Easter 5 – Cantate May 2, 2021
Isaiah 12:1-6
I Wanna Sing!
v.6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Dear friends in Christ, have you ever been so filled with joy—so overflowing with gladness—that you just wanted to break into song? Human beings love to sing. Now not everyone might enjoy singing in public, but most people do find themselves singing along to their favorite song in the car or the shower. We sing for all sorts of occasions, like birthdays! When we are happy and excited we just can't seem to help ourselves—and song breaks forth from our lips.
Such was the case that Isaiah was describing to Israel. You see, the prophet had just spent the previous chapter talking about the coming age of the Messiah—the Redeemer of the world—the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" upon whom the Spirit of the Lord would rest. Isaiah goes on to describe the wondrous blessedness that the Messiah would bring to God's people: time of justice and righteousness—a time of salvation and deliverance from all their enemies. Good times!
Now, in Chapter 12, we have the first song of praise that occurs in Isaiah, which ends with the call to the people to "shout and sing for joy!" The coming of the Messiah—the Savior—is such that God's people won't be able to contain their joy and thanksgiving. Indeed, just last week we celebrated Jubilate or "Rejoice" Sunday. It is fitting that this Sunday is Cantate or "Sing" Sunday as that is a natural response to joy—singing praise and thanksgiving. How can we Christians not break forth into songs of praise during this joyful Eastertide? How can we not respond to the Lord's mercy with joyful song?
What is at the heart of our singing? What is behind our joy? Listen to Isaiah. "You will say in that day: 'I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.'" Though we deserve God's wrath and anger on account of our sin and rebellion against Him, yet He is no longer angry. He isn't angry anymore because of something that Israel has done—or something that you and I as believers do—rather He is no longer angry because His anger has been turned aside. His wrath has been poured out upon His own Son Jesus on the cross. Jesus has suffered God's full wrath and displeasure for your sin and mine!
God has worked this salvation for us purely out of His grace and mercy. We are comforted because God sent the Messiah to save. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit—the Comforter whom Jesus sends—points us to Christ and His work on the cross for our redemption. For through the cross of Jesus are our sins forgiven—wiped away by the blood of Christ. Hence, God is no longer angry with us, for His anger has been meted out upon Christ in our stead. The punishment that was rightly ours, He has taken into His flesh, and suffered and died to set us free.
In view of the saving work of Jesus—His cross and resurrection—we are then bold to confess the words of Isaiah (v.2), "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation." No matter what you are going through. No matter the difficult trials of this life, yet the Christian is able to persevere. For we know and trust in the Lord God alone. He is our strength. He is our salvation. Which is why He alone is due songs of praise and thanksgiving. No one and nothing else has earned salvation for us—freed us from the bonds of sin and death—but the Lord Jesus by His cross and empty tomb. Our good works do not count toward salvation. It all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Though the first two verses of Isaiah 12 were in the singular for "you," here in v.3 and following the "you" is now plural. "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." With utmost joy "you" (the whole church of God)—His people from all times and places—people of faith in the Messiah Jesus—draw water from the wells of salvation. Of course, rescue from water is a common theme throughout the Bible. In Genesis, Noah and his family are rescued by God through the Flood. In Exodus, God saves His people Israel from the Egyptians by having them cross through the Red Sea on dry ground. In 2 Kings we read of Naaman the Syrian commander who is healed of his leprosy by bathing himself in the Jordan River, according to the word of the Lord.
Of course, Jesus speaks of giving living water to those who believe in John 4. This living water flows from His pierced side on the cross as St. John notes 19:34. St. Paul writes of how this living water washes us clean in Titus 3:5, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…" Baptism, beloved! Baptism, which corresponds to the Flood, as St. Peter writes, now saves us by washing us clean of all sin and iniquity. Baptism bestows upon us the Holy Spirit—breathing new life into us through faith in Jesus Christ.
