The Spirit Filled Servant

and 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 and a smoldering 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 spread 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 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,

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.

Well, let's pray together as we hear God's word.

Let's pray.

Father, we thank you for your word,

for this prophecy written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ,

but yet true.

We thank you for this grand and great announcement.

And we thank you that it has become a reality for us today.

We pray that your word would refresh us and change us,

and that you would help us to see life and this world from your perspective,

and that it would shape how we live.

So we ask for your help, the power of your spirit,

to be at work amongst us,

so that the words that we hear are your words,

and changing us to be more like you.

And we ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, the story is told, some of you may have heard it,

of a radio show host

who at Christmas time rang around various ambassadors

asking what they would most like for Christmas.

The first one that he called was the French ambassador.

And his answer to what would you most like for Christmas said this,

I would like peace and goodwill to all men.

The next to ring was the Chinese ambassador.

He thought for a moment and then he said,

I'd like to end hunger and disease throughout the world.

Then he called the British ambassador.

What would you like for Christmas?

There was a pause.

I'd be very happy with some aftershave and a pair of new slippers.

Well, I think if we could have anything that we wanted,

we'd all want something a little bit more than aftershave or slippers

or socks that perhaps some of us got at our Christmas gifts.

And like the ambassadors that also replied,

we do want a better world than what we have.

We want a world where everything is put right.

We want to be able to turn on the news

and hear that there is no bad news.

We want to be able to walk out onto our streets

without fear or any worry.

We want to be able to wake up in the morning

and know that everything is going to be okay.

All our concerns are all taken care of.

Well, I want to give you the gift of someone this morning

who can do just that.

He brings justice to our disordered world

and he gives grace to our broken lives.

He is the Spirit-filled servant.

First, this servant has been promised.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 42.

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight.

So this is not just any servant.

He stands above everyone else.

This is God's chosen one.

One in whom, verse 1, I delight.

The servant is chosen because he brings to God great joy.

He pleases God.

In other words, everything that this servant does

and how this servant lives brings God great pleasure.

God is thrilled.

God is delighted to see this servant at work.

He is his prized servant.

But not only is this servant chosen,

this servant comes with great power.

Look at the rest of verse 1.

He says,

I will put my spirit on him

and he will bring justice to the nations.

To be filled with the Spirit

or to have the Spirit of God come upon him

is to be filled with the power of God.

The power of God to achieve the purposes of God

and accomplish the plan of God.

So this is no ordinary servant.

He is chosen by God for a special purpose.

But who is this promised servant?

Well, this promise has actually been fulfilled.

In one sense, we are told that the servant is already here.

So look how it even starts in verse 1.

He says,

Here, this is God speaking,

Here is my servant.

So the servant could be the people of God,

the nation of Israel.

But the problem is,

as we begin to read through the rest of Isaiah

and as we read through the story of the Bible,

we realize that God's people

are not all that they should be.

God does not always delight in them.

So just have a look at chapter 42, verse 24.

Because we see what happens to them.

In verse 24 we read,

Who handed Jacob,

that's a word to describe,

a name to describe the people of God.

Who handed Jacob over to become loot

and Israel to the plunderers?

Was it not the Lord

against whom we have sinned?

For they would not follow his ways.

They did not obey his law.

So this is hardly a servant

that God delights in

or takes great pleasure in.

His people displeased him.

They failed to serve God as they should.

So the servant is here,

but it's not quite what we think.

So in another sense,

the servant is here,

but the servant is yet to come.

So it says in verse 1 of chapter 42,

I will put my spirit on him.

So it's something future.

So who is this spirit?

Who is this spirit-filled person?

Well, in time,

as we begin to read through the scriptures,

we see the plan

and the purpose of God

beginning to unfold.

Keep your finger in Isaiah 42

and jump to Luke.

Luke's Gospel, chapter 2.

And as we approach

and as we come into the New Testament,

we begin to see the Spirit of God

coming as he promised,

filling people,

filling his servants

and doing an extraordinary work.

Luke.

So in chapter 1 of Luke's Gospel,

verse 41,

we've had the announcement

from the angel to Mary

that Mary is going to give birth

to a son

and she's going to call him Jesus.

