Joy to the World

[0:00] skill skill All right, if you got your Bible, go to Isaiah chapter 61.

[0:49] Isaiah chapter 61. I do hope this is the best Christmas ever. That's kind of been the series topic for our Christmas series this year.

[1:00] And it's not because the circumstances of your life are necessarily the best they've ever been. But when you stop and think about all the gifts that are yours in Christ, you are able to have the best Christmas ever.

[1:15] We've been focusing on the four gifts of Advent. The gifts of hope and peace and joy and love. Taking each one of those each week and unpacking that from God's Word.

[1:29] And so we know that as believers, no matter how dark it gets, we have the gift of hope in Jesus. Amen? And no matter how worried and stressed out we get, think about Mary and that first Christmas, we can experience the peace of the Gospel.

[1:46] And what we're going to look at tonight is the gift of joy that is ours in Christ. Here from Isaiah chapter 61. I'm going to invite you, if you would, to please stand as we honor the reading of God's Word.

[1:59] Isaiah chapter 61. And we're going to read down through the first three verses. Isaiah here says, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

[2:14] He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening to 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.

[2:32] To grant to those who mourn in Zion, to give them 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.

[2:55] This is God's Word. Would you pray with me and for me as we ask God to talk to us tonight? So Lord, we bow before you and we ask that you would come and talk to us, that you would once again help us understand what is ours in Christ, and that we would celebrate and rejoice in that this Christmas.

[3:16] Lord, take this time, use it to your glory as you speak to your people. In Jesus' name I pray, and God's people said, Amen. You may be seated. Amen. Tanner Brownlee had never wanted a car so bad in his life, and he was going to do everything in his power to buy that car.

[3:38] It wasn't because this was Tanner's first car. It wasn't even because it was his dream car. It was because it was his dad's car.

[3:48] You see, Tanner's dad was Deputy Sam Brownlee, a Weld County police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Tanner's dad loved his squad car, and because that car meant so much to his dad, it meant the world to Tanner.

[4:10] So five years after Sam's death, the sheriff's department decided to auction off that car for charity. When Tanner heard the news that his dad's squad car was going to be put on auction, he wanted to try to raise enough money to buy the car for himself.

[4:30] And he didn't have a lot of money, so he started a GoFundMe page, and he raised, as you can see, just shy of $3,500. Now, even though the car had high mileage on it, the blue book value of that Dodge Charger was around $1,200.

[4:49] And so once the auction began, it didn't take long for Tanner to be outbid. And as the auction continued on, Tanner began to weep.

[5:02] He began to cry all the memories of his dad and the painful reality that he would not be able to purchase his father's car all started to set in.

[5:16] But Tanner had no idea what was about to happen next. Now 50, who to be 50? Thank you very much.

[5:27] More than he could afford at the auction. Tanner's limit had come and gone. 60 now, 62 and a half. You all done? Sold it your way, Mr. Steve Wells.

[5:37] Thank you very much. $60,000. And so had his dad's car. Or so he thought. Tanner, here's your car. A stranger just bought Tanner his dad's car.

[5:53] Thanks a lot, man. The car ended up going for $60,000, which was given to charity by a local farmer who then immediately turned and handed Tanner the keys to his dad's car.

[6:14] I well up with tears every time as I prepared for this message. Every time I thought about that story, it just made me want to weep tears of joy because to think about Tanner in that moment going from total sadness of knowing he was going to be outbid and that immediately replaced with overwhelming joy.

[6:40] Isn't that a powerful story? Isn't that a beautiful story? There's something about stories like that that grip our emotions because there's something beautiful and uplifting about watching someone's sadness turn to joy.

[6:56] And you know that feeling. You've experienced it in different ways. Maybe it was something that you thought was forever lost and it turns up found. Maybe it's months of treatment and then you're told the words that you're cancer free.

[7:12] That relationship with a friend or family member that you thought was broken is now reconciled. Or that long dark night that is finally met with the joy of a new day.

