Jesus the servant of the Lord

Now, can you turn with me in your Bibles again, this time to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 41.

Isaiah 41 · chapter mention

It's on page 726 if you're using a church Bible.

We're going to read Isaiah 41 from verse 21 into chapter 42.

We're going to focus our attention on the first nine verses of chapter 42,

but we'll read from verse 41 for a bit of context as we think about Jesus, the servant of the Lord.

So Isaiah 41 at verse 21.

Present your case, says the Lord.

Set forth your arguments, says Jacob's king.

Bring in your idols to tell us what's going to happen.

Tell us what the former things were so that we may consider them and know their final outcome.

Or declare to us the things to come.

Tell us what the future holds so that we may know you are God's.

Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.

But you are less than nothing, and your works are utterly worthless.

He who chooses you is detestable.

I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes, one from the rising sun who calls on my name.

He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay.

Who told of this from the beginning so that we could know, or beforehand so that we could say he was right?

No one told of this.

No one foretold it.

No one heard any words from you.

I was the first to tell Zion.

Look, here they are.

I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good tidings.

I look, but there is no one.

No one among them to give counsel.

No one to give answer when I ask them.

See, they are all false.

Their deeds amount to nothing.

Their images are but wind and confusion.

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.

I will put my spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break.

In a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.

He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.

In his law the islands will put their hope.

This is what God the Lord says.

He who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spreads out the earth and all that comes out of it,

who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it.

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness.

I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people

and a light for the Gentiles,

to open eyes that are blind,

to free captives from prison,

and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

I am the Lord.

That is my name.

I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

See, the former things have taken place and new things I declare.

Before they spring into being,

I announce them to you.

Amen.

So sometimes people speak about the current generation

as the choice generation.

You may have heard of the acronym FOMO,

the fear of missing out.

I came across another one this week,

FOMO, the fear of better options.

And I wonder if some of us can identify with that.

When there's an endless choice in life for almost anything,

from toothbrushes to job opportunities,

from holidays to what to watch on the television,

the result can be choice paralysis.

If I make this choice,

if I go through this door,

that's going to close off these options.

And what if these are the better options?

What if there's something better out there for me?

And people can be paralyzed by too much choice.

And one of the reasons why it's so unhelpful for us

is because we can be so tied up

in thinking about these choices

that ultimately don't matter that much

that we can forget the one choice that really does.

And that brings us to God's message to Israel,

to the nations,

and to ourselves today in the book of Isaiah.

And it's all about worship.

It's all about what we choose to make most valuable,

most significant,

where we look to for meaning.

When it comes to worship,

God says,

choose me and choose my servant.

Don't choose an idol.

This section's actually part of a bigger section

that presents the choice before us.

Isaiah 41 to 46.

It repeatedly goes back to this idea

that the idols that people follow are hollow.

They fail to deliver on their promises.

They lack power to save.

They cannot know or control the future.

The idols in Isaiah's day

were statues made of wood or gold or silver.

But an idol can be anything that we worship

because we hope that it will protect us,

that in some way it will save us,

that it will grant us success,

it will give value to life.

So for us today,

we might not have statues,

but we might be pinning all our hopes

on a career perhaps,

or a relationship,

or a series of relationships.

We could place all our hopes

in political institutions

or financial security.

Here's our choice today.

God gives us a courtroom picture.

Present your case.

That's how our reading went.

On the one hand,

there are the idols.

You can choose to follow those idols,

or God says,

here is my servant.

Here is the servant of the Lord,

the one who the New Testament reveals to us

as Jesus.

Here is this figure

who will take the stage of history

to serve as a worldwide redeemer,

who is the answer to the darkness,

who provides light and truth.

So we're going to think about Jesus,

the servant of the Lord,

this morning,

thinking about why,

if we're Christians,

we are to keep on following

the servant of the Lord.

And if we're not Christians,

here's why we should consider,

why we should follow Jesus.

The first reason is connected

to his identity.

Even as we read verse 1,

it becomes very clear

that this servant is God's man

who will be on God's mission.

So Isaiah 42 verse 1,

Isaiah 42:1

here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight.

I will put my spirit on him

and he will bring justice to the nations.

God's servant who is upheld,

given power for his task.

But he's not just a servant,

he's also the chosen one.

He is one who is loved,

that God delights in him.

And we see that he acts for God.

God's spirit is on him

and he brings justice.

He brings the rule of God

to the nations.

An idea repeated in verse 1

and then again in verse 4.

And then in verses 5 and 6,

the same kind of idea

comes up again.

Here is God the Lord,

here is the creator of the world,

here is the sustainer of the world speaking.

