Lack of Peace = Discomfort
Ours
Israel’s
TEXT: Comfort = Peace!
Whew! … Right?
Except …
CONTEXT: What’s the Problem?
If it’s not addressed, it’s not a Solution!
We need the FULL, Complete Story!
CONTEXT: What WAS Israel’s Discomfort?
Babylon is coming
No, Hezekiah, that’s NOT good!
How often do we hear what we want to hear?
Find comfort in wrong/temporary solutions?
EXILE … for sin! … BUT …
Comfort = Peace! … Right?
Deliverance from EXILE = Home!
Except … Cyrus = Deliverer?
No, Israel, Cyrus = NOT Messiah!
BUT … YES = Unexpected Deliverer … Unexpected Way!
Messiah = Suffering Servant = JESUS! = Deliverance! = PEACE!
We need the FULL, Complete Story!
CONTEXT: Napoleon at Waterloo …
Signal in Channel: “WELLINGTON DEFEATED”
We need the FULL, Complete Story!
…
…
…
“THE ENEMY”
Thank God He gives it!
Advent = Light of the World that will dispel the Darkness and complete the Story!
Cross = “JESUS IS DEAD”
Son-Rise on 3rd Day = “JESUS IS DEAD NO MORE!”
Lack of Peace = Lack of Comfort
Comfort = Peace
… Right??
Comfort doesn’t bring Peace;
No!
True Comfort either points to Peace, or comes as result of Peace
Peace comes when Conflict has Resolution, Problem has Solution
Comforts are not a Solution (but can point to 1!)
In order to reach Solution, must understand Problem
In order to understand Problem, you must know CONTEXT! FULL Story!
Parenting …
If God’s speaking Comfort,
it must be for my Problem, right?
Then God =
Irrelevant …
or Only says what I want
Hezekiah = really wants to be liked! Accepted! = Peace, right?
Isaiah = NO, Hezekiah: you don’t understand the Problem …
Not even Exile = Cyrus!?
Waterloo …
Exile brings the fog, misery
Cyrus lifts it, BUT NOT the Victory!
Hezekiah’s/Israel’s/Our Problem = SIN
Solution = Suffering Servant/Jesus!
Christmas = Comforting, sure = Light in the Dark, etc…
Advent & Christmas = Comfort, yes!!
BUT … “Peace on Earth”?!
Lifting Fog, yes!!
BUT … Solution?
Only if we know the Problem!