The Arrival of a Savior - Isaiah 60:1-3

[0:00] Luke 2, verse 11, For unto us is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. So we've been looking at our Savior, our need for a Savior, the promise of a Savior, and then the arrival of a Savior.

[0:13] We talked about how man has a need that he can't solve. We have no capacity to save ourselves. And so God promised a Savior that he would come and he would do what we could not do, that he would send that Savior.

[0:26] God foretold of a particular Savior who would very specifically save particular people, us. But what would the arrival of such a Savior look like?

[0:37] And you think of how we've talked about our need for a Savior. We've talked about how man has a condition of sin and then how God promised that Savior and all of the scriptures that foretold. You think, what would it be like then when he arrives?

[0:50] It must be glorious. It must be magnificent. It must be with such fanfare. I mean, the whole world must know of his arrival. Well, Isaiah, in Isaiah 60, beginning here in the chapter in Isaiah, he describes what this arrival would be like, writing this down as the prophet of the Old Testament, as God gives him inspiration of the arrival of a Savior.

[1:15] In verse 1, he says, The Bible talks a lot about light and darkness, about illumination, about those that are blind and those that can see.

[1:34] And here it says, Arise and shine, for your light has come. Well, am I supposed to arise and shine? You know, this little light of mine. That's the closest we're going to get to singing from the pulpit. But who's supposed to do the shining here?

[1:45] Well, the actual wording is more like, Be lightened. Arise and shine. Be shined. Be shined upon. Be lit up. Because the light has come. The light is shining on you, so be lit.

[1:58] Arise and shine. Be lightened by the light, for the light has come. And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. The arrival of the light. Three things. It was bright. It's glorious.

[2:11] And it was announced. Arise and shine. Be lightened. Be lightened. Let the brightness of this light shine upon you. And it was glorious. The glory of the Lord has risen upon you. And it's also announced.

[2:22] He's announcing this. Hey, you, this is what has happened. Arise and shine. The arrival of the light changes the way we see the world, doesn't it? Doesn't it? Every morning, the arrival of the light, the sun, it brings illumination.

[2:34] One of my favorite things, I don't get up in the morning always specifically to see the sunrise, but when I'm up, or if I'm out and about, and it's like the world is dark, and all of a sudden, it just starts to get light.

[2:50] And it gets lighter and lighter. There's nothing you can do to prevent it, and nothing you can do to make it happen. It just happens. And I think, how can we not see God's hand behind this? That every single day, the world goes from dark to light, and we don't have to worry about it.

[3:02] Man has all their lights. You know, we have all of our electricity, and all of our inventions to create light, and then as soon as the sun rises, those things are worthless, aren't they? There's no point for them. They can shine as bright as they want, but they're not going to outshine the sun.

[3:15] So the arrival of light, it changes the way we see the world, because now it brings illumination. The light has come, and it does not just shine around us, but it shines upon us.

[3:27] Through its rising, the arising of the light, the light that has come allows us to then partake in God's glory. So what is this light? This is not just illumination.

[3:40] Verse 2, For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people. We've been talking about that the last few weeks, that darkness representing the condition of sin.

[3:51] But the light is needed because the world lies in darkness. If you've never seen light, do you know you're in the dark? Can you know you're in the dark if you've never seen light?

[4:03] The earth, the wording there where it says it lies in darkness, the idea is the earth is overwhelmed, hidden, wrapped in darkness, clothed in darkness, and the people are under an impenetrable darkness.

[4:17] darkness. And then the light comes. The light shines into the world. But that means something for us. If it was dark, pitch black in here, we turn on the light, well now that means a choice.

[4:33] Light means a choice. A choice to remain in darkness or to walk in light. When the light comes on, what happens if you want to remain in darkness? You close your eyes. That's why I don't want the light.

[4:44] I want to remain in darkness. But as soon as the light comes, now there is a choice. It necessitates a choice. Before I had no choice. I was in darkness. The whole world lies in darkness. But then God sends a light into the world and it creates a choice.

[5:00] In John chapter 3, Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus when he comes to him at night. And he says, and this is the condemnation that light has come into the world and men love darkness rather than light.

[5:13] Why would you do that? Why in the world would you want to continue in darkness? Because their deeds are evil. Because it's much easier to keep things hidden when it's dark. But the light comes and all of a sudden, ah, now it's all exposed.

