Valor Infinito, Marzo 29, 2026

Good morning church, so good to be here with you this morning. Some of you I hope you were able to rest during spring break and maybe some of you are even more tired because you've been taking care of your children. So for those of you who are here for the first time or if you're watching online, we want to say welcome. And Sunday like today, we celebrate what they call Palm Sunday or Branch Sunday, but what does that mean? It was in that moment in Matthew chapter 21 where Jesus is entering into the city, where the words of the prophet Zachariah were being fulfilled, where the king is entering riding on a donkey. And you might ask, what significance could that have? But it's that the king was coming to declare his victory over his enemies. And it was that same image that would happen when King David would go and fight against his enemies and return to the city and the people would celebrate his victory. But in that moment, sadly, the people of Israel did not understand how the prophecy was actually being fulfilled. They thought that they were finally going to rebel against the Romans and that they would come back to being seated on the throne. But Jesus came to conquer enemies far worse than the Romans. It was death and sin he came to conquer. And as they did not understand that, in the end they took him to the cross of Calvary. But they didn't understand that it was through that sacrifice that he would conquer and rise above the power of sin and death. And so when we think about Palm Sunday, and we think about how the king has conquered, and how that victory has great significance for each one of us, and it's interesting because in chapter 61 of Isaiah, that's our passage today, it's going to talk both about the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ. But something that is so important through this series on the book of Isaiah, is that it's important sometimes for us to look at the Bible kind of like we're in an airplane at 35,000 feet, that to understand a few of the sections that can seem a little bit complicated,

we need to see the whole panorama of the Bible from the beginning to the end. And we need to understand that the Bible isn't a bunch of individual books that are completely isolated, and that each story doesn't have anything to do with the other. But rather that every single story is a part of the bigger story that is the message of salvation through Christ. And so God will finish what he begins. That's the title of our message today. But before we begin, why don't we pray? Heavenly Father, thank you for this morning where we remember the triumphal entry of your son Jesus to sit on the throne of David and to conquer the enemies that we could not destroy. I ask you, Lord, that in the midst of any situation we find ourselves in, that upon seeing your word that we would be reminded that you, Lord, have not forgotten us. You have not abandoned us. I ask you, Lord, that you finish what you begin. In the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Remembering that the prophecy of Isaiah is that God would restore his people even after exile. Remember that the people had been submitted to slavery in Babylon, and God begins to teach them through the prophet Isaiah that he would return them, he would restore them, he had not forgotten them, and for the love of his name he would bring to fulfillment what he said he would. So he gives us an image of who is going to bring about this freedom. And at the beginning of Isaiah we see this image of a powerful king who is going to come and put everything in order. But after it gives us a very contrasting image from that conquering king, and he gives us the idea of a servant. And in fact, chapter 53 that I told you that we would be seeing on Good Friday, it says that it's a suffering servant and that there was no beauty in him.

And that in the end they would take the life of this suffering servant. On the one side, a conquering and powerful king. And on the other side, a suffering, humble servant. And when we arrive to chapter 60 and 61, it tells us that this servant and this king are the same person. He's the one who will free his people and that he'll do it through his sacrifice. And after chapter 53, we begin to see the implications of that freedom. The joy and the peace that comes through that. And now we have the final restoration of all things. And so in that idea, the people receive the prophecy of Isaiah. And the prophet knew what these people were longing for so badly. The first thing we'll see is the freedom and comfort they so longed for. They needed this. They were enslaved. They were completely sad. because they had seen their city fall into ruin. Al ver lo que el pecado había hecho en la vida del pueblo, ellos estaban de luto. Seeing what sin had done in the midst of their people had them completely destroyed, distraught. Y ese capítulo 61 es como que la forma en que se escribe se torna en primera persona. And so in this chapter 61, in the way that it's written, it becomes written in first person. Y es que lo que pasa que cuando los profetas de antaño escribían las profecías. And so what happens is the prophets who wrote these prophecies. A veces escribían cosas que ellos no sabían las implicaciones que iban a tener en el futuro.

