Our Isaiah reading today is one very familiar to us all: Isaiah 61:1-4 and 8-11
61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;
As Christians who are waiting to celebrate Christ’s arrival as a baby in a manger 2000+ years ago and as people waiting to experience Jesus’ return any day now; he has called each of us, as God anointed Isaiah, to share the Gospel of Salvation with the oppressed. Do you know what this means?
This means that to any of us who are having difficult times we are to share the Good News that when Jesus comes back, any day now, all the bad stuff will end, everything will be okay AND this means that since he came in a manger 2000+ years ago we can help each other through the difficult times because Jesus is with us to do just that.
We can comfort one another when our hearts are heavy; we can comfort each other when we are trapped; we can share the good news of release from prison bars, from addiction, from abuse – we can share the good news of release from it all when Christ returns at the eschaton and we can share the good news that Jesus will walk with us until then.
61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
Jesus will comfort us now in our mourning and we are to comfort each other now as life is sometimes very difficult. Some of this comfort is honestly in the fact that Jesus is coming back and then everything will be okay. This verse speaks of the day of vengeance for our Lord. The days of economic systems that see one person fly to the moon as a tourist, another own houses around the world, while people are starving to death, will end with a vengeance. Political systems that see people ruling based on popularity contests and encouraging us to the sin of the book of Judges where we each do what is right in our own eyes will end with a vengeance. Political systems that see us spend billions and trillions of dollars on killing people when just a fraction of those resources can clothe and shelter everyone in the whole world, will end with a vengeance.Justice systems that see people of certain races or income levels incarcerated in place of the rich and the privileged who walk free, will end with a vengeance. All the corruption and injustice inherent to the socio-political-economic systems in our nation and our world will come to an end.
61:3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.
Stay strong my friends. Our troubles here and now will be replaced with garlands and gladness in the future as we continue to serve to Lord and experience his righteousness
61:4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
We have applied this verse to our neighbourhood. This neighbourhood is actually a real life object lesson for us. Just as the old buildings here have come down (some of which we love because of the memories they hold) so the ruins of our societies that are now walking away from God shall be torn down and built anew as the whole world will be rebuilt, restored and renewed.
61:8-11 For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
When the heavens open up and Jesus returns with the New Jerusalem, there will be no more wrong-doing on the whole earth. The Covenant of Salvation will be celebrated forever. We citizens of heaven living in the earth made anew will be filled with the Lord’s righteousness. Instead of being covered with the troubles, sadness, hardship, difficulties, and sorrow of this world today; when the Lord returns we will rejoice in the Lord for he will clothe us in his garments of salvation, his robe of righteousness, and his love forever more.
This is the Good News of Salvation and this is what we celebrate and we anticipate in advent: the coming of Jesus in a manager and his return, any day now, as Saviour when all the wrongs in the world will be set right and all the hate will be replaced by love and death shall be overcome by life instead of the other way around. This is what Christmas is all about: Emmanuel, Christ with us and the Salvation of the whole world for evermore.
Let us pray
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Presented first to 614 Warehouse Mission in Toronto a.m. service on the third Sunday of Advent, 17 December 2017 by Captain Michael Ramsay.
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