00:00:00.000 - 00:00:27.520

[ Silence ] ♪ Guide us to thy perfect light ♪ ♪ Born a king on Bethlehem's plain ♪ ♪ Gold I bring to crown him again ♪

00:00:27.520 - 00:00:56.080

♪ King forever, he's ignited ♪ never over us all to reign. [MUSIC] Oh, star of wonder, star of night,

00:00:56.080 - 00:01:30.640

star of loyal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. Frankincense to offer have I, incense, O, a deity nigh.

00:01:30.640 - 00:01:56.640

Prayer and praising, all men raise, sing, worship him, God, on high. Where is mine is bitter perfume, breezes ♪ The life of gathering gloom ♪

00:01:56.640 - 00:02:22.860

♪ Sorrow sighing, bleeding, dying ♪ ♪ Sealed in the stone cold tomb ♪ ♪ Glorious now behold him arise ♪ ♪ Sing and God and sacrifice ♪

00:02:22.860 - 00:02:54.560

♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Praise to earth and sky ♪ ♪ Oh, star of wonder, star of night ♪ Star of wonder, star of night, star of loyal beauty bright,

00:02:54.560 - 00:03:38.060

westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. Amen. ...and blossom as a rose. The subject, a rose garden in the desert. This is a prophetic word about the end of times.

00:03:38.060 - 00:04:13.220

times. Isaiah envisions a time when the goal of human history is realized. The desert shall blossom like a rose. This is a powerful metaphor. The desert is something we approach with a a sense of dread. But it's depicted by the prophet

00:04:13.220 - 00:04:26.860

as an object of delight. The desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose.

00:04:26.860 - 00:04:42.420

Notice the word shall. The desert shall or the wilderness shall. It is not as it will be.

00:04:42.420 - 00:05:14.460

The prophet is gazing into the future. He sees a radical transformation taking place. We often hear the saying, "God never promised you a rose garden." Well, we often make that remark to encourage another faced with difficulties and obstacles,

00:05:14.460 - 00:05:50.580

but the truth is God has promised us a rose garden. Here it is clearly stated in Scripture, this word spoken to Israel, the people of God, those called by his name, the desert shall blossom like a rose. Wilderness and desert are used somewhat interchangeably.

00:05:50.580 - 00:06:10.700

They're used to describe a similar condition. The wilderness is a wild area, often uninhabited. That's why it's called wilderness.

00:06:10.700 - 00:06:37.640

It's a lonely place. The wilderness is the desert. It is a deserted area inhabited by wild beasts, lonely and dangerous. It is in the wilderness that the faith of Israel is tested.

00:06:37.640 - 00:07:04.620

It is in the wilderness that Jesus is tempted by the devil. The ultimate victory of faith is to get out of the wilderness. You're saying, tell me how did you feel when you come out the wilderness, come out the wilderness, come out the wilderness.

00:07:04.620 - 00:07:49.820

Tell me how did you feel when you come out the wilderness leaning on the Lord. Let me describe in more detail the wilderness. It's a dry, desolate area with arid climate, parched ground, little or no water. that is hot, dry, barren, unproductive, that's the desert.

00:07:49.820 - 00:08:18.580

In the beginning God planted a garden eastward in Eden, the scripture says. And then there was in this garden a river with four branches. and animal life were nourished and nurtured by the river in the garden. Everything necessary for the good life grew in abundance.

00:08:18.580 - 00:08:50.420

God said of his creation that it was good and very good. Something went wrong in that garden. Life in the garden was interrupted by the demonic, and there was disorder in the lives of those who inhabited the garden.

00:08:50.420 - 00:09:08.500

God's creation was desecrated. The soil was raped. The rivers were poisoned. And what was once a fertile plain became a desert.

00:09:08.500 - 00:09:33.940

Soil, rich in vegetation, became barren and unproductive. It became a desert. But the prophet says, "The desert shall blossom as a rose." The desert shall be miraculously transformed.

00:09:33.940 - 00:10:14.980

The desert will blossom like a rose. The making of a rose garden in the desert is God's doing. Children of Israel traveled for days in the burning sun and they saw, after much traveling in this unfavorable condition, they saw a scene that gave them encouragement.

00:10:14.980 - 00:10:56.180

They discovered the 70 palm trees and 12 pools of water. They refreshed themselves and received renewal strength in the desert. You can imagine how pilgrims felt in the desert after traveling long hours and days to be refreshed by some palm trees and pools of water, food and drink.

00:10:56.180 - 00:11:15.740

an oasis, if you please, in the desert. Sometimes there were those who saw a mirage. And it has a rather, an optical effect which occurs in the desert.