Sometimes they would write things and they didn't even understand the implications it would have in the future. Siendo inspirados por el Espíritu Santo, estaban escribiendo algo que veremos que tenía un cumplimiento específico en la vida de Jesús. Being inspired by the Holy Spirit, they were writing something that had specific implications of what would be fulfilled in the life of Christ. Así que leamos del capítulo, del versículo uno, del capítulo 61 al 2a, o la primera sección del dos. And so let's read in Isaiah 61 verses one through 2a. El Espíritu del Señor Dios está sobre mí porque me ha ungido el Señor para traer buenas nuevas a los afligidos, me ha enviado para vendar a los quebrantados de corazón, para proclamar libertad a los cautivos y liberación a los prisioneros. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Para proclamar el año favorable del Señor. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Y esto narra un evento que en el capítulo cuatro del libro de Lucas. And this narrates an event that in chapter four of the book of Luke.

Es extremadamente chocante para los judíos de ese momento. It's extremely shocking to the Jews in that time. Porque esa idea de que el Señor me ha ungido. Because this idea that the Lord has anointed me. Es la idea de que me ha escogido, eso significa la palabra ungido, escogido. Is the idea that the Lord has chosen me. Y dice que Jesús va a la sinagoga en el día de reposo. And it says that Jesus went to the synagogue on the day of rest. Y dice que le dan uno de los pergaminos para que lean y da la casualidad que era el libro, el pergamino de Isaías. And it says that he took one of the scrolls and opened it to the book of Isaiah. Pero se va específicamente a buscar el capítulo sesenta y uno de Isaías. Pero he goes specifically to chapter sixty-one of Isaiah. Y el Señor Jesús lee ese versículo exactamente. And the Lord Jesus reads this passage specifically. Y cuando termina de leer esa sección adonde nosotros paramos específicamente. And when he finishes reading this section exactly where we stopped today. El le dice algo que deja sin palabras a los judíos. He says something that leaves the Jews speechless. Esta profecía se ha cumplido hoy. This prophecy has been fulfilled today. Y responden ellos y dicen, ¿no es este el hijo de José? And they respond to this by saying,

isn't this Joseph's son? ¿Cómo va a aclamar que la profecía del gran profeta se cumple en la persona en él mismo? How is he going to proclaim that the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in him? Es que Jesús estaba diciendo yo soy el Mesías que había sido profetizado que iba a ser enviado a salvar a su pueblo. And Jesus is proclaiming that he was the Messiah that had been sent to save his people. Y lo primero que iba a hacer era traer buenas nuevas a los afligidos. And the first thing he was going to do is to bring good news to the poor. Y esa idea de pobres o afligidos. And this idea of the poor or afflicted ones. No debemos confundirla que solo los que no tienen dinero son los que necesitan el mensaje de Cristo. We shouldn't confuse that with the idea that only the poor, those that don't have money, need Christ. Sino que esa idea de miseria espiritual, aquellos que se dan cuenta que no tienen nada sin Dios. But rather this idea that he came to those who are miserable and they know that they're far from God. Esa idea donde Jesús decía, yo no vine por los justos. He said, it's the idea Jesus said, I didn't come for the righteous. Sino por los pecadores.

But rather for sinners. Pero sabemos que no hay ningún justo. But we know that there is no one who's righteous. Lo que le está diciendo, si tu crees que está bien. What he's saying is, if you think you're okay. Si tu crees que eres justo. If you think you're righteous. I can't save you because you want to live under your own righteousness. I came for those who know that there's no righteousness in themselves. If you think that you've checked all the boxes, that you're okay, that there's nothing wrong with you, and Jesus didn't come for you, he came for those who have recognized their miserable spiritual condition. And we need to realize that this condition of spiritual loneliness and humility shouldn't change as we continue maturing in the faith. The more and more we know the Lord, the more and more we realize how miserable we are. And to those, God came to give good news, to bind up the brokenhearted. I don't know how you've felt recently, but we as people, we can be so fragile internally. We can make it seem like nothing can touch us, that nothing ever bothers us. But there are many things that simply break us, whether it's experiences from the past, or present relationships, or financial stress, or illness. They can break us on the inside. And our tendency is to look for some kind of break or escape from this brokenness. As if God says, don't seek that out any longer, that's why I came. Don't close yourself off, open up your heart, allow me to heal your brokenness. Pour out your pain before me. Pour out your worries before me. Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who were bound. You can imagine those who were imprisoned in Babylon, and their thought of, wow, we're going to have freedom.

