Preparing the Way for Peace

Second Sunday in Advent… three weeks until Christmas. Are you ready?

Of course we’re not ready, this is a season of preparation.

What’s really cool though, is that In a sense, we’ve been preparing all through this autumn.

As we’ve looked together at our articles of faith… as we’ve considered The Trinity, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Holy Scripture, sin, atonement, prevenient grace, repentance, justification, regeneration, and adoption… we’ve been on a journey of holiness.

I know… we slipped that in on you, didn’t we?

A journey that prepared us to consider the hope that we have last week, and now… to talk about the peace we hope for… Not just any peace… Shalom - sometimes translated as wholeness or well-being. The fullness of peace.

And, in my mind, we can’t talk about peace without talking about...

Introduction: Jesus and the other John

Wait, who is the “other” John?

*John the Baptist? Yeah, we’ll get to him a little later. But no.

*John Wayne? Nope - there’s already a book about that...

*John the Apostle? I mean, he is the beloved disciple right? Also no, but I did enjoy this...

I’m actually talking about John Lennon.*

In 1966 John Lennon made a comment in an interview that many people may still remember… or at least, they think they do. The “we’re more popular than Jesus” scandal caused about two weeks of uproar in the US between July and August 1966.

Here’s the original quote:*

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I'll be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first – rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me.”

Let’s start with the obvious… there’s part of his rhetoric that isn’t helpful, I think we can all agree on that. Christianity is still here. In this room we’re sure that it will carry on.

But it is the second part of the quote that I have to look at and consider… am I offended, or am I convicted?

We’re all generally pretty ok to pick on Peter as “thick and ordinary,” right? I mean we did just laugh at that fake book cover...

What this quote made me start to question though… as a disciple of Jesus, do I have a tendency to be “thick and ordinary?”

Am I stubborn? Hypocritical? Do I give people the opportunity to think of me that way?

Do we twist Jesus’ words and actions to fit our ideals and desires? How about our political motivations?

In my quest for peace, for my own shalom, for my own feeling of wholeness...

am I affecting someone else’s ability to have the same?

Am I preventing someone else from experiencing that same shalom?

Unfortunately, part of John’s feeling was right… And in part, his “prophecy” if we use that term loosely, robbed others of their shalom...

On December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman, a man who claimed to be a Christian, killed John Lennon in cold blood outside his New York City apartment. At one point, Chapman claimed that that 1966 statement made by Lennon was part of his motivation.

John Lennon, with his words, robbed people of their peace, and was in turn stripped not only of his peace, but his life...

Its an extreme case, but one that illustrates the importance of our words and their effect on others.

Do we seek a personal peace based more in justifying ourselves than we do in actually being like Jesus? Is that really peace? Is that Shalom? Is that wholeness and well being?

Hang onto those rhetorical questions for a bit, we’ll come back to them… for now, let’s look at what Isaiah has to say about peace…*

Isaiah 11:1–10 NIV

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

A Priestly People? (Gimme Some Truth)

We tend to take this text as Messianic prophecy. For the sake of our discussion here today we will hold that line.

We’ll get to the messianic part in a minute, but for now, we need to also consider that in just the chapter before this one, Isaiah was pronouncing woe and judgement on Israel, Judah, and Assyria… no one was really safe. There was a lack of Shalom in Isaiah’s time. A lack of overarching peace.

And understand that this doesn’t mean that each and every Jew failed to worship God appropriately or live a holy life.

However, for the most part, the kingdoms failed to exhibit well their life in God and to make that life attractive to the other nations. There was a lot of stealing others’ shalom happening.

So, we’re going to make this a bit of a musical journey this morning, at least in our minds… In my house every day is a musical, and we insert songs and lyrics right in the middle of everyday conversations. It’s terribly distracting sometimes.

As we weave through this story today, we’re going to use some of John Lennon’s songs (again, just in our minds - you don’t want me singing them) to assist in making the point.

So if anyone writes a musical about Jesus and uses Beatles’ songs, you all are my witnesses - make sure I get some of those royalty checks...

John Lennon’s lyrics actually probably sum up what many of the righteous residents of Israel and Judah were thinking…*

I'm sick and tired of hearing things From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites All I want is the truth Just give me some truth

To be a priestly people means to convey God’s holiness to the world. They were supposed to be the ones who made holiness contagious… to have other people see their example and want that kind of life. Instead, they fell into this system of legalism that was neither sustainable or attractive!

God’s priestly people had pretty much failed in their mission. And not only would Assyria, and later Babylon be the tools God used to punish his failed priestly people, but then he would turn around and punish the punishers… God’s love for his people truly knows no bounds.

It’s ok to be confused by it - it doesn’t always make sense… Sin makes everything complicated...

Isaiah, (really all of the prophets) weave this intricate tapestry of the story of God and God’s chosen people.

Yes, they were chosen, but also incredibly stubborn and rebellious. There’s this constant tension in the story between the sinfulness of the people and the pull of God’s persistent and redemptive love.

Remember when God gave the people judges, but they wanted a king like everyone else? Well, with the kings came the prophets, it was a sort of ancient near eastern system of checks and balances… the kings would get out of line, and the prophets would be God’s voice to try to bring them back into line… Prevenient grace… always working behind the scenes...

God’s vision for the earth was a garden where all our needs were provided. It was a paradise. It was peace. It was shalom they they could see, hear, touch, taste and smell.

Then sin entered the picture.

As a result, this world in which Isaiah was writing was no rose garden. There was a pretty serious lack of shalom.

All of the needs weren’t met. But God isn’t done yet...

