Loving God, into the darkness of this world you send your light, shining hope into the midst of despair and life into the midst of death.  Fill us with the light of life that comes to all those who follow your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           Who do you rely on? [Or on whom do you rely? – for those who are concerned about grammar]  Do you rely on family and friends?  Do you rely only on yourself?  Do you rely on companies that promise you security and peace of mind?  Do you rely on the government to look after your needs?  Or, do you rely on God?

         It is a question that is lurking in the background as we read this passage from Isaiah today.  It was written in a time that is described with words like gloom and deep darkness and distress and anguish.  It was written in the time of King Ahaz of Judah, who had a choice to make.  He could rely on weapons from Assyria, or he could rely on God.  Ahaz, who was not particularly strong in his faith, chose weapons, and the results were anything but good.

         The people of Judah also had a choice to make.  They could “wait for the Lord” – putting their trust in God to act when the time is right.  Or, they could look for their answers elsewhere – from mediums and séances, from fortune-tellers and psychics – looking to consult the dead on behalf of the living (Isa. 8:19-20).  Isaiah chose to rely on God and to place his hope in the Lord.  Many others were trying to consult the dead for answers in the midst of war and idolatry and oppression at the hands of the Assyrians.  Isaiah is clear that those who have turned away from God will see only darkness and distress in the land (Isa. 8:22).

         However, the passage from Isaiah that we have heard today is all about what God is doing and is going to do.  It is from God that the light in the darkness comes.  It is God who breaks the yoke of their oppressor and brings the war to an end.  It is God who gives a child who is a herald of peace for the kingdom of David and who will rule with justice and righteousness.  It is God who is a true source of hope and who has the power to bring light and peace and even joy into this world of darkness.  We know this (I think), and yet there are times when we have trouble believing it.

         The people in Isaiah’s time were having trouble because it seemed as though God was silent and wasn’t doing anything (Isa. 8:17).  Truthfully, most of us go through times like that – times when it seems as though our prayers are not being heard; times when it is hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel; times when it seems as though God is not acting and so we figure that we should just take things into our own hands.

         Now, just to clarify, when Isaiah says that he will “wait for the Lord,” this does not mean sitting on your hands and doing nothing.  The life of a believer is always a combination of prayer and action.  We pray for guidance.  We pray for God to act.  We pray for peace and for justice and for light in the darkness.  And while we pray, we work towards God’s vision for us and for our world.

         God’s vision, which has been revealed through the Scriptures, is of peace rather than war, justice rather than oppression, and righteousness rather than self-interest.  God’s vision includes children who have more wisdom than some adults leading God’s people.  God’s vision includes an area that was known as Galilee of the nations, or Galilee of the Gentiles, becoming a home for God’s Son, just to turn everybody’s expectations upside down!  And ultimately, God’s vision becomes most fully known through Jesus.

         While Isaiah speaks in general terms of light shining on those who have lived in darkness, we hear a pretty amazing promise from the gospel of John today:

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12)

In other words, those who follow Jesus will be able to see the truth – the truth about sin, and about death, and about forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus.  Believers will also have hope through God’s promises – knowing that death is not the end and that even the end of this world is not the end, for God is eternal and promises eternal life to those who believe in Jesus and follow him.

         We started out today by asking, “Who do you rely on?”  Let’s expand that a little bit by asking a few more questions:  Who do you rely on to reconcile you with God?  Who do you rely on for salvation and eternal life?  Who do you rely on for healing and forgiveness and life in all its fullness?  Who do you rely on for inner peace and for freedom from always having to prove your worth?  Who do you rely on for the breath of life and to bring you into communion with God?  If you are relying on anybody other than Jesus for these things, you will be sorely disappointed.

         However, the one who is the light of the world and who gives the light of life can be relied on for all of these things and more.  Let us, then, continue to work and to pray, trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us in God’s way, and to empower us in God’s service, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Pentecost 24 (NL 4)                                                                                    Isaiah 9:1-7

November 19, 2017                                                                                    John 8:12

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison     

© 2017 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved