Isaiah 42:1-9--The Perfect Gift of Hope

Advent 2020  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  35:10
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Isaiah 42:1-9--The Perfect Gift of Hope

Intro

Hopelessness is a reality for much of our world.
We look around and there is war, disease, depression, and despair.
This time of year exasperates these feelings. Especially after the year we have had.
Whether you have lost a loved one, lost a job, feel overwhelming loneliness, or just feel lost and forgotten, this time of year can be hard.
We are told by the media and people around us to be happy, that this is the most wonderful time of the year. But what if it’s not.
What if you feel angry? What if you feel confused? What if you feel isolated? What if you feel hopeless?
This world has nothing to offer you except temporary joy, hope, and peace.
The joy of opening up that package that has exactly what you asked for.
The joy of temporary peace and love while surrounded by family and friends.
These are fleeting. These will never satisfy your soul. These will never make you feel whole.
BUT, there is one that came to bring a permanent joy, love, peace, and hope.
You don’t have to feel hopeless. You don’t have to feel lonely. You don’t have to feel forgotten or isolated.
You are known, seen, and loved. You are known, seen, and loved by the God of the universe.
He sees you in your pain. He hears you in your hopeless despair. He is with you in your loneliness. He loves you when no one else does.
God sees, knows, hears, and loves you so much that he sent Jesus Christ to provide an eternal hope for you.
Main Idea: Jesus Christ came as the Perfect Servant to bring a perfect hope to a broken world.
Jesus Brings Hope through Justice
We all have a since of what Justice means.
From the time we start talking we say things like “That isn’t Fair?” “How come he can do that and I can’t?”
Usually our since of justice is completely wrapped up in our own feelings, thoughts, and opinions.
Usually when we feel like justice needs to be done we think it needs to be done to benefit us in some way.
Our view of justice can be too narrow. Our view of justice can be too self serving. Our view of justice is limited to our own perspective.
We want justice based on what we think is good and evil. However, our ever changing definitions of good and evil lead to corrupt or incomplete justice.
We know that the world is fascinated with justice just by the things that we see in the media.
Whether it be an episode of NCIS, CSI, or true crime shows on tv, in books, or on the radio people love the idea of justice.
Here in our Context we generally love what would be called Retributive Justice. Some one needs to be punished or corrected when they do wrong.
There is a place for that type of justice, but it isn’t the only type of justice.
God is in the business of justice. But God’s idea of justice is different than our idea of justice. Sure he will repay evil with evil, but the justice he seeks is greater than merely retribution.
God is interested in Restorative Justice.
God’s justice is based on what he declares to be right and wrong.
God’s justice is found in his perfect, holy, and incorruptible character.
God wants to restore what is broken. God wants to heal the human heart.
That’s what Isaiah is writing in 42:1-4. He is writing about a Perfect Servant who has come to fix what is broken and provide hope for the hopeless.
Justice is repeated 3 times in these 4 verses.
Isaiah 42:1–4 ESV
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. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
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God is sending one to fix what is broken.
He is a servant. What does that mean?
It means that he is doing the will of the Father. That is he is going to accomplish the purposes set out before him. He has no agenda, desire, or plan outside the perfect plan of the Father.
Before we get too far I want you to know that this is quoted in the Matthew 12:18-21 about Jesus.
Jesus is the Servant who is sent to establish Justice.
He is chosen by God to do the will of God, because he is God.
He is the only one elected to accomplish and establish God’s perfect Justice.
The Father Delights in the Work of Jesus.
Here is some really good news. He isn’t just bringing Justice to Israel, but to the nations. And he does it through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God the Father, God the Son, God the H.S working in perfect harmony to set to rights that which has been broken. That which has been cursed. That which is unjust. Together they are accomplishing and restoring all that is fractured.
This begins with a promise and is inaugurated at the Birth of the Sent One, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is sustained, upheld, and empowered by the Spirit to do the Work of God.
We see a very similar picture at Jesus’ Baptism
Matthew 3:16–17 ESV
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
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So Jesus is going to bring God’s Justice to all peoples of the Earth. He is going to restore what is broken. How is He going to do that?
Isaiah 42:2 ESV
He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
Is he going to come with bravado? Is he going to come in might? Is he going to try and establish justice like the rulers of this world?
Simply put, No.
He does not come in bravado. He doesn’t need to convince you of how right he is with a giant presence.
We have seen big personalities in the positions of power. They try to wield their personalities as weapons against their enemies.
How does that work out? It may work out for a little while, but this type boastfulness and overconfidence can be seen as overcompensating for what is lacking.
Unlike other kings, he will not be violent or aggressive he establishes his Kingdom through service and humility.
See, Jesus is coming in power, but he isn’t going to be loud about it.
His very presence makes him known. His presence radiates goodness, holiness, and rightness.
He is the very embodiment of patient endurance, humility, and steadfastness. He doesn’t need overcompensating swagger, because he has Holy Swagger.
He doesn’t need to prove to you that he is big, powerful, and mighty because his very presence emanates that reality.
I want you to notice that he isn’t just coming in humility, but he is coming with a tremendous amount of compassion and love.
Isaiah 42:3 ESV
a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
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A Bruised Reed and a faintly burning wick represents those who are broken and abused. Those who are viewed by society as worthless and unlovable.
He isn’t coming to destroy the weak and hurting, but to restore them.
He isn’t coming to trample on the depressed or lowly, but to bring them hope.
His implements his justice by caring for the oppressed and suffering.
If you are suffering he offers you hope. If you are depressed he offers you hope.
If you are at the end of your rope, he extends his hand and offers you hope.
“No one is unworthy of help; no one will be treated harshly or as unimportant and expendable.”
He cares about those who are sick and hurting b/c they are valuable. They are valuable b/c they are his.
He cares for the broken. He cares for the helpless. He comes in meekness and love to bring justice to those crushed by injustices. He comes to put right all that is wrong.
He does so through comfort and care. Through love and compassion. When you are about to break Jesus brings you comfort.
You are not just a number. You are not a nameless face. You are cherished and loved by the One True King.
His justice will continue until it is completed.
Isaiah 42:4 ESV
He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
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Jesus will not be overwhelmed by the amount of justice that needs to be established.
If we just took a moment to examine and really think about all the sick and hurting in just our community it would be overwhelming. If one person tried to tackle all the problems here in Louise he would definitely get discouraged.
And that is just our small community.
But Jesus reassures us that he will never be discouraged. Why? Because his purposes will all ways come about. His Plans will always come to completion.
He will not be thwarted. He will succeed b/c he is empowered to succeed.
His mission will continue until it is complete.
He will establish his perfect law across all the earth.
Jesus uses his followers to help accomplish this mission. He empowers us with the H.S and has commissioned us to “make disciples of all nations.” (Matt. 28). All people need to hear of the goodness of God. The grace that he extends and the justice he is going to establish.
Because God is making for himself a New Creation.

