Isaiah 42 Loves Pure Light

Intro:

As many of you know I would be a Clark Griswald if I wasn’t such a scrooge

My house would have lights everywhere and blow ups would fill my lawn if I could get myself to pay for them

I love Christmas lights

I will almost watch that cheesy show on TV about Xmas lights

Seriously though, one of my favorite things to do at Xmas is go and look at lights with the family.

Like almost everything with Xmas, lights have a spiritual history

In Germany back in the 1700’s families started celebrating Christmas by making candles and putting them on the tree and in the windows of their house.

The light in the window was to let everyone know that they were followers of Jesus Christ

They were being the light of the world

That light that Christ put in us is meant to shine like a city on a hill

Today we look at the pure love that is the source of that light

Read Isaiah 42

Transition:

This passage is the first of four Servant Songs in Isaiah

It was God’s way of comforting Israel after they were told they were being judged by God and sent into captivity

It is also an opportunity to remind them of his plan of redemption

If so you will find comfort in this passage

In this first song we see God’s comfort is the gift of His Son Jesus, the servant

It is through the ministry of the Servant that God will accomplish His great plan of salvation for this world.

God chose Him, God upheld Him, and God enabled Him to succeed in His mission

Thru Isaiah, God tells about His Chosen Servant given as a gift to us

Chosen Servant vs. 1-4

Loves pure light is God’s Chosen Servant

Behold: God is saying Listen up

This is something you need to pay attention to

He is sending his servant

This describes the nature of his purpose on earth

Jesus did not come to be served but to serve

Philippians 2:6–7 (ESV)

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

He took the form of a servant

A thousand times in history a baby has become a king to rule a nation

Only one time has a king become a baby to save all nations

His mission was to share the good news of God’s plan of redemption

Isaiah 61:1 (ESV)

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

God’s soul delights in HIs Son

The Holy Spirit is upon Him and he will bring forth justice

He was going to accomplish this, not by being a military commander, but a sacrificial lamb

Vs. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged

This is another way of guaranteeing his success

He won’t fail in what he was sent to do

We know that now, but 700 years before Jesus came, as Israel is about to be judged by God, they don’t

This chosen servant came to serve you

He came for the poor in spirit, the brokenhearted, and those held captive by sin

Given as a Gift vs. 5-7

Love’s pure light is given to you as a gift

Some people have a hard time with the commercialism of the season

They grumble about Santa, hate all of ads tempting people to buy, and want to slap anyone who watches hallmark

Did you know that every tradition we celebrate today has a Christian beginning

Trees, lights, presents, Santa, and on and on

Each were done as an expression of living out scripture

Even gifts are a response to the greatest gift God gave you

You can never come close to giving a gift as great as the gift God gave us in Jesus

Isaiah 42 shows us how Jesus is a gift

Isaiah 42:6 (ESV)

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,

That word covenant can be translated “strongest promise possible”

God keeps his word

In fact, God gives us his resume in vs. 5

I created the heavens and earth, gave birth to people and put the spirit in them

Acts 17:25–26 ESV

nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

Through one man he made every nation and by one man he made a way for salvation

The world was encased in darkness of sin and He sent his son to be a light to the world

Isaiah 9:2 (ESV)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Doing A New Thing vs. 8-9

Loves Pure Light brings about a new work

Vs. 8 I am the LORD:

Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.