Dear Saints,
Ever heard of a Locust Tree? I first encountered them damaging my house, blocking my satellite signal, and making a mess of things when they shed their leaves and pods. So, I got out my chain saw. That was that! Until a couple years later, when I noticed new locust trees where the old ones stood – growing from the old stumps. This tree, though it looked dead, sprouted leaves, flowers, and fruit!
God’s Word tells of a man named Jesse and his son David, whom God anointed as king of His people. (1 Samuel 16:1-13) For a while, Israel, under King David was obedient to God and His Word and thrived. However, after David died, this mighty kingdom fell into depravity. The stump looked, to all who saw it, dead. But God, remembering His promise to David centuries before that David’s kingdom and throne would be established forever, (2 Samuel 7:12-17) reminded His people of His promise through Isaiah, saying “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1)
Then one night, in a small, unimportant village a shoot emerged from Jesse’s family tree. This baby, born in a manger wasn’t much to look at, but He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s centuries old prophecy. Jesus, the Son of God, was the shoot from the stump of Jesse (Matthew 1:1-16) … a shoot that became a branch which bore much fruit for His Father in heaven. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection all who believe in Him – though dead in sin, receive new life in Christ Jesus.
Mankind, because of sin, is nothing more than a forest of lifeless stumps. However, Jesus, the Stump of Jesse, gives new life to lifeless stumps! Through the waters of baptism, we’re brought to new life and begin bearing fruit of the Spirit in God’s creation; fruit God uses to raise more dead stumps to new life. So, let’s give thanks to God for granting us this new life and bear fruit for God!
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim