ISAIAH 11:1-10 | HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

ISAIAH 11:1-10

DECEMBER 4, 2016

IN THE FIRST CHURCH IN WHICH I SERVED AS PASTOR WE HAD A CUSTODIAN BY THE NAME OF JOE KELLEY.

JOE WAS RETIRED MILITARY – A SERGEANT IN THE U. S. ARMY.  HE HAD SERVED IN VIETNAM.  BEING A CUSTODIAN GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO KEEP HIM BUSY IN HIS LATER YEARS.

JOE WAS AN AMIABLE, HARD WORKING MAN, WHO WOULD DO PRACTICALLY ANYTHING YOU ASKED HIM TO DO; HE JUST DIDN’T LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO; TOO MANY YEARS IN THE ARMY, PERHAPS.

ANYWAY, ONE OF JOE’S ANNUAL CHORES WAS TO CUT BACK THE KUDZU GROWING AROUND THE CHURCH PROPERTY, AND IN PARTICULAR, WHERE IT GREW OVER THE FENCES TO THE PLAYGROUND OF OUR DAYCARE CENTER.

IF YOU ARE FROM THE SOUTH, KUDZU NEEDS NO EXPLANATION.  IF YOU’VE ONLY EVER DRIVEN THROUGH THE SOUTH, CHANCES ARE YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN IT, GROWING… EVERYWHERE!

IT IS A GREEN, LEAFY VINE, WITH A VORACIOUS APPETITE FOR COVERING THE GROUND, AND ANYWHERE ELSE IT CAN GROW, FENCES, TELEPHONE POLES AND WIRES, FIELDS AND BUILDINGS, WHEREVER IT IS, IT’LL JUST TAKE OVER;

AND IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KILL.  YOU CAN CUT IT BACK; YOU CAN SPRAY IT WITH WEED KILLER; ONE COMMUNITY IN CHATTANOOGA, WHERE MY FIRST CHURCH WAS, EVEN BROUGHT IN GOATS TO TRY TO EAT IT AWAY.

THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY STEMS THE TIDE, AND EVEN THEN, ONLY FOR A SEASON, IS COLD TEMPERATURES, WHICH WILL KILL IT BACK UNTIL THE FOLLOWING SPRING AND SUMMER WHEN IT GROWS BACK WITH EVEN GREATER VORACITY;

AND YOU CAN’T JUST WAIT FOR WINTER TO COME, IT WOULD TAKE OVER THE WORLD IF YOU DID THAT!

WELL OLD JOE HAD GROWN TIRED OF TRYING TO KEEP ALL THE KUDZU CUT BACK, SO HE BEGAN TO SPRAY IT WITH ROUNDUP, WHICH WAS ONLY MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE.

THEN ONE DAY, WHILE I WAS WORKING IN MY OFFICE, I NOTICE WHAT SMELLED LIKE AN 18-WHEELER IDLING OUTSIDE – THE SMELL OF DIESEL OIL WAS SO STRONG IT NEARLY RAN US OUT OF THE BUILDING.

WHEN I WENT OUT TO INVESTIGATE I FOUND THAT JOE WAS SPRAYING THE KUDZU WITH A MIXTURE OF DIESEL OIL AND ROUNDUP – SOMEONE HAD TOLD HIM THE DIESEL WOULD HELP IT STICK TO THE LEAVES BETTER AND KILL IT OUT FASTER.

IT WAS PRETTY ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSOUND, PROBABLY ILLEGAL, NOT TO MENTION THAT IT WASN’T REAL GREAT FOR THE KIDS IN THE DAYCARE, AND AS FAR AS I REMEMBER, IT DIDN’T REALLY MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE IN HOW WELL IT DID IN KILLING OFF THE KUDZU.

NOW THAT’S HARDLY “A SHOOT SHALL COME FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE” OF WHICH THE PROPHET ISAIAH IS PROPHESYING – BUT IT’S THE SAME IDEA.

OUT OF THE LINE OF JESSE – THAT IS, THE FATHER OF KING DAVID, WILL COME ONE WHO WILL RULE THE WORLD – THAT WOULD BE CHRIST JESUS – AND WHILE I’M NOT SURE ISAIAH MEANT IT EXACTLY THIS WAY – A POINT CAN BE MADE: AND NOTHING CAN KILL “THE SHOOT;” IT SPRINGS UP ETERNALLY!

