The Stump of Jesse!
Reflection:
When I was in high school and
college, to earn a little money over the summer I would work at a landscaping
job. One of the bigger jobs we had to do
was cutting down dead trees, or trees the owners no longer wanted. It started with sawing off branches with
chain saws, and then gradually cutting down the tree down to the base. The hardest job was at the end pulling out
the tree stump by its roots. Depending
how old it was, this was an arduous project of taking an axe and hacking out the
old roots. Sometimes if this didn’t
work, we would have to hook up a chain to the back of the truck and around the
stump, and literally yank it out! But if
you didn’t pull a tree out by its roots, sooner or later branches would start
coming out of the stump of the tree if the tree was not dead.
In Isaiah 11, the prophet uses a
similar metaphor when he says in verse 1, “A
shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear
fruit.” Then we see this is related to Messianic prophecy as Isaiah says
next,
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”
This metaphor is used throughout
scripture as we see in the classic verses from John 15, that He is the Vine and
we are the branches. As Jesus, the
Righteous Branch, came to earth was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit,
he fulfilled all of these prophecies and lived them out until his death,
resurrection and return to the Father.
Then he told the disciples to wait and 50 days after his Resurrection,
the Holy Spirit would come and fill them with all the gifts they would need to
continue God’s plan of salvation for all people.
The apostle Paul brings this full
circle when he is teaching the Galatians about how to live life in and by the
power of the Holy Spirit. He says in
verse 25, “Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Paul realized that all the issues this young
church was facing would be remedied by their reliance on the Holy Spirit as
they lived out their faith. If the
Galatians needed examples of what life looked like living in the “flesh”, or
according to their old sinful nature, Paul provides a laundry list of this kind
of life. I’m sure we can all
relate.
But Paul says that the life lived
in the Spirit looks quite different and is characterized by what he calls the “fruit
of the Spirit”. Notice fruit is
organic. A branch or vine can’t eke out
fruit on its own, it can only do it as it is connected to the Vine. And Paul gives us a very graphic description
of what this fruit looks like. He says
the one who is living in step with the Spirit is full of: “love, joy, peace,
patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control.”
And as we reflect on Jesus’ life
we can see these characteristics in abundance.
So if we wanted to know how is really going with my spiritual life, it
might be helpful do to any inventory based what the fruits Paul describes in a
believer’s life. How much love, joy and
peace are you experiencing lately? If
the answer is none, there is a good chance you are not walking in step with the
Spirit.
Paul goes a step further, in
chapter 6, when he teaches the church that those who are mature in their
spiritual life should restore other brothers and sisters, who are not living
according to the Spirit but the flesh. But he gives a warning to watch out lest
this person be tempted too. He calls
this “bearing each other’s burdens”.
Burdens are those things that are too overwhelming for us to handle as
opposed to the “loads” he describes in the next verse which we need to carry
for ourselves.
This is a good reminder that we
don’t live the Christian life in isolation and we need an honest and grace
filled community both from time to be restored and also to help to bear other’s
burdens! I hope our churches can
remember these words as we seek to bear fruit that lasts as we stay rooted in
the True Vine, Jesus Christ!
Psalm 79:1-8
A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, the nations have invaded your
inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
3 They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
of scorn and derision to those around us.
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
3 They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms
that do not call on your name;
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms
that do not call on your name;
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.
8 Do not hold against us the sins of past
generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
Isaiah 10:12-11:9
12 When the Lord has finished all his work
against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of
Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. 13 For
he says:
“‘By the strength of my hand I
have done this,
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;
like a mighty one I subdued their kings.
14 As one reaches into a nest,
so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.’”
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;
like a mighty one I subdued their kings.
14 As one reaches into a nest,
so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.’”
15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who
swings it,
or the saw boast against the one who uses it?
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
or a club brandish the one who is not wood!
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors;
under his pomp a fire will be kindled
like a blazing flame.
17 The Light of Israel will become a fire,
their Holy One a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
his thorns and his briers.
18 The splendor of his forests and fertile fields
it will completely destroy,
as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few
that a child could write them down.
or the saw boast against the one who uses it?
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
or a club brandish the one who is not wood!
16 Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors;
under his pomp a fire will be kindled
like a blazing flame.
17 The Light of Israel will become a fire,
their Holy One a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
his thorns and his briers.
18 The splendor of his forests and fertile fields
it will completely destroy,
as when a sick person wastes away.
19 And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few
that a child could write them down.
The Remnant of Israel
20 In that day the remnant of Israel,
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land.
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land.
24 Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord
Almighty, says:
“My people who live in Zion,
do not be afraid of the Assyrians,
who beat you with a rod
and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
25 Very soon my anger against you will end
and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”
do not be afraid of the Assyrians,
who beat you with a rod
and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
25 Very soon my anger against you will end
and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”
26 The Lord Almighty will lash them with a whip,
as when he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff over the waters,
as he did in Egypt.
27 In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be broken
because you have grown so fat.
as when he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff over the waters,
as he did in Egypt.
27 In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be broken
because you have grown so fat.
28 They enter Aiath;
they pass through Migron;
they store supplies at Mikmash.
29 They go over the pass, and say,
“We will camp overnight at Geba.”
Ramah trembles;
Gibeah of Saul flees.
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!
Listen, Laishah!
Poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah is in flight;
the people of Gebim take cover.
32 This day they will halt at Nob;
they will shake their fist
at the mount of Daughter Zion,
at the hill of Jerusalem.
they pass through Migron;
they store supplies at Mikmash.
29 They go over the pass, and say,
“We will camp overnight at Geba.”
Ramah trembles;
Gibeah of Saul flees.
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!
Listen, Laishah!
Poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah is in flight;
the people of Gebim take cover.
32 This day they will halt at Nob;
they will shake their fist
at the mount of Daughter Zion,
at the hill of Jerusalem.
33 See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
will lop off the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,
the tall ones will be brought low.
34 He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax;
Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
will lop off the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,
the tall ones will be brought low.
34 He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax;
Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
The Branch From Jesse
11 A shoot will come up from
the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees
with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
Galatians 5:19-6:5
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the
like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not
inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness
and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step
with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and
envying each other.
Doing Good to All
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in
a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch
yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If
anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each
one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves
alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each
one should carry their own load.
I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2
Jesus replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” Luke 18:27
Almighty God, all things are possible through you. When we feel afraid, help us to remember your greatness and your goodness with wonder, love, and praise. Amen.
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