Isaiah 35:1-10
Traditionally, the primary color of Advent is purple. It is a royal color because it used to be that only kings could afford the very expensive dye that made purple. But it is also the color of repentance. Purple is linked to repentance because of its appearance in painful bruises. We say we have a black and blue mark. But in the old days when these traditions were formed, bruises were seen as purple. I have seen purple in bruises. So, purple became the color the church used to stand for royalty and for repentance.
In the earlier days of Christendom, when these traditions were formed, the Church used to encourage a season of repentant prayer and fasting to lead up to the joy of Christmas, much as we still have the season of Lent that leads up to the joy of the resurrection at Easter time. Before the legend of St. Nicholas overwhelmed the way we do Christmas, the Church had two seasons a year, Advent and Lent, in which to mourn and weep over sin and death before rejoicing at the coming of new life in Christ. At Christmas, the new life is his birth. At Easter, the new life is his resurrection.
Therefore, purple, symbolizing both royalty and repentance, forms a link between the birth and death of Jesus. Born a King, he died on a cross. Born to reign on high, he first bore the pain of our sins. And if we see in Christ on the cross what horrors our sins have caused him to suffer, then that ought to inspire us to repent of any sins that yet lie hidden in our hearts. Advent is the first season of the year in which Christians are invited to reflect on why Jesus came to earth as a baby.
The spiritual discipline of Advent is a way of living out that beatitude from the sermon on the mount that says, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” It is very good for us to be mindful of our humble estate, for then we will be much more appreciative of all that God has done for us.
Think about the concentration camps of WWII. Think about what freedom must have meant to those suffering and starving prisoners. But if they had been treated well, if they had plenty to eat, and lots of interesting things to do, then when freedom came, it might not seem to make much difference! They would hardly notice.
American people, and even those who call themselves Christian, often have a hard time believing that without Christ they are spiritually dead. We hardly notice, because Satan does a great job of satisfying the American Dream and keeping us comfortable so that we do not realize how bad off we really are as far as the spiritual reality is concerned. And even if you think you are not living the American Dream, even if you might call it more of a nightmare in your situation, still the devil, and our own material desires, not to mention pride, all keep us from seeing the actual condition of our souls as we go on praying for improvements in our circumstances.
Again, it is the same as what Jesus said to the church of Sardis as recorded in Revelation 3:1, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Apparently, the Church at Sardis needed to hear this sad diagnosis because they thought they were alive! They were Christians, but they had lost spiritual sensitivity to what is really required for true and abundant living. In keeping with Jesus’ sober analysis of the members of an early church, some of whom may have seen the risen Lord with their own eyes, or may have been in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, who am I to dare to think that I am better off, less likely to misunderstand or misrepresent the gospel, or take advantage of his grace by not caring about my sins, or not caring to examine my own heart to see if I am still sinning under his merciful but watchful eye, an eye that may fill with tears because we trample on his grace? If Christians so close to the days of his resurrection needed to examine their hearts, much more do I, having come so late in time and so far away from Israel!
This is Biblical teaching. James has written in chapter four of his letter, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” It is good for the church to regularly observe a time of penance and regularly practice repentance and humility before God, remembering that without his mercy and grace all our righteousness is as filthy rags.
But the gospel cheers me up again! So, on the third Sunday of Advent we light a pink candle. It is a more joyful color in anticipation of the end of fasting and the start of rejoicing for the birth of the Savior. I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ! Anyone who believes the gospel of Christ on the cross is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ! What a great relief for sinners! When we know we can’t be good enough for God to let us into heaven, that is when we welcome the Savior into our hearts with great joy! Penance means “be real, sincere and honest about our shortcomings” but it doesn’t mean be dour or depressed or filled with guilt and shame and remorse. My sins bring me down. But the Lord himself lifts me up, through faith in Jesus!
All the ancient traditions of the church sought to help the disciples balance out the various aspects of life in Christ with meaningful expressions and reminders of everything that is so easy for our fleshy hearts to forget. One of the things we tend to forget is that God has promised that this world will not always be as it is today. Things will change dramatically, we just don’t know when. In Matthew 24 and in Luke 17 Jesus words are recorded that speak of the days of Noah, when nobody expected the great changes that would come when the rain started falling. They kept on doing the normal things of life right up until the day it started raining because they refused to heed Noah’s warning that things were going to change.
