Beauty for Ashes (2)

Background

Isaiah is a prophet who talks about the coming Messiah who will redeem and save Israel from their captivity, mourning, and sorrow to freedom, liberty, and celebration.

Naturally, the people of Israel thought that the Messiah will subdue the nations around them that are stronger and mightier. They imagined a king who will come to conquer the earth with strength.

This is somewhat true, but they weren’t considering the other parts of the prophesy by Isaiah where it talks about the coming Messiah who will be handed over to death

New Living Translation (Chapter 53)

3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.He was despised, and we did not care.

New Living Translation (Chapter 53)

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

Application

How true is this even in our lives? As Christians especially in this modern day and generation we can have the understanding that as a Christian God will pour a none-stop blessing on our lives that would make us become the conqueror than the conquered. We think that Jesus should come and reign down judgement.

Even Jesus’ disciples thought that Jesus was going to enter Jerusalem to become the king who would conquer and be seated in the throne to expand his kingdom. Jesus’ ministry must have reflected towards that trajectory if the disciples were bickering about who would be seated at the right and left of Jesus. One of Jesus’ disciples mother went the extent to ask a personal favor from Jesus to have their sons sit at his left and right seat.

But how did Jesus enter Jerusalem? He entered in weakness on a colt rather than a stallion. Rather than taking a seat on the throne he washed the feet of the disciples after entering Jerusalem and told them to imitate him towards one another. It is a lifelong journey as we learn to be more like Jesus throughout our lives.

As we look at today’s scripture Isaiah 61:1-3

Isaiah 61:1–3 NLT

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

If you knew or not this is the very passage that Jesus read when He walked into the synagogue in Nazareth in Luke 4:18-21

Luke 4:18–21 NLT

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

As we look at that first passage in Isaiah 61:1

Isaiah 61:1 NLT

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

Good News to the Poor

It says that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor. I wonder how we view the poor, especially the homeless people. I realize that we can get hardened when we see homeless people. There’s so many homeless people in Spokane. I come from Los Angeles where skid row exists right in the middle of Downtown Los Angeles. If you haven’t heard of skid row it is a whole block where homeless people come to get resources and programs are in place to reintegrate homeless people back into society. If you drive around you’ll see a whole block that is pitched with tents and homeless people. Right next to skid row are the multi-million dollar apartments and condos so both dichotomies of society co-exists.

The first bible study that I got involved with was through a homeless person and he was integral in my spiritual formation. God used him in a mighty way to transform my life. His name is Randy and I was in college. I wanted to grow deeper in my relationship with God and I was reading in the passage where it says in Matthew 25:37-40

Matthew 25:37–40 NLT

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

I was meditating on this passage at the time and there were homeless people on the streets so on my way to work when I used to work at a sushi restaurants as the sou-chef I would stop and talk with the homeless guys that I saw. One of those guys was Randy. He would always hangout in front of the sushi restaurant and when it was closing time I would leave with some left over food to take home to feed my younger brothers because I was taking care of them. But when I saw Randy there I would give him the food and pray for him. I was praying at the time for God to lead me to something different. I was tired of working at the sushi restaurant and wanted something new and different. One night after giving Randy food and praying for him, he told me that I should go to a bible study that he was attending. I was ecstatic when I heard that because in my mind now check out the dichotomy, I thought that a pastor was teaching a big group of homeless people about the bible. I thought that I could be mentored under him to start my vocation in ministry. I still remember the restaurant that Randy told me to show up at at 7:30AM. It’s called Grand Burger. I showed up excited to see a group of homeless people and a pastor in a suit teaching them about the bible. But I didn’t see any pastor. I didn’t see anyone with a bible at all. I was disappointed to say the least. I sat there wondering what God was trying to do, and I looked out the window and saw Randy walking by with his cart. I ran out and confronted Randy and said, “Hey, where’s the bible study happening?” He was like, “Oh, what day is it?” I was like, “Friday!” He was like, “What time is it?” I looked at my watch and said, “7:40AM!” He said, “Okay, lets go inside, he should be coming soon.” I went and sat with him but didn’t expect much. I mean he forgot that there was a bible study altogether. In a moment a pastor showed up and Randy said, “Oh, the pastor’s here.” I looked around because he was approaching from behind me and to my biggest surprise it was my church’s elementary pastor! I was beyond shocked. I was bewildered! We both were. We saw each other and said what are you doing here? We both told each other that we were here for the bible study. But that is the beginning to a mentorship relationship with my elementary pastor that was integral in my spiritual formation.

