Our Isaiah passage ends with the words, “All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” 

We all need to be saved from COVID 19 which has put the dampener on many Christmas celebrations this year as restrictions have yet again been imposed at a time when we were looking forward to Christmas with loved ones.

<strong>Most of us have lined up for our boosters and have been right to do so. Western governments ironically have been warned by the World Health Organisation of the vaccine inequity across the globe where over half the population in most countries have not received their first jab. Unless everyone is immune we are all at risk from new variants as the virus will not go away.

We need saving from climate change. Drought, floods and fires continue to cause colossal losses across the globe. In the last two weeks we have been horrified by the destruction and death caused by tornadoes in America, the storm in the Philippines and flooding in Malaysia. Changes in world temperatures means there is a crisis in food production which is felt globally.

<strong>We need saving from terrorism, war and the fear of war. Russian troops are massing on the Ukraine border; China is looking to extend its influence both militarily and through cyber warfare and Yemen, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and many regions in North Africa are destitute.

As a result there are more than 80 million displaced people around the globe, of which, 30-34 million are children.

We also need saving from our own sicknesses, suffering and death and our sins, many of which have contributed to the crisis we are in.

The world has always veered from crisis to crisis. We are privileged in our country yet often overwhelmed by our own suffering and our inability to do much about the global picture.

Isaiah was speaking to were exiles in Babylon longing to return to their homeland and worship in Jerusalem. They believed God had forsaken them as a result of their nation’s sins and wickedness and were waiting for the Lord’s presence to return to Zion so they could follow.

The Jews were tiny compared to the other nations. There was nothing they could do to enable their return. Many of them had enjoyed the riches of Babylon and been promoted to high office so didn’t want to return. 

However empires come and go. The Babylonian Empire was defeated by the Persians and Medes and Cyrus the Great decreed that the Jews may return and rebuild their temple, even offering to help pay for it.

God used Cyrus even though he wasn’t Jewish or aware of God’s guidance. Israel’s return was God’s choice and the victory his. 

Isaiah pictures a nation waiting for the messenger who announces victory on the battlefield and the return of the King.

God is coming in triumph. The battlefield is not just a confrontation between two earthly armies but evil and oppression throughout history. God triumphs. Not only Jerusalem is redeemed but all nations.

The watchmen cannot contain themselves! Before the messenger arrives they recognize the news and sing for joy!

The messenger announces news we long to hear of peace, good news and salvation. “Your God reigns!” The victory proclaimed does not belong to this or that king, country, or ideology, but to God alone. God comes as the ultimate judge, judging the whole world with righteousness.

The watchers hear this news as they see the beautiful feet of the messenger running towards them. Good news comes through a person. The message is beautiful because it is for all creation. The Lord reigns over all gods, forces, powers, idols, and obsessions that enslave us.

God has intervened many times throughout history in impossible situations. There have been many messengers from God who have brought good news of peace and salvation.

The early Christians identify the messenger as John the Baptist preparing people oppressed by the Romans for the coming of their Messiah.

At Christmas we rejoice in the message of the angelic messengers who proclaimed the birth of Jesus, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord and peace and good will for all people.

Jesus, himself was both the message and the messenger. He is the voice, the word of God himself who entered his creation.

The tiny baby whose birth we celebrate today pitched his tent and lived among us. He became a displaced refugee as his family ran from persecution by Herod to Egypt. He shared in our humanity, lived and suffered as we do.

He was named Jesus because it means salvation. The angel proclaimed “He shall be called Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”

As he grew into a man, the people witnessed his glory. As they saw him heal, and set people free they witnessed his truth and grace, God’s love and mercy in action.

When the Lord made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, he did not come with lethal weapons to defeat his enemies with force but in the flesh of a vulnerable newborn baby, whose vocation was to suffer and die for our salvation.

To those of us who have received Jesus and believed in him he has given power to become children of God. We have been born anew and enabled to live lives full of mercy and truth like him. He became like us that we might be like him. 

During his life on earth only a privileged few witnessed the glory of God seen in Jesus Christ.

2000 years later many more have turned to him for peace and salvation.

Despite the mess we find ourselves in today we can sing for joy because the Bible promises that when Jesus comes again as King of Kings every eye will see him.

We have hope because all the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Science and human effort won’t save us, as our prime minister promises, though both are important in the fight to save the planet.

We haven’t got sufficient power, wisdom or holiness to save ourselves.

 We must do what Grandmother Clara Lutz did in the path of the Kentucky tornado last week and pray.

She wrapped her grandchildren in blankets and placed them with a Bible in the bath. When the bath was ripped out of the house which was destroyed she prayed, “Please bring my babies safely back to me,” and the Lord answered her prayer.

 Our world is in a mess because of global, institutional and personal greed. We are called to have beautiful feet as we proclaim the good news of salvation and Christ’s victory over sin through words and actions, bringing justice and loving mercy to those suffering. In the direst of circumstances we cry out “Lord save us,” and we sing songs of joy and victory because he will.