Unwrap the Gift of Joy
The Prophet Foretold, And The Messiah Came To Bring Joy and Peace.
George Wright
Dec 13, 2020 39m
During the third week of Advent, we are reminded that the prophet Isaiah Foretold that a Messiah was coming to bring good news, and Jesus came and fulfilled the prophecy and brought us joy and peace. Video recorded at Columbia, South Carolina.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
Mallory Kraft: 00:04 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
George Wright: 00:59 Well, what a privilege it is to be able to gather together in worship this morning. And we do want to thank those of you who are joining us online as well, we're grateful to be able to share this time with you. And what a beautiful way to set up the scripture, but to have a child read the opening text for us from Isaiah 61, so I want to thank Mallory Kraft for sharing with us from the Word of God to get us started. And I would encourage you let's follow her lead, and let's turn now to Isaiah 61, that's what we're going to be spending some time here this morning. And also wants you to know, in our opening scripture, we're going to also turn to Luke chapter 4. So you may want to just make a note in your Bible of those two places, that's we're going to be spending some time here this morning.
George Wright: 01:45 But before we dive back into the Word of God today, I do want to just piggyback on the announcement that Pastor Ed's just made, as it relates to our Christmas services. We know that this year is a very different Christmas season, and so we just want you to understand that our commitment to you, as you pray about who you might invite to Christmas, is we want to make this as safe and as sanitary as possible, which is why we're doing four services spread out over two days so that we can have space to spread out in the room as people join us. And we still believe, even this year in light of all this going on, that Christmas is the easiest invite all year to church. And so I would encourage you to be praying about who you can invite to come with you to a very meaningful and significant Christmas celebration as we have our candlelight service, and as we have the opportunity to be reminded of the great gifts that we celebrate at Christmas through Jesus Christ. So we encourage you to be praying about who you can invite, even now.
George Wright: 02:52 And we will turn our attention back to Isaiah 61. And I just want to read verse 1 and the beginning of verse 2, again, as Mallory just shared with us, and then we'll flip over to Luke chapter 4. I would invite you if you're willing and able to stand with me, as I read from the Word of God, this is what we do each week at Shandon. We are reminded as the people of God, we stand upon what God says in his word. The Word of God is our foundation, and the Word of God reveals to us what God says is right and good and true, that which we need to hear.
George Wright: 03:33 Isaiah 61 verse one, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor." And keep your finger in Isaiah 61, turn over to Luke chapter 4. Luke chapter 4 shows us the very beginning of Jesus' public ministry on earth, look at what it says, Luke chapter 4 verse 16, speaking of Jesus. It says, He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” This is the word of the Lord.
George Wright: 05:20 Let's pray that the prophecy of God, and the fulfillment of prophecy through Christ, would be made alive in us here today, as we turn our attention to God's Word. Pray with me. Father, we need to hear from you. And in this sacred time of year that we love so dearly, this Christmas season, Lord, there is so much fighting for our attention, so much distraction, so much that we can become consumed with, that prevents us from hearing you. So I pray in these moments that we share together in your word, that you would truly have your way among us, speak that which we need to hear, that we might see with greater clarity, the love and the grace that you have made available to us through Jesus Christ. We look to you, and we commit this time to you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for standing.
George Wright: 06:35 Well, as we continue here this morning in our Advent celebration, as you see represented in the Advent candles here in front of me. This is the third week of Advent, the third Sunday of Advent, that is often referred to as the Sunday of joy and peace. We are celebrating the joy and the peace that comes through the gift of Jesus Christ here at Christmas. I want to ask you if you can, as we start this message in light of what we've just read, to try and take yourself back, place yourself at a synagogue in Nazareth, as Jesus stands up to read from the prophet Isaiah. This is a passage of the old covenant, a passage of the Holy scroll, that would have been very familiar to the people of God, to the religious Jews, that were gathered at that synagogue on that day. And Jesus stands up and says, exactly what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 61, that the spirit of the Lord God is upon me, he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. And then he sits down after rolling back the scroll and handing it to an attendant, and every eye in the room is on Jesus as he says, today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
George Wright: 08:27 Right here in front of you today, Jesus is saying to all in that synagogue, the scripture has been fulfilled. I am the one that the spirit of the Lord God is upon, I am the one who has been anointed to bring the good news. Imagine what it must have been like in that room, the collective gasp, the silence and wonder, could it be true? This Jesus of Nazareth who grew up in our town, could he really be the one? You see what Jesus has done in Luke chapter 4, this is so important to understand at the beginning of this message, what Jesus has done in Luke chapter 4, is he has invited everyone who is willing to listen, to honestly evaluate, what will you do with Jesus?
