Tidings of Comfort

In my humble opinion, the deleterious effect of comfort has been overstated.

Comfort seems to be a goal or objective we have left behind.

In Christendom, we urge one another to “step out of our comfort zones” and we feel guilty when we don’t. Now I fully understand and agree with the fact that God calls us to “walk across the room” in order to reach out to others and compel them into the kingdom. But I don’t believe that implies that we should leave comfort behind.

Christmas reminds me that comfort is not a bad thing. And it is actually a great gift from heaven; it is the consolation that the Promised Messiah brought with Him.

Handel broached the subject early in his Messiah which we hear a lot this time of year. “Comfort ye … Comfort ye … Comfort ye my people…” the song says; it’s a quote from Isaiah 40. That chapter begins a section in the book of Isaiah that is focused on bringing comfort to the nation of Israel. There are numerous references to Christ’s Advent in that section of the book.

Jesus came to bring comfort.

When the angels first appeared to that labor-wearied band of shepherds working the graveyard shift, they first attempted to comfort them. All of the excitement of heaven coming near the earth made them afraid; the angels essentially said… “chill 'bro' – it’s all good!” (okay that’s not exactly “King James’ Version”).

We can truly know comfort because He came to earth and then He went a step better and moved into our hearts – if we welcomed Him.

Just like those haggard sheepherders- when we bring heaven near to people outside the kingdom today… it can scare them. Perhaps that is why we are reluctant to share the kingdom - we don't want to be thought of as scary.

At the time of Christ's incarnation -it was comfort that people longed for. Isaiah said they were like people living under the shadow of death... a "sword of Damocles" was constantly hanging over their heads.

In a sermon I heard last week, the Pastor pointed out that Isaiah's prophecy was divided into three sections: the first 30 some odd chapters dealt with judgment and God's anger at Israel's waywardness over the years; then there was a brief "current events" section which recorded
some things that were happening in King Hezekiah's reign; and finally, chapter 40 began a section of consolation and a reassurance of God's love.

I think when Jesus came, folks were pretty sure God was mad at them. They were under the direct oppression of a wicked (and frankly crazy) king who had no real heart for Israel - he served as a puppet under the even-more-oppressing Roman government. And apparently there had not been a fresh Word from God in nearly 400 years (talk about a "dry spell").

They needed comfort.

People today are no less in need of comfort.

Some time after 9-11-2001, someone produced an article about America returning to "comfort food". It seems that in troubled times, people quit watching carbs and fat grams and returned to the food grandma made - i.e. biscuits, streak-o-lean, and the like. Even today - in troubled times; people long for comfort.

That's where the message and the Spirit of Christmas can make a difference.

We will feel less un-comfortable when we step out of our comfort zones, if we bring the "tidings of comfort and joy" with us.