Pastor Cal Lord's Recent Sermons
Just What The Doctor Ordered
Isaiah 9:1-7 December 1, 2002
Well, now that we have survived the coming of the Christmas Rush, are you ready to celebrate
Christmas? There is a difference. I think that sometimes we get so caught up in the advertising
and the glitz of the pre-Christmas Shopping blitz, that we end up losing sight of what Advent and
Christmas are all about.
A California psychologist remarked: "The Christmas Season is marked by more emotional stress
and more acts of violence than any other season of the year!" Christmas is an excuse to get
drunk, have a party, get something, give a little, leave work, get out of school spend money over
eat, and all kinds of other excesses.
But I want to tell you today, that Advent offers us a great opportunity to do something
wonderful. We can freely talk about Jesus Christ for a month because the whole world is tuned
into him. Everybody is talking about Christmas, so we can talk about Jesus.
And a good place to start is in the book of Isaiah. You see Isaiah was writing about Jesus
several hundred years before he arrived. He was writing to a people who were desperate and in
need of something to brighten their world. Isaiah saw Jesus as the great hope for the world and
just what the doctor ordered for a sin sick world.
One of the things we enjoy at Christmas is light. Gloomy streets transformed, trees are lit up,
Houses competing with each other.
Isaiah talks about the darkness and says “People walking in darkness have seen a great light; on
those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. It wasn’t a literal darkness like
groping round for the light switch, but a Moral darkness - people were walking in it - Habitually
living in it. Everything about their behavior is wrong.
In Isaiah 5 he talks about the people being caught up in materialism - and he tells of the people
partying, enjoying life without any regard for God. He calls them ”wise in own eyes, full of pride,
heroes at drinking and mixing drinks, given to bribery corruption perverting justice. He goes on
to say that their values were upside down. They called good evil and evil good. There were no
absolute ethics.
Isaiah also saw darkness in the people’s refusal to trust God or believe Him. King Ahaz (Chap7)
surrounded by enemy armies looking all directions for help except from God. This is the
background for the prophesy we read this morning.
But I have to ask “Are things any different today?” I think there are an awful lot of people still
walking in the darkness. Look around you. People are still confused and mixed up and sin is as
prevalent today as it was then. We get a sense that for many there is a lack of trust in God. And
it didn’t begin with the scandal in the Catholic church. Many people are looking everywhere else
for hope.
If we don’t like what the Church says, we make our own rules. Marriage is regarded as a
passing fancy, living together is the norm. Divorce has become so easy and abortion is widely
accepted. Homosexuality is considered normal and evading responsibility for what we do, is
expected.
We live in a society where “dog eat dog” is the rule of life and children are living in poverty while
corporate executives are flim-flamming the rest of us. The rich get richer and the poor get
poorer. We so value the rights of the individual today that the rights of the many are trampled
on. There is no longer such a thing as Sabbath rest and the churches are marginalized as being
out of date and out of touch with the world we have created.
Now... before we blame the world, the question we need to ask is how much of King Ahaz is in
us? Where’s our security and our help? When was the last time you talked to Him about things
going on in your life?
You know, we were made for God - to live for Him, to reflect His character but instead of
choosing light we so often have chosen to live in the darkness without Him!
If you are ready to stop stumbling along in the darkness, Isaiah has a word for you today. He
says God has given us a gift this Christmas.
He says Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor! He is Light for your darkness this Christmas! A lot
of people pay good money to find a counselor or therapist who can enlighten them. Isaiah says,
that Jesus is the wonderful counselor. He has the answers to all of our problems. When we go
seeking him, he can turn us around and get our feet on solid ground again. He leads us out of the
darkness in to the light and love of God.
The story in today’s paper about victim’s of abuse helping other victims. Jesus has been there,
done that!
Jesus said I am the Light of the world He who follows me will never walk in the darkness.
If that isn’t enough, here’s some more good news. Isaiah says: Unto us a Child is born and he
shall be called wonderful counselor, MIGHTY GOD!
Jesus came as an ordinary baby - born in such humble surroundings
He lived the same as any other child of his day. Brought up by ordinary parents doing an ordinary
job of work carpenter. Became hungry and thirsty as we do. Knew tiredness after work. When
he cut himself he bled. He knew full range of human emotions from intense sorrow to joy,
compassion to anger. He wept. He sang.
He lived and he even died. What is Amazing is that whilst He was an ordinary man, Jesus was
also God! Philippians tells us "He laid aside his majesty". In Jesus was the fullness of God and
all his power and his majesty.
And the Good News is - at Christmas- The Mighty God came down to Calvary and from an
empty Tomb did what we could never do! Paid the death penalty for sin - So that now no power
can condemn you!