[7:28] Most of us have had experience in life where our sadness was interrupted with joy. That is exactly what happens here in Isaiah chapter 61 with the nation of Judah.

[7:43] You may remember the context of just two weeks ago when we started this series out. We began with Isaiah chapter 9 and I explained a little bit of the context of what was happening in Isaiah that Judah as a nation occupied a very strategic place on the map.

[8:00] Assyria is going to eventually invade all the way down into Egypt and Israel and Judah are standing in the way. Israel if you remember joins forces with Syria and they will eventually be taken into Assyrian exile in 722 BC.

[8:21] Judah on the other hand with the new king Ahaz seeks security by aligning with the pagan nation Assyria but because of that rebellion they will later end up in Babylonian exile in 586 BC.

[8:38] Think for example of books like Jeremiah and books like Daniel that deal with the Babylonian exile of the nation of Judah. Now does anybody want to guess why Judah's exile into Babylon is so significant?

[8:55] Why is that such a big deal? It's because the capital of Judah is anybody know it? Say it. Jerusalem. That's what you all were about to say, right?

[9:08] The capital of Judah is Jerusalem. In other words, Judah, notice this on the screen, hasn't lost their father but Judah has lost their homeland.

[9:20] And as a result of being taken out of their homeland and losing Jerusalem, Judah is heartbroken and devastated. They are overwhelmed with enormous sadness.

[9:34] So much so, did you know that there is an entire book in the Old Testament dedicated to the sadness of Judah at the loss of Jerusalem?

[9:47] Anybody want to guess what that book is? Lamentations. That's right. All of you were saying that, right? You have an A plus so far. The whole book of Lamentations is dedicated to the...

[10:01] That's why it's called Lamentations. It's a lament. It's a book of sadness over the loss of Jerusalem. Here's just a sample of that in Lamentations 2, verse 11.

[10:15] My eyes are spent with weeping. My stomach churns. My bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of their daughter of my people.

[10:27] Because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city. They cry to their mothers, Where is bread and wine? As they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city.

[10:42] As their life is poured out on their mother's bosom. This is the sadness. Faith and Emily, have you ever been so sad that you literally threw up?

[10:54] You were so devastated like your insides were coming out? That's what Jeremiah is explaining here in Lamentations. Here's Lamentations 5, 14.

[11:05] The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music. The joy of our hearts has, say it, ceased.

[11:17] And our dancing has been turned to what? Mourning. The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us for we have sinned.

[11:28] For this our heart has become sick. For these things our eyes have grown dim. For Mount Zion lies desolate.

[11:42] Jackals prowl over it. Are you getting the sense of Judah's sadness as she is in Babylonian exile? Have you ever been so sad that you lost your song?

[11:55] that you were heartsick? Your eyes were literally swollen to the point you couldn't see because you had cried so much.

[12:07] That's Judah. I'll give you one more example of this sadness in Psalm 137 verse 1. By the waters of Babylon there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

[12:21] On the willows there were hung up our liars for there our captors required of us songs and our tormentors mirth saying sing us one of the songs of Zion but how shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?

[12:42] Are you with me faith family? Are you getting a taste of the sadness of the devastation that Judah feels as a result of this Babylonian exile? They are devastated.

[12:55] Have you ever known this kind of sadness? This kind of heart ripped out of your chest sadness that every day is gray no matter if the sun is shining?

[13:07] That's Judah. Judah is devastated. And so you can imagine in that emotional and historical context you can imagine the overwhelming joy that takes place in Judah when Isaiah says this.

[13:29] Verse 1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me. Isaiah here amidst their great sadness breaks the sadness and speaks of one who will have the Spirit of the Lord upon him.

[13:50] He will be the anointed one of God. This is Messiah language because Messiah simply means the anointed one. So Isaiah here is speaking about this Messiah.

