A child changes everything

Special to The Sentinel-Record “But there will be no gloom for her who was 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 has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

— Isaiah 9:1-7, ESV

Isaiah was the pessimistic prophet with the messianic hope. His sermons were dark clouds of gloom and doom, but they contained a silver lining and a golden promise. One day, he prophesied, a child would change everything.

Jesus changes contempt into glory. There is a little city in Zebulon named Nazareth. And in Naphtali, on the coast of the Sea of Galilee, there is a little fishing village called Capernaum.

Today people flock to these places to catch a glimpse of where Christ grew up and exercised most of His ministry. No place where, and in no person whom, Jesus is present and worshipped can be called contemptible, only glorious. Jesus changes everything.

Jesus changes darkness into light. The faithful who have gone on before us have passed the torch to us. We would not know God had not the light of the gospel appeared to us, by grace.

We cannot see the light and share the light except by faith. The light is Jesus Christ, who changes everything.

Jesus changes a nation into a kingdom. Jesus changed a small, theocratic republic into a worldwide, spiritual kingdom. Jesus has claimed souls for Himself from every continent, country, and corner of the world. Jesus welcomes all souls from all soils. To those who are called and come to Him, Jesus changes everything.

Jesus changes war into peace. It will require Jesus’ second coming to turn every weapon of war into “fuel for the fire.”

But peace can be had today, when the war in your heart against God ceases the moment you trust and obey the “Prince of Peace.”

This is the most important change in anyone’s life, made by the child who lived and died to grant us a never-ending peace with God. Jesus changes everything.

Jesus changes God into the Son of Man. I use the word change here paradoxically, for one of the attributes of God is His immutability. But, Jesus was not invisible and did not enter the world as a 33-year-old man. His took on flesh and His body changed, from fetus to baby to little boy to adolescent to adult male.

And the biggest change is that He became a man so that man could know, love, and live with God. Jesus changes everything.

Jesus changes man into sons of God. God’s word, spoken through the prophets, penned in Holy Scripture, are the most wonderful counsel a man, woman, boy, or girl could ever receive.

Jesus was, is, and always will be God, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yet He remains a son, Prince, and grants peace, one soul at a time, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

With Him, you will never be alone. Jesus changes everything, even time.

Jesus changes time into eternity. Jesus changes people with what He accomplished with His virgin birth, perfect life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection.

Those who follow will be changed forever. Christ is coming again, to change the place we call heaven and earth, with a new heaven and a new earth. This change will be perfect and permanent.

This change will have “no end” and last “forevermore.” The Lord Jesus Christ, from beginning to never end, changes everything.