Tis the season to be jolly is on everybody’s favorite Christmas song list because for many, Christmas is a jolly time, a time for a party to celebrate with family and friends. The invite list is important because so goes the guests list, so goes the party. Some invite their friend Jack…You know Jack, Mr. Daniels, if you please. Some bring their old friend Bud of the Weiser family from down the block. You may invite Jimmy and Sammy: Jim Beam and Samuel Adams. We all have favorite friends we want at the party. We love having them around, but is the feeling mutual? There is nothing wrong with those pourable-guests if your relationship with them is one of moderation.
But there are seasons when things are not so jolly. Even now you may be in a not so jolly place: depression, sickness, loss of a loved one, the decline of a church. It is in those places that who you bring is important to getting through the tough times.
Who do you bring to life when life is not so jolly of a party?
As we have lit the fourth Advent candle of Love, our fourth Sunday reading, Isaiah 7:1-14 and Matthew 1:22-25, serves as invitations to a greater love—a John 15:3 “lay down your life for a friend” love for troubled times. There we will see two persons whose lives were not exactly a party. King Ahaz faced serious threats by violent enemies. Joseph, an expectant father, faced some difficult, life-and-death, decisions. They both chose to bring into their situation-in-life a greater love in the person of a baby. Tis the season to be jolly. There is nothing wrong with “jolly”. But sometimes, life is not so jolly, but full of trouble. You need something more than a pourable companion. You need the Child, not just any child, but a “Silent Night Child” who brings a greater love. His name is Immanuel—God with you—who will lay down His life for His friends.
First, when you are threatened, go through it with a Child called Immanuel—God with you. King Ahaz, king of Judah, was facing some terrifying threats. Syria stood outside the borders of Judah threatening to attack them. In addition, the northern tribes of Israel, the blood brothers of Judah, allied themselves with Syria to wage war against Judah. Together they were ready to throw a “wup up on Judah” party. But God, in Isaiah 7:14, gave King Ahaz a promise that this attack would not take place, and gave him a sign to assure him that there would be salvation.
Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isa. 7:14
This young mother here in Isaiah 7:14 will be a girl in the royal court. Note that the word virgin—almah—has many meanings. One meaning is a young girl of marrying age. Her child by a human father will have a name that will symbolize the presence of God with his people. This child of Ahaz’s time will be a sign of God’s sovereignty. God will use another formidable power—Assyria—to destroy the coalition of Syria and Israel. Thus, there will no attack on Judah, because God is with them.
Church, when you are in a threatening situation with enemies on every side, you are not alone when you bring Immanuel to the party. He is all you need and more:
· When the bill collectors are throwing an eviction party; when you have more month than money, don’t worry. Immanuel is also Jehovah-Jireh—your provider. He is with you.
· When the doctors are throwing a pity party; when they are saying, “Sorry, we have done all we can do. Don’t fret. Immanuel is also Jehovah-Rapha—your healer. He is with you.
· When the lawmakers are throwing a power party, who say, “You don’t matter. God says you do. Immanuel is also Jehovah-Nissi—the One who holds your victory. He is with you.
Tis the season to be jolly. There is nothing wrong with “jolly”. But sometimes, life is not so jolly, but full of threats and enemies. You need something more than a pourable companion to the party. You need a child who is returning as a King, a “Silent Night Child” who brings a greater love. His name is Immanuel—God with you—who will lay down His life for His friends.
Secondly, when you are faced with tough, life-and-death decisions, go through it with a baby called Immanuel—God with you. Joseph was faced with tough decisions of life-and-death circumstances seen in Matthew 1:22-25. His wife-to-be, Mary, was pregnant with a child that was not his. To be pregnant and unwed meant death for Mary according to Levitical law. To marry a woman who was pregnant with a baby that was not yours meant community ridicule for Joseph and his family. Joseph was between a rock and hard place. But he was not alone.
The same sign given to King Ahaz in Isaiah of a child pointed to a greater prophecy of a greater Child—was given to Joseph in Matthew 1:23. God was with Joseph. In a dream, God told Joseph to go along with His plan to bring salvation, not to Judah against Syria, but salvation to the world from its sins through another virgin—a woman who knew no man—Mary who will have a baby called Immanuel—God is with us.
22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 23” Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” which means” God with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, 25 but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus. Matt.1:22-25
In the face of a tough decision, Joseph said yes to God because God was in him and with him for “God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten son.”
With this birth, a new era is ushered in. The God of Moses who used to reside on Mt. Sinai, full of fire and thunder; the God of David who used to reside in the tent of the Holies of Holies; the God of Solomon who used to reside in a temple of timber and stone—this God—is now going to tabernacle with man as God-in-the-flesh according to John 1:14:
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Now, God is going to our party himself. Church, life is party full of tough decisions. You might be in that “rock and a hard place” now.
· Do I pull the plug or not?
· Do I divorce or stick it out?
· Do I move my membership or stay the course?
You are not the only one who has been invited to the party of tough decisions. There have been many who have been in tough spots, but got through it because they had God with them.
· Shadrack, Meshack, and Abedigo were not alone in the fiery furnace. Somebody said, “I see four.” They walked out without a strand of hair singed.
· Daniel was not alone in the lion’s den. God was with him and Daniel walked out without a scratch.
· David was not alone against Goliath. God was with him and he slew the giant with a sling shot and five smooth stones.
God was with two 10 and 11-year-old Yugoslavian girls who, in 1999, were placed on a plane to America by their parents to escape the bombs of a civil war raging in their country. They met a stranger on that plane who handed them an envelope that read: “I hope you find your life in America a safe and happy one.” In that envelop was a one-hundred-dollar bill. That was the last they saw of the stranger, until this week. They tracked her down to say thank you. That money fed their American family for three months. When the love of God is with you, it is meant to be shared with others. That is one way God is with us.
Church, Tis the season to be jolly. There is nothing wrong with “jolly”. But sometimes, life is not so jolly, but full of tough choices. You need something more than a pourable companion at the party called life. You need the Child who is returning as King, a “Silent Night Child” who brings a greater love. His name is Immanuel—God with you—who will lay down His life for His friends.
CONCLUSION
Tis the season to be in love with a Child called Immanuel—God who is with us, who loves us greater. When you are faced with threats, like Ahaz, you need the “lay down His life for a friend” greater love of Christ. When you are faced with tough, life and death decisions like Joseph, invite into your life a baby named Immanuel because God so love the world, He gave His only begotten Son who laid down his life for you and me—his friends.
Jack and Bud, Jim and Sam may be friends for a season, but don’t forget Christ, your forever friend.
As we light the Christ candle, normally lit on Christmas Eve, remember the silent night of the first coming of a Child called Immanuel. As we sing Silent Night, go from here looking for the sign of the baby who will return as King to bring a greater love to His everlasting Kingdom.
תגובות