[14:03] Now before we jump to our New Testament which is where some of us would want to go and we will do that in just a moment I don't want us to jump to the New Testament so quickly to understand who this Messiah is and not understand the historical context of which the original audience would have been dealing with.

[14:24] So let's continue to go through this notice this one to whom the spirit is upon this anointed one notice what he's going to do next phrase he will bring good news to the poor now again think of what this would have meant for Judah as captives in Babylon Judah has nothing they are beggars in a foreign land and I've seen many people and read in different commentaries where people want to say well poor here doesn't mean financially poor it just means like spiritually poor yes it does mean financially poor in the original audience to the original readers it would have meant that because Judah has to rely on Babylon for everything they have nothing on their own they are exiles in Babylon if you're with me say yes oh

[15:27] I love it here we go have you ever been in a situation like that a situation where you have been completely helpless totally desperate maybe that was financially maybe that was emotionally then you ought to be able to relate in some way to how Judah feels look at the next phrase of what Messiah will do he will not only bring good news to the poor he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted oh my now you see why I spent a little bit of time unpacking the context of lamentations because Judah is broken hearted they are devastated they are a broken people they are leaping!

[16:09] and vomiting! their lives have been shattered their homeland has been ruined so imagine hearing that this Messiah is going to bound up your brokenness next phrase Messiah will not only bring good news to the poor he'll not only bind up the broken hearted he's going to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound this is why understanding the historical context is so important because Judah is an enslaved people they have no freedom of their own they have no power to vote they don't have any say in anything in fact in Babylon when the king tells you to do something you do it like bowing before a golden image and if you don't do or a lion's den just ask

[17:09] Daniel they have no freedom whatsoever they have lost their freedom they are captives to Babylon and I thought about how every single one of us deep down longs for freedom do we not is it this something that we value not just as Americans but as human beings it reminded me of a story I came across not long ago about a six older sisters be forced into arranged marriages and live in abusive relationships and she refused so her parents locked her in a room she was only allowed out if she knocked on the door otherwise she remained bound up in her own room and eventually she had so much of this she decided to run away it devastated her to leave her parents but this is what she said and it struck me and it really hit to me the core of how every one of us wants to be free here's what she said quote

[18:45] I did it that is I ran away because I knew I was entitled to choose my own partner but I also did it because I knew if I didn't my children would one day have to go through arranged marriages as well listen someone had to get free and however hard it was that someone was going to be me deep down in every human heart is the desire for freedom amen we do not want to be captured we do not want to be in enslaved notice the next thing Messiah will do in verse 2 proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God oh man the Messiah here is going to return the Lord's favor this is a big one this is a really big one and here's why

[19:46] I say it's important is because the previous ones deal with the physical realities that is Babylon or Judah is physically poor they have nothing in Babylon they're enslaved physically it deals with emotional realities their brokenness and their sadness but this one deals with a spiritual reality because listen to me right if you've zoned out what do you do very good you zone back in Judah feels listen Judah feels while they're in Babylon that they have fallen out of the favor of God are you tracking with me it is one thing to be financially poor it is another thing to be emotionally broken it is another thing to be physically enslaved it is an entirely different level when you think God has abandoned you and let me prove to you that this is what they feel once again we return to lamentations 5 and verse 20 why do you forget us forever why do you forsake us for so many days restore us to yourself oh

[21:04] Lord that we may be restored renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and you remain exceedingly angry with us do you know what will devastate you do you know what will absolutely destroy you notice it on the screen when the people of God no longer think they're the people of God Judah feels like they've lost God it's enough to not have anything in the bank it's enough to do whatever King Nebuchadnezzar tells you to do but it is an entirely different thing when you don't think you have God on your side anymore you want a reason to be sad you want a reason to be devastated feel like you've lost