So then the church responds as Isaiah declares in v.4, "Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted." The church, in response to God's great love and mercy poured out upon us in Christ Jesus who died and rose again, now offers worship and praise to this One, Saving God alone—and no other. There is but one true God: Father Son and Holy Spirit. And this God has saved us in mercy. So we praise Him by telling of His deeds.
This is the Good News, dear friends!—the very Gospel! The Message of complete salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil through faith in the Son of God who gave His life as a ransom for the sins of the world. This Gospel is to be announced—proclaimed—to the very ends of the earth—to all people—in all times and places. For this is the true God who has come to save us all.
Finally, in worship then, we are also lead to sing. "Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." Indeed, we offer songs of praise to the Living God—making known His saving deeds to all the earth. For just as ancient Israel was to be a missionary people to all the nations of the earth—so, too, is the church of Christ today. Jesus says in St. Matthew's Gospel (28:19-20), "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Dear friends, it is a great joy and privilege to announce the Good News of salvation to others. To witness the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of others as they hear the Word of God proclaimed, repent of their sin, and receive forgiveness for that sin. To see people set free of fear of death—the guilt and shame of sin—the domination of the devil—is a powerful thing. God accomplishes these great things in peoples' lives through the simple words of simple Christians like you and me, who faithfully proclaim this Gospel message.
For God is great in your midst to save—He is the Holy One of Israel. God sent forth His Son to take on human flesh in the mystery of the incarnation. God Himself has come into the midst of His people to save us from our sin and folly by His strong right hand of salvation. Jesus continues to come to us in His holy church to distribute His saving gifts through Word and Sacrament. That we may be strengthened and sustained in our faith—and made bold in our witness of Him to the world.
Now, to be sure, we will not always feel like singing and dancing for joy, despite this great good news. There will be times when life, sin, death, and the devil beat us down. When we experience pain and suffering in this world. Yet through it all, the Christian holds on to the hope and joy given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. And we await the great and glorious day when we will worship in glory with all the saints and angels—singing praises to our wondrous God for all that He has done—shouting for joy to all eternity—for Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Isaiah 12:1-6
I Wanna Sing!
v.6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Dear friends in Christ, have you ever been so filled with joy—so overflowing with gladness—that you just wanted to break into song? Human beings love to sing. Now not everyone might enjoy singing in public, but most people do find themselves singing along to their favorite song in the car or the shower. We sing for all sorts of occasions, like birthdays! When we are happy and excited we just can't seem to help ourselves—and song breaks forth from our lips.
Such was the case that Isaiah was describing to Israel. You see, the prophet had just spent the previous chapter talking about the coming age of the Messiah—the Redeemer of the world—the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" upon whom the Spirit of the Lord would rest. Isaiah goes on to describe the wondrous blessedness that the Messiah would bring to God's people: time of justice and righteousness—a time of salvation and deliverance from all their enemies. Good times!
Now, in Chapter 12, we have the first song of praise that occurs in Isaiah, which ends with the call to the people to "shout and sing for joy!" The coming of the Messiah—the Savior—is such that God's people won't be able to contain their joy and thanksgiving. Indeed, just last week we celebrated Jubilate or "Rejoice" Sunday. It is fitting that this Sunday is Cantate or "Sing" Sunday as that is a natural response to joy—singing praise and thanksgiving. How can we Christians not break forth into songs of praise during this joyful Eastertide? How can we not respond to the Lord's mercy with joyful song?
What is at the heart of our singing? What is behind our joy? Listen to Isaiah. "You will say in that day: 'I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.'" Though we deserve God's wrath and anger on account of our sin and rebellion against Him, yet He is no longer angry. He isn't angry anymore because of something that Israel has done—or something that you and I as believers do—rather He is no longer angry because His anger has been turned aside. His wrath has been poured out upon His own Son Jesus on the cross. Jesus has suffered God's full wrath and displeasure for your sin and mine!