And in verse 6,

we see God's purpose for his servant.

We see all the purpose language.

I have called you in righteousness.

I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you

and will make you to be a covenant

for the people.

What's the identity of this servant?

He is one who is loved of God

and who is sent by God

on a mission to establish

the kingdom of God,

to bring people into relationship

with God,

to be the hope of the nations.

And it's as if God is saying,

you need to decide

which you're going to choose.

Are you going to choose

the genuine article,

this servant,

or will you choose

what is fake?

Just as,

I guess nowadays,

if we shop on the internet,

we need to be careful

on Amazon

that we get the real deal

and not a counterfeit,

or we go to a market,

need to check what you're getting.

God is saying to us,

the idols cannot supply

what we need.

What we look to from them,

they will not be able

in the end to deliver,

though they might claim to.

Think for a minute

about the world of advertising.

Advertising exists

to persuade you

that life will be complete

when you have that thing

that they're trying to sell us.

The reality is that

staff and people,

they provide temporary happiness,

but God invites us

to think bigger

and to look bigger.

That the Christian message

provides solid joy

and lasting treasure

because it invites us

to know God himself.

Because we were created

in the image of God

to know and enjoy him.

We're created with

never-dying souls.

And so the idols

are not big enough

to satisfy.

But God is going to send

his servant,

he says,

in Isaiah's day.

And even the identity

of the servant

sparks hope.

And especially as we read

in light of Jesus coming,

do you remember

what's said of Jesus'

public arrival?

Jesus, God's king,

who's also God's servant,

very different arrival.

Then the arrival

of the royal wedding yesterday

with the fancy carriage

and all the pomp and ceremony.

Jesus came,

was placed in a manger.

And then when he began

his public ministry,

he came to John the Baptist

to be baptized

in the Jordan River.

And what happened?

The Spirit of God

came on him,

came on the servant.

The voice from heaven

spoke,

this is my son

whom I love.

Listen to him.

And what was the message

of Jesus

as he began moving around

preaching and teaching?

It was repent and believe

for the kingdom of God

is near.

Here is the servant

with the spirit on him

who's loved by God,

who's bringing in

the kingdom

through his life.

So Jesus

is no ordinary man.

He is God's man.

Indeed,

he is the God man

on God's

rescue mission.

So we follow Jesus,

we are called

to follow Jesus

because of who he is.

Because he is

God the Son

on God's mission.

Another reason

is presented to us

for following Jesus

in verses 2 and 3

and it's tied into

the character

of the servant.

So we've just been told

that this servant

will come

and he will establish

justice

in the nations

and that's

a powerful

role and responsibility

but then we're told

in verses 2 and 3

how he goes about

his work

and it's both

surprising

and also

attractive.

We've got this

combination

of

power

with

gentleness.

So he's come

to establish

to bring justice

to the nations

but look at verse 2.

He will not shout

or cry out

or raise his voice

in the streets.

He's not brash.

He's not harsh.

He doesn't seek

to dominate

or rule

by force.

Verse 3.

A bruised reed

he will not break.

He's gentle

with what seems

weak

what might be

considered

in other hands

worthless.

A smouldering

wick

he will not

snuff out

protecting

even that

which seems

so fragile

as to be

close

to

extinction.

Jesus

the servant

of the Lord

is powerful

but he's also

gentle.

this is the

kind of person

that we want

in our lives

that when we

find ourselves

with trouble

or with

questions

or in crisis

someone who we

can go to

who is able

to understand

and help

but more than

that

someone who

wants to

help

somebody who

wants to

draw near

to show us

love

and to show

us mercy

mercy.

And I think

we all know

this is not

a common

combination

to find the

people in the

places of power

who are

still gentle

with those

under them.

And so often

it's those who

are gentle

who lack

the power

to help

when they

would love

to help.

But here

is the servant

who is both

powerful

and gentle.

To give us

a picture

think of a

lion

a female

lion

out on

the hunt.

As that

lion

pounces

on her

prey

you have

those

huge

powerful

jaws

capable

of

tearing

an

animal

apart.

There is

power

in the

animal

and in

those

jaws

but those

same

jaws

will also

carry

her cubs

very tenderly

to safety.

Only

Jesus

demonstrates

ultimate

strength

and applies

that same

strength

in tender

gentle

ways.

When we

see Jesus

in the

gospels

we find

one who

has the

power to

drive away

demons.

We find

him

overturning

the tables

of money

changers

who are

oppressing

those who

would want

to worship

God.

We see

one who

is powerful

enough to

call the

dead

to life.

to offer

forgiveness

to those

who have

sinned.

