More than 500 years before Jesus was born, the Chinese general,
writer, and philosopher Sun Tzu wrote a book entitled The Art of War.
His thoughts on strategy and tactics in warfare – especially the use of
deception and the need for adaptability – are still studied by people
who want to be effective leaders in military, business, charitable
organizations – and yes, churches. Perhaps his best-known principle
is “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
At no time in history was that more true than during World War II.
The leaders of the so-called “Big Three” nations: Joseph Stalin – the
Premier of the Soviet Union, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill,
and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt – were not friends and (for the
most part) did not trust each other. But their mutual fear of Hitler’s
desire to conquer his neighbors brought them together in an uneasy
alliance.
Which helps us understand God’s unusual decision to use the pagan
king of the Persian Empire to accomplish holy purposes. In our
reading today from Isaiah 45, God speaks to Cyrus – and goes so far
as to call him “My Anointed.”
The Hebrew word for “anointed” is ma-SHE-ach. If that sounds
familiar, it should – because it’s the equivalent of the English word
“Messiah.” In New Testament Greek, the word is “Christos” – which
English-speakers have shortened to “Christ.”
How could God call a ruthless pagan monarch by the same title we use
for our Savior?
Quite simply – it’s because God can and will use anyone He wants to
accomplish His good purposes. In this case, Cyrus was God’s chosen
person to conquer the Babylonian Empire and bring God’s people back
to Judah. Eventually, that led to the construction of a new temple in
Jerusalem to replace Solomon’s Temple – which had been destroyed
by the Babylonians.
And so – God refers to Cyrus as “the anointed one” – the same name
that was used for King David in Second Samuel 22 and Psalm 18,
and would later be used for His Son, Jesus. And God says to Cyrus,
"I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you
do not acknowledge me."
A classic example of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
I should point out, however, that the Gospels never mention God the
Father’s using that name for Jesus. Jesus is called, “My Beloved Son,”
and similar names. God the Father may call Jesus “my anointed one”
in their private conversations – but the word has only been used one
other place in the Hebrew Scriptures: here in Isaiah 45. And it was
used for a pagan conqueror.
So it should come as no surprise that when Jesus finally reached the
age of 30 and was considered a man (according to the Jewish custom)
and was allowed to read in the synagogue in His hometown of
Nazareth, that He picked up the scroll containing Isaiah’s prophecies
and began to read from Chapter 61:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue leader,
sat down, and boldly stated, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your
hearing.” They didn’t get what Jesus was saying - Jesus just laid claim
to the title of Messiah.
The Anointed One.
It wouldn’t be long before the religious leadership would take issue with
His teaching and His application of Scripture to daily life – like His
preference for the spirit of the Law over the letter of the Law. They felt
especially threatened by His claims that He was the One Isaiah was
writing about.
Which brings us to the Upper Room – on the same night that Jesus
was be betrayed, arrested, tried, convicted, and beaten within an inch
of His life. In what is often called Jesus’s “High Priestly Prayer” – He
prayed first that God the Father would glorify Him in what would come
the next day – when He went to Calvary to become “The Lamb of God
Who Takes Away the Sins of the World.”
Like the Passover lamb that they were eating that evening. It had to
be spotless and physically perfect. Jesus was not only proclaiming
freedom to the prisoners of sin – but He was also buying their freedom.
That was the role for which Jesus had been anointed.
And in fulfilling that role, Jesus brought glory to His Father. It was the
ultimate act of acknowledging His Father’s authority – and His Father’s
faithfulness. Jesus also prayed that His Father would glorify Him – a
prayer that would be answered at His ascension, when He sat down at
His Father’s right hand. And Jesus is still there – interceding for us,
as Paul wrote to the Roman Christians.
Jesus was obedient to death – even death on a cross, as Paul wrote to
the Philippian Christians. But we must also consider that Paul initially
opposed Christianity and tried to stamp it out. He did not acknowledge
Jesus as the Son of God and as his Lord and Savior – until he had a
face-to-face encounter with the risen and ascended Christ on the road
to Damascus.
We read about that in Acts 9:
He (Saul) went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the
synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged
to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners
to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light
from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a
voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
And this is an editorial comment. This was Paul’s acknowledgement
that God was talking to him – and that Paul was listening.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and
go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men
traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but
did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened
his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into
Damascus.
It was there that a Christian named Ananias came – by orders from
Jesus – to visit Saul and to lay hands on him – and Saul’s sight was
restored. From that point on, he was known as Paul – and not only
did he acknowledge Jesus Christ, but he also took the Good News of
Jesus to Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire – and continued to
disciple them for the rest of his life.
Since then, the Gospel has been passed faithfully from generation to
generation. Countless people have acknowledged that Jesus is the
Son of God and that faith in His death and resurrection is the only way
that we can be forgiven – and can live with Him forever.
That unbroken chain of acknowledgment has ensured that countless
people – who are at the same time one people – will remain united in
worshipping our one Savior for all eternity.
Amen.