December 4, 2022
Pastor Daniel Slaughter
Text: Isaiah 11:1-10
Theme: Come, Root of Jesse, as Our Judge!
It’s kind of a weird thought isn’t? That we pray or say, “Come Lord Jesus as our Judge”? When we think of a judge don’t our minds gravitate to something that we did? Because let’s face it if someone appears before a judge it is usually because of something that they did. They are just waiting to hear the sentence or verdict. So when we hear the word judge, there might be a little fear… a little apprehension. What’s my sentence? What will be my verdict? With the guilt we feel over our sins, why would we cry out “Come, Root of Jesse as our Judge?
When we are afraid or apprehensive about facing the judge, isn’t because we focus on ourselves? The wrong we have done or the guilt we feel can leave us fearful to go before any judge, let alone the Judge of the Universe! But when we are afraid or apprehensive about facing judgment, we are forgetting who he is and what he has done. When we look the Root of Jesse we see who this judge is, we will also see the judgment that he executes and we will see what that judgement means for us.
Isaiah says, ”A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.” The once great tree coming from the line of Jesse, king David’s father, was reduced to a mere stump. God’s judgment came even on the line of David for their sin and turning away from God and his word. In 586 BC the Babylonians served as the ax of God that cut off the line of Jesse and made David’s family tree nothing but a stump. It’s majesty only a dim memory; its power only a collections of stories of past victory.
The lifeless stump was a witness to God’s judgment. God is serious about unrepentant hearts and turning away from him and his Word. That is the warning John the Baptist is proclaiming in the gospel for today. In Matthew 3 John the Baptist said, “Already the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” He was calling people to repentance. He is telling them that their hearts need to line up with their actions. They can’t bare good fruit unless their hearts are repentant. Turning away from sin, believing in the Messiah is what John was calling what people to do. Jesus came as our judge and John was warning people that if they did not repent the axe is ready to chop down the tree.
When we hear those passages, and we think about our lives, does that fill us with apprehension and fear. Are we holding on a sin that we don’t want to let go? To everyone else outwardly we may look good, but what is the attitude in of our hearts? That I don’t need to or don’t want to repent? God’s warning is clear. The axe is at the root of the tree. It is not like we can play a game with God. Where we try to hide what’s in our heart. Isaiah describes how this judge will make judgments “not by what he sees with his eyes, nor will he render decisions based on what he hears wit his ears. But with righteousness he will judge…” This judge goes beyond other judges who can only base their verdict on what they can see and hear. He can see what’s in the heart. Is it a heart that despises forgiveness and his word?
If left to ourselves, our judgement would be pretty bleak. We have to remember who this judge his. At first glance a stump doesn’t seem that impressive. But God is faithful to his promises and promised King David that God will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. And so a shoot sprung up from then stump of Jesse. And that shoot was different from any of the kings before.
This Shoot that springs up will be anointed from the Spirit of LORD. He has the Spirit of wisdom and understanding he knows what to do and gives the insight into the things that his people will need to know and understand, including the depths of God’s grace. He has the Spirit of counsel and might. He not only knows what to do but he gives us his Word, and in that Word he shares with his people the plan he has formulated for their redemption. He also has the power to defend his people and carry out his plan of salvation. And this king has the Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of the LORD. This knowledge implies a relationship with the God of free and faithful grace and implies a concern for what the Lord wants and has that fear of the Lord, that reverent respect for the Lord that submits to his will.
This Shoot that springs up from the stump of Jesse is different than any king that has ever come. This shoot from the stump is a humble Savior, with a humble background. He was born to humble parents, in Bethlehem. Jesus was born not in a palace but in a stable. But from this seemingly insignificant beginning great and wonderful blessings would come.
Advent is necessary to prepare us for Christmas. It enables us to understand the true significance of Christmas because it reminds us of what the Root of Jesse, Jesus would do. With the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, with knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He came to save us from our sins and the punishment that our sins deserve. Isaiah described him “Righteousness will be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his hips.” You have this picture of him being covered with righteousness, living the perfect live and having that right relationship with God. And you have this picture of how he is covered with faithfulness meaning he is going to do what he set out to do. And what did he set out to do? To go to the cross, endured the punishment for our sins. What is our verdict? Not guilty! Forgiven. He is faithful to his love.
We have saving faith that trusts in his saving promise. Isaiah prophesied regarding the judgement that this king would bring, “but with righteousness he will judge the poor, and he will render fair decisions in favor of the oppressed on the earth.” That is talking about his believers! He goes on “He he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath from his lips he will put the wicked to death.” Those that have rejected him and his word, there will come eternal punishment.
What does this judgment mean for us, those who have a knowledge of the LORD? Do we have to live with this constant fear of God’s judgment? No. Instead Isaiah points ahead to a renewed kingdom. Where sin and its effects are gone. Only peace and righteousness rule. In a world of sin the wolf preys on the lamb, the leopard stalks the goat, the Lion hunts. Where the Son of David rules, this hostility will cease. Even the little helpless infant has nothing to fear from the cobra and child can play in the viper’s den. In a world filled with such hostility, bloodshed, and discord, this vision of peaceable kingdom gives us comfort. Something to long for and look forward to. Something to pray for, “Come Root of Jesse as our judge.”
My family, this is the life that we long for: a place where no one gets hurt, no one dies; there is no injustice but only perfection. Isaiah said, “This is what will take place on that day. The peoples will seek tech Root of Jesse, who will be standing like a banner for the peoples, and his resting place will be glorious!” So Jesse’s stumps becomes a banner, the rallying point for the peoples and he leads us to this perfect glory! Come root of Jesse, amen.