Hope for Failures - Isaiah 49:1-6

Introduction

Have you ever had a job at which it was impossible to succeed? My parent’s house is surrounded by woods. There’s just a little grass, and there’s just acres of woods. Well, my mom hated all the sticks that would fall from the trees and collect at the bottom. She had this vision of a pristine forest without underbrush surrounding the house — think the wooded areas surrounding August National. So, my job as a kid was to pick up the sticks that were in the woods. And, it doesn’t take long of doing that job until you realize what an impossible job it is. Every stick you find leads you to a new stick. You’re picking up sticks and sticks are literally falling around you. And, you may spend 6 hours picking up sticks on Saturday only to find the forest bottom covered with new sticks by Sunday. It’s a lose-lose. Success is impossible.

There is nothing more fatal to the human heart than hopelessness, and there’s nothing more hopeless than living every day with the impossibility of success. I wonder if that’s how some of you feel in your relationship with God. You know what He’d have you to do, but you hardly ever get close. You know who He’d have you to be, but you know firsthand how self-centered you really are. You know what He’d have you prioritize, but every attempt you’ve made to reshape your priorities seem to come up short. And so, you just feel like a failure. You trying to be right with God feels like trying to bail water out of the Titanic. It feels like you’re trying to swim across the Atlantic. You just end up tired and dead.

God’s Word

The four Servant Songs of Isaiah are written for the failing people of God. The problem God’s people had with their relationship with him is that keeping the Law was impossible for them. It was like picking up sticks out of the woods, bailing water out of the Titanic, swimming across the Atlantic. They’d do a little bit better, swim a little bit further, but they always ended up drowning. The covenant required them to keep God’s statutes, but they just kept failing. They were terrible servants. And, if they are being sent into exile because they don’t keep the Law and they know they never can keep the Law, what hope is there? The second servant song gives us Two Hopes for Failures: (Headline):

Portrait One: A “Servant” who is “coming.”

The problem with drowning is that drowning people can’t self-rescue. Weaker swimmers may drown in 10 minutes and stronger swimmers may drown in an hour, but the result is the same. The hope of a drowning swimmer is not that they would find an inner resolve or an inner buoyancy. The hope of a drowning swimmer is that someone who is able would come in after them and rescue them.

And, that’s exactly what God tells his drowning people here. Someone able is coming in after them. They don’t have to self-rescue. The Servant — who we’ve identified as Christ — is speaking for himself here, and He’s saying, “I’m coming! I’m coming to rescue you. I’m coming to snatch you out of your failure.”

And, He’s coming as...

A “prophet” with something to “say.”

Isaiah 49:1-2 “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.”

Chapter 42 starts with a commissioning or calling that is common to the Prophets. His birth and naming is almost identical to what Jeremiah says in chapter one, and He comes with the authority that demands they “listen” — not just Judah, but all “coastlands.” But, most telling, is that his weapon is not cannons and f-22’s; it’s his “mouth like a sharp sword.”

Now, we’ve all heard the childhood poem: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words could never hurt me.” So, we might be prone to think, “Big whoop, He’s going to say something.” But, there is nothing found in the Bible more powerful than the word of God. God spoke, and chaos was brought into order and galaxies were flung into place. God spoke and the mighty nation of Egypt was brought down to her knees. And, his Word is coming to speak again. And, this is how John says in Revelation 19 that Jesus will return. He will return on a white horse with a “sharp sword” coming from his mouth that will strike down the nations.

You see, the reality of swords is that they do what prophets always do. They both comfort and afflict. Aren’t you glad the United States has such a mighty military? Mustn’t North Korea and Russia hate it so much? The words of the Shepherd are comfort to the flock, but they are fearsome to the wolves. Jesus says in John 10 that his flock will hear the word of the Shepherd and come running to him for comfort. But, others resent him and will run the other way.

Jesus divides, and divides by his word. And, the difference is found in question this simple: Do the words of Jesus send you running to him or from him? That’ll tell you if you’re his sheep. That’ll tell you if the Prophet is coming to comfort you or afflict you.

