12-19-2013

   Good Morning All,

     Isaiah 11:1; “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”

    Having grown up in an agricultural setting, I have had the pleasure of watching plants as they grow and then die.  It is part of that cycle, that rhythm of life; that exists in God’s creation.  The planting and the harvesting is enjoyable but what really fascinates me is the wild flora.  The wild flowers and the trees that grow large and tall.  It is especially interesting here in South Dakota as we have harsh winters and the summers can oscillate between very hot and dry to very wet and cool.

    As you watch this, you tend to see it wreak havoc on the plants. Yet what is truly amazing is that a plant, that appears to be dead, maybe even for years, will suddenly send out new shoots as the plant once again begins to grow.  It looked dead, parts of it may even be rotten; but from it new life emerges.

     Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;

      before you kings will shut their mouths,

      to you the nations will make their prayer:

     Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

    This is our antiphon for today.  In it, we see the root of Jesse.  This is a reference to King David’s father, a man named Jesse.  It refers to the descendant of Jesse, through David the great king; this descendant is Jesus.  Even though the line of Jesse seemed to be dead and gone.  Even though what was there seemed to be rotten to the core, the Savior of the world emerged as this shoot.  This new life is now there before us as a sign.  He is the sign that God’s love for us is true.  He is the sign of God’s forgiveness for us.  He is the sign of our redemption.  He is the One before whom every knee will bow.  He is the One who reigns supreme forever!  

    So we pray to Jesus, “come and deliver us and delay no more.”  We pray that Jesus will come to bring to completion the task which he started as a babe in a manger.  We pray that Jesus will return as the victorious king and judge.  We pray that Jesus will come and end all the pain and the suffering, the sadness and the brokenness.  We pray that Jesus will come, not as a baby born to die, but as the eternal king of creation who rules with his justice forever.

    We look forward to Christ’s return.  In it we see the completion of God’s grace in our life.  In it we see the full glory that Christ give to us in his all availing sacrifice.  In His return we see the answer to the old question, “Will you establish you kingdom at this time?”  When he returns, the answer will be “yes”; so we pray “Come, Emmanuel, come.  Deliver us and delay no longer.”

Gracious Savior, we wait for your return.  We wait for you to bring to completion the cleansing and the restoration of your blessed creation.  Do not delay; end the pain and the suffering; end the sadness and decay.  Bring about your precious and holy kingdom.  In Your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret