The Promise of Christmas!

“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”(Isaiah 40:1-11)

I only use these few verse of the Old Testament Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent; because the full passage (verse1-11)  Would not be all that helpful without full exegesis of the text.  And what I chose to write on is just the main point of Isaiah’s message.  Which is: the word of our God endures forever!

When compare to God!  People’s attitudes, actions and opinions are like grass. That soon withers and fads. Blown away by the LORD’s wisdom and tender strength. 

That is the message of the Old Testament reading from Isaiah 40:1-11: the word of our God endures forever! 

It is an important truth that has never faded or withered through all of history!  

People can do all manner of mean, cruel, destructive things.  They can prance around and make terrible decisions.  They can be hateful and arrogant.  They can throw their money, and so-called-power and authority around, in the face of all kinds resistance.  And!  Seemingly win!  

But!  According to Isaiah, all that horrendous activity will soon wither!  It will soon be blown away when the breath of the LORD blows upon it.  

And the nation will be restored!

The promise of Christmas is peace! Joy!  

The promise of Christmas came in a tiny boy tender and sweet.  A boy who grew into a man.  A man who was actually God!  This God/man walked the earth in sandals and a common robe.  He spoke of love!  Servanthood!  Forgiveness!  Mercy!  He lived and ate with sinners.  That is, the lowly of society not respected by the more elite crowd.  He challenged the religious leaders unfortunate assessment of their God.  He did this by telling many stories/parables that made them take a step back and reassess their thinking.  

The leaders didn’t like what Jesus did and said!

But do you know what?  His word has never faded!   Or withered!  It has outlived human boldness and destructive behavior!  

And is doing so even today!

And evidence of that truth is proven over and over again as people come to worship this little boy’s legacy.  His precious bequest!  His living truth of God’s strength and reality!

They come each week. Or just on Christmas or Easter.  

But they come!  

And they come because they believe!  Or maybe just because they want to believe!

They come because there is something very true, in this whole wide universe, that matters.  Matters, above and beyond the rattle of the counterfeit imposters of power.  

They come because they want to be reminded.  Reminded of God’s love and steadfast presence in our crazy world.

And I think they come because they are still searching for the meaning they are graving in their own busy lives.  Lives surrounded by the human definition of what life really isn’t.