He rose from death destroying its power - no fear can rob you!
The Sting of death is removed - Satan no longer has power- Hope is yours! Jesus has power to
save! To lift us out from sin and judgment, and from destruction of death! Jesus is just what the
doctor ordered. In this child born in the manager is: God’s Light in darkness - Wonderful
Counselor and here is God’s Power to Save- Mighty God
“For unto us a child is born.. Everlasting Father.” Jesus never takes Father God’s place. – this
Name describes His love. So often when God wants to speak of love He’s pictured as a Father.
Look at Psalm 103. As Father has compassion on His children so the Lord has compassion on
those who fear him. His Love forgives heals redeems satisfies renews, slow to anger, not repay
for sins, knows our weakness, keeps his promises.
Luke 15 Father welcoming home the prodigal throwing arms round him forgiving the rejection
and rebellion, selfishness.
Heart of Jesus is like a perfect Father - full of love for you.
You may feel you are too far away from God, too bad, too much failure. But Nothing can
separate you from the Love of God for you in Jesus! Nothing – Paul tells us: not death, life,
angels, demons, present future height depth. Nothing in all creation will be able to do it!
A Young boy stood one Christmas in front of picture of absent father. He turned to mother
wistfully and said “I wish Dad could step out of the picture.” At Christmas Father God stepped
out of the picture. Word became flesh!
Love came down at Christmas. At Easter he said, I love you this much! Sin was punished and
sinners set free!
Finally, Isaiah tells us that in Jesus we can find peace. For he is the prince of peace. Whatever
dis -ease or disease you have, He can heal you from it. Whatever troubles threaten your soul, he
has already taken care of it. When you trust in him, neither life nor death can rob you of the
peace that passes all understanding. You can depend on him.
Think about it. Where does our unease come from? It comes from not knowing. God has all
the answers and he says trust me and I will take care of it.
Who needs doctors when we have Jesus. Who needs to worry when we have the prince of
peace. Is Christmas going to be a time of stress for you this year? Or will you remember it as a
time you found peace with God.
Receive Jesus Wonderful Counselor guide out of darkness into Light. Receive Jesus Mighty
God, know His power to save you from darkness. Receive Jesus Everlasting Father know His
great love for you. Receive Jesus Prince of Peace know the peace of being right with God.
Isaiah 9:1-7 December 1, 2002
Well, now that we have survived the coming of the Christmas Rush, are you ready to celebrate
Christmas? There is a difference. I think that sometimes we get so caught up in the advertising
and the glitz of the pre-Christmas Shopping blitz, that we end up losing sight of what Advent and
Christmas are all about.
A California psychologist remarked: "The Christmas Season is marked by more emotional stress
and more acts of violence than any other season of the year!" Christmas is an excuse to get
drunk, have a party, get something, give a little, leave work, get out of school spend money over
eat, and all kinds of other excesses.
But I want to tell you today, that Advent offers us a great opportunity to do something
wonderful. We can freely talk about Jesus Christ for a month because the whole world is tuned
into him. Everybody is talking about Christmas, so we can talk about Jesus.
And a good place to start is in the book of Isaiah. You see Isaiah was writing about Jesus
several hundred years before he arrived. He was writing to a people who were desperate and in
need of something to brighten their world. Isaiah saw Jesus as the great hope for the world and
just what the doctor ordered for a sin sick world.
One of the things we enjoy at Christmas is light. Gloomy streets transformed, trees are lit up,
Houses competing with each other.
Isaiah talks about the darkness and says “People walking in darkness have seen a great light; on
those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. It wasn’t a literal darkness like
groping round for the light switch, but a Moral darkness - people were walking in it - Habitually
living in it. Everything about their behavior is wrong.
In Isaiah 5 he talks about the people being caught up in materialism - and he tells of the people
partying, enjoying life without any regard for God. He calls them ”wise in own eyes, full of pride,
heroes at drinking and mixing drinks, given to bribery corruption perverting justice. He goes on
to say that their values were upside down. They called good evil and evil good. There were no
absolute ethics.
Isaiah also saw darkness in the people’s refusal to trust God or believe Him. King Ahaz (Chap7)
surrounded by enemy armies looking all directions for help except from God. This is the
background for the prophesy we read this morning.
But I have to ask “Are things any different today?” I think there are an awful lot of people still
walking in the darkness. Look around you. People are still confused and mixed up and sin is as
prevalent today as it was then. We get a sense that for many there is a lack of trust in God. And
it didn’t begin with the scandal in the Catholic church. Many people are looking everywhere else
for hope.