But, the Servant is also coming as...

A “Son” with glory to “recover.”

Isaiah 49:3-4 “And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.””

Israel is often referred to as God’s firstborn son. They are supposed to live with the resemblance of their Father so that other nations will be drawn to his glory. But, they don’t look anything like him. They dishonor their father by acting more like all the other children on the street. So, another Son is coming, a true Son. That’s how I understand the word “Israel.” He’s not talking about a nation. He’s talking about a single person who will represent them. Notice this Son will bear the Lord’s name and will be born in the womb of a woman.

Israel is a shell of her former glory. They look nothing like the glorious God they represent. While they live in exile, they wake up every day to a reminder of the consequences of their sin. They don’t look like they’re supposed to look. Imagine what failures they must’ve felt like. You may be able to identify with that. Every day, you wake up to the consequences of your sin. You’re no longer married, or your marriage isn’t what it used to be because of your failure. Your kids don’t come around now that they’re adults, and it feels like your failure. Your reputation is as broken down as your body is from years of sinful living. And, it feels like failure.

What’s the hope? Another Son is coming to find us in the midst of the consequences of our sins. He’s going to be the Son we should’ve been but weren’t, and by doing so, He’s going to put an expiration date on the consequences of our sin. You see, coming to Jesus doesn’t immediately eliminate every earthly consequence of your sins. That’s a misunderstanding. But, it does mean that they won’t carry on forever. They’ll expire. Why? Because He has succeeded everywhere that we’ve failed and then credited our account with his success. He’ll right every, single wrong you’ve had. Your failure will not define you. Jesus will.

A “missionary” with hope to “give.”

Isaiah 49:5-6 “And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.””

So, Isreal is living in Babylon drowning in their own failure and incapable of self-rescue. Such failures should’ve been blotted out of the earth forever, shouldn’t they? But, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God sent a missionary to rescue his failing people, and that missionary was his own Son.

And, it was a two-fold mission. It was to bring “Jacob back to him.” It was a recovery of POW’s by God himself. But, notice what the mission is. He wasn’t coming to bring them back to the Promised Land preeminently. He was coming to bring them back to God. Their primary need wasn’t God’s gifts. Their primary need was God. And, that’s what Jesus brings about in his first coming. This is what the prosperity gospel misses. Jesus’ primary mission wasn’t to bring us prosperous lives that crumble again. His primary mission was to bring us to God so that we could live forever. And, one day we will know the Promised Land and prosperity forever.

But, there’s a second dimension to his mission. He brings “Jacob back,” and then He brings the nations in. God isn’t just sending his Son as a missionary of Israel. That’s “too light a thing” for a Servant so great. He’s coming for people on every coast of every continent to hope in God. That is, this missionary is repositioning the people of God to accomplish what they were always intended to accomplish — hope for every person in every place.

The message here is that God is going to come after his failing people. AND, God is going to use his failing people again to accomplish his mission. He’s not going to make them stand in the corner of the Kingdom. He’s going to re-commission them with purpose and rank and responsibility. And, that’s beautiful. God uses restored failures as blazing torches of his glory. You’re not too big a failure to be used by God. Don’t listen to the lies our enemy is throwing at you. No, instead of listening to those lies, look at the cross. Yes, that’s how much your failures cost. But, yes, that’s what God has said you’re worth. So, tell that story, brothers and sisters. Tell that story and shine your light upon the one who has succeeded where you have failed. Tell your story so that those who feel like failures can find hope like you.

Portrait Two: “Servants” who are “becoming.”

Many of you will remember the blizzard we experienced in 1993. A foot and a half of snow fell in Calhoun County. All I wanted to do was to play in the snow in the snow, but I had a problem. It was impossible! I was six years old, and I was short for my age. The snow was too deep for me to even take a step. So, my dad came out, and he made a path for me. Wherever he walked, it carved out the snow so that I could walk in those same steps. So, in one sense, dad enabled me to walk where it was impossible to once walk. In another sense, dad showed me where I could walk and not get stuck.

