Isaiah 49:1-6January 8, 2012Page | 1
Hi Kids,
You are a small child.You have many years before you are grown up and decide what you will be.But maybe you have thought about what you will be when you do grow up.What do you think you might like to do when you grow up?[give a moment for possible responses.]Maybe that is what you will be, or maybe you will change your mind.
Jesus is the Son of God.This is why before Jesus was born, he knew what he would be and do.And He knew that nothing would change his mind because he loves us so much.The Bible tells us that God sent his Son as our Savior.Say “Savior.”What did Jesus come to save us from?From our sins.Where did Jesus pay for our sins?On the cross.Jesus knew this before he was born.In the sermon listen to the Son of God tells us this many years before he was born as Jesus.
Isaiah 49:1-6
1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 4 But I said, “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” 5 And now the Lord says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength— 6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”(NIV84)
Fellow Redeemed who believe that Jesus is Immanuel,
Christmas celebrations are finished for another year.We now are in Epiphany which gives evidence that Jesus truly is Immanuel, that he is God who visibly spent time living on earth as God’s servant and mankind’s servant .And Jesus’ baptism eventwas a clear proof that he is God. The Father’s voice that came from an invisible source identified his Son and gave full support of his work.The Holy Spirit’s presence as the dove who landed on Jesus and remained on him made it clear to John the Baptist that Jesus is the Son of God (John 1).
When John finally identified the person for whom his ministry was preparing the people’s hearts, he pointed to Jesus.John’s words were simple and to the point as to why Jesus was present on earth.He had come to be the sacrifice God would use to make the one payment that actually “takes away the world’s sins.” Jesus also came to “baptize [people] with the Holy Spirit.”Jesus came to connect the Holy Spirit with people so hearts would believe in him as their Savior and lives would be changed to obey God out of love for him.And Jesus knew this was his work from the start.
Isaiah’s prophecy for our study is the word spoken by the Son of God700 years before Christmas that reveals that THE SON OF GOD ALWAYS KNEW WHAT HE WOULD GROW UP TO BE.He was called to be a servant to the Jews and to the Gentiles.(1.) He held the office of “the sword-mouth and polished arrow.”And he knew this “from birth,” from my mother’s womb.”
Perhaps you have seen examples of a father trying to live out his unfulfilled dreams through his son with the result that there is anger and resentment from the son.Maybe you have heard the son respond to the pressure, “It’s my life!Let me live it the way I choose.”This was not the case for Jesus.He knew God the Father’s will and Jesus was in full agreement that he would live up to his father’s expectations.Jesus clearly identified his divine call and divine misson.“The LORD called me…he has caused my name to be remembered.” “The LORD,” the true God who personally intervenes into history to be gracious to sinners, the true God who rescues us from the hell punishmentwe deserve as a sinner, the true God who protects us from Satan who always is trying to drag us back to hell, he is the one who called Jesus to his mission as Savior.God the Father says “you are my servant.”He made this clear when told Mary to pick the “name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.”
The Son of God’s human identity was kept hidden until the bucket of earthly events was “filled” as God had determined. Then “he sent his Son, born from a woman, born under law to redeem” us.But before Jesus paid for sin, he taught God’s word to give the world the power source for faith.Faith doesn’t come by Jesus dying on the cross.“Faith comes from hearing… the message of Christ.”The Son of God describes part of his mission with the picture, “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword …he made me into a polished arrow.”
God’s word is such a sharp double-edged sword so that it cuts no matter which way you swing it.God’s word cuts to the heart.It does not physically draw blood or do micro-surgery.Jesus’ words expose our sin for which our conscience holds us accountable to God.Are you feeling guilt, or have you very recently felt guilt over what you know is sinful in your heart, what goes against God in your life that only you and he know about, but you haven’t really stopped doing it?And just as sharp as God’s law is to do this, so sharp also is God’s gospel.It brings us healing through total forgiveness and changes us inside to put on the new self who strives to live a righteous life like Christ did as our praise and thanks to our Savior.
Jesus didn’t come of his own account.He didn’t stand alone and independent.When he speaks of being a sword hidden in God’s shadow or an arrow hidden in a quiver, the Son of God is acknowledging in poetic form that he is an instrument in God’s hand.God chose him and equipped him as a tool which he carefully preserves for use at God’s chosen time, “the day of salvation” in v. 8. (2.) He is the Father’s servant to display God’s splendor.
The Lord hid His Servant’s divine glory and power in the form of the Son of man, Jesus, a servant.God called his servant Jesus, “Israel” because he is the person that the descendants ofJacob should have been, but were not, what we should be, but are not.Jesus is the Man who in faith wrestled with God and prevailed, the faithful one who in the power of the Spirit is thoroughly equipped to carry out the office of the Servant of being perfect in his obedience.
Will this servant be equal to his great mission?The Son of God as servantsays, “I have labored for no purpose.I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.”Is this an expression of unbelief?By no means!It shows that he is true man and was tempted in every way as we are.It is true modesty born of a lively awareness of his mission to save sinners as a weak and humble human being.Remember Jesus struggling with distress and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me,”the sweating of blood.How do we harmonize this with his perfect faith and obedience?The Servant is a true human person who took on our human weaknesses without sinning, but also is more than a human being!
We are warned that the devil will tempt us to question and not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and has succeeded in meeting all of God’s demands for us to be in heaven.For this reason we must keep our spiritual eyes open and our spiritual strength fit by reading and following Jesus’ teachings constantly.
When the servant concludes “my reward is with my God,” he is explaining that the outcome and success of his work is with God.“What is due me is in the LORD’s hand.”This expresses his faith and trust that what has been assigned to him as his calling will be achieved.This is why God prepares his servant to “Bring back Jacob” and “make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”Jesusreaches out to all through his Gospel message which he asks us to bring to others.
The Father has “honored the Son” by raising him from the dead and continues to honor him at his right side in heaven.The Son is the Father’s glory by the work he accomplished and the message he left.He is the foundation of our eternal life.
So what is the effect, what is the influence God wants the message from his servant, his Son, to have on me?It is God’s desire that each person know all the truth about Jesus’ service to God so that our conscience is clear through faith in his work that acquired our forgiveness.This means trusting everything the Bible says.It also is God’s desire that in whatever we do with our life, it too will honor him in every way.Everything in our life needs to match what God teaches as right.This includes regularly helping others learn about, believe, and remember Jesus as the Savior.Amen.