Skip to main content

49. A People Walking In Darkness Have Seen A Great Light

Isaiah 9:1-3, Matthew 4:13-17
Key verse:  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 
Isaiah 9:2& Matthew 4:16

Jesus prepared to begin His ministry in a difficult place.  While Jesus was in the wilderness, John had managed to infuriate Herod, Tetrarch of Galilee, and the religious leadership, enough that he was closely watched for any sign of trouble.  John, you see, had been outspoken about Herod's illicit affair with Herodia, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip.  Under such circumstances, you might think that Jesus would choose to go to a safe place to avoid some of the controversy that John had evidently stirred up.  But instead, in Galilee, just a few short miles from Herod's palace and the seat of his government, Jesus began his ministry in the teeth of a real political storm.  This dangerous situation was only amplified by Jesus’ close association with John, who was his cousin.  He was nowhere near hiding.

Besides that, as mentioned on an earlier day, Feb. 5, Galilee was not very well respected by the pure Jews who lived nearer to Jerusalem.  Galilee was not only surrounded by Gentiles but had many Gentiles living among them.  This was something that no self-respecting, good Jew would tolerate, let alone understand. 

Also, the people of the region of Galilee were considered weak and cursed.  They were part of the region that God had let go of seven hundred years earlier, through an Assyrian invasion, because of their blatant disobedience.  You can read more about that in 2 Kings 17.  At any rate, these people were not known as the deeply religious, dedicated Jews to whom God was supposed to appear.  They were called "a people walking in darkness" that God had rejected. 

Yet, to fulfill prophecy, while Isaiah tells us that they are rejected, Isaiah also promises that they will be given honor.  They were given that honor first when Joseph and Mary chose to come back home after fleeing to Egypt, for Jesus protection, when He was a toddler.  Now, Jesus continues to honor them.  He has come, to bring the knowledge that, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."  And the "people walking in darkness have seen a great light." He brings his best, to the "worst" place first.

Much of Jesus' ministry would focus on this area of densely populated fishing villages.  Most of His disciples would come from this area, ignorant fishermen who were blessed by the light of Christ. 

Jesus came to make all things new, beginning with the rejected, despised, region of Galilee.  How like God to go where He is least expected and most needed.  How like God to go where the religious would not go.  How like Him we can be when we choose to do the same. 

 Prayer:

Hymn: "Shine, Jesus Shine"

 Tomorrow's Reading:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faithful Through the Ages

Luke 2:22-38 Listen Link:  http://www.firstcovenantcadillac.org/#!this-weeks-sermon/c20mw Forgive the buzz on this one. I had a cold and my voice was way down. One of the odd little quirky things that Kathy and I like to do from time to time is walk through old cemeteries and read the tombstones. Sometimes there are interesting little tidbits of information or a verse of Scripture that give a hint to what kind of person lies beneath our feet. Often, however, there is just the name, the date born and the date of death with just a dash between. The dash represents the whole life lived between the two dates, so it would contain most of the interesting information, but it is hidden from us. All we can do is pick up little clues that can be gleaned from the names, dates and from the other tombstones around the one we are looking at. If there are a cluster of stones all containing the same last name, then we may be able to figure out the family relationships; who was the parent, wh
Post a Comment
Read more

August 28 A Non-anxious Presence

The purposes of the heart are deep waters, but a person with understanding can draw them out. ~Proverbs 20:5   How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ~Psalm 139:18 & 23-24  People take time. In chaplaincy work, when so often, the person before me is facing a crisis, and or a difficult decision, it is common for me to practice the art of being a non-anxious presence for them. This simply means being present just for them. I’m not distracted by phone calls or texts or paperwork or my to do list or my next appointment.  Time is suspended for the moment while I just sit with them; available to pray, if that’s what they want; available to talk, available to be what they need from another human being while I
Post a Comment
Read more

312. Burial Plot!

Matthew 27:62-66 Key Verse: So, they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." Matthew 27:66 "The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming." Psalm 37:12-13 You have to wonder if, by now, Pilate is beginning to question the sanity of the Jewish leaders themselves. It wasn't enough that they were jealous of this quiet dreamer, Jesus, now they were afraid of His disciples. From Pilate's perspective, this last must have been almost ludicrous.  After all, only one of Jesus' followers had stuck around for the trials and crucifixion. For the most part, as soon as Jesus had been taken, they had all scattered and were probably in hiding. The idea of this rag tag group of unlearned fishermen sticking their necks out now to steal a body and then start a rumor that no one would believe anyway, was ridiculous.
Post a Comment
Read more