But then

as we

read in

Matthew

Matthew 12 · chapter mention

chapter

12

we saw

that this

description

in verses

2 and 3

was also

applied to

Jesus and

we see

that in

his life

too.

We see

Jesus

very gentle

with those

in pain.

We see

Jesus

loving to

those who

have been

rejected.

We see

Jesus tender

to those

who found

themselves

in their

lowest places

in very

dark

spaces

because

Jesus

is

the

perfect

saviour.

He is

the saviour

we all

need.

One who

is stronger

than all

the forces

of darkness

that line up

against us

and that

lined up

against him.

Paul says

in Colossians

that Jesus

triumphed over

all the

forces of

darkness.

Satan,

sin,

death,

conquering

them

at the

cross.

Jesus

is the

one who

has dealt

with the

sin that

separates us

from God.

He has

taken the

judgment

that we

deserve

that separates

us and

would lead

us into

eternal

separation

from God.

Jesus

is the

one who

deals

gently

with his

people.

He knows

us,

he knows

our weakness

and still

he loves

us and

still he

cares for

us.

So you

and I

we can

trust him

and we

should

trust him.

Another

reason to

follow Jesus

is because

of the

mission

that he

has been

sent on.

Already

in this

section

the contrast

between the

idols and

the servant

is becoming

apparent

but God

goes still

further to

show Israel,

to show the

nations,

to show us

why we should

choose Jesus

and not

anyone else

to live

for.

In verses

6 and

7,

the Lord

capital letters,

the personal

God,

the promise

making God

goes further

to help us

choose wisely.

If we go

towards the

bottom half

of verse

6,

we see

this,

I will

keep you

and will

make you

to be a

covenant

for the

people

and a

light for

the Gentiles,

to open

eyes that

are blind,

to free

captives from

prison and

to release

from the

dungeon

those who

sit in

darkness.

What are

the mission

objectives of

the servant

of the Lord,

the one who

will be

sent?

He's sent

to bring

relationship,

a relationship

restored between

God and

people.

He comes

for restoration

from darkness

and misery

to light

and life.

Notice the

language in

verse 6,

I will

make you

to be

a covenant.

This

servant,

this Jesus

is God's

means through

whom people

will come

into a

covenant

relationship

with the

Lord God

himself.

There is

no other

way to

know God

except through

Jesus and

trusting what

he has done

for us.

In Isaiah's

day,

there were

many people,

although they

were God's

covenant

people,

they were

living without

reference to

God.

in trouble,

they didn't

pray to

God.

In trouble,

they were

looking to

foreign

alliances to

deliver them.

They were

faithless,

but here is

hope for them

despite that

lack of faith

because God

is faithful.

God keeps

his covenant

promises and

this servant

who will come

stands as

proof of

that.

Can I trust

that God

will love me,

that God

will save me?

Yes,

because he

sent Jesus

his servant

as he

promised.

And he

does it

as a

free

decision.

God

freely

decides out

of love

to take

and keep

a people

for himself.

Not based

on a

person's

goodness

or a

religious

performance,

but based

wholly on

God's

grace.

The servant

is the

basis for

a covenant

being established.

And we see

how this

works out.

In the

life of

Jesus.

Next week

here in

church as

the people

of God

we will

share

the Lord's

Supper.

Taking us

back to

the last

supper that

Jesus shared

with his

disciples before

the cross

where he

took the

bread and

the wine

as symbols

of his

body

broken

and his

blood

shed

for sin

and for

sinners.

A reminder

that at

the cross

Jesus dies

for our

sin.

Jesus dies

for us

choosing to

live without

reference

to him.

He dies

for that

sin of

choosing

false

saviors

for

ourselves.

He dies

for our

false

worship

where we

choose to

live for

other things

rather than

the glory

of God.

God.

And the

result of

that death

in our

place and

for our

sins is

that by

faith we

can be

reconciled

to the

living God.

That barrier

of sin

is broken.

That we

can be

welcomed

into the

family of

God.

We can

be adopted

as sons

and daughters

of the

king with

all the

promises

that comes

with that.

Here we

are reminded

that God

in the

Bible

offers us

the kind

of relationship

that we

all long

for and

perhaps spend

all of our

lives looking

for.

Here is

one who

will love

us.

Here is

one who

knows our

weaknesses,

knows everything

about us,

yet still

moves towards

us rather

than running

from us.

Here is

one who

promises

always to

be there

for us

in life

and in

death.

Here is

the kind

of love

that moves

us and

causes us

to be

better people

as he

puts his

spirit in

us.

