6 Sunday after Pentecost 7/8/07 Text: Isaiah 66:10-14 Title: Rejoice, rejoice I say, in the name of the Lord.
7/8/2007
6 Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Isaiah 66:10-14
Title: Rejoice, rejoice I say, in the name of the Lord
So that you can more fully understand the Old Testament reading for this morning I want to go back to the beginning of the chapter. It is there that we find out that the people of Israel had gotten to the point where they were only going through the motions of their religion. They were very religious. They did everything right. They defended the faith. They believed that God would be pleased with the temple, and faithfully following the religious rules of the time.
We quickly see that God was not pleased. We are told in verse two that he did not need any of those things, for he made them. That is something for us to remember when we think that God needs anything from us. What would he need from us?
In verse 3 he tells the people through Isaiah that because of their lack of love for him, the person that sacrificed oxen, in his eyes was the same as a person that killed another person.
He then goes on to say that as much as you think sacrificing a lamb was a good thing, the sacrifice was as repugnant to God as if they had sacrificed a dog, which at the time was considered to be an unclean animal, to God.
That sounds weird to us today, but when an animal was taken to the temple to be sacrificed, it was not always killed, for it could be bought back from the priests, so that the person bringing it could use the animal. If the animal was not bought back from the priests the neck of the animal was broken. That is why God is telling them that their sacrifice of a lamb is like breaking a dog’s neck.
Isaiah goes on to tell them what else God thinks of their sacrifices. In verse four he tells them that their offering of grain meant as much to God as if they had offered pig’s blood to God. That was bad, because a Jew would rather die than touch pig’s blood. Then he finishes up his condemnation of their religious practice by telling them that those who have made a memorial offering of frankincense to God, to him are the same as those who worship idols.
As you can see God was not pleased with their religious activities. You might be asking yourself the question, “Why, for they are following the laws given to Moses so long ago?” It does not seem fair. God gives you rules and then when you follow them he is angry.
The problem is that their hearts were not into what they were doing. Doing religion had become a work. It was just something that you had to do if you were going to be called a Jew.
You see God is not into form of worship. He is into the spiritual act of worship. He wants us to love him for who he is, that is a God who created us, sustains, and through Jesus Christ loves us.
Isaiah goes on to tell them that because of their bad behavior toward God that they are going to be punished. The time is coming when they will be punished.
It sounds bad doesn’t it? It is bad, for those who have not turned their lives over to God will feel his wrath. Those who love God, God is going to bless them like they have never been blessed before.
He is going to bring Jerusalem to her glory, a glory never known before. Now I am sure that the people thought Isaiah was talking about their beloved city, but he was not for he tells the people that this new Jerusalem will never see tough times for there is no reason to mourn for her, for she will be the salvation of all that love her. J
Jerusalem has seen tough times and it has been destroyed many times, so Isaiah can only be prophesying about the spiritual Jerusalem.
At this point we are at our text for today. It is a shame that English cannot really grasp the richness of the Hebrew text, for in these few verses we see a wonderful image of God and his church.
God is pictured as a mother who has given birth and delights in her child. The child representing those who still love God, but have gone through troubles because of the others, will come to its mother.
I want you to picture the mother of the child as she gathers the wailing baby into her arms, hold the baby close to her breast and letting him drink all he wants, for she has more milk than the child can consume.
What would be better than being able to be held and loved by the one who gave you birth, the one who would give up her life to give you food from her body.
An incredible picture, no doubt. A picture that should give us great joy, for we are that child, God is our mother and we are comforted by his Word and fed with his very body and blood. We are future citizens of this New Jerusalem.
What place this New Jerusalem is. Listen to what God says about her, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream.” What this means is that this peace he is talking about will be overflowing, peace, better than any thing you know, will be yours. The glory of the people in the city will be more than all the glory of all the nations of earth.
We see in this incredible bit of writing that we have even more to be joyful about for we see that this new Jerusalem that Isaiah is writing about is God’s Kingdom of which Jesus is the king.