Now the text we read in Isiah reminds us that again things are going to change dramatically one day. It will be good for us to believe it and be ready. The changes will be wonderful and joyful only for those who are believing in Jesus Christ. The text gives several word pictures that would certainly bring joy to the hearts of any people who live in arid lands such as Israel and the deserts of the Middle East.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
One distinguishing characteristic of deserts is extreme contrasts. For example, the stark contrast between sun and shadow is dramatically different from the softer light of humid lands. Weather swings between extremes too, and the great variation in rainfall from year to year has a dramatic effect on the flora and fauna. It seems contradictory that a landscape that is most famous for its parched and barren character could also be famous for spectacular displays of wildflowers. Yet it's true. In fact the most extensive carpets of wildflowers in the North American deserts occur in their most arid parts - such places as Death Valley, the Mohave desert and the Gulf coast of northern Baja California.[i]
I looked up some pictures to show you how glorious it is when the desert blooms. First slide is the Mohave Desert near Twenty-nine Palms, California. The dry one is in March 1972. The blooming one is the same location in March 1977 after just five more inches of rain than the previous year.
Traditionally, the primary color of Advent is purple. It is a royal color because it used to be that only kings could afford the very expensive dye that made purple. But it is also the color of repentance. Purple is linked to repentance because of its appearance in painful bruises. We say we have a black and blue mark. But in the old days when these traditions were formed, bruises were seen as purple. I have seen purple in bruises. So, purple became the color the church used to stand for royalty and for repentance.
In the earlier days of Christendom, when these traditions were formed, the Church used to encourage a season of repentant prayer and fasting to lead up to the joy of Christmas, much as we still have the season of Lent that leads up to the joy of the resurrection at Easter time. Before the legend of St. Nicholas overwhelmed the way we do Christmas, the Church had two seasons a year, Advent and Lent, in which to mourn and weep over sin and death before rejoicing at the coming of new life in Christ. At Christmas, the new life is his birth. At Easter, the new life is his resurrection.
Therefore, purple, symbolizing both royalty and repentance, forms a link between the birth and death of Jesus. Born a King, he died on a cross. Born to reign on high, he first bore the pain of our sins. And if we see in Christ on the cross what horrors our sins have caused him to suffer, then that ought to inspire us to repent of any sins that yet lie hidden in our hearts. Advent is the first season of the year in which Christians are invited to reflect on why Jesus came to earth as a baby.
The spiritual discipline of Advent is a way of living out that beatitude from the sermon on the mount that says, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” It is very good for us to be mindful of our humble estate, for then we will be much more appreciative of all that God has done for us.
Think about the concentration camps of WWII. Think about what freedom must have meant to those suffering and starving prisoners. But if they had been treated well, if they had plenty to eat, and lots of interesting things to do, then when freedom came, it might not seem to make much difference! They would hardly notice.
American people, and even those who call themselves Christian, often have a hard time believing that without Christ they are spiritually dead. We hardly notice, because Satan does a great job of satisfying the American Dream and keeping us comfortable so that we do not realize how bad off we really are as far as the spiritual reality is concerned. And even if you think you are not living the American Dream, even if you might call it more of a nightmare in your situation, still the devil, and our own material desires, not to mention pride, all keep us from seeing the actual condition of our souls as we go on praying for improvements in our circumstances.
Again, it is the same as what Jesus said to the church of Sardis as recorded in Revelation 3:1, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Apparently, the Church at Sardis needed to hear this sad diagnosis because they thought they were alive! They were Christians, but they had lost spiritual sensitivity to what is really required for true and abundant living. In keeping with Jesus’ sober analysis of the members of an early church, some of whom may have seen the risen Lord with their own eyes, or may have been in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, who am I to dare to think that I am better off, less likely to misunderstand or misrepresent the gospel, or take advantage of his grace by not caring about my sins, or not caring to examine my own heart to see if I am still sinning under his merciful but watchful eye, an eye that may fill with tears because we trample on his grace? If Christians so close to the days of his resurrection needed to examine their hearts, much more do I, having come so late in time and so far away from Israel!
This is Biblical teaching. James has written in chapter four of his letter, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” It is good for the church to regularly observe a time of penance and regularly practice repentance and humility before God, remembering that without his mercy and grace all our righteousness is as filthy rags.
But the gospel cheers me up again! So, on the third Sunday of Advent we light a pink candle. It is a more joyful color in anticipation of the end of fasting and the start of rejoicing for the birth of the Savior. I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ! Anyone who believes the gospel of Christ on the cross is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ! What a great relief for sinners! When we know we can’t be good enough for God to let us into heaven, that is when we welcome the Savior into our hearts with great joy! Penance means “be real, sincere and honest about our shortcomings” but it doesn’t mean be dour or depressed or filled with guilt and shame and remorse. My sins bring me down. But the Lord himself lifts me up, through faith in Jesus!
All the ancient traditions of the church sought to help the disciples balance out the various aspects of life in Christ with meaningful expressions and reminders of everything that is so easy for our fleshy hearts to forget. One of the things we tend to forget is that God has promised that this world will not always be as it is today. Things will change dramatically, we just don’t know when. In Matthew 24 and in Luke 17 Jesus words are recorded that speak of the days of Noah, when nobody expected the great changes that would come when the rain started falling. They kept on doing the normal things of life right up until the day it started raining because they refused to heed Noah’s warning that things were going to change.
