The speaker thanks the worship team and introduces the message from Isaiah 42, outlining its significance and God's servant, Jesus Christ.

Introduction and Worship

Discussion on the identity, character, and mission of God's servant as described in Isaiah 42, exploring themes of gentleness, compassion, and justice.

God's Servant and His Mission

The speaker connects the servant's mission to the covenants made with David and Abraham, declaring the new things that the servant will accomplish.

Covenantal Promises and New Declarations

Discussion on the nature of the kingdom of heaven, characterized by sacrificial love and service, contrasting it with earthly kingdoms.

Establishing the Kingdom of Heaven

Exploration of Jesus' death and resurrection as the fulfillment of God's plan through humility and love, inviting people to cooperate in His mission.

Jesus' Sacrificial Mission

The radical inclusivity of God's servant mission extends beyond Israel to all nations, connecting God's plan throughout history through the cross of Jesus.

The Inclusive Kingdom and God's Cosmic Plan

Encouragement to know, follow, and partner with Jesus in His mission of justice and hope.

Responding to God's Call

# Weekly Newsletter: Exploring Isaiah 42

## Good Morning!

We hope this newsletter finds you well. This week, we continue our journey through the book of Isaiah, diving into Isaiah 42 and uncovering profound revelations about God's servant, Jesus Christ. 

## Key Themes from Isaiah 42

### The Introduction of God's Servant

- **Who is God's Servant?**
  - God's servant is introduced as **Jesus Christ**, chosen and upheld by God.
  - He is characterized by gentleness and compassion, as illustrated by two poignant images:
    - **A Bruised Reed**: Jesus cares for the vulnerable, offering protection and nurturing rather than destruction.
    - **A Smoldering Wick**: He rekindles the faintest flicker of hope in those who feel lost or broken.

- **The Servant's Character**:
  - Jesus is gentle and compassionate, embodying the essence of care and restoration.
  - He is dedicated to his mission, unwavering in the face of adversity.

### The Mission of God's Servant

- **What is His Mission?**
  - To bring **justice** and **hope** to all nations.
  - To open the eyes of the blind, free captives, and be a **covenant for the people**.

- **How Will This Mission Be Accomplished?**
  - Through **faithfulness** and **gentle teaching** rather than force.
  - Jesus inspires hope through his words and actions, reflecting God's love and compassion.

### The Significance of the Mission

- **Immediate Context**:
  - The Israelites, exiled in Babylon, urgently needed justice and restoration.
  - Isaiah's message was a promise of liberation and hope for the oppressed.

- **Covenantal Promises**:
  - The mission resonates with God's promises to **David** and **Abraham**:
    - **David**: A promise of an everlasting kingdom marked by justice and peace.
    - **Abraham**: A blessing for all nations through his descendants.

## New Things Declared by God

In the concluding verses of Isaiah 42, God proclaims that He is doing **new things**. These include:

- **A New Mission**: Jesus will bring justice, healing, and restoration to the nations.
- **A New Way**: The establishment of God's kingdom will be through **sacrificial love** and **humble service**.

### How the New Kingdom is Different

- **Sacrificial Leadership**:
  - Jesus embodies a leadership style that emphasizes serving others rather than being served.
  - True greatness is defined by sacrificial service, as Jesus demonstrated throughout his ministry.

### The New Way: Sacrificial, Cooperative, and Inclusive

As we delve deeper into the meaning of God's servant, we discover three essential characteristics of the new way that Jesus established:

1. **Sacrificial**:
   - Jesus' death on the cross exemplifies ultimate humility and sacrifice, fulfilling the servant's mission.
   - Through His self-giving love, we are invited to participate in God's new kingdom and reflect His heart to the world.

2. **Cooperative**:
   - God chooses to partner with people throughout history to fulfill His plans.
   - Jesus invites us to join in His mission, empowering us to minister to others and share in the responsibility of spreading the gospel.

3. **Inclusive**:
   - The servant's mission extends beyond Israel to all nations, challenging us to embrace a radical inclusivity.
   - We are called to break down barriers and extend God's grace to everyone, regardless of background or differences.

## Conclusion

As we reflect on Isaiah 42, we are invited to embrace the character and mission of God's servant, Jesus Christ. This passage calls us to not only understand the facts about Jesus but to be transformed into people who resemble Him in our thoughts, actions, and willingness to serve.

We encourage you to meditate on these themes this week and consider how you can partner with Jesus in His mission to bring justice and hope to the world.

---

Thank you for joining us on this journey through Isaiah. We look forward to exploring more next week!