George Wright: 09:32 You see, Christmas all centers around Jesus, we know that, even as our culture seeks more and more to push out the meaning of Christmas, even to this day the Christmas Carol still resound. There are songs about Jesus all throughout the Christmas season, even in secular stores, and secular commercials, it's everywhere. What will you do with Jesus at Christmas? Because you see what Jesus has said in Luke chapter 4, if you have any intellectual integrity whatsoever, means you cannot simply call Jesus a good teacher or a good example, if what he proclaims in Luke 4 is not true. If he is not the fulfillment of the prophecy, if he is not the son of God come to bring the good news, if he is not the Messiah, you cannot simply dismiss him as a good teacher, or a good example, or a good moral leader. Because a good teacher, and a good example, and a good moral leader, would not build his entire life and identity upon a lie, unless he was incredibly delusional, or he was from the enemy of God himself. So Jesus, in saying, I am the fulfillment of the prophecy, is saying to all of us, what will you do with me? Will you believe what I've said? Will you believe that I'm the Savior that has come? Will you believe that I am the Messiah who was prophesied about, or will you just try to conclude, hey, good teacher, good example? You can't go there, because if he's simply a good example or a good teacher, his whole identity, his whole ministry, his whole life comes crumbling down, if it has been built upon the lie. What do you believe?
George Wright: 11:43 With that in mind, we returned to Isaiah 61, and we see these words that invite us into this celebration of joy, and this beautiful gift of peace, that is unrivaled through what the Messiah alone can provide. Isaiah 61, we'll break this down one statement at a time. Look at what it says at the beginning of verse one again, "The spirit of the Lord, God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." Now, what do we know about the poor? What do we know about poverty? Those who are living in poverty, recognize they have a need. Those who are living in poverty, are aware that they need some assistance, they need the help of another if their needs are going to be met. And the prophet Isaiah is speaking here to the spiritual state of everyone in the world, apart from what Jesus Christ has done. For apart from what Christ has done, we are poor, and we are in need of help. But there is one, there is one who has brought good news to the poor, there is one who has done for us, what we could never do for ourselves. That's the point of this prophecy, as Isaiah is showing us the Messiah will come to meet the spiritual needs of all who trust in him. And there is joy, joy in knowing that Christ has done for us, what we could never do for ourselves, he provides peace with God.
George Wright: 13:27 The Prophet continues in verse one, he says, "He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." How many of you have ever experienced a heartbreak in any form or fashion? You don't have to raise your hand, but you know what a heartbreak feels like, right? If you've lived any time at all, you know what heartbreak feels like. I can remember back to when I was in high school, the first time I ever experienced any form of a heartbreak, okay? My first time of having a girlfriend in high school, that I was going to give a Christmas present to. Okay, so this was not real serious, it was kind of a causal relationship by all standards, but it was serious enough that I wanted to get one of my first girlfriends this Christmas gift at Christmas. This was before cell phones, of course, and so I saw her at church and I said, next Sunday, I've got something that I want to give you for Christmas, so I'll meet you in the lobby after church next Sunday. This is the church where I grew up, where my dad was the pastor for a long time, that's important to the context here. So I walk into the lobby after church that following Sunday, and I'm holding her Christmas gift, and I see her walking kind of slowly towards me, and I realized very quickly, she's not holding anything in her hand. So I kind of sheepishly walk to her, holding her gift. And she looks at me and she says, I just don't think this is going to work out. You're breaking up with the pastor's son, in church, at Christmas? You're going to hell. That's crazy. I'm just kidding, that's a little extreme, I'm just kidding. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. I mean, really my pride had just taken a hit, I really didn't care much about her, I just could not believe I was being rejected on the spot at Christmas. And I just remember walking out to the parking lot, seeing a trash can, and just dropping the present trash can right there. Yeah, that's painful, right?
George Wright: 15:38 Hey, here's what we know about heartbreak in any form or fashion, whether it's a dating relationship, whether it's the devastation of a committed relationship that comes to an end, the heartbreak that is far too familiar for so many through divorce, the heartbreak that is so real through loss. Here's what we know about heartbreak, we can't fix it, you can't fix a broken heart. Now you can try to ignore it, you can try to cover it up, you can try to fill up your heart with other things, but you can't fix a broken heart. But the prophet says there is one who has come, he has come to mend the broken heart. He has come to do for you, what you could never do for yourself. He has come to meet you, even as your heart has been ravaged, even as your heart has been crushed by the devastating consequences of sin in your life, and the consequences of sin in others, that have impacted you. There is one that has come to mend the broken heart, to bind up and restore the broken heart, and he is the one that will never leave you nor forsake you. His love never fails, and his commitment and his faithfulness toward you, is unending. This is the joy and the peace that comes through knowing the gift of what the Messiah alone can give.
