The peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel lived in exi\u00adle in Baby\u00adlon \u2013 an extre\u00adme\u00adly bleak time for the indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal Jews as well as for the enti\u00adre nati\u00adon. But then a mes\u00adsa\u00adge of joy arri\u00adves through the pro\u00adphet Isai\u00adah. Alt\u00adhough Zion and Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem lie in ruins, new hope ger\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtes. The same gos\u00adpel (= good news) rea\u00adches us in this Advent sea\u00adson \u2013 a simi\u00adlar\u00adly chal\u00adlen\u00adging time.<\/p>\n
It was the cold win\u00adter of 1944 and a rab\u00adbi and his son were in hiding in Sile\u00adsia. Their future was com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly uncer\u00adtain. They were star\u00adving. One evening, the father pul\u00adled out an ear\u00adthen pot and began to light a wick that had been sunk into the last mar\u00adga\u00adri\u00adne rati\u00adon. It was the evening of Hanuk\u00adkah, the fes\u00adti\u00adval of lights to com\u00adme\u00admo\u00adra\u00adte the rede\u00addi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon of the temp\u00adle, he explai\u00adned to his son. But the boy pro\u00adtes\u00adted vehe\u00admen\u00adt\u00adly against the was\u00adte. The father loo\u00adked at his son for a long time and final\u00adly said: \u00abYou and I have seen that it is pos\u00adsi\u00adble to sur\u00advi\u00adve for three weeks wit\u00adhout food. Once we lived for three days wit\u00adhout water. But you can\u2019t live three minu\u00adtes wit\u00adhout hope!\u00bb The two sur\u00advi\u00adved. Wit\u00adhout hope, our life is a meanin\u00adg\u00adless loss. Hope is the nega\u00adti\u00adon of nega\u00adti\u00adon. Bishop Cypri\u00adan of Car\u00adtha\u00adge said: \u00abLet us stand upright in the midst of the ruins of the world and not lie on the ground like tho\u00adse who have no hope.\u00bb Advent is the spe\u00adcial time of year when we want to find new hope in the midst of the ruins. \tLook, the\u00adre is your God! The exi\u00adled Jews in Baby\u00adlon were deep\u00adly depres\u00adsed and assu\u00admed that God had rejec\u00adted his cho\u00adsen peo\u00adp\u00adle. The cap\u00adti\u00adves were alre\u00ada\u00addy begin\u00adning to resign them\u00adsel\u00adves to their pre\u00addi\u00adca\u00adment. Per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly, we also some\u00adti\u00admes find our\u00adsel\u00adves in a pre\u00addi\u00adca\u00adment and won\u00adder whe\u00adther God has tur\u00adned away. The good news coun\u00adters such a bad pre\u00admo\u00adni\u00adti\u00adon with \u00abYour God\u00bb. For the depres\u00adsed Jews on the banks of the Euphra\u00adtes, this pos\u00adses\u00adsi\u00adve pro\u00adno\u00adun must have been a balm for their maltrea\u00adted souls. During this Advent sea\u00adson, we are invi\u00adted to see the gos\u00adpel with the eyes of the heart despi\u00adte the many ruins. The con\u00adtent of the Gos\u00adpel is God\u2019s gre\u00adat visi\u00adon for his enti\u00adre crea\u00adti\u00adon. At the very begin\u00adning of world histo\u00adry, God wan\u00adted to bring hea\u00adven and earth tog\u00ade\u00adther and dwell in the midst of man\u00adkind. From the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty, peo\u00adp\u00adle had two tasks: To be kings and priests. This means repre\u00adsen\u00adting the reign of God in this world and reflec\u00adting the prai\u00adse of crea\u00adti\u00adon back to the Crea\u00adtor. The decisi\u00adve points in the return of the peo\u00adp\u00adle from exi\u00adle were the buil\u00adding of the temp\u00adle and the city walls of Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem and the popu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon of the cities of Judah. The temp\u00adle was the place whe\u00adre hea\u00adven and earth meet and God dwells in the midst of his peo\u00adp\u00adle. At Christ\u00admas we cele\u00adbra\u00adte the first coming of Jesus. He was the new temp\u00adle that dwelt in our midst (John 1:14). Tho\u00adse who ent\u00adrust their lives to this Jesus are gifted with the Holy Spi\u00adrit. This empowers a fol\u00adlower of Jesus to be a human being for God\u2019s new crea\u00adti\u00adon. The Church of Jesus is to be a sign and sign\u00adpost for God\u2019s new world. After the second coming, for which we are wai\u00adting, the ulti\u00adma\u00adte new hea\u00adven and the new earth will be reve\u00ada\u00adled. This new crea\u00adti\u00adon will be desi\u00adgned like a temp\u00adle and God will dwell in it with man\u00adkind. Advent is the wai\u00adting for the return of Yahweh\u2019s glo\u00adrious presence. \tRead the Bible text together! The peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel lived in exi\u00adle in Baby\u00adlon \u2013 an extre\u00adme\u00adly bleak time for the indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal Jews as well as for the enti\u00adre nati\u00adon. But then a mes\u00adsa\u00adge of joy arri\u00adves through the pro\u00adphet Isai\u00adah. Alt\u00adhough Zion and Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem lie in ruins, new hope ger\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtes. The same gos\u00adpel (= good news) rea\u00adches us in this Advent season\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7658,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[90],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-heilig-heilig-heilig","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-7641","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nThe hopelessness
\nFor a long time, the peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel pre\u00adfer\u00adred to wor\u00adship hand\u00adma\u00adde idols rather than Yah\u00adweh, the living God. They sin\u00adned. The Greek. The Greek word for sin means miss\u00ading the mark. The task of man is to repre\u00adsent God in crea\u00adti\u00adon and to return the prai\u00adse of all crea\u00adti\u00adon to the Crea\u00adtor. Becau\u00adse God\u2019s coven\u00adant peo\u00adp\u00adle fai\u00adled to achie\u00adve this goal, Isra\u00adel was depor\u00adted into cap\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty in Baby\u00adlon in 597 BC<\/span>. The temp\u00adle and the city walls of Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem were razed to the ground. Now the Jews sit by the waters of Baby\u00adlon, sin\u00adging their laments and sin\u00adking into hopelessness.
\nIn the midst of this rub\u00adble, a cheer breaks out: \u00abZion, bea\u00adrer of good news, ascend a high moun\u00adtain! Speak with a loud voice, Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem, mes\u00adsen\u00adger of joy, speak aloud and do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, \u00abBehold, here is your God!\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 40:9 NLB<\/span>). The three names addres\u00adsed here, \u00abZion\u00bb, \u00abJeru\u00adsa\u00adlem\u00bb and \u00abthe cities of Judah\u00bb, out\u00adline a world of hope\u00adl\u00adess\u00adness. The Cast\u00adle of David on Zion wit\u00adhout a king\u00addom, Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem wit\u00adhout a temp\u00adle, the cities of Judah wit\u00adhout a peo\u00adp\u00adle \u2013 that was the result of the breach of faith.
\nZion and Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem, of all places, which are affec\u00adted by deso\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon, are to beco\u00adme mes\u00adsen\u00adgers of joy. The good news is so sen\u00adsa\u00adtio\u00adnal and urgent that Mount Zion should climb a high moun\u00adtain and Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem should shout with a loud voice.
\nWe live in a simi\u00adlar\u00adly hope\u00adl\u00adess world today. The\u00adre is gre\u00adat uncer\u00adtain\u00adty and the sym\u00adbols of Chris\u00adtia\u00adni\u00adty are on the ground. We are tal\u00adking about secu\u00adla\u00adri\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon. Peo\u00adp\u00adle are lea\u00adving the churches and the emp\u00adty places of wor\u00adship are being repur\u00adpo\u00adsed. God\u2019s cho\u00adsen peo\u00adp\u00adle, the Jews, are invol\u00adved in war\u00adfa\u00adre. The who\u00adle world is las\u00adhing out at them. The sce\u00adna\u00adrio of a third world war is open\u00adly discussed.