WE’LL GET BACK TO THAT THOUGHT IN A MOMENT, BUT WHAT ISAIAH IS SAYING IS THAT A MIGHTY KING, LIKE KING DAVID, ONLY BETTER, IS COMING, AND HE WILL BE GREAT; AND HE WILL BE A GODLY MAN.

JUST LISTEN TO WHAT ISAIAH SAYS HE WILL BE LIKE:

• THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL BE UPON HIM;
• A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING;
• A SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND MIGHT;
• AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD WILL BE IN HIM.

BY THE WAY, FEAR HERE, IS NOT FEAR IN THE SENSE OF BEING AFRAID, OF BEING SCARED OF GOD, BUT FEAR IN THE SENSE OF AWE; WONDER; RESPECT.

THINK ABOUT THE AWE, WONDER, AND RESPECT WE HAVE FOR SAY, THE OCEAN, WHEN WERE HEADED OUT ON IT; OR FOR A MOUNTAIN WHEN HIKING IN THE WINTER;

NOW MULTIPLY IT A HUNDRED TIMES AND YOU GET THE SENSE OF FEAR, AWE, WONDER, ETC. THAT THIS MAN, AND WE, ARE TO HAVE FOR GOD ALMIGHTY.

BUT THE PROPHET ISAIAH NOT ONLY SAYS WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WILL GIVE THIS MAN, THESE VARIOUS SPIRITS – WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, COUNSEL AND MIGHT;

BUT THAT THIS MAN, GOD’S MAN, WILL USE THESE THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD:

• HIS DELIGHT WILL BE IN WHAT HE HEARS;
• WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE WILL JUDGE THE POOR (AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ELSE, INCLUDING THE WICKED, WHO, ISAIAH SAYS, WILL GET THEIRS);
• RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE HIS BELT; FAITHFULNESS WILL GIRD HIS LOINS;

BUT HERE’S THE EXCITING PART – AT LEAST FOR YOU AND ME – BECAUSE OF HIM; BECAUSE OF THIS MAN WHO WILL RULE, JUDGE, FORGIVE, AND SAVE THE WORLD; THE WHOLE WORLD WILL CHANGE!

OR AT LEAST IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE…

IT’S WHAT’S CALLED “THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM.”  WE PROBABLY KNOW IT BEST FROM CHRISTMAS CARDS WE’VE SENT AND RECEIVED; YOU KNOW THE ONES I’M TALKING ABOUT:

WHERE THE WOLF IS LYING DOWN WITH THE LAMB; OR THE LEOPARD AND THE KID ARE TOGETHER; A COW AND A BEAR NUZZLING EACH OTHER; MAYBE A LION AND AN OX GRAZING SIDE BY SIDE.  SOMETIMES THE PICTURE IS EVEN PORTRAYED IN THE STABLE OF JESUS’ BIRTH.

I’VE NEVER SEEN IT PICTURED, ESPECIALLY ON A CHRISTMAS CARD, BUT IF WE WANTED THE PICTURE TO BE COMPLETE, IT WOULD INCLUDE THE PORTRAYAL OF A SMALL CHILD PLAYING AROUND A SNAKE HOLE – MAYBE A COUPLE OF SNAKES SLITHERING OUT AND AROUND AND THROUGH HIS HANDS, YET, PLAYING PEACEFULLY.

THE IMAGES ARE ONES TO BE CONJURED – MORTAL ENEMIES SIDE BY SIDE, WITHOUT FEAR OF EACH OTHER, FOR AS ISAIAH SAYS IT:

“THEY WILL NOT HURT OR DESTROY ON ALL MY HOLY MOUNTAIN; FOR THE EARTH, WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.”

AND PERHAPS, THEREIN LIES OUR PROBLEM; AND THE ANSWER AS TO WHY THE COMING OF CHRIST DIDN’T CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER; FOR EVER;

WHY THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM HAS NEVER QUITE BEEN USHERED IN;

BECAUSE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD HAS NEVER TRULY FILLED THE EARTH AS ISAIAH HAD HOPED; AS CHRIST, HAD HOPED; AS WE HAVE HOPED AS BELIEVERS.

