Damariscotta Baptist Church

 

 

 

Isaiah continues with the themes of “righteousness” and “salvation.” He begins Chapter 62 with a declaration of God’s intent for Zion by paralleling these themes in two significant ways. 

Righteousness is only possible because of the saving activity of God, not by something Israel can do on her own
And God’s purpose for saving is for righteous living. 

These are themes the Israelites can’t seem to wrap their minds around. And because of this, God has Isaiah issue the next eight verses directly to Israel. Although Israel has not been righteous, God demonstrates He will not discard them, but rather He “rejoices” in them, verse 5, like a bridegroom does over his bride. 

A return to the wedding imagery. In fact, we get the picture of God having such joy in His people there is the sense of God using them as a display of His handiwork. 

Verse 2 – the nations will see His righteousness

Verse 3 – Israel will be a beautiful crown in God’s hand

Isaiah recognizes that up to this point Israel has been the butt of Gentile jokes, but with God’s salvation and gift of righteous living, those jokes will change to Gentile praise and wonder. 

Isaiah concludes this chapter and this unit of chapters, that began with chapter 60, with a reminder of what he has been saying all along. Isaiah is pulling together the themes he has created throughout his book in order to remind the Jewish people they need to take action. 

He reminds them, it is up to them to receive the promises of God. 

And when they do, they will indeed be the righteous people of God, His “Holy People,” verse 12. 

This will, in turn, draw all nations to God. That was God’s plan then and it is still His plan today.

Isaiah is giving the people of God a choice. 

A Savior comes, and brings salvation, what are they going to do?

They can come and be a part of the redeemed city, that is now “Sought After” or 

They can continue to do life on their own which will result in them becoming servants. 

What will the Israelites choose? 

Let’s review where the Israelites were at this time in history. They had been captured and were struggling as slaves in Babylon. Many of them had given up on Yahweh, because they failed to see Him making a difference in their daily life. They were the lowest in society and because they believed in only one God, they were ridiculed by the polytheistic believers around them. For all extensive purposes it looked like the outsiders had it more together than the Israelites did.  Supposedly proving that multiple gods were better than just one god. 

Isaiah was sent to remind the captives, they were special. They belonged to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and He loved them very much. 

Society remains the same. Today this theme is utilized in both books and movies. The theme where a character is in a situation where he feels completely abandoned and rejected and someone, somewhere comes along and welcomes him and accepts him. 

You know what I mean, there is a group of girls and a group of boys. One of the girls is popular and always in the middle of what is going on. She is usually dating the most popular,  good looking guy in the group, who is usually conceited and full of himself, and severely jealous. There is also some geeky looking guy, with thick glasses who worships the ground the girl walks on, from afar. Eventually, the geeky guy ends up helping the girl, and she begins to comprehend there is more to love than good looks and popularity. And the geeky guy feels recognized and affirmed as a person.

This is what God is doing here. God is again trying to show His people that they are of worth and have value. That He wants to be with them, that He likes them, that they are important to Him. 

He acts this way, because of what He is like, not because of what we are like. Because of the kind of person God is, He is able to see things in us that others can’t see. 

The things that are buried beneath our sin and shame. Where others perceive failure, God sees possibilities. In fact, God is able to remove the failures, the sin, the shame, and help us to see and experience those possibilities. This is called, setting us “free.” It’s that same sense of worthiness and significance the geeky boy feels when the cute girl thanks him and gives him a kiss. 

Our world has twisted and created a strange sense of self-esteem. We live in a time where the focus on self-esteem has been at its highest. We also live in a time were the rate of suicide is at its highest. I am not sure if there is a direct correlation, but I suspect with the world stressing artificial attempts to induce self-esteem doesn’t help. In chapter 62, Isaiah was instructing the Israelites that in order to find out who they were, they needed to be in relationship with each other and with God, everywhere, all the time. 

Western society focuses on the individual. Part of the reason why this has happened, especially in North America is because we continue to fragment. Our families today are so complicated. I have students who have step-step mothers and siblings with whom they have no blood ties at all. It makes it difficult for children to think they belong anywhere. They become individuals, not persons. 

Developing a positive self-esteem requires a complex set of relationships. A serial killer often has a positive self-esteem and feels good about himself and has nothing but contempt for his victims. I think we are focussing on the wrong thing. Rather than building up one’s “self” esteem, I think we should be helping people to find a way to be involved with other human beings, in stable relationships in which they play a vital and necessary part. 

It’s in stable relationships that you feel you are a person of worth, but that worth isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is that, ironically, you will find your “self” by giving it away to others. 

When you think about it, this is what the Trinity is all about. Trinitarian theology is what brings us the understanding of “person.” The persons of the Trinity are part of each other, and their identity is dependent upon the other. You can’t have a “Father” without a “Son” and you can’t be a “Son” without a “Father.” And the “Spirit” is “Spirit” of both the Father and the Son. That is what makes God so unique. He is three, in one. And each of those three persons, reach out to us with open arms, welcoming us into the family. Isaiah tells us that when we receive this welcome we become God’s 

“Crown”

His “Bride”

His “Holy People”

His “No Longer Deserted”

The Trinity wants to take each of us and make us a part of their society, where we find ourselves surrendering to their love. Then surrendering our love to others.  

John caught on to this and wrote to those who would listen, telling what he knew about Jesus and encouraging them to fellowship with each other, a fellowship that was shared with the Father and the Son. John wrote in, 

1 John 1:3-4 “The Message.”  We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!

Isn’t this what church should be all about? 

 

Okay, I realize that we are fallible and make mistakes, but I pray that as people come to visit Damariscotta Baptist Church, they will see us experiencing relationships with Jesus, with God and with each other. As we become part of the people of God, we discover how valuable and important we are. Not because of our self-esteem, but because of the person God has made us. When the church is the church, each of us finds out who we are, who God made us to be. We demonstrate our worth by investing in others. We affirm each other for the gifts God has given. We use those gifts to honor God and to make the body of Christ work and move. 

That is my prayer for those of us who worship here at DBC. I pray that we see ourselves as the body of Christ, working together to further the gospel and bringing others to Christ. Each of us has gifts and talents that can be used and honored for the Glory of Christ. 

I for one, feel it. I am blessed to be a part of a congregation who understands that all of us are sinners, saved by grace, and called to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and our neighbor as ourself. I thank you for the grace you give to me when I fail and when I shine. I am honored to serve God beside you as we seek to share His love with the world around us. It is my prayer that as others look in and see our relationships and they too will long to be a part of God’s family.

Let’s pray.