Advent Midweek 3- Is. 9:6-7 (Savior of the Nations Come)
1st Reading
Isaiah 9:6–7
[6] For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (ESV)
2nd Reading
John 1:1–14
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
[9] The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (ESV)
A King is coming! And not just any King, but the King of all Kings, the King of heaven and earth. “Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,” Isaiah tells us.
He isn’t coming the way we might expect, in glorious fanfare and pomp, with shouts of trumpets and lightening flashes. This King comes from heaven to earth, but clothes Himself in meekness and humility. He comes to be born of a woman as was promised from the beginning. He comes to earth leaving His heavenly home to be born of a virgin, as was Promised from the beginning when sin entered through the first man and woman. There was no way for Adam & Eve to fix their situation and no way for them to make amends for the evil that entered the world, they were helpless to save themselves, but the Lord who made them and made all the earth, in His great love, would come to save the man and the woman, and all their children, grandchildren and on and on…He would come and save, come and reverse the evils of the Fall by taking upon Himself human flesh. He would come and be with us, He is Emmanuel. He would eat and drink with us, and then He would suffer and even die on a cross for us. He is a King like no other. As we sang in our hymn tonight:
Here a maid was found with child,
Yet remained a virgin mild.
In her womb this truth was shown:
God was there upon His throne.
The child, Jesus who was born of Mary, was the King of all Kings. A King who didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a Ransom for us. He came as a gift for us, as Isaiah prophesied in our first reading tonight. “For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;” Is. 9:6
The King of all Kings is One who loves us and therefore gives to us. He gives us Himself, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son”. For He is “full of grace…”. He would give us the ultimate gift of Himself, to make us clean. He would come to cleanse sinners with His own body, given into death for our sins, and His very blood shed for the forgiveness of our sin.
This King of all Kings comes to serve you, He has Baptized you and spoken you clean with Word of the forgiveness of all sin on His account. He died Once for all for you. He shouted His victory over sin, death and the devil into hell itself and has Risen and Ascended to be your defender and He calls you His friend and heir of His kingdom, which has no end.
As we sang tonight:
God the Father was His source,
Back to God He ran His course.
Into hell His road went down,
Back then to His throne and crown.
In the Name of Jesus, AMEN.