00:11:15.740 - 00:11:32.780

It's an illusion and it's something that's unattainable. One thinks he sees a pool of water. When he arrives there, he sees that he has been misled. It's almost like one thinking he sees a ghost.

00:11:32.780 - 00:11:56.940

So, one needs the assurance after traveling in the desert that what is seen is reality. Not delusions or illusions, because in illusions and delusions there is no comfort.

00:11:56.940 - 00:12:16.580

So like the children of Israel, we receive spiritual renewal as we find from time to time an oasis in the desert. But God, even though he travels,

00:12:17.580 - 00:12:38.760

As the poet says, I walked in the desert and I said, "Ah, God, take me from this place." And the voice said, "It is no desert." And I said, "Oh, the sun, the heat, the horizon."

00:12:38.760 - 00:13:07.300

And the voice answered, "It is no desert." Because our God is one who makes the desert blossom as a rose. One poet has said, a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. That's all.

00:13:07.300 - 00:13:29.940

A rose is a rose. And God has said through his prophet that the desert shall blossom as a rose. Tyler, Texas is regarded as the rose capital of the world.

00:13:29.940 - 00:13:53.740

And I can attest that they grow some beautiful roses there. Beautiful roses in Tyler. They specialize in cultivating beautiful roses. Now God says that the desert shall blossom as a rose.

00:13:53.740 - 00:14:12.100

In other words, it shall be covered with beauty. We can all attest to the fact that we have enough ugliness in the world. And what we pray, what we hope, what we long for,

00:14:12.100 - 00:14:31.500

what we work for is the time when ugliness will be overcome with beauty. The desert should blossom like a rose. Ugliness, that which we disdain.

00:14:31.500 - 00:14:47.140

There was a book written some time ago called The Ugly American. And it was based on the American traveler who goes abroad, how he or she may act.

00:14:47.140 - 00:14:59.580

The Ugly American, impatient with others. Ugly American, arrogant. The Ugly American. Well, that was not a favorable picture

00:14:59.580 - 00:15:12.380

that was portrayed in that book of Americans, Ugly American, Ugly American. We long for beauty and we often say, where lies the beauty?

00:15:12.380 - 00:15:31.820

In the object being beheld or in the beholder? Where is the beauty? The desert shall blossom as a rose. it shall become a place of beauty.

00:15:31.820 - 00:15:53.160

But in spite of all of the adversities that one expects of the desert, to the contrary, in spite of much of the ugliness we see displayed in people,

00:15:55.440 - 00:16:17.920

we can take comfort in the fact that there are more people who are nice than those who are naughty. That this should be a source of comfort. God is at work in human history, bringing in a new order.

00:16:23.680 - 00:16:49.560

The desert remains, but God is at work making the desert blossom like a rose. God transforms from the raging inferno of the desert. He transforms into a new situation

00:16:51.080 - 00:17:07.940

where there are refreshing pools of heaven. It's interesting that we have hell, the desert often represents that raging inferno, that heat, that furnace, hell.

00:17:07.940 - 00:17:25.680

And then the pools, the refreshing pools represent heaven. So if we live in this life, we do get an experience of hell. Our forefathers understood that.

00:17:25.680 - 00:18:04.440

They said, "I know my robe is going to fit me well. I tried it on at the gates of hell." So, here is a word to comfort us along our journey that God gives to His people that He will cause the desert to blossom like a rose.

00:18:04.440 - 00:18:38.420

Now rose is not only known for its beauty, the rose is known for its fragrance. It sends forth its sweet fragrances, that fragrance goes along with its beauty and the The fragrance represents the influence that we have for good, exhibited by God's people. Influence for good.

00:18:38.420 - 00:19:09.300

We feel it at Christmas, this influence for good. People are so joyful, so warm, so friendly at Christmas time. And often we wonder in our hearts and in our minds, why can't Christmas last all the year? We want peace, we want justice, we want love, and someday we will have it.

00:19:09.300 - 00:19:35.840

Not because I say so, but because God says so. The desert shall blossom like a rose. So we celebrate the fact that the desert will blossom as a rose. And it will not just be a rose garden in the desert, not just a rose garden in the desert,

00:19:35.840 - 00:19:56.000

but the whole desert, all of the desert will blossom like a rose. Our children's choir would sing from time to time a song with these words, bloom where you planted. Bloom where you planted.

00:19:56.000 - 00:20:09.140

You can go anywhere from here, bloom. So it may be that at this time, at this time when we celebrate Christmas, approaching that great event,

00:20:09.140 - 00:20:33.140

it may be that your life may seem to be a desert. hot, arid, desolate, lonely, unproductive region in which you've been placed would bloom there, bloom where you are planted.

00:20:33.140 - 00:20:52.780

Because someday, somewhere, God's going to turn the desert into a complete place of roses. God's going to do that. So bloom where you're planted.

