07 Decembe3r 2022
Isaiah 11:1-10
"A Profile in Greatness"
In this Advent season we look forward. As we look forward, we
anticipate one of two great events happening. Either we will celebrate with
family and friends yet another Christmas or we will see Jesus’s face to face as
He returns in glory. If it is to be yet
another Christmas celebration, we will welcome Him into our hearts and
homes. If it is to be His Second Advent
– we will be ushered out of this world only to spend our time in glory.
Certainly, we need to be prepared for these coming events.
But who is this expected one and what is He like? Is He worth the effort? Is He worth all the preparation? Is He worth the wait?
Admissions officers of colleges and universities often
prepare profiles of new students to acquaint the faculty with the lives of
incoming students. In business, the personnel director might do something
similar with a new hire profiling a city of a community; highlighting schools,
churches, and community attractions. Profiling can be a positive thing.
In our Old Testament lesson for this evening Isaiah draws a
profile of the Messiah about 800 years before He came into the world.
This evening, let’s consider the portrait that Isaiah would
paint for us as we consider the One who is coming. This evening, consider the
profile of greatness.
I.
Who is He?
A. He is a prince – v. 1 “A shoot will come up from the
stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”
As Isaiah wrote this prophecy the Assyrians had all but
destroyed Judah. Things got even worse!
The Babylonians which took Judah into exile brought the kingdom of Judah to an
end in the year 586 BC. How could a
prince emerge from such great odds stacked up against them?
With God all things are possible – In these words we have the
Lord’s promise that the Messiah will grow as a shoot from the stump of David’s
dynasty. As Jesse, the father of David has the promise of an even greater son
emerging on the scene.
B. This coming one not only is He a prince – He is also a man
of spirit. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – the Spirit of wisdom
and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of
knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord.” (v. 2) The Holy Spirit will endow
Him with the wisdom to undertake wise purposes and with the power to carry them
out in the fear of the Lord.
C. This coming one
will also be a God-fearing man. “And He will delight in the fear of the Lord.”
Jesus, speaking to the people, speaks of the validity of His testimony. In the gospel of John, He says: “The one
who sent Me is with Me; He has no left me alone, for I always do what pleases
Him.” (v. 29) Then, John replies with this observation: “Even as He
spoke, many put their faith in Him.”
Transition: We see who this coming one is but what will He do? Many a skeptic may question, “but what have
you done for me lately?” Isaiah replies
to this question:
II.
What will this chosen one do?
A. He will judge righteously, not on outward appearance or on
hearsay – “He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by
what He hears with His ears.” (v. 3b) This is good news for you. Despite the holy and pious things people
might say, often time people act from selfish, self-centered, and self-serving
motives. They ask. “what’s in it for me?” Jesus establishes a new standard.
He will judge by the standard He sets for the world - a
standard that is centered in the cross and empty tomb. “With righteousness
He will judge the needy with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the
earth.” (4b)
B. He comes to destroy the evil in the world through the
power of His Word. “He will strike
the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips, he will slay
the wicked.” (4b)
As in Isaiah’s day world rulers many times lacked those
qualities needed for leadership. Jesus, on the other hand, rules with righteousness
and equity. You will always receive a fair hearing with Jesus on the throne.
III. What
will this coming Messiah accomplish?
A. He will establish peace on earth. “The wolf will live
with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the goat the calf and the lion
and the yearling together; and a young child will lead them.” (v. 6)
We see this verse depicted in Christmas cards which we
receive in the mail at Christmas time.
On the cover we see a lion and a lamb lying down
together. As the world works, you would
expect to open the card and find a picture of the lion licking his chops having
just devoured the lamb! The world knows
nothing of peace!
The world knows only strife, contention, and war. It is only
Jesus who can bring about real and everlasting peace. That is why the prophet says, “And a young
child shall lead them.” It was only
at the coming of the Savior that the angels could sing “peace on earth, good
will toward men”.
B. With the coming of this child to earth the sons of men
will come to know God – “They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy
mountain for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea.” (v. 9) As the Word of God is taught people come to the
knowledge of the truth. As Christ came into this earth so He reveals Himself to
the whole earth that people now can come to know God.
C. Wise men still seek Him. As the coming one enters time and
space so now the nations seek after God.
Isaiah writes: “In that day the root of Jesse will stand
as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him and His place of
rest will be glorious.” (v.10)
This is the profile of the coming one Jesus our new born
king. Jesus, a descendant of David comes
as the righteous branch with healing for the nations. As we prepare to
celebrate His entry into time and space as an infant may we even now prepare
our hearts and minds to be welcomes by Him when he comes again as judge and
king. Oh, come let us worship Him,
Christ the Lord. Amen.
Passive Sentences –4%
Readability –79%
Reading Level -5.5
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