Christmas and the nature of the beast - December 15, 2013
_____________________________________________________________________________
Pastor Dale Lloyd
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11: 1 - 10
Because of scheduling and various activities I decided against doing an Advent series this year. I can’t say I am exactly happy with that but sometimes things just take us in a different direction.
If you were here last week you recall that our guest speaker used these scriptures in his presentation. And by the way, if you were not here I strongly recommend that you get a DVD or CD of that service. Pastor Rigby – well, I just can’t say enough about this man and his message to our Fellowship.
As I intently listened to Pastor Rigby last Sunday there was a particular word that got stuck in my mind. That word will form the heart of this message this morning – but it will not be revealed until the very end of the message. Until then keep this thought in mind: “Christmas and the nature of the beast.”
When I read the Old Testament prophets I am always struck with the poetic nature of their writing; they painted pictures with their words – pictures that were poetic and prophetic in nature. These words of Isaiah the prophet fit that frame exactly.
Just consider that opening statement: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. That is a word picture and it is pregnant with prophetic meaning and substance.
In these ten verses we have two distinct pictures – one in the first five verses and the second in the last five verses. And when we bring these two pictures together we have the full meaning of Christmas. First we see the actual reality or substance of Christmas. Secondly, we see the guaranteed results of Christmas. Let’s begin with the first picture.
We have no time for details save this – this prophetic picture is Messianic in nature. Isaiah has caught a glorious vision of someone coming in the future. While this event relates to and is tied to history, (the stem of Jesse), it is unprecedented in all of history as well as all of the future that comes after it.
Here we are face to face with the true Biblical meaning of Christmas. God Himself would send a Man into this time/space continuum. He would do so sovereignly. This act of God would be unprecedented. The Holy Ghost would come upon and overshadow a virgin maiden and she would conceive. The Word of God – that is God Himself – would become incarnate in flesh. The invisible God who was always spiritually present from those first words forward – ‘In the beginning God created...’ would now be physically present in the form of flesh and blood; Messiah, the Anointed One, Son of God, Son of David, Son of man.
And in His humanity He would accomplish forever and perfectly everything mankind would ever need for salvation and deliverance.
That’s the first picture.
The second is found in the next five verses and what a picture it is. Look at it: wolves, lions, leopards, bears, cobras and vipers. We shrink back from such a picture. It strikes fear and panic. And then it seems to become worse – even bizarre. Introduced into the presence of these creatures of aggression are lambs, baby goats, calves, cows, little boys, and nursing and weaned children.
We hold our breath. How volatile can it get? Given the nature (and I use the word nature with intentionality) of things we anticipate the normal outcome of such a mix – such a community.
But the picture presents something wildly different than what we expected; wildly different than what nature dictates. We stand with gaping mouths and can’t believe our eyes. Look at it!
Wolves and lambs are dwelling under the same roof and sharing the same space. Leopards and baby goats are curled up and sleeping together. Young lions and calves are playing together. And over there a cow and a bear are grazing side by side and the bear has no impulse to graze upon the cow. In fact their babies are lying down together.
And wonder of all amazing wonders the lion has become vegetarian. (Let’s not start a new doctrine with that). What an incredible picture it is – a little boy leads them all, and topping it all off, the playground of babies and young children is shared by cobras and vipers.
Bring the two pictures together. If the first is the picture of the true meaning of Christmas – the sovereign act of the sovereign God of sending His only begotten Son, the Messiah into this world of humanity, then the second picture is that of the consequences of Christmas; the true Christmas outcomes. Those outcomes are supernaturally abnormal to what I will rightfully call “the nature of the beast.”
You cannot experience and live in the reality of this second picture without coming to a living faith regarding the first picture. And that explains the profound frustration of present society and culture both outside and inside the church. We all want to live in the second picture but we want to get there our own way while denying the one and only way provided; it’s called Christmas, it’s called Christ.
So what was that word that got stuck in my consciousness last Sunday? What is the one word theme of this message? The word at the heart of this Isaiah picture is “transformation.” You are not required to see it this way but this is how I envision it: I read through the first five verses of Isaiah 11, and right there in that white space between verse 5 and verse 6, I envision in giant letters this word – TRANSFORMATION!
In that single word I find the hope, the promise, the possibility, the wonder, amazement and mystery of Christmas – TRANSFORMATION!
While I believe there is a literal fulfilment of these prophetic words that will be demonstrated in the entire realm of nature its first realisation is within the hearts of mankind. Before the heart of man is regenerated there is resident within his nature a certain wolf, leopard, bear, lion, cobra, and wolf element.
Given the right set of circumstances we know how to rip and tear, how to bite and devour like the lion. We know how to overwhelm and monopolise like the bear. We know how to maximise the slippery stealth of the leopard. When we are backed into a corner we know how to strike and lash out like the cobra. We have this inherent ability to inject venom into relationships and poison entire communities and environments. And like the wolf in the pride of his strength we know how to conquer and prey upon the weak, the vulnerable and disadvantaged. It happens every day in our justice system, our economic system, our political system and social structures. And yes, it even happens in the church.
This is what I meant earlier in my reference to “the nature of the beast.” And so the prophet Isaiah concluded: They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain.
And again I say – “What an incredible picture!” The very things within nature itself (including human nature) that once caused hurt and brought destruction are no longer resident, and out of that very nature there now come blessing and goodness, and grace, and selfless service.