George Wright: 17:24 The prophet then continues, the final part of this verse, "To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." Certainly we could agree that those who are imprisoned know without a doubt, there is nothing that they can do to set themselves free, their only hope of freedom is if else opens the door. And the prophet is saying to those who are willing to see the reality of the prison that sin builds around our life, the chains that sin locks us up under, those who are willing to see the shame that becomes like in our lives, can see that there is a Savior who has come to break every chain, to fling open the door, to set the captives free. I love what the Apostle Paul says about freedom, he says, It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. That's why he came, he came to set you free. That you might come out from hiding, that you might come out from under the of sin and shame, that you would feel the freedom of Christ, and the joy and the peace that comes through his grace. You see, all three of these things discussed in verse one, show us so clearly that there are situations we find ourselves in because of the sin that so easily entangles us, that we could never escape from, but the Messiah has come to set us free. Jesus has come to set you free.
George Wright: 19:35 That leads us to verse 2, Isaiah 61 verse 2, "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Still speaking of the Messiah, Isaiah writes, "And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn." Now this verse is a challenging verse, because it appears like there are two conflicting ideas in Isaiah 61 verse 2. You have the year of the Lord's favor, that sounds like something we all would want to partake of. And then you have the day of vengeance of our God, that's a whole nother story altogether. Back in Luke, chapter 4, what we looked at the beginning of this message. As Jesus talks about being the fulfillment of this prophecy in Isaiah 61, he only quotes half of this verse, verse 2. He only references the year of the Lord's favor, he leaves out the part about the day of God's vengeance. So what is this all about? We need to understand this.
George Wright: 20:41 First let's look at the year of the Lord's favor. This is something that is actually referenced in Leviticus chapter 25, you may want to go back and read this later today, or later this week, in your time with the Lord. But in Leviticus 25 God institutes something that the people of God begin to call the year of Jubilee. This is an amazing celebration that is given to the people of God, by God, that they might be reminded of what God has done, who he is, and what he has provided. It said that the year of Jubilee was something that was to take place every 50 years among the people of God, listen to this, they were to take an entire year of Sabbath away from work, an entire year off to rest, to recover, to be reminded of what God had provided for his people. And during the year of Jubilee, don't miss this, during the year of Jubilee, all debts would be canceled, all debts would be forgiven. And all people, regardless of their status or their class, were invited to celebrate this gift of liberty and freedom that had been granted to them by God.
George Wright: 22:13 Why does Isaiah reference the year of the Lord's favor, as he is pointing to the Messiah prophetically? Well, what we see through Jesus, is in Jesus Christ, all the debt of our sin has been canceled. Please don't miss this, regardless of where you're from, regardless of how you've lived up until this day, regardless of how difficult the backstory may be, regardless of how far you may feel from God, in Jesus, there is the forgiveness of sin, the cancellation of debt, and the invitation to live as one who has been truly set free. The cross of Christ, cancels our debt and invites us into the joy of living free. And as Jesus quotes Isaiah 61, verse 2, and references himself at the year of the Lord's favor. He is saying to all who trust him, the year of the Lord's favor has begun, it has been instituted now, you are living in midst of the year of the Lord's favor to this day.
George Wright: 23:51 What do I mean by that? Let me refer you to a commentary on Isaiah written by Ray Ortlund, this is a great, great commentary on the Book of Isaiah. He helps unpack this even further, I hope this will help you as we think about the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of God. Look at what Ortlund writes, he says, "That his first coming, talking about Jesus, he inaugurated the year of the Lord's favor. At his second coming, the day we long for as followers of Jesus, at his second coming, he'll bring in the day of the vengeance of our God, listen to this, when the door of grace will shut forever." There's a gap in time between the first line of verse 2, and the second line of verse 2, and we're living right now in that interval. It's as if Isaiah looks into the future and sees two mountain peaks far away, one beyond the other, but he can't see how much distance there is between them, so we don't know how long we have. Now, it is sobering, it is sobering when we talk about the vengeance of God, the justice of God, our God punishing sin, as it deserves, that is very sobering to think about. And what we are reminded of here in Isaiah 61 verse 2, is that we are living in an in-between time, between the beginning of the Lord's favor, that was instituted at the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the day of the vengeance of God, which will take place when Christ returns again.
George Wright: 25:48 And please hear this, for those who are in Christ, the day of vengeance of our God, when Christ returns again for his people, will be a day of tremendous celebration and joy as we are United with Christ once and for all forever more. But the day of vengeance of our God, for those who are not in Christ Jesus, for those who do not know Jesus, that day will be a terrifying day of destruction. As all sin will be accounted for, and everyone apart from Christ will have to give an account before a Holy and righteous God, of how they have lived and what they have done. What will that day be like for you? I know it's sobering, it's sobering to think about the vengeance of God. But we talk about it, and the scripture points that out to us, and reveals it to us, because the love of God for us is inviting us into the gift that Jesus Christ alone can provide. God wants you to know the joy and the peace of salvation through his son, Jesus Christ, but the door of grace will not be open forever. So have you stepped through that door, and have you trusted in what Christ has done, for this is where true freedom and joy is found.
George Wright: 27:49 We return to the Prophet Isaiah 61 verse 3, this final verse that we'll consider this morning in this message, He writes of the Messiah, "He's comes to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified." And the language of this verse is so beautiful, and so compelling, for those who are followers of Jesus Christ. We are reminded here that through Christ, those who trust in what Christ has done, are invited to move from morning to worship. Those who are in Christ are given a garment of praise that replaces a faint spirit, given beauty, that covers ashes. This is what Christ alone has provided. And Isaiah is reminding us that as we worship the one who has set us free, as we turn our attention to the joy and peace that comes through Christ in our worship, our faith begins to grow, and our faith grows strong in the works of his hand. This needs to be said, in this time, when our circumstances change, our God never does, he is the yesterday, today and forevermore. And when the people of God live their lives in worship of God, in light of who he is, and what he has done, it builds us in the strength of the Lord, like an Oak of righteousness, planted deeply in the roots of his grace.
George Wright: 30:08 My favorite places in the state of South Carolina is down in the low country, I love the low country of
South Carolina, I know many of you do as well. There's a place just outside of Charleston, on John's Island, where some of the most beautiful live Oak trees you could find in the country are growing strong and glorious. One of these trees is referred to as the Angel Oak, maybe you've seen this tree, maybe you've stopped on that road to John's Island. It's one of the most majestic trees you could ever see. Four to Five hundred years old, it's been called the oldest tree East of the Mississippi. Think about where it's located, John's Island outside of Charleston, a place that has been ravaged by storms, hurricanes, and floods for centuries, And yet in a place where the flood waters rise, and the hurricane winds blow, and the storm surge rages in that place, there is a mighty Oak that is unmoved, a mighty Oak with roots down deep, that has stood the test of time in the face of all the storms. I just would ask you, does that describe your faith? For the prophet Isaiah says those who trust in what the Messiah has done, and worship the Messiah for who he is, and what he has provided, and the joy and peace that comes through knowing Christ. Those who trust in him, will grow like a mighty Oak, like an Oak of righteousness, firmly planted in the gift of what God has done. Does that describe your faith today? For isn't that the display of joy, and peace, and strength, that our world needs to see? As so many are being tossed to and fro by the storms of our time, as so many are being knocked around by the waves of uncertainty, the fear like a flood, doesn't our world need to see there is one, there is one who provides strength like an Oak. Not based on what we have done, but based on what he has done for us. His name is Jesus, do you know him?
George Wright: 33:28 I'm going to close with a quote from a great Preacher, Dr. Mark Martin Lloyd Jones. He says this, "As we face the modern world with all its trouble and turmoil, and with all its difficulties and sadness, nothing is more important than that we who call ourselves Christian, and who claim the name of Christ, should be representing our faith in such a way before others as to give them the impression that here is the solution, and here is the answer. In a world where everything has gone sadly astray, we should be standing out as men and women apart. People characterized by a fundamental joy, and a certainty in spite of conditions, and in spite of adversity." Does that describe your faith? Dear brother, dear sister, for if it does not, perhaps this Christmas season, God is inviting you to return to the gift of what Christ has done. And to center your life, and to center the roots of who you are, in the beautiful, firm soil of his grace, that can cause you to grow up like an Oak of righteousness in the midst of the storm. For that gift has been offered to you, his name is Jesus, he will never leave you or forsake you. And the joy of the Lord can be yours, as you recognize the peace of God that surpasses all understanding through Jesus Christ our Lord. If that is your story, may you worship in a way that the world takes notice. And if that is not your story today, may you see that the Messiah is pursuing you even now, for he longs for you to know the joy of the Lord and peace with God, that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
George Wright: 36:04 Let me pray for us as we close this message. Heavenly Father, I am so very grateful for the picture that is painted through your word, this beautiful majestic Oak of righteousness, standing firm in the storms, not because of our great accomplishments, not because of something that we have done to prove how strong we are, but all because the prophecy has been fulfilled. And Jesus Christ our Lord has invited us into the joy and the peace of salvation, that provides us strength upon strength, in the midst of the storm. So I pray, Lord God, for your church, for those who have been struggling, wrestling with fear, worry, doubt, concern, some who have even lost their way in such difficult times that we are navigating. I pray Lord God, that you would strengthen them today in the mighty work of your hands, that they would return to the great gift of Christmas, that shows us the Messiah has come to set the captives free, to bind up the broken hearted, and to strengthen us in grace and mercy.
George Wright: 37:52 Father, for those who don't know you today, who don't know this joy of Christmas, this peace with God, perhaps those who have been looking at Jesus is simply a good example or a good teacher, but have never trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord. I pray that today would be the day that they would recognize their need for the Savior, and they would cross that line of faith saying, Jesus, I am ready to trust my life to you. I don't want to be tossed to and fro any longer in the storms of this life, I want to be rooted in the strength of what you done through the cross, forgiving my sin, in the power of the resurrection that invites me to live free. We praise you for the gift of salvation, and we pray that our lives would be a reflection, a picture, an image, of that which you have done, that the world may see, and bring glory to your name, in the gift of Jesus Christ.
