Dock Resource Kit
Sunday sermon, 30 November 2025
Summary
This week, Michael spoke to us about the Promise of the Incarnation—the prophetic hope found in Isaiah 9 that a great light would break into humanity’s deepest darkness. He explored the ways Isaiah describes the darkness before the promise, the divine source and certainty of that promise, the power of what God intends to accomplish, and ultimately the astonishing reality that the child himself is the promise. In Advent, we remember that God has acted decisively in Jesus—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—and we are invited to let His light reach into every shadow of our lives.
Key Points & Takeways
The world’s darkness is real, but it is not the final word. Isaiah begins in a place of distress and gloom, yet the promise of light interrupts the narrative. Advent reminds us that God’s hope shines into actual darkness, not instead of it.
The promise comes from God alone. The people of Zebulun and Naphtali did nothing to generate the light that dawned upon them. The Incarnation is God’s own initiative—grace, not self-improvement.
God’s promises are certain even before we see them. Isaiah speaks in the past tense—the people have seen a great light—because God’s faithfulness guarantees fulfilment. We live in the tension of waiting, but we wait with certainty.
The promise brings transformation: joy, freedom, restoration, peace. The light does not merely comfort—it enlarges, liberates, reconciles, and heals. God’s promise is not cosmetic; it is comprehensive renewal.
The child himself is the promise. The Incarnation is God’s answer to darkness—not an army, not a system, not a philosophy, but a person. Jesus embodies all the titles of Isaiah 9:6 from the moment of His arrival.
Dock Discussion Questions
1. Where do you most resonate with Isaiah’s description of “deep darkness” today—personally, socially, or spiritually? How might Advent invite you to name that honestly?
2. Isaiah emphasises that the promise comes entirely from God. Where are you tempted to rely on self-effort instead of surrender? What might surrender look like this Advent?
3. How does the certainty of God’s promise—spoken in the past tense before fulfilment—shape your hope in a season of waiting?
4. Which of Jesus’ titles in Isaiah 9:6 (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) do you most need to experience afresh this Advent, and why?
Long-form, edited transcript
Advent
Promise.
Isaiah 8:22 - 9:7
Matt 4:12-17
I am very excited to introduce our advent preaching series on Incarnation, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. For the next three weeks we will be looking at Promise, Presence, and Purpose as we consider the significance of God dwelling bodily with His people.
So today we will be looking at the Promise of Jesus, the prophetic foretelling of the Messiah in Isaiah 9. Next week we will be looking at the Presence of Jesus, unpacking John 1. Then finishing with the Purpose of the Incarnation, unpacking Colossians 1:15-20. On the fourth week of advent we will have our all age Christingle service.
In this sermon we will read and unpack Isaiah 8:22-9:7, looking at 5 points:
The Darkness before the Promise
The Source of the Promise
The Certainty of the Promise
The Power of the Promise
The Child is the Promise
22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
9 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.Isaiah 8:22 - 9:7
The Darkness Before the Promise
Last week Phil landed Our Formation series looking at the lives of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings chapter 13. Now, some decades pass between Elisha and Isaiah, there is no cross over in their lives. However, the political and cultural context remains the same. We can carry all of that great learning from our last sermon series forward into today.
Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah too, are prophets who are prophesying into a divided kingdom, Israel in the North, Judah in the South. The kings of both Kingdoms are conforming to the worship practices of the nations around them, Baal worship, Ashera worship, reinstating high places. There is also political turmoil between Israel and Judah and growing threat from the North from the Assyrian Empire and then the Babylonian empire.
This passage in Isaiah starts in a fairly dark place, and immediately begs some questions. Who is the ‘they’ who “look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom” (Is 8:22), and why is that all they see? Two verses earlier in chapter 8 we see that Isaiah is talking about those that no longer consult God’s Instruction and warning. Those who no longer know God. Isaiah is talking about those in the northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah who have turned away from God, those who have turned to other gods, to the worship of idols and have forgotten Yahweh. In losing sight of God, they also lose the source of their hope in dark times.
We know great darkness is still throughout our world today. We face anxiety in our day to day lives, relationships that are not where we want them to be, grief and loss, disillusionment, violence, injustice, war, fear for our world, the environment, the future, a sense that things are not how they are meant to be. These words from Isaiah 8:22, written 2750 years ago “…they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,” seem as relevant now as they ever have been.
However, this passage in Isaiah 9 is not further condemnation of those that are experiencing the darkness, those that have forgotten God or do not know Him. This passage is about the promise of the light that will overcome the darkness. This is also the focus of advent, expectation, and preparation for the fulfilment of the promise that into the darkness, God has sent a great light.