IT WOULD BE EASY, OF COURSE, TO SAY THAT ISAIAH SIMPLY MEANT THIS PROPHECY FOR LATER TIME; FOR THE END OF THE WORLD; FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST, A SECOND TIME;

OR MAYBE IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IN HEAVEN; MAYBE ISAIAH IS WRITING ABOUT HEAVEN AND NOT EARTH HERE.

ONLY, ISAIAH PROBABLY DID MEAN IT ABOUT EARTH; AND HE LIKELY MEANT IT FOR HIS OWN TIME; AS MUCH AS, PERHAPS EVEN MORE THAN, FOR THE TIME OF CHRIST; OR FOR OUR TIME.

SO, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE OF THIS?

IS IT JUST NOT YET THE TIME FOR THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM?  IS GOD WAITING TO FULFILL THIS AT THE END OF TIME?  IS IT ONLY IN HEAVEN THAT IT EXISTS?

OR IS IT SOMEONE’S FAULT?  THE FAULT OF NON-BELIEVERS – IS THAT THE REASON THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD HAS NOT FILLED THE EARTH – AND WHY, THEREFORE, THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM HAS NOT YET COME?

THAT WOULD BE CONVENIENT, THAT IT’S SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, I KNOW PLENTY OF CHRISTIANS, MYSELF INCLUDED, FIRM BELIEVERS IN GOD; FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST; WHO STILL AREN’T FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AS WE SHOULD BE; WHO STILL DON’T ALWAYS DO AS GOD WOULD HAVE US DO.

IT’S LIKE THE OLD PREACHER WHO HAD THE ODDEST WAY OF POINTING AT PEOPLE;

WHENEVER HE POINTED AT HIS CONGREGATION IN AN ACCUSATORY WAY; ANY TIME HE POINTED THE FINGER OF GUILT AT THEM; ANY TIME HE CHALLENGED PEOPLE POINTEDLY – WITH HIS FINGER POINTED DIRECTLY AT THEM – HIS HAND WAS TURNED IN THE MOST AWKWARD OF FASHIONS.

WHEN SOMEONE ASKED HIM WHY HIS HAND WAS SO CONTORTED WHENEVER POINTING AT OTHERS, HE SAID: “OH, THAT’S BECAUSE I’VE GOT ONE FINGER POINTING AT “THEM” AND FOUR FINGERS POINTING BACK AT ME.

HE KNEW – HE KNEW HE WAS EVERY BIT AS BAD, AS GUILTY, AS CULPABLE, MAYBE MORE SO, THAN THE ONES AT WHOM HE WAS POINTING.

SO, IF WE ARE GOING TO POINT THE FINGER AT ANYONE, AT ANY GROUP OF SOMEONE’S, AND BLAME THEM FOR THE FACT THAT GOD’S PEACEABLE KINGDOM HAS NOT COME ON EARTH, JUST REMEMBER, THERE ARE FOUR FINGERS POINTING BACK AT US!

SO, WHAT’S ALL THIS MEAN FOR US ON THIS SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT; ON THIS COMMUNION SUNDAY IN ADVENT?

JUST THIS – IT ALL GOES BACK TO THAT SHOOT COMING OUT OF THE STUMP OF JESSE; THE BRANCH THAT GROWS OUT OF HIS ROOTS.

OUR HOPE IS NOT IN OURSELVES; IT DOES NOT REST WITH SOMEONE, WITH THE SOMEONE’S OF THE WORLD, WITH ANYONE IN THIS WORLD;

OUR HOPE; OUR TRUE HOPE; OUR ONLY HOPE; IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.

IF “GOD’S KINGDOM IS TO COME;” IF “GOD’S WILL IS TO BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN;” AS WE SAY IN THE APOSTLES’ CREED; AS WE PRAY, IF YOU WILL, IN THE APOSTLES’ CREED;

IT WILL COME, IT WILL BE DONE, ONLY INSOFAR AS IT IS CHRIST JESUS WHO DOES IT.

SO, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE MEANTIME?  WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THE “PEACEABLE KINGDOM” MAY NEVER COME FOR US THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN?

BECAUSE THE FACT IS, WE ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO GO TO BE WITH CHRIST, LONG BEFORE HE EVER COMES BACK TO GET US!  IT’S BEEN THAT WAY FOR 2016 YEARS NOW.