George Wright: 39:14 Father, this Christmas, I pray, that you would give us the faith to fix our eyes on Jesus. I pray, that you would grow our faith like an Oak. I pray, that we would live in light of the joy that has been made available to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's in His name we pray. Amen.
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
George Wright: 00:59 Well, what a privilege it is to be able to gather together in worship this morning. And we do want to thank those of you who are joining us online as well, we're grateful to be able to share this time with you. And what a beautiful way to set up the scripture, but to have a child read the opening text for us from Isaiah 61, so I want to thank Mallory Kraft for sharing with us from the Word of God to get us started. And I would encourage you let's follow her lead, and let's turn now to Isaiah 61, that's what we're going to be spending some time here this morning. And also wants you to know, in our opening scripture, we're going to also turn to Luke chapter 4. So you may want to just make a note in your Bible of those two places, that's we're going to be spending some time here this morning.
George Wright: 01:45 But before we dive back into the Word of God today, I do want to just piggyback on the announcement that Pastor Ed's just made, as it relates to our Christmas services. We know that this year is a very different Christmas season, and so we just want you to understand that our commitment to you, as you pray about who you might invite to Christmas, is we want to make this as safe and as sanitary as possible, which is why we're doing four services spread out over two days so that we can have space to spread out in the room as people join us. And we still believe, even this year in light of all this going on, that Christmas is the easiest invite all year to church. And so I would encourage you to be praying about who you can invite to come with you to a very meaningful and significant Christmas celebration as we have our candlelight service, and as we have the opportunity to be reminded of the great gifts that we celebrate at Christmas through Jesus Christ. So we encourage you to be praying about who you can invite, even now.
George Wright: 02:52 And we will turn our attention back to Isaiah 61. And I just want to read verse 1 and the beginning of verse 2, again, as Mallory just shared with us, and then we'll flip over to Luke chapter 4. I would invite you if you're willing and able to stand with me, as I read from the Word of God, this is what we do each week at Shandon. We are reminded as the people of God, we stand upon what God says in his word. The Word of God is our foundation, and the Word of God reveals to us what God says is right and good and true, that which we need to hear.
George Wright: 03:33 Isaiah 61 verse one, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor." And keep your finger in Isaiah 61, turn over to Luke chapter 4. Luke chapter 4 shows us the very beginning of Jesus' public ministry on earth, look at what it says, Luke chapter 4 verse 16, speaking of Jesus. It says, He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” This is the word of the Lord.
George Wright: 05:20 Let's pray that the prophecy of God, and the fulfillment of prophecy through Christ, would be made alive in us here today, as we turn our attention to God's Word. Pray with me. Father, we need to hear from you. And in this sacred time of year that we love so dearly, this Christmas season, Lord, there is so much fighting for our attention, so much distraction, so much that we can become consumed with, that prevents us from hearing you. So I pray in these moments that we share together in your word, that you would truly have your way among us, speak that which we need to hear, that we might see with greater clarity, the love and the grace that you have made available to us through Jesus Christ. We look to you, and we commit this time to you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for standing.
George Wright: 06:35 Well, as we continue here this morning in our Advent celebration, as you see represented in the Advent candles here in front of me. This is the third week of Advent, the third Sunday of Advent, that is often referred to as the Sunday of joy and peace. We are celebrating the joy and the peace that comes through the gift of Jesus Christ here at Christmas. I want to ask you if you can, as we start this message in light of what we've just read, to try and take yourself back, place yourself at a synagogue in Nazareth, as Jesus stands up to read from the prophet Isaiah. This is a passage of the old covenant, a passage of the Holy scroll, that would have been very familiar to the people of God, to the religious Jews, that were gathered at that synagogue on that day. And Jesus stands up and says, exactly what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 61, that the spirit of the Lord God is upon me, he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. And then he sits down after rolling back the scroll and handing it to an attendant, and every eye in the room is on Jesus as he says, today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
George Wright: 08:27 Right here in front of you today, Jesus is saying to all in that synagogue, the scripture has been fulfilled. I am the one that the spirit of the Lord God is upon, I am the one who has been anointed to bring the good news. Imagine what it must have been like in that room, the collective gasp, the silence and wonder, could it be true? This Jesus of Nazareth who grew up in our town, could he really be the one? You see what Jesus has done in Luke chapter 4, this is so important to understand at the beginning of this message, what Jesus has done in Luke chapter 4, is he has invited everyone who is willing to listen, to honestly evaluate, what will you do with Jesus?
