Sermon Tone Analysis

STRENGTH FOR THE WEARY

Spring Valley Mennonite; January 29, 2023; Isaiah 50:4-5

It is always valuable to stop and get your bearings to look around and see where you are, no matter what you find yourself doing.

Whether it be hiking, fixing supper, working on projects, or studying Isaiah, it is helpful to stop and evaluate.

Our approach in the book of Isaiah has not been to go verse-by-verse, but rather to examine various passages which have particular application to our lives.

Following such a plan has the danger of missing the big picture, so, for a moment, let's stop and get our bearings.

For the past few weeks, the sermons from Isaiah have been in the 40s, not temperature, but chapters.

We've crossed into the second main division of the book of Isaiah.

Recall that we can divide Isaiah into two main sections, the dividing line being chapter 39.

Before chapter 39, Isaiah is warning of judgment to his contemporaries in Jerusalem, who had rejected God in favor of idols.

In the first 39 chapters, Isaiah warns Judah that if they do not repent, God will send them into exile into the faraway land of Babylon.

Then, beginning in chapter 40, which begins with "Comfort, O Comfort My people," Isaiah begins speaking to those who've experienced this judgment and are living in Babylon.

These words would have been especially meaningful to Daniel and his contemporaries.

God's message turns from one of imminent judgment to a message of comfort and coming deliverance through a Savior.

Although Isaiah speaks primarily of the coming Messiah Who would rescue Israel and rule the world from Jerusalem, in the short term there would also be an unlikely deliverer, a Persian King named Cyrus, who would conquer Babylon and allow the Jews to return to their land.

From chapter 56 on, the time-frame changes again, and Isaiah speaks to those who have returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, those who are back in the land.

So, Isaiah's prophecies span three different eras of Israel's history: pre-captivity (chapters 1-39; captivity in Babylon (40-55); and post-captivity (56-66), back in the land.

In this middle section of the book, written for the Exiles in Babylon, there is extensive prophetic material regarding one called the servant of Jehovah.

The theme has changed from judgement to deliverance, and while deliverance from Babylon is in view, a greater deliverance for all mankind is also described.

Many details about the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, are given in this section.

There are four specific passages which have been called servant songs, the most familiar being the passage which includes Isaiah 53, the Suffering Servant.

There are so many choice passages from which to choose in our study, but as I was reading, a couple of verses stood out and grabbed my attention:

Turn to chapter 50 of Isaiah.

(Read vv.

4-6)

I. AN INSTRUCTED TONGUE

Look at verse 4.

This version reads "the tongue of disciples."

First, we must determine 'Who is speaking here?'

As we follow through the passage, it is clear that it is the Messiah Jesus speaking-look at the references to the suffering and humiliation He would undergo.

Lord God, which is the Hebrew "Adoni YHWH," the Sovereign God, gave Jesus the tongue of disciples.

Being curious, we ask, "What is the meaning of disciple here?"

The Hebrew word means 'one taught or instructed.' Jesus would have an 'instructed tongue.'

Tongue is a metaphor for speech, so Jesus' speech would be that learned from the Father.

This is a tongue that speaks nothing but what it learns from God.

We see this prophesy fulfilled in John 8:28: Jesus tells us, "As My Father taught Me, I speak these things."

Jesus was continually listening to the Father's words, then repeating them to His disciples and to those He taught.

"Morning by morning" speaks of a continual communication between the Son and the Father.

This stands in contrast to the nation of Israel which was supposed to be the servant nation of God.

Over and over, Isaiah spoke of a people who had ears but did not hear; of a nation which had closed their ears to the voice of God.

But the Messiah-Servant would listen continually, then speak of that which He had heard.

This is one aspect of the Lord Jesus which is very important, but often overlooked.

Because Jesus was fully and completely God, we might assume that He came to earth fully equipped with all the knowledge and wisdom of God.

That is not exactly how it as: Jesus had to learn God's truth from the source, His Father God.

Being fully man, He learned much as we do, but with one very important difference: being completely sinless, there was never anything standing in the way of perfect communication.

Jesus was the perfect listener.

This is something of which I need to be constantly reminded: How to listen to God.

I think it is worth our time to take a moment to explore:

II.

HOW TO LISTEN TO GOD

Pastor Bill Hybels, in his book, "How to Hear God" points out that most of the time we think of prayer as talking with God, rarely stopping to wonder whether God might want to talk to us.

Recognizing that God does speak to us through Scripture, I still wonder if God might be saying, "If we enjoy a relationship, why are you the one doing all the talking?

Give Me a chance to get a word in."

Hybels suggests that hearing form God involves a discipline of being still before God.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God."

It takes time and focus to be still before God, because God is not in a hurry.

I find this to be a big problem in my devotions-I have a timetable to accomplish certain things.

God senses my impatience and my attitude of, "Let's get through this time so I can go on to getting stuff done."

We know when someone is anxious to end a conversation: they look at their watch, or do what I did this week-A conversation was dragging on and I needed to leave, so I reached down and put on my hat! God knows when we are not all that serious of hearing from Him by our impatience.

God won't bother to speak if you are not serious about listening.

Set aside more than just a few moments if you desire to hear God.

Be still.

Focus your heart and mind, but also seek to center your heart.

Come to God with a cleansed heart, understanding that unconfessed sin or harboring unforgiveness will shut down any two way conversation.

Center your heart, perhaps by praying through some Psalms, then invite the Lord to speak to you.

Ask God questions, then give Him time to answer, perhaps directing you to a particular scripture, or emphasizing a phrase in a verse.

Often God will bring a scripture to mind (but this only works if you are familiar enough with God's Word to give the Spirit something to work with!)

Some good questions to ask God are: What needs developing in my character?

What are You trying to accomplish in my life through my present circumstances?

In what particular way can I serve You today or this week?

What should I be teaching my children or grandchildren?

How can I love my wife or husband in a sacrificial way?

What needs to change in my life?

What talent should I be using to serve your kingdom?

If we are listening, God will speak when He has something to say.

Often He does not speak because He knows we are not willing to follow His instructions.

Most often we do not hear His voice because we are not listening for it.

How can we be sure that an impression we have is truly God's voice?

How often have we said, "Is that really You, God?"

Four suggestions to evaluate whether what you hear is God's voice:

* All leadings from God will be consistent with God's Word.

* God's leading is usually consistent with the person He made you to be.

He would not lead you to attempt join a Gospel singing group if you can't carry a tune!

He does want to use you in the areas of the gifts and talents He gave you.

* God's leadings usually involve servanthood rather than being self-serving.

He will call you to humbly serve somebody, to be an encourager, or to meet someone's financial need.

He may ask you to give something away to meet a need.

* His voice will always lead us to activities which bring glory to Him, not us.

As Jesus listened and learned from His Father, so should we.

I would call your attention to the second phrase in verse 50: "So that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word."

III.

JESUS' WORDS TO SUSTAIN THE WEARY

Perhaps it was this particular phrase which caught my eye as I read this verse: "That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word."

As we consider "sustaining the weary," we realize that we all grow weary, both physically and mentally.

We each have only so much physical and mental energy, and when it is gone, we need to rest and recharge our batteries.

A concept you may not have thought about is "soul weariness."

I suspect that this is what Isaiah is referring to.

Isaiah tells us that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, will have the ability, learned from listening and following the Father to be able to give words of encouragement, words that sustain-rejuvenate, invigorate, enliven those who are soul weary.

This leads us to the blessed words of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 11:28: "Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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 shall find rest for your souls."

As relief for soul weariness, Jesus offers to each person a "yoke."