(By Dave,10-15 min)
Scripture
Isaiah 43: 1-3
But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Sin and redemption
Isaiah offered his prophecies in a time of great turmoil for the Jewish people. Israel was losing power and their enemies were gaining it. He predicted empty worship and rebellion against God would result in the fall of Judah and the exile of the Jewish people, and he was right. But he also prophesied the exile would end and the Jewish people would return to their homeland.
Today’s Scripture verse from chapter 43 is a portion of Isaiah’s prophecy about the end of the exile. It opens with: “But now…” because the previous chapter ends dismally with predictions of Judah’s sin-induced destruction. I suspect those hearing chapter 42 during Isaiah’s life would either ignore him or wonder how they could stop it. But there was no stopping it, for the judgment was now coming. To the people hearing the prophecies of destruction and exile, Isaiah’s words in the Scripture verse above would be a glimmer of hope.
Chapter 43 begins with assurances. The Jewish people are to be redeemed from their exile. They were not created by God and formed into Israel (an allusion to the battle between Jacob and God) to live forever in exile. God will once again claim them as his own and summon them to his side.
It seems the Jewish nation will continue to be God’s testimony to the world despite the exile they must endure. “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. The threats Egypt, Cush and Seba posed to Judah will be removed by the Persians. In this way, these nations are given over or ransomed so that the Jewish people may return and rebuild their temple under the more tolerant Persian king, Cyrus. God is going to restore them to serve in the development of his kingdom. That’s a hopeful message to people expecting calamity, or later living in exile, longing to return home.
Exiled
I wonder if Isaiah’s words speak to us as well. Suppose God sent a messenger to you today saying that because of your sins the things you love in this world are going to be destroyed. Your home, livelihood and sense of safety and well-being will be taken from you. You and your family will be captured and carried off to a land you know nothing about where people do not speak your language or understand your culture. You are going to live in a place God did not intend for you because you chose to ignore the previous calls to righteousness and warnings from the Almighty.
I think most might ignore this unless they saw an ominous army about to enter our land. But with the ministry and resurrection of Christ, the counsel and warnings don’t come from prophets to nations. They are directed at each one of us because the ominous army that would undo our relationship with God resides within.
The Holy Spirit is given to everyone who chooses to follow Christ. Our own internal counselor. When we hear God’s voice inside, we can let the voice go unnoticed and carry on with our day or we can consider the Spirit seriously and alter our behavior accordingly. These were the same two choices the Jewish people had over the course of the Old Testament. They were counseled to repent and turn back to God and away from their sinful ways. Most of them chose to ignore this counsel and Isaiah’s prophecies of judgment all came true.
But what if the Israelis and we acted on the counsel of God? The Old Testament describes Kings who prospered because of their fidelity to God. Is the same true for us as individuals?
Exile is not our home
I began to write this sermon on New Year’s Day. My wife just left to take her 97-year-old father home. My daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law likewise pulled out that morning for a day long drive home. My house, once filled with hustle and bustle, was now empty save me.
Everywhere I looked were the signs of life lived. Stuffed animals crammed into corners where a two-year-old caretaker talked about what they would do during the day. A line of plastic animals was left on the coffee table in the family room identified as a parking lot by its creator who indeed put them all in one direction just like cars at the grocery store. That memory is apparently old since glancing at the table now reveals the zoo disappeared with my granddaughter. Christmas tree ornaments are scattered everywhere because they were just too enticing to be left on the tree. A handkerchief my father-in-law used was stuck to one of the towels in the dryer now unable to serve its owner’s nose, and a bunch of magazines he read in his spot on the couch were scattered across an end table. Dirty dishes were piled up in the sink because the dishwasher and those who fed it couldn’t quite keep up with the adventurous cooking and baking.
For two weeks my treasure in the world was here enjoying life, but there was a time for me when the mess of it would be intolerable. A time when irritation with the disorder would be my constant companion. I would busily run around tidying up to settle my internal discord, a feeling that overshadowed the people I loved so much. In short, I was exiled from the things I loved.
Now as I start this sermon, I look at the squalor in my empty house and it’s comforting even if the cleanup seems daunting. Comforting because everywhere in the disorder are the remembrances of the games, laughing, conversation and silly songs that took precedence over cleanup. Soothing because the signature of blessing is scattered across the counter and tabletops. Blessings that I have a home in which a mess can be created. That there are enough resources to have stuffed animals for a cute granddaughter or a dishwasher that can’t keep up. Most of all, the blessing of a family who loves me enough to want to spend two weeks of their lives with me and my wife.
When my sweet daughter apologized for the messes of her daughter’s exploits and offered to clean up before leaving, I was able to genuinely say it is of no consequence. If it takes a week to clean up, who cares? If my Bible study group comes on Wednesday and sees it, what difference? Does the condition of my home matter at all compared to the two weeks of love I was just gifted?