A Hopeful Prophecy (Imagine)

When we think of a shoot coming out of a stump, this is what we think, right?*

It’s quaint, cute even… It is a picture of hope. New from the old...

Isaiah draws on the idyllic vision of a king… before the kingdoms split… the splendor of a David, or a Solomon...

Imagine this amazing, Godly, righteous king...

The one who will free us from bondage and oppression. From exile or the occupation of a foreign army. One who will restore shalom...

If we look at verses 2-5 again… we see the description of an ideal king.

From this side of the cross, with the benefit of the Gospels in our hands, with the imagery of John’s Revelation fresh in our minds, we can read Jesus between these lines.

For anyone in Isaiah’s time, or even centuries later, in Judea during the Roman occupation, they were waiting for a king to rise up. They were waiting for a revolutionary… someone to usher in this time of peace where they would be free from oppression, where God’s original plan would be restored.

Thats where the imagery of verses 6-9 comes in...

Where the hunter and the hunted live in peace.

The herbivore and the carnivore at rest together.

Where the child is not threatened by the bite of the serpent.

That’s garden language… a restored garden. Where innocence is once again safe from the bite of sin.

Isaiah and this other poet we’ve been talking about might share this sentiment…*

“You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one...”

Ok, maybe that’s a stretch, but we know for sure Isaiah would say it like this...

Isaiah 11:10 NIV

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

Ok, so with Isaiah’s words still hanging in the air, let’s take a look at

A New Prophet? (Power to the People)

Matthew 3:1 NIV

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

Matthew goes on to describe John. But where I want us to focus is actually right there at the beginning of the verse...

Isaiah wrote: “In that day,” Then we fast forward to the Gospels and we read “In those days...”

Could these be the days Isaiah wrote about?

Even John questioned it… After he was arrested and Jesus ministry began, John sent some of his followers to ask… Is it really you, Jesus? And this was his answer:

Luke 7:21–22 NIV

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

I could’ve just quoted v22, but theres something else important here.

Look at the example Jesus’ sets. First he did, then he told… Jesus practices what he preaches.

We’re often so quick to tell other people how they’re supposed to be… but look at Jesus.

His Shalom comes from knowing who he is. His being.

Then he acts accordingly. His doing flows our of his being, seeking to restore other’s peace.

Finally, his telling comes last, also with the goal of bringing shalom.

That’s a whole sermon in itself… maybe next time.

(By the way, Luke and Jesus are quoting Isaiah in that passage above, specifically, Isa 29:18-21 and Isa 35:5, and Isa 61:1… but you probably already picked up on that )

But for now, let’s stay focused on this ministry of Jesus. This ministry that reached into people’s lives, showed that even the least in society have value, healed the sick, raised the dead, and drew a big crowd for that Sunday afternoon parade into Jerusalem…*

Where “Hosanna in the highest” may have translated to “All You Need is Love...”

but that tune changed over the course of that week… as the idea of their hoped for Messiah didn’t seem to materialize in this man who stood silently before his accusers…*

For the next scene in our musical, I’m hearing lyrics like this from the crowd like this as they gather in the courtyard of Pilate’s palace…*

Say you want a revolution We better get on right away Well you get on your feet And into the street singing power to the people…*

Remember, Pilate offered to free Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews to them...

But the same people who cried “hosanna” earlier that week found themselves shouting “crucify him” here...

The people, worked up into a frenzy by the Jewish religious leaders chose a different “Son of the Father”

Barabbas, whose first name was also Jesus, was a revolutionary.

He was a rebel against the jewish leadership and the Roman occupation.

He was the type of person many expected a messiah to be… A military leader… maybe even a terrorist… not the kind of person we think of as a messiah now in hindsight, but exactly the kind of person they thought of in their own context...

Sad, isn’t it?

How human expectations often fall so far from God’s good purpose for us?

How our selfishness robs others of their peace? Of their Shalom?

God’s purpose is realized regardless. We know the story well… and that story brings about *

A New Creation! ((Just Like) Starting Over)

And just like that we’re back to where we started… Remember that cute little shoot coming out of the stump? *

Let’s look back at Isaiah’s closing words in our passage:

Isaiah 11:10 NIV

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

The root of Jesse. The strength that lies underneath.

As that shoot grows, its roots begin to form not just inside the stump, connecting to the old root system, *

but new roots will begin to form and surround the stump from the outside as well.

Eventually the old is enveloped in the new creation. The old is transformed, It becomes a new creation...

But it takes time, patience, perseverance.

See, humanity has always valued instant gratification.

From the fruit in the garden, to a shorter trip across the desert, to a king, to a rescue from exile, to a messiah…

John the Baptist was ushering in a time of peace. It just didn’t look like what humanity thought it should look like.

John Lennon saw the world differently for sure, but still maybe not in a helpful way. He saw the Beatles’ popularity as another big thing, but he also recognized that their time in the spotlight would end.

God’s reign doesn’t end. We live in this time where God has already, but yet not yet come. We’ve seen glimpses of glory in the Gospel story where God has revealed Jesus to us as His only son, whom he loves.

We see Jesus as the banner lifted high. We see the nations rally to him. And His resting place is at the right hand of the Father. Where he sits and intercedes for us…

So, in this season of preparation, I want to invite you to be intentional, to*

Give Peace a Chance

As we continue in this season of Advent. As we move toward the time when we celebrate the birth of the coming King.

I invite you to ask yourself… do I have peace?

Where does my peace come from?

Am I “thick and ordinary?” Do I twist Jesus in a way that ruins His peace for someone else?

Do I try to manufacture my own peace?

Or does it come from my own sense of being as a child of God?

As we come to the Lord’s table this morning, I invite you to reflect on this…