Messiah Has Come: To Fill Our Deepest Longings
Isaiah 11:1-10
All Advent Season, as I have thought about what Advent means, I’ve remembered CS Lewis’ words:
The Christian believes creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water… If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing… I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country… I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same.
CS Lewis, Mere Christianity
Longing is a big part of what Advent is all about. I know that Pastor Jeff said last week that Advent is about
waiting – and it is. But, those things that we wait for with greatest anticipation are usually those things that we
long for. We all have countless smaller longings – though I don’t want to minimize their importance. I am
longing right now for our children and grandchildren to get here for Christmas. I’m longing for this afternoon’s
Christmas concert. For years, I longed to be able to return to my calling as a pastor.
But Advent is about a much bigger longing, a longing for the ultimate things in this world. Advent is mostly about a longing most of us have inside. It’s for all the wrongs of this world to be made right. And God has said that someday he will right all wrongs. No place speaks about this more directly and beautifully than Isaiah 11.
A Brief Review to Set the Stage
Isaiah lived over 700 years before Jesus was born. Most of the prophecies about the coming of the Messiah that we sing about in our Christmas songs come from Isaiah. At the time that Isaiah lived, the Jewish people were divided into two nations, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. 
The big superpower threatening both was Assyria, a nation with an egocentric dictator committed to taking over the Middle East with a military plan that sent him right through Israel and Judah. Isaiah was called to be a prophet at a very young age -- just 18 years before the northern nation, Israel, was overrun. And, if you remember my message from Isaiah 6, God told Isaiah that Judah also would be defeated and would be left as dead as a forest only with stumps. And it happened -- over a century later -- just as God had promised.
But Isaiah consistently lets us know that God had a plan and would someday rescue his people. In fact, in ch.10, Isaiah foresaw that Assyria would also be judged and left like a forest of stumps. In 10:25, God declared through Isaiah that a day would come when judgment of God’s people would cease. God promised to send someone rescue his people. That brings us to today’s prophecy, found in 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” That brings us to today’s message.
#1: What (or Whom) It’s All About – A shoot… from the stump of Jesse
Jesse was King David’s Father. David, the man God said “was after My own heart”, was promised that the great Rescuer, the Messiah would come through his family line. So, throughout the history of the church, all Christians have been convinced that this prophecy of a “shoot” coming up out of the stump of Jesse is pointing to Jesus. At the same time, Isaiah, throughout his life as a prophet, had used a lot of different metaphors to talk about how God would step into this world to rescue his people.
Here’s the point I want you to grasp today: I believe that all Isaiah’s prophecies that talk about God saving his people are about Jesus. “Like which ones?” you might ask? Here are just a few:
· Isaiah 6:13 – The Holy Seed -- Tells us that God would judge his people but that there would be a stump left because it had the holy seed in it. That’s referring to the “seed” promised in David’s line who would come to save the world. The Savior was to come through the Jewish people. That seed would not be wiped out – indeed, could not be wiped out -- or God’s promises would not come true. Is 6:13 is talking about Jesus, the one born through David’s line.
· Isaiah 7:14 – The Immanuel Child – Judah’s weak King Ahaz was afraid of being destroyed by Assyria so was trying to make all sorts of political and military alliances. God’s said, “Ask for any kind of sign and I’ll prove to you that I’ll be with you and you need nothing more.” Ahaz had already made up his mind and refused to ask for any kind of sign -- so God said he would personally give a sign, i.e., a child would be born who would prove God is with his people. In the short run, God provided that kind of sign-child for the disbelieving king, but, ultimately, God was speaking about something much bigger. Centuries later, an angel said there would be a child born through a virgin who truly would be God with us -- and would save the world from their sins! It’s talking about Jesus, the one who is God in flesh!
· Isaiah 9:6-7 – The Child Who Rules -- Pastor Jeff preached about this last weekend. Again, Isaiah speaks of a child being born who will have the governing of all things on his shoulder. His rule will have no limitation and no end and will result in peace in all creation. This child will be on the throne of David. The prophecy is about Jesus, the one who has come to bring the kingdom of God into this world.