George Wright: 09:32 You see, Christmas all centers around Jesus, we know that, even as our culture seeks more and more to push out the meaning of Christmas, even to this day the Christmas Carol still resound. There are songs about Jesus all throughout the Christmas season, even in secular stores, and secular commercials, it's everywhere. What will you do with Jesus at Christmas? Because you see what Jesus has said in Luke chapter 4, if you have any intellectual integrity whatsoever, means you cannot simply call Jesus a good teacher or a good example, if what he proclaims in Luke 4 is not true. If he is not the fulfillment of the prophecy, if he is not the son of God come to bring the good news, if he is not the Messiah, you cannot simply dismiss him as a good teacher, or a good example, or a good moral leader. Because a good teacher, and a good example, and a good moral leader, would not build his entire life and identity upon a lie, unless he was incredibly delusional, or he was from the enemy of God himself. So Jesus, in saying, I am the fulfillment of the prophecy, is saying to all of us, what will you do with me? Will you believe what I've said? Will you believe that I'm the Savior that has come? Will you believe that I am the Messiah who was prophesied about, or will you just try to conclude, hey, good teacher, good example? You can't go there, because if he's simply a good example or a good teacher, his whole identity, his whole ministry, his whole life comes crumbling down, if it has been built upon the lie. What do you believe?
George Wright: 11:43 With that in mind, we returned to Isaiah 61, and we see these words that invite us into this celebration of joy, and this beautiful gift of peace, that is unrivaled through what the Messiah alone can provide. Isaiah 61, we'll break this down one statement at a time. Look at what it says at the beginning of verse one again, "The spirit of the Lord, God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." Now, what do we know about the poor? What do we know about poverty? Those who are living in poverty, recognize they have a need. Those who are living in poverty, are aware that they need some assistance, they need the help of another if their needs are going to be met. And the prophet Isaiah is speaking here to the spiritual state of everyone in the world, apart from what Jesus Christ has done. For apart from what Christ has done, we are poor, and we are in need of help. But there is one, there is one who has brought good news to the poor, there is one who has done for us, what we could never do for ourselves. That's the point of this prophecy, as Isaiah is showing us the Messiah will come to meet the spiritual needs of all who trust in him. And there is joy, joy in knowing that Christ has done for us, what we could never do for ourselves, he provides peace with God.
George Wright: 13:27 The Prophet continues in verse one, he says, "He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." How many of you have ever experienced a heartbreak in any form or fashion? You don't have to raise your hand, but you know what a heartbreak feels like, right? If you've lived any time at all, you know what heartbreak feels like. I can remember back to when I was in high school, the first time I ever experienced any form of a heartbreak, okay? My first time of having a girlfriend in high school, that I was going to give a Christmas present to. Okay, so this was not real serious, it was kind of a causal relationship by all standards, but it was serious enough that I wanted to get one of my first girlfriends this Christmas gift at Christmas. This was before cell phones, of course, and so I saw her at church and I said, next Sunday, I've got something that I want to give you for Christmas, so I'll meet you in the lobby after church next Sunday. This is the church where I grew up, where my dad was the pastor for a long time, that's important to the context here. So I walk into the lobby after church that following Sunday, and I'm holding her Christmas gift, and I see her walking kind of slowly towards me, and I realized very quickly, she's not holding anything in her hand. So I kind of sheepishly walk to her, holding her gift. And she looks at me and she says, I just don't think this is going to work out. You're breaking up with the pastor's son, in church, at Christmas? You're going to hell. That's crazy. I'm just kidding, that's a little extreme, I'm just kidding. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. I mean, really my pride had just taken a hit, I really didn't care much about her, I just could not believe I was being rejected on the spot at Christmas. And I just remember walking out to the parking lot, seeing a trash can, and just dropping the present trash can right there. Yeah, that's painful, right?
George Wright: 15:38 Hey, here's what we know about heartbreak in any form or fashion, whether it's a dating relationship, whether it's the devastation of a committed relationship that comes to an end, the heartbreak that is far too familiar for so many through divorce, the heartbreak that is so real through loss. Here's what we know about heartbreak, we can't fix it, you can't fix a broken heart. Now you can try to ignore it, you can try to cover it up, you can try to fill up your heart with other things, but you can't fix a broken heart. But the prophet says there is one who has come, he has come to mend the broken heart. He has come to do for you, what you could never do for yourself. He has come to meet you, even as your heart has been ravaged, even as your heart has been crushed by the devastating consequences of sin in your life, and the consequences of sin in others, that have impacted you. There is one that has come to mend the broken heart, to bind up and restore the broken heart, and he is the one that will never leave you nor forsake you. His love never fails, and his commitment and his faithfulness toward you, is unending. This is the joy and the peace that comes through knowing the gift of what the Messiah alone can give.
George Wright: 17:24 The prophet then continues, the final part of this verse, "To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." Certainly we could agree that those who are imprisoned know without a doubt, there is nothing that they can do to set themselves free, their only hope of freedom is if else opens the door. And the prophet is saying to those who are willing to see the reality of the prison that sin builds around our life, the chains that sin locks us up under, those who are willing to see the shame that becomes like in our lives, can see that there is a Savior who has come to break every chain, to fling open the door, to set the captives free. I love what the Apostle Paul says about freedom, he says, It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. That's why he came, he came to set you free. That you might come out from hiding, that you might come out from under the of sin and shame, that you would feel the freedom of Christ, and the joy and the peace that comes through his grace. You see, all three of these things discussed in verse one, show us so clearly that there are situations we find ourselves in because of the sin that so easily entangles us, that we could never escape from, but the Messiah has come to set us free. Jesus has come to set you free.
