Out of the Darkness :: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
THE PEOPLE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT
1.
Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness. Except that it did in the genesis of creation.
In the beginning there was darkness. And God said, Let there be light. And there was Light. And God saw that the light was good. He separated the light from the darkness, and the light he called day, and the darkness he called night.
So God gave us time. And it was good.
Until it wasn’t.
It was in the day that Adam and Eve wanted to know the darkness. All of a sudden, darkness was used for covering sin. The beautiful couple no longer liked what they saw in the day. So they used leaves to conceal the darkness of their shame. Since their walk of shame couldn’t get them far enough away, they hid in the shadows of the trees ... until they saw a great light.
God came walking where his people had tramped in sin.
He came calling for Adam and Eve. He asked ... though he knew their evil ... and he called ... though he saw their hiding place. He brought light to the shadows. He put off the old ... what leaves poorly hid and concealed. And he put on the new ... another’s skin that completely covered their own. He renewed the day, the time, and even the people. And wouldn’t you know it ... by the very woman who sought the darkness, God promised he would bear in her a saving light.
2.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness. Except it did in the exodus of deliverance.
Darkness is not just the time for standing still ... It’s also the time for leaving town. After four hundred years yoked in the darkness of slavery in Egypt, it was time for deliverance from ... just to name a couple ... a plague of darkness and another of death.
God came delivering the people from their dark graves, leading his people through the night into the light.
As they looked over their shoulder and saw 600 chariots of Pharaoh unleashed on their heels, the people walking in darkness saw a great light. God separated the two forces. To one side, the Lord put down the darkness by cloud ... dimming the pursuit of Pharaoh to protect the people. To the other side, he put forth the light of fire ... lighting the way through the sea to guide the people to safety.
And wouldn’t you know it ... God’s people were walking through the waters to freedom with a divine night light, a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. And so God led his people out of the darkness of their sin, past the mountain of his presence and into the light of the Promised Land.
3.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness ... except it did in the fullness of time.
Hundreds of years after the people abandoned the light and wandered back into their darkness, God sent forth his Light, the True Light of the world in whom there is no darkness at all to usher in a new exodus.
Outside a little town called Bethlehem, shepherds were keeping watch over flocks in the dark. Suddenly they saw a great light as God’s angel came speaking good news of great joy. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
The Light of God’s Gospel burst into the darkness of the world. He Himself came from heaven above to earth below to draw all people to himself, multiplying the faithful, calling us away from our sin, healing us and making us whole. God came bringing peace on earth, forgiveness and restoration for all of creation. giving himself, completely, wholly, eternally.
In the manger, God sent forth his son ... confirming the ancient and angelic message.
On the cross, God’s son stretched out his own arms ... silencing sin as he died. And wouldn’t you know it ... in the good darkness of midday, even Gentiles would confess the light. Surely, this is the Son of God, they cried, as Jesus died.
4.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Light isn’t supposed to shine in darkness, except that it does through the resurrection. As the disciples cowered in the darkness of their upper room, afraid to speak about Jesus, afraid of their future, the people in darkness saw the great light. Jesus standing in their midst, arms outstretched, declaring peace.
We have real darkness in our time. We are born walking in it. And we use it to conceal ourselves and our own walks of shame. We get lost in the darkness of our sinful world too, not knowing what to do or where to go or what to say.
It certainly doesn’t help when you hear the boots of demons right behind you, robbing you of God’s assurance of salvation, pinning you up in your sin, leaving you to sit in darkness ... doubting the forgiveness won for you ...
But just before you wonder if God has walked back a single promise or is gravely silent tonight ... behold a great light.
Light isn’t supposed to shine in our darkness, except that it does through word and sacraments. Jesus comes, not just for one glamorous night, but every day and every night, speaking to you through his word, showing you how he lived for you, died for you, overcame death for you, and how you have been united forever with him.
The light doesn’t stop there. He then separates you from the multitude of the ungodly by Baptism. He washes you clean in his water and word of life. He clothes you in his righteous garment.
Then he continues to speak forgiveness to you through the lips of your shepherd. He separates you from the enemy by absolution ... which puts down the dark shadows of your past. Jesus never stops speaking his words of promise to you, feeding you his own body and blood ... that which gives you a harvest of joy forevermore. This promise is for you and your children.
Yea, though you walk through the valley of the darkness of death, you see his great light. For God was born to be with you, shining in the darkness. The glory of the Lord shines around you. He has given you faith, which sings the highest glory to him.
And wouldn’t you know it, risen from the dead ... out of the darkness ... we have eternal life in the light of Christ.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.