Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Scripture Lesson just read, from Isaiah 61. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- The season of Advent – which means “coming, or arrival” – centers in the first coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Advent leads into Christmas. A secondary focus is on the return of Jesus in glory, which He promised. His next coming will end this present age and usher in the true “new age,” a new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness.
- What Isaiah announced, proclaimed, and placed into writing is actually prophecy of the coming of Jesus. You remember that when Jesus was in the synagogue in Nazareth, He read this text from Isaiah. Then He said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
- So our text is about the Advent or coming of Jesus! It is all about God’s mission to undo mankind’s fall into sin, His plan of salvation!
- It is natural for us to think that if God is going to be addressing mankind’s sin, and our own sin, that there would be a great deal of negativity and painful admonition in store for us. But this is not what we find out – not in the Old Testament times, and not in these times of the New Testament Church. Rather we learn that God’s Mission and His great desire is to bring hope and joy!
- For it is clear in our text that:
I. The News From God Regarding His Mission Is Good News
Text: “The Lord has anointed Me to bring good news.”
A. This Good News Is For The Poor
Text: “The Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.”
B. The Good News Is For Those Who Are Brokenhearted
Text: “He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted.”
C. The Good News Is For Captives
Text: “He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”
D. The Good News Is For Those Who Are Mourning
Text: “He has sent Me to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.”
Statement: These “groups” of people are nearly synonymous with the groups mentioned by Jesus in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are . . . the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted.” These are the characteristics and attributes of those who have come to repentance and to faith in Jesus, faith in the Good News, the Gospel of God’s gracious forgiveness and mercy.
Application: Hopefully we find ourselves among those who have these characteristics inscribed on their hearts and minds through a life of repentance and faith. For then the “news” from God is good news – and this is His mission in sending His Son Jesus into the world as Savior and Lord, “TO BRING GOOD NEWS OF HOPE AND JOY.”
And we also have need of such Good News, for there is much mourning and grief in this world for children of God – those who have glimpsed what true goodness and love actually is. God’s desire and ambition in sending Jesus is that we might have hope and joy even in the midst of the trials, troubles, and tribulations of this world.
Transition: And it is clear from our text how God delivers His hope and joy to us, for:
II. Salvation And Blessing Come To God’s People Through His Word
A. God’s Righteousness Is Bestowed Upon Us – Forensically, Accounted To Us By Faith
Text: “that they may be called oaks of righteousness.”
Gen. 15:6 “Abraham believed God, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
Phil. 3:8,9 “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
B. We Are Being Restored By God’s Blessings
Text: “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.“
Statement: God’s Mission is good, and brings hope and joy, because He is renewing our hearts and minds. First we have room to grow in love – for He has already accounted us to be righteous in His sight through faith in Jesus Christ. Second, He is with us to rebuild our hearts and minds in true and genuine goodness and love – through our experience of His perfect love for us.
Application: So it is essential that we hear God’s good news – all of it! It is essential that we know what He has done for us in Christ, so that we may always have hope and joy. This is His mission in sending Jesus to us, His own beloved Son! So let us rejoice in God and His mission, for:
III. God Grants Favor To His Believing People, But Vengeance Comes On Enemies Of God And His People
Text: “to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God.”
Statement: Yes, it is also part of the good news to those who mourn and are brokenhearted that vengeance is coming upon the evil and unbelieving! Certainly we rejoice in God’s favor – the gift of His Son; just so we also rejoice in God’s vengeance upon evil!
Application: So let us allow God’s good news to fill us with comfort, and with faith, and with hope and joy! This is the purpose of His mission – to grant us forgiveness and salvation, and also to fill us with hope and joy. We should by all means agree with the purpose of His mission and participate in it by faith! The hymn “Joy To The World” certainly hits the nail on the head!
Conclusion: Given how bad the news could have been from God, in addressing human sin and evil, it is more than we could have hoped for that the news would be good. But it is good news from God – directly from His own Word. Thanks and praise be to God, and to His servant, our Lord Jesus Christ, our great Redeemer! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.