well why don't we pray as we come to God's word
let's pray together
yeah Father on a day where
the world is
I just got a text message saying
a boxing day sale
come and fill your pockets
and fill your world with things
the peace of yesterday
is gone
we're back to the
scrambling over the resources
of the world to get our little
slice of heaven
on earth Lord I pray that you would
speak to us
this morning through your word
to give us
what will really enrich us
in our hearts and in our
relationships and
in our society at large
please speak to us Lord
yeah we need your help every time we open your word
we're not inclined
to want to hear
so we need your help to do that
and we need your help to understand
we need your help to
desire what we see
in your son
and we need your help to put our trust in him
and then to follow him
so we ask for all these things
in Jesus name
amen
well let's
let's tackle
an easy topic
today
given it's boxing day
and we're all a bit tired
what is the hope for the world
oh
I didn't
I didn't choose a passage
it's
I'm gonna
give credit to the Holy Spirit
that we're up to here
in
in Matthew's gospel
so what is the hope
for the world
so I admit that we're
we're probably not gonna be done by 1030
I'm sorry
but let's
let's listen in
because hope
we're coming into a new year
hope is a
timely topic
we've all got hopes and aspirations
I want to get into the topic
through
I suppose a social
angle
a social lens
I think it's been very popular
this past year
we can put society right
the hope for the world
is if everyone stays woke
have you heard that phrase this year
stay woke
it means cry out
when there's injustice
if you see injustice
cry out
defend the marginalized
the minority
the prejudice
censor
cancel
stuff
racist things
sexist things
cancel anything that
suggests that
and if you don't speak up
you're part of the problem
so if everyone stays woke
then socially
relationally
we'll get rid of injustice
if we stay woke
now exposing injustice
even publicly
is
Jesus did it
in the passage we looked at last week
in the paragraph before
the Pharisees were
treating a man without mercy
a man who was deformed
and he was cut off
from the temple of God
and they had no mercy for him
they had mercy for the animals
but not for him
and he exposes them
they're in the synagogue
he publicly speaks about that
he exposes them
so
I'm not saying that there's
anything wrong with
calling out injustice
using the means we have
but
speaking out
isn't enough
to put society right
now at this point
I'm a white
male
who's very privileged
in life
so what right
have I got to say
that staying woke
isn't the solution
let me share
what someone deeply
inside the woke movement
has said
so
I was listening to a podcast
Africa Brooke
is her name
she wrote an article
online
that just went viral
I'm not sure if you've heard of it
why I am leaving
the cult of wokeness
so in the podcast
she describes
what changed her mind
so there was this moment
where she got a private message
from a man
and she says
it wasn't unkind
it wasn't an unkind message at all
he was asking
if everything she was posting online
through Instagram and things
and all she was writing
and saying
is that the best approach
that was this guy's question
a private message
and she says
it didn't even cross my mind
to have a private conversation
my instant thought was
how dare you question
a black woman
in that way
so what
this is what she did
she screenshotted the message
and posted it
on her Instagram feed
and six or seven thousand people
within minutes
were on her side
saying that man was wrong
to do that
you don't need to educate him
on racism
that all took about 20 minutes
she said
and she felt
she said she felt validation
and affirmation
in that moment
just a rush of it
but then
she felt something else
immediately after that
she had just publicly
shamed this guy
and she
she suddenly felt sick
in her stomach
she said
I didn't have to deal with him
in that moment
I dehumanised him
I didn't have to process it
and search my own thinking
about his question
should I not have given him
the respect he gave me
in sending a private reply
that was the moment
she
enormous validation
and then suddenly feeling sick
for what she did
that was the moment
that changed
and led to her article
why
I am leaving
the cult of wokeness
let me read
just a paragraph
of her article
it's
she doesn't hold back
this is what she says
I can no longer be
an active participant
in any culture
or movement
that encourages
groupthink
outrage on demand
fear and violence
revamped
segregation
fabricating history