\nIt is against this back\u00addrop that we are curr\u00adent\u00adly expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adcing the sea\u00adson of Advent. We remem\u00adber the best of all mes\u00adsa\u00adges, name\u00adly that God is omni\u00adpo\u00adtent and still has the reins in His hands. At that time, He led His peo\u00adp\u00adle back to Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem and the cities of Judah, a few hundred years later He was born into this world in the per\u00adson of Jesus as a defen\u00adce\u00adl\u00adess child and at some point He will come again and crea\u00adte a new hea\u00adven and a new earth.
\nThe gospel
\nThe Greek word for the mes\u00adsa\u00adge of joy is gos\u00adpel. In Isai\u00adah, the con\u00adtent is explai\u00adned in three visions:
\n\u00ab[\u2026] Tell the cities of Judah: \u00abBehold, here is your God! Behold, the LORD<\/span> your ruler comes with power. He reig\u00adns for his bene\u00adfit. Behold, he brings a reward and leads his regai\u00adned peo\u00adp\u00adle befo\u00adre him\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 40:9\u201310 NLB<\/span>).
\nThe three\u00adfold repe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adon of \u00abSee\u00bb tears apart the den\u00adse clouds of sad\u00adness and reve\u00adals the con\u00adtent of the mes\u00adsa\u00adge of joy:<\/p>\n
\n\tBehold, the LORD<\/span> your ruler comes with power. When we look out into our lives or into the world, it can appear that God is silent, no lon\u00adger working among us and has with\u00addrawn his arm. The Good News says: \u00abHe comes with power\u00bb. The fol\u00adlo\u00adwing ver\u00adses impres\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly testi\u00adfy to God\u2019s supe\u00adrio\u00adri\u00adty and strength: \u00abWho has mea\u00adsu\u00adred the sea with his hand and set the mea\u00adsu\u00adre of the hea\u00advens with the span of his hand? Who has mea\u00adsu\u00adred the dust of the earth with a bus\u00adhel, who has weig\u00adhed the moun\u00adta\u00adins and put the hills on the sca\u00adles? Who can know what the LORD<\/span> thinks? Who can be his coun\u00adsell\u00ador? With whom has he con\u00adsul\u00adted to gain insight and to be ins\u00adtruc\u00adted in mat\u00adters of law; and who has taught him how to gain know\u00adledge? In his eyes, the nati\u00adons are like a drop in a bucket, like a speck of dust on a pair of sca\u00adles. Distant lands are no more than a speck of dust in his eyes. The forests of Leba\u00adnon do not con\u00adtain enough fire\u00adwood and all its ani\u00admals would not be enough for a burnt offe\u00adring. The enti\u00adre world\u2019s popu\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon is not\u00adhing in his eyes\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 40:12\u201317 NLB<\/span>). God will step into visi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty with an outstret\u00adched arm in irre\u00adsis\u00adti\u00adble power.
\n\tLook: He brings a reward and leads his regai\u00adned peo\u00adp\u00adle befo\u00adre him. God\u2019s plan, the enti\u00adre histo\u00adry of the world, his elec\u00adtion, his deeds, his tire\u00adless spea\u00adking through the pro\u00adphe\u00adts, his labour were in vain if the result is the heap of ruins of Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem and the litt\u00adle band of exi\u00adles. The end result of sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon histo\u00adry is not ruins and a heap, but a gre\u00adat peo\u00adp\u00adle. The Jews are still God\u2019s cho\u00adsen peo\u00adp\u00adle; in due cour\u00adse, all Isra\u00adel will be saved (Romans 11:26). In addi\u00adti\u00adon, the\u00adre are many born-again peo\u00adp\u00adle from all nati\u00adons who have found faith during Israel\u2019s impenitence.<\/p>\n
\nHere, as in other places in his book, the pro\u00adphet Isai\u00adah saw the return from the Baby\u00adlo\u00adni\u00adan exi\u00adle and the first and second coming of God in Christ as one.
