“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered  the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood  will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born,to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the  Lord  Almighty will accomplish this.”

It always feels like Christmas when I read this passage, and yet it was not originally written as a Christmas text.  In fact, it was written over 700 years before there even was a Christmas.  And it was written as an encouragement in the midst of fear.  The Assyrians to the North were a vast and growing empire and kept eyeing God’s people as their next conquest.  And as Isaiah keeps saying, they are to be God’s weapon aimed at the unfaithful, in this case Israel herself.  And sure enough, the Assyrians did conquer Israel, the first of the two exiles of the prophets.

The bible is not always a book that makes us feel better.  Sometimes its truth makes us afraid, or calls us to account.  So far, Isaiah has ticked back and forth like a metronome, first warnings of the impending disaster and then ticking over to encouragement for the future, and then back again.  Tick tock.  Tick tock.

This is life with God.  If we are courageous enough, and righteous enough, to listen to His voice, then we will hear both warnings of disaster brought on by our own sin and encouragement for the future.  For God is always honest, and always true.  But with an eternal perspective, He can also be always encouraging in the long run.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

It is always amazing to me how many people don’t believe Paul.  And it is usually those who most quickly proclaim their faithful obedience to the Word.  It was the problem of the Pharisees and is still a problem today for many.  They believe vehemently in select passages of scripture, but readily ignore others.

Paul teaches again and again that we are saved, made alive, and accepted as we are.  We are made alive “EVEN WHEN we were dead in transgressions”.  Our transformation into the likeness of Christ happens after we are convinced we are beloved and accepted, not before.  So why are so many so convinced that we have to live lives of obedience before we are acceptable to God?  Oh, we don’t say it, but we sure act it out.  We behave like nobody sinful is acceptable to God until they admit they are horrible, beg Him for forgiveness, and agree to not sin again.  But this ignores most of Paul’s teachings and Jesus’, too.

Think of Zacchaeus.  This criminal is invited to dinner with Jesus, or actually invited to host a dinner for Jesus.  Table fellowship was one of the most powerful statements of belonging in the ancient Middle East.  And our outrage at this is not unique – the Pharisees mocked Jesus as “a friend of tax collectors (the worst traitors of the day) and sinners” because He ate with them.

Can we accept people into our fellowship, our lives, our circles while they are still unrepentant sinners?  Can we stop excluding people who disobey the bible, understanding that their metamorphosis into Godly people will come later and is up to God, not up to us?

Wouldn’t you love to spend an evening eating a great dinner with friends from church at a warm and welcoming home?  That’s what “Who’d Coming to Dinner?” is all about.  Sign up to be either a host or a guest for a dinner on Oct. 27.  Let us know what side dish you’d like to bring.  And the week before the event you’ll be emailed an address.  At 6pm that evening, you show up at that address with the side you agreed to bring and find waiting there a home with church friends ready to welcome you to the party.  This is a great way to invite friends to experience one of LCC’s strengths – fellowship.  Just click the link and sign up today.

Wouldn’t you love to spend an evening eating a great dinner with friends from church at a warm and welcoming home?  That’s what “Who’d Coming to Dinner?” is all about.  Sign up to be either a host or a guest for a dinner on Oct. 27.  Let us know what side dish you’d like to bring.  And the week before the event you’ll be emailed an address.  At 6pm that evening, you show up at that address with the side you agreed to bring and find waiting there a home with church friends ready to welcome you to the party.  This is a great way to invite friends to experience one of LCC’s strengths – fellowship.  Just click the link and sign up today.

Our October newsletter is now available.  To download it, click here.