And we see that reality in many countries around the world today. Today, many nations are under systems that enslave. And people are crying out for freedom. They're saying, I want freedom. And you can understand that. Because when you live in a place with freedom, you understand that it's right for someone to desire to leave from an oppressive situation. But what we learn from this story is that that leads people to often seek out human heroes. Because we're so focused on the present, current freedom. But Jesus came to free those who were captive to the power of death and sin and Satan. And that freedom can't be taken away from us. And then it says in the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. And it said the life of Jesus was full of many miracles when he came. And it had to be that way so that people would understand that he wasn't just some ordinary person. But even still some of his closest followers in some moments doubted him. You remember how John the Baptist was when he had been imprisoned? He sends his disciples to ask, and he says, you have to ask the rabbi this. He tells his followers, you have to go ask the rabbi, are you the one we've been waiting for because things aren't going real good for me right now here in prison. And the one who had claimed to be the voice in the desert crying out, behold, this is the lamb of God. Now he's in prison and he's asking, could it be him? And what does Jesus respond with? He says, go to John and tell him this, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk. But that's where he stopped. He didn't continue and say, I came to bring freedom to prisoners. I think John got the message.

I am the one that you were waiting for, but you're not going to leave prison. And so the fact that God had promised spiritual freedom, it doesn't mean that everything is always going to be rose-colored in our lives. Some of us are going to have to pass through suffering that in one way or another we would not have chosen to go through. But it's in the hands of God. And Jesus stops at this section of the word. Because the next section of this chapter is going to talk about this second coming of Christ. So we're like at the comma. So you have the first coming where he came to announce the good news and his sacrifice, comma, and that's where we are. And then continues the day of the Lord's vengeance at the end of time. And so read it with me. And the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn. To grant to those who mourn in Zion, to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified. And so here we could have a natural tendency. And think that this message is directed towards me as a part of the church, as a Gentile. But the reality is that God had made specific promises to the people of Israel, to the Jews, to the nation of Israel. And it's that the Israelites are doing exactly what Paul taught. The prophet Isaiah is doing exactly what the apostle Paul does in chapters nine through eleven of Romans. It's true that the suffering servant would bring salvation to all nations, but God hasn't forgotten the people of Israel. And he says, I'm going to return you from Babylon, but one day in the day of vengeance of our Lord at the end of times, I'm going to restore completely the nation of Israel and give them the land that I had promised.

And so he's giving that prophecy, how? Directly to Israel, directly to the Jews. And that's why he says, those who cry in Zion. Because there's going to be a time where the Israelites are mourning the loss of the kingdom they had. And he says that he will give them oil of gladness instead of mourning. Garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. And he said in those times, in those moments of mourning, that people would put ashes on their heads to show just how difficult the time they were going through really was. And it makes sense that seeing all of the destruction and the hardship that the people of Israel had gone through, that they would be in a time of mourning. But God would change that. When? When the second coming of Christ, at the end of time, there will be a time of extreme trial for the whole world. And it's called the time of the great tribulation. And that time has been determined so that the people of Israel in that time, when they're being persecuted by the Antichrist, they'll realize that Jesus was truly the Messiah. There will be a massive repentance among the people of Israel. And that's what Romans 11 says, that then the remnant and all of Israel will be saved. And that's why as a church we can't look down upon the nation of Israel, because although today their hearts have been hardened against the Messiah, there will come a day when God will come back to deal with His people. And through that time of tribulation, they will repent before the Lord. And in that moment, this will come to fulfillment. And so for some it will change from lamenting to dancing, but for others it will be the day of vengeance. For some, God will come and be the judge of them and bring vengeance to all those who did not repent, but to others we'll see that God will be their justice. Those that threw themselves down before the hands of the Lord and said, there is no righteousness

in me. They'll receive that restoration. Look at what verses four through seven say, the promised restoration. They shall build up the ancient ruins. They shall raise up the former devastations. They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks. Foreigners shall be your plowmen and vine dressers, but you shall be called the priests of the Lord. They shall speak of you as the ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame, there shall be a double portion. Instead of dishonor, they shall rejoice in their lot. Therefore, in their land, they shall possess a double portion. They shall have everlasting joy. What had been promised to the people of Israel? A land for their descendants, descendants and land, and a king that would rule over them. They didn't end up having all of that land because of their disobedience. But God in the millennium is going to fulfill that promise of giving them all of that land. And it's that when Christ comes in his second coming, and the new Jerusalem is established, from Jerusalem Christ will govern all nations, and he will restore righteousness and justice. And he's going to give the promise that God had given to Israel at the time of Abraham. And in that time, even the Gentile nations will help build up the nation of Israel. So then all of those times of tribulation leading into the millennium, you can read about them in the last several chapters of Isaiah. You can read about them in your house. It's going to be a time of prosperity. It's going to be a time where people die after a hundred years, where the lion and the lamb will lie down together in peace.