And at the same time

as her giving birth,

her cousin,

Elizabeth,

is also

going to give birth.

So Luke, chapter 1

Luke 1 · chapter mention

and verse 41.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,

the baby leaped in her womb

and Mary was filled

with the Holy Spirit.

So the Spirit is there working

and in a loud voice she exclaimed,

Blessed are you among women, Mary,

and blessed is the child

you will bear.

So Elizabeth is pointing

to the child

that Mary is going to have.

But not just Elizabeth.

Look at verse 67.

So her husband, Zachariah,

he is also filled,

verse 67,

with the Holy Spirit.

And he prophesied,

the Spirit comes upon him

and he says,

Praise be to the Lord,

the God of Israel,

because he has come

and has redeemed his people.

He has raised up a horn

of salvation.

That is the strength of God

is going to come

and save us.

So the Spirit of God

coming on his servants

to declare something

about who Jesus is

and what he's going to do.

Then in chapter 2,

verse 25,

we have Simeon

who's in the temple

and he was waiting

for Jesus to arrive.

So read verse 25.

Now there was a man

in Jerusalem called Simeon

who was righteous

and devout.

He was waiting

for the consolation

of Israel.

That is for everything

to be put right again.

And the Holy Spirit

came upon him.

Verse 27,

Moved by the Spirit,

he went into the temple courts

and when the parents

brought in the child Jesus

to do for him

what the custom

of the law required,

Simeon took him in his arms

and praised God,

saying,

Sovereign Lord,

as you have promised,

you now dismiss

your servant in peace.

For my eyes

have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared

in the sight of all people,

a light for revelation

to the Gentiles

and for the glory

to your people Israel.

So can we see

the Spirit of God

coming down

on his servants,

on different people,

pointing and proclaiming

and saying,

Look at this Jesus.

And then we read

in Luke chapter 3

Luke 3 · chapter mention

and verse 21.

This Jesus who was born,

is now 33 years of age.

Chapter 3, verse 21.

When all the people

were being baptized,

Jesus was baptized too.

And as he was praying,

heaven was opened

and the Holy Spirit

descended on him

in bodily form

like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven,

an audible voice.

You are my Son,

whom I love.

With you

I am well pleased.

So here,

at last,

is the Spirit-filled

servant,

the Spirit of God

coming down

on the Son,

on Jesus,

the one in whom

God takes

great delight

and pleasure.

You are the one

I love.

With you

I am well pleased.

the power of God

coming down

on the Son of God

to achieve

the purposes

of God.

So what is this

Spirit-filled servant

sent to do?

He was promised

and he has come.

Well, let's see

what he is going to do.

Let's go back to Isaiah

Isaiah 42 · chapter mention

chapter 42.

Two big things

the servant

will do.

First,

he is going to bring

justice

to our disordered world.

So Isaiah 42,

the end of verse 1.

He says,

I will put my

Spirit on him

and he will bring

justice

to the nations.

Now,

every one of us

here

has experienced

some kind of

injustice,

haven't we?

I was playing

a game of Monopoly

last night

with my family.

I experienced

great injustice,

stealing of money,

all kinds of

wrongdoing.

We all understand

what it is

to face

injustice.

But we're talking

here about

serious injustice,

where people

say things

about you,

discredit us.

Maybe things

have been taken

from us

in our lives.

And we all

long for

justice

to be done.

And when God

talks of bringing

justice,

as he does here,

it implies

two things.

First,

it's about

punishment.

So correcting

wrongs

and making sure

people receive

the penalty

for their crime,

that's justice.

justice.

But it's also

about protection.

So it's about

giving people

their rights

and making sure

that the vulnerable

are treated

fairly and given

the respect

that is due

to them.

So punishment

and protection,

that is the

justice of God.

And that's the

kind of justice

we all long

for,

where every

wrong has been

put right

and every right

is upheld.

Well,

the Spirit-filled

servant

is going to

bring about

that kind

of justice.

Have a look

at what this

justice will be

like.

It's going to

be universal.

So look at

verse 1 again.

He says he will

bring justice

to the nations.