George Wright: 19:35 That leads us to verse 2, Isaiah 61 verse 2, "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Still speaking of the Messiah, Isaiah writes, "And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn." Now this verse is a challenging verse, because it appears like there are two conflicting ideas in Isaiah 61 verse 2. You have the year of the Lord's favor, that sounds like something we all would want to partake of. And then you have the day of vengeance of our God, that's a whole nother story altogether. Back in Luke, chapter 4, what we looked at the beginning of this message. As Jesus talks about being the fulfillment of this prophecy in Isaiah 61, he only quotes half of this verse, verse 2. He only references the year of the Lord's favor, he leaves out the part about the day of God's vengeance. So what is this all about? We need to understand this.
George Wright: 20:41 First let's look at the year of the Lord's favor. This is something that is actually referenced in Leviticus chapter 25, you may want to go back and read this later today, or later this week, in your time with the Lord. But in Leviticus 25 God institutes something that the people of God begin to call the year of Jubilee. This is an amazing celebration that is given to the people of God, by God, that they might be reminded of what God has done, who he is, and what he has provided. It said that the year of Jubilee was something that was to take place every 50 years among the people of God, listen to this, they were to take an entire year of Sabbath away from work, an entire year off to rest, to recover, to be reminded of what God had provided for his people. And during the year of Jubilee, don't miss this, during the year of Jubilee, all debts would be canceled, all debts would be forgiven. And all people, regardless of their status or their class, were invited to celebrate this gift of liberty and freedom that had been granted to them by God.
George Wright: 22:13 Why does Isaiah reference the year of the Lord's favor, as he is pointing to the Messiah prophetically? Well, what we see through Jesus, is in Jesus Christ, all the debt of our sin has been canceled. Please don't miss this, regardless of where you're from, regardless of how you've lived up until this day, regardless of how difficult the backstory may be, regardless of how far you may feel from God, in Jesus, there is the forgiveness of sin, the cancellation of debt, and the invitation to live as one who has been truly set free. The cross of Christ, cancels our debt and invites us into the joy of living free. And as Jesus quotes Isaiah 61, verse 2, and references himself at the year of the Lord's favor. He is saying to all who trust him, the year of the Lord's favor has begun, it has been instituted now, you are living in midst of the year of the Lord's favor to this day.
George Wright: 23:51 What do I mean by that? Let me refer you to a commentary on Isaiah written by Ray Ortlund, this is a great, great commentary on the Book of Isaiah. He helps unpack this even further, I hope this will help you as we think about the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of God. Look at what Ortlund writes, he says, "That his first coming, talking about Jesus, he inaugurated the year of the Lord's favor. At his second coming, the day we long for as followers of Jesus, at his second coming, he'll bring in the day of the vengeance of our God, listen to this, when the door of grace will shut forever." There's a gap in time between the first line of verse 2, and the second line of verse 2, and we're living right now in that interval. It's as if Isaiah looks into the future and sees two mountain peaks far away, one beyond the other, but he can't see how much distance there is between them, so we don't know how long we have. Now, it is sobering, it is sobering when we talk about the vengeance of God, the justice of God, our God punishing sin, as it deserves, that is very sobering to think about. And what we are reminded of here in Isaiah 61 verse 2, is that we are living in an in-between time, between the beginning of the Lord's favor, that was instituted at the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the day of the vengeance of God, which will take place when Christ returns again.
George Wright: 25:48 And please hear this, for those who are in Christ, the day of vengeance of our God, when Christ returns again for his people, will be a day of tremendous celebration and joy as we are United with Christ once and for all forever more. But the day of vengeance of our God, for those who are not in Christ Jesus, for those who do not know Jesus, that day will be a terrifying day of destruction. As all sin will be accounted for, and everyone apart from Christ will have to give an account before a Holy and righteous God, of how they have lived and what they have done. What will that day be like for you? I know it's sobering, it's sobering to think about the vengeance of God. But we talk about it, and the scripture points that out to us, and reveals it to us, because the love of God for us is inviting us into the gift that Jesus Christ alone can provide. God wants you to know the joy and the peace of salvation through his son, Jesus Christ, but the door of grace will not be open forever. So have you stepped through that door, and have you trusted in what Christ has done, for this is where true freedom and joy is found.
