Made for a New World | Isaiah 11:1-16

Summary

In this week’s sermon, we examine Isaiah 11. The prophet Isaiah lived in a time of waiting for the promises of Genesis 3:15 to be fulfilled when the kingdom was devastated by sin and destruction. Even though he was surrounded by people far from God, he called them to repent from their sins. Despite these circumstances, Isaiah had hope. Today, as we wait for Christmas, we will learn, just like Isaiah, that Jesus reveals himself in the New Testament as the fulfillment Isaiah was waiting for and He is our fulfilled hope as well.

• A New King (Isaiah 11:1-5). Isaiah opens by proclaiming the promise of hope of a King, a son of David. What gave Isaiah hope?
  
  • Trust God in times of waiting amid destruction with steadfast hope. Isaiah was prophesying in a tumultuous time, in a nation spiraling downward in sin and split in two. The hope of Israel did not come through Abraham or his descendants. With no good kings or leadership, it looks like the end is near for the sinful nation of Israel. Isaiah delivered the difficult news that judgment was looming over the horizon. We see that all that is left for God’s people is utter devastation and death. But in Isaiah 11, we find God gave Isaiah the hope of the promise of a coming King who would bring in a new world and make a new people where peace and joy would reign.
  • Hope and change will come from the most unlikely places. Isaiah prophesies that Jesse, the father of the unlikely King David, would become a branch bearing fruit. The fruit it would bear is a whole new world. Jesse was a symbol of hope; a reminder that, in the midst of chaos and brokenness, God intervenes and is faithful. When the Savior of the world was born, He was born in weakness in an unlikely place where very few people noticed. What does this tell us? Salvation does not come from the merits and strength and riches of the world. It doesn’t come from being part of a particular family or church or trying to clean ourselves up enough so that God will accept us. Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sin and broken world.
  • Jesus is a perfect King who both saves and judges with perfect righteousness. Isaiah prophesied the new king would be defined by rest, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear. This king would be perfect and like no other king. A better king was coming. This king makes perfect decisions with perfect discernment. This king can undo all the destruction that previous kings brought. This king brings salvation, and He has the necessary qualities to save and judge. He will judge and kill the wicked with righteousness, impartiality, and equity (Isaiah 11:4). Deep down, each one of us wants justice in a broken, sinful world. We want justice for the unborn, justice for the underserved people, and justice for the abused. And as we’ve seen in various ways, even our justice system is broken because the people who run it can’t see or know everything. When we think we’re alone and no one sees our sin, Jesus sees, and He knows. He will rightly judge. Jesus is able and willing to take care of our sins.
• A New World (Isaiah 11:6-9). Isaiah describes a time when sin will be lifted. This king is so powerful He will transform and create a new world and make all things new.
  • In the new world, all disorder and conflict will be gone. Ever since sin entered the world, there has been disorder and conflict. Relationships and work, though a great blessing, are hard. We misunderstand and are misunderstood; sin and are sinned against; and we don’t always want to do what we are asked to do. But the new world will be nothing like this.
  • Satan will be defeated in the new world. There will be a new heaven and new earth (Isaiah 65:17). Revelation tells us that when Jesus comes to bring about this new kingdom, He will reign forever and ever. This is the world Isaiah hoped for and is the world we long for. We cannot get there on our own; only Christ can get us there. In this new world there will be no more death, disease, pain, or destruction, because all of these will go away in the presence of this king. The earth will be transformed in the fullness of the glory of God (Revelation 21:4).
  • Hope and trust in Christ transform us in the wait. Let’s prepare for that world now. Let’s not give in to the lesser things that won’t satisfy us; they are temporary and not fulfilling. Every sin we deny in order to have more of Christ will only bring more joy. We can now enjoy that in Christ; we are free from the power and penalty of sin and experience His presence. In John 15:11, Jesus tells us that He has come so we might have His joy, and our joy would be complete in Him. Let us help each other pursue that joy in Christ.
• A New People (Isaiah 11:10-16). We wait for the new world that He will bring and wait for God to finish what He began through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He will usher in a new world filled with people from every tribe, language, and nation.
  • Jesus is the King who has always reigned. Christ is not just a descendant of Jesse; He also existed before Jesse. Similarly, in John 1:30, Jesus comes after and before John the Baptist. Christ has always existed because He is fully God and fully man. We celebrate Christ because he is like no other. He is God Himself, in the person of the Son. He became one of us and died the death that we deserved so that, through His life, death, and resurrection, we can be free from sin and have the hope of eternal life.
  • Christ’s mission for our life is so much better than anything that came prior. In Paul’s mission to take the gospel to the gentiles (Romans 15:8-21), we can see Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled. The lamb was slain for every people and tribe, and they will reign on the earth (Revelation 5:9-10). The mission Isaiah and Paul were on is the same mission we are on. We want people from every tribe, language, and nation to hear that the saving King has come and that they can find life and hope in Him. We are all called to go and proclaim that good news to our neighbors and the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
  • God calls us all to be a new people. In Luke 4:14, Jesus begins his ministry, and this spirit rests upon him. Jesus went to the synagogue, stood up, and read from Isaiah 61, telling everyone that the Messiah would bring liberty to the poor, blind, and oppressed. He said to them that day the Scriptures had been fulfilled. He proclaimed that the awaited King had come. True to Isaiah’s words, our King has come and is better than we can imagine. He came to save us, and He didn’t do it from a distance; He did it as one of us, so we can escape judgment and receive eternal life.

Discussing and Applying the Sermon

• Isaiah was faithful and declared the hope that was coming during tumultuous times. How does it encourage you and inspire you to see God’s faithfulness amid humanity’s unfaithfulness in the Old Testament when reflecting on our world today?
• Do you struggle to trust God when enduring hard times or waiting for good things? Take a moment in prayer and ask God to give you the strength to wait on Him in all circumstances.
• Do you believe that your value comes from your own works or strengths, or feel like you have to “clean up” to be accepted by God or His people? Share and confess this with your community group.
• Revelation tells us no one fools the Lord Jesus. When we think we’re alone and no one sees our sin, Jesus sees, and He knows. Do you have any unconfessed sin you have tried to hide from the Lord or from others? Pray that the Lord will give you the strength to confess and find freedom from this hidden sin.
• Take a moment in reflective prayer and ask the Lord to help you be hopeful and humble in waiting for His sovereign return.
  

Other Mentioned or Recommended Resources

• Additional Scripture: Isaiah 2:2; Matthew 5:3; Matthew 16:27; Luke 4:17-21; John 1:1-14; John 14:1-3; Philippians 2:6–7; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; James 5:7-9; Jude 1:21; Revelation 1:14; Revelation 2:2; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:19, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:8, Revelation 3:15; Revelation 11:15, Revelation 21:1-27; Revelation 22:1-21
• Resources: Christmas Eve at Watermark; Watermark Equipping