[22:13] God's favor and that's what Judah feels like they feel the judgment of God and that feels like God doesn't care anymore and I got a feeling I got a feeling some of you tonight know what this feeling feels like when you wonder does God still love me you wonder has he abandoned me for good and so you take all of that historical context namely Judah's poverty and enslavement and brokenness and spiritual isolation and imagine hearing this verse three that Messiah is going to grant to those who mourn in Zion and he's going to give them a beautiful head dress instead of ashes and he's going to give them the oil of gladness instead of mourning and they're going to have a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit that they may be called oaks of righteousness they will be the planting of the

[23:17] Lord and God will be glorified oh my oh my notice it on the screen Judah is promised that from their sadness will come breaking through the oil of gladness I'm excited about this I'm working hard up here to get you to feel what Judah feels they don't read these verses and be like well that's maybe a verse I'll memorize this is life this is restoration of everything that's been broken this is the return of everything that is right and hopeful and joyful this is God putting them back together it made me think you've probably heard of the Japanese art kintsugi you ever heard of kintsugi some of you may even have an art piece like this it's where they take a broken clay vessel that's been shattered in many many pieces and what most people would do oh man this will preach what most people would do with the shattered pieces is they'd throw them away but instead what this

[24:41] Japanese art form does is it takes! all those! pieces and then takes gold and binds them all back together to look like this and now what once was broken has now been restored and listen listen the brokenness oh man somebody say preach preacher come on there you go nice job listen the brokenness becomes the emphasis of the beauty the brokenness becomes the emphasis of the beauty and the broken vessel is even stronger than before are you listening that's what Messiah does that's what Messiah does he takes their poverty and brings good news he takes their brokenness and binds them up he takes their captivity and he sets them free and he takes their isolation and reminds them

[25:47] God is still with them so the question is how or when does God fulfill Isaiah 61 well historically there is a partial fulfillment for the exiles in Babylon they will if you know your Old Testament they will return to Jerusalem and they will rebuild!

[26:14] Jerusalem think books like Nehemiah and Ezra books like that but what is very clear is that the ultimate a partial fulfillment of Isaiah 61 happens but not the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 61 happens and so the question then would become when does the ultimate fulfillment happen when does the ultimate Messiah come well the New Testament leaves no doubt in our minds whatsoever as to the identity of this Messiah in Isaiah 61 in fact not only does the New Testament make clear who this is Jesus makes clear who this Messiah is on one Sabbath day when he stands up in a synagogue service in Nazareth Luke chapter 4 how many of you are tired of me every week showing you how the Old Testament points to Jesus is anybody tired of that?

[27:15] well if you're tired of that you might just want to sleep on Saturday nights because we're going to keep doing it in fact I had dinner this past week with a couple of families at Fate Family and one of the men told me he said I used to only read the New Testament I didn't really think the Old Testament mattered but what I've learned at Fate Family is that the Old Testament is all about Jesus and he said now I think I love the Old Testament more than I do the new and I said well you should probably love both but anyways I was at least encouraged that he's learning the Old Testament matters and seeing Jesus over and over and over again helps you understand the importance and significance of God's word Amen?

[28:07] Well that was for free and worth what you paid for it so here we go notice what Luke in Luke chapter 4 notice what he does here that is so obvious in fact some of the dots that will connect here leading up to what Jesus does in the synagogue because we kind of need to see what's happening before it we don't just jump into verse 16 Luke 4 starts like this look at verse 1 of the Holy Spirit returned to the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness so right away we see at the beginning of Luke 4 that Jesus is full of the Spirit and being led by the Spirit verse 14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee and a report about him went through all the surrounding country so

[29:08] Luke has already been like cluing you in on the fact that this Spirit of God rests on Jesus he is the anointed one of God this is Messiah you with me so you need 4 verse 1 and 4 verse 14 to then understand what Jesus does in 4 verse 16 here we go oh man here we go!

