It seems to happen every single year. While precious family heirlooms are being unpacked to celebrate another holiday season, something gets broken. That ornament from your grandparents' tree that was already very fragile was damaged when you got it out of the box. The candy dish that only gets pulled out once a year is dropped and explodes into a million little pieces. The plate that goes to the family china slips out of the hands of one of the grandchildren and cracks. And countless memories are lost in an instant. The item cannot be replaced. There is no way to repair it. And even if there was, would it ever be the same?
This time of the year we seem to be even more aware of what's broken around us. The breaks and the cracks seem to really stand out when it's supposed to be "the most wonderful time of the year." Maybe it's not that wonderful for you. A commercial playing on our local Christmas music station says that a date on the calendar does not change your current life situation. And that is very true. We're still hurting. Our loved one is still sick. We still feel the pain of an seemingly unbearable loss. Our relationship with that certain person is still on the rocks. Instead of Christmas being white, it's blue, as Elvis says.
Stewart has been preaching a sermon series this Christmas that is very unconventional. It's not out of Luke 2. It's out of Luke 4, where Jesus quotes the prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
In His very first recorded sermon in scripture, Jesus claims to be the fulfillment of this prophecy. If you keep reading in Isaiah 61, where this passage is found, it says:
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)
This Christmas season, if you find yourself shattered, broken, in need of repair, Jesus has come to give you joy. He has come to fill your mouth with praise. He has come to give you strength. He has come to put what has shattered back together.
But how? How can He? No one else on earth seems to be able to do it. No amount of super glue has worked yet. The key is this - you must trust Him to do it. You must allow yourself to fall into His mighty arms and let Him do just what He came to earth to do. Will it look like what you think it should look like? No. Is it going to be on your time table? Probably not. Will it be easy? No way. I can tell you it won't. But it's worth it. He is our great Healer. He is our Chain Breaker. He is our Provider. He is all you need. He alone is faithful. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) He has been thousands upon thousands of times before. He will be again.
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. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
This time of the year we seem to be even more aware of what's broken around us. The breaks and the cracks seem to really stand out when it's supposed to be "the most wonderful time of the year." Maybe it's not that wonderful for you. A commercial playing on our local Christmas music station says that a date on the calendar does not change your current life situation. And that is very true. We're still hurting. Our loved one is still sick. We still feel the pain of an seemingly unbearable loss. Our relationship with that certain person is still on the rocks. Instead of Christmas being white, it's blue, as Elvis says.
Stewart has been preaching a sermon series this Christmas that is very unconventional. It's not out of Luke 2. It's out of Luke 4, where Jesus quotes the prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
In His very first recorded sermon in scripture, Jesus claims to be the fulfillment of this prophecy. If you keep reading in Isaiah 61, where this passage is found, it says:
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)
This Christmas season, if you find yourself shattered, broken, in need of repair, Jesus has come to give you joy. He has come to fill your mouth with praise. He has come to give you strength. He has come to put what has shattered back together.
But how? How can He? No one else on earth seems to be able to do it. No amount of super glue has worked yet. The key is this - you must trust Him to do it. You must allow yourself to fall into His mighty arms and let Him do just what He came to earth to do. Will it look like what you think it should look like? No. Is it going to be on your time table? Probably not. Will it be easy? No way. I can tell you it won't. But it's worth it. He is our great Healer. He is our Chain Breaker. He is our Provider. He is all you need. He alone is faithful. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) He has been thousands upon thousands of times before. He will be again.
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. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
 |
| Our honeymoon ornament was broken when we pulled it out of the box this year. We got it fixed - for now. |
Comments
Post a Comment