Possibly Our Best Year Ever

Rev Gideon Lee

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine;

For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

Let me give you a little bit of background. In this chapter of Isaiah is the turning point because before that the Israelites were going through very difficult times.

The people of Israel were in the darkness in the 5th century B.C.E. They had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon with great hope. They were going to rebuild the city, its walls and its temple. They were going to restore Israel to greatness; but many did not want to return. They had made a life for themselves. Those who did return found opposition from without and within, from the neighboring nations and from the Jews who had stayed behind in Jerusalem at the time of the exile. The result was that the rebuilding was painfully slow, there was constant quarrelling, and the results were pitiful.

The only thing worse than dashed hopes is to have those hopes dashed again. That is what happened in Israel. First exile, then a disappointing homecoming. The prophet describes it in chapter 59: ... we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, groping like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among the vigorous as though we were dead (59:9b-10).

In exile, they were enjoying life in Babylon, a life they got used to, so there was mix feelings in their coming out of exile. We say there is nothing like home. Nothing like Penang right? You can go everywhere but the best food is still from where? Penang! 

All of us like coming back to our hometown. But for the children of Israel not all of them wants to come home. They have a life at Babylon so not everyone wants to go home. The second reason is that when they went back to their home town Jerusalem, you know what greeted them, a ruined city. Only beggars left. 

Imagine you come back to Penang after war and it is not a pretty sight. They had to come back and rebuild their city and their homes. They come back and there is a lot of work. What greeted them was not so what they like. 

Then came chapter 60. There was a breakthrough in chapter 60. Yes, all these things has happened but in chapter 60, he told the people to arise, shine because the light has come. Pacing in that gloom and darkness, however, they hear the Word of the Lord: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (60:1).

It was an encouragement after another encouragement. Yes, painful but as we look forward, look at the possibility and what God can do. 

We may face obstacles, like finance, health but the possibility is with God this year can be the best year. Price increase but the positive side is that God wants to increase us. Our faith level and our walk with him. This year can be possibility of the best year for us.

This morning we want to encourage some possibility thinking. We want to explore the possibility that this coming new year will be the best year any of us has ever had.

I realize that for some of you that will sound flippant and trite. You are facing mountains - mountains you are not certain you can climb. 

Notice, though, I am not saying that this will be the easiest year we have ever faced. Only that it can be the best year. Success cannot always be measured in either accomplishment or accumulation. If the coming year brings us closer to God and closer to our friends, if it helps us value more highly the things that really matter and causes us to appreciate more deeply the gift of simply being alive, it will be a great year regardless of our outer circumstances. So, let's explore that possibility together the possibility of a rich and rewarding New Year. 

Certainly our text from Isaiah is a possibility text. With the blessing of God anointing his words, Isaiah counsels his people, "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." 

Many who heard Isaiah's summons surely responded, "What nonsense. How can I let my light shine?" "I've had a rough year." "I'm old and feeble." Or, "I'm young and restless." Besides, "I don't see any evidence of the deliverance of God."

Perhaps there is someone here this morning who is of a like mind. You doubt that this can be a great year for you. You're too old for fantasies. Too cynical for fairy tales of better days ahead. Like many in Isaiah's audience, you see no evidence of the deliverance of God. Let me offer some items in evidence if I might some reasons why you and I can have the best year ever. 

Chapter 60, promises after promises. May I suggest to you this morning. Possibly our best year because we need to know who we are. 

What was the theme in the past two years? Called out ones. And who are the called out ones?

A) IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE KNOW WHO WE ARE.

That's simple enough, but still profound. One of Isaiah's primary tasks was to remind the people of God who they were. They were no ordinary run of the mill ragtag outfit. They were God's own anointed. They were the chosen. Like the Marines, they were the few, the proud. 

We need to be reminded, sometimes, who we are too. We are God's people. We are those for whom Christ died. We belong to the best family in town: God's family. 

Family membership is a real advantage in this world, is it not? When Senator Teddy Kennedy first ran for the Senate, his brother Jack was President, and his other brother Bobby was Attorney General. According to one source Teddy told his brother the President that he thought he would change his name. It was too well known politically, he concluded, and he did not wish to hang on to the coat tails of his brothers.

The President asked, "What name are you going to ask for?" 

"Well," said Teddy, "I think I'll keep my first name. After all, I'm used to responding to that." "But for the last name I think I'd like Roosevelt." Well, Teddy Roosevelt would be a pretty nice name. 

There would be certain advantages to being a Kennedy or a Roosevelt or a Rockefeller. Membership in a prominent family is helpful in this world. I want to suggest to you, however, there is an even greater advantage to those who know themselves to be a part of the family of God. 

We have something much better because we carry the name of God. We are the children of God. Look at chapter 60. 

Isaiah 60:16-17

You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,

And milk the breast of kings;

You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior

And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

Instead of iron I will bring silver,

Instead of wood, bronze,

And instead of stones, iron.

I will also make your officers peace,

And your magistrates righteousness.

God is saying I am not going to short change you. He will bring you something of value. Instead of bronze, he give you gold. Instead of iron he give you silver. As children of God, this could be our best year ever. Instead of wood he give bronze. He want to give you something lasting. Termites won't eat it. It is something lasting. And iron in place of stones. 

When we did the renovation for the third floor we want the least for the best that last the longest. This year 2014, God wants to do something lasting. Something with substance. Let this year be a year where we arise and shine in our spiritual life as well.