[29:34] he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and 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 does this text sound familiar to anybody tonight the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed in other words to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendants and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him and he began to say to them right everybody let's just say this together today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing so there is no denying according to

[30:38] Jesus who the Messiah of Isaiah 61 is Jesus fulfills what Messiah does in Isaiah 61 which means this Jesus is the gift of joy Jesus is the oil of gladness that was promised long ago and what is interesting to me is that it doesn't appear that that was the text for that particular day but Jesus chose that text intentionally so that he could say in their very presence today this scripture has been fulfilled now Saturday night do y'all want to go a little bit deeper or do you want to close right now a little deeper okay that's what I thought that's what I was going to do!

[31:28] anyways just wanted to make sure you were with me because I want to take you a little bit deeper for something that is unbelievably exciting to us listen listen because remember we're keeping Isaiah 61 in its historical context with Judah but I want to show you what Jesus does in the very context where he proclaims that he's the fulfillment of Isaiah 61 so watch what happens in the same interaction when Jesus finishes the sermon keep reading in verse 24 Jesus said truly I say to you no prophet is acceptable in his hometown but in truth I tell you there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the heavens were shut up for three years and six months and a great famine came over all the land and Elijah was sent to none of them only to

[32:30] Zarephath in the land of Sidon to a woman who was a widow and then Jesus goes on to say this oh and there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha and none of them were clean but only Naaman the Syrian and what was their response when they heard these things and all the synagogue they were filled with wrath why why why were they filled with wrath oh if you had zoned out you had better zone back in now listen listen listen I don't have time to go through all the details of it here's my summary Israel has a history of having prophets sent to them only for them to reject that prophet and what happens as a!

[33:25] salvation goes to Gentiles those are the very examples that Jesus gave in the ministries of those two prophets guess who received grace guess who received salvation a Syrian not a Jew which is why the Jewish people in the synagogue that day are angry at that now what does all that mean remembering that this comes right after the reading of Isaiah 61 means this are you with me faith family I'm about to come off this stage what is true for Judah and Isaiah 61 is true for you Jesus no longer keeps this in the context of Judah in exile to Babylon no Jesus says I'm telling you today Isaiah 61 is fulfilled and guess what it's also going to

[34:31] Gentiles I'm excited for you and here's a second observation I would note that gets me really excited and that is notice the part of Isaiah 61 Jesus doesn't read Jesus reads to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor guess what he does not read the day of vengeance why because that's not what his first coming is about that's what his second coming will be about when the judge comes to judge all things and put all of his enemies under his feet which means now my dear friend is the age of the Lord's favor it is the age of

[35:32] God's grace you can clap some of you are like I want to clap but it's okay it's Saturday night everybody else is stuck in snow we're good here we go so let's tie all this together let's tie all this together okay if Isaiah 61 is about what Messiah will do and it is clear that Jesus is the Messiah according to Luke 4 then Isaiah 61 means that Jesus does this for us he brings good news to the poor now we can interpret this spiritually because like Judah was a beggar in a foreign land you and I are spiritual beggars we are spiritually poor and needy desperate for God and Jesus is saying that in him good news has come to the poor in spirit it sounds like this

[36:34] Matthew 5 3 blessed favored are the poor in spirit do you know why because theirs is the kingdom of heaven my dear friend have you given much thought lately as to the fact that you are kingdom bound have you given much thought this Christmas to the fact that you are rich in Jesus Christ it also means that to us in Jesus he will bind up the broken that just like Judah when they when we realize how spiritually poor we are we mourn our sin and our ability to save ourselves but there is good news for the broken there is good news for those who mourn next verse in the Beatitudes!

