Advent mid-week 2

December 8, 2004

Isaiah 11:1-10

A Profile in Greatness

INTRODUCTION:  In this Advent season we look forward to the celebration of Christmas and for the coming again of Jesus into our hearts and the close of this age. Who is this expected one and what is He like? Is He worth hoping and waiting for?

In our Old Testament lesson for this night the prophet Isaiah draws for us a profile of the Messiah some 800 years before He is born. Consider this profile of greatness.

I.                     Who is He?

A.     A prince – “then shall a shoot spring from the stem of Jesse and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” (V. 1)

B.     A man of Spirit – And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (V.2)

C.    A God fearing man – “And He will delight in the fear of the Lord.”

II.                   What will He do?

A.     Judge righteously, not on evidence of hearsay – “He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear, but with righteousness will he judge the poor.” (Vv. 3b-4a)

B.     Destroy the evil in the world through His Word – “He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.”

III.                  What will He accomplish?

A.     Peace on earth – (V.6) “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a young lad will lead them.”

B.     The world will know God – (V.9) “They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.”

C.    Nations will seek God – (V.10) “Then it will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.”

CONCLUSION: Often in schools and in business a profile is made of new students or interns to acquaint the faculty or management with the lives of incoming students. We have reviewed the profile of the coming Messiah – truly a profile of greatness.