Creekside Church Sermon of December 9, 2001 "I Will Rock You " Isaiah 11:1-10	Rev. Dave Eis
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Several years ago, when Steve Alford was the coach at Manchester College, I attended several basketball games. After the mighty Spartans, who had gone from last to first, would arrive on the floor for warm up, the fans would begin their chant, "We will, we will rock you." It was surely a test whether or not the Recreational-center was made of good construction. The fans would clap their hands and stomp the bleachers to the deafening music that would be played on the public address system. One could hear the steady beat of the chant with their ears and feel the inevitable victory that was sure to come. The coach would pace the floor observing his athletes taking their warm up shots. He was dressed and groomed like he was the most recent rock star to sell a platinum record. He wore a black suit and tie and walked with self-respect. "We will, we will rock you," was not an idle threat. It was a promise that was backed by an overwhelming victorious season.

For the fans it was a great turn around. Until Steve Alford came to Manchester College, they were concerned whether or not their team would be last or next to last. Now their only concern was being conference champions and possibly compete for a national title. The team, coaches, and fans were on an emotional pitch that rocked the stadium.

It was good news for the Manchester College Spartans and their fans, but it was not good news for everyone. The opposing teams and their fans anticipated another defeat. Their plan was to just keep from totally humiliating themselves by a team that formerly could be easily defeated.

The message that comes to us from Isaiah is not good news to everyone. You see it represents a new order of things. When the accustomed order is reversed, it means that some who have everything they need and more will no longer be able to enjoy their decadent life style without regard for others. It is as if someone had a straight flush in poker and some one calls for a re-deal. It upsets things.

There is the story by Anthony de Mello about a wealthy farmer who ran into his home one day and cried out in an anguished voice, "Rebecca, there is a terrible story in town-the Messiah is here."

"What's so terrible in that?" asked his wife. I think its great. What are you so upset about?"

"What am I upset about?" the man exclaimed. "After all these years of sweat and toil, we have finally found prosperity. We have a thousand head of cattle, our barns are full of grain, and our trees are laden with fruit. Now we will have to give it all away and follow him."

"Calm down," said his wife consolingly. "The Lord our God is good. He knows how much we Jews have always had to suffer. We had a Pharaoh, a Haman, and a Hitler-always somebody. But our dear God found a way to deal with them all didn't he? Just have faith, my dear husband. He will find a way to deal with the Messiah too."

How are you going to deal with the coming of the Messiah? He came once and he is coming again. His first coming was good news for some but not all.

To the poor war weary Israelis whose land had been occupied the promise of a Messiah was good news. Someday they will experience justice and peace. This promise was issued to an oppressed people who lived in exile.

The prophecy in Isaiah was expressed in a peaceful metaphor, which included several interesting word pictures.

• The wolf and the lamb will lie down together
• The leopards will co-exist with the goats
• The carnivorous lions will become vegetarians and graze with the sheep
• The bears and the oxen will be able to eat together
• It will be so safe that a little child will be able to safely play in the midst of poisonous snakes.
• A young child will lead the animals that were formally natural enemies

All of this will happen because God's holy mountain will be full of the knowledge of the Lord. The holy mountain is the whole earth. What a beautiful metaphor.

It is a picture of a world where there is no violence. It is a place where groups of people who were formally enemies now peacefully co-exist. What a promise!

It is a prophecy that says out the heritage of Jesse, the father of King David, there will be a new ruler that will bring with him the full power of God's law-a law that will be driven by God's law of love. I hope that none of us take literally the peaceful metaphor of the Isaiah eleven. I want to acknowledge that I am not an economist or political science expert. I am, however, a theologian. I do believe very strongly that God's law will be driven by the goals of peace and justice. God's reign or the Kingdom of God will be rock all of us by turning the current order upside down. I would like to make some revisions of Isaiah message to put the concept of a world dominated by God's law of love into a more contemporary setting.

• Arabs and Israelis and Christians and all the religions of the world will learn to appreciate their religious differences and celebrate together the unique ways in which God has led them.
• The biggest news that will come from the pentagon will be an advertisement of how they will need to have a bake sale to raise money for the retirement of their last employees before the Department of Defense becomes extinct.
• It will be required that the Judges, defendants and plaintive will have a round of golf, or some other kind of recreation before the final settlement is handed down. The final judgment will include plans of how relationships of the defendants can be restored with the plaintive and the whole community.
• There will be full employment for everyone in the world at a sustainable wage for all who are able to work. Provisions will be made for the sick and elderly with a process that maintains the dignity of all who need assistance.
• The highest paid corporate executive will be paid only slightly more wages than the lowest paid member of that work force.
• Celebrities will withhold for themselves only enough money to enjoy humble existence and the rest will be freely shared.

Perhaps you have some visions of your own that would lead to a peaceful world.

One of things that deceive us during the celebrated Christmas season is the lovely cards that we receive that speak of good health and peace and the good news of Jesus coming into the world. When we look at the whole chapter of Isaiah 11, it also includes a message of judgment. It was not good news for everyone. Those who are driven by greed, jealousy, and arrogance, there is a different kind of promise. That promise is, "He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and the wicked he will slay with the breath of His lips."

This final judgment will be made by what is on the inside and not by outward appearances. We will be known for what we are without pretense. That is not good news for everyone.

The promise of Isaiah was that there would be a Messiah who will bring with Him a new world order to comply with the Kingdom of God. Jesus came and he shared the new law. He lived and practiced it until the forces of greed, and power and evil put him down. But that is not the last word. The reign of God is not yet complete. The promise is that someday God's Kingdom will prevail over all the earth. God has promised that his reign on earth is going to shake things up. His announcement is that, "I will rock you!" For those who already live within the law of love it will be good news. We like the apostle Paul are able to say, "Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus."

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