So he

offers us a

covenant

relationship.

And who

is this

covenant

for?

Well in

verse 6

we're told

it's a

covenant

for the

people.

In

verse 1

there's a

reminder that

the servant

comes for

the nations.

In

verse 4

this servant

is the

one that

the islands

will put

their hope

in.

The islands

is a

picture of

the remote

places.

In other

words this

covenant,

this promise

of relationship

is for

anyone,

is for

everyone

who will

turn from

sin and

trust in

Jesus as

Savior.

So there's

this wonderful

picture of the

servant coming to

bring relationship

but also

coming to

bring restoration.

To pick up on

the language of

verses 6 and

7 that in

place of

darkness he

will bring

light.

In place of

blindness he

will bring

sight.

In place of

captivity and

misery the

servant of the

Lord will

bring freedom.

This powerful

Savior, this

gentle Savior

offers to

us hope and

healing beyond

our failures.

You know

yourself, I

know myself, you

know the stuff

that lurks in

our past that

causes us grief

and sorrow and

keeps us awake

at night.

There is hope

beyond that.

There is hope

beyond our bad

choices.

Those bad

choices do not

need to define

us.

we can be

defined by our

being in

Christ and

having hope

in him.

There is hope

beyond guilt and

shame through

this servant.

This was the

manifesto of

Jesus to come

and to restore

lives that were

broken and

hurting.

When Jesus as a

visiting preacher

came back to his

hometown in

Nazareth, he was

invited to pick up a

scroll and to read

and to teach.

In Luke 4, we are

told that he read

from Isaiah.

He read from Isaiah

61.

Let me read the

verses there.

The spirit of the

sovereign Lord is

on me because the

Lord has anointed me

to preach good

news to the poor.

He has sent me to

bind up the

brokenhearted, to

proclaim freedom

for the captives,

and release from

darkness for the

prisoners, to

proclaim the year

of the Lord's

favor.

Jesus said,

this is speaking

about me.

This is what I've

come to do.

I've come to

restore.

And his public

ministry, if you

read the Gospels,

read the Gospels,

and it's evidence

of that kind of

ministry.

And his death on

the cross serves as

the ultimate

demonstration of that

reality where Jesus

himself is broken

and he is crushed

so that we can be

made new.

His death is the

price of our

redemption and new

life.

last reason why we

should follow Jesus

or keep following

Jesus is connected

to his glory.

It takes us to

verses 8 and 9.

Why does God send

the servant of the

Lord?

Why does he send the

one that he loves?

Why does he send

this one who will

establish God's reign

of justice?

Why does he send

this one who gently

deals with people,

who establishes this

covenant of life and

peace and brings

restoration and healing?

And we discover

ultimately it's for

his glory.

I am the Lord.

That is my name.

I will not give my

glory to another or my

praise to idols.

The servant's coming is

connected to God having

the glory that is due

his name.

God's goal is that he

receive the praise that

he deserves as our

creator and as our

redeemer.

And that's why in this

section 41 to 46 so

often he's contrasting

his glory versus the

worthlessness of idols.

So in verse 9, another

example, God knows and

controls the future

unlike the idols.

Jesus will come as

promised just as other

deliverers had come as

promised.

Here is God calling the

people to recognize that

we can pin our hopes on

many things but

ultimately Jesus is our

only hope in life and

in death.

And what we discover in the

New Testament is that

Jesus comes to reveal, to

display the glory of God

to us.

We start looking midweek in

the book of Colossians and

we read that he is, Jesus is,

the image of the invisible

God.

That the fullness of God is

found in him.

So when it comes to the

servant, there is no

rivalry here because this

servant is the son of God.

So he deserves all praise

and glory.

When Jesus was contemplating

the cross, he prayed,

Father, glorify your name.

Bring glory to yourself

through the cross.

And the answer comes from

heaven.

I have glorified it and I

will glorify it again.

The cross is the revelation

of the glory of God that he

can satisfy justice against

sin and be loving and extend

grace to sinners like us.

The center of Christianity is

the loving kindness of God and

eternally planning to send his

son Jesus to rescue us from sin.

Not so that we would get praise,

but so that he would get praise

and glory.

We are called to follow Jesus

because when we look at him,

when we look into his face,

we see, as Paul says, the glory of

God in the face of Jesus.

And we also see the glory of God

in his nail-pierced hands as he

goes to the cross in love to

rescue us, to redeem us, to

restore us to relationship.

So here is God saying to us,

here is why you are to keep

following Jesus.

If you're not a Christian, to

begin following Jesus.

Jesus.

Thank you.