Jesus Will - Isaiah 42:1-9

Introduction

Gentleness has never been a strong suit of mine. One of the inside jokes in our family is that you need to let mom open the chip bag or tighten the bolt, because dad is going to ‘man-handle’ it and break it. And, of course, it goes beyond chip bags and bolts. The kids love to tackle me and play pranks on me and go on hikes with me, but they’re hurt, if they’re sad, if they’re sick they only want mom. Even if I’m the first one on the scene of the crash, I’m just a placeholder until mom gets there. It’s a mutual understanding I’ve developed with my kids, and there’s no offense taken.

Megan brings a soft touch to our family. She’s a source of gentleness and nurture in our home. It’s a beautiful balance. There are times, of course, where we need the strength of our dad. Take that away from a home, and the ramifications become obvious. But, just as necessary to the health of the family is the gentle, nurture of a mother. And, these two qualities come together to show us a more complete picture of who Christ is. He is both strong and gentle. He is a nurturer, and He is a warrior. And, if we’re to flourish during the time of our exile in this foreign land we need this balanced view of the person of Christ.

God’s Word

Isaiah helps us to see this about Jesus more clearly. Isaiah is frequently called the “fifth gospel” because he speaks just as clearly about the person of Jesus as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do, albeit 600 years earlier. What’s interesting is that Isaiah tells them both of how God’s strength will come against them through Babylon and how God’s gentleness will sustain them. He tells them both that exile is coming and how it is they can make it through the exile. And, one of the main means Isaiah uses to encourage Judah through the exile is by writing four Servant Songs where he describes a “servant” of the Lord who will make things right. And, what we’ll see is that this Servant is none other than Christ himself. So, I want us to see this first servant song so that we can find the same Encouragement to Keep You Going: (Headline)

Jesus will “make” it “right.”

Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”

A few years ago, we were having some new flooring put in the children’s building. The first man that came to put the flooring found some complications in the job, and he called Dale Turner, who was his boss, to explain why he wasn’t able to do the floor. The next day Dale stopped by, and after a few hours, he had the flooring installed. When asked Dale about it, he said: “Some men will, and some men won’t. Now, I know which he is.”

Notice how Isaiah 42 starts with “behold.” If you look back to chapter 41, you’ll see that this is the third time in seven verses he’s said that. But, there’s a contrast. The first two times he wants them to “behold” how the idols never actually do anything to help them. They make big promises but never deliver. But, when he says “behold” in chapter 42, He wants them to see that He’s completely different than that. He is a God who WILL. He will actually show up. He will actually deliver. He will actually accomplish their good. And, the role of the Servant that’s going to come is to accomplish the promises of God for them. I want to focus on the three “he wills” of the Servant here.

He will “overthrow” your “enemies.”

Isaiah 42:1-3 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

There’s only one of the “he wills” that occurs twice. That is, this is the main point God is making through Isaiah. When the Servant comes, “he will bring forth justice.” He says it in verse 2 and again at the end of verse 3. Justice is the main issue that people have when they’re suffering. It’s not right. It’s out of order. They’re lives aren’t fair. So, when he says the Servant WILL bring forth justice, Isaiah is saying that the Servant will make right all that has went wrong.

When you’re living as a slave in enemy territory, it’s hard not to live in despair. Imagine if you were taken captive by ISIS and forced to live in Afghanistan to cater to their every desire. It would be hard to not wake up every day wondering why your life is so awful. All you would want is justice. All you would want is for God to make it right. We’re not living in Babylon or Afghanistan, but we still find ourselves wondering why our lives aren’t better, don’t we? We live aware of our exile as we cope with our childhood traumas or wonder why our budget never balances or why we lost our dad so young. We’re aware of our exile when being a mom doesn’t feel as rewarding as we expected or when we aren’t married when we thought we’d be or when infertility kicks our door in. We’re aware of our exile as we live in a world that becomes less tolerant of historical Christianity every day.

We wonder why our lives are so awful, and we’re tempted live in despair. And, every god we run to promises to make our lives less miserable. Sex with whomever or the ability to buy whatever promise us more enjoyable lives, but they don’t deliver. But, Jesus will. Jesus WILL deliver where they fail. His resurrection victory over your grave assures you that He will ultimately overthrow every, single enemy you face. Failure doesn’t win. Grief doesn’t win. Depression doesn’t win. Chronic pain doesn’t win. Jesus wins, and you win with him. JUSTICE WILL COME.

