SERMON TITLE: The Joy of Redemption
TEXT: Isaiah 35:1-10 (ESV)
SPEAKER: Josh Hanson
DATE: 12-12-21
You can watch the sermon here.
You can find the sermon notes here.
As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main campus — the one thing I want you to know is that God loves you and that I love you too.
We’re in the third week of our Christmas series — a series where we’re reminding ourselves of the joy offered to us in the birth of Christ — a joy we find in the Christmas season. Earlier in the service — you heard words from the gospel of Luke — Mary’s song — the song the mother of Jesus sang as she rejoiced in her God and Savior.
And — today — like Mary — we find yet another reason for us to rejoice — to be filled with joy — to be people who are joyful. So what’s our reason to be joyful? The God and Savior — of Mary’s song — has secured our redemption and the redemption of all of God’s creation. So let’s turn to our passage for today and discover what redemption is and why it’s a reason for us to repeat the sounding joy.
If you have your Bible please turn with me to Isaiah chapter 35. We’ll be looking at verses 1-10. We’re in Isaiah chapter 35. Beginning in verse 1.
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:1-10 ESV)
Gladness among people and creation. Singing by the people and — get this — creation singing with great joy. Why? Because both creation and the people of God have been redeemed. This is the joy of redemption.
So what’s redemption — what does it mean to be redeemed? We need to know what redemption is because it’s hard to be excited about something — to be joyful because of it — if we don’t know what redemption is. A simple definition of redemption is the “deliverance from a situation or from enemies. And — most often — it involves paying a price” to deliver “someone from slavery.” (Litwak, Kenneth D. “Redemption.” Edited by Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, and Rebekah Hurst. Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.) So the idea is that all of creation and every human was enslaved to something and in need of being freed.
So what was the cause of this enslavement and what were we enslaved to? Well this enslavement was due to the sin and rebellion of our first parents — Adam and Eve — in the Garden of Eden. They rebelled against God and — ever since — all of creation — including every single person — you and me included — are born slaves to Satan, sin, death, and Hell and are in desperate need of redemption — of being set free. But redemption always comes with a price — a price that must be paid in full.
But before we get to the price of our redemption — and who’s paid that price — let’s look at this beautiful — joy-stirring — picture of redemption. And our verses begin with the redemption of creation. We’re back in verse one.
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God...For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.” (Isaiah 35:1-2, 6b-7 ESV)
This is the redemption of creation. Now — to contrast this wonderful picture of redemption — in our verses — let’s look at the chapter that comes just prior — chapter 34. Because our chapter — it’s been said — is a “mirror image of chapter 34 where God announced that he would turn the nations into a wilderness.” (Longman, Tremper, III. “Isaiah.” In CSB Study Bible: Notes, edited by Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax, 1090. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.) So to appreciate the words describing the redemption of creation — in our chapter — we need to look back to the chapter that comes before. We’re in verse 8 of Isaiah chapter 34.
“For it is the day of the Lord’s revenge, the year when Edom will be paid back for all it did to Israel. 9 The streams of Edom will be filled with burning pitch, and the ground will be covered with fire. 10 This judgment on Edom will never end; the smoke of its burning will rise forever. The land will lie deserted from generation to generation. No one will live there anymore. 11 It will be haunted by the desert owl and the screech owl, the great owl and the raven. For God will measure that land carefully; he will measure it for chaos and destruction. 12 It will be called the Land of Nothing, and all its nobles will soon be gone. 13 Thorns will overrun its palaces; nettles and thistles will grow in its forts. The ruins will become a haunt for jackals and a home for owls. 14 Desert animals will mingle there with hyenas, their howls filling the night. Wild goats will bleat at one another among the ruins, and night creatures will come there to rest. 15 There the owl will make her nest and lay her eggs. She will hatch her young and cover them with her wings. And the buzzards will come, each one with its mate. 16 Search the book of the Lord, and see what he will do. Not one of these birds and animals will be missing, and none will lack a mate, for the Lord has promised this. His Spirit will make it all come true. 17 He has surveyed and divided the land and deeded it over to those creatures. They will possess it forever, from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 34:8-17 NLT)
Here’s what’s going on.
Not a pleasant picture, right? The land enslaved to chaos — in need of freedom from this destruction. Creation in need of redemption.
And what a contrast we find — then — in chapter 35.
There’s a promised redemption for creation and — in response — creation rejoices.
And now we turn to the redemption of God’s people. We’re in verse 4.
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy...8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:3-6a, 8-10 ESV)
Here we see the redemption of God’s people and their redemption — being set free — gives them joy. But — like before — we can’t appreciate these words of promised redemption without seeing the contrast between them and what’s in the previous chapter. We’re back in Isaiah chapter 34 — again — this time beginning in verse 1.
