The Branch of Jesse, the First Christmas Tree

Advent II, December 5, 2010, Joint Worship

Isaiah 11:1
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

Today let’s talk about the Christmas tree. As a Christmas decoration it has been used at least since the days of Martin Luther. In winter when most flowers and other vegetation is dormant, the fir or pine tree is green and beautiful. Luther thought of the Christmas tree as a symbol of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. The Christmas tree lights, or the candles that Martin Luther used, represent the angels who sang over the fields of Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. The star on the top of the tree represents the star seen by the Wisemen who were guided to Bethlehem to worship the Newborn King. Some of the ornaments have meanings, some are just pretty.

I started thinking about the Christmas tree in preparation of this sermon after reading the first verse of today’s Old Testament reading, Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Isaiah was a prophet of God. He foresaw the destruction of Israel and he also saw the restoration of God’s people. The destruction was because of the evil and the unbelief of Israel. This punishment would be carried out by Babylon. But Isaiah also knew the love of God. God would not forget his promises to Abraham and to David: the promise of land and the promise of descendents.

Our text reads “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” A “stump” is that part of a tree that is left in the ground after a tree is cut down. Because the roots remain, there is still life in that stump. And oftentimes, new shoots will sprout from the stump and a whole new tree will grow in the place of the one cut down. This is what Isaiah is talking about. This tree is “Jesse.” Jesse is the name of the father of King David. At the time of the Babylonian Exile, the kingdom of David was destroyed. It was cut down. But Isaiah foretells that a new king will arise in Israel who will be a descendent of King David.

This new King is Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew makes it very clear that Jesus was born of Mary the wife of Joseph who is a direct descendent of King David. The Christmas Angles tell the Shepherds that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the City of David. Jesus is the branch from the stump of Jesse. And in this sense, Jesus was a tree, the original Christmas Tree.

We usually connect Jesus with another tree, however: the tree of the cross. Jesus was hung on the cross, not with care like a precious ornament, but with savage brutality and hate. He was hung there with all the hate and sin of the world. There were not lights, but rather darkness. There was no shining star at the top, but a sign that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of Jews.” And so it was official that this tree was the branch from the stump of Jesse. The life of this tree was cut down. But on the third day, he rose again. Like a new sprout with new life, bearing fruit of peace, love, forgiveness, and eternal salvation.

And so this Christmas, I have more respect for the Christmas tree. It gives light in the midst of dark December. As the branch of Jesse it reminds us of the promise of God, and that Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. It reminds of the tree of the cross, and the new life of the resurrection. The star and the lights and various ornaments have various meanings and various memories. The tree is a sign of hope and so a source of peace and joy and love in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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