making, these are the real burdens many of you are carrying tonight. I bring it up because the great news is, there s good news! We don t have to simply sit and quietly struggle in our acknowledgment of the real challenges we all face. There is actually a real, substantive, tried and true way to celebrate Christmas deeply, meaningfully, and richly without having to simply try and deny, avoid, or escape the dark sides of our lives. This good news was actually revealed to the ancient people of Israel several hundred years before the first Christmas. The dark-sides of their lives were pushing up around them more and more. In fact, things were very bleak and dark. And it was in the middle of their darkness, when their longing for a better day and a better way to live life was undeniable; it was then that God started to talk about Christmas. At our office Christmas party last week we played a game where we had to write a word associated with Christmas next to every letter of the alphabet. So, for example, let s try a few. For the letter A: angel. Letter B: bells. Letter C: carols. D: Dasher. See how it works? Let s skip the letter N. What would you put there? Now, today when we get to the letter N; I want to teach you a new Christmas word! It s a very important Christmas word. I want you to add this word to your Christmas terminology. When you hear it I want you to think of Christmas. It doesn t sound like a Christmas word but it is are you ready? Here it is: Nevertheless! God uses this word to talk about Christmas when the people were: feeling the uncertainty of their future struggling with relationships around them teetering on the edge of discouragement and despair. Though they were wrestling with insurmountable challenges, God says, Nevertheless. Nevertheless, I m going to move on your behalf. Nevertheless, I m going to send a solution. Nevertheless, I m going to do something special at Christmas. Hope is going to be born.
3 I m going to send a rescuer to save you and empower your life. Things are difficult now; nevertheless, you won t be left alone to struggle along. Here s how God says it, Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. (Isaiah 9:1) He goes on to explain. People who feel as though they are in the dark in one way or another in their lives a light is coming! People who feel sad, discouraged, and hopeless joy and rejoicing is on the way. People who feel like slaves to oppressive hurts, habits, and hang-ups in their lives victory and freedom is coming! How is this dramatic change going to be possible? Who is capable of bringing light, insight, and perspective? Who s going to enable them to rejoice? Who s going to empower their victory and freedom from the stuff that drags them down? Isaiah explains it s going to be possible when Christmas comes! For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. (Isaiah 9:6) Remember our Christmas word game? When we come to the letter N What s our new Christmas word? Nevertheless! These people in Isaiah were discouraged and challenged in life! And God says, Nevertheless a Child will be born FOR YOU As Son will be given TO YOU! Now, fast-forward several hundred years. Those who witnessed the first Christmas connect a ton of dots for us. They explain that the birth of Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of this incredible promise of better days. Let me read some verses from the Bible that most of you have heard around Christmas at some point. Matthew writes, This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
4 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us ). Luke s account includes this scene, And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. And later, when Jesus was 8 days old his parents took him to church and a wise spiritually insightful man took Jesus in his arms and as he stares at the 8 day old, he prays this to God: my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. You see, this one born at Christmas was not an ordinary baby. This one born at Christmas was the fulfillment of God s promise of better days, a promise of hope, of empowerment, of freedom, of light and truth. He was Jesus, the Son of God who understood we would be living with all the tough stuff under the surface of our lives. He knew we d be struggling to hold down the fears, the uncertainties, and the gnawing anxieties. He knew we d be fighting back discouragement and despair. AND HE SAID,.What s our word in the Christmas game for the letter N? NEVERTHELESS. God said, NEVERTHELESS, I m going to take on your flesh and I m going to bring light, and life, I m going to bring deliverance and freedom, and I m going to make it possible for you to experience true joy again.
5 Now, back in Isaiah. God explains a bit more of how this promise of better days is going to unfold!! Isaiah reveals, after the child is born: He ll grow and mature and he ll provide leadership in a supreme and ultimate way. Those who get to know him will say he s a counselor that is wonderful! His direction and wisdom spot on! He will be absolutely mighty and powerful. He s a Father who is a forever father, an everlasting father. And he s like a great prince whose leads your life with unending peace (Isaiah 9:6-7). We see this part of the announcement lived out in Jesus life, as well. The Bible tells us that Jesus lived among the people: As he got to know them and their real life stories the good, the bad, and the ugly.he said, Nevertheless, I love you. When he heard and saw how broken their lives were, and how far they felt from God, he said, Nevertheless, I m going to give my life for you and take away the consequences of your sin. Answer this question in your own head, what is the worst thing you have ever done? Try to think of it. You know what God says to you tonight? Nevertheless! Think of the worst thing you ve done. God says, Nevertheless when you trust in me I will completely wash away the guilt of your sin. What hurts, habits, and hang-ups are you wrestling with this Christmas? God says, Nevertheless, I want to fill you with my life, and my Spirit, and empower you to overcome. Whatever level of your anxiety or uncertainty your feeling tonight; God says, Nevertheless, I have come to quiet your heart with my love. The awesome thing about the promises and possibilities Jesus offers is, they are not just empty words. He put his life where his promises were and literally laid his life down to make them possible, and then was miraculously was raised again to life to prove he had the power to bring his promises to pass.
6 No matter how dark or difficult things may be, God says Nevertheless, I promise you better days and I was born at Christmas, went to the cross, and rose again to bring those better days to pass! Invitation I want to encourage you tonight with the promise of better days, friends. If you have never known personally the Jesus of Christmas, I d invite you to reach out to him this year. If you are discouraged and life is uncertain and scary, with God it s never hopeless. With God there can be insurmountable challenges nevertheless; He is God, he loves unquenchably, and he promises better days now as you journey with him, and later in the afterlife. Here s the truth guys, life is always best lived in connection with Jesus! Rough waters of life are navigated with more assurance Steep climbs of life are negotiated with more stability Uncertain times are weathered more peacefully And good times are celebrated more vibrantly and deeply. Here s more good news. There is nothing blocking the way and there s nothing that should keep you from connecting with Jesus this Christmas. Sometimes people think: I m not sure God even wants to hang out with me. I know where I ve been. I know what I ve done. I know where I keep going on the internet. I know the weird thoughts I have. I know how inconsistent I am. I know how many times I ve disappointed the ones I love in my life. I m just not sure God and me could really ever be close. Let me share something with you. God has dealt with all the things that you think might get in the way of a close relationship. God has removed all the hindrances. The only thing left between you and Jesus the Promise of Better Days born at Christmas is your own choice. God has made the way completely available and accessible. He is, in this moment, practicing
7 all the grace, all the mercy, and all the love that you need. Now, the decision is up to you. The only thing left between you and experiencing God s better days is your decision to allow him to be your forgiver and leader. It s really your choice your will that s left. He won t force you. He wants you to be willing to love him and journey in life with him. If you re not used to talking to God or reaching out to him for help, then let me suggest a brief prayer as an example. Christmas Eve Prayer Jesus, I haven t interacted with you much in my life. But, today I realize I ve been settling for something less than the Better Days you have made possible. This Christmas season I ask you to forgive the offensive parts of my attitudes and actions. Today I want to experience your promise of better days by following you as the leader of my life. I would love to know if you want to connect with Jesus the promise of better days born at Christmas and begin a relationship with him that will carry you through all the toughest challenges, and the brightest celebrations of your life. So, if could let me know your desire to connect with Jesus by filling out that tall card with the green stripe at the top in the chair pocket in front of you. That would be great. Life is full of challengs but I hope you ll remeber our new Christmas word? Nevertheless! God will bring better days to pass. Church of the Foothills 2016