This is what the Servant accomplishes for us, too. By God referring to him as “Israel,” He is saying that this Servant is the picture of who Israel was always supposed to be. That is, He’s showing them the path they should walk. And by instructing this Servant to “bring Jacob back,” God is saying that the Servant will make them able to return. That is, He will enable them to walk where they were unable to walk on their own.

So, the Servants coming is also about our becoming. He’s coming to rescue us from our failure and to enable us to become who God intended for us to be. He’ll make us...

“People” who “listen.”

Isaiah 49:1-2 “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.”

It’s often said that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason: we ought to listen twice as much as we talk. That’s sage advice. Many of our worst wounds could have been avoided if only we’d be willing to listen. It seems we always have to touch the hot stove to learn. You can frame the whole Bible up that way. If only Adam and Eve would’ve listened…If only Israel would’ve listened…If only the disciples would’ve listened…If only the Church would listen....

And, that’s exactly what the Servant did. He listened when “the Lord called.” He listened even though his life looked like “vanity.” He listened when there was no other way but the cross, and He’s come to make us into a people who will “listen” to the word of God. You’ll know who you trust by who you listen to. Who wants what’s best for you? Well, who’s right about sex? God or your friends? Who’s right about money? God or your neighbors? Who’s right about priorities? God or your boss or your coach?

Jesus came as our Shepherd that we might become “listeners” to our Shepherd’s voice. He came to fulfill what God had said that we might see that God’s word prevails over the wisdom of this age. Are you listening?

“Children” who “honor.”

Isaiah 49:3-4 “And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.””

I mentioned earlier that Jesus came as a Son to accurately resemble the glory of his Father. And, by doing so, He shows us what it will look in the here and now to live as children who honor our heavenly Father. Now, first, it must be said that this is a matter of love preeminently. Why should we care about honoring our Father? Because we love him! And, how will look in the here and now to love him and honor him with our lives? It’ll look like a wasted life. Jesus summarizes his own life this way: “I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity.”

Jesus’ life must’ve appeared as a waste to all those who grew up close to him. He was brilliant and charismatic. He was a gifted speaker and a good friend. But, the life He seemed to choose was crazy, and He ended up dead at 33 because of it. It looked like vanity. But, Jesus did not live his life based upon the metrics of his friends. Jesus did not live his life in hopes of winning over the approval of his neighbors. He lived his life in light of his hope in God: “yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.”

You see, the pathway through the snow that has been both carved and enabled by Jesus is the path of the cross. And, the cross looks like crazy to a world whose hope here. And so, the question every, single one of must answer is this: Will we look like we are crazy, or will we waste our lives? You see, the cross gives way to resurrection. Right now, it looks crazy to forego a nicer house or more sex or better vacations or greater freedom. It seems crazy to not live every second for yourself. But, on the day when the dead are raised for their grave, the prominence of your address and the torque curve of your car will appear as the silliness they are! Let’s follow Jesus down the path of the cross!

“Lights” who “shine.”

Isaiah 49:5-6 “And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.””

When Jesus comes to bring “Jacob back” and the nations in, He proves that their failure hasn’t rendered them worthless to God. In fact, the Servant tells them that they will play a part. “I will make you as a light for the nations.” It gets us back to the “becoming” part of this message. We’re going to become useful to God because He’s going to do the “making.” He’ll MAKE US fishers of men as his disciples.

And, that’s beautiful. God uses restored failures as blazing torches of his glory. We’re the lights, not in spite of being failures, but because we’ve been failures! Our past failures are the like the bulbs that light up the billboards at night so that everyone can see how big and beautiful and powerful the grace of God really is. Your failures don’t dim his light; they punctuate it. Now, that doesn’t mean that we sin in hopes that his light will be brighter. It means that we tell the story and seek to live as a person who can show how bright the light is.

You’re not too big a failure to be used by God. Don’t listen to the lies our enemy is throwing at you. No, instead of listening to those lies, look at the cross. Yes, that’s how much your failures cost. But, yes, that’s what God has said you’re worth. So, tell that story, brothers and sisters. Tell that story and shine your light upon the one who has succeeded where you have failed.