Jesus, Our Great Nevertheless

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that things aren't so great in our world. Movies, music, and social media are full of content that seems to go further off the rails all the time.

It can be overwhelming as we try to navigate a culture that seems to have gone mad. Up is down, down is up, right is wrong, and wrong must be tolerated.

Some 600 years before Jesus was born people were living in a land ruled by godless and ruthless rulers, but the prophet Isaiah pulled the curtain back and showed the people that hope and help would be coming.

Isaiah 9:1 tells us, "Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory."

Nevertheless.

This word whispers hope. Isaiah 9:2-4 tells us that the nevertheless is Jesus!

Isaiah 9:2-4 NLT

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian."

Jesus is the light that defeats the darkness. Jesus breaks the chain of whatever entraps us. Jesus frees us.

So, what is the problem?

The problem is that we have become so accustomed to the shadow of darkness and evil. We accept it. We live with it. We expect it. We make excuses.

Remember that God is called Immanuel, which means God with us.

Consider how Jesus started his earthly ministry.

We find this in Matthew 4:23-25, "Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed-he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went-people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River."

Jesus demonstrated what God's love looks like and how serious God is about being with us, redeeming us, and restoring us.

We will certainly face difficulty in this life. Some of this difficulty will come from our own doing, and some will be the doing of others. There will be things that happen because we live in a broken and fallen world. And there will be things that we simply cannot explain, even though we search for a "why" to console ourselves.

There are two words for us in these times ... Nevertheless, Jesus.

John 10:10

"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."