Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11.                            Good News in tough times!!!                         17/12/17

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,  to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour. ⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
⁸ “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. ⁹ Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”

¹⁰ I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Today in our present society we are told that we are the lucky country; that we have got it all; we just have to change some of our old-fashioned values and thinking and we will truly enjoy life. Yet all of us know that this is far from reality. Outwardly the gloss and glamour looks good; but underlying it, life for us all is a different story. The hurts, frustrations and tragedies of life are deep seated. Not to mention the lack of meaning, purpose and hope in life that is experienced by so many.

Even for us within the church and with our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, as we look at the increasing decline in worship attendance and congregational life.  As we see a growing acceptance of teaching and practice that clearly goes against God’s teaching in the Bible. And as we are now facing an increasing hatred and pressure from many in our society that are seeking to do all that they can to destroy the church and any recognition of God almighty. We are under severe pressure and it is so easy for us to become disheartened.

We look to our world around, and we look within ourselves, and see very little to encourage us. In fact, it is all so discouraging. Or else we put on our ‘rose coloured glasses’ and try to pretend that all is okay. But even then, at some point reality still hits home. Things are not as good as we know they should be. In fact, they are far worse. And humanly speaking there is no way around it. Our sinful, selfish human nature will always mess things up; no matter how good the ideas and plans are.

However, it is right here into this situation we again have an important message from God Almighty himself, through the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

What an amazing Word to a people who are in deep trouble. Here we have not a few words of wishful thinking. This is God’s Word to his people. So, we have here words that can be relied on, no matter what the situation and the thinking of people. We have God telling us that he will turn everything upside down. No matter how bad things are, he will make things right.

We know that this is reliable because first and foremost it was spoken to the Jewish people while they were in captivity in Babylon. By all intents and purposes, they had lost everything but there lives: their homes, nation, their temple which was the presence of God amongst his people, and more. They had rejected and taken God for granted and he allowed them to be destroyed as a nation. Now they were slaves to and in a foreign nation, with no hope of recovery. There future was in complete tatters.

Yet, we know from history that only a short time later, God had made it possible for them to return to Jerusalem, to rebuild their temple and become a nation once more. True to his Word, and against all probability, it happened, and beyond anyone’s expectations. The captives were released and the broken-hearted were again lifted in spirit. They could lift up their spirits and get on with life, and set about rebuilding their nation. It all happened just as God had promised.

But even more importantly this prophecy finds its truest fulfilment in Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection. Here was the Sovereign Lord himself come into our world to not only proclaim good news to the poor, but to make it possible in the most remarkable and impossible manner. He was anointed by God himself, before the very beginning of time, for this very purpose.

He was set apart to restore us back to what was originally the purpose of as all. In the Garden of Eden, we were to live in a close personally relationship with him, enjoying the very best of everything. But we rebelled against him and chose to ignore him and what he has to say to us and instead do as we please. So, bringing all measure of troubles, hardship and death on ourselves. Especially we were therefore caste into darkness and separation from God himself.

However, God in his mercy set apart his own Son, Jesus, to make it possible for us to again be restored to the original glory that was meant to be ours. As he began his ministry he set about proclaiming good news to the poor. He healed the sick and broken hearted. He proclaimed freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. He proclaimed the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion. And he did what was necessary to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

All of this proclamation of his was not ‘hot air’ and empty words. It found its fullest application in this Jesus, and his life, death and resurrection. Here he really did what was necessary for us to be saved from the mess we have made for ourselves. Through his death on the cross he cancelled out the wrath of God against us as sinners. He destroyed the strangle hold that sin holds over us, and shattered the darkness that the reality of hell holds over us.

Then of course, he rose from the dead three days later so that we can be absolutely sure that all of this is for real. Now we can know that all who trust in him and are connected to him will now also rise to be with him in heaven. He has thereby bestowed on us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

So now it is possible for us to live with God in perfect harmony for all eternity. Now we too here today can be equally sure that these words and assurances are valid and true for us. Just as real as these words were for the Israelites and the people of Jesus day, so are they true for us.

Poor though we may be; whether that be monetarily, physically, emotionally or spiritually, we can rely on this Good News that is here again proclaimed to us today. In Jesus Christ our broken-hearts can find mending. We are loved and accepted no matter what the world around us says. There is meaning and purpose to our lives. There is one who cares about us and has a way forward that will ensure full peace, happiness and a perfect future. In connection with him this is in front of us.

Also In this Jesus Christ we can know that there is freedom for those who are caught up in the rat-race of life. Free from the burden of being trapped in the disasters of the economic, social and spiritual deceptions of the world. Even the abuses that we have experienced will be released from us, so that we no longer have to carry the shame and despair that have resulted. As we look to this Jesus this freedom and more is all there for us.

So, then the darkness that so often enshrouds us, we know that in Jesus there is release. No matter how dark life may be for us; whether it results from our failings and short-comings, or the troubles and disasters that are there in our lives; the light of Jesus shatters that darkness and shines a clear path all the way into heaven, where there will be no more crying, pain or death; just the very best of everything.

Irrespective of what we may think, feel or are told, now we can know that the Lord’s favour has been extended to us. His vengeance will take care of all the evil that surrounds us and traps us. So, whatever we face, or are concerned about Jesus has now ensured that nothing can separate us from his love and the future he has in store for us. In him there is comfort for all who mourn, in whatever way that might be.

In Jesus Christ then we can go forward with boldness and confidence. We can be sure that he bestows on us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. The future is sure and positive now matter what we may see, feel or experience. Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection has ensured it.

So here today as we look forward to Christmas and another New Year we have great encouragement from our great and gracious God. In the face of a life and a world that is really far from good and positive, we have a great future to look forward to. We now have then something that we can be sure and hopeful about as we go forward in life.

So, let us continue to look to Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. Let us trust that he does have it all in control. In the face of life, let us not be distracted our tempted to not take him all that seriously. Instead let us take every opportunity to stay close to him so that he can help us lift our eyes beyond the problems of life all around us. He has and will provide a positive future for us; if not in this life, especially in the next.

To our great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit then be all glory and honour, now and for ever. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish