O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7)

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:06.440 If you would please turn with me to Isaiah. This is a book of 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:11.109 the Old Testament, a large book roughly in the middle of your bibles, 3 00:00:12.429 --> 00:00:19.829 and Isaiah Chapter Seven. If you happen to have one of the Pew Bibles, 4 00:00:19.910 --> 00:00:25.899 you'll find this on page five, hundred and seventy two. We read 5 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:31.620 this verse. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, 6 00:00:31.660 --> 00:00:38.130 a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. 7 00:00:40.009 --> 00:00:46.969 And then please turn to chapter nine of that same book, versus six 8 00:00:47.170 --> 00:00:55.920 and seven. If you've heard Handles Messiah, you might recognize these words. 9 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:00.399 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, 10 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:07.349 and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful 11 00:01:07.469 --> 00:01:15.709 counselor mighty God, everlasting father, Prince of peace, of the increase of 12 00:01:15.790 --> 00:01:21.379 his government and of peace. There will be no end on the throne of 13 00:01:21.420 --> 00:01:26.379 David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice 14 00:01:26.500 --> 00:01:32.890 and with righteousness. From this time forth and forevermore, the zeal of the 15 00:01:33.049 --> 00:01:40.170 Lord of hosts will do this. Amen. You may be seated. I 16 00:01:40.409 --> 00:01:47.920 encourage you, in addition to having your bibles open, to these passages. 17 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:53.719 Having read those, to also look at two hundred ninety three in your hymnals. 18 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:57.280 Oh come, oh come Emmanuel, two hundred ninety three. Will be 19 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:02.670 singing this after the after the sermon, and the reason I'd like you to 20 00:02:02.750 --> 00:02:07.430 look at this is because I'd like to spend the Sir, the use the 21 00:02:07.509 --> 00:02:15.430 sermon this morning and this evening to explain the meanings of to hymns. First 22 00:02:15.550 --> 00:02:19.180 this one, oh come, oh come emanual, and then tonight, silent 23 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:23.740 night. And why would we? Why would we do this? Well, 24 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:28.460 one reason is that it's always good to understand what it is that we are 25 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:32.969 singing. Right. We are not here to merely mouthe some words, some 26 00:02:34.569 --> 00:02:38.770 old timey Christmas carols and and feel sort of in the spirit that quote unquote. 27 00:02:39.409 --> 00:02:44.360 But we are not just of these but of all of our songs, 28 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:50.280 our confessions, our prayers. We should strive for understanding and, even better, 29 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:55.520 believing what we say, what we pray, what we sing. Music 30 00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:00.110 is very powerful, but it's not magic. If we are to let the 31 00:03:00.270 --> 00:03:06.110 word of Christ dwell richly in us, which is what Paul tells us to 32 00:03:06.150 --> 00:03:12.789 do in Colossians, through singing psalms hymns and spiritual songs. It's important that 33 00:03:12.939 --> 00:03:17.780 we understand the word of Christ that we sing. So, as I said 34 00:03:17.860 --> 00:03:21.699 this morning, I'd like to begin with a song that I also taught on 35 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:27.169 last year, Okam O, come Emmanuel. This song, like many others, 36 00:03:27.210 --> 00:03:32.129 I think, is worth doing again because of its complexity on because of 37 00:03:32.210 --> 00:03:38.050 the many, many images and ways it draws from the scriptures. Our goal, 38 00:03:38.289 --> 00:03:43.960 of course, is not merely to understand this song and understand what it 39 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:47.639 is we sing, but to understand more deeply, more richly, the very 40 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:53.800 word of God, Immanuel, rod of Jesse, dayspring, key of David. 41 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:58.189 What do these things mean, or, better way to put it, 42 00:03:58.270 --> 00:04:02.550 what does the scripture mean when it uses these words in these phrases? How 43 00:04:02.750 --> 00:04:09.750 is our faith formed by understanding Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus, who 44 00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:15.699 comes in these ways and in these terms? When we do this, what 45 00:04:15.860 --> 00:04:21.699 we come to see and understand is God himself. We come to understand him 46 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:27.290 better and even better. It's my prayer that we will, as the song 47 00:04:27.529 --> 00:04:33.009 says, rejoice. All right, rejoice, rejoice, Emanuel shall come to 48 00:04:33.129 --> 00:04:40.879 the Israel when we understand better who god is, what he's done for us, 49 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:48.959 when we believe those things, then we will find rejoicing. So let's 50 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:55.470 begin with the title. Okamo, come emmanual. This comes from the passage 51 00:04:55.550 --> 00:04:59.269 that I read to you a moment ago from Isaiah A, Chapter Seven, 52 00:05:00.069 --> 00:05:04.670 this moment when God promises, this sign, that a virgin shall conceive and 53 00:05:04.790 --> 00:05:13.180 bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel on. This is further described 54 00:05:13.939 --> 00:05:18.420 also in chapter eight, Verse Eight, where it says and it will sweep 55 00:05:18.540 --> 00:05:23.889 on J on into Judah. It will overflow and pass on, reaching even 56 00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:28.689 to the neck, and it's outspread wings will fill the breath of your land, 57 00:05:29.209 --> 00:05:33.810 Oh Emanuel. If you flip over to Matthew Chapter One, you will 58 00:05:33.930 --> 00:05:40.600 find this there as well. Matthew, one of verses Twenty One through twenty 59 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:48.040 five. Here, in a dream, an angel of the Lord speaks to 60 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:53.389 Joseph and says this, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to 61 00:05:53.470 --> 00:05:59.589 take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of 62 00:05:59.750 --> 00:06:04.180 the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name 63 00:06:04.180 --> 00:06:10.860 Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. And then, 64 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:14.939 Matthew Rights. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by 65 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:19.129 the Prophet, who you now know is Isaiah. Quote. Behold, the 66 00:06:19.329 --> 00:06:25.129 Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. 67 00:06:25.810 --> 00:06:31.329 And then Matthew explains, which means God with us. So, Oh, 68 00:06:31.410 --> 00:06:34.720 come a COM Emanuel. This is coming from these passages. It's a 69 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:42.720 call and a reliance on this sign, on this promise and prophecy that was 70 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:49.509 ultimately fulfilled in Mary's child, the Holy Spirit's child. And in this we 71 00:06:49.670 --> 00:06:57.269 learned that God is not a idea, God is not a feeling. He 72 00:06:57.550 --> 00:07:04.180 is a god in three persons who acts, lives and even dwells with us. 73 00:07:05.579 --> 00:07:11.060 Who is God? What does he do? This is who he is. 74 00:07:11.220 --> 00:07:15.100 He is he manual, he is the one who dwells with us. 75 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:18.209 That is his name. An amazing thing to consider, that the way, 76 00:07:18.529 --> 00:07:24.610 in the way in which here God is described by his actions, he is 77 00:07:24.769 --> 00:07:32.160 named by his actions. For Christians, this is our everything, this is 78 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:36.560 our hope. We say at the beginning of our shorter catechism that the chief 79 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:43.240 end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. And what a 80 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:47.269 joy it is to do that, not at a distance, not studying him 81 00:07:47.269 --> 00:07:56.670 in a textbook, but being with him as he dwells with us. God 82 00:07:56.870 --> 00:08:01.300 decides to know us, to reveal himself to us, to bring his covenant 83 00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:09.180 and his promises and himself to us. Emmanuel. This joy of living and 84 00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:16.569 being with God is described in Psalm Eighty four. How lovely is your dwelling 85 00:08:16.649 --> 00:08:22.889 place, O, Lord of hosts? My soul longs, yet faints, 86 00:08:22.089 --> 00:08:26.199 for the coin courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh sing for 87 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:33.399 joy to the Living God. Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow 88 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:37.279 a nest for herself where she may lay her young. At your altars, 89 00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:41.789 O, Lord of hosts, my King and my God, blessed are those 90 00:08:41.830 --> 00:08:46.909 who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise. Why is the Psalmist 91 00:08:48.350 --> 00:08:52.710 so excited about being in the courts of the Lord? Why is his soul 92 00:08:52.950 --> 00:08:58.700 and his flesh, his body, just crying out to be there? Why 93 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:03.379 does he take the time to imagine the little birds sort of nesting in the 94 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:09.210 crevices and corners of the House of the Lord? Because that's where God is. 95 00:09:11.529 --> 00:09:15.730 It's a lovely place, it's a wonderful place, it's a protected place, 96 00:09:16.610 --> 00:09:22.330 because God is there. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, 97 00:09:24.129 --> 00:09:28.600 in whose heart are the Highways to Zion? As they go through the Valley 98 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:33.559 of Baccaw, they make it a place of springs. The early rain also 99 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.440 covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength. Each one appears 100 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:43.110 before God and Zion, oh Lord of hosts, or or oh Lord, 101 00:09:43.350 --> 00:09:46.309 God of hosts, hear my prayer. Give Ear, O God of Jacob, 102 00:09:48.070 --> 00:09:50.389 for our Shield, Oh God, or behold our shield. Oh God, 103 00:09:50.629 --> 00:09:56.019 look on the face of your anointed, for a day in your courts 104 00:09:56.220 --> 00:10:03.340 is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the 105 00:10:03.460 --> 00:10:13.250 house of my God then dwell in the tense of wickedness. For the Lord, 106 00:10:13.450 --> 00:10:20.490 God is a son and a shield, for the Lord bestows favor and 107 00:10:20.649 --> 00:10:26.399 honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk up rightly Oller. 108 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:31.080 Oh Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you, 109 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:37.149 Emmanuel, God with us, God dwelling with us. You can see, 110 00:10:37.190 --> 00:10:41.629 then, why there would be a sort of longing in this song. Oh 111 00:10:41.750 --> 00:10:46.230 come, oh come, e man. You well that sort of plaintive cry 112 00:10:46.389 --> 00:10:52.220 right, that longing and desire to dwell with the Lord, to be with 113 00:10:52.779 --> 00:10:58.019 God, with us. Why? Because he's everything. Blessed is the one 114 00:10:58.100 --> 00:11:05.289 who trusts in you, shield, strength salvation. I'd rather be a little 115 00:11:05.450 --> 00:11:13.370 pip squeak and be with the Lord then to be dwelling securely, quote unquote, 116 00:11:13.450 --> 00:11:20.879 not really in the tense of the wicked. When we sing o come, 117 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:26.159 O come Emmanuel, we're standing in these promises and we're standing, in 118 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:31.480 a way, in the perspective of Israel, who's waiting and longing for God 119 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:35.429 to come, who is holding fast to those promises and Isaiah and looking forward 120 00:11:35.429 --> 00:11:43.669 to the birth of this this Messiah, this miraculous birth conceived in a virgin. 121 00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:52.019 But why, I think it's worth asking, does this song have a 122 00:11:52.179 --> 00:11:58.659 sadness to it? Why is it plaintive? Why is it longing? The 123 00:11:58.820 --> 00:12:03.289 answer for that is because, though God has given himself to us in a 124 00:12:03.450 --> 00:12:07.889 way and into a grin, in a great way, in great measure, 125 00:12:07.889 --> 00:12:13.570 there's something expressed in verse, one that expresses that not everything is yet right. 126 00:12:13.490 --> 00:12:20.759 Okame O, come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely 127 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:28.080 exile here until the son of God appear. Kids to ransom something means to 128 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:33.870 purchase it out of slavery, to buy it out of a bad place. 