The bible study didn’t consist of a lot of homeless people gathering for bible study and it wasn’t like anything I pictured in my mind, and in some way it was meek, humble, and not really note worthy, but God works powerfully and mysteriously even through homeless people, the poor. How do we see homeless people? Randy, passed away and I had the privilege and honor to say the eulogy at his funeral that we held in a local park and numerous other homeless people gathered because he was the head honcho of the homeless people around the local area. So, he was a great evangelist too. He brought others to the bible study and we would talk about a passage in the bible over a bowl of carne fries. He wasn’t a perfect person, but he accepted the good news of Jesus Christ and no doubt I’ll meet him in heaven and laugh over the good times we spent together.

But I won’t lie that my heart has gotten hardened overtime. How about you? Today’s scripture says Jesus will bring good news to the poor.

Comfort to the Brokenhearted

I wonder who are the brokenhearted? How about those who might be going through the process of divorce? Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you. How about those who just broke up with their significant other? Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you. Those who are going through mental depression. Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you. Those who are experiencing domestic violence. Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you, but please talk to a chaplain, MFLC, or any base agency. But know that the chaplains have 100% confidentiality which means they will not disclose any information without the counselee’s consent. Those who experienced sexual assault in the past. Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you. Those who lost everything through the Gray or Oregon Fire. I’m so sorry, but Jesus, the anointed one can comfort you.

Captives will be Set Free

Who are the captives? The prisoners of the product of sin? Perhaps those who are bound to pornography. Maybe active duty members with spouses who are addicted and captive to drugs, alcohol, and scandal? Those who are captive to debt. Prisoners of anger and pride that’s affected their marriage, work relationships, etc. But when the captives put their trust in Jesus the anointed one He will set the captives free.

However, weren’t we all captives to the bondage of sin before we truly met Jesus? I am still a work in progress but I was held bondage to all the evil desires of a human being until I truly surrendered to Jesus. I know for a fact that I would be in a worse place than I am now overall had I not gave my life to Jesus.

The Lord’s Favor has come on those who Mourn

Looking at Isaiah 61:2

Isaiah 61:2 NLT

He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

Who are the ones who mourn in our midst? Maybe parents whose children has gone astray from faith and are dabbling in sinful life and totally disconnected from their parents. Maybe even those who mourn for not finding their significant other. It could even be those who mourn not know why they mourn. The scripture tells us today for those who mourn that the Lord’s favor has come.

And I want to ask all of us here. Have you not experienced all of these truths that I share with you today from the scripture of Isaiah who prophesied of the coming Messiah. Weren’t we all poor at one point in our lives? Both literally and metaphorically. I remember when I didn’t have enough money during college and only had enough to buy a block of cheese and milk. But I was also poor in spirit, but Jesus brought the good news to me. Were you never brokenhearted? Has Jesus not comforted your broken heart? Were you never captive of your sinful desires and lust? Has Jesus not set you free from your bondage of sin? Have you not experienced the favor of the Lord in the midst of your mourning? I am the receipient of all these truths after I’ve personally encountered Jesus Christ in my life.

If this is true in your lives than you know that the last verse of today’s passage is true in your life or will be true where today’s sermon title comes from, “Beauty from Ashes”.

