First Wednesday in Advent, 2007
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Isaiah 2:1-5
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
It’s that time of year again. You know the time of year when people start thinking about skiing. Right here in north central New Mexico we have a handful of ski slopes. There’s Angel Fire, Red River, Taos, Sipapu, Santa Fe and of course our own Pajarito. Now of all these mountains, Ski Santa Fe is the tallest. It has a peak elevation of over 12,000 ft. Now while our minds are getting ready for all these mountains to be covered with snow, in our hearts let us get ready for Christmas. As we wait in anticipation for the snow to come, let us not forget to wait in anticipation for Christ our King to come.
As skiers flock to the slopes, let us rejoice that the nations flow to the mountain of God. This mountain is the mountain of the house of the LORD which is the church. In our Old Testament reading, our focus is set on the tallest of all mountains. In the Holy Scriptures, the church of God is referred to as the mountain of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, Mount Zion, God’s House, and the Kingdom of God. This kingdom is a spiritual kingdom that brings spiritual peace. It has a spiritual King who is Jesus Christ our Lord the King of peace. In this season of Advent we pray that we will continue to live in this kingdom and walk in light of the LORD. It is from the church that the proclamation of peace goes forth. Rest in the peace of the LORD and share this peace with others during this season. This is true peace unlike the peace that the world offers.
There is a statue outside of the United Nations building. It was a gift given to the UN by the former Soviet Union. It depicts a man beating a sword into a plowshare. Across the street there is a park where the Isaiah wall is located. On the wall, this Bible passage is written, “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Such works of art show forth the goal of the United Nations which is world peace. They exist to unite the nations and the kingdoms of the world in order to make the earth a better place.
Yet, true peace will never come through human effort. True peace comes from God. True peace does not come from resolutions put forth from New York City. Instead, true peace comes from Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem that the apostles went out to all nations proclaiming the Word of the Lord. The gospel spread from Jerusalem to Judah to Samaria, to the ends of the earth. Where the gospel is proclaimed in its purity, the kingdom of God comes.
When David was the king of Israel, he was known as a king of war. Later his son Solomon took the throne, he was known as a king of peace. Solomon then built the temple in Jerusalem. Yet the people waited for the promised King who would bring peace to the nations and build up the spiritual temple of believers. Jesus is this King. He is the son of David and king of peace. All physical warfare will only cease when the King returns. We pray, “Come quickly King of kings.” Amen.