The Source of the Promise
Has anyone here run the London Marathon? Or any Marathon? I haven’t run the London Marathon, although, strangely (and worryingly) as I get older, it appeals to me more and more. A much younger version of me did run the Edinburgh half Marathon once upon a time.
Running the half Marathon was strange because I trained for it, I thought about the the right shoes, the right clothes, eating the right breakfast, carrying the right energy gels, having the right playlist. I did all that preparation, then you run 13 miles, only to then realise that I was literally 13 miles away from where I started, and I had given exactly zero thought to how I was going to get back again. Marathons almost never finish where they started.
That is not true of God however, in this passage, in the promise of the Messiah, we see that light is promised to come first to those who were in darkness first. In verses 1 and 2 we see that it is the previously humbled land of Zebulun and Naphtali who will be honoured and see a great light.
The Land of Zebulun and Naphtali were in the northern part of the northern Kingdom, Israel. In 733/723BC Tiglath-Pileser III King of Assyria invaded and annexed the northern parts of Israel, this is also found in 2 Kings 15:29. They were in the north, so they were the first to fall to Assyria, to, in the words of Isaiah, be humbled. Yet this promise is that the light will come first to them.
This is a prophesy that we see fulfilled in Matt 4:12-17:
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Now we could spend a potentially dry 30 minutes unpacking the political wrangling and tug of war that lead to the annexation of the northern territories of the northern Kingdom. Suffice to say, the darkness, and the humbling that Zebulun and Naphtali experienced, was brought about by political maneuvers as well as by their turning away from Yahweh.
Whilst they were involved in bringing about the darkness, they were not involved in bringing about the light:
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
Isaiah makes it clear that light is from God and God alone. Regardless of their or our past failure, of their or our current darkness, God promises a great light. A light that will overcome all darkness. Romans 5:8 says God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Incarnation is God’s promise, God’s plan, God’s initiative, God himself is coming. It is not self improvement on our part, it is self-surrender to God. The Source of the Promise is God alone. The source of light in our darkness is God alone.
I don’t know where you might be feeling darkness right now? Maybe it is fear? Loneliness? Pride? A hidden struggle? Isaiah wants to encourage us to let the light of God into that darkness. That the light of God can overcome darkness.
The Certainty of The Promise
I find it so encouraging that Incarnation is the action of God that brings light into the darkness, it is also deeply comforting to see that this promise in Isaiah is expressed in language that gives absolute certainty of its fulfilment. This prophesy is pronounced more that 700 years before Jesus’ birth, yet look at the language used:
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy…
4…For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them…
Isaiah uses the perfect tense even though Jesus is still 700+ years away. The promise that God is giving though Isaiah is so assured, so certain to come to pass that Isaiah uses language as though it already has.
God has a plan, and whilst it may not have come to fruition at the time Isaiah writes this, the very existence of the plan makes hope a present reality. In this moment, the darkness is still true, but it is no longer the whole truth. Most importantly at all, it is not the fundamental, underlying truth. The truth is that the people of Israel and Judah are God’s chosen people. He has a plan to redeem them, and through them to redeem all people.The fundamental truth is one of hope and of future glory.
Even in the darkness that we still face today, we have the immediate hope that we have God by His Spirit, living in, and working in our lives. An immediate and tangible hope. Yet we also know that the world is not as God would have it be and that we await Jesus’ return. We can, by the Holy Spirit, live in the certainty that God will accomplish the redemption and glorification of all of creation (Romans 8) even as we live in the tension of waiting. The tension of looking toward the earth, seeing distress, darkness, and fearful gloom, yet we are not thrust into utter darkness due to our certain hope in God.
So we have a promise from God, that is not dependent on us, a promise that we can be certain of, what does this promise accomplish? Let's consider the power of the promise as we continue through the passage.
The Power of The Promise
We have a promise of a light overcoming darkness. A promise that does not depend on us, only on God, A promise that is absolutely assured, and a source of certain hope in times of waiting. What is the promise?
We see in verse 3 that it is a promise to enlarge the nation. Isaiah is prophesying to a divided Kingdom, but Isaiah speaks of a singular nation, this promise is a promise of reconciliation for Israel, a reunification of the people of God.
Not only that, we know throughout the story of the Bible, God made covenant promises with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. These covenants all include the promise to bless all nations on earth through them. God’s promise is for all people.
We also see in verse 3 that this promise is a promise to increase joy. That there will be joy like the joy of those whose great need has been fulfilled, like those that rejoice at the harvest, or after surviving battle, knowing that their future is secure. Knowing that cupboards are full and there is peace in the land.