cancellations
masters accountability
self-centeredness
normalization
of racism
towards white people
the disempowerment
of black people
masked as social justice
the constant redefining
of existing language
ignoring self-responsibility
constant pathologizing
oppressed
versus oppressor mentality
and the pressure
to conform
and comply
it's exhausting
and honestly
I have better things
to do with my time
not to mention
it's killing us
so that's her opinion
do with that
what you want
we need more than woke
we need more than
crying out injustice
now remember
Jesus does cry out
injustice
at appropriate times
but we need more than that
to put our society
our relationships
right
and I think this passage
today gives us
what we need
the better way
so if not crying out
what is our hope
for society
to keep us together
relationally
God says
Jesus is the hope
of the world
he's the hope
of our world
and the experts
in the Bible
certainly don't agree
they don't think so
we know in verse 14
if you have your Bibles
open
Matthew 12
we know in verse 14
the Pharisees
have come to their conclusion
far from being
the hope of the world
Jesus has to go
their outside in way
of being good
and important
and at peace with God
has been exposed
by Jesus
and either their
framework of life
has to go
or Jesus
who's threatening
their framework
for life
has to go
and so
they're conspiring
how do we destroy him
I think Matthew
is begging the question
of us
at this point
what about you
what's your opinion
of Jesus so far
we've spent
if you've been with us
since the 18th of July
we've been going
through Matthew
looking at the person
of Jesus
and his mission
so half a year
and then two months
last year
looking at his birth
and all the fulfillment
of God's promises
I think Matthew
is asking us
to pause
and come to a conclusion
at this point
verse 14
the Pharisees
have come to a conclusion
and now
he gives this
summary
statement
this is the longest
quote in Matthew
of the Old Testament
Isaiah 42
about Isaiah's
suffering servant
he's asking us
to pause
and decide
who we think
Jesus is
what do we see
in him
by quoting
Isaiah 42
he's suggesting
if you can't see him
as God's chosen
servant
as Isaiah prophesied
you too
will decide
he's got to go
but if you do
see him
through this lens
he will be
the hope
of your world
if you see him
as the father
sees him
so verse 18
this is the father's
opinion of Jesus
it's the Lord
speaking in Isaiah
Isaiah 42
1-4
behold
my servant
whom I have
chosen
my beloved
with whom
my soul
is well
pleased
Pharisees
get out
of my life
the father
my soul
delights
in this
servant
look at this
individual
there's no one
like him
when I look
at him
I see my
beloved
so why
does the father
why does the father's soul
delight in him
why not just say the father delights in him
I don't think working out if God has a soul or not is the point of this
this is poetry
it's like saying God has an arm to save
that's obviously a human expression
it's a picture
so what does the picture tell us
there is a reality there
don't get me wrong
but it's a picture
what's the picture saying
of God's soul
delighting in Jesus
I like how John Piper puts it
I can't say it better
so I'm going to quote him
surely what God means
when he speaks of delighting in Jesus
with his soul
is that this joy
this pleasure
is part of his very nature
or to put it another way
God the father loves the son
with a spontaneous pleasure
when he beholds the son
he sees that which by nature
brings forth his most passionate
enjoyment
Piper goes on to say
which means that God the father
would be an idolater
unless what he saw in his son
was the image
of his own glory
Jesus is God's greatest delight
because Jesus is God
and the spring of Jesus' life
is that he is chosen
loved
and enjoyed
by God the father
from that relationship
flows everything
that he is and does
when God sees Jesus
spontaneous delight
because he sees his own character
in his son
so what is it about his son
that just brings forth delight
passionately
spontaneously
well
to work that out
we need to work out
what one word in here
is
connecting
so verse 17
this
was to fulfill
what was spoken
by the prophet Isaiah
the quote in Isaiah
is connected
to what Jesus
was doing
what is the this
Matthew wants us to see
that this
is why
God delights
in his son
what is it
two commentators
have two different ideas
one is in verse
where's my notes here
verse 15
so
many followed him
and he healed them all
so one option is
God delights in him
because he's healing
them all
like we saw
with the man
with the withered hand
he restored him
completely
he's healing them all
not just some
all
he's getting
the victory
the justice
we're going to look
at that word
in a bit more detail
soon
but he's achieving
that justice
for all
he's putting things
right
so that's one option
he healed them all
he's putting everything
right
he's achieving
what the servant
was set out to achieve
the second option
is in verse 16
and he ordered them
not to make him known
he's telling his followers
to be silent
think about
those with power
have just decided
we need to kill this guy
and Jesus
aware of this
withdrew
and tells his followers
don't talk about me
that is completely different
to the way this world works
he didn't try and gather an army
could you imagine the army
he could gather
these people owe him
their life
their child's life
he didn't try and get
the social power
and strip the power
from the Pharisees
he didn't
do that
he chose the path
of gentle
service
which he knew
would cause his own suffering
so
does
does this
does he fulfill
what God says
about the suffering servant
because he's achieving
he's putting everything right
he's achieving
that justice
or
because
he is gentle
and lowly
and humble
suffering
if like me
I don't see why
it can't be both
in fact
I would
go further
and say
it's got to be both
because both
are in this
quote
and both
are necessary
for Jesus
to achieve
that total healing
he needs
to suffer
so
let's take a closer
look at this
shall we
let's
let's go
into
what God
sees of Jesus
and let's see
if our souls
produce that
spontaneous
passionate
delight in him
that little bit more
so justice
I think when we hear
that word
we automatically
think
legal justice
social justice
but the word
justice
has a much
bigger meaning
in the Old Testament
and in Isaiah
in Isaiah
we find
three main meanings
so I've got this
from Barry Webb
who used to be
an Old Testament
lecturer
at Moore College
there's three
meanings of justice
so the first
meaning of justice
in the Old Testament
and in Isaiah
in particular
is that
justice is the
order
that God
gave to the universe
when he made everything
everything had its place
everything had its purpose
so justice
pictures that
everything was in order
until sin
stuffed up
that order
the second thing
that justice
pictures
is that
the lies
in this world
and the lies
particularly about God
are replaced by truth
a true understanding
of God
in particular
that the Lord
is the Lord
of history
not anything else
nothing else
is in control
not idols
no other false gods
justice means
no
the Lord
is Lord
of history
and people
acknowledging that
so God
created everything
he is the Lord
of history
the third
meaning of justice
is about putting
the relationship
right
between God's
people
and God
it's making peace
it's maintaining
that peace
between people
and God
that's a pretty
big mission
if you stop
and think about it
Barry Webb
describes
he summarises
it this way
the mission
of the servant
is a gigantic
one
it is nothing
less
than to put
God's plan
for his people
into full effect
and to make
the truth
about the Lord
Israel's God
known everywhere
especially the fact
that he alone
is the sovereign
creator
and Lord
of history
that's a big
mission
that's his goal
like I struggle
to put my garden
in order
weeds just keep
popping up
I tried to use
the weed mat
and a month
later
there's weeds
again
I can't even
get my garden
in order
God tells
the servant
go fix
everything
that's a huge
mission
go put the
whole world
right
to do that
the servant
must deal
with the
disfiguring
effects of sin
and the curse
and we get a glimpse
of that with the man
with the withered hand
every Jew
understood that sin
either directly
or indirectly
is the cause
of curse
he must deal
with the root problem
our lack of worship
of the one true
God
so have we
as we've gone
through Matthews
have we seen
the miracles
properly
like the paralyzed
man
his paralysis
could only be
healed
if the root
problem was
dealt with
the sin
that distorted
the total
restoration
the foretaste
of what we're
looking forward
to
everything
including our
bodies
being put
right
so is this
the picture
of hope
that we have
everything
being put
right
not just
social justice
but includes
that
but putting
our character
right
that we see
God as the
creator
and Lord
of our life
gladly
serving him
because of his
love for us
putting our
relationship back
and from there
putting our
relationship back
with one another
expressing
the love
and the
servant
heartedness
of the
son
is that
our hope
for the
world
or do we
have a
I don't
know
let me use
boxing day
do we have
a boxing
day idea
of hope