Now the text we read in Isiah reminds us that again things are going to change dramatically one day. It will be good for us to believe it and be ready. The changes will be wonderful and joyful only for those who are believing in Jesus Christ. The text gives several word pictures that would certainly bring joy to the hearts of any people who live in arid lands such as Israel and the deserts of the Middle East.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
One distinguishing characteristic of deserts is extreme contrasts. For example, the stark contrast between sun and shadow is dramatically different from the softer light of humid lands. Weather swings between extremes too, and the great variation in rainfall from year to year has a dramatic effect on the flora and fauna. It seems contradictory that a landscape that is most famous for its parched and barren character could also be famous for spectacular displays of wildflowers. Yet it's true. In fact the most extensive carpets of wildflowers in the North American deserts occur in their most arid parts - such places as Death Valley, the Mohave desert and the Gulf coast of northern Baja California.[i]
I looked up some pictures to show you how glorious it is when the desert blooms. First slide is the Mohave Desert near Twenty-nine Palms, California. The dry one is in March 1972. The blooming one is the same location in March 1977 after just five more inches of rain than the previous year.
Second slide is Baja California near Bahia de Los Angeles. The dry one is in
1980. The blooming one is in 1998. 
The last one is in Death Valley! All that yellow is a carpet of flowers!
These are pictures of joy!
Then Isaiah says, “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.” He’s talking about mountains of grandeur, impressive awe inspiring, breathtaking sights that are a joy to behold.
But pictures of joy are nothing compared to the real thing. Here is the real thing: Isaiah promises that God will “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.” Yay! Our hero is going to fix everything up.
One day the whole world will be a beautiful, joyful place, no more evil, no more sin, no more suffering of any kind, “For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.” That’s more word pictures but it is not just metaphorical speech for this old earth also will literally be remade. Every rough wilderness will be remade into a grand paradise!
The text goes on, “A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 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. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” It’s a picture of safety and joy as pilgrims journey to worship in Jerusalem.
It’s all focused on God and rejoicing in worship. One confession of faith says the chief end of mankind, the main reason why we exist is to worship God with loving adoration and enjoy him forever. I love it that we are saved to live forever with great joy in a perfected new world! Looking forward to that, I can be joyful already even though there is yet much suffering to endure in this world. That’s not pie in the sky. That strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
There’s a more modern song by 33 Miles that says, “If home is where the heart is, then I'm in Heaven. It's the promise of tomorrow that I've been given And who is waiting there I am living for. He's everything I love and I believe in And I can hardly wait just to see Him And hear Him say, “Well done.” I couldn't ask for more.” I'm already dancing on the streets of gold And I can't stop celebrating in my soul!” Oh, I’m living in the days ahead.
This is why St. Paul tells us things like, Phil. 4: 4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This is why Mary sang, as recorded in Luke 1:46-55, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”
I have one more picture for you. Since God is our heavenly Father, think of parenting a wayward child. The toddler wants to pour his own glass of milk but dad says, “Son, that jug is too heavy for you. Don’t do it. I’ll pour.” Yet the boy insists that he can so he lifts the jug clumsily and is unable to do it and spills a lot of milk on the floor also bumping the glass which falls and breaks. Now the typical human reaction might have the Father angry and saying something like, “Now look what you’ve done! I told you you couldn’t do it you clumsy idiot. Why don’t you ever listen to me. Clean up that mess.” And humans vary in patience from better to worse than that. Might even come with a spanking or worse in some homes. But our perfect Father in Heaven? What joy it should be for us to hear from him. “Now do you understand that I was right when I said you need my help? Here let’s work together to fix this. Come help me son. I still love you and I always will.” What child would not rejoice to experience such kindness, mercy and grace as the response to his or her sin?
And look how God has responded to the brokenness and sin in the world he had created! How much kinder can you get, how much more gentle and unassuming than to totally empathize with our dreadful condition by coming as a baby to begin to offer the help that we need to get out of our terrible predicament?
Even the very sight of a baby can bring joy. It usually does for me. And behold how God came, not with the terror and might of his glorious holiness to strike fear into our hearts, but in the meekness and gentleness of a baby so that we would want to draw near to him. Am I the only human being who smiles when I see a baby, any baby, and feel the desire to interact with the young one, even to hold him if I could? That’s how God wishes we would feel about him, to smile, to want to draw near, to enjoy him, even as we understand that he came as a baby to grow into our Savior who would die on a cross to solve the world’s most serious problem.
This is joy. Jesus is our joy.
[i]
https://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/flw_desertbloom.php
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