Third Sunday in Advent (2023)

ISaiah 40:1-11

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the prophet Isaiah had many prophecies regarding the coming Christ. That He would be born of a virgin, that He would be a great light to the people who had walked in darkness, that He would suffer for the people of God, that He would be the prince of peace. Here Isaiah is commanded to speak to a land in turmoil and chaos for they abandoned God, and were coming under hardship, and God tells the prophet to speak to them words of comfort.

The Warfare

Jerusalem had been under siege.

They had been threatened by mighty nations. In the days of Hezekiah things were going better but still not good. For they still strayed away from the Word of God in spite of the great work that Hezekiah did.

Two nations were seeking their destruction.

They were caught between the powers of Egypt and Babylon, and they both wanted Jerusalem for it was situated between the areas, was a fortress set in the mountains. It was a city that had its own water, and would profit the land greatly.

This was due to Israel’s sin.

The people of God had not listened and during the days of Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, he had bowed the knee to the the Assyrians, who became the babylonians, we believe even shutting down the temple of God. The people fell away from the Lord, and this was the real cause of their problem.

It wasn’t nations against Israel, but God.

His people had forsaken him and treated his name lightly, they had abandoned his word, and his sacrifices and so God was coming against them in judgment as He had promised to do when they entered the promised land nearly 700 years earlier.

God Shows Mercy

God had spoken Woe to them, but now comfort.

When Isaiah heard the Lord calling and asking whom shall I send and who will go for us, Isaiah responded joyfully. The message that he was to preach was one of Law though to the people, but Isaiah asked, How Long, O Lord. Knowing that His wrath would not remain forever. He had waited for this message of Comfort that would come from God.

Why did God pardon their iniquity?

It wasn’t because they were deserving, or had gotten things right, it was because of His great love and His mercy. It is because the Lord is gracious, and merciful, and has love for His people.

God showed His favor by providing double.

Now when I first heard that I had no idea what it meant. The Lord gave them double for their iniquities well that doesn’t seem good. It is a hebrew expression that means, that God paid the price not only to settle their debt, but he gave them that amount in abundance on top of it. For if God had just forgiven our debts that would put the balance at 0, but out of his grace and love he goes beyond that.

Law, then Gospel

The Wrath of God is terrifying.

The israelites saw that, for they had watched armies that had come up against them laid low by the God’s work. It was Hezekiah who prayed to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent an angel to defeat an army that boasted of their own greatness. What’s the purpose of the Law?

It is done to show people their sin.

That they are not strong on their own, that they can’t do everything, they aren’t the greatest or the best, they have fallen short of everything good that God demands of us. The way we as people judge ourselves is by comparing ourselves with our people. I’m doing better than bob, but God compares us to Himself. We need the Law

We need to despair of ourselves.

That is to not trust in our own works, or our own powers or our own might, our riches, our youth, our strength, etc. To realize that none of it means anything in the face of God’s judgment for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, that we are in fact poor miserable sinners. When that happens

It’s then that we are ready for gospel.

We are no longer puffed up, or think that this flesh which will return to dust can judge our creator, but rather in humility confess that we have sinned, and lived as though The Word of God didn’t matter. When we finally let go of all those earthly things, God speaks to us of hope and comfort.

The Glory of יהוה (YHWH)

John the Baptist came as the voice.

He was the one crying in the wilderness. He caught people off guard, for he did not appear as they expected, he wasn’t dressed in fine clothes, or eating fine foods, but in camel skins with and eating locusts and honey, but it is what he preached that attracted the people.

He came calling all to repent.

It didn’t matter who you were, Jew or gentile, a lowly slave or a powerful soldier, if you were a known sinner in the town, or the highest pharisee, the message was one and the same repent. For everyone falls short for God does not judge us against our neighbors good deeds, but measures us against His own perfection.

This is why we all admit we are sinners.

For who amongst us is equal to God in his holiness and glory? Who amongst us is righteous or perfect, who amongst us is without sin and can cast the first stone? None of us, and so we all must repent and become other than what we are, for there is nothing good inside of us.

For then we understand God’s love.

That is Love is unlike anything that we find in this life, indeed there are comparisons that the scriptures make to help us understand it, but to appreciate it in its fullest, we must understand what it means that we are sinners. Lest we cast the Word of the Gospel aside as though it is meaningless.

All Flesh is Grass

What is grass compared to man?

Insignificant, does grass have the gift of speech? Has it built great structures, composed epic poems? It is prolific and spread across the plains, but we trod it underfoot.

What is man compared with God?

How does man who fashions together things already made, compare with the one who made all things? We are just shapers of what is, whereas God created all things from nothing. Who gives life to all things on earth, and maintains the sun, moon, stars, the planets, and all the galaxies. No wonder the Bible says, all flesh is grass.

By our sins, we deserve to be thrown into the fire.

For that is what we do to grass, or plants that end up being good for nothing else. Is that what God who in his majesty looks down at us? Thankfully, and blessedly no.

Verbum Dei Manet in Aeternum

God’s Word is true and eternal.

For He is the creator of all things, and his word has much greater meaning than the plain words of men. For the Word of God Remains in Eternity, it is the Word that is true, and is with us always. So Isaiah spoke Words of Comfort to Jerusalem and He has given that Word to you as well.

The Word of comfort for you is Jesus.

The one through whom all things were made has taken on human flesh and descended from the heavenly realms to bring us hope and light in the darkness. That we might not be left blind, lost, starving, and scared. For...

It is in him, that we find peace.

That’s something the world needs. Be it ourselves as life falls apart, when we realize our weakness, our fraility, our failings, when things outside our control remind us that we don’t have the power, the money, the strength or the ability to provide for those we love, and on top of that how we have failed to uphold God’s commands. It weighs on us, and yet God knows that, and He speaks to us Words of Peace in his son. But the real question is why

Why would the Word become flesh?

Why care that much about grass? The only answer we are given is because of His great love for us. Well who loves grass, that much???? There is a spot where all analogies break if taken too far. Mankind is God’s creation, and God loves His creation deeply. So much so that the Son of God was willing to join us in our suffering, in our pains, that He might speak to us Words that bring us eternal hope and comfort. You are forgiven, I have redeemed you, I have saved you, and I’m making a place for you in my Kingdom.

My Brothers and Sisters, the Son of God who came into the World Jesus Christ our Lord, was born for our comfort, and for our hope. He is the one that Jerusalem ultimately waited for, for he is the prince of peace, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Jesus has come to save us not because of anything great or wonderful in us, but because of the Great love that is found in Him, and it is that love which is eternal. That is why next week we joyfully celebrate Jesus’ birth. In His name. Amen.