129 00:12:35.389 --> 00:12:41.190 Israel, at various times throughout our history, was in a bad place in 130 00:12:41.350 --> 00:12:46.379 Egypt, in the wilderness, even in Canaan. She was often overrun by 131 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:52.700 our enemies, ruled by bad kings, out of Canaan, in the Babylonian 132 00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:56.580 exile, in this Syrian exile, even when she came back into Canaan, 133 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:00.570 there is this longing, in this sense of things are not yet all right, 134 00:13:01.129 --> 00:13:05.169 and honestly this is true of us as well. Just as Israel could 135 00:13:05.169 --> 00:13:09.090 have sung this at various times throughout our history, we can sing it as 136 00:13:09.169 --> 00:13:13.559 well, though. We have been rescued out of a kingdom of sin and 137 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.960 darkness, though Christ has come and, through his spirit, even dwells in 138 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.720 us. Now, who here can raise their hand and say that there isn't 139 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:31.789 any longing left in you to be with God? Why is that? What 140 00:13:31.950 --> 00:13:37.269 more could we want? God has poured out his Holy Spirit on US and 141 00:13:37.470 --> 00:13:43.940 his people, Emmanuel has come, the Virgin has conceived. Well, we 142 00:13:46.460 --> 00:13:52.899 could want the coming glory and perfection that God promises us. We could want, 143 00:13:52.940 --> 00:13:56.730 as Paul says, to be with the Lord, our Savior, to 144 00:13:56.809 --> 00:14:05.129 dwell with him and see him as Paul says face to face, don't beat 145 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:11.720 yourselves up for longing something more, because God has promised you something more. 146 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:20.399 He has given us so much, so much, but he wants us to 147 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:24.950 understand it as a as a down payment, as the beginning of something even 148 00:14:24.990 --> 00:14:30.590 greater. As much as God has given you, as safe, as eternally 149 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:35.350 safe, as you are right now, there is yet still more. And 150 00:14:35.549 --> 00:14:37.820 isn't that the promise of the Scriptures? There and Isaiah Nine, of the 151 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:43.019 increase of this kingdom and then all the blessings of it. There is no 152 00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:48.139 end, it just keeps going and going and going. God withholds is the 153 00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:56.250 scriptures say, no good thing from those who love him. So we can 154 00:14:56.330 --> 00:15:01.370 be honest about the fact that things are not yet perfect, that there is 155 00:15:01.570 --> 00:15:07.049 longing in us. That is Peter says. We are so journeys and pilgrims, 156 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:15.360 people in exile that we face various kinds of fiery trials, as Jesus 157 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:20.789 says, that there are wolves and persecutions among us, and whatever external pressures 158 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:24.870 we face, there are internal ones as well, sins that cling to us 159 00:15:24.950 --> 00:15:30.789 like a snake that's bitten onto us and won't let go, or doubts that 160 00:15:30.950 --> 00:15:35.820 creep around the edges of our minds and sometimes decide to sit on the couch 161 00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:41.539 and stay awhile. Sadness, anxiety, old guilt. These things are present 162 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:46.299 in me, aren't they in you two? There is longing in us, 163 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:52.730 and that's okay, because is there's something to long for, a promise that 164 00:15:52.809 --> 00:15:58.250 has been given God, who will dwell with us. Oh, come O, 165 00:15:58.370 --> 00:16:03.169 come emmanual and ransom captive Israel that mourns and lonely exile here until the 166 00:16:03.250 --> 00:16:10.919 son of God appears. He has appeared, but he will appear again. 