12/24/06 - Christmas Eve - Isaiah 9:2

THE LIGHT IS DAWNING
- Through the darkness
- Through the Word

I want you to consider three things tonight. First of all, look outside for a second. Notice that, unlike other worship services, it’s getting dark outside by the time the sermon has started. Now look around in here. Candles are everywhere - more than usual - because it’s a candle light service. And thirdly, consider the date: December 24th, the night before the Lord’s birth, Christmas Eve. With these three things in mind, now listen to our text: “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.” What a perfect text for this hour of the day. What a perfect text for this type of a service. What a perfect text for this time of the year. Because tonight in Isaiah chapter 9 we watch as the Light is dawning, through the darkness and through the Word.
Many times when Scripture speaks about darkness, it is referring to spiritual darkness, spiritual blindness, unbelief. So when we hear Isaiah say that people are walking in darkness we automatically think that he is speaking about unbelievers. And we say to ourselves: “Well, that doesn’t apply to me. I’m not an unbeliever. I have faith in Jesus. I know who my Savior is.” That’s true. I’m not saying you aren’t a believer. I know you believe in Jesus as your Savior from sin. But let’s not be too quick to separate ourselves completely from the darkness. Let’s not dismiss the portion of Scripture right away. Let’s not be overconfident.
Let’s not be overconfident in our own faith and our own knowledge about the Lord. Especially during this time of the year. Because last week, tonight, and tomorrow morning it’s the Christmas story again! You know it! You’ve heard it every year from the time before you could even talk! You may even have parts of it memorized by heart! And that’s the danger. That’s when we get overconfident. That’s when we hear it but we stop listening. We stop studying. We stop taking it to heart. And that goes with the rest of our lives too, not just the Christmas story. We become overconfident in where we’re at in our relationship with the Lord. We think we have learned enough, know enough, thinking that the darkness is completely behind us.
You don’t need to come to Bible study? Really. You know that much? You understand so well? You are so confident in your knowledge of the Lord and his Word that you don’t have to bother learning more? Think about that. Evaluate how overconfident, how arrogant, you have become.
You don’t have to come to church every single Sunday? Really. You have that many opportunities to publicly praise God outside of a worship service? You are able to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ with the Word that many times during the rest of the week? You are so confident in your faith that worship every week would just be overdoing it? Think about that. Evaluate how overconfident, how arrogant, you have become.
Now, I’m not saying that if you don’t come to church every week or you don’t come to Bible class that’s it’s a sin each and every time. It depends on your motivation. It depends on your priorities. I realize it may not be humanly possible to get to church or Bible class every week. But with saying that, worship and Bible study should be on the very top of your priority list. That should be the most important thing you do. That should be the event you plan everything else around! Why? Because this is the Lord we’re talking about here. Your Savior. The Light that has brought you out of darkness.
And those of you who do come to worship and Bible class on a regular basis: do you really consider yourself out of the darkness? Are you so sure that your knowledge is adequate enough? Are you so convinced that you cannot fall away? Are you so confident because of your attendance that worship has become a routine and Bible study has become a habit? You see, none of us is out of the darkness completely. In fact, there’s a lot of darkness in us. There is a whole lot of darkness in me. There are many times when I am overconfident. There are many times when I fail to see the darkness of sin and how it has permeated my life and thinking and words. I still struggle with darkness. I still struggle with sin. And so do you. All the time.
This gives a whole new meaning to the words of our text, doesn’t it? Listen again, “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.” This portion of Scripture is not just for unbelievers. It’s for me. It’s for you. It’s hear to show us our sins of darkness and to show our Savior of Light.
This Light, Jesus Christ, is the light that shines in our hearts. Jesus himself said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” Jesus shines on us. We don’t ask him for this light, we aren’t deserving of this light. We are stumbling around, not knowing where to go, not able to find our way out. Jesus shines on us not so that we can find our own way out, but so that we can be found. Jesus shines on us like a parent shines a flashlight on a little child lost in the dark. He picks us up. He carries us home. Why? Because he loves us. That’s it. Because he loves us. He knows we have sinned against him. He knows we have been overconfident, he knows we have disrespected him and his Word. But he forgives us anyway. He shines in our hearts. He erases our sins and our fears and our guilt. He wraps us up in his arms and keeps us safe. Because as John says the Light is not just a being up in heaven, “The true light that gives light to every man has come into the world.” Tomorrow. Tomorrow we celebrate the true Light coming into the world. To live. To die. To rise. The Light is dawning, my Christian friends. The Light is dawning for you.
But we’re not going to physically see him tomorrow, obviously. No one living has physically seen Jesus at Christmas time for 2000 years. But the Light will still dawn, and it will still shine in the same way it has shone every day. Right here. In the Word. Jesus Christ, the true Light of the world, shines through the darkness through the Word. In fact, that’s the only way he does. Do not expect Christ to come to you in a dream or while you’re meditating or even while your praying. Christ the Light doesn’t promise to come to you during those times. Only in the Word. Only in the Word will your faith be strengthened and your knowledge be broadened and your heart be comforted. Whether it’s listening to a sermon, contemplating the Word in Bible study, reading a family devotion or reading the Scriptures at home, Christ promises that his light will shine on you and in your heart.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” These famous words from Psalm 119 fit well here. The Word of Christ gives us light. That’s why it’s so important to be in church, that’s why it’s so important to be in Bible study, that’s why it’s so important to read your Bibles at home. It’s not a “pick one” kind of thing. It’s all of them, together, all the time, continually. “Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly,” Paul says. Not sometimes, not occasionally, not just enough, not just when you feel like it. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. And this word is often times used to describe hug and powerful armies that no one can handle. So let the word of Christ dwell in your richly, over abundantly, so much so that you have an excess of the Word - if that were even possible.
The other day I was trying to remember the words to the well-known kid’s song, “Baa, Baa Black Sheep.” Baa, baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir… I couldn’t remember the next line. I had to ask my wife what the words were to every line because I had no idea. And the thing of it is: I knew them so well when I was a kid! I had heard them so often and song them so many times. What happened? Years went by without hearing them, without singing them, without being reminded of the words on a regular basis. Do not let that happen with the Word of Christ. Immerse yourself in the Word so that you will be showered in the Light. Live in the Word so that is will always be fresh on your minds. I long for the day when everyone in the worship service stays for Bible study. I long for the day when everyone on our membership list is in church on the same day. I long for the day when everyone in worship comes to Wednesday night Bible study. Why? Because I care deeply about your souls. I know that the Lord promises to shine his light in your hearts through the Word, and I know you hear it here. I know you read it here. I know you sing it here. And there is nothing else I want more than to be sure every one of you hears about your sins and your Savior as often as possible. And starts right here in the Word.
“And you will do well to pay attention to it,” the apostle Peter says, “as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns.” The day is dawning. The Light is dawning right now. It is just peeking over the horizon. So sleep well tonight, my Christian friends. Sleep well tonight. Because just as we see the light dawn tonight, tomorrow we will celebrate when the Light has come.
Amen.


“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” - 2 Peter 3:18