He will “restore” your “losses.”

Isaiah 42:6-7 ““I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

There’s another way to understand this “justice” that the Servant will bring forth. On one hand, justice is God coming against the false gods of the nations. It’s overthrowing their enemies. But, on the other hand, justice is restoring to them the position and promises that are rightfully there’s, which makes them a “light to the nations (v. 6).” The servant isn’t just going to conquer their enemies. He’s going to bring about a restoration so that what feels like loss today will be known as gain tomorrow. I think that’s what verses 6-7 are really getting at. It’s describing the Year of Jubiliee, and it’s describing it as a permanent condition. In Leviticus 25, you read about a practice instituted in Israel called Jubilee. Every 50th year, there was an entire year of Sabbath, covenant renewal, and reset. If you had incurred a debt, the debt was cancelled. If you had to sell your land to make ends meet, your land was returned to you. If you had to enslave yourself because of a debt owed, you were released into freedom. If you were in prison, the prison doors were opened and you were set free. In other words, all of the losses that you incurred because of either your sin or your suffering, were returned to you. And, the Servant is coming to make every day a day of Jubliee.

In exile, you’re not just tempted toward despair. You’re tempted toward bitterness. You’re tempted to store up venom and vengeance to pour out at every turn. Why? Those who have brought loss to you ought to lose at least as much as you. That’s justice. But, Jesus defanged our bitterness upon the cross. He opened our jail cells and our eyes by purchasing our eternity. Some of you have experienced such profound losses. We’ve buried your husband or wife or child. We’ve cried together over a spouse that abandoned you. We’ve grappled with cancer and abuse and job loss together. We’ve walked through the darkness of miscarriage. You’ve lost a lot. But, Jesus’ resurrection assures you that the year of Jubilee is coming so that your cells will open and your losses will be restored. “This light and momentary affliction is preparing for you an eternal weight of glory.” Break the fangs of your bitterness off in the blood stained wood of the cross. You will be restored. JESUS WILL MAKE IT RIGHT.

Jesus will “treat” you “gently.”

Isaiah 42:2-3 “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

On one of my trips to Africa, we encountered some children in tattered clothes who were asking for milk and bread. Of course, we provided it for them, but then our host asked us to watch what would happen next. The two children ran with the milk and bread only to be chased down by a man in his twenties who tackled them and took what we had bought. Then, he took them up to a row of similar children who were all in a line and on their knees with their hands bound. What we were witnessing was human trafficking. Our host referred to them as “damaged children.” Those are two words that don’t belong together, aren’t they? Can you imagine how starved those children were for a gentle touch?

The circumstances are different I understand, but I wonder how many of us feel like “damaged children.” How many of us are starving for a gentle touch. I want you to see what else it says the Servant will do. “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break.” He WILL come, and when He comes for us, He WILL come as a gentle Savior. He’ll offer to you the gentle touch you need.

He will “nurse” your “bruises.”

Isaiah 42:3 “a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

A “bruised reed he will not break.” Isn’t that beautiful? Reeds were readily available and were used for all types of purposes. They could be made into paper or used to thatch a roof. But, if the reed was bruised, it was compromised. It was too weak to be of any use. It was worthless. They would be broken over someone’s knee and burned.

That’s who we are, isn’t it? We’re too weak to be of value. The bruising Isaiah has in mind is the DAMAGE we incur because of this broken world. Our bruises may come at the hands of others when they sin against us and mistreat us. Our bruises may come because of our disordered world in the form of the death of a spouse or a diagnosis of dementia or infertility. Our bruises may come from our own conscience that reminds us of how far short we fall. I think of the “watchmen” in the Song of Songs who beats the Bride after she rejects her husband, a symbol of her own conscience.

The truth is that all of us who come to Jesus come to him as damaged goods. We’re bruised reeds. We’re fit to be tossed out. But, Jesus will not break you over his knee when you come to him. He will make you whole. He is a gentle Savior who nurses your bruises. Let that soak in. Meditate upon it. Jesus hasn’t come to yell at you or to “cry aloud.” He’s come to make nurture you and make you well. Will you trust Jesus with your bruises?

He will “tend” your “flame.”

Isaiah 42:3 “a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

Imagine waking up every day in Babylon. You’re serving foreign masters who love foreign gods. They seem to be prospering while you seem to be floundering. The promises of God can become an eye-roll when you’re living in exile. God doesn’t seem kind when you’re sleeping in servant’s quarters. So, faith in the midst of exile is often more of a flicker and less of a flame. Hope is a dim light, not a blazing bonfire.

That’s likely a good description of many of us. You may carry guilt because your faith feels more like a flicker and your hope more like a dim light. You keep waking up in Babylon. You keep waking up to gender confusion and sexual perversion and attacks on your children. Someone telling you to trust God can become more of an eye-roll.

That’s why the Servant came. He came not to extinguish your flickering faith or your dim hope. He came to tend it. He came to fan it. He came to rekindle it. He came to keep it. He will not extinguish your faith; He will keep it lit. That’s what his resurrection accomplished. That’s why the Holy Spirit has come. Fires left alone burn out. But, the Spirit’s fire has been placed within you forever. Don’t worry that your faith is too small. Look, and find that you resurrected Savior is too faithful!

Jesus will “not” get “tired.”

Isaiah 42:4 “He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.”

One of the markers of the fallen condition is that we grow tired of things — even the best things. We grow tired of the man or woman that we once commited to love forever. We grow tired of the job that we once wanted more than anything. We grow tired of helping the homeless or the fatherless or the lost or the _________ that we used to cry over. And, it’s easy to believe that Jesus will grow as tired of doing good for us as we grow tired of doing good for him.

But, the Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus is just as strong as He is gentle. He is just as patient and persevering as He is kind. That’s what helps us to understand what is meant by the last “He will.” “He will not grow faint (like we do) or be discouraged (like we are).”

He will “suffer” patiently.

There’s a play on words here. “Faint” has the same root word and makes the same sound as “bruise.” And, “discouraged” has the same root word and makes the same sound as “faintly.” So, you see, God’s Servant won’t be sent in to accomplish justice for his people and set the world right in a Sherman Tank that’s armored against every threat. He will accomplish justice by joining them in the midst of their injustice. He will set the world right by enduring its brokenness himself. He will suffer what they suffer. He will endure what they endure.

I do a lot of counseling, and I do my very best to be there for people when they go through the worst moments of their lives. It’s where I should be as one of your shepherds. But, I’ve noticed something beautiful. People are more comforted by the presence of those who have tasted the bitterness of their pain than they are their pastor if he hasn’t. When you’ve lost a husband or a child or a dream, there’s a peculiar power in the presence of someone who has endured a similar loss. When your wife has abandoned you, there’s a refuge in the presence of someone who knows that sting themselves. That’s what makes Christianity extraordinary. That’s what Isaiah’s point is. The idols hold you at a distance. Jesus suffers right beside you. He knows what it’s like to be bruised and crushed. He knows what it’s like to be faint and tired. He’s a personal Savior familiar with your pain to whom you can run. He knows how it feels. He knows how it hurts. He knows.

But, there’s a difference. Not only does he suffer like us, but he suffers for us. He suffers perfectly where we suffer imperfectly. He suffers voluntarily where we suffer involuntarily. He suffers faithfully where we suffer faithlessly that He might take our place.

He will “finish” triumphantly.

Notice the emphasis on how long the Servant will endure. He won’t grow faint, and he won’t be discouraged “till he has established justice.” He won’t stop until the work is done. He won’t stop until death has been defeated. He won’t stop until He has made you okay. Jesus was nailed to the cross, and He was nailed there until it was finished. And, it’s the finished work of the cross the shows us that his victory is our victory too.

Think of the picture. “My servant” is a kingly title. It brings into our minds David who is described by God as “my servant.” So, this Servant will be the King. He will be a suffering king, but He will be the King. He will overthrow our enemies and establish a new Kingdom. He will conquer the grave. He will defeat the sin. He will overcome our exile. But, his first action won’t be to stand in front of adoring crowds to give a victory speech. His first act is to visit the prisons and open the doors. His first victory parade will take him to the hospitals so the sick will be made well and the blind will be able to see. He will stand above the cemeteries and watch as his exiled people march out of the grave.

You see, the encouragement that you need to keep going is not an idea or a purchase or a break. He’s a person. And, He has come, and He will come. So, you can keep going.