George Wright: 27:49 We return to the Prophet Isaiah 61 verse 3, this final verse that we'll consider this morning in this message, He writes of the Messiah, "He's comes to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified." And the language of this verse is so beautiful, and so compelling, for those who are followers of Jesus Christ. We are reminded here that through Christ, those who trust in what Christ has done, are invited to move from morning to worship. Those who are in Christ are given a garment of praise that replaces a faint spirit, given beauty, that covers ashes. This is what Christ alone has provided. And Isaiah is reminding us that as we worship the one who has set us free, as we turn our attention to the joy and peace that comes through Christ in our worship, our faith begins to grow, and our faith grows strong in the works of his hand. This needs to be said, in this time, when our circumstances change, our God never does, he is the yesterday, today and forevermore. And when the people of God live their lives in worship of God, in light of who he is, and what he has done, it builds us in the strength of the Lord, like an Oak of righteousness, planted deeply in the roots of his grace.
George Wright: 30:08 My favorite places in the state of South Carolina is down in the low country, I love the low country of
South Carolina, I know many of you do as well. There's a place just outside of Charleston, on John's Island, where some of the most beautiful live Oak trees you could find in the country are growing strong and glorious. One of these trees is referred to as the Angel Oak, maybe you've seen this tree, maybe you've stopped on that road to John's Island. It's one of the most majestic trees you could ever see. Four to Five hundred years old, it's been called the oldest tree East of the Mississippi. Think about where it's located, John's Island outside of Charleston, a place that has been ravaged by storms, hurricanes, and floods for centuries, And yet in a place where the flood waters rise, and the hurricane winds blow, and the storm surge rages in that place, there is a mighty Oak that is unmoved, a mighty Oak with roots down deep, that has stood the test of time in the face of all the storms. I just would ask you, does that describe your faith? For the prophet Isaiah says those who trust in what the Messiah has done, and worship the Messiah for who he is, and what he has provided, and the joy and peace that comes through knowing Christ. Those who trust in him, will grow like a mighty Oak, like an Oak of righteousness, firmly planted in the gift of what God has done. Does that describe your faith today? For isn't that the display of joy, and peace, and strength, that our world needs to see? As so many are being tossed to and fro by the storms of our time, as so many are being knocked around by the waves of uncertainty, the fear like a flood, doesn't our world need to see there is one, there is one who provides strength like an Oak. Not based on what we have done, but based on what he has done for us. His name is Jesus, do you know him?
George Wright: 33:28 I'm going to close with a quote from a great Preacher, Dr. Mark Martin Lloyd Jones. He says this, "As we face the modern world with all its trouble and turmoil, and with all its difficulties and sadness, nothing is more important than that we who call ourselves Christian, and who claim the name of Christ, should be representing our faith in such a way before others as to give them the impression that here is the solution, and here is the answer. In a world where everything has gone sadly astray, we should be standing out as men and women apart. People characterized by a fundamental joy, and a certainty in spite of conditions, and in spite of adversity." Does that describe your faith? Dear brother, dear sister, for if it does not, perhaps this Christmas season, God is inviting you to return to the gift of what Christ has done. And to center your life, and to center the roots of who you are, in the beautiful, firm soil of his grace, that can cause you to grow up like an Oak of righteousness in the midst of the storm. For that gift has been offered to you, his name is Jesus, he will never leave you or forsake you. And the joy of the Lord can be yours, as you recognize the peace of God that surpasses all understanding through Jesus Christ our Lord. If that is your story, may you worship in a way that the world takes notice. And if that is not your story today, may you see that the Messiah is pursuing you even now, for he longs for you to know the joy of the Lord and peace with God, that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
George Wright: 36:04 Let me pray for us as we close this message. Heavenly Father, I am so very grateful for the picture that is painted through your word, this beautiful majestic Oak of righteousness, standing firm in the storms, not because of our great accomplishments, not because of something that we have done to prove how strong we are, but all because the prophecy has been fulfilled. And Jesus Christ our Lord has invited us into the joy and the peace of salvation, that provides us strength upon strength, in the midst of the storm. So I pray, Lord God, for your church, for those who have been struggling, wrestling with fear, worry, doubt, concern, some who have even lost their way in such difficult times that we are navigating. I pray Lord God, that you would strengthen them today in the mighty work of your hands, that they would return to the great gift of Christmas, that shows us the Messiah has come to set the captives free, to bind up the broken hearted, and to strengthen us in grace and mercy.
George Wright: 37:52 Father, for those who don't know you today, who don't know this joy of Christmas, this peace with God, perhaps those who have been looking at Jesus is simply a good example or a good teacher, but have never trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord. I pray that today would be the day that they would recognize their need for the Savior, and they would cross that line of faith saying, Jesus, I am ready to trust my life to you. I don't want to be tossed to and fro any longer in the storms of this life, I want to be rooted in the strength of what you done through the cross, forgiving my sin, in the power of the resurrection that invites me to live free. We praise you for the gift of salvation, and we pray that our lives would be a reflection, a picture, an image, of that which you have done, that the world may see, and bring glory to your name, in the gift of Jesus Christ.
George Wright: 39:14 Father, this Christmas, I pray, that you would give us the faith to fix our eyes on Jesus. I pray, that you would grow our faith like an Oak. I pray, that we would live in light of the joy that has been made available to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's in His name we pray. Amen.
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
Read More