167 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:15.679 We have a hope for that, a longing for that, and because of 168 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:22.429 that we can always include, with our mourning and our sometimes loneliness and our 169 00:16:22.549 --> 00:16:30.230 exile, the end of the song, the refrain rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel 170 00:16:30.509 --> 00:16:37.500 shall come to the Israel. We don't need to wait for God to come 171 00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:45.139 to start rejoicing. We don't need everything to be perfect right here and right 172 00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:49.649 now. Why? Because we can rest in him, in what he has 173 00:16:49.730 --> 00:16:56.850 already given to us, which is so much his promises, his son, 174 00:16:57.490 --> 00:17:03.200 his spirit. Well, the remind us of this and strengthen us further in 175 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:07.640 these things. He tells us more about who this Emmanuel is and who he 176 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.160 is as our God. And that takes us to the second verse of this 177 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:18.430 Hymn. Oh Come, oh come, thou lord of Might, who, 178 00:17:18.549 --> 00:17:23.950 to THY tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times, didst give the Law in 179 00:17:25.190 --> 00:17:33.339 cloud and majesty and Awe. What's that all about? Clouds and Sinai and 180 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:40.259 all of this? What this refers to is its reminding us that are resting 181 00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:45.690 in God. Is a very much resting in his power. He is mighty, 182 00:17:47.130 --> 00:17:51.410 and if you want to remember his strength and his authority, then consider 183 00:17:51.529 --> 00:17:56.650 the scriptures, consider this particular image that's given in the scriptures and given frequently, 184 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:03.519 this moment when God, after rescuing his people out of captivity in Egypt, 185 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:08.839 brought them to this mountain called Sinai. Kids. That's why it says 186 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:15.349 Sini's height. It's referring to a tall mountain, Mount Sinai, and on 187 00:18:15.470 --> 00:18:21.670 top of that mountain God didst give the law. He spoke to his people. 188 00:18:22.750 --> 00:18:26.549 But if you go back and you look at those passages and remember how 189 00:18:26.670 --> 00:18:32.339 it is God gave that law, you will remember that it's not just that 190 00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:37.140 he gave the law that makes him mighty. It's also the way in which 191 00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:45.569 he gave it in Exodus, chapter twelve, verse nineteen. We read this. 192 00:18:47.849 --> 00:18:49.609 For seven days, this is right before the giving of the law. 193 00:18:49.730 --> 00:18:55.130 For seven days, no Levin is to be found in your houses. If 194 00:18:55.250 --> 00:18:57.839 anyone eats what is leaven, that person shall be cut off from the congregation 195 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:02.440 of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native in the land. 196 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.680 You shall not, you shall eat nothing leaven in all your dwelling places. 197 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:12.470 You shall eat unloven, brilliant bread. Then Moses called all the elders of 198 00:19:12.549 --> 00:19:17.190 Israel. said go and select lambs for yourselves according to the clans, and 199 00:19:17.390 --> 00:19:22.390 kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of Hiss up and dip it on 200 00:19:22.509 --> 00:19:26.019 the blood that is on in the basin, and touch the Lintel and the 201 00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:30.099 two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall 202 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:34.099 go out of the door of his house until morning. These, we read, 203 00:19:34.140 --> 00:19:38.769 are the instructions for Passover. This is the way in which God would 204 00:19:38.769 --> 00:19:44.289 rescue out of them, them out of captivity, through the shedding of US 205 00:19:44.369 --> 00:19:47.890 blood of the lamb, just like the son of God, the Lamb of 206 00:19:47.970 --> 00:19:52.440 God's blood would be shed. He would pass over their houses and rescue them 207 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:57.559 out of the captivity of Egypt and he would bring them into the wilderness and 208 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:04.400 to into Mount Sinai, where he would give that law. And they're on 209 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:14.630 the mountain. There was shaking and fire and smoke and majesty God warned the 210 00:20:14.789 --> 00:20:18.430 people at that moment. He said, if anybody touches the mountain, they 211 00:20:18.470 --> 00:20:22.220 will surely die. God and his power and His Majesty, all of these 212 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:26.019 things, gave them the law. And this is important to us because it 213 00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:32.420 reminds us that the one who saves US and