[5:29] Darkness implies what? Well, in the dark you do what? You lay down. You're sleeping. You're hidden. And it, some of us work at night maybe.

[5:41] I don't work at night but I work some mornings. I have to go in really early depending on what we're doing where I work. But you don't do work in the dark. You turn on the lights.

[5:52] You have artificial lights there. But when it's dark, all right, I'm going to go to bed. You know, the times that, in these recent storms and ice storms, when the power goes out, man, those are the longest evenings in your life.

[6:04] It's like, oh my word, the sun's gone down. It's got to be like 11 o'clock. 5.30. Okay, what do you want to do now? And just trying to get to a point where it's like, okay, we can go to bed and go to sleep and not have to worry about waking up four hours later at 10.30 because you went to bed at 6.30 because it's dark.

[6:19] So you do what? You go to sleep. You're going to go to sleep. You're going to lay down. But in the dark you can keep things hidden too. When's the most fun to play hide and seek? Well, in the dark. You know, you don't do it in a room like this.

[6:29] You turn out the lights. You play hide and seek. But the light means rising up. Get up. Let's go. There's things to do. It's bright. We can actually function.

[6:40] We're awake and things can be seen. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5. He says, you are the children of light and the children of the day.

[6:54] We are not of the night nor of darkness. That doesn't mean obviously we're talking about something more than just the cycle of the sun going, you know, the earth going around the sun and the earth turning and then the sun coming up and down and dark and light.

[7:07] This is something other than the natural. The Bible using light and dark to indicate something else. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober.

[7:18] For they that sleep, when do they sleep? They sleep in the night. And they that be drunken are drunken in the night. What does that mean? Well, I can do things that I'm ashamed of when it's hidden.

[7:31] But let us who are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Let us act like children of the light.

[7:44] The second half of Isaiah there, chapter 2. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee. Whoa! Who is arising?

[7:56] It's not just the light. Light is not just energy now but light is a person. The Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Psalm 27, 1. We read, the Lord is my light and my salvation.

[8:09] Our Savior, our light. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? But the Lord shall arise upon you. Light comes by way of a person, not an energy.

[8:22] And more specifically, what will the Lord do? It's amazing how the Bible ties together. The Lord shall arise. The light will come through the Savior as the Savior arises. And his glory shall be seen upon thee.

[8:36] Light is seen by God's people. Very specifically. And his glory shall be seen upon you. You who have opened your eyes to the light. The light is here but men love darkness so they stay in the dark.

[8:48] They find dark places to hide. They close their eyes to this glorious light. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

[9:04] This light was needed to penetrate the darkness. There was no other way to penetrate darkness. I mean, you can't invent something to penetrate darkness. Right? Oh, I'm going to make a darkness gun.

[9:19] That's not going to do it. You know, how do you penetrate darkness? It's with the light. And the Gentiles shall come to this light as the light penetrates the darkness. Isaiah chapter 9, verse 2.

[9:29] Isaiah says, the people that walked in darkness they have seen a great light. They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them has the light shined.

[9:40] And that light then requires a choice of how to respond to that light. To walk in that light or not to. But the light draws any and all who will seek it.

[9:52] The Gentiles shall come to your light. Wait a minute. I thought the light was just for Israel. I thought the promise of the Messiah was just for Israel. Now the Gentiles shall come and kings to the brightness of your rising. The light penetrates the darkness and it will draw any who will seek it.

[10:08] It's not that we don't see the light. It's just will we seek the light. Right? In Matthew 2 we read that Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying where is he that's born king of the Jews for we have seen his star we've seen the illumination we've seen the light that pointed us to Jesus we responded to that light and kings then just like it prophesied kings then have sought that light.

[10:42] We have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him. So this darkness this darkness the Bible talks about well we see it's more than just an absence of light isn't it? But it's describing the condition of humanity.

[10:54] It's describing what we've talked about that condition of sin that we all have. So the darkness of man just looking at a few different ways that the Bible talks about darkness it talks about the darkness of the mind talks about the darkness of the eyes it talks about darkness as a destination.

[11:11] More than just the absence of light more than just than natural light. The darkness of the mind Ephesians 4.18 we read having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart as Paul is describing those who do not respond to the light because of the blindness of their heart.

[11:36] So it's a condition darkness is a condition internal not external. A blindness or a darkness of the eyes Romans 11.10 and Matthew 15.14 let their eyes be darkened that they may not see.

