Iliff and Saltillo UM Churches
Second Sunday of Advent
December 5, 2004
“Peace in a World of Turmoil”
Isaiah 11:1-10
INTRODUCTION: Story: A few days before Christmas two men in Florida decided to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. While they were out sailing a terrible storm arose. It was all they could do to keep their boat under control. As they maneuvered their way back to land, their boat became grounded on a sandbar. They had to jump overboard and push with all their might trying to get the boat into deeper water. While they were doing this, the wind was blowing, the waves were rushing upon them and they were soaking wet, knee deep in mud.
One of the guys looked at his buddy and said, “You know, it sure beats Christmas shopping though.”
So often we become so accustomed to our life being filled with the stresses and turmoil of daily life that we think it is normal. We just get used to it. We COPE. We have long forgotten what peace looks like and don’t recognize it when we see it. Listen closely to what people talk about, and you will find that the stresses and turmoil of our times has robbed people--even Christians--of their peace. At this Advent season we can reflect on where we are and come back to the Restorer of our peace.
1. Isaiah’s Prophecy: Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah came on the scene to bring prophecies of salvation to people who were weary and beat down by the stresses of their life--by the turmoil of war and chaos brought on by the Assyrians. Peace was not a part of their ordinary life. They didn’t know what it looked like anymore.
Isaiah uses many word pictures in his prophecies. In today’s scripture he talks about TREES representing people. Take a look at vs. 33, 34 from the previous chapter where he says, “See, the Lord Almighty will lop off the boughs with great power. The lofty trees will be felled, the tall ones will be brought low. He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax; Lebanon will fall before the mighty one.”
What he is talking about here is not literal TREES, but he is referring to the Assyrian soldiers that as a group looked like a forest--mighty and powerful. But he says they will be cut down just like trees. The Message Bible says, God’s “ax will make toothpicks of that forest, that Lebanon-like Army reduced to kindling.”
Knowing this background, today’s scripture begins by saying, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Judah the royal line of David would be like a tree chopped down to a stump but from that stump a new shoot would grow--the Messiah. He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit.
This is Isaiah’s way of saying “Peace is On the Way” because out of this destruction and turmoil of war and chaos where peace doesn’t exist, “a green shoot will sprout.” You might say, “So what. What’s this have to do with peace? How does it apply to me?”
Isaiah is saying, Jesus the Savior--the hoped for Messiah--is going to come to bring peace and He is going to come from the household of David. David is called the son of Jesse. Why does this particular scripture use the name of Jesse instead of David? The reason is that David’s father, Jesse, lived IN OBSCURITY and his family was of SMALL ACCOUNT (See I Samuel 18:18). It was a way of contempt and reproach that David was sometimes called the son of Jesse (I Samuel 22:7).
The royal family (David) was cut down and only the stump left, almost leveled to the ground and lost completely, yet Isaiah says it shall SPROUT again. Job 14:7 says, “At least there is hope for a tree. If it is cut down it will sprout again and its new shoots will not fail.”
Other scriptures use this imagery of a tree stump:
II Kings 19:30 says, “Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will TAKE ROOT below and bear fruit above.”
Isaiah 27:6 says “In the days to come Jacob will TAKE ROOT, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.”
Isaiah 53:2 says, “he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.”
Rev. 5:5 says, “See the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David has triumphed.”
Maybe for a tree, but what about people? It looked as if this would be impossible in their current situation.
The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ’s birth--think about the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary at that time. Going to a stable? How is this going to possibly work out?
2. Can We Have Peace in Times of Turmoil? We wonder the same thing. How is this going to possibly work out in my life? How can I have peace in times of turmoil? How can I experience peace in the job I have, or in my family, or with the problems I am facing?
Isaiah’s prophecy came true on that first Christmas. Everything unfolded as told, but where do we fit into all of it? Can we personally experience peace in our lives today because of Jesus?
Isaiah says, “Yes” because Jesus would be QUALIFIED to bring the peace we need. The prophecy goes on to say, “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.
the Spirit of Wisdom power
understanding knowledge
counsel fear of the Lord
He has been given these qualities. We need these same qualities in our daily life.
Story: The Picture Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son’s trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.
As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season would visit his house no longer.
On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand.
He introduced himself by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."
As the two began to talk, the solider told of how the man’s son had told everyone of his love of fine art.
"I’m an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man’s son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man’s face in striking detail.
Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace which he did, pushing aside thousands of dollars of other paintings.
During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy’s life would live on because of those he had touched. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received.
The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation. With the collector’s passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to old man’s will, all of the art works would be auctioned on Christmas day, the day he had received his greatest gift.
The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim "I have the greatest collection."
The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked.
Minutes passed. No one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that painting? It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s forget it and go on to the good stuff." "No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?"
Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That’s all I have. I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it."
"I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice. Gone."
The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on these treasures!"
The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over.
"What do you mean it’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old guy’s son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what’s going on here!"
The auctioneer replied, "It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever cared enough to buy the painting of the son...gets it all."
When we have Jesus, we HAVE IT ALL.
3. How Do You Choose to Live Your Life?: The coming of Christ can motivate us to live in peace with one another. We can’t wish away the conflict and terror in today’s world. But we can choose to live our lives in a different way from the world--in a way that will bring peace to us individually. You might wonder how you have missed it in the past. Maybe you were looking for peace totally in external things such as a cabin in the woods away from the stresses of daily life. Maybe sitting beside a quiet lake with a fishing pole in your hand. External peace can be shattered pretty quickly although we need both external and internal peace in our lives.
How have we missed it? I think it is because we have not fully realized what Jesus came to bring us. When we try to make it on our own, we forfeit peace. We fail to realize that when we come to Christ He not only becomes our Savior, but He wants to become the LORD OF OUR LIFE. Too often when He works a miracle in our life we say, “OK, thanks, but I can handle it from here.” We have a tendency to take off on our own. We want to pick and choose. And then on our own, peace flies out the window. We need the qualities that He possesses to help us live in a world of turmoil.
We need his wisdom as to how to make daily decisions. We need His power to be able to live an overcoming life when stresses try to tear us down. We need his counsel when we are confused and don’t know which way to turn.
We choose to live our life
with Him on the outside looking in
on the fringe--just enough of a Christian to “get by”
or to allow Him to be the Lord of Our life
Isaiah 48:16 says, “I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my counsel, your PEACE would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”
Scripture reminds us that we don’t get peace by just doing as we please and living our lives any old way to suit ourselves. It is when we come into right standing with God and seek to follow His ways that peace will be there. Peace comes with repentance--by turning around and going a different way. Peace comes with turning towards God --not away from Him.
CONCLUSION: Today on this second Sunday of Advent, identify areas in your life in which turmoil is reigning rather than peace. Which of the qualities of Jesus do you need this week--wisdom, understanding, counsel, power...?
Isaiah 32:17 says, “The fruit of righteousness (right standing with God) will be PEACE, the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places.”
Psalm 119:165 says, “Great PEACE have they who love your law and nothing can make them stumble.”
Shall we Pray:
