Sermon Cloud

“Don’t Start Your Burn at the End of Summer: 

A Christian’s UV Protection”

13^th SUNDAY AFTER THE PENTECOST

ISAIAH 40:1-11

AUGUST 30, 2009

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sermon Goal: That the hearers would daily “put on Christ” for the UV (“Ultimate Victory”) protection (extra grace formula) against sin in order to stand in the brilliant light and otherwise consuming Presence of our Holy God.

Intro

It’s good to be back home - and back here at Peace. I’ve spent the summer traveling up and down pretty much the whole Pacific Coast - from here to Washington state, and there’s one thing I learned: We’re spoiled in Southern California! - Especially here in coastal Ventura County. No time makes this more obvious than summertime. Here we are at our sunny summer’s end, but the beginning of summer here isn’t so sunny - is it? Each June summers around here start out the same way - June gloom! But that just makes it all the more enjoyable and comforting when that warm sunshine finally breaks through all that gloom. Then it’s sunny summer days with cool coastal breezes! And that’s what makes this the best... 

That said, this same enjoyable weather can kill you, if you don’t watch out...

That’s right. Plenty of sunshine is not just what the doctor ordered - in fact, physicians issue stern warnings about prolonged sun exposure. The same sun that soothes scorches! The CDC reports more than a million cases of skin cancer a year in the US, and deaths caused by skin cancer number in the thousands. That’s why it is so important when you go out to wear protection against those killer UV rays. Put on sunscreen! If you’re like me you’ll need the maximum Sun Protection Factor - SPF 250 - if they made it. 

But we didn’t come to church this morning to talk about the weather... God’s Word is like that summer sun - it both gives warmth & life and it kills! When the Lord makes His face to shine on you and be gracious to you - this is like the warm sunshine that brings joy and comfort. But if you stand unprotected in the sight of the Almighty Judge of the universe, the Scripture says “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29).  As with the sun, that giant ball of red fire, even more so with our holy God - you will get burned - badly.

The children of Israel knew all about this. In our reading from Isaiah this morning we are reminded that: 

“all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers [like when it has had too much scorching sun and not enough water] and the flowers fall... but the word of our God stands forever.” (v6-8)

Our text also brings comfort, however:

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.” (v1-2)

There’s something very important going on here that we want to consider. It sounds like, for the people of Judah, their gloom is finally lifting. So let’s look into this and discover what Good News is there for God’s people today who still struggle with sin - people like you and me.

This portion of the book of Isaiah is a key turning point. The book of Isaiah is usually divided up into two main sections or smaller books, and our text this morning from Isaiah chapter 40 begins the second main section in Isaiah that turns its focus to comfort. The first main section of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39, are sometimes called the “Book of Judgment and Promise.” Section two, which begins with our text, is called the “Book of Comfort.” And so it is fitting that this second section of the book of Isaiah actually begins with these words, “Comfort, comfort O my people...” First, there is the afflicting of the comfortable (primarily in the first half of Isaiah)... then there is the comforting of the afflicted. This is how Law & Gospel come to us hear God’s Word. The Law afflicts us, threatens us, when we get comfortable with our sin; The Gospel comforts us when we see our sin in the mirror of the Law and despair because of it.

What do God’s people to whom Isaiah is prophesying need comfort from? It even sounds like they are desperate for it - right? “Comfort, comfort O my people.” It sounds desperate because their situation is desperate. God’s people were dying under God’s judgment and gloom. Things were not bright and sunny for the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah during this time, the 7th century B.C. By the way,  Q: Can you get burned when it’s gloomy (e.g., during “June gloom”) - under that marine layer of clouds? Absolutely. YES! You can! In fact, that’s often when the most damage is done to your skin. Why? Because people don’t realize they’re burning under the cloudy, gray gloom. You might feel cool and think everything is all right. All the while, those killer UV rays are afflicting your body - when you are unprotected, when you don’t bother with the sunscreen.

That’s how Israel was - unprotected! After King David’s and King Solomon’s time, the now divided northern kingdom of Israel never had a righteous king (and the southern kingdom of Judah had only a few righteous rulers you could count on one hand). Almost every king of God’s covenant people is described as doing “what was wicked in the eyes of the Lord.” They violated God’s holy commands, worshiped false gods, participated in unmentionable pagan sacrifices, neglected the poor and the widow (those within and without who were in need) and they went about satisfying their own thirst for pleasure and personal gain. It’s really not too different from how we see society today - except our pagan idols are money, sex and self.

Early on in his prophesying, Isaiah warns Israel: “By the wrath of the Lord Almighty the land will be scorched and the people will be fuel for the fire” (Isaiah 9:19).  Their sin was exposed and they were about to get burned - badly. “Our God is a consuming fire.” No one knows for sure whatever happened to the so-called Ten Lost Tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel, but after God allowed the ruthless Assyrian army to nearly wipe them out and displace them in 722 B.C., it was only the southern kingdom of Judah - and the sacred city of Jerusalem - that was left standing as a place for God’s people to inhabit. And later on Isaiah warns the righteous King Hezekiah of Judah that even Judah will be taken captive for a time - by the invading Babylonian army. But not in Hezekiah’s lifetime.

