Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Looking at Light shining in the darkness
• I love Christmas - an opportunity at Christmas to come alongside people
• 1 in 10 people only speak to a family member once a month
• For 40% of older people their main friend is the 'TV'
• A lot of depression and hopelessness - a loss of community
• Often we can be like Ebenezer Scrooge
• Isaiah gives a wonderful message of hope, light in the darkness

Hope in the worst of times (7:14)

• A verse to King Ahaz
• Isaiah has been given this prophecy
• He was called to minister at a very difficult time
• A split Kingdom
• The Tribe of Ephraim was dominant
• He ministered to Judah in the South
• Isaiah was a willing servant
• He was sent to a people who would not listen
• Isaiah asks how long - 6:11
• Until the desolation - 6:12
• There is hope - 6:13
• The problem:
• Assyria is gaining ground
• Israel goes into alliance with Syria
• Ahaz tries to make an alliance with Assyria
• Isaiah warns against this
• Israel and Syria turn against Judah
• The Syrial-Ephramite War
• Deliverance will come - 7:4-7
• There is comfort
• Do not fear, the Lord is in control
• The Lord gives a sign
• 7:14
• Probably fulfilled in 8:3
• Isaiah married a virgin and she conceived a son
• The
• The Lord will come quickly - 7:16
• The sign is in a child
• He will bring deliverance to His people at the worst of time
• Matthew
• The Angels give this prophecy to Joseph
• It is not just of a local time but applies to the Lord Jesus Christ
• This prophecy will be fulfilled in a more substantial way
• There had been silence of 400 years [between the last Prophet and the Gospels]
• The people of God had been massacred - 10 tribes had been lost
• The people were few in number and ruled by Rome
• What had happened to the line of David?
• Can we imagine that the House of Windsor would come to a end?
• 'In the bleak midwinter'
• Ahaz was given a sign
• The shepherds were given a sign
• The sign - a child
• A child who is vulnerable and helpless
• Ahaz didn't believe the sign or trust in God
• He trusted in man
• 8:22
• Isaiah's response - 8:17
• Ahaz should have hallowed God - 8:13
• If we look to man to solve our problems ...
• The UK is going through dark times - examples
• ... the underlying problem of sin can only be solved by the Lord
• Do you feel in darkness and bondage this morning? - hope in Him

Hope in the most unlikely of places (9:1-2)

• 9:1-2
• The places in the North that were obliterated
• That very place that knew the judgment of God will see a great light
• What happened after?
• The Gentiles had come in
• They were despised
• Galilee of the Gentiles
• The Jews despised Galilee and Samaria
• In the most unlikely of places, light is dawning - 9:2
• Matt 4:12-17
• In the most unlikely of places there was hope
• The majority of Jesus' miracles were done in Galilee
• God works in the most unlikely of places
• Many Muslims turning to God's light
• Nowhere should be despised and we should not say that God cannot work there

Hope in the greatest of Persons (9:6 & 11:1-5)

• Jesus is exactly like His Father
• There is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• We trust in Jesus Christ
• He is the mediator between God and man
• He is Mighty God 
• He has come to bring joy - 9:3
• In Jesus Christ there is joy
• Example of visit to Portugal
• Of the increase of His government there will be no end
• A Rod from the stem of Jesse
• Jesse was a nobody [he did not have a great name like David]
• God will bring life
• The house had been reduced just to Jospeh and Mary
• God would raise up Jesus
• A seven fold blessing:
• The Spirit of God resting upon Him
• The Spirit of wisdom upon Him
• The Spirit of understanding upon Him
• The Spirit of counsel upon Him
• The Spirit of might upon Him
• The Spirit of knowledge upon Him
• The Spirit of the fear of the Lord upon Him
• There is nobody like Jesus
• Perfect man and perfect God
• His delight is in the fear of the Lord - 11:3
• What do we delight in?
• He came to the poor in spirit - 11:4
• He comes in righteousness - 11:5
• Is our hope in Him?
• Isaiah saw God's glory - he saw much
• What do you see this Christmas?

Closing Remarks