“Come here and listen, O nations of the earth. Let the world and everything in it hear my words. 2 For the Lord is enraged against the nations. His fury is against all their armies. He will completely destroy them, dooming them to slaughter. 3 Their dead will be left unburied, and the stench of rotting bodies will fill the land. The mountains will flow with their blood. 4 The heavens above will melt away and disappear like a rolled-up scroll. The stars will fall from the sky like withered leaves from a grapevine, or shriveled figs from a fig tree. 5 And when my sword has finished its work in the heavens, it will fall upon Edom, the nation I have marked for destruction. 6 The sword of the Lord is drenched with blood and covered with fat — with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of rams prepared for sacrifice. Yes, the Lord will offer a sacrifice in the city of Bozrah. He will make a mighty slaughter in Edom. 7 Even men as strong as wild oxen will die — the young men alongside the veterans. The land will be soaked with blood and the soil enriched with fat.” (Isaiah 34:1-7 NLT)
Do you see the dire situation the people are in — how they’re desperately in need of redemption? I mean it’s not too hopeful of a picture, is it? The Lord is enraged against the nations — his fury is against their armies — he will completely destroy them — dooming them all to slaughter.
That right there is enough to say “this ain’t no Hallmark Channel made for TV Christmas movie”, right?
So why so dark — why the destruction and hopelessness? I mean — this is Christmas, right — so why such a dark and hopeless text?
The reason why we’re looking at these verses is to remind ourselves of what it means to be redeemed. By remembering what we were enslaved to — in reminding ourselves of what destruction we were headed towards — in now knowing that to be redeemed means we’ve been set free from all of that — well now we have reason to rejoice, don't we? It’s when we forget or ignore what we were enslaved to that our joy — because of our redemption — wanes and fades away. This is why — though not sweet news to our ears — we must be reminded of our pre-redeemed story so that we rejoice in our God and Savior — just like Mary did — because our God and Savior is the Lord of our redemption.
For — as we see in our chapter — God promised that he would come and save his people. He promised to come and be their Redeemer. And he’ll be easy to recognize — when he comes — because he’ll do things like open the eyes of the blind, and heal the ears of the deaf, and the lame will be healed and walk, and the mute will sing for joy. And he’ll make a path of freedom that his redeemed people will follow — a path he will protect them on to ensure they persevere to the end of this path that’s leading them to a city — Zion — the eternal city of God.
But — as our verses tell us — not all will find this path. Not all will walk on this path. Only those who’ve been redeemed will walk on this path that will lead them to an eternal city of everlasting joy and gladness. The city where they will live in the presence of their Redeemer forever.
And — it’s to this Redeemer — our joyful Redeemer — to which we now turn. Verse 10 one last time.
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:10 ESV)
If you’re familiar with the ministry of Jesus — as recorded in the gospels — I’m sure you couldn’t help but think of him when we looked at the things God’s Redeemer would do for his people. Jesus healed the blind, lame, deaf, and mute. And so often — the response to being healed by Jesus — was a response of joy. For the people were prisoners — they were enslaved — and Jesus set them free. And — in response to being redeemed — they sang and they danced and they joyfully told others about the One who set them free.
But their redemption — just like ours — came at a cost to the Redeemer. Though they didn’t know what their freedom would cost Jesus at the time — years later the author of Hebrews — after giving a history lesson of people who walked by faith and lived joyfully in the freedom of redemption — the author writes, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)
Because of the joy awaiting him, Jesus endured the cross on our behalf. Our Redeemer — Jesus Christ — gave his life as the price for our freedom. And he did so with great joy.
And Mary — his mother — to some degree — could see that her son would one day redeem his people — one day even be her Redeemer. That’s why her spirit rejoiced as she pondered how the baby in her womb was her Redeemer — her God and Savior.
But what about you? Does your spirit rejoice — are you filled with joy — because Jesus is your Redeemer — your Savior and your God? If you’re not rejoicing — is it because he isn’t your Redeemer? If this is the case — know that he can be — if you turn to him in faith. He will joyfully forgive you of your sins and allow his sacrifice to be the payment for them in full. Know that Christ will joyfully receive you as one of his redeemed people.
But if you do believe in Jesus — and yet still lack joy — what have your eyes been focused on lately? The author of Hebrews tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus — are your eyes on him — because — if they are — you’ll find reason to be joyful. Even if life is difficult. Even if life is sorrowful. You can’t help but look to Jesus and discover joy because — when you look to him — you see the One who joyfully gave his life in love for you. And there’s no greater love than that — no greater reason to be filled with joy.
So may all of our eyes look to Jesus — may they be fixed on him — the One who’s guaranteed redemption for his people and for all of his creation. And may we be filled with joy because of our redemption. Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for not leaving us enslaved to our sin and rebellion. Thank you for the gift of redemption — though we deserve chaos and destruction as punishment for our sins against you. Yet in your love for us — you have executed the plan you put in place before time began — to send your Son to be our Redeemer.
Jesus — thank you for being our Redeemer. For setting us free even though our freedom cost you your life. But you joyfully gave your life for us — in our place — because of your love for your Father and your love for us. May all who hear my voice respond to your love, believe in you as their Savior, and find the joy that only the redemption you offer them can give — eternal joy — joy unimaginable.
And — Spirit of God — help us all to remember what we’ve been set free from. Though sobering — for some our past may be unpleasant — for some it’s cause for shame — may we trust that you have us look back not to shame us — but to help us experience an ever deeper joy in the freedom we have because of the eternal love our God has for us. Man does freedom taste sweet and give us reason to sing when we see what we’ve been set free from. Help us all to be people who rejoice in our loving Redeemer. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
May you go filled with joy because of your redemption — your freedom secured by your Redeemer. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.
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