Welcome to the Series Intro for our Christmas journey through Isaiah 9:2–7. Isaiah writes to a people surrounded by despair, invasion, grief, and spiritual confusion. And before their world changes, God sends a promise that light will break in. Christmas exists because God cannot lie and does not fail.

In this message, we begin where hope always begins—with a promise kept. Isaiah speaks in the past tense: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light…” Even though Jesus hasn’t been born yet, God’s promise is so certain it can be spoken of as already done. Seven generations later, God fulfills His word. The question isn’t, “Can God do it?” The question is, where have we stopped believing He will?

We also face the reality of our darkness. Christmas isn’t sentimental—it’s God confronting the brokenness of the world. Isaiah names the yokes, the burdens, the oppression, and the wounds we didn’t choose. We don’t minimize the darkness; we magnify the God who steps into it. You can’t heal what you won’t name.

Then comes the turning point: the light breaks in. God didn’t wait for Israel to climb out of darkness—He stepped into it. The light isn’t earned or achieved. It’s given. Heaven sends what we can’t produce.
And the promise lands in a Person: the child who changes everything. The answer wasn’t a concept. The light wasn’t a feeling. The promise was Jesus—the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

If you’re tired, anxious, carrying what you can’t fix, or wondering if the darkness will ever lift—this message is for you. The light has a name, and His name is Jesus.