While it is true that Jesus’ kingdom is here, it will be an even better kingdom, when at that time he comes back, he will establish his kingdom forever. When that happens there will be no more troubles, worries, or death.
Therefore, amongst the troubles and worries of life, we know that God will bring restoration to all believers in the New Jerusalem. Fear not, be glad, and rejoice greatly, for at that time he will extend peace to her like a river. This joy is now and forever.
The joy in the world’s way is now. It is living for the now, only. Joy in the world’s way comes from the sin of self as god and self-fulfillment. The future depends on man and technological advancements. Joy in the world’s way comes by doing your own thing to keep you and those around you happy.
Joy in the Word’s way is living the life of Christ for now and the future. Joy in the Word’s way gives peace and comfort. Those who love Jerusalem, love the Lord, have repented of their own sins, and live the life of Christ in the world under His grace (v. 10). Joy in the Word’s way comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. The future of the God’s chosen people depends on Christ the Lord, not man; hence, we rejoice in our joy, now.
The joy is now and forever. Joy in the future is now. The joy for Christians is now in the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Salvation, which brings peace, prosperity, and welfare to Zion (v. 12). Joy in the future is blessed expectation. Christians are comforted by the Lord God in the present, as a mother’s love for her offspring remains firm though out life and thus forms a natural comparison for the divine comfort that comes only from Yahweh in Christ Jesus.
Christians are comforted by the Lord God forever. Christians are given the assurance that all Christians will be blessed in the New Jerusalem. Now, we see dimly, but in the resurrection to eternal life we will clearly see the New Jerusalem prepared by Lord Jesus Christ for all believers (Rev.21:10).
Amidst the joy of living the life of Christ in the world, Christians
know that they are enabled to rejoice now, for what God in Christ has done and continues to do through the means of His grace. We know that we belong to the New Jerusalem now, but will not see its fulfillment until we are resurrected to live with our Creator and Redeemer, Christ the Lord. As the prophet Isaiah assures us, we have, in Christ, the peace that surpasses all understanding. This is joy now and forever. Amen.
6 Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Isaiah 66:10-14
Title: Rejoice, rejoice I say, in the name of the Lord
So that you can more fully understand the Old Testament reading for this morning I want to go back to the beginning of the chapter. It is there that we find out that the people of Israel had gotten to the point where they were only going through the motions of their religion. They were very religious. They did everything right. They defended the faith. They believed that God would be pleased with the temple, and faithfully following the religious rules of the time.
We quickly see that God was not pleased. We are told in verse two that he did not need any of those things, for he made them. That is something for us to remember when we think that God needs anything from us. What would he need from us?
In verse 3 he tells the people through Isaiah that because of their lack of love for him, the person that sacrificed oxen, in his eyes was the same as a person that killed another person.
He then goes on to say that as much as you think sacrificing a lamb was a good thing, the sacrifice was as repugnant to God as if they had sacrificed a dog, which at the time was considered to be an unclean animal, to God.
That sounds weird to us today, but when an animal was taken to the temple to be sacrificed, it was not always killed, for it could be bought back from the priests, so that the person bringing it could use the animal. If the animal was not bought back from the priests the neck of the animal was broken. That is why God is telling them that their sacrifice of a lamb is like breaking a dog’s neck.
Isaiah goes on to tell them what else God thinks of their sacrifices. In verse four he tells them that their offering of grain meant as much to God as if they had offered pig’s blood to God. That was bad, because a Jew would rather die than touch pig’s blood. Then he finishes up his condemnation of their religious practice by telling them that those who have made a memorial offering of frankincense to God, to him are the same as those who worship idols.
As you can see God was not pleased with their religious activities. You might be asking yourself the question, “Why, for they are following the laws given to Moses so long ago?” It does not seem fair. God gives you rules and then when you follow them he is angry.
The problem is that their hearts were not into what they were doing. Doing religion had become a work. It was just something that you had to do if you were going to be called a Jew.