[37:26] Matthew 5 4 blessed are those who mourn because they shall be comforted! Do you remember in Luke 10 when the disciples are fussing about all the things that they're losing in this life and Jesus says this you will receive and return a hundred times in the kingdom of God when everything will be restored thirdly he will set free the captives like Judah and Babylon we are slaves to sin but in Jesus freedom has come Romans chapter 6 verse 17 but thanks oh yeah you better believe but thanks be to God that you who were once slaves to sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of the teaching to which you were committed and having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness that is what

[38:30] Jesus can do for you and lastly Jesus to us returns the Lord's favor because like Judah that because of their sin have been isolated from their homeland we because of our sin have been isolated from God and we are objects of God's judgment but listen to what Jesus does Romans 8 1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus oh my friends how could you how how could you not have the best Christmas ever when you realize all that is yours in Christ I would be your pastor would be the last one to deny the brokenness and sadness of this world I feel it all the time just like you do but know this fate family sorrow may last for the night but joy comes in the morning joy comes in the morning notice it on the screen because

[39:37] Jesus is the oil of gladness that takes away all of our sadness yes he does yes he does so I don't know what you would grade this sermon I graded an A plus so far I'm teasing you have the original prophecy in the historical context of its time I don't want us to not feel that and then you see how Jesus says he fulfills it but he expands it this is to Gentiles as well which points us to the very gospel that what he was saying physically and emotionally to exiles in Babylon is true for us spiritually in Jesus Christ but there is one more dot if this is to get an a plus there is one more dot that must be connected do you like connecting biblical dots of seeing how Isaiah and Luke 4 fit together well there's another dot that we have to connect and this dot would answer the question not just what this means for us spiritually as individuals but missionally as a church somebody say preach preacher listen

[40:55] I want to connect the dots here's the first dot Isaiah 61 verse one the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me that was the first dot the second dot we connected was Luke 4 1 Jesus full of the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the spirit into the wilderness that was the second dot here's the third dot John 20 verse 22 and Jesus said to the disciples peace be with you as the father has sent me even I am sending you and when he said this he breathed on them and said to them say it with me receive the holy spirit Acts 1 8 but you will receive power when the holy spirit has come upon you and you church you will be my witnesses!

[41:59] in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth do you see where I'm going here's where I'm going faith family if you put it all together the same spirit that anointed the Messiah to take good news to the poor and healing to the broken and freedom to the captives and God's grace to the sinner is the same spirit in you it's the same spirit the same spirit that's on Jesus is the same spirit on you which means this notice it on the screen you are not the Messiah news flash you are not the Messiah but you are his missionary and it is our mission to take joy to the world that in their sadness we would bring to them the oil of gladness that just as

[43:08] Jesus brought joy to us that first Christmas that it would be our mission to do the same and I'll say this in closing it means this faith family look at all the points again this ought to say something about the culture of faith family church that who is faith family church ultimately trying to reach church what type of culture do we have as a church here it is we have the type of culture that cares about the poor that cares about the broken it isn't a kind of church where everybody thinks you have it all together but that everybody realizes from the pulpit to the pew nobody has it all together and we are a!

[43:57] broken mess and we are captives there are addictions there are enslavements there are all kinds of things people are struggling with all the time but God's grace can be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ this is who we are faith family a place where the poor and the broken and the enslaved find the grace of God and all God's people said amen so Isaiah 61 is an announcement of good news and great joy for those weeping in Babylon and it is also an announcement of good news and great joy for those weeping in

[44:58] Burnsville because one night in Bethlehem born in a manger the Messiah of Isaiah 61 came to us and came for us and why did he do that because we were spiritually poor and broken because of our sin and enslaved deserving the judgment of God and Jesus came and took all of that upon himself that we would receive the good news of God's grace and among many things faith family what Jesus did for us promises you this tonight sorrow may last for the night but joy comes in the morning and all God's people said amen let's pray let's pray Jesus you are our gift of joy you are the oil of gladness and a life that is often filled with sadness and it is a joy the world does not know

[46:13] Judah knew what that was like we all know what that is like certainly spiritually and we are around so many people who know it personally and you have given us the gift of your son the Messiah who has come to us and brings to us everlasting joy I pray this evening as we enter into a time of remembrance and communion that we would dwell and meditate on this joy that is found in Jesus to think less about maybe the circumstances of our life for just a moment and realize how spiritually rich we are in Jesus I pray it in his name Amen

[47:19] Nab