Covenant Baptist Church
Sermon Guide for December 8th, 2019
The Dawn of Life Pt 1
It is darkest just before dawn
Isaiah 9:1-5
What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you think about Christmas?
Vs 1: But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt
Gloom describes a very dim, dark or distressful condition.
Anguish describes distress that is caused by being pressed into a tight space or constrained by
something.
Contempt was the feeling they no longer mattered or had value to God. They felt like their circumstances were evidence of this contempt.
Vs 2: The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark
land, The light will shine on them.
Darkness – literally dark; figuratively destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow and wickedness
Dark (land) – The shade of death; the grave; shadow of death.
In contrast to our warm, homey scenery and the quaint imagery of our favorite nativity, the land and time Jesus stepped into was ugly, dark and desperate.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
The Gospel doesn’t begin here at Christmas but it sure does erupt onto the scene of human life here in a way far more brilliant, far more glorious than our brightly decorated trees, houses and gifts allude to.
Erupt: to burst from limits or restraint.
Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:4-5
You don’t have any degree of darkness that cannot be extinguished by the Light of Life.
Maybe you sit in a mixture of shame, hate, fear and hopelessness that you cannot imagine Jesus entering into with you but the very first Christmas proves He will.