· Isaiah 52-53 – The Suffering Servant -- Isaiah foresees a person who will come into the world and will be pierced for our transgressions. His wounds will bring forgiveness and healing. Is this the same person as the one who has been born to rule the world? Yes, it’s also a prophecy pointing to Jesus.
· Isaiah 61:1-3 – The Good News Bringer – God tells Isaiah about one who will embody the Spirit of the Lord and will bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, set prisoners free and bring beauty out of ashes. To whom was this prophecy pointing? Jesus himself said in Lk 4, “Today, this prophecy is fulfilled in me!” It’s what Jesus affirmed in John 5:39-30, “The Scriptures all point to me!” Isaiah’s prophecies are all about Jesus.
There are a thousand things I want to say to you about all this – but I’ll discipline myself to say only one: I want the main thing that our church is about is that Jesus is at the heart of everything we do. You may know that many people in America, especially younger adults, look with suspicion at “organized religion”, particularly larger churches like ours – feeling that we’re just into growing big and wielding power and putting on shows. I want LAC to do all the things we do well – music, children and students’ ministries etc. But, mostly, I want people to say, “Whatever else they are at that church, they really seem to be serious about Jesus. They talk about him. They want to become like him. They want to live like he did.”
So, I want that to be the main thing that you are personally known for too – that you may do a lot of things but the main thing that people see in you is that you follow Jesus. So, you may be a great teacher or business person or student. That’s good – but what is underneath it all? What motivates you and becomes the main basis for any decision you make or priority you set? I pray it will be 1) to give witness to Jesus as Isaiah did, 2) to become more conformed to the image of Jesus personally and 3) to show the ways of Jesus to the world by how you live – seeking what is just, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. That’s what I’m praying will happen in you and in our church. Like Isaiah – I want all we do to point our world to Jesus.
#2: What Jesus Is Like
Is 11 doesn’t tell us everything about Jesus that we might want to know, but what it tells us is significant. If you want to follow Jesus and represent him well, each characteristic Isaiah mentions is indispensable:
· Jesus, shows you what God is like -- The Spirit of the Lord rests on him… (11:2). – God the Father is characterized by understanding and wisdom -- and so is Jesus. Like God the Father, Jesus has both knowledge (i.e., he knows what to do) and might (he is able to do it). The impact of Jesus’ life still baffles people. He did not do what any marketer or strategic planner would advise. He stayed almost all of his life in one small town. He invested his life in little known people. And, he intentionally decided to end his life by being executed in disgrace. Who would do such things? Jesus. And, now we are here today worshipping him. When you see Jesus, you see what God is like for Jesus is God. And you and I are called to imitate him – to live lives shaped by his life and empowered by his Spirit.
· Jesus shows no partiality based on external things -- He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears (11:3). We are, by nature, people who judge others based on external matters – like how people dress, what color the skin is, or how successful the person may be. One thing you see quickly when you see the life of Jesus was that he did not judge people on such things. He entered into anyone’s life and offered a new way of life, a new community of faith and a new future. And, he not only entered into the lives of those Isaiah called the meek of the earth, but he identified with them. Jesus was intent on dealing with the effects of sin in this world so that all people might experience justice. As I often say to you, one of the first – and one of the surest – signs that you are truly following Jesus is that you see people differently. All are made in God’s image. Jesus died for all so all can become new creations through faith in Jesus. As a church, we must be committed to being a place that welcomes and respects people as Jesus did.
· Jesus deals with people with justice and calls us to do the same. As Isaiah prophesied in v.4: With justice he gives decisions for the poor of the earth…
In Is 11, Isiah prophesies that Jesus will use his power particularly to make things right for the downtrodden in our world. And he calls us to follow him in this. Jesus quotes Isaiah’s words in John 7:24 commanding us, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” In other words, Jesus takes a prophecy spoken about the kind of person he would be and applies it to the kind of persons we should be. We too should enter into the needs and deal with them as brothers and sisters – not as strangers or enemies.