saves US Unto Holiness, is 214 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:38.569 one who is mighty, mighty to save. You can never be safer than 215 00:20:38.650 --> 00:20:45.210 you are with God and you can never be more afraid than you are when 216 00:20:45.210 --> 00:20:51.480 you are with God. He is that mighty. It depends on your relationship 217 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:55.680 with him. If you belong to him, if you are his child, 218 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:00.160 then nothing can touch you. If you do not belong to him and you 219 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:07.789 are his enemy, then you are done for God is mighty to save. 220 00:21:08.829 --> 00:21:14.950 He acts in a way that brings fear upon people, but he also acts 221 00:21:14.950 --> 00:21:21.180 in away and uses his power to protect us. That same holiness is used 222 00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:26.420 to purify us. When Emmanuel does come, when he sheds his blood, 223 00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:33.730 he takes a people enslaved under one of the greatest powers in Egypt and he 224 00:21:34.009 --> 00:21:40.529 brings them out in such a way that Pharaoh can't get them out soon enough 225 00:21:40.569 --> 00:21:44.769 after all of his rebellion and those sorts of things. If you remember that 226 00:21:44.930 --> 00:21:49.759 story and if that's a big deal, consider what God does when he brings 227 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:55.759 us not out of Egypt but out of the Kingdom of darkness and the power 228 00:21:55.920 --> 00:22:02.109 and the tyranny of Satan. This is God, who he is and what 229 00:22:02.230 --> 00:22:07.630 he has done. This is Emmanuel who dwells with us. That takes us 230 00:22:07.630 --> 00:22:12.710 to verse three, where we are reminded that we are freed not just from 231 00:22:14.150 --> 00:22:18.660 the temporal things of this world, but from spiritual powers as well. Oh 232 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:25.420 Come, thou rod of Jesse, Free Thine own from Satan's tyranny, from 233 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:30.890 the depths of hell. Thy People, save and give them victory over the 234 00:22:30.089 --> 00:22:41.450 grave. This is the spirit in which we lay Christian the Christian dead to 235 00:22:41.569 --> 00:22:48.839 rest. This is an amazing thing that when we bury our dead, we 236 00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:53.720 bury them knowing that God has given them victory over the thing into which they 237 00:22:55.000 --> 00:23:00.950 are put into a grave that they will one day rise up out of their 238 00:23:00.150 --> 00:23:07.109 tombs proclaim mean the glories of God and their new bodies, freed from all 239 00:23:07.269 --> 00:23:12.940 sin and death and misery, no longer bound to Satan and his tyranny. 240 00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:21.019 This is the strength of our Lord. But who is this rod of Jesse? 241 00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:26.259 What does that mean? I'll just as a reminder. It doesn't say 242 00:23:26.329 --> 00:23:32.289 the title here is not rod of Jesse. Free, like Jesse's first name, 243 00:23:32.450 --> 00:23:34.890 and freeze his last name. It sounds a little bit like that when 244 00:23:34.930 --> 00:23:38.049 you sing it, but this is why a good reminder. Always pay attention 245 00:23:38.089 --> 00:23:42.599 to the commas when you're singing. Oh Come Thou, rod of Jesse, 246 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:48.359 free us. Right, that's how we'd are to read it. Free your 247 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:52.319 people, Thine Own, from Satan's tyranny. Well, this phrase rod of 248 00:23:52.359 --> 00:23:56.990 Jesse comes from the King James version translation of another prophecy in Isaiah, Isaiah 249 00:23:57.109 --> 00:24:03.829 Eleven. The ESV translates it as shoot, and it's like a like a 250 00:24:03.950 --> 00:24:11.140 branch, a shoot coming up. And Isaiah Eleven, we read verses nine 251 00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:15.259 and ten. There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, 252 00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:22.099 and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit in that day the root of 253 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:26.009 Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the people's of him, shall 254 00:24:26.049 --> 00:24:34.130 the nation's inquire and his resting place shall be glorious. What this is doing 255 00:24:34.289 --> 00:24:40.680 is it's reminding us that God's promise, this covenant that he made at Sinai, 256 