"Discover the Hope and Mission of God's Servant in Isaiah 42"

- The speaker thanks the worship team and introduces the sermon based on Isaiah 42.
- The focus is on God's servant, Jesus Christ, and his mission to bring justice and compassion.
- The passage reveals God's commitment to his servant, who embodies gentleness and care.
- Jesus nurtures the vulnerable, symbolized by a bruised reed and a smoldering wick.
- His character traits include faithfulness and unwavering dedication, even in the face of suffering.
- The servant's mission is to inspire hope and establish justice on earth through his teachings.

- The servant, identified as Jesus, fulfills his mission by inspiring hope through teaching rather than military force.
- His teachings, such as blessings for the poor and commands to love, resonate globally and inspire hope.
- Isaiah 42 describes the servant's mission: to bring justice, open blind eyes, free captives, and be a covenant for the people.
- The context of Isaiah's writing is urgent, as Israel faces oppression and exile in Babylon.
- God's covenant promises to David, emphasizing a unique relationship and a reign of peace, foreshadow the servant's mission.
- The servant's mission aligns with the promise of a blessing for all nations, extending beyond Israel.

- Psalm 72 emphasizes a righteous king from David's line who blesses all nations.
- Isaiah 42 describes God's servant as a light for Gentiles, fulfilling God's promise to David and Abraham.
- God's covenant with Abraham promises numerous descendants, land, divine protection, and blessings for all nations.
- The servant's mission includes justice, healing, and establishing the kingdom of heaven through sacrificial love and service.
- Jesus redefines greatness through humility and service, exemplifying the kingdom's values.
- The new kingdom contrasts with earthly power, focusing on love and restoration rather than force.

- God's servant fulfills his mission through humility and sacrifice, exemplified by Jesus' death on the cross.
- Jesus' resurrection establishes a kingdom based on self-giving love, inviting followers to participate in God's plan.
- The call to discipleship emphasizes cooperation; Jesus empowers his followers to share in his mission.
- The gospel extends beyond individual salvation to a grand vision of redeeming all creation and serving others.
- Jesus' mission is inclusive, reaching out to all nations, challenging traditional boundaries and perceptions of who belongs in God's family.
- Christians are urged to embrace this radical inclusivity and extend the gospel to those perceived as outsiders.

- God's kingdom, as declared by Isaiah and fulfilled by Jesus, has no dividing walls based on race or culture.
- Followers of Christ are called to abandon personal biases and embrace inclusivity and God's grace.
- The cross is the focal point of history, bridging the past and future, embodying the new covenant.
- Jesus is the living hope who offers forgiveness and fulfillment.
- To respond, individuals should: 
  1. Know Jesus as the servant and Savior.
  2. Follow Jesus closely as His disciples.
  3. Partner with Jesus in bringing justice and hope to others.
- Christians are encouraged to actively engage in their communities and live out their faith beyond church walls.

- Identify the needy and those suffering injustice in your community.
- Follow Jesus by serving them.
- Acknowledge God's revelation through Isaiah about love, power, and service.
- Jesus exemplified this new way of living and love, even through His sacrifice.
- Seek guidance from the Holy Spirit on how to live purposefully.
- Encourage those unsure of their faith to turn to Jesus and follow Him.
- Pray for openness to God's direction in daily life.

- Speaker thanks worship team and introduces sermon on Isaiah 42.
- Focus on Jesus Christ as God's servant, emphasizing justice and compassion.
- Jesus nurtures the vulnerable; characterized by gentleness and faithfulness.
- His mission is to inspire hope and establish justice through teachings.
- Isaiah 42 outlines the servant's mission: justice, healing, and freedom for captives.
- Context includes Israel's oppression and exile in Babylon.
- God's covenant with David and Abraham foreshadows the servant's mission for all nations.
- Jesus exemplifies humility and service, redefining greatness.
- His death and resurrection establish a kingdom based on love and inclusivity.
- Christians are called to embrace radical inclusivity and serve others, extending the gospel.
- Emphasis on engaging in communities and living out faith actively.
- Call to know Jesus, follow closely, and partner in bringing justice and hope.
- Seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and pray for openness to God's direction.

Josh, thank you for that and thank you, Irby, too, for that beautiful worship set.

It wasn't just beautiful worship to God, Herbie.

If anybody finds this message long or boring or my voice gets tedious, you just heard the musical version of the sermon that I'm about to preach.

And So it was rich, and I thank you and the rest of the team for that, Irby.

Going to invite you to turn with me to Isaiah chapter 42.

Whether you're on your phone or the Pew Bible or just follow along on the slides, we'll have the verses up there too.

And I'll be reading from the new international version throughout the day.

I asked Herbie if he could start a little bit early with worship this morning.

