Gladly Give Yourselves to the Messiah’s Cause

Sermon Transcript

Why do we do all this? Why do we do all this? When it comes to faithfully following Jesus and making every sacrifice necessary to take up his cause in our generation, it’s most important for us to remember why we do all this. And when it comes to our Reach journey specifically – setting down deep roots in our community so that we can bear lasting fruit for generations through a long-term facility – it’s most important for us to remember why we do all this. When it comes to being Citylight Church, it’s most important to remember why we do all this. To press into this idea, Citylight is kicking off the New Year with a brand new sermon series called “This is Why”. At the beginning of the new year, and at the midway point of our Reach generosity initiative, it is vital to take a step back and remember why we do this. For starters, why are we buying a building? Why this building? Why Reach? Why financial generosity? But these questions only lead to more profound “why” questions about who we are as a church: Why do we do all that we do? What is it all for? What is it all aiming toward? Remembering why is a discipline that helps renew and refresh us for the journey ahead. Throughout the next four weeks, we will examine four pivotal Bible texts that provide rich and compelling answers to these questions. The next four weeks are going to be foundational for us as a church, setting the tone for the entire year. 2023 can be a year where we don’t back down from difficult “why” questions, but open God’s word and confidently say: “This is why.”

As a guide throughout the “This is Why” series, your pastors and I have put together a series booklet, which is being passed out to you right now. In the booklet you’ll find:

Vision pages – these unpack what we talked about in the video regarding what the Lord has done and what is still in store.
Sermon notes – I want to encourage you to take notes each and every week of this series as we engage with God through His Word. Take these notes with you to Citygroup. Turn there now.
Commitment card – I am praying that the Lord will so refresh and inspire us from his word throughout the “This is Why” series that everyone who calls Citylight home will make a new commitment, commit to finishing strong, or expand our generosity on Sunday January 29. Take this card home with you and place it somewhere visible to remind you to pray throughout the series about your generosity commitment.

The first passage that will renew and refresh us in why it’s our joy to pray, give, and labor to reach more people with the gospel of Jesus Christ through a new, long-term facility is Isaiah 61:1-4. If you have a Bible, please turn with me to Isaiah 61:1-4, which can be found on page 581 in the Bibles beneath your seat. If you don’t own a Bible, please take that one home as our gift to you. Please stand with me to honor the reading of God’s word. Why do we do all this? Why do you matter so much? Why is Jesus’ cause worth everything we are and everything we have? Isaiah 61:1-4 – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Commenting on Isaiah’s goal in writing these verses, Ray Ortlund writes, “Isaiah wants to inspire in us such admiration for our Messiah that we gladly exert ourselves for his cause in our generation.” That brings us to the big idea of our passage: Gladly give yourselves to the Messiah’s cause. Gladly give yourselves for the Messiah’s cause. This morning we’ll explore three reasons why we gladly give ourselves for his cause in our generation: 1. The Messiah (61:a) 2. The Messiah’s message (61b-3a) 3. The Messiah’s people (61:3b-4).

THE MESSIAH

The first reason why we gladly give ourselves to the Messiah’s cause, the first reason why we’ve purchased this building and will give generously to renovate it so that we can set down deep roots in our community and bear lasting fruit for generations is because of the One we do it all by and for – The Messiah, Jesus Christ – is worthy. He is our ultimate reason. He is worthy. He is worthy of us gladly giving ourselves to his cause. Now, I want to show you that Jesus is worthy of us gladly giving ourselves to his cause by showing you that Jesus really is the Messiah, the Anointed one promised in Isaiah 61. Are you ready?

In the Old Testament, the Messiah, or Anointed One, was typically the king. Speaking of Israel’s greatest king, David, we read in 1 Samuel 16:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward…” David was anointed king, not just with oil, but with the Holy Spirit. And the greatest thing that ever happened to the anointed King David is what God promised would happen to him. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 – When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. God promised that a Messiah greater than David, an eternal Anointed One would come from David’s family. Ok. Let’s fast forward 300 years from King David to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah promised that this Messiah greater than David would specifically be anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the poor. Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Fast forward 700 years from Isaiah to the baptism of Jesus of Nazareth: “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21-22). Jesus is the Messiah greater than David. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and declared to be God’s Son – the only One in whom the Father is ultimately pleased. If that were not enough, listen to what happened when the Messiah began his public ministry. Luke 4:16-21 – And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Friends, Jesus is the Anointed One greater than David, the eternal Messiah, but rather than bringing judgment on rebels like us, the eternal king came with good news for poor sinners like us. He is the reason why you gladly give yourselves to His cause. He is worthy. He is worthy of every prayer we make, every gift we give, and every labor we perform for his cause of saving a people for his glory. He is worthy of a new facility filled with worshipers whose hearts have been won by the gospel of grace for the sake of his glory. Friends – the Messiah and his worship is the first reason why we want to be renewed and refreshed in the Reach vision of setting down deep roots in our community and bearing lasting fruit for generations through a long-term facility – and our generosity toward that end. Him and his worship is our reason. He is why. As John Piper says, “missions exists because worship does not.” The Messiah is the first reason why we gladly give ourselves for the Messiah’s cause. He is worthy! The second reason why we gladly give ourselves to the Messiah’s cause is…