00:20:52.780 - 00:21:19.180

Not only are there going to be roses in the desert, but he says, you can witness the fact that the wilderness will be made glad. You can bloom abundantly, you can bloom year round,

00:21:19.180 - 00:21:35.080

and others may see the glory of God shining through your life. Bloom where you're planted. If God did not give me a rose garden,

00:21:37.100 - 00:22:01.140

I would just be as happy being a rose in his garden. But God has promised his people that the desert will bloom as a rose. So God is making, the prophet is telling us,

00:22:01.140 - 00:22:17.980

a new garden on earth. In God's garden, the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad. In God's garden, the desert shall rejoice

00:22:17.980 - 00:22:41.860

and blossom like a rose. God's garden shall blossom abundantly. God's people rejoice in God's garden. Oh, how good and how pleasant it is to walk with God in his God.

00:22:41.860 - 00:22:52.780

It shall come. Desert shall blossom, this rose. I recall in the '60s when I went to Israel for the first time, we flew into Tel Aviv.

00:22:52.780 - 00:23:06.340

And we stayed in a region that we would ordinarily pronounce as Sharon. and we think of the Rose of Sharon. They pronounced it Sharon as I recall.

00:23:06.340 - 00:23:23.700

And it was explained to us why it looked as it did. There was sand all around that's been over 20 years ago. And there was not any vegetation to speak of around there.

00:23:23.700 - 00:23:40.600

It was very bare and productive, just sand. And they explained how through the years, the land had been misused. I used the phrase earlier that the land had been raped.

00:23:40.600 - 00:23:54.960

Raped, misused, this good creation of God. And now they were trying to develop it again and they were planting trees. And visitors who came to the land were encouraged

00:23:54.960 - 00:24:12.680

to plant a tree while you were over there because that would contribute to the well-being and renew God's good creation. Well, that's man's efforts.

00:24:12.680 - 00:24:30.420

And we do the best we can in those efforts. But there is a rather eschatological view of history that the end is coming. there's some people who like to know what the end is going to be and I've had

00:24:30.420 - 00:24:57.080

some friends who say tell me what when they get ready to read a book they turn to the end first. See how it's gonna end up, then decide whether they're going to read it. Yes. And I had one friend in college who always ate his dessert first. We'd like to know how it's gonna turn out. We want to know how it's gonna end up. Well, God

00:24:57.080 - 00:25:27.940

tells us that there's gonna come a day when we can walk with him in the place that we think of now as a desert, and we can walk with him in the garden of God. Oh, I come, says the poet, to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God is coming to me.

00:25:27.940 - 00:26:05.220

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me that I am His own. and the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known. As we sing now the hymn of invitation, we extend the privilege for those who would walk with God To have that comfort, that refreshment, that renewal, that endurance in the midst of the

00:26:05.220 - 00:26:20.620

desert experiences of this life, we invite you to come. Door of the church is open. You may unite with the people of God here at Ebenezer by letter, by Christian experience, You may unite with the people of God here at Ebenezer by letter, by Christian experience,

00:26:20.620 - 00:26:48.800

the whole profession of faith. The candidate for baptism, you may come. ♪ The cover too is still on the roses ♪ ♪ And the voice that I hear falling on my ear ♪

00:26:48.800 - 00:27:10.380

♪ The sound of God disclosing ♪ ♪ Discloses ♪ And he walks ♪ With me

00:27:10.380 - 00:27:24.380

♪ And he talks ♪ With me ♪ And he tells me ♪ I am his own

00:27:25.380 - 00:28:31.380

And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. He speaks and the sound of his voice is so sweet that the birds hush their singing. And the melody that he gave to me within my heart is ringing. And he walks with me.

00:28:31.380 - 00:28:56.260

♪ And he talks with me ♪ ♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪ ♪ And the joy we share ♪ ♪ As we tarry there ♪

00:28:56.260 - 00:29:25.280

♪ One another as ever ♪ ♪ I'd stay in the garden with him ♪ ♪ Though the night around me be falling ♪ ♪ But he bids me go through the garden ♪

00:29:25.280 - 00:29:45.680

♪ That he bids me go ♪ ♪ Through the voice of Rome ♪ ♪ His voice to me ♪ ♪ Is calling ♪

00:29:45.680 - 00:29:58.520

♪ And he walks ♪ ♪ With me ♪ ♪ And he talks ♪ ♪ He talks with me ♪

00:29:58.520 - 00:30:24.180

♪ And he tells me I am his own ♪ ♪ And the joy we share ♪ ♪ As we carry them ♪ ♪ None other ♪

00:30:24.180 - 00:30:48.740

♪ hand ever ♪ ♪ Nor' ♪ [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]