An unknown poet has written: 

I may be young; I may be old, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child.

I may be educated; I may be unlettered,

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be black; I may be white, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be rich; I may be poor, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be fat; I may be thin, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be married; I may be divorced, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be successful; I may be a failure,

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be a sinner; I may be a saint, 

But I am somebody, For Jesus is my Savior.

I am God's Child! 

There is the great secret of life to believe you and I are somebody because we are God's child. We may not be a Rockefeller or a Kennedy or Roosevelt. No, our parentage is more exalted than that. We have God for our Father! We have a certain innate dignity because of our heritage. We know who we are. 

It can be your best year ever because you are God's child. 

B) WE ALSO KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING.

Isaiah wanted his people to know where they were going. He painted a picture of a peaceful, prosperous time when the peoples of the world would look to God's people for guidance and inspiration. Isaiah understood the power of vision. If he could help his people see what they could be, if he could get them to buy into this victorious vision and make a move towards its realization, God would bless his people in a wondrous way.

Here again is a great secret of life. People who arrive are those who know where they are going. 

General George Patton once told about a Chinese national young man who enlisted in the American army in WWII. This fellow's unit was stationed in Louisiana. As luck would have it this Chinese soldier got lost on one of the manoeuvres. Being unable to speak English he couldn't ask where his outfit was located. He was stranded at a crossroads where he attempted to hitch a ride with any army vehicle of any unit. The problem was he tried to use his index finger to hitch a ride instead of motioning backward with his thumb. 

You can guess what happened. An army convoy approached. The Chinese soldier pointed his index finger down one of the roads at the crossroads. The driver of the first vehicle didn't stop since he thought the soldier was directing traffic. When the convoy failed to stop, the young Chinese soldier moved to another road and with the next convoy pointed down the new road. According to Patton, in one afternoon, this soldier split army units so badly by pointing down one road and then another that it took them over a week to locate all of the troops! Troops, trucks and tanks were scattered all over Louisiana and Texas! 

Some people spend their lives going first down one road and then another. They wander nowhere in particular and then wonder why they never get anywhere. May I suggest that as we start this new year, we write down a description of the things we really would like to accomplish? Let's give ourselves a roadmap. What are some goals we really would like to attain? Spend more time with our family? Project ourselves more forcefully on the job? Devote more time to the service of God? Paint a picture in your own mind of where you would like to be this time next year. Write down your goals and refer to them from time to time. We will travel more surely in this new year if we know where we are going. And let's make certain our goals are worthy goals.

In the spring of 1608 the settlers at Jamestown, Virginia discovered gold. At least they thought they did. They almost totally abandoned any efforts at planting crops, preparing buildings, and readying themselves for winter. They had found gold and devoted themselves to steadily digging out and washing the precious metal. The colonists probably would not even have survived the summer and fall if the Indians had not fed them. 

However, they were able to send a ship back to England with a heavy load of the metal for which they had labored all spring. Unfortunately their gold turned out to be iron pyrite, also called "fools' gold." They had given their time, their talent, and all their energies to "fool's gold."

The colonists could say the name "fools' gold" had special meaning for them. For not only had they been deceived by the worthless lookalike mineral, but they had foolishly abandoned everything they needed for life in a quest that would have made no sense even if their discovery had indeed been real gold. 

Is that not a parable of the way many people spend their lives? Stocking up fool's gold. Ignoring the really important matters in life until it is too late. We can have a great new year if we know who we are and if we know where we are going. 

Let me explain. God has been there before because he is the alpha and the omega. The beginning and the end. Look at the last verse. 

Isaiah 60:22

A little one shall become a thousand,

And a small one a strong nation.

I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

Is Israel a big nation? No and it is surrounded by enemies. Remember the six day war? In six days the soldiers of Israel, they took back the land and drive out all the enemies and until today they are still around. God did that for them. 

Today look at the contribution of the Jews to the world. Look at the Nobel prize winners, quite a number are Jews. God's promise to them fulfilled. If God can do that for Israel, won't he bring to pass things for you because he has been there. 

So what do we do? By faith follow. Do you know God is taking us somewhere. He knows the way. And because he knows the way, we won't get lost. 

C) AND, FINALLY, IF WE KNOW WHO GOES WITH US.

I end by thrilling you this story. The Israelites have to be reminded that God is with them. Emmanuel, God with us. We will have obstacles but we know God is with us. Isaiah understood that any glory that came to his people was not their own doing. Their hope was in God and God alone. So it is with us.

Somewhere I've read that among some Native American tribes an interesting rite took place in every little boy's life, a rite designed to help the boy learn the courage of manhood. When he was very little, he was taken out into the forest to spend the night alone. Left with nothing but a knife for protection, he was required to remain silent as he awaited whatever horrors the night might bring. The next morning, however, he was greeted with a delightful surprise. He found that his father had been standing and watching all through the night, with bow and arrow ready lest something hurtful should happen to his son.

Many of us have discovered something like that in the midst of our own long, difficult nights. Someone was watching over us all through the night.

We need to realize this. God is standing silently and watching and he is fully armed. And should any danger happens he will step out. He is only a prayer away. 

In 2014, know that God is there and he knows the way and he goes with you. God is concerned for your needs. He loves you same as how a parent loves a child. 

This morning let me encourage you. You are God's child,, he knows where he is going and he goes with you.

Many thanks to Pastor Gideon for his notes that helped complete some missing transcriptions.