Rev. David Holwick ZR Book of Isaiah series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
December 26, 1993
Isaiah 61:1-7
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I. When our expectations outrun our realities.
Lennie Steffens remembers one Christmas while growing up when he
wanted a pony more than anything.
"I prayed and hoped I would get a pony," he wrote.
"My good little sisters -- to comfort me -- remarked that Christmas
was coming, but Christmas was always coming.
Grown-ups were always talking about it, asking you what you wanted."
His parents played games with him, asking him what he wanted for
Christmas.
"All I want is a pony," he told them.
"If I can't have a pony, give me nothing, nothing."
Christmas Day arrived and the children were up at 6:00 a.m.
At first they were overwhelmed by all the presents.
His sisters had knelt down, each by her pile of gifts; they were
squealing with delight.
Then they looked up and saw him standing there in his nightgown
with nothing. Nothing at all.
The young boy didn't get the pony he wanted more than anything
else for Christmas.
His sisters joined him in his agony, running back to their bedrooms
crying.
Lennie refused to eat anything. He was too upset.
He went out to the stable, and his mother came out to comfort him.
He noticed his father watching him from a window for a couple of hours.
This was his worst Christmas ever -- not one present.
Then he noticed a man riding a pony down the street, a pony with a
brand new saddle, and it was a boy's saddle.
The man was reading the numbers of the houses.
He looked at their door and passed by.
That was the last straw for Lennie.
He flung himself on the ground and began crying uncontrollably.
"Say, kid," the stranger asked, "do you know a boy named Lennie
Steffens?"
"Yes," he spluttered through tears, "that's me."
"Well," he said, "then this is your horse.
I've been looking all over for you."
The man told Lennie his excuses for being so late, but the boy never
heard them.
Before too long he was riding down the street on his pony.
To this day he still doesn't know if that was his best Christmas or
his worst.
#2376
A. Most of us have high expectations for our lives.
B. Disappointments can be crushing when they come.
1) Reunions & Christmas letters: changes of jobs // spouses.
2) Isaiah and imminent collapse of his nation.
C. God has good news for the disappointed.
1) It's so good, it's better than you expect.
II. The ministry of the Anointed One. 61:1
A. Multiple fulfillment of this passage.
1) It shaped Isaiah's own ministry.
2) The Dead Sea Scrolls applied it to the future "Teacher of
Righteous" who was to come and rescue Israel.
3) It also launched the ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke 4:17f
a) He read it, and said he fulfilled it.
b) His ministry was noted for compassion to the outcasts,
sinners and losers.
B. Jubilee is coming. Lev. 25
1) Ancient Jewish principle, but never practiced.
a) Prisoners and slaves set free.
b) Land returned to original owners.
c) Debts forgiven.
1> Would be great to have this on December 26!
2) What Jews wouldn't do, God will do.
a) Language of this passage reflects Jubilee.
b) Not just back to Square One, but a double return. 61:7
III. Best part of the good news is Jesus wants to save all of us.
A. The good news is announced to broken people.
1) The brokenness is spiritual as well as material.
a) Broken hearts. 61:1
b) Prisoners and captives.
c) Mourners. 61:2
d) Those in despair. 61:3
2) Beauty, gladness and praise will be the replacement. 61:3
B. Religious stuff is only part of the gospel.
1) Salvation from sin and reconciliation are important.
2) But some make it too other-worldly.
a) Live in a cave now, and God will help you - a million
years from now, in heaven.
b) But what if your heart feels like a million tons right
now?
C. The practical side of the gospel.
1) God is concerned about our lives right now.
a) Troubles at work, with family, with alcohol, are
all up his alley.
b) He also has a wider vision than we tend to:
world hunger, racism, torture.
2) Social gospel not the entirety, but puts meat in it.
a) American Baptists known for social teaching -
Rauschenbush.
b) Yet a danger in making "doing good" the whole gospel.
IV. Liberation is an on-going activity.
A. In 2,000 years, people haven't figured out how NOT to mess up.
David Blacksmith embezzled money from a bank.
Then he stole $26,000 from a supermarket he worked.
He was caught.
His parents made restitution for him and he got one year
on probation.
He couldn't get a job.
In despair he stole a car and went to Las Vegas to get lucky.
David ended up losing all his money.
Got drunk, and turned himself into police.
They kept him only a few days.
Out on the street and hungry, he went to a Christian mission.
Forced to hear a sermon.
He heard that the wages of sin is death, and that Jesus came to
bind up the broken-hearted, and proclaim freedom for captives.
David realized his sickness was really sin, and repented.
A few days later he was tempted to steal a pickup truck,
but was able to resist.
He is now the associate director at the mission and director
of a job development program on the premises.
#223
B. Jesus also wants us to have a ministry to the broken.
1) Brokenness has a way of reaching out to you.
Day before Christmas Eve, someone shows up with a request.
She needed to visit a friend in jail. ("Rich")
In Newton.
Late at night, so I took her.
Guards wouldn't open door to her - after hours - till she
mentioned she was with her pastor.
We delivered clean underwear to a guy who hadn't had any in
four days.
Something small, but appreciated.
2) Christmas present from in-laws - "Pastors at Risk."
a) A pre-emptive ministry to me?
3) Compassion is one of the best Christmas gifts we can give.
One person can make a difference.
Charles Colson calls them, "little platoons."
Frieda Weststeyn did volunteer work in a California prison.
She noticed the number of pregnant inmates in the visiting
room.
Curious, she asked how the women would care for their babies.
The answer jolted her.
Most of the children would go into foster homes, be put up
for adoption, or farmed out to the inmates' families.
The mothers would rarely, if ever, see their babies once
they were born.
Frieda went home, talked with her husband, prayed, and decided
to do something practical to help these imprisoned mothers.
Soon she was caring for five babies in her own home.
(The state, which had no such program of its own, got involved
at that point - ironically - to restrict Frieda to care
for only three children at a time.)
She kept Ryan (2 mo), Amber (8 mo), and Petey (17 mo).
Three days a week she takes them to see their mothers in
prison.
"I stepped out in faith," Frieda says.
"I had no money to jump into a full-fledged ministry, but I
knew this was a need I could help with."
#732
4) "YOU" will be called ministers - not just professionals. 61:6
C. Gives psychological side of "rebuilding ruins." 61:4
V. Surrounded by needs, don't neglect the greatest one.
A. You can be fit, happy, contented, and bound for Hell.
B. Our greatest need is knowing God. (Larry Crabb)
1) God is not just a waiter for us.
2) New sensitivity has backfired.
a) Rather than drawing us closer to God, it makes us aware of
how intensely we long to feel better about ourselves.
b) We matter more than God does.
c) Recovery from pain is absorbing an increasing share of
the church's energy.
VI. The other side of the gospel.
A. Two aspects of Jesus' ministry:
1) Heal broken-hearted at his first coming.
2) Will judge hard-hearted at his second coming. 61:2
a) Jesus omitted this phrase in Luke 4:19.
b) Perhaps angered audience, who applied it to Gentiles.
1> ("words of grace")
c) They don't just apply to Gentiles!
3) We have freedom to reject the good news.
a) Some people prefer brokenness to the risk of healing.
B. Two aspects, but one desire for us: everlasting joy. 61:7
1) God does not want us to suffer.
2) Receive the good news.
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