Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS/ISAIAH 11:1-9
FAIRVIEW CHURCH
December 22, 2013
INTRO- Lion King – Circle of Life – Creation responds to voice of rightful kg & is restored
*Theme found everywhere (cosmic revolt against evil kg & restoration under rtful)
*Narnia 100 yr winter under White Witch waiting for Aslan/Adam’s sons to appear!
-Narnia: “Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar,
sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth winter meets its death, and when he
shakes his mane we shall have spring again”
*Why is this theme everywhere? B/c something like this is true of the world!
-EXACTLY what Bible tells us in Isa 11 – revolt of creation/awaiting Messiah
-What “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” tells us – waiting Rod of Jesse! Read
1. The world is falling apart
*Isaiah 11 tells story of world in revolt & chaos b/c rightful king is missing – This is our world!
-God gave ruling authority over creation to humanity (Adam & Eve) – harmony at the 1st
-World responded rtly to man’s rule: no predation, no tsunamis, not up - tornado watch
-BUT, humanity rebelled against God & handed kingdom over to Serpent
-B/c sought wisdom in what eyes saw NOT what God had said
-Now creation is in revolt – fear of man in beasts (rise up against rightful ruler: Pit bulls)
-With an abusive tyrant over creation, it’s now in revolt & groaning – doesn’t work rt
*We see this in 2 ways in the text – 1st there’s INJUSTICE (11:3-5)
-Base it on senses that are dec’ing – Gen 3
-There’s no “equity” in judgment – the poor are disadvantaged – the rich can get off
-Problem in OT world as it is today: Needed Kg to specially protect the
poor/helpless/outcast who lacked political power to make things happen
-Problem today too: land taken from widows in Africa – problem in Merica too!
-Rich teen who got drunk & killed several in wreck got off w/ no jail b/c “affluenza”
-B/c he came from privilege he didn’t know his actions had consequences
-Ridiculous for 10 yrs probation & cushy rehab – poor kid would be in jail!
*We get ticked (& rightly so) – However, we are ALL like this
*All of us seek to escape judgment b/c we believe we were justified in what we did
-There’s at least an explanation – I shouldn’t receive full weight of law
-B/c “my” situation was different than others – at least understandable
-Yes, officer I was speeding but aren’t you gonna ask me why? (I have a reason)
-Or, isn’t there something more serious for you to deal w/ like drug dealers?
-We deflect accountability b/c we think our actions are understandable
-NOT just true of human judges we are accountable too – also of the True Judge!
-Sure, I understand I shouldn’t be flirting w/ my co-worker but my husband…others??
-I know supposed to render to Caesar but in my situation I need $ more than gov’t
-Injustice is everywhere & we’ve contributed & we seek to evade accountability!
-Our world needs a judge who will judge justly & not let evil avoid accountability (incl us)
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*NOT only injustice but there’s also a curse of death: predation, violence, insecurity (11:6-9)
-World itself is in revolt: animals attack man, tsunamis kill 250,000, houses broken into
-Tornadoes destroy Moore Okl, Hurrican Sandy devastates NJ, Cancer kills!
-Things falling apart – don’t work right – reign of death that needs to be turned back
2. The world is waiting for the True King to appear
*Isa 11: World is waiting for Messiah– broken world needs truly wise king who rules in wisdom
-Emergence of Rod of Jesse (1 Sam 16) – Messiah – Fallen Davidic house will rise!
-Nations & Kings can be depicted as trees (Vine/Branches Jer 23:5; 33:15; zech 3:8; 6:12)
-Though situation looks bleak, David’s dynasty will flourish again (contra Assyria)
-This Messiah will be anointed by HS (Xst’s Baptism) & will embody wisdom of Proverbs
-[O Come O Come Emmanuel – come wisdom from on high]-my dissertation thesis
*He will judge justly & end injustice – especially for lowly of society b/c won’t base on senses!
-He’ll judge w/ equity – upholding the cause of lowly (widow, orphan, poor, etc.)
-kill wicked (mouth Rev 19)HS=warfare (David, judges)problem: we want injustice to end
-BUT, don’t want that judgment turned on us & it will be – Romans 6:23
-There’ll be no evading judgment for any of us (can’t bribe him – Chesney $20 in plate)
-Wicked will get what’s coming to them – that includes us
*Good News: Kg takes judgment in our place at 1st coming before 2nd time to judge unrepentant
*Spirit of wisdom is given to build Temples in OT (patterned after paradise) – Messiah does this!
*When Kg comes, world responds to him (intimate connection b/t man & ground)
-He restores the harmony of creation as he reasserts human rule over the Cosmos
-What does this look like? Reconciliation of mortal enemies who live together in peace
-Harmony again b/t man & animal kingdom (predation ceases)
-Serpent overthrown by little child (Isa 7/9) – playing w/ snakes?
-Peace will reign when a lil child rules & Gen 1:28 fulfilled as knowledge of God covers..
-World will work right again & life will reign over death
*This is ALREADY NOT YET: Kgdom has broken in b/c King has come (Christmas)
*See glimpses: Jesus blesses lowly (widows, poor, outcast of society), tells waves what to do
(who is this man?), heals disease, raises dead, casts out demons, walks on water, etc.
-He’s defeated the serpent-king through his death & resurrection
-He’s cast him out of heaven & ascended to the throne
-NOW rules world through little outposts of his kingdom – the church!
*Church is a colony of Kgdom: we show the rule of Christ NOW in these things
-pray healing, care for orphans/widows, generous to the poor, GC (spread knowledge)
-When we talk about kgdom – justice reigning, lowly cared for, reconciliation of races,
peace on earth w/o division – you can see a preview of it at Fairview Church
-Means don’t make excuses to not care for poor (just gonna buy booze w/ it)
-And, we don’t help in such a way that we cause dependency on us
-Means we work thru things like foster care, adoption, reconciliation, fighting injustice
(abortion or pornography or treatment of child labor)
-Kgdom’s here: forgiveness, rec HS, adopted, freed from power/accusation of Satan, etc.
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*BUT, NOT YET fully here: still death, still sickness, still injustice, still tornadoes, still violence
*For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory
that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons
to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of Him
who subjected it — in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has
been groaning together with labor pains until now. And not only that, but we ourselves who
have the Spirit as the firstfruits — we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption,
the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not
hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly
wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:18-25)
Concl: Creation groans until Sons of God are revealed by resurrection from the dead
-We see this now by faith NOT by sight
-We find joy & comfort despite our circumstances b/c kg has beaten sin, Satan & death
-We know he will return & call out to the graves & death will obey His voice!
*Cosmos will respond to His voice – always has (let there be, come out, get up) &all will b new
Lord Supper: We celebrate this in Lord’s Supper (Look back: he took judgment we deserve)
*Look forward: He will return & restore all things
*Invite Baptized Believers to ptc (chance for talk to kids)
-Body was broken: he took condemnation so none for us!
-Cup reminds us NOT just that our King has come (& spilt his blood) but He’s coming
AGAIN & when he appears in the Eastern Sky & opens his mouth injustice will cease,
death will run in fear, & life will flourish once again!
-Let’s raise our glasses & drink with joy b/c our Conquering King is coming soon!
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