Not just to

one person

or one country,

but to the

whole of

the world.

No country

or leader

or government

will be

excused.

Justice

will be

done in

every nation.

No one

can hide.

No one

will be

immune.

Everything

will be

revealed.

Everything

will be

exposed.

Justice

will be

done.

And it

will be a

faithful

justice.

Look at

the end

of verse

3.

In

faithfulness

he will

bring forth

justice.

justice.

We want

the truth.

Thus the

cry of

everyone who

suffers

injustice.

No more

lies.

No cover

ups.

No more

spin.

We want

the plain

truth.

Well this

servant is

faithful in

bringing justice.

He will

uphold the

truth.

He will

not be

swayed by

people's

stories.

It's not

going to be

like the

banking

inquiry or

the

investigations

into FIFA

where truth

is hard

to come

by.

It will

be the

whole

truth and

the absolute

truth.

So it will

be universal,

faithful and

his justice

will be

eternal.

Look at

verse 4.

He will

not falter

or be

discouraged

until he

establishes

justice

on earth.

The kind

of justice

that we're

used to

is people

being sentenced

for some

particular crime

they've

committed

and then

they're being

let off so

many years

for good

behaviour

and then the

rest of the

sentence being

suspended.

So the

criminal walks

free and

the victim

suffers.

That's the

kind of

justice we

get today

whereas this

servant that

we're reading

about he

will not

rest until

justice is

established

until there

is a

foundation of

justice where

there is a

new kind of

order in this

world that

will last

forever.

So the

spirit filled

Jesus is

going to

bring justice.

The one who

has the power

of God

to achieve

the purpose

of God

and accomplish

the plan

of God.

The second

big thing

it's not

just justice

that he

will bring

but he's

going to

bring grace

to our

broken lives.

Grace is

God's

unconditional

kindness

that he

gives

freely

to those

who are

weak

and broken

and

undeserving.

It's

mercy

God's

unconditional

kindness

to those

who are

weak and

broken.

He is

gentle

in bringing

grace.

So look

in verses

2 and 3

we've got

justice

going on

and then

right in

the middle

of all

this justice

and bringing

things to

right

we see

a servant

of grace.

Look at

verse 2.

He will

not shout

or cry

out

or raise

his voice

in the

streets.

The bully

shouts

doesn't he?

The

domineering

cry out

and shout

people down

and put

people down.

The unjust

boasts

from the

street and

says look

at who I

am and

look at

what I've

done and

look at

what I

have.

We've

all met

that kind

of person.

They don't

care about

the weak

or the

vulnerable.

They're

aggressive.

They're

threatening.

They're

about building

their own

little empires

and their

own ego.

They trample

on the

broken only

to get to

the top.

But not

the servants.

He comes

with the

power of

God but

yet he is

gentle.

he doesn't

shout.

He speaks

words of

calm and

comfort.

He doesn't

shout people

down but

he listens

to the cry

of those

who suffer

and who

struggle.

So here

is one

who is

understanding

and gracious.

He is

slow to

anger and

rich in

love towards

the weak

and the

vulnerable

and the

broken.

But he's

not just

gentle.

He is

compassionate.

Look at

verse 3.

A bruised

reed he

will not

break.

I don't

think we

use reeds

much but

in the

time that

it was

written

reeds

were very

useful for

making all

kinds of

things.

Maybe

putting on

a roof.

Maybe

building a

boat.

So a

bruised or

a rotting

reed is

of no use

to anyone.

It's for

the fire.

It's

considered

useless,

fit for

nothing,

of no

value.

All it

can be

done is

thrown into

the rubbish

heap.

But look

what it

says.

A bruised

reed he

will not

break.

The servant

will not

discard or

reject those

who are like

bruised

reeds.

He will

not break

us or

destroy us.

He is

compassionate.

Look at

the rest of

verse 3.

And a

smouldering

wick he

will not

snuff

out.

we might

modernise it

and say

an old

lightbulb

he won't

throw out.

A lightbulb

that doesn't

work anymore

or the

candles that

we've used

for Christmas

decorations

and there's

hardly anything

left in it

at all.

