A Great Light in the Land of Deep Darkness

In one paragraph

Brian preached from Isaiah 9:1-2 on Christmas Sunday, tracing the image of a great light breaking into deep darkness from Isaiah's prophecy through to Jesus' own words in John 8 and the church's call in Matthew 5. The conversation was wide open, with the congregation contributing connections, questions, and scripture throughout. The whole message landed on a single practical challenge: be the...

Read together

1. Isaiah 9:1-2 central text read aloud and discussed as a prophecy of Jesus as light in darkness
2. Exodus 10:21-23 read to illustrate a prior time of thick darkness that caused people to become immobilized
3. Romans 8:18 shared from the congregation as a connection to the idea of light coming after darkness
4. Luke 1:79 shared from the congregation as a footnote connecting light shining on those in darkness
5. John 8:12 Jesus declares himself the light of the world and promises his followers will not walk in darkness
6. Matthew 5:14-16 read twice to show that believers are called to be the light of the world
7. Isaiah 60:1-3 shared from the congregation calling people to arise and shine as nations come to their light
8. Romans 15:13 read during the offering as a promise that God fills believers with joy and peace as the source of hope

What was said

• Take a Christmas Eve invite card and put it in the hands of one or two specific people this week, asking them 'Where are you going for Christmas Eve service?' rather than 'What are you doing?'
• Close your eyes at some point this day and ask the Holy Spirit to put one or two people on your heart who need to hear about Jesus this Christmas season.
• When darkness, confusion, or the temptation to withdraw and check out creeps in this week, remind yourself of Isaiah 9 and that the tendency to retreat is exactly what the darkness wants from you.
• Let the contrast of the season work for you: look for that open-heart window in the people around you at work, in the locker room, at a restaurant, or at home, and let your words and actions be the light Brian talked about from Matthew 5.
• Pray specifically for Clay and Nancy as they finish the back half of his cancer treatment in Salt Lake City.

Talk about it

1. Brian talked about the tendency, seen in the Exodus plague of darkness, for people to become immobilized and withdraw when darkness rolls over the land. Have you felt that pull in your own life, and what did it look like for you?
2. Several people noticed different things in Isaiah 9:1-2, from the paradox of light appearing in deep darkness to the specificity of the geography. What is it about reading scripture together as a group that surfaces things you might miss on your own?
3. Brian used the image of a diamond on a black cloth to describe how increasing darkness in the world actually makes the light of Jesus stand out more sharply. Do you find that image encouraging or does it feel hard to hold onto when you are in the middle of a dark season?
4. Jesus says in John 8:12 that if you follow him you will not have to walk in darkness, but Brian pointed out that walking in darkness is still an option even when the light is present. What do you think makes someone choose to stay in the dark even when the light is available to them?
5. Brian and others landed on the idea that we are called to carry the light of Jesus to people around us, and he pointed to the Christmas Eve invitation as one concrete way to do that. Who came to mind when you closed your eyes and prayed about that, and what feels like the biggest obstacle to actually putting that invite in their hands?