Nick asked me how long I was going to be, and I said, well, this message is going to span from eternity past to eternity future.

Isaiah 42, what we're going to see in today's passage is 1 of the most profound revelations in the entire book, in God's entire revelation to the prophet Isaiah, the book of Isaiah.

There are a lot of things that God reveals to Isaiah that we've seen so far in this sermon series that we've been doing.

We've been going through the book of Isaiah for a number of weeks now, and each week we show a different revelation that God shows to the prophet Isaiah.

Today, I'm suggesting, is the most significant of all the things that God will reveal.

It's the unveiling of God's servant, Jesus Christ, the 1 chosen and set apart by God the Father to fulfill all his promises to Israel and to extend his grace and his compassion to all the nations.

Today as we look in the first 9 verses of Isaiah 42, we'll explore who God's servant is, we'll look at what his mission is all about, we'll also understand how this mission is accomplished through acts of humble service.

And as we get into the conclusion, we'll also ask the question, why did God reveal his servant to us at all?

My big idea for today is that God's revelation of his servant is an invitation, in fact, to know Jesus, to follow Jesus, and to partner with Jesus in his mission to bring justice and hope for all.

This calls us beyond simply filling our heads and understanding facts about the Bible and about Jesus to actually being transformed into a people who resemble him, who think like him, who act like him, and who are willing to serve alongside him.

So with that in mind, let's look right now into the first 3 verses of Isaiah chapter 42.

This is God speaking to Israel through Isaiah the prophet.

He says, here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen 1 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.

Here God introduces his servant, the 1 that he chooses and upholds.

And the meaning behind the Hebrew word that's used for uphold here signifies not just God's complete commitment to his servant, but how God provides his total strength, his total unwavering support behind his servant.

God places his own spirit within him, empowering him for his mission.

Isaiah then shows us something remarkable about the servant's character.

The servant doesn't draw attention to himself by shouting in the streets, doesn't create a spectacle that's all about himself.

And Isaiah illustrates that gentleness through these 2 images.

A reed is a tall, hollow, kind of fragile plant that is common along rivers in Israel.

It's common along rivers all over the world.

Reeds were often used as building materials or as writing instruments, even as musical instruments.

And so it's easy with just by walking on them or brushing by them or even with strong winds that the tops would sort of just bend over or snap.

They'd stay connected, but they'd snap kind of like in the image that you see.

And in an agrarian society, in a utilitarian society, it'd be very common for a reed like that to just be pulled up out of the root and thrown away because it kind of doesn't serve its purpose anymore.

But Jesus, our gentle servant, the Bible says, doesn't break a bruised reed like that.

Though it's damaged and vulnerable, Jesus protects and nurtures it, because it's not meant to be thrown away.

And maybe you feel this morning like you're a bit like a broken or a bruised reed.

Maybe you've taken a couple punches in life.

And maybe you feel like there's no value that you have anymore.

Maybe you don't see yourself like everyone else who appears healthy and strong.

But to you, I say that be assured God's servant cares for you.

A second similar image is that of a smoldering wick or the dying light from an oil lamp or a candle.

When a wick is low on fuel, it emits only the faintest of glows and is easily snuffed out by the slightest breath.

But Jesus, again, our compassionate servant, he doesn't extinguish a smoldering wick like that.

And if you feel like your faith is down to your very last glowing ember and there's not much left, Jesus promises to tend to you, to rekindle whatever little you have left into a roaring fire once again.

You see God's servant Jesus is caring and nurturing.

He is ready to restore the weakest and the most vulnerable among us.

And the final details that are revealed to us about the servant's character are found in verses 3 and 4.

Here Isaiah writes, in faithfulness he that is the servant Jesus will bring forth justice.

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

In his teaching, the islands or the distant shores will put their hope.

The servant of the Lord will bring forth justice.

That speaks not to his character but to his mission and we will get to his mission in a little bit.

But for now I want us to focus on the manner in which he will carry out his mission.

How he will conduct himself as he brings justice.

First, we see that the servant will fulfill his mission in faithfulness.

To say that the servant Jesus brings forth justice in faithfulness means, 1, that he is completely faithful to the task.

And it means that he's fully dependable to see his task through all the way to the very bitter end, even though that end will require his own suffering and death on the cross.

Second, we see that the servant will fulfill his mission without faltering or being discouraged.

There is plenty for Jesus to be discouraged about.

But filled with God's Spirit and fortified with God's strength, Jesus is unstoppable.

And unlike human leaders, Jesus cannot be swayed or undermined.

He can't be bribed or manipulated or intimidated.

Jesus, we remember, was tempted by Satan.