DO WE GIVE UP?  DO WE LOSE HOPE?  DO WE GIVE INTO DESPAIR?  DO WE FOLD?  DO WE THROW IN THE TOWEL?  WAVE THE WHITE FLAG OF SURRENDER?  QUIT PRAYING?  QUIT BELIEVING?  QUIT WORKING AND SERVING?

OR DO WE SPRING UP ETERNAL?  LIKE THE SHOOT OUT OF JESSE; LIKE THE BRANCH GROWING OUT FROM HIS ROOTS?  LIKE KUDZU COMING BACK IN THE SPRING!

LIKE CHRIST, CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED; RISING ON THE THIRD DAY; ASCENDING INTO HEAVEN; SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY.

HOW PERFECT AN IMAGE IS THAT FOR US?

(I MENTIONED LAST WEEK) HOW MANY OF THE CHRISTMAS HYMNS, THE CAROLS WE SING IN CHURCH, ARE NOT JUST ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS, BUT ABOUT HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION;

HIS TAKING AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD; HIS SALVATION OF OUR SOULS;

THEY AREN’T JUST SWEET LITTLE TUNES ABOUT THE BIRTH OF BABY JESUS; THEY ARE THEOLOGICAL TREATISES ON THE SAVING OF THE WORLD.  REALLY LISTEN TO THEM AS YOU SING THEM THIS YEAR.

FOR INSTANCE, LISTEN TO THESE WORDS FROM THE THIRD VERSE OF THE CHRISTMAS CAROL, O COME, O COME EMMANUEL:

O COME, DESIRE OF NATIONS, BIND ALL PEOPLES IN ONE HEART AND MIND;

BID ENVY, STRIFE, AND DISCORD CEASE;

FILL THE WHOLE WORLD WITH HEAVEN’S PEACE.

REJOICE! REJOICE! EMMANUEL, SHALL COME TO THEE, O ISRAEL.

OUR OBSERVANCE OF HOLY COMMUNION, OUR CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, IS NOT MEANT SIMPLY TO POINT BACK TO WHAT CHRIST DID;

TO HIS DYING ON THE CROSS; TO HIS DYING FOR OUR SINS; NOT EVEN TO HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, AND HIS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN;

NO, IT’S MEANT TO POINT FORWARD AS WELL (AGAIN WITH THE POINTING IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT ONCE!); IT’S MEANT TO POINT TO THE HERE AND NOW; TO THIS DAY AND AGE; TO OUR LIVES LIVED IN FAITH, AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD;

AS WELL AS POINTING US FORWARD TO OUR OWN CELEBRATION OF THE HEAVENLY BANQUET ONE DAY; IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST, WITH THOSE WHOM WE LOVE, AND WHO HAVE LOVED US, SEATED AROUND THE TABLE.

OUR COMMUNION HERE – A REHEARSAL OF THE HEAVENLY FEAST TO COME.

BUT, AS SOMEONE HAS SUGGESTED – PERHAPS IT’S NOT JUST THOSE WE LOVE, AND WHO HAVE LOVED US, WHO WILL BE GATHERED AT THAT TABLE.

NO, AS THEY HAVE PICTURED IT, THE ONE ON OUR RIGHT WILL BE THE PERSON WHOM WE MOST NEEDED TO FORGIVE IN THIS LIFE; AND ON OUR LEFT, THE PERSON FROM WHOM WE MOST NEEDED FORGIVENESS.

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB; THE LEOPARD AND THE KID; THE BEAR AND THE COW; THE LION AND THE OX; THE CHILD AND THE SNAKE; ALL SEATED AT THE TABLE; ALL OF US AT THE TABLE TOGETHER WITH THE RISEN CHRIST AS HOST.

“ON MY HOLY MOUNTAIN, THEY WILL NOT HURT OR DESTROY; FOR THE EARTH, WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.”

IF ONLY THINGS ON EARTH COULD BE LIKE THEY ARE IN HEAVEN; IF ONLY WHAT WAS DONE ON EARTH, WAS WHAT IS DONE IN HEAVEN; THAT WOULD BE A PEACEABLE KINGDOM!

THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE!  IT SPRINGS ETERNAL!  IT SPRINGS FORTH FROM CHRIST – THE SHOOT FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE; THE TRUE VINE THAT WILL NEVER DIE!