So, this is where Judah stood, historically, at the time of our text this morning: the northern kingdom was gone - friends even family dead or displaced, homeless; and the brutal army of invading Assyrians is still on the prowl, lurking just outside your City Gates (a very menacing threat) - If you’re Judah, do you need comfort at a time like this? You bet! You desperately need some comfort. O, if I could just hear some comforting words! Just a little comfort - any kind of comfort!

Do we ever feel this desperate for God’s comfort? Do you? Well, it probably depends on how honest we are with ourselves - and with God. It depends on how smug we get on our with our own comfortable sins - doing things our way, not God’s. God’s word came as a holy light exposing the sin of Israel and Judah, but do we sometimes get lulled into thinking, “There’s not so much light, really. I don’t really need to worry about putting on any protection. I can’t feel any burn going on with me. I’m OK, your OK. Everything’s fine.” Sometimes we deceive ourselves into thinking that our so-called “little sins” escape a holy God’s notice. We so easily get complacent with our pet vices and selfish habits - living for pleasure and personal gain. We neglect the widow and the poor and the stranger among us. We put down others and exalt ourselves. This happens when we don’t take God’s Word and warnings seriously - we say, “Oh, that’s for other people, not me.” We end up getting burned when we don’t take God’s Word to heart.

But then, when we do take God’s Word seriously, and “gladly hear and receive it” (as Luther says), then we feel its penetrating heat. It burns within us and afflicts us. We get uncomfortably hot. And we become desperate people looking for desperate relief. At this time, we, too, cry out for comfort - some Good News for people who have offended a holy God. 

The Hebrew word for “comfort,” interestingly, can also be translated “repent,” to turn back to God and turn away from our sin. We can’t even do that on our own. It’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. As He turns us and we thus turn to Him, that’s when the gloom truly lifts and we feel His face shine upon us and He is gracious unto us. His favor toward us is on account of His “Holy One,” as Isaiah likes to call Him. Listen to this from Isaiah, “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress... The people walking in darkness have seen a great light...” This is Isaiah’s early description of the “Holy One” who becomes the “suffering servant” later on in his book of prophecy. And in our lesson today from Isaiah 40 he sheds some more light on that great light we see - will it come as a burning heat to scorch us with its brilliance? No, here the Lord reveals through his prophet Isaiah that it is a comforting light: “Comfort, comfort O my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her warfare, her hard service has been completed.”

This is God’s unchanging Word for His people, even sinners who turn to Him today. And how is it that this brings such relief? Because it says (in the next line from our lesson): “your sin has been paid for!” That’s comfort with a paycheck! God put His “money” where His mouth is, so to speak - and those are Jesus’ exact words on the cross, “PAID IN FULL!” Our sin is atoned for, because the Holy One of Israel who was prophesied of old by Isaiah (and others) came and, indeed, fulfilled all righteousness for us, as one of us - something we could not do for ourselves. He was scorched, so we wouldn’t have to be. The suffering-servant withered as he hung thirsting on the cross in our place. And He died, making perfect atonement for all sin for all time. 

Jesus Christ even fulfills that next line from our Isaiah passage in that “we have received from the Lord’s hand double for all our sins.” This means - for us - not only are our sins paid for and forgiven, but we get the full dose of Christ’s righteousness applied to us to boot: sins forgiven, righteousness applied to our account! So, let’s apply it, then, shall we? The Scripture tells us to “put on Christ,” that is, we wear Him as a covering over our sinfulness, “UV protection,” if you will, so that we can stand in the now comforting light of God’s holiness; no longer does it consume us. God’s light is comforting, not consuming. All because of Christ’s “UV protection.” Only in this case, “UV” stands for Christ’s “Ultimate Victory” won by Jesus Christ for sinners like you and me. 

So, now we need not fear standing in the Presence of the Almighty Judge of the universe, but the Scripture says with Christ as our protector we can actually “boldly approach the throne of grace!” Jesus fulfilled this for Israel, for Judah, for you and me - and all who trust in this Holy One.

Because of Christ, the Holy One who comes with power, we need not fear any longer coming into God’s light. His power is to save and protect and transform us. His light is a comforting, nourishing light. Our sins were exposed and Jesus paid for them all, so we can now bask confidently in the light of God’s forgiveness and grace and shout the praises of Him who has brought us out of the dark “June gloom” of our soul and into His marvelous light. Jesus Christ is our “UV” protection: For us He has won the “Ultimate Victory.” 

I can’t think of a better way to end a nice summer and head into a new season than with this comforting reminder.

And perhaps the best way to end this sermon is with this doxology from Psalm 84, as we bask in His comforting light, 

“...the LORD God is a SUN and SHIELD;

         The LORD gives grace and glory.” (v11)

All glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Amen.