It will be a beautiful time during the millennium. And at the end of that millennium, those who are born, there will be a revelation, a revolt at the end of that time, where Satan will gather up all the nations, and this is what we call Armageddon. And in that time, justice will be completed completely, and some will be thrown into the lake of fire, and others will be taken into glory. And how is this restoration going to occur? It's the justification that comes from his covenant. This justification comes from God's covenant with the nation of Israel. And it's worth mentioning that the Israelites, the Jews, and the Gentiles are going to be saved in the exact same way. And they've always been saved in the same way, by faith, by grace, in the sacrifice of Jesus. Those who believe that in the Old Testament the saints were saved by the law. They need to read Romans chapter four. Where we see that even Abraham was justified by faith. And so let's read these last few verses. For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrong, I will faithfully give them their recompense and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations and their descendants in the midst of the peoples, all who see them shall acknowledge them that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. It says that the Lord loves justice but that he hates robbery and wrong, he hates injustice. And when he's governing during the millennial reign, in Isaiah 43, oh I'm sorry, in Ezekiel

43 it presents us with the sacrificial system that will be offered. And that theme can be difficult for some. Because how is God going to restore the sacrifices during the millennial reign if they were designed to point towards Christ? But one of the ways of seeing it is to look at how the people of Israel never saw Christ as the Messiah, as the Lamb. They're going to do these sacrifices during the millennial kingdom as a way of looking back towards the sacrifice of Christ similar to how we take the Lord's Supper. And it says in that time that all the nations will recognize that Israel had been the chosen nation of God. What does that mean for us today? That God completes what he starts. And so even though that promise is a specific one that he would fulfill to the Jews, we are also on a pilgrimage through a desert in our Christian walk. And some of us need to be reminded that the promises of God are trustworthy. Some of us should look at the heroes of the faith in Hebrews chapter 11. That foreseeing the future fulfillment of God's promise was a way, a motivation to them to guard themselves from sin. It says that when Moses saw the city that wasn't made by the hands of men, he saw it That it didn't matter to him anymore to abstain from the pleasures of the king. Some of us today are entrapped in the pleasures, the temporary pleasures of sin. Look towards the future. Look at the divine promises that God is one day going to restore everything. And look at the reality that today could be the day where you find yourself before the great judge. And how do you want to be found on that day? Look at the past, at that suffering servant who gave his life so that we could be saved and taken out of our sin. But many of us still are going through the afflictions that come throughout life. And how does that promise that God fulfills his promises, how does that reality impact

how we live our Christian life? It reminds me of a story that somebody used to share. They bring this news to this young man that his multimillionaire uncle had died. And so we need for you, since your uncle died, we need to see you on this date so that you can come and receive the inheritance that he left you. And so in those days as he was waiting on his inheritance and preparing to go, it got really cold and the pipes under his house froze and they burst and his whole house was flooded. And not only that, then he got the flu and he was bedridden for several days as he waited on that inheritance. But then that day came and he gets in his car and he's driving to receive his inheritance and then his car broke down. But if this man really understands the inheritance he'll receive, that it's only a matter of time until those $10 million are going to be transferred into his account. You think that all of those little trivial things are going to bother him as he goes to receive that inheritance? And how many of us forget that we have an inheritance so much greater than millions of dollars? And so we're allowing those temporary situations that, yes, sometimes they're difficult, but we're letting them take away our hope and our joy. They're taking away our hope that one day we'll be with Christ in eternity. Let's pray. Thank you, Holy Father, for this morning. Thank you for comforting our hearts with your promises. Forgive us for not keeping in view the future glory that you have prepared. When the things of this life hit us, help us to lift up our eyes. Help us to support one another so that we can have our eyes set on your promises, which we know we can trust. In the name of your Son, Jesus, we pray, amen.