Well it's

fit for

nothing,

its purpose

is over,

it's chucked

out,

it's thrown

away,

it's

discarded,

it's

useless.

But the

servant

will not

push away

or trample

on those

of us

who are

like a

smouldering

wick,

struggling

to survive

in the

struggles

and the

heartaches

of life

and all

the pressures

and the

demands

that come

upon us.

He will

not crush

us or

smash us,

he is

compassionate.

You see

what the

world sees

as hopeless

and beyond

use,

the servant

will take

those people

and he

will restore

them.

What the

world sees

as useless

and without

hope and

everybody else

is discarded

and given

up on,

they're too

broken,

they're too

sinful,

their life

is too

much of a

mess,

the servant

will take

those people

and he

will renew

them and

make them

right again.

So here

is the

promise of

a spirit

filled servant

coming to

bring justice,

to correct,

to bring

protection,

to bring

punishment,

but one

who comes

to bring

grace to

the broken

and to

the weak,

to be

gentle and

compassionate.

So how

are we

going to

experience

justice

and grace?

Well,

as Jesus

walked this

earth,

as the

spirit-filled

servant

began to

live his

life,

he brought

justice and

grace where

he went.

He spoke

up,

didn't he,

for those

who were

vulnerable

and weak.

He took

the bruised

reeds

and the

smouldering

wicks.

He had

compassion on

those who

were shut

out and

who had

nothing.

He fed

the hungry,

he healed

the sick,

he welcomed

the leper

that everybody

else had

despised,

he took

in the

woman who

everybody

else had

rejected,

he accepted

the sinners

and those

that everybody

had thrown

out and

the outcasts,

he restored

the demon

possessed,

possessed,

he came

with gentleness

and compassion,

but he also

came in

justice,

he condemned

the selfish

rich,

he judged

the hypocritical

religious who

looked down on

everybody else

because they

failed and got

so many things

wrong.

So as Jesus

walked this

earth,

the spirit

filled servant

came with

justice and

with grace.

But that was

only a sign

of the greater

justice and

a deeper

grace that

we can all

experience today.

You see,

Jesus,

the spirit

filled servant,

did not end

his life by

walking amongst

people,

he came to

die for

people like

you and me

and it's

only when we

look at the

cross that

we actually

see justice

and grace

in all its

wonder and

all its

beauty.

Because when

we see Jesus

dying on the

cross,

we see him

taking my

place and

your place.

He pays the

penalty for

all the acts

of injustice

that have ever

taken place.

So the

justice that

we long

for ourselves,

the justice

that we

want upon

everybody

else and

that we

deserve,

fell not

on us,

but fell

on the

servant,

on his

son,

Jesus

Christ.

Keep your

finger in

chapter 42

and jump

forward to

Isaiah 53.

and here

we have

another

picture

of the

justice of

God

falling

not on

us,

but on

this

spirit-filled

servant,

the gentle,

compassionate

and pure

one

who takes

the injustices

on the

world.

Look at

verse 4

of chapter

53.

This is

speaking of

the spirit-filled

servant.

Surely he

took up

our

infirmities

and carried

our

sorrows,

yet we

considered him

stricken

by God,

smitten by

him and

afflicted.

He was

pierced

for our

transgressions.

He was

crushed for

our

iniquities.

The

punishment

that brought

us

peace

was on

him

and by

his wounds

we are

healed.

We all

like sheep

have gone

astray,

each of us

turned to

his own

way,

and the

Lord has

laid on

him

the

spirit-filled

servant,

the

iniquity

of us

all.

So the

spirit-filled

servant dies

for you

and me.

So when

we look

at the

cross,

justice

is

established

at the

cross.

And because

justice has

been done

at the

cross,

that means

grace now

flows to

people like

you and

me.

Grace

flows to

us from

the servant

and he

offers

forgiveness,

he offers

a welcome,

he says

you can be

now accepted,

you can

now be

treasured as

God's own

child,

no longer

struggling

under the

weight of

our own

failure.

The servant

will not

break the

bruised

reed,

he will

restore me,

the servant

will not

crush and

blow out

the smouldering

wick,

he renews

me,

he gives

me a new

kind of

life,

a new

way to

live.

