Bulletins - First Baptist Church of Huntersville West Virginia

Here I Am To Worship
Holy Forever (Christmas)
Even in the darkest seasons, God’s promises light the way forward.
Isaiah 9:2–7 CSB
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. 4 For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian. 5 For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
Israel was under judgement from God for their disobedience - which is indicative of what humanity is dealing with… since the garden humanity has been living under judgement.
For Israel Isaiah 8:22 best explains how it feels - Isaiah 8:22 “22 They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.”
For so many people the world feels like walking in darkness.
Darkness is real, but it isn’t final.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice marks the longest night of the year. For centuries, farmers and shepherds watched the sky grow darker earlier each day and wondered how long the night would stretch.
But even at its darkest moment, the solstice carries a quiet promise: the light is already returning. People can’t feel it at first. They can’t even see it but the days are already getting longer.
Isaiah paints a world of gloom, conflict, and despair - much like ours today.
For the world the spiritual darkness is real but God has already set redemption in motion.
Hope isn’t pretending the night isn’t dark - it is knowing that dawn is certain.
God doesn’t deny the darkness; He promises the light within it.
There is a lesson we can learn from nature about God’s promise in Isaiah - darkness may be present, but it will never be permanent.
Hope is rooted in a person, not circumstances.
Look at verses 6 and 7 again - Isaiah 9:6–7 “6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.”
This child is the promised offspring who will crush the serpents head, the offspring promised Abraham that will be a blessing to ALL nations… Isaiah is pointing to the promised Messiah, the one who would deliver Israel and all nation.
The government will be on His shoulders… Christ carries what we cannot - the rule, the authority, the burden, and the destiny of the world. His shoulders are strong enough for everything ours are too weak to bear.”
We don’t carry the world - Jesus does. The news doesn’t rule us - Jesus does. Human leaders may fail - Jesus never will. Darkness may feel strong - but His kingdom is stronger.
The Hebrew word for “wonderful” is only used in Scripture for what is miraculous, supernatural, or beyond human ability.
Wonderful counselor - Jesus has the wisdom we lack - where human leaders (even those as wise as Solomon) guess - Jesus know. Where other rulers offer advice - Jesus gives truth.
Mighty God - plain and simple.. Jesus is God in flesh, He is God in full power, Jesus is the God Who conquers and the God Who saves…
Eternal Father - Jesus is the perfect King who treats His people like beloved children - with unfailing tenderness, steady protection, and unbreakable commitment.
Prince of Peace - the Hebrew word shalom doesn’t merely mean the absence of conflict - it means wholeness, harmony, restoration… everything is made right again.
- God made the promise to send a child… but how would this ancient promise become personal?
Luke 1:26–38 CSB
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Hope believes God even when you can’t see the outcome
A commercial pilot was once asked how he manages night flights when storms block visibility. He said, “I don’t fly by what I see - I fly by what I know. My eyes lied. My instruments don’t.”
In heavy clouds, the pilot can’t see the horizon, the ground, or the runway. Everything in his senses screams danger. The instruments tell the truth even when his vision cannot.
Mary finds herself in a very unique position - on one hand she is being given a great honor by being the conduit to bring the Messiah in to the world, the promised One from Isaiah would come through Mary…
On the other hand - she was engaged which carries the same weight as being actually married so having a child by anyone other than the person she was to married to is very problematic - the Torah penalty is death by stoning so Mary has some legitimate concerns.
While her situation looked impossible, confusing - even scandalous.
Her answer to Gabriel’s announcement is the epitome of faith and hope…”May it be to me as you have said.” - her hope is anchored in God’s faithfulness and not her understanding.
Hope isn’t optimism… it is obedience in the face of uncertainty.
Hope invites you to step out of the darkness and into the light of Christ.
On 92 headed toward White Sulphur there is a white farm house that I love to drive by after dark. Every window has a candle in it. Back before electricity families would place a candle in the window on those dark nights. The candle meant something - it was a sign of welcome, warmth, and home.
Travelers in the dark could see that little flame from far away, cutting through the darkness. It didn’t light the whole path, but it was enough to guide them safely home.
Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the source of all hope.
John 1:4–5 “4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”
I love how the Amplified Bible breaks out verse 5 - The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it.]
This world, desperately lost in the darkness of sin, needs the light of Christ even though it may not realize it.
Even we as believers have moments where the darkness creeps in - grief, fear, uncertainty - all of these are part of life in a fallen or darkened world
Rejoice - even though we have moments of darkness it cannot overcome the light of Christ.
Sunday we lit the candle of HOPE for this Advent season - not as decoration, but as a declaration: God keeps His promises.
- - Isaiah 9:2–7CSB
- - Luke 1:26–38CSB

Darkness is real, but it isn’t final.

Hope is rooted in a person, not circumstances.

Hope believes God even when you can’t see the outcome

Hope invites you to step out of the darkness and into the light of Christ.

Isaiah 9:2–7CSB

Luke 1:26–38CSB