New Life
What Do You Need from God? • Message 3
Bryan Jones
December 15, 2024
A. Introduction (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 6:33)
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV)
Did you know God wants to meet your needs this morning… Some people think God just wants you to get to heaven. But He doesn’t want just to get you to heaven; He wants to HELP YOU…
When this baby Jesus is promised… He, in Isaiah, is called a few names…
Wonderful Counselor = Wisdom
Mighty God= Power
Everlasting Father = Nearness
Prince of Peace = Peace
The problem is, a lot of times, we look to other things and other people to give us help…
You ever had a painful thing happen, and people say well-meaning, but not all that helpful, stuff?
Like, how about this… when someone breaks up, and they’re devastated… There are more fish in the sea.
Or when someone gets injured… What doesn’t kill you makes you… what? Stronger…
I jumped on glass one time, and it got lodged in my foot, and it got infected. And my mom said what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger… My foot healed, but my soul hasn’t!
God won’t give you more than you can handle… this is terrible advice… God will give you more than you can handle… and I know that for a fact. He gave us twins…
But listen, you need people… you need community, but to put Jesus at the center means you go to Him first… The other day, I was having a hard time… and I was talking to my wife… and she said you need to stop talking… and I was thinking… say what, woman… but she said only God can fix and quiet your soul…
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
Sometimes, we try to talk, or distract, or escape, or just keep moving… but we never really find deep life and healing… Plus, I want you to understand a couple of principles on learning to seek God first, especially in difficult times…
What do you need from God?
1. His SHOULDERS are bigger than yours. (Isaiah 9:1, 6-7)
A lady at my last church used to say to me… Why are you carrying this? His shoulders are bigger than yours.
There are some things that will crush you without divine strength!
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
Isaiah 9:1 (NIV)
Isaiah gets this vision and prophecy to show the judgment and hope for what is to come and how to bear this since God’s shoulders are bigger…
The land of Zebulun and Naphtali - refers to two of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Remember, I shared with you that there was a northern kingdom that had 10 tribes and a southern kingdom that had two tribes.
Two of the northern tribes were Zebulun and Naphtali.
And the Assyrian empire would end up conquering the north… and the main path to conquer the north was the land through the Zebulun and Naphtali.
They were the first to reap the bitter fruit of repeated invasions, and Isaiah’s prophecy here shows that the treatment of the lands of these tribes was worse than that of some of the others.
The area of land of Zebulun and Naphtali is the northern part of Galilee. A major part of this area is today known as the Huleh Valley. It was a lush agricultural area, but it was also a place through which trade routes to Egypt and Mesopotamia existed.
But think about this… this verse is written, and it takes hundreds of years to see its fulfillment. One commentator says it is about 700 years before Jesus arrives when this promise is given.
So, what is given to these folks who have a great need?
For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT)
Wonderful Counselor = Wisdom
Mighty God= Power
Everlasting Father = Nearness
Prince of Peace = Peace
People can give you wisdom, nearness, peace and even power to some degree, but what you are going to need is supernatural wisdom, supernatural power, supernatural peace. Return to Him…
Listen, if someone has cancer, Tylenol doesn’t cut it… but when you draw near to God, He will transform you… He will fill you…
And the waiting often changes you and brings joy… remember when we had the hurricane, and people had no power… how many of you got power in a day or 2? Congratulations, we hate you! J No, but those who took 5-7 days, they said I never thought I’d be so excited to turn the lights off and on off and on… the waiting had created a joy… and sometimes you have to walk in darkness so you can truly long and appreciate the light.
The longer you wait, the more discouraged you are…, and if you are navigating this, you need supernatural…
2. TIME doesn’t heal all wounds. Jesus does. (2 Kings 15:29; Job 13:15; Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:13-17)
Time does help, but only Jesus heals…
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
Isaiah 9:1 (NIV)
It says that there will be no more gloom… so for now, there is gloom… now there is darkness.
Now = Gloom (darkness)
Future = Glory (light)
So why is there gloom?
During Pekah’s reign, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria attacked Israel again, and he captured the towns of Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor. He also conquered the regions of Gilead, Galilee, and all of Naphtali, and he took the people to Assyria as captives.
2 Kings 15:29 (NLT)
So, the people of God rebel; they turn from God, and it says they were humbled.
Notice it says He humbled them…
Reasons for Pain:
1. Choices you’ve made.
2. Choices others made.
3. Broken world.
Regardless of where you are, you need God to heal these things. Time and people won’t do it. You need a supernatural peace…
But let me say some people won’t find healing… because some people won’t own their mistakes… listen self-pity is deadly…
Years ago, I was walking through a difficult time, and I’m sure I did what none of you have ever done… I blamed someone else for my situation... and then I felt God speak to me… they didn’t do it. I did. I’m doing it to get your heart back… and I said God, why couldn’t You just send an email…
The truth is my heart wasn’t where it needed to be, and I really felt like God caused, or allowed some pain, to get my attention and bring me back to Himself…
But I remember struggling. It was a concept of God I hadn’t really thought through: His discipline. No one sings songs about the discipline of God.
But when I knew God was humbling me, at first, it created fear. Is He good? Can I trust Him? Is He just punishing me? Can I ever keep God happy? What if I fail again? All these thoughts raced through my mind that night.
But I remember to this day where I was. I walked outside on the porch, and God put one Bible verse on my heart.
Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him…
Job 13:15a (NIV)
And I felt a strange sense of peace that His discipline was good. That I wasn’t to fight or resist. I was to hope in Him. That it wasn’t the knife of a thief; rather, it was the knife of a surgeon healing what had been cancerous and sick in my soul.
We sing songs about God’s love for us. And God’s plans for us. But if we aren’t careful, we can begin to think God exists for us instead of knowing we exist for God.
God, in His kindness, is bringing us back to Himself.
God wants our praise, not because He won’t be truly God until He gets it, but because we won’t be fully glad until we give it.
So you get gloom now but glory later. Darkness now but light later…
How? How can God bring life into this dark space?
He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Matthew 4:13-17 (NLT)
Verse 17 says He brings light by calling us to repent and turn to Him!
So, the first place Jesus does His public ministry… this is the place Jesus shows up to.
Jesus shows up to the darkest place in our life, and what does He bring? Light…
3. What are your ZEBULUN and NAPHTALI? (Isaiah 9:6-7)
What are the dark places you have hidden? What are the places that feel like there is no hope? What are the places where the armies of darkness seem to have crushed you? Is there a spot you feel afraid or anxious about? Are you waiting for God to move, but it feels like He’s silent? Is there something or someone that has caused you pain? Do you feel like God is absent?
This series is a reminder that God takes barren, dark and hopeless things, and He brings new life! Where do you need new life in your soul?
With that in mind, listen to the verse everyone knows….
For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
Isaiah 9:6-7(NLT)
Wonderful Counselor = Wisdom
Mighty God= Power
Everlasting Father = Nearness
Prince of Peace = Peace