Introduction Of The Servant Series

(some of the ideas for this sermon I got from an old sermon of my dad’s (also Larry Brincefield). If he had an original source, it is unknown to me. If you recognize anything herein that I need to give credit for; please advise.)

Sunday, January 18, 2004

Title: Bruised Reeds and Smoking Flax

Text: Isaiah 42:1-4

Introduction

1. I love the Book of Isaiah!

I once told someone that if I could be a scholar on 1 book of the Bible...

it would be Isaiah.

Isaiah contains both prose and poetry...

history and prophesy...

it speaks to the people of Isaiah’s day...

and it continues to speak to us today.

2. The book of Isaiah mirrors the Bible...

Isaiah has 66 chapters...

The Bible has 66 books...

Isaiah has 39 chapters dealing primarily with the history of the Israel...

The Bible has 39 Old Testament books dealing primarily with the history of Israel...

Isaiah has 27 chapters dealing with dealing with the future of the Israelite people...

including some beautiful prophesy about Christ, the coming Messiah...

The New Testament has 27 books dealing with the story of Christ.

Isaiah has been called "The Gospel of the Old Testament"...

because of its profuse treatment of Christ.

3. One interesting aspect of the Book of Isaiah are what is called the "Servant Songs"

There are 5 passages of Scripture in the 2nd part of the Book of Isaiah...

that beautifully describe the ministry of Christ.

3 of the 5 specifically use the word "Servant".

Over the next several months...

I intend to give special attention to the Book of Isaiah...

and especially these Servant Songs....

We won’t be studying them every week...

but we will be coming back to them again and again over the next several months.

This morning, I would like to draw your attention to the 1st of these Servant Songs...

Let’s stand together as we read God’s Word: Isaiah 42:1-4.

Body

1. Introduction of Servant

A. Here, in this first Servant Song...

we are introduced to Christ...

God says, "Here is My Servant"...

"He’s the One I uphold"...

He is My Chosen One...

He is the One in Whom I delight"

B. Many years later, when Jesus is baptized by John;

God will refer to His Son in very similar language when He says,

"This is My Son...Whom I love...with Him I am well pleased" Mt. 3:17

In Isaiah, in this 1st Servant Song...

God introduces us to Christ...

He calls Him "My Servant"...

Meaning that Christ will obey His leading...

And then at the baptism of Christ...

God again speaks at the outset of Christ’s public ministry...

when Christ literally begins to fulfill these words in Isaiah 42.

C. Our text describes Christ as One is will quietly work to fulfill God’s plan...

He won’t be arrogant or proud...

just humbly serving the role of a Servant to God’s people.

Matthew 12:18-21 quotes this passage in Isaiah as being fulfilled...

when Christ went around healing those who were hurting and sick...

and then asked them not to tell Who He was...

Matthew 12:15-17 says, "Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah"

And then Matthew goes on to quote our text from Isaiah...

the longest quote from the Old Testament found in Matthew’s Gospel.

2. Isaiah 42:3 contains a beautiful picture of the work and ministry of Christ.

A. "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out."

In the lands around Palestine...

people would have been familiar with reeds...

places around the Sea of Galilee...

along the edges of the Jordan River...

there would have been an abundance of reeds.

B. Reeds have hollow stems...

they are quite fragile...

In fact, many times when you see reeds by the waterside...

many of them are knocked over...

They can be knocked over by the wind...

rough waters...

animals that come to the water’s edge to drink...

all can knock over a reed.

people who come to the water to fish...

or use a boat..

can break them down.

In marshy areas, you may see some reeds standing tall...

but you will also find many broken down.

C. Once a reed is broken, it can’t be fixed...

other plants, if you prune them back...

or if they become damaged...

can repair themselves...

and spring forth fresh growth.

But not reeds.

D. In our text, Isaiah isn’t talking about reeds...

he is talking about people.

he is telling us that people can become bruised...

hurt...

knocked over...

In our world, there are many hurting people.

They can be knocked over by the forces of living...