But then there are other times when we turn things around – turn them upside down – on purpose. It’s not hard to see that the prophet Isaiah is calling for Jerusalem to repent and let God be God with the words that are set before us in the Old Testament text appointed for this 12th Sunday after Trinity by the church ancient. However, it might even be more advantageous to back up a couple of verses and read fifteen and sixteen – the verses that immediately precede the Old Testament text for today. Isaiah says, “Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord who do their work in darkness and think ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’ You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He did not make me’? Can the pot say of the potter, ‘He knows nothing’?”

Isaiah tells the people of Jerusalem that they turn things upside down. They act like God works for them. They act like they are more important than God. They act like their big ideas, their works and their words, and their authority goes beyond the one who made them out of nothing in the first place. They, the pot, think they know more than God, the potter.

They not only turn things upside down on God, they turned things upside down on the people. Those who had the forest of Lebanon (that is, who have much wealth and stature) would have their great and mighty trees turned into a field (that is, put to desolation), said Isaiah. The deaf, the blind, the humble will rejoice in the Lord – and those who find their heart in all things earthly – who feel they are better than others – who believe they are entitled to more – will be cut down, said Isaiah.

Our lot in life will not exceed that which God has given us. We might think that we are entitled to certain things, but we aren’t. We might think that we deserve a little better because, we have more education. Our parents had more money. Or, some of us still think, because of the color of my skin. Maybe it’s something else. The people that Isaiah was referring to believed they had more rights. They believed they had more of God’s blessings and honor because they were not the weak, the blind, or the poor. God sets them right by showing them that they do not have more than what God gives. And God gives these blessings to all His people.

Entitlement – what we expect – what we think we deserve. This maybe more than anything else, gets in the way of seeing God’s blessings. When those blessings aren’t as big as we expected – when those blessings don’t come as often as we think they should – when those blessings SEEM to be absent all together, we blame God. We say things like, “I deserve more” or “I deserve better.” And the question becomes, “better than whom?” and “more than what?” What are you not getting that you think you should be getting? What is it that is so important that God is not dealing out? Isaiah shows how the lowly are exulted and the weak are lifted up. Why, then, are we not striving to be weak and lowly?

Because we deserve more, so we think. Beloved in the Lord, there is not a person in this sanctuary this day who has faith in our Savior Jesus for the forgiveness of sins that doesn’t have the “more” that God gives. As a matter of fact, Isaiah would have us know that not only is God in charge – the potter to the clay – but that God will push aside all those “things” in life that will have no lasting affect. Our eternal status does not depend on our physical well being. Our eternal status does not depend on our emotional strength. Our status before God in eternity does not depend on how much we have. As a matter of fact, God says that “stuff” sometimes gets in the way of seeing the true gifts of life clearly.

“In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.” God shows the people of Jerusalem that not only is He the potter and they the clay – He also shows how the ones who don’t seem to be entitled, are given everything. God will be God, even when we don’t want Him to be. And, God will give all blessings equally to all His people. God did not come to save some. The Father sent His only begotten Son to die for the world.

The Olympic Games started Friday in Beijing, China. Some have called for a boycott because of how the government has treated Tibet. Some want America and other free nations to stay away because China is a Socialist/Communist country that mistreats its people. But in it all, the true spirit of the games will emerge. We will hear stories of perseverance and tragedy. We will see how some have endured the hardships of growing up in difficult conditions. We will hear the stories of men and women, boys and girls who have overcome the odds, cheated death, or conquered adversity to compete at the highest level. We will see people from every corner of the globe come together on one stage. If there is every a picture of diversity – it’s the Olympics. The rich and the poor come together. The privileged and the disadvantaged will share the same spotlight.

There truly is “a spirit” of the games that causes us to reach down within us and realize that this world is much bigger than Kansas City. There’s “a spirit” to the words given to us in the Old Testament text for today from Isaiah the prophet. God’s kingdom – those who He counts His very own – those He loves, is much bigger than the narrow worldview that those who thought they were “entitled” in the text believed to be true. If you get a chance to watch the Olympic Games on television, take the time to think about all those people. Think about those who are competing and those who are in the stands. Think about those who are working behind the scenes to broadcast the games around the world and think about the vendors who are selling goods on the street. Think about this “big” little world we live in. Think about all the people, where they must come from, and what they are doing. Then, think about their life and their faith. Do they love the Lord, their creator and redeemer? Do they believe that Jesus has given them life through His death on the cross? Do they have faith? Do they love? And are they loved?

The answer to that last question is absolutely yes. They are loved and Jesus the Lord died for each person from each corner of the globe. And for that very reason, His message must go forth. The message of life that is given to us needs to reach the ears of every single person on this earth. There is no life apart from Christ. And this free gift is given to all who believe.

Just like Isaiah says, “we turn things upside down.” We like to play God – determine who should have the privilege of His blessings and who shouldn’t. We like to play God of our lives too – but we are not the potter. God is the potter and thank God that God remains God.

Only God could love so much to send His only begotten Son. Only God could love so much as to take on each of our sins – the sins of the world – and die with them. Only God – the potter of our lives – can form us unto the righteousness that we don’t deserve. Only God can be God – and though we don’t always think He does a very good job of it – He always knows better than us. He knows what we need. We need more than all of this. We need what God has already abundantly given – the forgiveness of sins through the shedding of His blood – the waters of Holy Baptism – the richness of grace through the Sacrament of the Altar.

As we get older – and wiser (I hope), thank God our life does not depend on how much we remember. What it depends on is getting it right – right side up. And God has taken care of that for us. He keeps us by grace through faith in His eternal hands forever. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.