\nThe shepherd
\nThe ruler comes with power and brings with him a gre\u00adat peo\u00adp\u00adle as a reward, at the same time He is the good she\u00adp\u00adherd: \u00abHe will feed his flock like a she\u00adp\u00adherd: He will car\u00adry the lambs in his arms and hold them in his lap, he will kind\u00adly lead the ewes\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 40:11 NLB<\/span>). Simul\u00adta\u00adneous\u00adly holy, glo\u00adrious, ruling and gent\u00adle, com\u00adpas\u00adsio\u00adna\u00adte and sup\u00adport\u00adi\u00adve \u2013 this is Yah\u00adweh, our God. He goes after the lost, takes care of the wea\u00adry and car\u00adri\u00ades the weak. He obvious\u00adly con\u00adsiders child\u00adren and mothers to be par\u00adti\u00adcu\u00adlar\u00adly wort\u00adhy of pro\u00adtec\u00adtion. He does not bur\u00adden anyo\u00adne with more than the per\u00adson can bear. He never demands more than a per\u00adson can pro\u00advi\u00adde. This is what the image of the lambs, which He car\u00adri\u00ades in His arms and holds on His lap, and of the ewes, which He gent\u00adly gui\u00addes, says.
\nI\u2019m ima\u00adgi\u00adning a fami\u00adly hiking up the S\u00e4n\u00adtis. The kids cheerful\u00adly rush ahead. But then comes the point when their strength fails them or the ter\u00adrain beco\u00admes dan\u00adge\u00adrous. From this moment on, the par\u00adents take their child\u00adren in a stret\u00adcher or lead them by the hand. They empa\u00adthise with their children\u2019s limits. God is the same. The\u00adre are also peo\u00adp\u00adle among us who are at the end of their tether or just over\u00adwhel\u00admed. Some suf\u00adfer from ill\u00adness and pain, the break-up of a rela\u00adti\u00adonship, get\u00adting older, pro\u00adblems at work, slee\u00adp\u00adless nights. God sees it and meets you \u2013 like a she\u00adp\u00adherd \u2013 in your need.
\nOur image of a she\u00adp\u00adherd is rather roman\u00adti\u00adcis\u00aded and glo\u00adri\u00adfied. Howe\u00adver, God is not the sweet-faced weakling, but the strong son of the moun\u00adta\u00adins who, armed with stick and club, fights with wild ani\u00admals, knows all the paths, goes after the lost, pulls the fal\u00adlen out of the cre\u00advice with the shepherd\u2019s crook.
\nThis she\u00adp\u00adherd is for you! The fol\u00adlo\u00adwing state\u00adment by Jesus is the pro\u00adof: \u00abI am the good she\u00adp\u00adherd. The good she\u00adp\u00adherd sacri\u00adfices his life for the sheep\u00bb (John 10:11 NLB<\/span>). Jesus went so far as the good she\u00adp\u00adherd that He sacri\u00adfi\u00adced His life. Through this death and resur\u00adrec\u00adtion, Jesus ope\u00adned wide the door to new crea\u00adti\u00adon \u2013 for you too. When you ent\u00adrust your life to this Jesus, you yours\u00adelf beco\u00adme a temp\u00adle of the Holy Spi\u00adrit and thus a small working model for the ulti\u00adma\u00adte new creation.
\nAdvent means that we look full of hope through the open door into the new crea\u00adti\u00adon and beco\u00adme a fore\u00adtas\u00adte our\u00adsel\u00adves when we invi\u00adte Jesus into our lives.
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead the Bible text: Isai\u00adah 40:9\u201317<\/p>\n
\n\tHow do you think the peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel fared during the 70 years of cap\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty in Baby\u00adlon? How do you think they recei\u00adved the words of Isaiah?
\n\tWhe\u00adre are the\u00adre moments of deso\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon in your life \u2013 eit\u00adher per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly or in your view of the world?
\n\tDo you belie\u00adve that the\u00adre is hope in all per\u00adso\u00adnal or glo\u00adbal ruins? What, if any\u00adthing, is the reason for hope (Isai\u00adah 40:12\u201317)?
\n\tWhat is the con\u00adtent of the gos\u00adpel and at the same time God\u2019s visi\u00adon for creation?
\n\tAdvent means wai\u00adting for the next step in the pro\u00adcess of new crea\u00adti\u00adon. What has alre\u00ada\u00addy hap\u00adpen\u00aded? What are we still wai\u00adting for?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"