Polar Express Part 1

Yesterday, I had the joy of preaching at our sister church, Proclaim, in Lake Worth. They are doing an amazing series called Christmas at the Movies, and I preached on The Polar Express.

In this verse, the Israelites were walking in darkness, neglecting their worship and obedience to the Lord. Because of this, they were under the judgment of God through the invasion of the Assyrian Empire. The Israelites felt hopeless, but the prophet Isaiah cast a vision of hope for a Savior to come and a great light to establish an eternal kingdom.

In the movie, a kid who had turned his back on the belief in Santa is awakened by a noise and a bright light as the Polar Express rolls into his neighborhood.

Similarly, one night in the land of Israel, amidst the darkness, evil, and injustice, God’s great light, Jesus, rolled into our neighborhood.

Today, I want everyone to understand that without God, life is dark. Without God, this world would fall apart quicker than it was created. Because God became human, He introduced the kingdom of God that fights against the kingdom of darkness, and we are part of that kingdom. By His grace, God is working through us to bring light into this world, just as He did and continues to do.

How is that? Christianity is the biggest religion in the world. Christians invented hospitals and healthcare, the first universities, charities, and significant inventions like the printing press. They also established home values such as the sacrament of marriage and taking care of the vulnerable.

Jesus and His kingdom have brought light into the darkness and give us hope, ‘qavah’ (הוָק), a confident expectation that He will return soon and forever remove darkness, reigning for all eternity.

Let’s wait with eager expectation that one day the blind will see, and the crippled will walk. Until then, God is with us.

Pastor Chance