Text: Isaiah 64:1-9
Facebook live: The unclean and polluted are made clean in God's hands!
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
God’s people have always looked for a God of power. One who might move mountains, consume and purify with fire, and make nations tremble before him. They look for an awesome God who does awesome things.
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
God’s people have always looked for a God of power. One who might move mountains, consume and purify with fire, and make nations tremble before him. They look for an awesome God who does awesome things.
He divided the waters that hindered escape so that his children could cross the Red Sea on dry ground and get safely to the other side.
He covered the Egyptians who pursue them with the same waters that were held back for a time, and their miraculous escape becomes a flood of death for Pharaoh.
He promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, but Moses died in Moab having only glimpsed the Promised Land from Mount Nebo before closing his eyes in the sleep of death.
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
We too as God’s children want God’s power to fall on those in opposition to the word. We want God’s vengeance against those who torment us. We want God to consume those opposed to the word and to redeem those worthy of eternal life, and we see those who are worthy as the same people looking back from our own reflection in our mirror.
He covered the Egyptians who pursue them with the same waters that were held back for a time, and their miraculous escape becomes a flood of death for Pharaoh.
He promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, but Moses died in Moab having only glimpsed the Promised Land from Mount Nebo before closing his eyes in the sleep of death.
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
We too as God’s children want God’s power to fall on those in opposition to the word. We want God’s vengeance against those who torment us. We want God to consume those opposed to the word and to redeem those worthy of eternal life, and we see those who are worthy as the same people looking back from our own reflection in our mirror.
God’s power is all consuming and in our own righteousness we too would be consumed.
On our own we can’t understand.
On our own we stand as God’s enemies.
On our own we must be consumed.
Sin must be judged and destroyed.
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, [our sins] like the wind, take us away.
How do we know our sinful state?
Look in the mirror; look to our ailments and sickness, our brokenness is made clear.
Back ache, sciatic nerves, rotator cuff, Allergies, flu and Covid 19 are all but symptoms of the greater sickness. The last three weeks of church services from my home, self quarantine, and then last Monday another trip to the ER for Monica. Cancer and its after effects from radiation continue to consume and reveal the broken reality of this life for us all.
In our own righteous we die.
It is a promise.
It is assured.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
Today we see a baby.
Today we see a rescue.
Today we have hope.
Today we see a son.
Adam Steven VanDewater II was born in sin in the polluted garment of human flesh just as his father and mother have been.
The one who was angry at sin sent his son who came in humility and human flesh too - though without sin.
The one who was angry at sin has become the sin bearer so the one polluted by sin might be washed and made clean.
What a marvelous rescue. From death to life!
The first Adam brought death
The second Adam, Jesus, brings life so that this Adam might be cleansed of sin and stand forever forgiven in the Lord’s presence.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
This is the joy that we see in this baptism!
Death to life and sin to salvation!
But not just this Adam, and not just this baptism, but all who are washed in the blood of the Lamb have received pardon. God’s hidden face is now revealed in the loving eyes of Jesus who has said, yes to the work of redemption for you!
Your sins are mine, Jesus says, and my forgiveness is yours!
As the Advent season begins we await this child, Jesus. He has come to be the savior of all. He has taken the sins of the world upon himself and has given his sinless life so that all might find rest - not in a God of power, by in a God of comfort and peace.
On our own we can’t understand.
On our own we stand as God’s enemies.
On our own we must be consumed.
Sin must be judged and destroyed.
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, [our sins] like the wind, take us away.
How do we know our sinful state?
Look in the mirror; look to our ailments and sickness, our brokenness is made clear.
Back ache, sciatic nerves, rotator cuff, Allergies, flu and Covid 19 are all but symptoms of the greater sickness. The last three weeks of church services from my home, self quarantine, and then last Monday another trip to the ER for Monica. Cancer and its after effects from radiation continue to consume and reveal the broken reality of this life for us all.
In our own righteous we die.
It is a promise.
It is assured.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
Today we see a baby.
Today we see a rescue.
Today we have hope.
Today we see a son.
Adam Steven VanDewater II was born in sin in the polluted garment of human flesh just as his father and mother have been.
The one who was angry at sin sent his son who came in humility and human flesh too - though without sin.
The one who was angry at sin has become the sin bearer so the one polluted by sin might be washed and made clean.
What a marvelous rescue. From death to life!
The first Adam brought death
The second Adam, Jesus, brings life so that this Adam might be cleansed of sin and stand forever forgiven in the Lord’s presence.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
This is the joy that we see in this baptism!
Death to life and sin to salvation!
But not just this Adam, and not just this baptism, but all who are washed in the blood of the Lamb have received pardon. God’s hidden face is now revealed in the loving eyes of Jesus who has said, yes to the work of redemption for you!
Your sins are mine, Jesus says, and my forgiveness is yours!
As the Advent season begins we await this child, Jesus. He has come to be the savior of all. He has taken the sins of the world upon himself and has given his sinless life so that all might find rest - not in a God of power, by in a God of comfort and peace.
Ill:
Rev. Paul McCain RIP
Jesus rode over the palms of forgiveness spread in a world of sin and death in his triumphal entry to Jerusalem on a humble colt. May that be the hope this year for you and me as we cry with shouts of joy:
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
That is our Advent hope!
That is our Advent peace!
That is forgiveness for you and me!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
Jesus rode over the palms of forgiveness spread in a world of sin and death in his triumphal entry to Jerusalem on a humble colt. May that be the hope this year for you and me as we cry with shouts of joy:
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
That is our Advent hope!
That is our Advent peace!
That is forgiveness for you and me!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
