"Do Not Disturb!"

A sermon preached on the Second Sunday of Advent on Sunday, December 9 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ), by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Isaiah 11:1-10.

I am sometimes amazed at some of the records that people will endeavor to set. I read an article a while back that told of a Swiss man, named Jean Vernetti who is listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records for setting the world record for collecting the most "Do Not Disturb" signs. Jean Vernetti has traveled to 131 counties and has managed to collect 2,915 "Do Not Disturb" signs in a variety of languages. His dream is to collect a "Do Not Disturb" sign from every country in the world.
It wasn’t until I read that article, that I realized that the "Do Not Disturb" sign is a universal sign. I simply assumed that it was a sign made specifically for Americans to meet our desire of not wanting to be disturbed. That seems to be the attitude of many people today. "Don’t disturb me, I am too busy with my own agenda, my own life, my own plans."
However, I can attest that those little "Do Not Disturb" signs do come in handy sometimes. I recall when Amber and I were on our honeymoon in Mexico, we happened to meet a couple who were also honeymooning. I had started a conversation with this couple one afternoon that Amber and I would soon regret. In fact, whenever we find ourselves on vacation and I start talking to someone, Amber always reminds me of the trouble that I got us in on our honeymoon. Amber will say to me; "Do you have to talk to everyone you see?" Anyway, this couple starting meeting us at the pool and in the restaurants. It got to be such a nuisance that we started hiding from them. And then, pretty soon, this couple started stopping by our hotel room wanting to go out to dinner and shopping. Finally, we just started putting up our "Do Not Disturb" sign, thinking that would take care of this persistent couple. Now, I don’t know if they just simply ignored our "Do Not Disturb" sign or, if they just didn’t know what No Disturbar meant. You see, our "Do Not Disturb" sign was in Spanish. Finally, Amber and I just stopped answering our door to our hotel room and, I guess they got the hint. But Amber and I were on our honeymoon and we didn’t want to be disturbed - to be bothered. This was to be our time together.
But that seems to be the attitude of most people today. "Do Not Disturb!" But certainly that is not Isaiah’s attitude. In fact, Isaiah’s words are both encouraging and disturbing to us, aren’t they?
Here in our Scripture Lesson this morning from the book of the prophet Isaiah we find an oracle about the Prince of Peace. My first impression when reading these words of Isaiah's is, "Yeah right!" "Who do you think you’re fooling, Isaiah, with such a unrealistic vision?" I mean think about it for a moment; "Wolves and lambs sharing condos; leopards and baby goats sharing a bunk; lions taking lunch breaks with oxen; cows and bears listening to Mozart in meadows; complete with toddlers handing poisonous snakes with no fear of injury - yeah right, in what world is Isaiah living in?" Certainly not ours! Sure, this is a wonderful image, one we’d all like to imagine, yet few of us are ready to rush down to the zoo, Bible in hand, and unlock all the cages. I like that great line by the comedian Woody Allen, "The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won’t get much sleep." Why, because that’s just the way it is, that’s the way this world operates. However, Isaiah tells us that this will not always be the way it is. The God of compassion, mercy and justice will not always be silent. "...with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins."
Certainly this is the world we’d all like to live in. This is the world we’d all like to imagine. This is the world we’d all like to bring our children up in, but the fact is, we do not live in such a world. Yet, this is our hope! We long for such a world, we wait in hope and in anticipation for this golden age, when there will be no more war, or poverty or injustice, when all but peace and love will cease.
Let’s take a look at this vision. Isaiah tells us that the one who will inaugurate it all is "A rod from the stem of Jesse." These words represented and new and greater David. Just as David, for the Hebrew people, inaugurated a kingdom of righteousness and peace, the new David - the "rod" or "root" from David’s line will establish an incomparable greater kingdom. The words "rod" and "branch" are Messianic terms. They are figurative words for that great descendant promised from the household of David, which is Christ. It was Jesus who came to inaugurate such a kingdom. It was Jesus who came to introduce such a vision, but it is we who are to live and carry it out. Oh, sure, we can sit by and wait for such a vision to become a reality or, we can work toward such a vision. Sadly, the Church today has taken the responsibility off of itself and placed it solely on God. We have become idle. We have become complacent. We have become lacksidasical. But Isaiah is inviting us to envision and embrace such a world.
In verse 2, Isaiah reminds us that "the Spirit of the Lord" is upon him. The Hebrew word there is ruah, which is to say the "sevenfold Spirit of God" or, better yet, the completeness of God’s Spirit. In the words of the Apostle Paul; "the fullness of the Godhead..." That is why Jesus began his ministry by saying; "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..."
I love the description of verse 3 that Isaiah gives us; "And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." This verse in Hebrew is literally translated; "A delight to smell." Keep in mind, for the Hebrew people this has a special significance. They would have automatically thought of the incense burned as an offering to God. For the Hebrews, the incense was symbolic of their prayers being lifted up to God. This is the still the symbolism today of incense that is used in liturgies and in churches. Indeed, Jesus would become the greatest offering lifted up to God - offering atonement and salvation to the world through his life, death and resurrection. His ministry was one that was "pleasing to God." Isaiah also tells us that he is the Righteous Judge - he is just and righteous in all the acts of his government. The basis of his judgment and vindication is righteousness and truth. Isaiah gives us a vision, in verse 10, of a kingdom that is all inclusive and welcoming.
But, perhaps the most appealing words of Isaiah’s vision here in the 11th chapter, are those found in verses 6 through 8. Listen again to the beautiful description of peace that Isaiah gives; "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the snake den." What a beautiful picture of peace!
I want to close with a story that is told of a wealthy man and his son who both shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. The elderly man, who was a widow treasured the time he spent with his son and was proud of his trained eye and sharp business mind. However, as winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the elderly man’s son was called to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season would visit his house no longer. However, on Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. I have something I want to give you." As the two began to talk, the solider told of how the man’s son had told everyone of his love of fine art. "I’m an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, there was a portrait of the man’s son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man’s face in striking detail. Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace which he did, pushing aside thousands of dollars of other paintings. During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy’s life would live on because of those he had touched. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation. With the collector’s passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to old man’s will, all of the art works would be auctioned off on Christmas day, the day he had received his greatest gift. The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked. Finally, someone broke the silence by saying; "Who cares about that painting? It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s forget it and go on to the good stuff." "No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?" Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That’s all I have. I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it." "I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice... sold." The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now, we can get to the good art!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over. "What do you mean it’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old man’s son. What about all the other paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what’s going on here!" The auctioneer replied, "It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever cared enough to buy the painting of the son... gets it all."
That’s the blessed hope of Advent. You and I can’t hang up a "Do Not Disturb" sign. We can’t put that sign up on the doors of our hearts, and homes and church. We must keep the door open. Advent is a disturbing season. We are called to disturb the world with the message of God’s love! This is the season that calls for us to receive the portrait of God’s love, grace and peace - Christ. May we receive this gift anew and afresh this blessed Advent season.