Lection: Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7:10-16
Matthew 1:18-25

“What Was He Afraid Of?”

As I read through a bunch of commentaries on this morning’s Scripture readings, the thing that struck me is that we have two passages about men who are afraid and wondering what to do about a difficult situation in their lives.

The story that we’re more familiar with surrounds Mary’s husband, Joseph, who has to decide what to do when his wife is found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit, before the two of them have even lived together in the same house. Probably the less familiar story is about King Ahaz who has to decide who to align himself with when his territory is under threat from powerful neighbours.

And you probably noticed that the two stories are linked by the fact that as the Gospel writer tells Joseph’s story, he quotes from the words of the Prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.”

So, let’s start with Ahaz’s story. Ahaz became the King of Judah around the year 732 BCE when he was 20 years old. He reigned for 16 years, died at the age of 36, and was … Read more »

Isaiah 7:10-16
Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon in Two Voices: A Sign of Hope

A:       First Church folk, I want to introduce you to my friend, Nicole Lindgren. Nicole is visiting us from Saskatoon this weekend, and receiving one of our congregation’s student scholarships. She recently began a Masters program at the Vancouver School of Theology in Public and Pastoral Leadership.

Besides that, Nicole has been the Director at our Synod Camp (Camp Christopher) the last couple of summers. And a while back, she was in my Youth Group at St. Andrew’s in Saskatoon.

Anyway, Nicole has been doing some preaching in Presbyterian churches lately, so I thought I’d ask her to help me out with the sermon this morning.

N:       Hello everyone! I’m very happy to be here today…

Amanda, I’ve noticed that in the Season of Advent, the Lectionary always gives us a series of readings from the prophets.

A:       Yes, it’s all Isaiah this year.

N:       And then there’s a corresponding text from the Gospel in which the author quotes from the prophet.

A:       Yes, that’s why we heard the same verse twice this morning. First from Isaiah, and then from Matthew quoting Isaiah. It might have seemed a little bit repetitive.

N:       I think the writers of the Gospels … Read more »

Sermon by the Rev. Amanda Currie

Isaiah 7:10-16
Matthew 1:18-25

“God is with us”

In this Season of Advent, our Sunday morning scripture texts have been a series of readings from the prophet Isaiah and corresponding texts from the Gospels in which the early Christian evangelists quote from the prophet. And this morning was no exception.

Of course, the writers of the Gospels were making a strong effort to explain to their readers the meaning and significance of Jesus of Nazareth. Not only did they want to describe the wonders that he performed, and to recount his wise and life-transforming teaching, but they wanted to make it clear that this Jesus was the one sent from God. They wanted to show that he was the one that their people had been waiting, and hoping, and longing for, the one who would come with the power of God to save them.

And so, in our passage today, Matthew quotes Isaiah directly. It’s the passage that I always feel like singing when I hear it: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name, Emmanuel. God-with-us.”

The tendency with Christian interpretations of the prophets is to assume that when Isaiah wrote that prophecy, … Read more »