[11:52] In Matthew 15.14 let them alone they be blind teachers of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into a ditch. Now is Paul writing there in Romans 11 it's just well they should physically be blind.

[12:05] No he's not talking about that. In Matthew 15 when Jesus says let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind were they actually blind people? No they weren't. It was a condition of the heart. And then lastly darkness the darkness of man there's a destination which is very dark for man.

[12:23] Matthew 22 beginning in verse 11 when the king came in to see the guests Jesus is giving this parable he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment and he said unto him friend how did you come thou in hither not having a wedding garment?

[12:39] there's a prescribed process to enter in to the wedding feast. You had to meet the conditions. You had to have a wedding garment. And he was speechless.

[12:51] Then said to the king to the servants bind him hand and foot take him away and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth darkness as a destination for man.

[13:02] So the darkness of man is the darkness of the mind is the darkness of the eyes but not the eyes the physical eyes but the eyes of our hearts and our understanding and then there's a destination. The condition of humanity is darkness not a good place to be but the answer from God is light as he says in Psalm 36 verse 9 for with thee is the fountain of life in thy light we shall see light.

[13:32] God then shines into the dark God then arises and shines and says behold darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but the Lord shall arise upon you and the glory shall be seen upon you.

[13:45] God sends his light into the world God shines in the dark he does it by his word he does it as a savior and he does it through his people three ways that God shines into this dark world into man's darkness into the darkness of humanity the darkness of the mind the eyes of our heart and our dark destination God then shines into this world he does it by his word Psalm 119 105 thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path that's how God shines into the dark he gives us his word you know it wasn't a big it's not like a big bright light in the sky telling us this is the way it's not we don't wake up in the morning and you know there's an apparition in our room what do you want me to do today it's his word his word is a light unto my path but just as like just the same way I have to choose to respond to the light to choose to walk in the light or open my eyes to see the light well I have to take out the lamp you know I have to I have to let it shine on my path or I can just leave it because I want to walk in what darkness but God shines in the dark by his word and he shines as a savior as we've been looking at these last few weeks our savior

[14:57] John 8 verse 12 then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life and so God looks at light and life the light that he brings that he gives that he shines into the world specifically to move man from death from darkness to life and Jesus says I am that light I am the life I am the one that if you seek after me if you open your eyes to this light you will have life and lastly it's through his people God shines in the dark by his word by his savior and he shines through his people doesn't he Matthew 5 14 you have a light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick when we light our little candles you know we're not going to light them and go okay now everybody put them in your pocket they're LED anybody watching online we're not going to put lit candles in our pocket that would be silly why would we do that we light it because we want to see it we want to see the illumination it brings neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it gives light unto all that are in the house let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven the light that we carry is for a specific purpose is to draw people to our father the same light that drew us we have the privilege now to take that light into the world and watch it draw other people watch other people you know see that flicker as you walk through this world and it's dark and they say well hey you just said something that totally just shattered my darkness that totally brought illumination to my life

[16:40] I don't know if I like it because it just exposed the darkness in my heart but that opened my eyes for a moment there's a flash of light there and that person can then respond to that or they can go off and walk in darkness but we have that privilege to shine the light and then to see people who respond to that and say I want that I want to know that light God shines in the dark to give life to all who would see the light seek the light and then be drawn to the light Psalm 119 130 the entrance of your words gives light it gives understanding under the symbol God's light is his word John 1 verse 4 in him was life and the life was the light of men God's light so much more than just illumination Jesus came into this world as a light in the darkness how will the Savior that has been promised that's been foretold the one that's coming because man needs a Savior because he's lost he's separated he's condemned how would that Savior arrive it's going to be glorious turn over to Luke chapter 2 if you would arise and shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but the Lord shall arise upon you the glory of the Lord shall arise shall arise upon you begin in verse 4 of Luke chapter 2 and Joseph he also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea unto the city of David which is called

[18:30] Bethlehem because he was at the house and lineage of David to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife being great with child it was a census the emperor at the time was trying to gather the remnants of the Roman Empire they've gone through civil war he wants to bring it together he wants to bring unity so he's going to do a census letting everyone know you are under Roman rule and so you'd have to go back to the place of your birth your family's kind of roots and so Joseph goes to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife being great with child so we know Joseph and Mary were legally married but they were not living as married yet but Mary at this point she's with Joseph he's taken her under his wing he wanted to put her away privately he wanted to divorce her most likely rejected by her family as she comes and tells him this remarkable story that she got miraculously pregnant and so Joseph says after the Lord comes to him the angel does and says Joseph do not be afraid to take Mary your wife because that which is conceived in her is of the Holy

[19:32] Spirit and so Joseph then takes her under his wing here being great with child and so it was that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn so she brings him forth who brings him forth she brings him forth nobody there to help alone her and Joseph were they back at their family city shouldn't there be like relatives there nobody wanted to take her in Joseph and Mary there kind of like yeah okay we're related to you but we don't really know what's going on so we'll keep our distance here this is the glorious arrival of the Savior where's the band where's the parade is Mary and Joseph coming to Bethlehem they're here shouldn't they have known because Daniel prophesied shouldn't they have known because what Isaiah said and so she brings forth her firstborn son and wraps him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch of their flock by night faithful shepherds watching their sheep by night and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them not exactly how we would have thought

[20:59] Isaiah 60 was going to be that prophecy fulfilled the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon you what's that going to be shepherds and the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid and the angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord and this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men Jesus came into the darkness to defeat to defeat the darkness Jesus came into the darkness not as we would expect the Savior of the world has arrived and nobody's there to greet him didn't seem to stop the angels did it they didn't show up and go oh I expected a few more people you know well where's where's the kings where's the no the Savior was here the darkness would be defeated and that darkness would be defeated through death as Jesus goes into the darkness of this world born at night born into darkness as the shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks by night the light of the world is coming into the world but he came to go into a deeper darkness on our behalf

[22:32] Luke chapter 23 at the end of Jesus' ministry born in Luke chapter 2 all the way to the end three and a half years of ministry 30 some years later he's hanging there on the cross the light of the world about to be extinguished and it was about the sixth hour and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour and the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst and when Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said father into your hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave up the ghost as the light of the world is extinguished all other lights are extinguished the sun was darkened there is no other light to be seen as Jesus entered into this world to even go to go into a deeper darkness on our behalf but he didn't stay there did he just as gross darkness shall cover the people darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people well Jesus needed to go down into darkness and down into death so that he could overcome that the light could not stay dark couldn't the light would arise

[23:39] Luke 24 now upon the first day of the week very early in the morning they came unto the sepulcher the women bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others with them and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher and they entered in and found the body and found not the body of the Lord Jesus excuse me and it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereabout behold two men stood by them in shining garments I like that arise and shine for the light has come I don't think I don't think they ever shine any brighter they were so excited and as they were afraid and bound their faces to the earth the two men standing there in shining garments said to them why seek you the living among the dead why do you seek the light in the dark we don't go into a dark room to find the light go into the lit room why seek you the living among the dead why do you seek the light among the dark yes the light goes into the dark but we don't seek the light by seeking darkness every eye would be illuminated by the Savior he came into the world a light into the world into the darkness he went down into a deeper darkness but he didn't stay there he rose again just as the scripture we read said glory of the Lord shall rise upon you arise and shine your light has come the glory of the Lord has risen upon you and every eye would ultimately see this light in Revelation chapter 1 verse 7 just as he came once into the darkness and shone into the dark he's coming again and behold he comes with clouds and every eye shall see him there'll be no darkness nobody's gonna keep their eyes closed at that point nobody's gonna hide and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him

[25:27] Jesus came into the darkness to defeat the darkness of death but the light could not stay in the dark it would arise so that every eye would see him but listen that's that is those who've rejected that light they will see the light but they won't seek the light for you and I we rejoice because the light has come and we rejoice because we have responded to that light we have sought the light and in turn we now live in the light we walk in the light we're not children of the dark remember we are children of the day those who have received the risen light well we see things in a whole different light don't we Jesus will come back he will come to this earth and he will physically return to this earth just as he came once like he was promised the Savior's promised to come again and he will bring light into this world and all darkness will be illuminated and it says in every eye that sees him will wail because of him they will weep but we see things in a whole different light because we've responded to the light

[26:27] Paul writes in Titus chapter 2 we also look for the Savior we also look for that light to return to this world but before he comes back physically we get to go and meet him for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men it's illuminated it's appeared that grace of God that brings salvation the Savior has come for all teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world what does that mean it means we should live like we're children of the light if we're not in the dark why should we do those deeds that we have to keep hidden in the dark man bring it all to the light and live in the light is that a hard thing to do oh man no because we're now children of the light children take on the characteristics of their parents looking for that blessed hope and the what the glorious appearing of the great