And this

is all

ours and

we can

experience

this because

of our

trust in

the spirit-filled

servant.

back in

Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42:4

verse 4,

at the

very end

we read

this,

in his

law the

islands,

that is the

people groups,

the nations

of the world,

will put

their hope.

Hope

is the

thing or

the person

we entrust

our lives

too.

So the

encouragement,

the direction

for us is

put your

hope,

rest in

this

servant,

the one

who has

the power

of God

to achieve

the purposes

of God,

the one

who brings

justice to

this world

and the one

who brings

grace to

our lives.

Trust in

him and

we will

experience

justice and

grace today.

God's

love.

But it's

not just

about today.

It is

also to

come,

isn't it?

Because

living in

this world

as we

do,

and while

we may

yet know

the

spirit-filled

servant,

there is

still so

much

injustice

and

heartache

and pain

and war

and violence

that is

going on

in our

world

every single

day.

and there

is still

such a

need

for God's

grace so

that we

do not

sin anymore,

where we

do not

fail anymore,

where we

do not

mess up

anymore.

We want

things to be

so right

in our

lives.

So what we

experience in

a small part

now is a

taste of

the justice

and grace

that is yet

to come.

because what

we see

happening at

the cross

is just a

shadow of

the final

and ultimate

justice

that is to

come.

First,

there will

be justice

to come

when Jesus

comes again.

As we

finish,

turn to

Isaiah 65,

where we

get a

picture of

the justice

and the

grace that

we will

one day

experience in

all its

fullness.

So Isaiah

Isaiah 65:11

65,

verse 11.

Isaiah 65,

Isaiah 65:11

verse 11.

So this is

speaking of

God's future

justice to

come.

But as

for you

who forsake

the Lord

and forget

my holy

mountain,

so forget

about God

and his

glory and

God and

his ways,

who spread

a table for

fortune and

fill bowls of

mixed wine for

destiny,

I will

destine you

for the

sword,

and you

will all

bend down

for the

slaughter.

For I

called you,

but you

did not

answer.

I spoke,

but you

did not

listen.

You did

evil in

my sight and

chose what

displeases me.

So this is

speaking of a

future justice

when the

Spirit-filled

servant is

going to

come again

and for

all those

who have

refused him,

who pushed

the Spirit-filled

servant out of

their lives

and rejected

him,

justice will

finally come

and it will

be eternal

and there

will be no

grace.

But for

those who

have welcomed,

for those who

have come like

a bruised

reed in a

smouldering

wick and

said I am

helpless and I

cannot do

anything,

they will know

and enjoy

grace in

all its

fullness to

come.

So look at

the rest of

chapter 65

verse 17.

Here it

speaks of

the future

grace that

we will

receive.

Behold,

I will

create new

heavens and

a new

earth.

The former

things will

not be

remembered,

nor will

they come

to mind,

but be

glad and

rejoice

forever in

what I

will create,

for I will

create Jerusalem

to be a

delight,

and its

people a

joy.

I will

rejoice over

Jerusalem and

take delight in

my people,

and the

sound of

weeping and

of crying

will be heard

in it no

more.

Never again

will there be

in it an

infant who

lives but a

few days,

or an old

man who

does not

live out his

years.

In other

words, no

more suffering,

no more

death,

no more

heartache,

no more

pain.

verse 25,

the wolf

and the

lamb

will feed

together,

and the

lion will

eat straw

like the

ox,

but dust

will be the

serpent's

food.

They will

neither harm

nor destroy

on all my

holy mountain.

A picture

of perfection,

of harmony,

and of beauty,

and the

world put

right again.

Grace in

all its

fullness,

with the

spirit-filled

servant ruling

and reigning

over all.

Amazing

grace.

The goodness

and kindness

of God

in all its

fullness,

experienced for

all eternity.

humanity.

This is the

God who has

come to us

in Christ,

not just a

baby,

but the

spirit-filled

servant,

the one with

the power of

God to

bring justice

to our

disordered

world,

and grace

into our

broken lives.

Let's pray

together.

Father,

we long

for justice

to be done,

and we

thank you

that when

we've been

punished,

but because

of your