A sprawling, shade bearing American Elm that is about 80 years old stands in OKC as a huge tourist attraction. People pose for pictures beneath her limbs. She adorns posters and letterheads. The city treasures this tree, not because of how beautiful the tree is, but because of the tree’s endurance. See, this tree is unique because this tree survived the bombing in Alfred P. Murray Federal building in OKC in 1995where 168 people killed and another 850 wounded.

The tree grew a few yards from where Timothy McVey’s truck, ladened with explosives, was located. When the blast went off, it completely stripped the tree of its bark, limbs and leaves. In the wake of that tragedy, no one expected this tree to survive. No one gave any thought whatsoever to this dusty, stripped tree.

But then something miraculous began to happen: sprouts began to bud. Sprouts that pressed through the damaged bark. Green leaves began to push away the grey soot.  Life arose in an acre of death. Hope rose from the ashes of tragedy. So, they named this tree the Survivor Tree, it now stands as a beacon of hope to all of those who live in OKC.

The Survivor Tree sounds a lot like what we hear in today’s scripture lesson. A branch will come from the stump of Jesse’s tree. That branch is really a beacon of hope to those who live in difficult and dark times.

In this passage, there are two surprising Good News announcements regarding Jesus. The first surprising, good news announcement is that the servant of the Lord will suffer. It might seem strange to say His suffering is good news, but it is. Kings and political leaders aren’t expected to silently suffer and die. Leaders of armies eat the richest of foods, sleep in the nicest of quarters. They receive all the privileges of their stations. Isaiah talks about a stump where a branch has sprouted. A tree has fallen by human activity, but that is not the end of the story.

 A shoot emerges – tiny by comparison to the previous growth. It seems fragile, but its resilience proves more important than its fragility. Jesus is seen in the resilience of this tender shoot – the reappearance of life in that stump is nothing less than a resurrected hope.  

 We must remember that faith is like a muscle; you must exercise it to strengthen it. How does faith become stronger through challenges, difficulties, and persecution? God does not cause these difficulties that we go through. That is the enemy who loves to challenge us. As we trust in God in the difficulties, our faith grows. Jesus, our suffering servant, takes up pain and bears suffering. He was punished by God, stricken and afflicted. “By His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Work your faith like a muscle so that you will be resilient.

In verse 5 the second, surprising, good news announcement, that the Lord Suffers for us. That is why the coming Messiah endures all this pain. “Surely He took our pain and bore our suffering” (Isaiah 53:4) Why was he pierced, crushed, and wounded? Because of “the punishment that brought us peace.” (Isaiah 53:5)

When someone we love is dying, it is natural to want the process to reverse, for things to be just as they were. When a marriage is failing or a career hits the skids, we scramble to reverse the flow. When a loved one’s prognosis is “incurable” we confront God and/or the medical professionals, to get a different answer. If something new is to arise following a death, we need to open ourselves to God’s process of resurrection, and the possibility that what happens next might not look much like what was before.

If you are a follower of Christ, you do not need to live in the shadows of insecurity and paranoia. You do not need to withdraw from situations or settings when you feel inadequate and inferior. We all feel those ways sometimes. If you follow Christ, you can live confidently! If you are a follower of Christ, you have a right to have peace. As the Bill Gaither song says, "Because He lives all fear is gone!"

Doubts come when we feed our fears of our human nature and its weaknesses. Confidence comes from following Christ and focusing on His peace. Because Jesus is alive – because He conquered death, hell, and the grave, you can face life’s difficulties. We know we can have confidence in the teachings of the Bible because we have a living Savior!

As we reflect on Christ this Christmas, we can only stand in awe that the eternal God became man and loved His creation and His people enough to take on flesh and be born to a humble girl named Mary. Born in a manager in a stable because there was not any room for them in a Bethlehem inn.

I invite you in the coming week, to allow these words to bring you the Spiritual gift of peace. In whatever way is meaningful for you, imagine the sounds and sights and scents of a stump that has branched off, brought hope to barren situation.  And be open to the magnificent presence of God: The God who is present in resilient ways, who resurrects, and who brings recovery.  May this holy peace take root in your life on this day and in all your days, Amen.

Until next week when we meet at the P.E.W.

Pastor Joel