Isaiah 61:3 NLT

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

In the midst of the Gray and Oregon Fire that effected us this past week, I thought of this passage beauty from ashes. Because I believe that God can bring beautiful things through the ashes that the fires have left. I drove by Medical Lake this past week after it opened up and as I was driving up the highway I saw on both sides just black ash and smouldering smoke coming up from the ground. There were two things that came up to my mind as I saw the smoke. One was that humans are limited in their power to do anything to stop natural disaster. The power of God’s natural disaster is so great that no matter how technologically advanced human beings may become we cannot stop the power of natural disaster.

Secondly, I was reminded of the second coming of Christ where it says in Revelation 8:7

Revelation 8:7 NLT

The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.

I could almost imagine how the world may become when one-third of the earth is set on fire. It was a reminder that Jesus is coming. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah. That Messiah, the anointed one by the Spirit of the Lord, has come and read that scripture in the synagogue of Nazareth that He has fulfilled that promise. And that same scripture in the book of Revelation prophesied the coming of our Lord Jesus clothed in majesty. Before Jesus comes He has a towel over his shoulder washing the feet of his disciples, but when He is coming again He will come with power and great glory as it says in Matthew 24:30

Matthew 24:30 NLT

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Reflecting back on beauty from ashes I will conclude with a devotional from Pastor Seth Condrey on Isaiah 61:3 titled “Beauty from Ashes”

In 2019, my family and I were able to take an unforgettable trip to Eswatini, Africa to serve with Heart For Africa, an incredible ministry  led by Janine and Ian Maxwell (https://heartforafrica.org) There are over 200 orphaned children that now call Project Canaan their home and are receiving education and spiritual guidance. They are becoming the future leaders of their country, and the world. Being with them is life changing. On this particular trip, some fierce wild fires broke out. From a helpless distance, we watched as the mountain where Canaan sits began to glow brighter and brighter with raging flames. All the children were evacuated, and over the course of 3 days, the fires tore through Project Canaan. It was devastating to witness! Miraculously, the children, the buildings, and the farms were unscathed. The only structure that lay completely in ashes was the chapel - the first structure built on the property. It’s hard to understand why these things happen, but that weekend we had a worship event planned called Litsemba (which means Hope in Siswati) where the children from Project Canaan, and orphans from all over the area were planning to gather to sing songs to God with thankfulness - in the exact location where the fire had been just a day earlier. We set up a stage in a field, surrounded by the ashes. We gathered with children, many of whom had been rescued from being abandoned - thrown in the trash. Some burned and left for dead... But on that day, we worshipped and listened to their voices praising God. We watched as beauty unfolded from the dust. It's hard to describe, but I know that this is what God is doing ALL the time. He is taking seemingly unbearable loss and heartache and making something unspeakably beautiful.   Piwa, a little 9 year old Swazi girl, closed the worship event with a song. Piwa was burned in a house fire when she was a baby. The skin on her face and body were deteriorated by the flames. It left her horribly disfigured and scared for life. When I met her, I felt heartbroken, but I also immediately felt life and energy radiating from her being. God was with this little one, and the Spirit was alive in her. Piwa was receiving treatment to repair her face leading up to Litsema. She kept asking if she could sing this Nigerian song, “Nara”. A prominent lyric from the song is “Nara ekele mo” which means, “Take my thanksgiving.” When her caretaker asked her why she wanted to sing this song, her naturally enthusiastic response was “Because God has been good to me!” What?!?!? I couldn’t believe what I heard. … How was that possible??

“I have been burned, but God has been good to me.” “I have lost so much, but God has been good to me.” “People run from me when they see me, but God has been good to me.” “I don’t know what the future will be, but God has been good to me.”

What if you and I had this kind of faith? What would our future look like if we began to live in this reality - believing that there is nothing that our Father can’t redeem? He is good and beautiful, and He is redeeming everything. He is the one who can and will make ALL THINGS new. He is a great God, and therefore, we have great hope!