Sermon for December 11

^{The reading and message}

Today’s reading was the first reading I ever did at Church.  I was in 4^th grade and the church was getting ready for the annual Christmas program.  All of the parts in the Christmas play were given out, the angels, shepherds, wise men, Joseph, Mary, the sheep and donkey.  I wasn’t assigned to any of them. Then one of the teachers took me aside and said “you are going to do the second reading (which was parts of Isaiah 61 rearranged and read like a psalm (I would read a part and the church would respond “Come Lord of light”.  I remember being very nervous that night (it was a large Roman Catholic church and there were well over 1000 people at the service).  

I was not sure if anyone could hear me or if I was reading well. After I read the first verse, I heard the church say their part “Come Lord of light”.  At that point, I felt better, I knew people could hear and understood me. We need more of that in church and in our faith lives, a chance to tell each other, I hear you and I understand.   I still carry the sheet of paper that I read from that night with me.  It has served as a reminder of the importance there is in empowering, trusting and listening to young people.   We need more of that in church too.  I have not heard from the people involved in that service in a long time (20 years or more).  I know my teacher had passed away about 10 years ago but I am not sure where anyone else is (or honestly at this point who they were).  None of them have any idea that night mattered to me, that I still have that piece of paper with parts of Isaiah 61 written on it with me or that I am now a Lutheran pastor.  As God’s people, we are called to help, teach and care for others.  Often we will not see the results of this work, but it’s there.  

This is the first time I have had a chance to read and preach on Isaiah 61 since that Christmas Eve.   I divided the reading in 4 sections. I am going to read each one and then share a reflection on it before going to the next section.   Isaiah shared this prophesy at a very difficult and lonely time. It was after the destruction of the temple in Jersualem by the Babylonians and the exile of the people of Israel from the land God promised them.

Isaiah 61:1-4

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 brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,

    and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

    and the day of vengeance of our God;  to comfort all who mourn;

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.

The section is the job description of a prophet (and for all people of faith). It starts with the simple, obvious but extremely important and often overlooked fact that we do not do this work alone. God is with us.  Nothing about living out our faith in the world revolves around our great ideas, skills, practice or creativity.  Those things are important but we do because God anoints, appoints and loves us.  Knowing that, we go to share God’s good news with all people, especially the ones who are sick, stuck, anxious, scared, forgotten or just do not want to hear it.

Isaiah 61: 5-7

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.

Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,

 foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;

but you shall be called priests of the Lord,  you shall be named ministers of our God;

you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory.

Because their shame was double, and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,

therefore they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs.

This section is a promise that God’s people will be supported and helped.  Things have been terrible, they will be restored.  This is no prosperity gospel though.  This is not the idea that if you donate $1000 to church, God will reward you with $10,000 and a brand new car.  This is not a magic way to make God give you stuff. This is not some false promise if you accept God and give generously, you will be rewarded.  This is something else, something better. This is God’s grace, God’s promise to restore and rebuild. It does not depend on us, it depends on God’s love.  

Isaiah 61: 8-9                                                                                                   

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, their offspring among the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.

This is a restatement of the promises made to Abraham all those years ago.  The people had forgotten these words, dismissed them as fairy tales people tell to make others feel better,  or simply thought God would no longer keep those promises.  Isaiah reassures them that God’s word is still good.  Once we know these things, what can we do but celebrate.  The reading ends with a psalm of praise

Isaiah 61:10-11

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my whole being shall exult in my God;

for God has clothed me with the garments of salvation

 God 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.