Born to Reign, Part 6

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Human history is a record of brokenness, oppression, conflict, and corruption. How we long for peace and justice, even as we see the violence and instability raging in our world today. The good news is that the great ruler Jesus will one day soon set up his reign. The government that he sets up will bring peace and justice as no earthly government has ever been able to do. So while we wait for that sure and beautiful day, we can surrender our hearts to the Prince of Peace himself and live life remembering what he has promised to do. Let's listen to this message titled, Born to Reign. This is part three of a Christmas study on Isaiah 9-7.

It was first preached on December 18th, 2022. God's jealousy is pure and a holy jealousy. What does his jealousy mean? The definition is a strong emotion whereby the object is desired by the subject. God is a subject, you are the object of his jealousy and he has a strong desire for you.

Think about that. Why on earth do you think he would send his son to set aside all his glory and be born as a helpless little baby and grow up to be crucified? That's how jealousy is for you.

Why? Because he knows that he is the point to your existence. He is your highest good and your deepest satisfaction and he wants that for you. That's why he gave his son.

That's Christmas. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. There is certainty in that. There is a lot of certainty in the way that's written. Unfortunately, today says one author, uncertainty is the religion of the 21st century. Uncertainty is in vogue. If you are certain about something, you're just arrogant, bigoted. But listen to this.

This is interesting. The opening lines of a recent article in iNews reads, Those of us without traditional religion are left to make our peace with uncertainty. There's nothing comforting about being agnostic. Now there's honesty.

I love honesty, don't you? In the article, it was written by Eleanor Margulis. She laments her agnosticism and muses about the benefits of faith. It was in February and while Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, that I started to wonder if it was time to find God. Definite God, that is. Not the half-hearted agnostic one built on the Jenga tower of uncertainty. The addition of a heightened nuclear threat from Putin made me desperate for the Old Testament God.

Someone to smite the warmongers and oligarchs, the evil ones, who know not what they do when nothing is left of civilization but the cockroaches. Her words, not mine. The last time I felt so envious of religious people was when my mom was dying of cancer. Certainly about an afterlife, certainty about an afterlife sure would have come in handy then. Instead, I was treated with the spiritual equivalent of the shrug emoji. I'm not sure I even know what that looks like, but half of you in here do. I became a devout follower of the one true religion of the 21st century, uncertainty.

Those of us without traditional religion are left to make our peace with uncertainty, she said. Read the last line of verse seven again, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. And we read the next step that he took in Matthew chapter one and two, God's at work.

This is his history. He's bringing about his purpose. When it says he will do this, in other words, he will make it done.

He will make it done. There's so much of scripture that says the same thing about God. Proverbs 19, 21, many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. That is a beautiful verse on the sovereignty of God. Man makes plans, man takes actions, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. And you see that beautifully throughout all of scripture. Isaiah 14, 27, for the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? In Psalm 33, 11, the counsel of the Lord will stand. Remember this one is called, verse six, the wonderful counselor. He is the one who purposes and plans. That's the nuance of the term counselor.

It's his purpose and his plan. And that means I need to check in with him how I fit into his plan. He's not a counselor for me so that I can go talk to him and he can help me feel better about my plans. That's not the kind of counselor he is. I need to go to him and ask him, how do I fit into your plan? Then he's your wonderful counselor.

And wonderful in the sense of, that just blows my mind. The Almighty will accomplish this. He will. He is the one who said, I have said what I will do and I will do it. Isaiah 46, 11, I have said what I will do and I will do it. And here you see it, Isaiah nine and then all the way in Matthew chapter one, seven centuries later, God's doing what he said he would do. Emmanuel, God with us. Of him it is said, revelation of Christ, the prince of peace, of him it is said, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever.

And now you have that tune running through your head again, don't you? And at his name, every knee will bow, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is what, Lord, master. Two kinds of people listening this morning, either you are a believer and you are in Christ or you are an unbeliever. You have not received Christ's forgiveness and you are not necessary for you to be reconciled. There's a book out there that says that really well. It only comes in surrendering to the prince of peace who was born to reign.

He was born to reign. So if you are here this morning, you are in believer and you want to ask more about this, you want to pursue this more, I'll be happy to talk with you afterwards. Love to. Way in that corner of the building, there's an office with a round table in it.

I'll meet you there. But you need to be reconciled because eternity hangs in the balance. Christians, and I gather probably most of us here this morning are Christians, followers of Christ. Do you find yourself on your heels at the threats of those who don't acknowledge Christ?

Do you feel like your country is once again being torn to shreds? Hate is strong, mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men. Don't be alarmed.

Don't be outraged. Those are not fruits of the spirit. You need to remember these things that we've talked about this morning. You need to meditate on them. They are the things that need to be constant and common running through your mind.

And you need to do that purposefully, intentionally. We're called to that. If I could put it this way, Christians, we live in a broken world and we don't deny the brokenness, we lament the brokenness. And yet even in that brokenness, we can live with anticipation. Live with anticipation because in that brokenness, we see the promise of this satisfaction, the promise of this peace, this shalom that comes through this one son who is given to us, the child that was born for us. That's where peace comes from. So keep going over that and live with anticipation that one day is coming, your highest good and your deepest satisfaction. And there will be no end.

Wow. That's good news. That's the good news of Christmas. In Christ, you are a chosen generation, royal priesthood, and the future is as sure as the history that has led us to this place.

And we can be confident of that. Praise be to God. Would you stand with me, please? Father, we are grateful that you have made yourself known to us and you have spoken to us in your son. You've come to us in person and given us your son to follow him, to submit to him and follow in his steps because he takes us to you, to the Father.

Thank you. Thank you for Christmas. Thank you for the birth of Christ, the humbling of the second person of the Trinity to come like one of us, to redeem us, to bring us hope, to bring us the promise of peace. Father, work in our hearts this morning for those who do not know you, that your goodness would draw them to you.

Your light that has been turned on will shine into their hearts and minds. For those of us who do know you, Father, may that light shine bright in our hearts and our minds so that we, even though we lament the brokenness within and without, Father, we may yet be ruled by your peace and live with anticipation of the ultimate peace. Thank you, Father, for what you have done and for what you will do. We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website, www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, Seven Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's Word the very purpose for which you were designed. Seven Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace, weekdays at 10 a.m.