If we don’t like what the Church says, we make our own rules. Marriage is regarded as a
passing fancy, living together is the norm. Divorce has become so easy and abortion is widely
accepted. Homosexuality is considered normal and evading responsibility for what we do, is
expected.
We live in a society where “dog eat dog” is the rule of life and children are living in poverty while
corporate executives are flim-flamming the rest of us. The rich get richer and the poor get
poorer. We so value the rights of the individual today that the rights of the many are trampled
on. There is no longer such a thing as Sabbath rest and the churches are marginalized as being
out of date and out of touch with the world we have created.
Now... before we blame the world, the question we need to ask is how much of King Ahaz is in
us? Where’s our security and our help? When was the last time you talked to Him about things
going on in your life?
You know, we were made for God - to live for Him, to reflect His character but instead of
choosing light we so often have chosen to live in the darkness without Him!
If you are ready to stop stumbling along in the darkness, Isaiah has a word for you today. He
says God has given us a gift this Christmas.
He says Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor! He is Light for your darkness this Christmas! A lot
of people pay good money to find a counselor or therapist who can enlighten them. Isaiah says,
that Jesus is the wonderful counselor. He has the answers to all of our problems. When we go
seeking him, he can turn us around and get our feet on solid ground again. He leads us out of the
darkness in to the light and love of God.
The story in today’s paper about victim’s of abuse helping other victims. Jesus has been there,
done that!
Jesus said I am the Light of the world He who follows me will never walk in the darkness.
If that isn’t enough, here’s some more good news. Isaiah says: Unto us a Child is born and he
shall be called wonderful counselor, MIGHTY GOD!
Jesus came as an ordinary baby - born in such humble surroundings
He lived the same as any other child of his day. Brought up by ordinary parents doing an ordinary
job of work carpenter. Became hungry and thirsty as we do. Knew tiredness after work. When
he cut himself he bled. He knew full range of human emotions from intense sorrow to joy,
compassion to anger. He wept. He sang.
He lived and he even died. What is Amazing is that whilst He was an ordinary man, Jesus was
also God! Philippians tells us "He laid aside his majesty". In Jesus was the fullness of God and
all his power and his majesty.
And the Good News is - at Christmas- The Mighty God came down to Calvary and from an
empty Tomb did what we could never do! Paid the death penalty for sin - So that now no power
can condemn you!
He rose from death destroying its power - no fear can rob you!
The Sting of death is removed - Satan no longer has power- Hope is yours! Jesus has power to
save! To lift us out from sin and judgment, and from destruction of death! Jesus is just what the
doctor ordered. In this child born in the manager is: God’s Light in darkness - Wonderful
Counselor and here is God’s Power to Save- Mighty God
“For unto us a child is born.. Everlasting Father.” Jesus never takes Father God’s place. – this
Name describes His love. So often when God wants to speak of love He’s pictured as a Father.
Look at Psalm 103. As Father has compassion on His children so the Lord has compassion on
those who fear him. His Love forgives heals redeems satisfies renews, slow to anger, not repay
for sins, knows our weakness, keeps his promises.
Luke 15 Father welcoming home the prodigal throwing arms round him forgiving the rejection
and rebellion, selfishness.
Heart of Jesus is like a perfect Father - full of love for you.
You may feel you are too far away from God, too bad, too much failure. But Nothing can
separate you from the Love of God for you in Jesus! Nothing – Paul tells us: not death, life,
angels, demons, present future height depth. Nothing in all creation will be able to do it!
A Young boy stood one Christmas in front of picture of absent father. He turned to mother
wistfully and said “I wish Dad could step out of the picture.” At Christmas Father God stepped
out of the picture. Word became flesh!
Love came down at Christmas. At Easter he said, I love you this much! Sin was punished and
sinners set free!
Finally, Isaiah tells us that in Jesus we can find peace. For he is the prince of peace. Whatever
dis -ease or disease you have, He can heal you from it. Whatever troubles threaten your soul, he
has already taken care of it. When you trust in him, neither life nor death can rob you of the
peace that passes all understanding. You can depend on him.
Think about it. Where does our unease come from? It comes from not knowing. God has all
the answers and he says trust me and I will take care of it.
Who needs doctors when we have Jesus. Who needs to worry when we have the prince of
peace. Is Christmas going to be a time of stress for you this year? Or will you remember it as a
time you found peace with God.
Receive Jesus Wonderful Counselor guide out of darkness into Light. Receive Jesus Mighty
God, know His power to save you from darkness. Receive Jesus Everlasting Father know His
great love for you. Receive Jesus Prince of Peace know the peace of being right with God.
| Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Norwich 239 West Main Street Norwich, Connecticut Phone: 860-889-0369 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |