Advent 4-A, December 19, 2004
Text: Isaiah 7:10-17
Mary’s Child–The Sign of God’s Favour
The cartoon character Charlie Brown had a crush on a certain girl. He
would always wonder how she might feel towards him. Never did he have
enough courage to speak to her. He was always hoping for an unmistakable
sign of how she felt towards him. Without it his relationship with her
remained paralyzed.
In our Old Testament text, God’s people, Judah and her king, are in
desperate need of a sign from the Lord, some kind of proof that God will
be with them in a time of crisis. Remarkably, the sign God gives is one
that would reach many centuries, beyond the immediate context. In fact,
the sign first given to King Ahaz and Judah in the eighth century B.C.
is the sign that continues to assure us of God’s care and presence for
all time and beyond.
Mary’s Child is the Sign, The Proof of God’s Love!
I. Ahaz needed a sign.
The land of Judah found itself facing two strong enemies. Both Israel,
the Northern Kingdom that had broken off from Judah after the days of
Solomon, and Aram, or Syria, were coming to attack it (7:1). King Ahaz
and the people of Judah were not certain that they would be able to
defend themselves from these enemies. The hearts of the people were shaken
just as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind (7:2). They
needed a sign—a sign that God was with them, a sign that God would help
them, a sign that they would not fight this battle alone.
Through the prophet Isaiah God assured Ahaz that these enemies would
not be able to defeat them. God told him, “It will not take place” (7:7).
God called upon Ahaz and the people of Judah to stand firm in His
promise (7:9).
But could they trust God’s Word? The enemies looked so powerful, so
impressive. Would God really keep His promise? Could they be certain that
God would help them overcome their enemies? A sign of God’s favour, a
sign of God’s love and protection, would certainly help them overcome
their fears and anxieties.
II. We too need a sign.
We, too, have enemies that threaten us. Crime and violence seem to be
increasing all around us. Terrorists threaten global stability and
security. We must also deal with increasing costs of health care while
services get cut. Our governments and courts seem determined to replace
sound social values with poor, politically correct ones. Cause for worry
abounds. We need a sign—a sign that God is with us, a sign that God loves
us, a sign that He will help us and take care of us.
But more threatening is our sin. We know that we have strayed from
God’s holy Word and His will for us. We wonder if our sin will put us
outside of God’s love, outside of His grace. Will our sin destroy our
eternal future? We need a sign, a sign that God still loves us in spite of
our sin, a sign that God forgives us.
Sometimes we feel there is no sign—at least not for me. And then doubts
arise in our minds. Doubts fueled by lies that are constantly whispered
in our ears: That science proves there is no God and that the Bible is
mostly fiction; that our society is evolving and the Bible’s morality
is out of date; that it doesn’t matter what the Bible says, but what you
feel is right for you; and that If God really loves you, hoc come you
don’t feel it? So, can God give us a sign to put these doubts to rest?
What does God offer us?
God has come to us through His prophets and apostles and made promises
to us. He has promised He would be with us always (Matthew 28:20). He
has promised to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). He has
promised to meet all our needs according to His glorious riches in
Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). He has promised not to give us more than
we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
But can we trust God to keep His promises? Will He really do all these
wonderful things He’s promised? Will God be faithful to His Word? A
sign would help us to believe and be at peace. A sign would help us too.
III. God gives us a sign of His favour and love.
God did give Ahaz a sign: “Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz [through
Isaiah], ‘Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or
in the highest heights’” (10, 11). God understood how helpful a sign
would be for His people, and He gave Ahaz carte blanche to choose it.
Incredibly, Ahaz refused God’s offer: “Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will
not put the LORD to the test’” (12). Ahaz, a hardened unbeliever,
wanted no part of God’s help. He’d already decided what he was going to do
to bail himself out of the crisis: he would seek an alliance with the
even more dangerous and more wicked Assyrians. As it turned out, they did
come to his aid, destroying both Israel and Aram, but soon after also
turned on Judah.
Never mind. God’s kindness wouldn’t be put off by the king’s
foolishness. “Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough
to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign’” (13). If Ahaz didn’t
want a sign God would do one better: give a sign for the ages, one that
would reassure His people in each one’s own here-and-now. God’s sign of
His love for us is this: “The virgin will be with child and will give
birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (14), “God with us.”
The sign was, of course, fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. The
Gospel text for today tells us that Mary was that virgin who gave birth
to the Son. It tells us that Jesus is the promised Immanuel. Jesus is
God in human flesh, God come down from heaven to live and dwell among
us.
The birth of Jesus is then the sign of God’s favour. Jesus is the sign
that God loves us and will take care of us. The birth of Christ is the
sign. For Jesus came into this world and took on human flesh so that
ultimately He could be nailed to a cross and give up His life as the
payment for our sins. And if God did not withhold even His Son from us,
then obviously there is nothing good that God will withhold from us. Jesus
was born of a virgin—born in the flesh, suffered in the flesh, raised
in the flesh. As He lives, you also will live forever. Jesus is the
sign, the proof of God’s love, forgiveness and faithfulness!
Illustration: The psychiatrist Dr. John Rosen was known for his work
with schizophrenics. Instead of staying aloof from his patients, Dr.
Rosen moved into the ward with them. His bed was by their beds. He lived
the life they had to live. He loved them. If they didn’t talk, he didn’t
talk either. It was as if his being there communicated something they
hadn’t experienced in years—somebody loved them. But he did something
else too. He put his arms around them and hugged them. He held these
unattractive, difficult to love people and loved them back into life. Often
the first words they spoke were simply “thank you” (Mark Berg, Seasonal
Illustrations). This is what Jesus did at Christmas. He moved into the
ward with us. His bed is among our beds. He hugs us, loves us, and
leads us to a restored life. Jesus communicates to us that we are loved.
Because God gave us a sign and fulfilled it, our hearts can now be at
peace. Doubts and worry do not have to be our daily companions. God
loves us! He is with us! Our sins are forgiven! Heaven will be our eternal
home! God will take care of us and help us make it through life in this
often difficult world! Jesus is the sign that all these things are so.
In just a few days we will celebrate Christmas. But what will we really
be celebrating? We will not just be celebrating getting together with
family or receiving presents. What we will really be celebrating is the
sign God gave us of His love, His protection and favour. “The virgin
will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call Him
Immanuel” (14). This sign is how we know that God is with us and will keep all
His promises. May this sign lead you to truly celebrate Christ’s birth
this year! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This message is based on a sermon prepared by Rev. Scott Johnson for
Concordia Pulpit Resources.