[27:28] God and our Savior Jesus Christ his appearing was glorious the first time as the angels announced it whether there's anyone there to see it or not and his appearing is going to be glorious again for those of us who are looking for him the arrival of the Savior it was glorious because all that God does is glorious it was glorious because God's glory is displayed when God fulfills his promise it was glorious because of the glorious Savior who has arrived to accomplish God's will the arrival of the Savior it was glorious it was bright and it was announced it was bright because the Savior brought illumination where there was darkness because the Savior brought sight to the blind and because the light of the Savior it brought a light where nothing else could nothing else like we said can roll back the darkness except the light the arrival of the Savior it was glorious it was bright and it was announced it was announced because none would be without excuse no one will have an excuse well I didn't see it

[28:36] I'm sorry I couldn't see there's no excuse the darkness has been rolled back the light has come into this world the arrival of the Savior it was announced because good news is worth sharing the angels announced to the shepherds we get to be the light of the world we get to share it to the world good news is worth sharing it's worth announcing and because God does not hide his salvation he didn't send it into the world in the dark and keep it hidden in the dark no it was for all to see every eye will see him for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men and listen Jesus was born a light Jesus arose in splendor and Jesus is going to return in glory and that is why we celebrate the arrival of the Savior we don't just celebrate Christmas because well Jesus came to the world he did he came to the world to be a light but so that he could go down into death and rise again in splendor and so that one day he will return in glory that is the hope that we have at this

[29:37] Christmas season that is not in this life only but even more in the resurrection that the last trump will sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and we shall see him as he is and we shall be with him for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ encapsulates the whole thing doesn't it God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness arise and shine your light has come what does the arrival of the Savior look like he shined it into our hearts it's an illumination in the heart to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ it is through that that we enter in to the light of the Savior we're going to stand and we're going to sing Silent

[30:37] Night and y'all can turn on your candles now you know the scripture tells us that you are the light of the world a city set on a hill cannot be hidden it tells us that we are to go out and we are to let the world see our good deeds that they may glorify our Father in heaven no matter how dark it is no matter how intense the dark is right is there different degrees of intensity of darkness only depending on how absent the light is the darkness that's all it's got right it's either dark or it's not the light no matter how intense that dark is one little pinprick of light man it'll be seen and then the more intense the light gets the light can be more intense the light can be so bright bright we can't look at it the darkness doesn't have a chance because light has come arise and shine for the light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but the

[31:39] Lord shall arise upon you and his glory shall be seen upon you take the light and let the Savior who's come gloriously into the world to be the light of the Savior long expected and long awaited and not as we expected not at all as we expect him to come but Lord as we look back we cannot believe what he accomplished we cannot begin to fathom what that light coming into the dark did one pinprick of light could roll back all the darkness Jesus that you would come to this world you would take upon yourself the form of a man that you would then go down into the darkness of death so that you would rise again with illumination an illumination that gives life to all those who would receive it

[32:39] Lord we walk in that light now because we do know who you are we have received the knowledge of the Son thank you Jesus that you are coming again just as you promised you would come the first time your promise will be fulfilled and you will gloriously come again you will return in glory and Lord we will be with you when you come and every eye will see you we're going to be with you because first you're going to come and you're going to receive those who've already received the light Lord I pray that you would encourage us Lord as we go into this new year that you'd encourage us Lord while it seems like the darkness is growing in intensity it can't it has one intensity it's dark or it's not dark and you remind us Lord that that light that we carry is greater than any amount of darkness there is no darkness yet or ever will be that can overcome any source of light Lord you are the source of light and what a privilege Lord as we hold each of these candles in our hands that you'd remind us Lord that we have a greater capacity in one little person with the light than all the darkness of this world thank you

[33:48] Jesus Merry Christmas we love you we thank you in Jesus name Amen you know there's something something really special about when you're let in on a secret and you feel like you're the only one who has it and I think of that when Jesus was born with the shepherds how excited they must have been to have been told to be so privileged and that's us we have been so privileged to have received the light but it's a secret that's meant to be shared but it never diminishes the privilege that we have received by having the light shine upon us and entering into that light Merry Christmas God bless you all