Servant Songs Of Isaiah #3: Obedience Of Servant Series

February 29, 2004

Title: Servant Songs #3: Obedience of the Servant

Text: Isaiah 50:4-9

Introduction

1. Today is the first Sunday during the Lenton season.

But, actually, Sundays aren’t counted as part of the season of Lent...

Lent consists of the 40 days leading up to Easter...minus the Sundays...

Lent is a time of self-denial...

prayer...fasting...

and meditation...

many times, people will "give up something" for Lent.

They may give up chocolate...

or coffee...

or they may fast lunch...

or whatever they feel that God would lead them to do.

2. I certainly encourage people to participate in Lent in some way or other.

I’m not going to tell you how...

I just encourage you to do something...

Lent is a time to focus our attention upon Christ...

focus upon His life...

His love...

His suffering...

and as we focus our attention more and more on Christ...

we hope to draw closer to Him...

and as we draw closer to Him...

hopefully we become more like Him in the way we live...

and act...

and behave.

2. We have looked at several of the "Servant Songs of Isaiah"...

so far, we’ve looked at the Introduction of the Servant...(Is 42:1-4)

And we’ve looked at the Mission of the Servant...(Is. 49:1-6)

And today, we will look at the Obedience of the Servant...(Is. 50:4-9)

a perfect segue into the Lenton Season.

Read Text: Isaiah 50:4-9

Body

1. Obedience in speaking Vs. 4

A. First of all, the Servant was obedient in speaking.

Our text says, "the Sovereign Lord has given Me an instructed tongue".

God had a message for Christ to share with the world...

and that message wasn’t always received with welcoming arms...

In John chapter 6, Jesus was teaching with very strong words of commitment...

Scripture says, those followers said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" John 6:60 (NIV)

And John 6:66 tells us, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." John 6:66 (NIV)

Jesus knew that the message He came to bring was a difficult one...

He knew that this message would ultimately demand His life...

But, even still...He refused to sugar-coat it...

It didn’t take the edge off to make it easier to swallow...

He was very open and honest with what would be required...

He said, "anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" Matt 10:38 (NIV)

He said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" Matt 10:39 (NIV)

He said, "blessed are the meek"

He said, ""You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ’Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" Matt 5:21-22 (NIV)

He said, "You have heard that it was said, ’Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" Matt 5:27-28 (NIV)

He said, ""You have heard that it was said, ’Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" Matt 5:43-44 (NIV)

Tough teachings...

But Christ knew what God wanted Him to do...

He know what God wanted Him to say...

and He didn’t back down from saying it.

Jesus said, "I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me" John 8:28 (NIV)

He was obedient

B. He was also encouraging with His words...

In our text, the Servant knows "the words that sustains the weary"

Jesus knew how to encourage the downtrodden with His Words...

He had a way of sharing the message with love...

He had a way of taking people who were burdened down with the cares of life...

and lifting their load...

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, ""Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)

And He continues to minister to the weary...

the burdened...

the hurting...

the sad...

the discouraged...

and perhaps He is even doing that this morning...

here in this service...

2. Obedience in Listening vss. 4-5

A. Not only was Jesus obedient in speaking...

He was obedient with listening...

Isaiah 50:4 says, "He wakens my ear to listen..."

And verse 5 says, "the Sovereign Lord has opened my ears"

This is in contrast to the Children of Israel...

who often refused to listen to God...