Bible Passage: Isaiah 25:6-9
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: October 15, 2023

Bulletin October 15, 2023

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

People speak today about their “happy place.”  Do you have one?  There is a place (I will not mention it by name) that markets itself as “the happiest place on earth.”  At this place that is supposed to be the happiest place on earth there is a section that is called the Magic Kingdom.  Ooo!  That sounds fun!  And in the Magic Kingdom there is an attraction called Space Mountain. Wow!  There is a special mountain!  “The Happiest Place on earth!”

But all is not perfect at the happiest place on earth.  Some parents are not happy when they find out that an average cost of food for a family of four at the happiest place in the world is $200-$300.  After a long day at the “happiest place on earth” many a tired child has melted down in tears.   And in 1980, a ten-year-old girl died after riding the Space Mountain roller coaster.  So much for the happiest place on earth!  There are still high prices, tears, and death!

What if there was a place – a “mountain” – where all the food is free, and it’s good, too!  What if there is a place – a “mountain” – where all tears are wiped away!  What if there is a place – a “mountain” – where there is no more death?  Such a place truly would be the happiest place!  Friends, there is such a place.  It is not a “magic mountain.”  It is the mountain spoken of in our text today.  This mountain is The Real Happiest Place.

Our text jumps right into a description of this mountain.  On this mountain the LORD of Armies will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of aged wines, with the best cuts of meat, and the finest wines.  (v. 6)  Now, we can all appreciate a fine meal.  But let’s appreciate a little of the context of our text.  This is written 700 years before Jesus.  The daily diet of an Israelite at this time was pretty meager.  There was likely some bread, some figs, olives, grapes.  You seldom had meat.  That was for special occasions.

Our text speaks of a place where people will eat the best cuts of meat.  Imagine!  What do you want?  Ribeye?  Filet mignon?  New York strip? Pork loin?  It’s all yours!  Have a 16 ounce ribeye smothered in a 10 ounce filet!  While you eat the best, sip a glass of an Argentinian malbec or a fine German riesling.  Nothing but the best!  How could it not be?  Did you notice who prepares and serves on this mountain?  The LORD of Armies will prepare… 

The description of this mountain goes on.  On this mountain, he [the LORD of Armies] will destroy the shroud that covers all people, the burial cloth stretched over all nations.  He has swallowed up death forever! (v. 7-8a)  The language of this verse is jolting.  Death talk usually is.  It calls death the shroud, the cloth that covers all people.  It makes one think about how just about every culture covers their dead.  Death is not pretty.  We don’t like to look at it.  When life ends, we “pull the sheet up.”  On this mountain, there are no more body bags or coroner’s sheets.  While the people swallow the finest steak and wine, the LORD has swallowed up death forever! 

Finally, the mountain is described this way:  The LORD will wipe away the tears from every face.  He will take away the shame of his people throughout the earth. (v. 8)  Think about that.  On this mountain, there is nothing to make a person cry.  No pain, no disappointment, no betrayal, no shame, no guilt, no loss, no sickness, no disease, no fear, no enemies, no terrorism, no sneak attacks, no blood and carnage.  Nothing to make us cry.

By now, you say, “Where is this mountain?  Where is this happy place?”  Are you ready?  It’s right HERE.  It is the Church.  This mountain is found wherever the Gospel is proclaimed and believed.  The good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Proclamation of that good news brings people to this “happiest place” on earth.

Like good steak and wine, Jesus fills and satisfies.  He satisfies the deepest hunger and thirst of all.  The hunger and thirst for righteousness.  The pangs inside the human soul that want to be right with God.  In Jesus, we have that.  The holy life he lived and the holy blood he shed are our “righteousness” before God!  All of those gnawing thoughts can be gone!  “Am I good enough?”  “Have I done enough?”  “Am I too bad?”  “Am I too far gone?” “Do I sin too much?” It doesn’t take a big, juicy steak and a glass of wine to fill us, all it takes is a thin wafer and sip of wine.  “Take and eat.  This is my body given for you.  Take and drink.  This is my blood poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  Filled and satisfied, we say with Jesus’ mother, Mary, You have filled the hungry with good things! (Luke 1:53)

Trusting Jesus we find this mountain where death is swallowed up.  It is Mt. Calvary.  You have to take a long look to see death swallowed up.  On Good Friday, it looked like Jesus got swallowed up by death.  There was a garden at the place where Jesus was crucified.  And in the garden was a new tomb…they laid Jesus there. (John 19:41-42)  On the mount where Jesus died, he rose! The one who had said, I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) proved it!  Jesus’ own burial sheet was found in his tomb, empty and useless.  A prelude to our own sheets and shrouds being empty and useless.

Have you ever seen a mother gently dab away the tears from the cheeks of her crying child?  That is what the Lord does through the Gospel.  The LORD will wipe away the tears from every face. (v. 8)  The risen Jesus wipes away your tears.  As he does, he asks you what he asked Mary on Easter morning, Why are you crying? (John 20:15)    One of my favorite verses in the Bible, Revelation 5:5, says, Do not weep!  See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed!  Indeed, why cry?  Our Jesus has triumphed!  In Jesus, our souls are fed.  In Jesus, death is chewed up and swallowed.  In Jesus, we have found the happiest place on earth.  And in Jesus, we have found our heaven!  Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation! (v. 9)

Amen.