He was antagonized by the religious leaders.

They picked up stones ready to stone him.

He was betrayed by his close disciple before he was finally arrested, beaten, tortured, and mocked before dying on a cross.

But none of this discouraged him or faltered him from accomplishing his mission as God's servant.

Third, we see that the servant will fulfill his mission by inspiring hope through his teaching.

That's not something that we expect from leaders who we are told are going to bring justice, is it?

We expect leaders like that to achieve justice through a show of force, through military might, but Jesus will fulfill his mission in service to others by teaching.

His power comes from the very words of God, words that inspire hope.

Consider how some of these teachings I'm about to read from Jesus, spoken through his very short 3 years of earthly ministry, continue to resonate with us now, even today, by bringing hope and inspiring hope in every corner of the world.

Listen to this, in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

In the Gospel of Mark chapter 12, Jesus says, the most important commandment is this, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

And the second is this, love your neighbor as yourself.

There is no greater commandment than these.

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 4, Jesus says this, the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

And finally, in the Gospel of John, chapter 8, Jesus says this, I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

It's none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Introduced here in Isaiah to us, chapter 42, verses 1 to 4, the prophet Isaiah portrays a new kind of representative, chosen, loved, and pleasing to God.

He's eager to restore even the weariest of souls.

The servant is dedicated and faithful to see his mission through to the very bitter end, refusing to falter or to be discouraged when fulfilling his mission.

And he will triumph by the wisdom of his teaching, not by the might of a sword.

Let's look at what the servant's mission is.

As we move away from the first half of our passage, the narrative voice in Isaiah shifts in a noticeable and important way.

What I mean by that is through Isaiah verses 1 to 4 of chapter 42, God addresses Israel through the prophet Isaiah.

But in these next verses that we're about to read, he's not speaking to Israel anymore.

He's speaking directly to his servant, Jesus.

This is what the Lord, the God the Lord says, the creator of the heavens who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it.

I, the Lord, have called you, that is the servant, in righteousness.

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

This direct address highlights the intimate relationship, the legitimate authority, and the steadfast commitment that God grants to his servant, Jesus.

In that passage, we see the servant's mission outlined in very specific terms, right?

God commissions the servant to bring justice to the nations, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison, to release those who sit in dark dungeons, and to be a covenant for the people.

And to understand its full significance, we need some perspective.

Let's examine now in the next few minutes how the servant's mission responds to the immediate needs of the Israelites that Isaiah was writing to in his book in the 8th century BC.

But we'll also see how the servant's mission echoes very clearly back to some promises that God made to the Old Testament patriarchs.

I'm going to talk specifically about David and Abraham.

First, the servant's mission and Israel's need.

To the prophet Isaiah and his fellow exiles in Babylon, the need for justice is urgent and deeply personal.

In case you haven't been following along over the past couple weeks, what's happening at the time that Isaiah is writing to his audience in his book, Israel has been completely overtaken by the overwhelming hordes of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar and his armies have invaded Israel, torn down their temple, exiled all the educated, skilled labor class, carried them off into exile into Babylon.

And in Babylon the Israelite families were separated from 1 another.

They were even separated from their place of worship.

They were exposed to new and foreign gods.

So for those among them who were longing for justice, for freedom, and for restoration, The words of Isaiah chapter 42 were good news.

It promised a servant who would bring justice and liberation.

We can also look at the servant's mission in the context of God's covenant promise to David.

God's plans were even greater than Israel's immediate need.

They're an immediate need for restoration.

It was a covenantal promise with global implications.

The language that we see in Isaiah chapter 42 verses 5 to 8, it strongly resembles what we call God's covenant language, same kind of covenant language we see with David, where God promises an everlasting kingdom through David's line, filled with peace and righteousness.

In the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, we read in the first 6 chapters about David's epic journey from being a leader of a small, ragtag militia group, all the way to uniting the 12 tribes of Israel and becoming their king.

In chapter 7, God promised David a dynasty, a kingdom that would last forever, bound by God's unbreakable love.

And here are a few key ways that the Davidic covenant would foreshadow the mission of God's servant in Isaiah 42.

First thing we see is a unique relationship with God.

God promised David a special bond with this future king, saying, I will be his father and he will be my son.

This relationship foreshadows the servant in Isaiah 42, whom God upholds, God delights in, and that God empowers with his spirit.

The intimate relationship God promises with David's heir aligns with the special anointing and empowerment of the servant.

We also see in God's promise to David a promise of a reign of peace and justice.

God promised David a kingdom where Israel would no longer be oppressed or threatened.

In Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 and 7, he proclaims, which is a very Christmasy kind of verse, for to us a child is born, and the government will be on his shoulders.

Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end.

This future king from David's line will reign with justice and righteousness forever.

So the servant's mission to bring justice to the nations in Isaiah 42 directly echoes this vision of an eternal, peace-filled kingdom promised to David through his lineage.

And finally, we see in the promise to David a blessing that would be for all nations.

Psalm 72, which is attributed to David's son, Solomon, envisions a king who embodies God's covenant promises to Israel and extends blessing beyond its borders.

In Psalm 72 verses 1 to 2, Solomon prays, endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.

May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

And he concludes in verse 17 of Psalm 72, may his name endure forever, may it continue as long as the sun.

Then all nations will be blessed through him and they will call him blessed.

The servant's mission to be a light for the Gentiles resonates with how God's promised king in the line of David will be a blessing to all the nations of the world.

In Isaiah 42, God's servant embodies the hope of God's promise to David.

A servant king who brings justice and peace and righteousness, not only to Israel, but to all the nations.

The servant's mission reveals the scope of the covenant with David, 1 that reaches beyond Israel to encompass all nations, assuring the exiles and to all the people that God's plan for justice, God's plan for peace will come to pass through his chosen 1.

Finally, we see This prophecy in Isaiah chapter 42 resonate through the servant's mission and God's promise to Abraham.

You see, thousands upon thousands of years before the eighth century exile, before God's promise to David, we see all the way back in the book of Genesis how God lays the groundwork for his redemptive plan in a promise to Abraham that spans chapters 12 and 15 and 17 and 22 of Genesis.

And if I were to summarize the scope of those promises to Abraham, we'd see this.

God promises to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the beach, that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, also known as the promised land, which would eventually become Israel.

We'd also see a promise to Abraham that his descendants would be divinely protected by God who would bless those who bless them and curse those who curse him.

And most significantly, God in his generosity promised that through his covenant with Abraham he would be a blessing to all the nations.

Genesis chapter 12 verses 2 to 3 reads, I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.

I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you, I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Therefore, the servant of Isaiah 42 commissioned by God to be a light for the Gentiles and a covenant for the people represents the fulfillment of God's commitment to bless all nations to Abraham.

So in summary, how do we understand the servant's mission in Isaiah 42?

By reading it in the context of Israel's immediate need, in the context of God's promise to David that his descendant would establish an eternal kingdom, and in the context of God's promise to Abraham that he would bless all nations through Abraham's offspring.

The ripple effects from Isaiah chapter 42 go all the way back in time.

Blessing, justice, redemption brought to all nations through his chosen servant, Jesus Christ, the 1 in whom all God's promises are fulfilled.

Let's look now at how the servant is going to bring about this mission.

We look at the final 2 verses of today's passage, Isaiah chapter 42, verses 8 to 9.

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

And new things, I declare, before they even spring into being, I announce them to you." Here, God takes full advantage of the forward-looking impact of biblical prophecy.

God announces that new things are coming, even before they've arrived.

And Isaiah invokes this very same language in the next chapter, Isaiah chapter 43, verses 18 to 19.

What do they have to do with God's servant, Jesus?

We're going to see in the next moments that the new things are not just what the servant's going to do, but how he's going to do it.

Let's start with the new thing that the servant's going to do.

We've already established that he will bring justice and healing and freedom and restoration to the nations, that he'll even be the covenant.

All of these outcomes will be a result of the thing Jesus preached about most in the gospels.

The thing that Jesus preaches about most in the gospels is the kingdom of heaven.

If you spent any time at Rosemount Bible Church this year, you'll recognize that the kingdom of heaven has been a major theme for us this year.

It was the subject of our spring series on the Sermon on the Mount.

It was the focus of our summer series on parables of the kingdom.

And it's a topic we're going to be visiting a couple more times in our winter series here on Isaiah.

Now the kingdom of heaven is not like earthly kingdoms, with borders and rulers who wield power from the top down.

No, this is God's new thing, a kingdom that breaks into the world through acts of generous love, through acts of personal sacrifice and humble service.

And as God's servant, Jesus establishes this kingdom in a new way, a way that is sacrificial, a way that is cooperative, and a way that is inclusive.

Jesus does a new thing, but he also does his new thing in a new way.

First we're gonna look at how the new way is sacrificial.

Since God is sovereign, he could have instituted this heavenly kingdom that he wanted in any way his heart desired.

It just so happens that in God's wisdom, he chooses a servant to lead the way, revealing God's own nature as compassionate and gentle and approachable.

And throughout the Bible, God shows a special concern for the weak and the broken and the marginalized, doesn't he?

See all Unknown transcripts on Generic

11-03-2024.