You see God is not into form of worship. He is into the spiritual act of worship. He wants us to love him for who he is, that is a God who created us, sustains, and through Jesus Christ loves us.
Isaiah goes on to tell them that because of their bad behavior toward God that they are going to be punished. The time is coming when they will be punished.
It sounds bad doesn’t it? It is bad, for those who have not turned their lives over to God will feel his wrath. Those who love God, God is going to bless them like they have never been blessed before.
He is going to bring Jerusalem to her glory, a glory never known before. Now I am sure that the people thought Isaiah was talking about their beloved city, but he was not for he tells the people that this new Jerusalem will never see tough times for there is no reason to mourn for her, for she will be the salvation of all that love her. J
Jerusalem has seen tough times and it has been destroyed many times, so Isaiah can only be prophesying about the spiritual Jerusalem.
At this point we are at our text for today. It is a shame that English cannot really grasp the richness of the Hebrew text, for in these few verses we see a wonderful image of God and his church.
God is pictured as a mother who has given birth and delights in her child. The child representing those who still love God, but have gone through troubles because of the others, will come to its mother.
I want you to picture the mother of the child as she gathers the wailing baby into her arms, hold the baby close to her breast and letting him drink all he wants, for she has more milk than the child can consume.
What would be better than being able to be held and loved by the one who gave you birth, the one who would give up her life to give you food from her body.
An incredible picture, no doubt. A picture that should give us great joy, for we are that child, God is our mother and we are comforted by his Word and fed with his very body and blood. We are future citizens of this New Jerusalem.
What place this New Jerusalem is. Listen to what God says about her, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream.” What this means is that this peace he is talking about will be overflowing, peace, better than any thing you know, will be yours. The glory of the people in the city will be more than all the glory of all the nations of earth.
We see in this incredible bit of writing that we have even more to be joyful about for we see that this new Jerusalem that Isaiah is writing about is God’s Kingdom of which Jesus is the king.
While it is true that Jesus’ kingdom is here, it will be an even better kingdom, when at that time he comes back, he will establish his kingdom forever. When that happens there will be no more troubles, worries, or death.
Therefore, amongst the troubles and worries of life, we know that God will bring restoration to all believers in the New Jerusalem. Fear not, be glad, and rejoice greatly, for at that time he will extend peace to her like a river. This joy is now and forever.
The joy in the world’s way is now. It is living for the now, only. Joy in the world’s way comes from the sin of self as god and self-fulfillment. The future depends on man and technological advancements. Joy in the world’s way comes by doing your own thing to keep you and those around you happy.
Joy in the Word’s way is living the life of Christ for now and the future. Joy in the Word’s way gives peace and comfort. Those who love Jerusalem, love the Lord, have repented of their own sins, and live the life of Christ in the world under His grace (v. 10). Joy in the Word’s way comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. The future of the God’s chosen people depends on Christ the Lord, not man; hence, we rejoice in our joy, now.
The joy is now and forever. Joy in the future is now. The joy for Christians is now in the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Salvation, which brings peace, prosperity, and welfare to Zion (v. 12). Joy in the future is blessed expectation. Christians are comforted by the Lord God in the present, as a mother’s love for her offspring remains firm though out life and thus forms a natural comparison for the divine comfort that comes only from Yahweh in Christ Jesus.
Christians are comforted by the Lord God forever. Christians are given the assurance that all Christians will be blessed in the New Jerusalem. Now, we see dimly, but in the resurrection to eternal life we will clearly see the New Jerusalem prepared by Lord Jesus Christ for all believers (Rev.21:10).
Amidst the joy of living the life of Christ in the world, Christians
know that they are enabled to rejoice now, for what God in Christ has done and continues to do through the means of His grace. We know that we belong to the New Jerusalem now, but will not see its fulfillment until we are resurrected to live with our Creator and Redeemer, Christ the Lord. As the prophet Isaiah assures us, we have, in Christ, the peace that surpasses all understanding. This is joy now and forever. Amen.
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 7:35 PM
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