ADVENT 2/A (12/04/2022): Ps. 72:1-7 (ant. 18); Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Shoot

And a Shoot shall come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots shall bear fruit … In that day the Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples — of Him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious (vv. 1, 2, 10).

Jesus is described by Isaiah, as Jesse’s “Shoot”, “Branch” and “Root”, the incarnate Lord of the Holy Trinity. Jesse was grandson of Boaz out of Ruth in Bethlehem-Ephrathah; he fathered seven sons, the youngest was David.

God does not elect kings by appearances or repute among men (Isa. 11:3); rather he discerns hearts, upon whom he will set his Spirit. God directed Samuel to anoint David, to replace Saul as Israel’s king.

David was Jesse’s original “shoot” and Jesus, David’s greater son (Ps. 110:1) is God’s messianic “Shoot”. Isaiah connects God’s church to Christ, calling us “sprouts” (Isa. 61:11), to bloom and bear “fruit befitting repentance” (Mt. 3:8).

By Jesus’ coming, the House of David (2 Sam. 7:11-13) was all but decimated. Except for Jesus’ nativity, it seemed “game over”, Jesse’s stump and God’s promises through him seemed dead wood, good only to be burnt; but on Christmas night Jesse’s “Shoot”, “Branch”, and “Root” God and Mary’s Babe came into the world to “baptize with the HS and … fire” (Mt. 4:8).

In the fulness of time Jesse’s stump brought forth God’s “Shoot”, bearing his Spirit for engrafting onto the “dry wood” of the cross for new Life. God’s “Shoot” would bring forth the Church’s “green wood” issuing “sprouts”, through God’s “glorious” dwelling with men (Isa. 61:11; Lk. 23:31; cf. Sermon proper 29/C.22).

God replaces: the unfit for fit, the old for new, the dry and decimated with young and green; God kills to make alive (Dt. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6). JB warns “religionists” of every age, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Mt. 3:10). In Advent, “sprouts” out of Christ prepare to greet their “Shoot”, “Branch”, and “Root”, source of God’s new Israel remnant. How then do we to process Isaiah’s and JB’s prophesies?

JB preached heaven’s reign in the person of Jesus, revitalizing God’s eternal purposes in Jesus, and making JB the OT’s greatest prophet (Mt. 11:11). Yet John’s message necessitated new reflection over old assumptions; a new response to God over the old covenantal establishment; reformation if you will, a repentance that confesses the elect’s utter dependance on God’s “Root” alone for grace (Rom. 15:12).

JB catechized God’s new thing in Jesse’s “Shoot”; that Life, knowledge of God and salvation in Christ was no longer accessed through a Jewish status and ritual obeisance. God’s “Shoot”, the “Anointed Babe” came for Fire on the cross from where the nations would inquire the fulness of God (Isa. 11:9b).

JB’s ministry, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mt. 3:3c) catechized turning hearts and minds to Christ’s identity (Jn. 17:3; Rom. 15:12), “God with us”. JB was the bridge-prophet of Judaism from OT to New; leaving Sadducean temple priests and Pharisaic synagogue scribes to Jesus’ the Torah of God and High Priest after Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10, et al.).

As Christmas approaches; the question for believers and unbelievers is; will crooked hearts and undulating minds be ready to receive God’s Christ, Babe-Shoot, Wisdom-Branch, and Priest-Root in end times?

Our “earthy” condition throws-up barriers to God’s advent. We, as much as OT Israel, still need JB’s preaching. His message of conversion on the King’s nearness is as relevant today as then.

Last Sunday our eyes were directed to the purpose of his Nativity, his fiery Baptism bearing our sin without “provision for the flesh …” (Rom. 13:14), a perfect atonement toward God for all who receive it. The humility of our Lord’s birth, anticipated God’s breaking into earth by Jesse’s “Shoot” on the cross.

Jesus trusted God alone, that in his flesh God would trump Adam’s condemnation, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19), urging us “put on Christ” in that same faith. This is the Gospel wherein we know God by his tender “Shoot”.

JB confronted Israel, “do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones [reference to spiritually dead Gentiles] to raise up children for Abraham” (Mt. 3:9). Israel of Abraham’s physical DNA, apart from Jesus’ crucified flesh, is but “dead wood” only fit for the axe’s heft.

But the cross, proclaiming God’s “Shoot” is Life unto his Baptism, a new begetting; a “signal for the peoples … and his resting place (the Church) shall be glorious” (Isa. 11:10).

Christians attending John’s catechism in humility, prepare for Jesus coming. We set aside Adam’s flesh for the flesh of our risen Lord, repenting of any other way to God than in the man Jesus abiding with his church. Of our earthly natures, we are dust; by Baptism we “put on Christ” with the certain hope of God’s fidelity to receive the “sprouts” of his “Shoot”. Amen.

pem.