Children of Promise: Isaiah 9:1-7 - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

The child birth rate in the United States has been dropping precipitously over the last 100 years, to the point now that it will be impossible to maintain the current population without immigration.

To be clear, it’s not my business, or anyone else’s, as to why a couple does not have children. Still, the declining birth rate can be attributed to the fact that childrearing is expensive, especially when you factor in the astronomical costs of housing, childcare, healthcare, and higher education. But there are other factors, too. Some are reluctant to bring children into this world, given the state that it is in.

Compared to other parts of the world, life in the United States is quite good. Still, would you want to bring children into a war zone or a famine? Or bear a child into slavery?

Photo by Heike Mintel on Unsplash

The prophet Isaiah began his ministry in what was not considered a good time to bring children into the world. Israel was split into two separate kingdoms that were constantly in conflict, with evil empires surrounding them on all sides. Corrupt and incompetent kings allowed idolatry and injustice to rot their kingdoms from within. The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer. Isaiah knew this was only the beginning, as there would be more war, oppression, famine, and finally, the exile to Babylon and the complete destruction of Jerusalem. This was not a good time to be alive.

And yet, Isaiah heralds the dawning of hope: of people walking in darkness seeing a great light, an increase of joy, the breaking of the yoke of oppression, the garments of war burned in the fire. This hope begins with the birth of a child who will rule God’s people in peace, justice, and righteousness.

When you hear this passage, you immediately think of Jesus, and rightly so, as Isaiah’s words describe him perfectly. But Isaiah’s message of hope applies to the people living centuries before Christ’s birth. Nobody has to wait for hope in God’s world. As long as there is life, there is hope.

For African American slaves, the birth of a baby was cause for huge celebration. Even though the child was born into slavery, there was hope that the child would not only become free, but that this child could be the one who would lead their people to freedom. Those hopes would not be in vain as many African Americans, born into slavery and the era of Jim Crow would be the ones whose courage and whose faith would lead them on the long, perilous journey to freedom.

By faith, they celebrated each child’s potential to change the world rather than dwelling on the perils they were sure to face. The saw God’s goodness and God’s power clothed in fragile humanity. And they understood their collective responsibility to that child: to love, pray for, support, and protect that child.

Children cannot flourish unless they are loved and supported. There’s a saying “it takes a village to raise a child;” but it also takes a family to raise a child, and a church to raise a child. Not even Mary and Joseph could’ve raised Jesus without the love, hospitality, and gifts of others.

Hope doesn’t just fall from the sky. It’s not a decision you make to put on a happy face and look for the best in anything. Hope is a mindset focused on supporting, nurturing, and transforming life. And nowhere else do we witness God’s life-giving work as beautifully and as powerfully as in the birth of a child. Childbearing and childrearing may not be for everyone, but anyone can befriend a child, anyone can feed or clothe a child, anyone can teach and mentor a child, and anyone can pray for a child. Part of our mission as the Church is to nurture young lives so that they bear the life of Christ to the world. With the love of a family, the ministry of the church, and the support of the village, we can raise up a generation of healers, builders, leaders, and reformers who will renew the Church, establish peace and justice, and build a brighter and better tomorrow.

Wherever there is life, there is God. As long as there is life, there is hope. And a life well lived isn’t one that consumes the life of others, but one that makes life flourish. You can do this anytime and anywhere, no matter how bad things may get, or how daunting the future may be.

Isaiah 9:1-7 (NRSVue)

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

² The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
    on them light has shined.
³ You have multiplied exultation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as people exult when dividing plunder.
⁴ For the yoke of their burden
    and the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵ For all the boots of the tramping warriors
    and all the garments rolled in blood
    shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶ For a child has been born for us,
    a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
    and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Great will be his authority,
    and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
    He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.