Sermon Tone Analysis

Consider the following scenario: I think there are still some banks with a physical presence here in the Nambucca valley.

Just imagine that recently there have been a spate of bank robberies.

Bank Robbery slide

The police have made some arrests and two men have come up for trial at the Coffs Harbour Court House.

The first man is put in the dock… but within an hour it is clear that this man has been arrested on mistaken identity.

He was nowhere near the robberies.

His home is clean, he has a job and it’s totally out of character for him to do something like rob a bank.

The Judge calls him to stand and says to the man, “You sir, have come before this court on suspicion of bank robbery.

But this court finds you innocent of all charges.

You are justified.

The law of the land has nothing against you.

You are free to go.”

Then man walks out of the court a free man.

No police after him, a citizen right with the law.

The next man is put in the dock… and O boy!

This is a different story.

People witnessed him entering and in the bank.

The police raided his home and found guns and a balaclava… just as described by witnesses.

And he has a large amount of cash hidden on his premises that he cannot account for.

And it’s clear he’s just that sort of bloke!

The Judge calls him to stand and says to the man, “You sir, have come before this court on suspicion of bank robbery and it has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt whatsoever, that you sir are indeed a criminal who has forcefully taken other people’s money for yourself.

But this court finds you innocent of all charges.

You are justified.

The law has nothing against you.

you are free to go.”

What would you want to say to that judge?

How would the media report the incident?

That’s outrageous!

Preposterous!

Scandalous! Australia is finished.

There is no longer law and order.

Anyone apparently can do whatever they like and there is no penalty.

And yet we read in the Bible that God justifies the wicked?

How is that any different to the Judge in our story?

Does God really let bad people off?

Does God really treat bad people as though they were good people?

This is scandalous!

Isn’t this God Himself upsetting the moral order of our universe?

Human judges have to punish bad behaviour and reward good behaviour… at least with not punishing it!

Human parents punish bad behaviour in children and reward good behaviour.

Everyone even down the street knows God rewards good people and punishes bad people.

And yet… the Word of God, the gospel says: NO! That’s not right.

Today we will try to come to grips with the scandal that the Holy Lord of the universe lets “the wicked” go free!

We do well to thank God for justifying the wicked… because there is no one righteous, no not one.

But God cannot simply turn a blind eye to our wickedness.

So how can an infinitely just Judge be merciful?

If he’s just he’ll uphold the law.

If he’s merciful he’ll let people off.

Firstly… we must be in no doubt that God certainly hates human wickedness!

The prophet Isaiah spent the first 39 chapters of his book condemning the wickedness of Israel.

But in chapter 40 he begins a new theme.

The time is coming when God will fix everything.

Today we come to the pinnacle of his book, chapter 52-3.

A Servant is going to come and make it possible for God to be both just and merciful.

To uphold his holy law… and let the sinful creatures made in his image off from the awful penalty of their wickedness.

Let’s have a look and see what Isaiah says about this Servant… he is an amazing figure!

v13-15 This Servant is hard to fathom: He is Highly Exalted… and yet very appalling....

At the start of this song about his glorious but suffering servant he says...

See… Behold… my servant will act wisely.

(Alternative translation “he will prosper”)

In other words he has come on a mission and he will be successful in it.

But O my goodness, his plan will cost him dearly, v14.

People will be appalled at the journey his endeavours will lead him into .

This is very curious.

He will succeed in his mission… yet people will be appalled at him!

Why would they be appalled at his success?

Did he go broke, did he have some “bad luck?”

Was he run over by a Roman chariot and left to rot in the streets?

How could it be this bad for him?

What did he do?

Apparently his awful troubles are connected to his mission, v15.

v15.

He will sprinkle many nations.

Some denominations make fun of Presbyterians because we think we can sprinkle water on a person for a legitimate baptism.

They say, No! Baptism is only done by full immersion.

But try looking up the word sprinkle in the Bible.

You will find that it occurs some 84 times in the OT and 7 times in the NT.

In the OT sprinkling is mentioned 50 times in Ex and Lev alone.

It is used in connection with the offering of a sacrifice.

A worshipper was to take a perfect lamb, without defects, to a priest who would shed its blood and sprinkle the blood to make the worshipper clean, holy, in right relationship with God.

And in the NT the same idea continues… but with a different sacrifice.

Able’s blood called for justice.

The blood of Jesus calls for forgiveness and renewal and mercy and relationship restored.

Here is something new.

This servant will suffer a calamity, but through that cleanse many nations!

We learn more about him in the next 3 verses…

v1-3 Ordinary… but despised?

Look at v2.

Who has believed the message?

Even the people who grew up with him, even his own mother and brothers didn’t realise he was God in human flesh.

He didn’t have a halo; walk around a metre off the ground.

He needed food and sleep.

He loved affection.

He bled when he cut his finger.

His muscles ached.

He really was a person.

But then we return to the theme of tragedy, suffering, despised..

Once again… this is very curious.

What on earth was he doing to be so rejected?

Well he showed us up.