00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:45.279 to establish his people in the law, that they would be holy as 257 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:49.960 he is holy, gets continued on in another covenant, another promise that God 258 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.990 makes to King David in particular. He makes this promise to David that he 259 00:24:56.029 --> 00:25:00.309 would establish a son on his throne and would do so forever, that this 260 00:25:00.509 --> 00:25:06.869 glorious kingdom would come. Well, David is the son of Jesse, and 261 00:25:07.029 --> 00:25:11.619 that's what this prophecies. This is the way or the perspective in which this 262 00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:18.220 prophecy is speaking. From Jesse comes this shoot, right, this life, 263 00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:25.609 comes out of this stump that would bear fruit, and not just good fruit, 264 00:25:25.650 --> 00:25:30.930 but of him the nation's would inquire and his resting place shall be glorious. 265 00:25:32.170 --> 00:25:37.000 Now, throughout all the Kings of Israel and kings of Judah, there's 266 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:41.559 this sort of pick up and then let down that always happens. You read 267 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:45.039 about the king and you think, well, is this one going to be 268 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:48.640 the great king. Is this one going to be the shoot from the stump 269 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:52.910 of Jesse? And then, over and over again we see that this one's 270 00:25:52.950 --> 00:25:59.509 resting place isn't so glorious, the fact that overridden with enemies and he's a 271 00:25:59.630 --> 00:26:02.950 really bad guy and all these kinds of things. You'll have to go back 272 00:26:02.990 --> 00:26:07.460 and read those histories, but there's this disappointment that happens over and over again, 273 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:14.380 a longing for this prophecy to be fulfilled. When Jesus comes, when 274 00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:19.329 the Virgin conceives and a child is born, this manual God who comes incarnate 275 00:26:19.410 --> 00:26:25.809 and dwells with us, this one does have a resting place. That is 276 00:26:25.890 --> 00:26:33.119 glorious. Do you remember what happened after Jesus died? After three days, 277 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:37.799 he rose again from the dead. You remember what happened after that? We 278 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:41.680 confessed it this morning. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand 279 00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:49.789 of God. That's glorious. His Resting Place is glories. Jesus is our 280 00:26:49.950 --> 00:26:53.710 Emmanuel, he is God with us. He is the one who is fulfilling 281 00:26:53.789 --> 00:27:00.069 the promises made at Sinai made with David. He is our great king, 282 00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:08.980 and that's why we have verse four. Oh, come thou day spring on 283 00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:15.099 high, cheer us by Thy Drawing Nigh dispends the gloomy clouds of night and 284 00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:19.490 death, dark shadows put to flight. This describes the kingly work of this 285 00:27:19.690 --> 00:27:26.009 son of Jesse and this son of David, this great God and Lord of 286 00:27:26.130 --> 00:27:30.039 my Emmanuel with us. What does he do? He comes near to us 287 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:34.759 and the way that the sun springs up in the morning, the day springs. 288 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:40.839 That's what it's referencing. There all those gloomy clouds of night. What 289 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:47.630 happens when the sun comes up in the morning? They disappear, especially here 290 00:27:47.710 --> 00:27:52.750 in Tucson. The good clap that he is one who takes away the darkness, 291 00:27:52.750 --> 00:27:59.140 who shines brightly. He is the light who has come into the world. 