Something is different in me now that wasn’t present 25 years ago. Something that draws my attention to what is most important. I received from the Spirit the same counsel Jesus gave Martha in Luke 10. She was busy tending to her guests while the Savior of the world sat immediately in front of her. Like me, she was counseled to pay attention to what was most important and to ignore that which isn’t. Over time I implemented that advice, and the world into which I was exiled 25 years ago is no longer my home.
Nothing special and yet…
My little example from Christmas 2022 seems a minor thing in the context of the world and its problems. I mean, really, who cares what some old man does with his family over the Christmas holiday. Apparently, God does.
The language that Isaiah uses after his “but now” is very personal. The very first line: “he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel” is both corporate and personal. Jacob was a person who wrestled with God, and because of that he was renamed by God individually as Israel. Then his descendants gave rise to the nation. What one person does matters to God because one person in God’s hands is precious, honored and loved.
The very next line is even more personal: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” God could be referring to the nation of Israel or every individual in the nation of Israel. I believe it is the latter since nations are nothing more than a collection of individuals.
Because the lessons of the Bible timelessly speak to all of God’s people, it seems Isaiah’s words are intended for us as well. You and I are redeemed by Christ and now summoned to God’s side. We are his. If so, I wonder what’s special about you or me that God calls us with such intimate individuality?
It seems there is nothing special about me. I do not do an important job. I don’t hold some high political office or lead a 4,000 member church. I do nothing special that others don’t with one exception. No one else in the world was with my family serving as grandfather, father-in-law, son-in-law, father and husband for the two weeks surrounding Christmas. No one else was with my unique family choosing between living in the exile of irritation over clutter or following Christ’s counsel to Mary. I alone was summoned to make this choice for the sake of my family.
Why is it important that God chose me and that I listen to his counsel? Maybe my presence this Christmas was so meaningful that 20 years from now my granddaughter will become a great preacher? Possibly, but not likely. After all, she’s just starting to get out whole sentences and most of those are used to express her needs or describe some pretend game going on in her head. I suspect the importance is more subtle, but no less important.
When I previously busied myself relentlessly cleaning up out of irritation my family noticed and became uneasy. They would jump up and start to try to help. They could sense my irritation and the blessing of our being together was darkened.
This Christmas, I felt no irritation and could love my family in the same way that God loves me. Shining God’s light on those in your community is very special indeed, for that light is peaceful, loving and easy. Who knows what good will come into the hearts of those touched by that light and the world as a consequence. I was redeemed, summoned and called my name for my community, and so are you. He placed you by name to shine the light of his love on your unique community
Not always easy
Ignoring clutter is hardly a challenge in the spectrum of things we encounter. There are people challenged by the world and distracted from the counsel of God in far more significant ways than a little irritation. However, Isaiah’s passage also provides beautiful assurances that those called by God will be protected to serve in their unique calling regardless of circumstance.
To help the Israeli people understand this Isaiah provides specific assurances: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” He continues with another assurance: When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior”.
In these words, Isaiah evokes Israel’s past and future exile. God was there to protect them when water impeded their ability to serve God’s purpose at the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Years after Isaiah, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were tossed into a burning furnace for not bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden self-idol. They were protected from that fire and walked out to serve the Lord alive.
Whatever your unique role, whatever the reason God has summoned you by name, Isaiah tells you fear not. God will be with you as you struggle to hear and listen to his counsel. God will be with you to fulfill his purpose for your life whether that purpose is the revelation of God to the entire world or simply to five people at Christmas. Our lives are special when we place them in God’s hands. Whatever we are called to do, no matter how insignificant it may feel, God is walking with us. His arm is around our shoulder to make sure we are successful as we serve. He alone makes our efforts meaningful.
This job has great benefits
Although following the counsel of God keeps us from exile and effective in our service, it carries a lovely benefit. Answering God’s call brings peace to the servant. A great burden was lifted from me by focusing on those I love instead of clutter. I like things neat, so that matters to me. But with God by my side, it had no claim on me and was trivial compared to what he wanted me to do. The clutter of Christmas is gone now and it didn’t cost me one smidgen of irritation. That’s a blessing all on its own.
I think the message from Isaiah and how it plays out in my Christmas tale is that the special thing God has called us to do is important. Ignore it and find yourself exiled from what is important. Embrace it and find peace. Maybe even more importantly, you are precious, honored and loved by God so much that he gave his son to redeem you. He walks with you so that you can shine his light on everyone you encounter. Indeed, today’s Scripture verse broadly states our entire purpose is to bring glory to God: “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” What better way to show we were created for God’s glory than to shine his light on the people around us and bring them his peace.
I hope this message resonates with you and gives you a sense of well-being knowing that the author of everything looks out over creation and points your way to say: I have a job for you. A job that might be recognized by the whole world like the nation of Israel, or noted only by those you know and love. Because God has summoned each one of us by name, both kinds of call are equally important to God. Regardless of the summons, Isaiah reassures us we are precious, honored and loved by God, and he will never leave our side as we serve.
May God walk with you this day and every day of your faith journey.
Dave
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