THE MESSIAH’S MESSAGE

The second reason why we do all this together is the Messiah’s message. He is worthy and His message is urgent. Remember, Jesus identified so closely with this passage that he began his earthly ministry by reading it and saying that in him its message is fulfilled. Isaiah 61:1-3a is Jesus’ message to us. It’s his message to those who are bankrupt in spirit and brokenhearted over their sins and suffering with nothing to offer God but Christ. It’s his message to those who are under the bondage of sin with no way to be free from its condemnation and power except through Christ. It’s his message to those who because of sin deserve to be under God’s wrath, but find safety only in Christ. It’s his message to those who mourn over what they’ve made of themselves and are completely exhausted with their own futile efforts to change it all, but come to Jesus for rest. Let’s read it now through the lens of his life, death, and resurrection. Isaiah 61:1-3a – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

What a wonderful summary of the gospel. The gospel is the good news that God is forgiving, freeing, adopting, and loving forever those who were once enslaved to sin, under his wrath, and destined for eternal exile in Hell and he’s doing it by grace alone, through faith alone, in the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus Christ alone. Friends, we have received the wonderful, anointed message that in Christ our worst sins, our greatest heartbreak, and our eternal slavery have all been forgiven and conquered at the cross. He has taken away our greatest guilt, our darkest thoughts, and deepest weariness and he has replaced them with a spirit of gladness and praise because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Through Christ we have entered into the eternal year of the Lord’s favor and He will come again with perfect judgment and vengeance. This is the Messiah’s message.

The Messiah’s message is why we do all this. The Messiah is worthy and His message is urgent. That’s why we pray, give, and labor. That’s why we want a new facility where we can reach more with the gospel. His message has to get out! The Messiah’s message has remade us and it’s this message that alone can remake this world. Only the Messiah’s message can bring spiritual riches to those who are poor in Spirit and bankrupt before God. Only the Messiah’s message can heal the broken hearts of this world by reconciling them to God. Only the Messiah’s message can set those who are enslaved to sin free forever. Only the Messiah’s message can heal the world from the sadness of sin and judgment and bring them into the Lord’s favor and gladness forever. The Messiah’s message is the only one that can save! This is why. We do all this first because the Messiah is worthy and second because the Messiah’s message is glad and urgent. His message is why. That brings us to the third and final reason why we do all this…

THE MESSIAH’S PEOPLE

When you believe the Messiah’s message, He doesn’t leave you in isolation. He makes you part of his Spirit-anointed people. Speaking of the church, the Apostle Paul wrote, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ are the church, God’s anointed people, a dwelling place for God’s Spirit. Isaiah describes the Messiah’s people this way, “…that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3b). The reason why we do all this is because we have received the Messiah’s message and now we are the Messiah’s people; oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. As his people – oaks of righteousness – we have a stunning mission! Isaiah 61:4 – “They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” Commenting on this verse, Ray Ortlund reminds us that “Ever since Adam fell, sin has been spreading a culture of death. We’ll never understand ourselves and our surroundings without that background.” The wonderful news of the gospel is that God is repairing the devastations of many generations through the only One who qualifies to be Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Isn’t that amazing. The Lord has provided us with the privilege of literally repairing a ruined building in our city as a means of spreading the gospel that alone can repair the devastations of many generations of people in our region. That’s why we do all this. That’s why we are making new commitments, finishing strong, or expanding our generosity. That’s why we’ll see this project through. That’s why we want to make disciples now and long into the future through this building. Why do we do all this? We are rebuilding a broken place so that we can raise the ruined generations with the gospel. Friends, this is why. Why do we do all this? The Messiah is worthy. His message is urgent. His people have been given a mission. Gladly give yourselves to the Messiah’s cause. This is why.