Rev. Cary M. Richert
3rd Sunday of Advent (Series B)
December 11, 2005
Good News, Great Joy
Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11
This past Thanksgiving afternoon our family was seated around the dinner table, awaiting the traditional turkey-feast. After saying "Amen" to a prayer of thanksgiving that included each one around the table, our son, "aron said, "We have one more thing to be thankful for ... Becky and I are expecting a baby."
You can imagine what happened next. Shrieks of joy! Tears of happiness! Hugs of congratulation! "When's the baby due? How're you feeling, Becky?" Their good news that day brought great joy to our little household!
Today's reading from the prophet Isaiah explodes with good news ... news that brings us great joy in this blessed season of "dvent. Joy that goes far beyond what any earthly good news could ever stir up in our hearts. Joy based, not on the shifting sands of our earthly hopes and desires ... but on the solid rock of Jesus' promises. Joy that comes from knowing we have an eternal future of joy secured for us through Christ's saving work on our behalf.
The times in ancient Israel were dark and foreboding. The people to whom Isaiah prophesied in the 8th century B.C. were, for the most part, unfaithful, idolatrous and rebellious in their relationship with the God of their fathers "braham, Isaac and Jacob. They lived under the constant threat of war and destruction from their much more-powerful neighbors. Their worship of God was faithless. They often joined their pagan neighbors in worshiping their false gods.
Throughout the book of Isaiah, God pronounces harsh judgment on His unfaithful people. Bad news! In the first 3 verses of today's text, the Messiah Himself describes their spiritual condition. He uses the words: poor, brokenhearted, captives, prisoners, in mourning and grief, wearing a crown of ashes, bearing a spirit of despair. Their rebellious disobedience and lack of trust deserved the Lord's harshest rebuke and His promise of punishment. God pulled no punches in delivering the full extent of His anger and disappointment through the prophet Isaiah.
For the people of Israel in the northern kingdom, complete destruction and dispersion was imminent at the hands of the powerful "ssyrians. For the people of Judah in the southern kingdom, exile at the hands of the Babylonians was little more than a century away.
Disobedience. Spiritual rebellion. Unfaithfulness. Idolatry. "ll sins that separate a person ... and a people (a nation) ... from God. All deserve and demand God's punishment. And, all are as much, and as serious a concern for us today as they were in ancient times. Even ... and especially ... in our Lord's Church, where God is present with His people in a special and unique way, through His holy Word and Sacraments, like He was in Isaiah's time.
In the midst of God's righteous anger toward His unfaithful people, a ray of light pierced the darkness. " word of promise and hope for the remnant who'd repent and trust in God. Great news! News that would find its fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah, born in the manger of Bethlehem over 700 years later. Good news that you and I receive with great joy, as we wait in eager anticipation to celebrate His coming as one of us ... and as we wait in faithful expectation for His return in glory!
The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, [John 1:14] ... brought a powerful ministry of healing and freedom to all who are in bondage to sin, death and the devil. Moved by His unconditional love, Jesus paid the price for our sin ... our disobedience ... our spiritual rebellion ... our unfaithfulness ... our self-centered idolatry. Christ shed His blood on the cross for you and me. There He turned our spiritual death into life ... our spiritual captivity into freedom ... our spiritual despair into gladness.
We, who deserve the full weight of God's wrath and punishment on His coming day of vengeance, are ... by God's grace through faith alone ... covered in Holy Baptism with the robe of Christ's righteousness. Declared by God to be innocent of the sin for which we should be eternally punished. Really Good News!
Our response to such good news? God's people rejoice greatly. We rejoice greatly, because of our salvation in Christ Jesus. We rejoice greatly because we've been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. We rejoice greatly, because Christ B the Bridegroom B ministers as a Priest to His beautiful Bride, His Church, ... through words (Gospel), water (Holy Baptism), bread and wine (Holy Communion).
In the beginning of our service we lit the 3rd candle on the "dvent wreath, the pink one ... the "ngel Candle. How appropriate that we remember the important role of the angles in the account of our Lord's birth. God's messenger sent to humble shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem to bring good news of great joy that will be for all people. The good news? Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. "nd the chorus of angels, who united their voices in the joyful song of praise: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! [Luke 2:10-11, 14]
Good news of great joy! Good news like that spoken by Christ on the cross, when He said: It is finished, [John 19:30]. Good news like that spoken by the angels sitting in the empty tomb, when they said: He's not here; He has risen! [Luke 24:6] Good news. Salvation news. News that has power to change souls and lives. News that brings great joy to the souls of those who truly believe it.
Perhaps your "dvent season this year is marked by suffering ... grief ... disappointment ... despair ... sadness ... or by some other struggle that seems too overwhelming for you to find the Christmas spirit. Jesus brings you good news of great joy: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28?30] Good news of great joy for you!
In 1719, the great hymn-writer Isaac Watts ... a 45 year-old invalid ... sat down under a tree at the estate of Sir Thomas "bney, near London. He was drawn to the words of Psalm 98, as he contemplated the joy and praise that would surround the Messiah's second coming. Watts wrote a collection of hymn verses based on a portion of Psalm 98. Twenty-two years later George Friederich Handel, a likely acquaintance of Watts, wrote his famous and beloved oratorio, Messiah. Portions of Handel's Messiah were "dapted "nd "pplied to the hymn verses of Watts. The result?
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king;
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven "nd nature sing. [TLH #87]
Lindsey Terry writes:
In every corner of the globe where men have carried the good news of Christ, there has been great joy. Christ sets the captive free "nd puts " song in hearts. He redeems souls. He reigns "s King. He can bring joy to you, if you really hear the message, "Joy to the world! The Lord is come!" [Devotionals from Famous Hymn Stories, Baker Book House, 1974, 10]
May God grant us the grace to hear His good news in faith ... to receive it with great joy, "s the shepherds did ... "nd to travel in faith to the manger, to the cross, "nd to the empty tomb ... to see the great things God has done for us through Christ, our Savior. In the name of Jesus ... Immanuel ... God "lways with us! "men.