Gospel Welcome - IS. 42:1-3

As we begin our time of worship this morning I’d like to read from Isaiah 42:1–3 it says,

“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.

Isaiah is prophesying about Jesus, and he is about to tell us how this chosen one, this messiah, will behave. 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;

I love the imagery that Isaiah uses to describe Jesus in these verses. A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.

There is a gentleness and kindness to our Savior that words have a hard time describing, and yet Is. 42:3 captures it, unlike any other verse in the Bible.

Have you seen a bruised reed? It’s hard to imagine something more weak. A slight breeze may blow it over.

Anyone feeling weak this morning? Like a slight breeze may just blow you right over?

A faintly burning wick he will not quench. Oh, how nice it would be to be on fire for God at all times. To burn white hot for our Savior. But that’s not the Christian life many of us experience, is it?

I confess a faintly burning wick is more often a better description of my Christian life than I care to admit. How often it feels like the flame may just go out altogether...

Anyone else relate? Anyone else wonder what they are doing here this week?

Christianity is not for the strong but for the weak. It’s not for the red hot or the morally zealous but for the faintly burning and worn out.

We don’t come to church because we have our lives all put together. We come to church because everything has fallen apart, and we need a savior. Jesus did not come to save the righteous but the sinner!

So to all who are weary and need rest; To all who mourn and long for comfort; To all who feel worthless and wonder if God even cares; To all who are weak and fail and desire strength; To all who sin and need a Savior — This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus, the mighty friend of sinners,

We are so glad that you are here this morning. Let’s stand and sing!