God has worked this salvation for us purely out of His grace and mercy. We are comforted because God sent the Messiah to save. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit—the Comforter whom Jesus sends—points us to Christ and His work on the cross for our redemption. For through the cross of Jesus are our sins forgiven—wiped away by the blood of Christ. Hence, God is no longer angry with us, for His anger has been meted out upon Christ in our stead. The punishment that was rightly ours, He has taken into His flesh, and suffered and died to set us free.
In view of the saving work of Jesus—His cross and resurrection—we are then bold to confess the words of Isaiah (v.2), "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation." No matter what you are going through. No matter the difficult trials of this life, yet the Christian is able to persevere. For we know and trust in the Lord God alone. He is our strength. He is our salvation. Which is why He alone is due songs of praise and thanksgiving. No one and nothing else has earned salvation for us—freed us from the bonds of sin and death—but the Lord Jesus by His cross and empty tomb. Our good works do not count toward salvation. It all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Though the first two verses of Isaiah 12 were in the singular for "you," here in v.3 and following the "you" is now plural. "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." With utmost joy "you" (the whole church of God)—His people from all times and places—people of faith in the Messiah Jesus—draw water from the wells of salvation. Of course, rescue from water is a common theme throughout the Bible. In Genesis, Noah and his family are rescued by God through the Flood. In Exodus, God saves His people Israel from the Egyptians by having them cross through the Red Sea on dry ground. In 2 Kings we read of Naaman the Syrian commander who is healed of his leprosy by bathing himself in the Jordan River, according to the word of the Lord.
Of course, Jesus speaks of giving living water to those who believe in John 4. This living water flows from His pierced side on the cross as St. John notes 19:34. St. Paul writes of how this living water washes us clean in Titus 3:5, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…" Baptism, beloved! Baptism, which corresponds to the Flood, as St. Peter writes, now saves us by washing us clean of all sin and iniquity. Baptism bestows upon us the Holy Spirit—breathing new life into us through faith in Jesus Christ.
So then the church responds as Isaiah declares in v.4, "Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted." The church, in response to God's great love and mercy poured out upon us in Christ Jesus who died and rose again, now offers worship and praise to this One, Saving God alone—and no other. There is but one true God: Father Son and Holy Spirit. And this God has saved us in mercy. So we praise Him by telling of His deeds.
This is the Good News, dear friends!—the very Gospel! The Message of complete salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil through faith in the Son of God who gave His life as a ransom for the sins of the world. This Gospel is to be announced—proclaimed—to the very ends of the earth—to all people—in all times and places. For this is the true God who has come to save us all.
Finally, in worship then, we are also lead to sing. "Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." Indeed, we offer songs of praise to the Living God—making known His saving deeds to all the earth. For just as ancient Israel was to be a missionary people to all the nations of the earth—so, too, is the church of Christ today. Jesus says in St. Matthew's Gospel (28:19-20), "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Dear friends, it is a great joy and privilege to announce the Good News of salvation to others. To witness the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of others as they hear the Word of God proclaimed, repent of their sin, and receive forgiveness for that sin. To see people set free of fear of death—the guilt and shame of sin—the domination of the devil—is a powerful thing. God accomplishes these great things in peoples' lives through the simple words of simple Christians like you and me, who faithfully proclaim this Gospel message.
For God is great in your midst to save—He is the Holy One of Israel. God sent forth His Son to take on human flesh in the mystery of the incarnation. God Himself has come into the midst of His people to save us from our sin and folly by His strong right hand of salvation. Jesus continues to come to us in His holy church to distribute His saving gifts through Word and Sacrament. That we may be strengthened and sustained in our faith—and made bold in our witness of Him to the world.
Now, to be sure, we will not always feel like singing and dancing for joy, despite this great good news. There will be times when life, sin, death, and the devil beat us down. When we experience pain and suffering in this world. Yet through it all, the Christian holds on to the hope and joy given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. And we await the great and glorious day when we will worship in glory with all the saints and angels—singing praises to our wondrous God for all that He has done—shouting for joy to all eternity—for Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.