That is transformation! That is Christmas! That is Christ!
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11: 1 - 10
Because of scheduling and various activities I decided against doing an Advent series this year. I can’t say I am exactly happy with that but sometimes things just take us in a different direction.
If you were here last week you recall that our guest speaker used these scriptures in his presentation. And by the way, if you were not here I strongly recommend that you get a DVD or CD of that service. Pastor Rigby – well, I just can’t say enough about this man and his message to our Fellowship.
As I intently listened to Pastor Rigby last Sunday there was a particular word that got stuck in my mind. That word will form the heart of this message this morning – but it will not be revealed until the very end of the message. Until then keep this thought in mind: “Christmas and the nature of the beast.”
When I read the Old Testament prophets I am always struck with the poetic nature of their writing; they painted pictures with their words – pictures that were poetic and prophetic in nature. These words of Isaiah the prophet fit that frame exactly.
Just consider that opening statement: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. That is a word picture and it is pregnant with prophetic meaning and substance.
In these ten verses we have two distinct pictures – one in the first five verses and the second in the last five verses. And when we bring these two pictures together we have the full meaning of Christmas. First we see the actual reality or substance of Christmas. Secondly, we see the guaranteed results of Christmas. Let’s begin with the first picture.
We have no time for details save this – this prophetic picture is Messianic in nature. Isaiah has caught a glorious vision of someone coming in the future. While this event relates to and is tied to history, (the stem of Jesse), it is unprecedented in all of history as well as all of the future that comes after it.
Here we are face to face with the true Biblical meaning of Christmas. God Himself would send a Man into this time/space continuum. He would do so sovereignly. This act of God would be unprecedented. The Holy Ghost would come upon and overshadow a virgin maiden and she would conceive. The Word of God – that is God Himself – would become incarnate in flesh. The invisible God who was always spiritually present from those first words forward – ‘In the beginning God created...’ would now be physically present in the form of flesh and blood; Messiah, the Anointed One, Son of God, Son of David, Son of man.
And in His humanity He would accomplish forever and perfectly everything mankind would ever need for salvation and deliverance.
That’s the first picture.
The second is found in the next five verses and what a picture it is. Look at it: wolves, lions, leopards, bears, cobras and vipers. We shrink back from such a picture. It strikes fear and panic. And then it seems to become worse – even bizarre. Introduced into the presence of these creatures of aggression are lambs, baby goats, calves, cows, little boys, and nursing and weaned children.
We hold our breath. How volatile can it get? Given the nature (and I use the word nature with intentionality) of things we anticipate the normal outcome of such a mix – such a community.
But the picture presents something wildly different than what we expected; wildly different than what nature dictates. We stand with gaping mouths and can’t believe our eyes. Look at it!
Wolves and lambs are dwelling under the same roof and sharing the same space. Leopards and baby goats are curled up and sleeping together. Young lions and calves are playing together. And over there a cow and a bear are grazing side by side and the bear has no impulse to graze upon the cow. In fact their babies are lying down together.
And wonder of all amazing wonders the lion has become vegetarian. (Let’s not start a new doctrine with that). What an incredible picture it is – a little boy leads them all, and topping it all off, the playground of babies and young children is shared by cobras and vipers.
Bring the two pictures together. If the first is the picture of the true meaning of Christmas – the sovereign act of the sovereign God of sending His only begotten Son, the Messiah into this world of humanity, then the second picture is that of the consequences of Christmas; the true Christmas outcomes. Those outcomes are supernaturally abnormal to what I will rightfully call “the nature of the beast.”
You cannot experience and live in the reality of this second picture without coming to a living faith regarding the first picture. And that explains the profound frustration of present society and culture both outside and inside the church. We all want to live in the second picture but we want to get there our own way while denying the one and only way provided; it’s called Christmas, it’s called Christ.
So what was that word that got stuck in my consciousness last Sunday? What is the one word theme of this message? The word at the heart of this Isaiah picture is “transformation.” You are not required to see it this way but this is how I envision it: I read through the first five verses of Isaiah 11, and right there in that white space between verse 5 and verse 6, I envision in giant letters this word – TRANSFORMATION!
In that single word I find the hope, the promise, the possibility, the wonder, amazement and mystery of Christmas – TRANSFORMATION!
While I believe there is a literal fulfilment of these prophetic words that will be demonstrated in the entire realm of nature its first realisation is within the hearts of mankind. Before the heart of man is regenerated there is resident within his nature a certain wolf, leopard, bear, lion, cobra, and wolf element.
Given the right set of circumstances we know how to rip and tear, how to bite and devour like the lion. We know how to overwhelm and monopolise like the bear. We know how to maximise the slippery stealth of the leopard. When we are backed into a corner we know how to strike and lash out like the cobra. We have this inherent ability to inject venom into relationships and poison entire communities and environments. And like the wolf in the pride of his strength we know how to conquer and prey upon the weak, the vulnerable and disadvantaged. It happens every day in our justice system, our economic system, our political system and social structures. And yes, it even happens in the church.
This is what I meant earlier in my reference to “the nature of the beast.” And so the prophet Isaiah concluded: They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain.
And again I say – “What an incredible picture!” The very things within nature itself (including human nature) that once caused hurt and brought destruction are no longer resident, and out of that very nature there now come blessing and goodness, and grace, and selfless service.
That is transformation! That is Christmas! That is Christ!