Dec 06 2011
Sermon: Everything is different now (Advent 2)
Isaiah 11:1-10
Matthew 3:1-12
Advent is the season for the preparation of the coming of the Messiah – He came to us in the Incarnation: we celebrate Christmas;
He enters into our lives every day: we celebrate this in our baptism, at the Communion Table and in worship & prayer;
He will come again: we prepare ourselves in confession and repentance.
Because Jesus has entered into our lives we are changed, the world is changed … everything is different!
In that document which we call “Merredin’s Creed” but which actually was formulated at a Parish Camp just before I arrived in the Parish we say:
“The thing about Jesus for us is:
We are totally different; it’s who we are now
He is our all, always with us every day
There is nothing else as good
He is our reason for living, our comfort, our peace
He gives our life purpose and hope
He has captured our hearts, we are held
God is a real person in our lives
This is true, with the answers to our questions
Our lives make sense
This is the only way we have spirit communion with God
Oversees our soul, gives us direction.”
Because of Jesus, the world can never ever be the same again.
In the beginning, Adam walked with God – they shared a sweet communion.
Then sin came …
WHY? Because man wanted to be equal with God; he wanted the wisdom to choose his own way – he chose the way of selfishness.
Adam was separated from God, and mankind, as a whole remained separated. Only a few who chose to submit themselves to the way of God were able to share this sweet communion with the Almighty: Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and a few others.
But then came Jesus … and suddenly everything is different.
Isaiah, another of those who walked with God, gives us a few pictures:
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; and from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
He us telling us that out of the barrenness will come forth new life. He goes on to speak of the Messiah …
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him
He will judge with righteousness
The poor and the needy will get justice
The wicked will be destroyed
The prophet speaks of the radical change which will happen with the coming of the Lord. Then in verses 6-9 he tells us that this change will affect not only our relationship with God – in the case of both believer and non-believer, righteous and wicked – but it affects the whole of creation …
The wolf will live with the lamb
the leopard with the goat
the calf with the lion … and a little child will lead them
All the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
Because of Jesus everything is different …
Of course, not everyone believes that.
I didn’t for the first 27 years of my life.
We celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world at Christmas. Its a wonderful celebration – we share gifts and Christmas pudding; we put up trees and lights; we send cards to absent friends.
We might comment about the commercialisation of the Christmas Festival but the truth is that all the world stops still – even those who don’t believe. For a little while we forget our antagonisms and we have a taste of the peace and goodwill which marks the season – and the coming of the Messiah.
When I came to faith 34 years ago, it was like Christmas in July! My life changed dramatically, everything was different.
But how …
Well, there was the voice – I heard the Lord speak to me audibly. That was a pretty moving experience.
But more than that – there was the repentance.
John the Baptiser came, as one preparing the way of the Lord, and he called people to repentance.
And people came from far and wide – they left the cities and the highways to trek out into the desert.
They came because they needed a sea change.
Their lives were going nowhere … oh yes, they were busy with the things of life. They were working hard and making money but life still seemed empty – there was something missing.
Certainly that was my story.
John comes into each of our lives – perhaps he is there with you today – and he calls us into a new place.
Prepare the way of the Lord … make straight paths for Him.
He calls us to repentance.
You cannot claim the way of self righteousness and still be open to the coming of the Lord into your life. This is the “wall”, the barrier which Adam erected between mankind and God.
Repentance means that we tear down that “wall” – it is no longer “I” that sits on the “throne” of my life.
Repentance is about submission to God – it is not about weakness but about recognising the One who is the Lord.
When Adam was banished from Eden it was so that he could not find his way back to the Tree of Life and thus live forever in his self-righteousness.
But notice what John the Baptiser says, “The axe is at the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
What is he saying?
First, he is speaking to the Pharisees – challenging their self-righteousness.
But, I believe, he is also speaking of a newness of life for those who choose to acknowledge Jesus in their life. There is only one tree which produces good fruit – and that is the Cross of Christ. All others are distractions and temptations which lead to the deception of self-righteousness.
John calls us to the baptism of repentance but tells us that another comes after him who will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
It is the promise that Jesus will change our lives forever.
In my 34 years of walking with Christ, I have struggled much as the axe came down on the trees of my self-righteousness. Oh yes, there are still many trees in the forest but I know that each day I can see a little clearer and a little further.
And when He comes again – perhaps just to meet me when I die, or perhaps when He comes in the flesh for all mankind, there will be no other trees in the forest – just one – the Cross on which my Saviour died to pay the price of my sin.
Everything is different because of Christ.
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cry announces that the Lord is nigh; come then and hearken, for he brings glad tidings from the King of kings.
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