In verse 4 we see that this promise is a promise that burdens will be defeated. The yoke, the bar and the rod are shattered. The light will bring freedom from our enemies and ultimately the ending of violence as we see in verse 5, battle clothes become fuel for the fire.
There is an amazing outdoor gym in Langdon Park in Poplar built be a charity called Steel Warriors. The gym is built from two tonnes of knives and blades that were either seized by or surrendered to the Metropolitan Police. The charity runs free Calisthenics classes for young people aged 11-24. They are aiming to turn the very weapons used for violence into something that builds up those who are most at risk from that violence.
This is a beautiful project that shows this 180 degree transformation that is promised with the incarnation. This is the power of the promise, light overcoming darkness is a total turn around, growth where there was decline, joy where there was despair, freedom instead of captivity, peace and reconciliation instead of war.
The Child is the Promise
Here we arrive at the very heart of the promise, one of the most compelling sections of scripture in the whole Bible.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
This is the incredible, paradigm shifting scandal of the Incarnation. Jesus, the Christ child, is the promise. God’s answer to darkness is not an army but a baby. Not overwhelming force, but humble presence. Not a new system, but a person. Not a demand, but a gift. The Messiah comes in vulnerability before He comes in victory. God chooses to come in weakness so He can meet us in ours.
The promised child, the promised son is the foundation of the government, the child is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It is not a promise that the child will grow into these things.
Again here, we see the assurance of the fulfilment of the promise. From the moment of incarnation, from the moment that God comes to dwell amongst His creation. This future, of light overcoming darkness is assured. It is never in doubt.
2 Cor 1:20 says that “…no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” Christ is the promise who fulfils all of God’s other promises both in scripture, as Jesus said, he did not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil them. Jesus also, fulfills the promises of God in our lives as He is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Conclusion
As we journey over the advent series and go on to look at Presence and Purpose, Brigid and Phil will unpack more of the nature of Jesus and the significance of the incarnation.
However, I want to finish by encouraging you this morning, lets briefly consider each of the four titles that Isaiah gives to the Incarnate Christ, now each of these could be a sermon in themselves, but I’d love for us to draw our one practical encouragement from each by way of summarising all we have looked at:
Wonderful Counselor
Elsewhere in Isaiah, the Lord speaks through the prophet:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
God’s wisdom is beyond our understanding and yet he delights in guiding us, enabled by the Holy Spirit living within us as a direct result of the saving work of the incarnation of Christ Jesus. So, as James writes:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
In this advent season, in this time of anticipation and waiting, let us, ask, seek, and knock (Matt 7:7-8), making time to be close with God, commit to listening, and to receiving his wisdom to help us in our times of need.
Mighty God
Christ Jesus is God Himself. God has entered the world personally, and is able to accomplish all of the aspects of this promise in Isaiah and ‘immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.’ (Eph 3:20). Let us lean into the same certainty that Isaiah has God will fulfil His promises. In God’s strength may journey through advent with greater certainty in the promises of God than ever before.
Everlasting Father
Jesus cares for us like a loving parent. God is profoundly interested in your life. When I pick up my five-year-old daughter from school, I always ask how her day was. I’m not just making conversation, I am profoundly interested in her day, the highs, the lows, the ways that she is learning and growing, and becoming the beautiful and complex human that she is. As she is five, her response is often “good”, and then when you ask her what she did, she often doesn’t remember without some Poirot level questioning. I persevere in getting to know her.
If that is true of me, how much more is that true of God.
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matt 7:11
God is profoundly interested in us. We can and should talk to God, in our celebration, our joy, our frustration, our disappointment, anger, fear, doubt, when we are busy, when we are free. It is in this closeness with God that we most deeply experience Jesus as the Prince of Peace.
Prince of Peace
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, by his death and resurrection he brought about peace and restoration to all those that choose to believe in him. He reconciles us to himself, he reconciles us to one another, he reconciles us to ourselves. So, this advent as we wait and prepare let us remember that the promise is Jesus, the son of God, who has the power to overcome all darkness, and we can live in certain assurance that He will do it.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You for the promise of light that breaks into darkness.
We thank You that in Jesus, Your Son, You have drawn near—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
As we journey through this Advent season, shine Your light into every shadow of our lives.
Give us grace to trust Your promises, even when we are waiting, and the courage to welcome Your wisdom, strength, care, and peace.
May the light of Christ rise in us, restoring joy, breaking burdens, and drawing us deeper into Your presence.
Come, Lord Jesus, and make Your home in us.
Amen.