· Jesus not only knows what is right; he does what is right -- Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist (11:5). Isn’t this what we long for from our leaders – that they will both know what God says is good and then be committed to doing what is good? Being the same on the inside as on the outside – what they say with their words is what they believe in their hearts.
All this is to say that when Jesus calls us, he calls us to follow him and become like him. God is calling us, by the shoot of Jesse, to be people of radical truthfulness and righteousness. The shoot of Jesse calls us to be people of unimpeachable integrity.
#3: What Jesus Will Do -- In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a signal for all peoples; the nations will rally to him, and the rest he brings about will be glorious (11:10).
That word “signal” means a sound, a banner or flag that draws all people in. Most of us have experienced this sort of thing at some time. Those who have ever gone to a major event with a group of friends, like a game at the Rose Bowl with its 92,542 seats, before we go to our separate seats, we all agree that we’ll meet over by the entrance at Gate A on the south side. The leader says, “I’ll be the one waving a blue and gold banner.”
Jesus personally told us that, when we follow him, he will not allow us to get lost. People who trust in him from all history and from everywhere in the world will come together when God’s work is complete. Jesus said in Jn 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” From those words, it is Jesus’ death on the cross that makes it possible for all people, regardless of our sin and failure, to come to God. It is the power that raised Jesus from the grave that empowers a new life and new future. And, it is the return of Jesus that will be the time of all God’s people together meeting the Lord.
Is 11:6-9 describe what the world will be like when Jesus finishes his work and returns. Those verses are all about what is broken being brought back together. Isaiah gives us nine beautiful statements of all things being restored – the wolf living with the lamb, the cow and bear grazing peacefully side-by-side in a field, and even the child playing right by the hole of a cobra. Can you imagine it? A Mom will place her small child next to a cobra and say, “I’ll be back in a little while. Have a good time together, you two!” And it all is summarized in v.9: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
The world is not like that now, is it? But, God’s Word declares, that someday it will be. God will make all things right. We will discover that our Christian family members and friends who have died physically have not been annihilated but have been in a place the Bible says is “better by far”. Wars shall cease. Disease will be eradicated. God will wipe all tears from our eyes.
At Advent season, we often focus on those who were waiting for the coming of a Messiah to save people. Let me tell you that Messiah has already come! But we are still waiting. For us, Advent is about us still longing for Jesus to complete his work. And, just as Isaiah prophesied the first coming of Messiah, he also foresaw the completion of Messiah’s work. And we’re still waiting and longing for that. In Acts 1:10-11, when two men in white saw the earliest Christians watching Jesus ascending into heaven, they said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” And, the Apostle John spoke God’s promise to us. He said in Revelation 21:4-5: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”
Advent, for us, is not just remembering what people in the past waited for and longed for, i.e., the first coming of Jesus. It is about us longing for the second coming of Jesus – the time when every broken relationship will be healed. Every time you feel that things in this world are broken, you long for Jesus to come and make things right. And, you make sure your faith is in Jesus and you make sure you are ready to meet him. Is your faith in him? Are you ready to meet him?
Yesterday, I did the memorial service for a little child who died as an infant. I and the family long for the day when no harm will come to anyone in our world. I am a personal witness to the fact that, when you lose a loved one prematurely, the feeling that permeates your entire being is a longing for wrongs like death to me righted. This is where Advent’s message becomes real and personal. Do you believe that death has been defeated? Do you believe that all who are in Christ will be resurrected? Do you believe that, when his work is done, he will return and he will be the signal calling us all together as those who have been redeemed through the blood of the lamb and have been made new?
Jesus calls you to live each day in light of his promise to return to make all things right. He will come again. His followers are never without hope.
Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer knew about this as he sought to live for Christ and guide his church people through the atrocities of Nazi Germany. He believed that, someday, “the wrong shall fail, the right prevail” and result in peace on earth. So, with the evils arising all around him, on Christmas day, he preached in one of his famous Christmas Sermons, “Through all the Advents of our life, we shall wait and look forward with longing for that day of the Lord when God says, “I am making everything new!”