A new babe

 As we begin worship this week, we read

Isaiah 9:6

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.

Many a young father has paced the waiting room floor, waiting for the doctor to arrive with the news.  All of creation waited for this day, when the Redeemer would be born.  Barred from the Garden and unable to remove the effect of the Fall, it waited.  But no more!

This is no ordinary birth.  This is a royal birth.  This child will have dominion (misrah).  Only from this position, can redemption come.

Then as the family gathers around a new born, the conversation quickly turns from who does the baby look like, to what they will be like, to what they will do.

We see in this babe:

• Both the comforting counsel of the Holy Spirit and the all-powerful hand of the God the Father.
• Both the origin of all eternity and the executor of its peace.

God's Wage

 This morning as we begin to worship we receive a challenge:

Go on up to a high mountain,

    O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

    O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

    lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

    “Behold your God!”

This advent we are challenged to let the world know.  Instead of the false gods that people erect, we are to point them to the one true God.  Notice please we are not simply telling them of "our God" with "our voice".  The subject switches so we are telling them of their true God.

Behold, the Lord God comes with might,

    and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

    and his recompense before him. 

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

    he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

    and gently lead those that are with young.

In creation, six days God worked.  In this beautiful pair of verses we are shown His wages.  All that work is for those He has already gathered and those He will yet gather in.  

If you have not already, cry with joy for those around you with young.  Then take this advent opportunity to introduce them to their God.

Peace has a Name

 For the second week of Advent, we start worship reading:

Micah 5:1-5

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;

    siege is laid against us;

with a rod they strike the judge of Israel

    on the cheek.

Last week we saw the nations stream toward Israel for its justice as a way to peace.  But rather than aligning with that law they rail against it.  For any law they would want applied to others to obtain justice would be applied to them.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

    one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

    from ancient days.

Instead of a judge, now a ruler will be sent. A judge administers the law.  A ruler writes the law.

Therefore he shall give them up until the time

    when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of his brothers shall return

    to the people of Israel.

And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,

    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

    to the ends of the earth.

But this ruler is not a warlord, but rather a shepherd who gathers.

And he shall be their peace.

Instead of using war, or diplomacy, to obtain peace.  This ruler will use . . . himself.  For the law that He authored will be applied to Himself on our behalf.  

Our peace has a name.