INTRODUCTION
A retired couple is at home one day when the husband states that he’s going out for an hour. “While your out could you pick up some trash bags and a gallon of milk,” asked his wife. “No problem” he said. “Now write it down,” she said, “so you won’t forget.” “I won’t forget,” says the husband, “it’s in here (pointing to his head) and it won’t get out.” “Now dear, you have the habit of forgetting things. You better write it down.” “I don’t need to write it down, I won’t forget.” About an hour later the husband returns and plops down on the table two turkey subs. The wife, looking at the two subs, says to her husband, “I told you that you would need to write things down. See, you forgot the sodas.”
THE COMMAND TO GO
As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples, and to ascended up into heaven, he gave his disciples one final command. Jesus said, “Go,” and they went and in their going the world was forever changed. All corners of the earth would be reached by their travels. All people of every nation would be touched by their coming. Even the calendar used today by most of the world sets it’s start date on the life, death, and resurrection of this man called “the Christ.” But as the church prepares to enter the New Millennium, the 21st Century, we find ourselves facing: declining church attendance; a growing lack of commitment to Sunday School; Families and Children drawn away from the community of faith by television, video games, shopping, and sports. Biblical illiteracy and a lack of Christ-Centeredness. And I’m inclined to ask in the midst of all this, “In all of our going, have we somehow forgotten why it is we were sent by Christ in the first place? forgotten what it is we were suppose to be doing in the midst of all of our going?” Now it’s not that as a church we have stopped going or stopped doing. We fill our churches with activities. Our calendars are filled with events and meetings. We are working as hard we ever have. But in the midst of all our going and coming, have we forgotten something, and have we even forgotten that in fact we have forgotten something?
DOES IT MATTER WHICH ROAD I TAKE?
Have you heard the Story of the Doctor who comes to a split in the road on a Vermont back country lane. The road sign at the fork points both directions for the same town. Seeing a farmer beside the road he asked him, “does it matter which road I take to get to town?” The Farmer replies, “Not to me it don’t.” For those who are watching the comings and goings of the church. It may not matter to them which way we are going. Or whether or not we make it to our destination. Or whether or not we accomplish what we have been sent to do. But it does matter to the one who sent us. To the one who went before us into death, that we might go before Him into life. We must remember why it is that Christ sent us, if we are to have the impact upon our world in this new century as the disciples had in the first century. And what better way to remind ourselves why we have been sent into the world then by understanding why it was that God sent Christ. For in understanding the mission of Jesus we come to understand our mission as Christ’s disciples. From Isaiah the prophet we read,
“The Lord God has put his Spirit in me, because the Lord has appointed me to tell the good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort those whose hearts are broken, to tell the captives they are free,and to tell the prisoners they are released.”
These are the words Jesus would quote in a synagogue in Nazareth where he declared to all those gathered there, “While you heard these words just now they were coming true!” empowered by the Spirit to tell good news Isaiah 61 is God’s mission orders to Jesus. We know this because it says so, “The Lord God has put his Spirit in me, because the Lord has appointed me to tell the good news to the poor. To tell good news to the poor, and who are the poor?” “Blessed are the poor in Spirit For their’s is the Kingdom of God.” The poor are those who long for the Spirit of God. The poor are those who see their sin ever before themselves and long for forgiveness. The poor are those who know they are in need of God if they are ever to be healed. It is to the likes of these that Christ was sent from heaven above to bring good news.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR TODAY
And what good news does Christ have for we who know we are poor. There are three sections to this message of good news presented here in Isaiah 61. Each section is introduced through the statement “He has sent me.” The first section of the good news is as follows “He has sent me to comfort those whose hearts are broken, to tell the captives they are free, and to tell the prisoners they are released.” Jesus Christ is here, right now, in the present. To comfort our hearts broken by the consequences of living in a sinful world. To tell us we have been freed from the bondage of sin. To tell us we have been released from the prison of our iniquity. “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name There am I in their midst.”