Jesus Brings Hope Through New Creation

Isaiah 42:5–9 ESV
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “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. I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
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Isaiah 42:5 ESV
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
This section begins with a declaration from the mouth of the Lord. He speaks with complete authority.
When the creator of all things is speaking we better listen up. He has something important to say. He never minces words.
He reminds us of his power and glory.
He is the creator. He gave life. He brings justice. He sustains all things.
He gives breath and spirit to all who inhabit the earth.
This establishes his care and compassion for people. He cares for them b/c he creates and sustains them. He provides life for them.
Life and breath are both gifts from God to his creation.
Because he is the giver of life he is the ruler of life and has sympathy for his creation.
His sympathy and care for creation is why he wants to establish HIS justice on the earth.
Isaiah 42:6–7 ESV
“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.
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Here we see that the servant, Jesus Christ, is called and led by the Father to bring about his perfect justice to the world.
He is going to do this through a new covenant.
A covenant is a strong promise that is made.
God has given several covenants up to know. And with the coming of this servant he is bringing a new covenant found in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.
The covenant of new creation.
This new covenant is going to bring light to all people.
God is committed, empowered, and purposeful in completing his promises.
This perfect servant is coming to fulfil the promise God has made.
He is going to bring light and life to the darkest chambers of the heart.
He is going to shine that light on the evil of the world.
He is going to use that light to set free those held in bondage to darkness.
Light exposes the truth. It reveals both beauty and horror. Clean and filthy. Truth always calls what is exposed by its right name.
That’s the job of light to expose the wrongs and reveal the truth.
The truth is we are all broken. We are all in need of a transformation. We are all unholy, wicked, and unclean in the sight of God.
But Jesus brings the light to expose. It exposes us for who we really are. For how we have failed.
IT also reveals to us the way to be cleansed. It reveals to us the way to be made right. It reveals to us the truth of God’s servant. That Jesus came to set the captives free. That he came to bring justice. That he came to save those who are lost. He comes to restore, transform, and bring hope to those in the dungeon of despair.
Jesus brings to life those who are dead.
Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
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God is making a people for himself. He is creating a new creation to serve him and help spread his justice across the earth.
Isaiah 42:8–9 ESV
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
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God is about God’s business, God’s Glory, and God’s mission.
That mission began with Jesus Christ and we are called and chosen to aid him in that mission.
When we become followers of Jesus our affections should change. Our heart should change and we should want to be about our Father’s business.
What is our Father’s Business. Salvation, Redemption, Justice, Love, His Kingdom
When Jesus came he inaugurated his New Kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of the Father.
When he saves us we are a new creation. The New is Here.
Think about it this way. When Jesus came, he began the 8th day of creation.
He brings new life to this broken creation.
His Birth was the beginning. His Resurrection offers us new life.
In this new life we should partake in his Kingdom Building.
Telling others about the good news of NEW LIFE.
The former things have gone away and the new things are here.
We Glorify God when we partake in his mission.
When we proclaim the grace given us we glorify the king.
That is our calling that is our mission.
That is how we help to spread hope to the hopeless. To restore the broken. To bring about God’s justice.
No matter how many man made laws we have. No matter how much we try to legislate morality it all pales in comparison to the Law of Love that God writes on our hearts.
People will not be able to completely change outside the power of the gospel.
People will not fell the fullness of hope, joy, love, and peace outside the good news of the gospel.
We need to spread it. We need to live it. We need to let others know how the gospel has transformed us.
If you have been transformed by the gospel. Live it. Love it. Tell others about it.
If you haven’t been transformed by the gospel. Jesus came to save you. He came to offer you hope, peace, joy, and love. He wants you to be his. He wants you to know his goodness. Answer him.
PRAY.
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