Government

 This Christmas week we start worship with:

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.

The word in this verse that trips us up is "government" (miśrâ).  What does that have to do with a baby?  And in the United States we have a healthy disregard for government and power, so it does not roll off the tongue with ease when describing such a beautiful event.

The word is only used twice in the Bible and the second time is the very next verse.

Isaiah 9:7

Of the increase of his government and of peace

    there will be no end, . . 

In both verses, government and peace are connected.  In the second verse they are tightly coupled, but in the first verse it is the envelope that surrounds the rest of His title.

Without government there is no peace.  This child was to bring both!

Frequently, I remind people that Jesus wept more than once (The shortest verse of the Bible gets too much air time!).  The other time was when entering Jerusalem and the crowd was crying for what they were longing and what they were expecting "Peace!".  Jesus wept because, for yet a week, by God's plan, they were not permitted to know the way of or the cost of peace (Luke 19:36-44).

During this week before Christmas we know and we can worship.

Good News

 Today we begin worship with:

Isaiah 40:9-11

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!" 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.

We are the herald of some really good news!

First that our God is here. Not somewhere far away.  Not somewhere inaccessible, but right here. 

Second, that we know His strong arm, that we are His reward, and know personally His recompense.

Third, that He will gather us, His Lambs, into his arms and gently lead us.

News good enough that we should share it!

Uphill

Today we begin worship on the second week of Advent with:

Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In the previous chapter (Luke 1) Zechariah and Elisabeth were told their son would herald the Messiah. Their unborn son leapt in the womb to greet Mary upon her visit. And Mary sang at the opportunity to be part of God’s plan of salvation.  

The months later (Matthew 1:18-25) Joseph, assured by the angel, took Mary as his wife despite the untimely pregnancy. 

This young couple obeyed and “went” up (anabainō) to Bethlehem.  They obeyed to be registered. They obeyed to parent the Messiah. They obeyed to be an active part of God’s plan.  Their walk was 100 slow miles first up out of the natural bowl that is Nazareth, then across a series of east-west ridges, and then uphill to just south of Jerusalem, to which the Jews had ascended for generations.

Are we likewise willing to be named with Jesus?  Are we willing to walk with Him where that will take us?  Even if it is unplanned, inconvenient, and often uphill?  Even if it is a lifetime commitment?