Jesus Rejoices in the Hope of a Peaceful Kingdom

Good Morning Friends,

Today we look at a great mystery of why Jesus came as a child. Today we explore the incarnational reality in which we are to share. Today even though many face oppression we have reason to sing because even Jesus Rejoices in the Hope of a Peaceful Kingdom.

Scripture: ²For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering^* and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces^* he was despised, and we held him of no account.⁴ Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.

Isaiah 53:2-5 (NRSV)

Thanksgiving and Praise 12You will say on that day: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me.² Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God ^* is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴And you will say on that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.⁵ Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known^* in all the earth. ⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal^* Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 12:1-6 (NRSV)

21At that same hour Jesus^* rejoiced in the Holy Spirit^* and said, ‘I thank^* you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.^*
22All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ 23Then turning to the disciples, Jesus^* said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! ²⁴For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Luke 10:21-24 (NRSV)

⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

Luke 1:41 (NRSV)

Message: Isaiah wrote today’s scripture reading 700 years before Christ was born with great precision as to what would happen to Jesus when He came to earth to save mankind. It foretells how God was to take a nothing child known as the son of a carpenter and his peasant wife, known as a child cradled in a manger, known as a man hung on the cross and hopefully known to you as the Savior of the world. This young plant, this sprout from the stump of Jesse and King David was to be rejected even before He was born. Yet he was to be recognized with joy and hope even by a child in the womb. There is a lot of pain associated with the story, but also joy and hope. Maybe that is why was Isaiah was so happy. Maybe that is why oppressed people sing and not just cry out in lament. Maybe it is why we too should we be joyous. Greater understanding of this may be found in Isaiah 11….the prophecy of a sprout out of the stump of Jesse… a promise of a time of justice… a time of grace…the hope of a new King who would excel in our every lack.  Here the scripture tells of God returning to lead and redeem His people. Maybe that is why people are singing in chapter 12. Maybe that is why we all have a reason to drink deep the water of life…to satisfy our parched throat and sing the Word with joy in the hope of a peaceful kingdom to come. Maybe that is why we are drawn to new life.

Pray that we draw hope from the wells of salvation constantly and thankfully.  Pray that we drink deep of that refreshing water, rejoicing in the promise of peace…the water of life that wells up in us when we do His will. Pray we sing the song of hope we have been given to help others who know the joy of Jesus. Pray we experience the hope of the Father revealed through the Son.
Pray this Advent season, that Jesus brings us nearer to his mystery and the way of humility. Pray the Lord give us the meekness of a sprout in the hope of grace. Pray we experience the gift of a new day and a new life.

Blessings,

John Lawson