It was to here, and it was to us, that Jesus was sent to remind us that He who knew no sin became sin for us. That His body was broken for you and for me. That His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. That He became the Passover lamb. There is no darkness you could face that is deeper or darker than that which he faced for you. There is no sin that you have committed that his blood cannot wash clean. Good News, sent from heaven above. Delivered to us by the son of God Himself. But we need to remind ourselves that something is usually considered good news because it’s in answer to some pretty bad news
THE GOOD NEWS OF JUDGEMENT DAY
one day a man dies and goes to heaven. Saint Peter meets him and asks, “have you ever done anything bad that should keep you out of heaven?” The man replies, “Well I once had some questionable real-estate deals, but you can’t hold that against me because it was never proven to be illegal. And I once was unfaithful to my wife, but you can’t hold that against me because it was never shown to be a sexual relationship. And I once lied while testifying in court, but you can’t hold that against me because it was never shown to be perjury.” To this statement Saint Peter relied, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to send you to a really hot place, but let’s not call it hell. You’ll stay there a really long time, but let’s not call it eternity. And I don’t want you to give up all hope, but I wouldn’t recommend you try holding your breath waiting for the place to freeze over.”
And so, through the prophet Isaiah, Jesus says in this second section of the good news that “He has sent me to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness and the time when our God will punish evil people.” The day of judgment. When all wrongs will be righted. When all evil will be judged. When all good will be rewarded. For those who are of the household of faith, this announcement of the coming of the Day of God’s judgment is Good News. For it is the end of the reign of sin. The end of all suffering, all pain, all darkness. And we who hold on to the Christ by faith: who have had our sins forgiven; who have been washed clean by the blood of the lamb; who have received the infilling of God’s Holy Spirit. Have been given the good news found in this third section of Isaiah 61,
“He has sent me to comfort all those who are sad and to help the sorrowing people of Jerusalem. I will give them a crown to replace their ashes, and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow, and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness.”
Good news for those who trust in Christ in this the last Christmas season of the 20th century. Those of us who are tired - we will receive rest. Who are suffering - we will receive comfort. Who are in despair - we will finally receive our hope, Jesus Christ.
BUT WHAT IS THIS GOOD NEWS?
But now that you have heard Isaiah 61. Tell me, what is the good news? Do you think you know it? Do you think you’ve caught on to it? You haven’t forgotten it now, have you? What is the good news that Jesus brought to us from heaven? In the book of Revelations God is speaking through the apostle John to seven churches in Asia Miner. In Chapter Two he has this to say to the church at Ephesus,
“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.”
Our first Love. The First and Greatest Commandment. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” To love this God as revealed to us in the man Jesus Christ. Who is the Word of God made into human flesh. Who is the Bread of Heaven, broken for our iniquities. Who is the Cup of Salvation, poured out for our transgression. The Good News of God, is God. The one sent down from heaven, called Emanuel which means “God With Us.”
CONCLUSION
And so God’s closing words to the church in Ephesus as they faced the approaching 2nd century, are also God’s word for us as we face the approaching 21st century. “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” Jesus Christ raised us up to the very heights of heaven to behold the face of God. Let us remember where we’ve been and therefore, repent. Turn Back. Return to the one who is our first love.
Hesed love, you call me Home
Covenant love, you bound me round
Eternal love, you give me life forever
What is this love that has taken hold of me?
You bid me follow, but where will we go?
You bid me trust, but I am reluctant.
Hesed love, you call me Home
Covenant love, you bound me round
Eternal love, you give me life forever
Where is this love, how will I know it?
In the midst of chaos, it will come as peace
In the midst of silence, it will cry out in song
In the midst of my being, it will call me “my beloved”
Hesed love, you call me Home
Covenant love, you bound me round
Eternal love, you give me life
f..o..r..e..v..e..r
Rev. Greg Dawson