292 00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:04.259 He is the key of David, says verse five. He is the 293 00:28:04.619 --> 00:28:11.259 one who perfectly fits that lock and opens up the door into the heavenly places 294 00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:18.049 so that we might sit with him. Oh come, thou key of David, 295 00:28:18.210 --> 00:28:22.650 come and open wide our heavenly home. You see our resting places with 296 00:28:22.769 --> 00:28:26.720 him. The scriptures say that he is he has ascended on high, and 297 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:33.079 the scriptures say that we dwell in the heavenly places with him. Roman six 298 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:40.480 tells us that we have already died and risen with him and the newness of 299 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:45.750 life. Oh, come, thou key of David, come and open wide 300 00:28:45.789 --> 00:28:51.269 our heavenly home, make safe the way that leads on high and close the 301 00:28:51.390 --> 00:28:57.700 path to misery. I like to imagine this picture of us sort of in 302 00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:04.339 this dungeon and then God throws the doors open, he calls us out of 303 00:29:04.420 --> 00:29:11.210 this dark and death place, and then he slams the door shut. He 304 00:29:11.410 --> 00:29:17.089 opens a second door into heaven and makes this safe passage for us to enter 305 00:29:17.250 --> 00:29:21.569 in. That's what he does for us, and this is just such a 306 00:29:21.690 --> 00:29:26.480 wonderful reminder that Emmanuel, this promised one in Isaiah, this one who comes 307 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:37.680 to comes to us in the flesh and Mary the he's not only the one 308 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:45.430 who saves us from something, but he saves us to something. He doesn't 309 00:29:45.470 --> 00:29:48.390 just open the door and then let us sort of wander around and most of 310 00:29:48.430 --> 00:29:52.940 us would probably find our way right back into the cage. He opens the 311 00:29:53.099 --> 00:30:00.779 door and he sets US free, not into an archy, not under lostness 312 00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:07.170 or confusion. He sets US free so that we could enter into heaven itself. 313 00:30:07.250 --> 00:30:14.650 And you know, it's even really better than that the one who rescue 314 00:30:14.809 --> 00:30:19.410 use us from this thing, the one who rescues us, also rescues us 315 00:30:21.369 --> 00:30:27.480 to himself. Do you remember his name? God with us. In other 316 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:32.920 words, he's not just the helpful guy, the the sort of Guru who 317 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.670 sort of takes you along the way right the the one who opens the gate 318 00:30:36.750 --> 00:30:41.309 and helps you along the Path and then opens the heavens of here you go. 319 00:30:41.029 --> 00:30:45.430 I hope you enjoy yourself. Well, that would be great, that 320 00:30:45.509 --> 00:30:49.180 would be very great, but it's but he is even better than that. 321 00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:59.099 He is our heavenly home. He dwells with us, he is the hope 322 00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:04.170 of Heaven. He is what we are saved unto. The promise isn't just 323 00:31:04.369 --> 00:31:10.890 that God would dwell with us and help us unto better things. The promise 324 00:31:11.009 --> 00:31:18.289 is that God would dwell with us period. He is the better things all 325 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:25.920 wrapped up in him. What is the chief Bend of Man? To Glorify 326 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:41.109 Heaven, to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The Good News, is 327 00:31:41.349 --> 00:31:45.950 beloved, is that we don't need to wait for God to come to start 328 00:31:47.029 --> 00:31:52.259 rejoicing because, as we have read in the scriptures, he has come. 329 00:31:52.819 --> 00:32:00.220 The Messiah has been born. He's even died on a cross to take on 330 00:32:00.569 --> 00:32:07.170 every sin that you have ever sinned and ever Wilson, so that you can 331 00:32:07.250 --> 00:32:14.369 be freed of all your sins and made holy and blameless, so that when 332 00:32:14.450 --> 00:32:16.640 that gate of Heaven Opens Up, you can walk right in and know that 333 00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:22.119 you belong there, not because of your righteousness, but because of his. 334 00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:30.990 He is the one who separates us from the darkness, as he is the 335 00:32:30.109 --> 00:32:36.710 very light. And of course, we have more than his promise. We 336 00:32:36.829 --> 00:32:43.349 have his spirit, who's living in US, dwelling in US, sanctifying US 337 00:32:44.230 --> 00:32:50.180 and making us ready for our heavenly home. The light of the kingdom shines 338 00:32:50.380 --> 00:32:54.500 even now in the darkness. It may be winter, but the fruit is 339 00:32:54.940 --> 00:33:00.410 on the tree. Enjoy it, taste it, trust in the Lord. 340 00:33:01.329 --> 00:33:06.769 He is Immanuel, he is with us. Let us pray