let's just
outside in
let's put
everything
on the
outside
back in
order
or do we
love
what we
see here
the second
reason why
God so
delights
in his
son is
because of
how he
will achieve
this
notice that
in verse
19 to
20
we're told
two things
that he
won't do
so we're
mainly told
what he
won't do
and then
we're also
told one
thing he
will do
he's not
going to
quarrel
or cry
aloud
nor will
anyone hear
his voice
in the
streets
and a
bruised
reed he
will not
break
a smouldering
wick he
will not
quench
so first
he's not
going to
cry
aloud
in the
streets
again
let me
just
remind us
that that
can't be
literal
he was
just in
the synagogue
saying
this is
wrong
what you're
doing
so it
can't be
literal
but he
knows
that those
with power
want to
destroy him
and he
doesn't
play their
game
he doesn't
try and
get the
social power
back
he doesn't
fight fire
with fire
he withdraws
he tells his
followers not
to fight for
him
he chooses
not to have
the power
that this
world
calls power
instead he
chooses
to be
destroyed
he chooses
the path
of suffering
he chooses
to quietly
get on
with helping
those
who want
help
he chooses
not to have
the power
just quiet
people want
help
if you want
help
I'll help
you
but he knows
that that's
going to be
a path
of suffering
what's even
more powerful
than merely
crying out
for injustice
I think more
powerful is
someone who
is so
secure
in themselves
because they
know the
father's love
for them
that they
choose a
painful path
of getting
on with
serving
quietly
rather than
trying to be
in control
and have the
power
knowing it's
going to hurt
there's only
one man who
ever did
this
fully
and God
delights
in him
just can we
pause and
go what
difference
would it
make to
your family
right now
what difference
would it
make to
our church
family
even your
own heart
what difference
would it make
to Newcastle
and the world
if people
acted like
this
not having
the control
not having
the power
but choosing
to love
knowing it's
going to
hurt
would that
make a
difference
I think
it would make
all the
difference in
the world
wouldn't it
second thing
he won't
snuff out
a smouldering
wick
some might
be here
very aware
of their
failings
some may
not have
felt emotionally
close to God
for weeks
months
years
I'm not
sure
in those
seasons of
life
if you're
like me
you convince
yourself that
God has
given up
on you
I would
give up
on me
this
world
rides
people off
it snuffs
people out
so quickly
doesn't it
you do
one thing
and someone
can cut
off relationship
one failing
one different
opinion
and maybe
again that
failure does
deserve
that person
to be
snuffed
out
maybe
it was
serious
we had
three candles
on our
dinner table
the other
night
trying to
be
Christmassy
and one
of the
candles
was just
struggling
the wax
was just
smothering it
and dinner
was there
it was getting
cold
I was getting
impatient
I knew I had
another candle
I just want to
swap it
let's get on
with eating
Jesus
won't treat
you like
that
he will
never
treat
you like
that
you're
struggling
oh well
I'll try
with someone
else
he will
never
do
that
that's
not
his
character
we think
it is
because we
think he's
like the rest
of the world
like us
but he's
not
and that's
why the
father
delights
in him
he will
never
treat
you
like
that
I tried
to picture
what type
of person
is the
bruised
reed
that's
just
ready
to
snap
or the
smouldering
wick
that
it's
barely
even
producing
smoke
let's
just
start
again
like who
is that
person
I think
it's all
of us
isn't
it
unless
you think
you're
the hope
of your
world
if you
think
you're
that
arrogant
that
you can
put
your
world
right
if
you're
not
thinking
that
way
then
isn't
it
all
of us
aren't
we
aware
of how
our
love
for
God
is
just
faltering
even
within
a day
you can
start
the
day
yes
I
want
to
live
for
God
by
the
end
of
the
day
you're
smouldering
that
fire
that
love
for
others
can
just
be
quenched
by
discouragement
or
fear
or
knowing
your
own
failure
I
think
we're
all
the
bruised
reed
and
the
smouldering
wick
and he
will
never
snuff
us
out
he
won't
do
that
he
is
gentle
he
invites
us
again
and
again
to
draw
near
to
him
he
is
like
oxygen
just
draw
near
to
him
he
will
reproduce
that
fire
for
God
that
fire
for
one
another
so
he
won't
cry
aloud
to
try
and
get
the
power
he
won't
snuff
out
but
he
will
proclaim
justice
verse
18
he
will
authoritatively
proclaim
what is
really
the
case
let me
draw on
what we've
heard in
Matthew
to try
and picture
what this
means
I
think
the
leper
heard
it
when
Jesus
said
I
am
willing
be
clean
and
he
touched
him
and
he
was
healed
he
heard
that
proclamation
of
justice
I
am
willing
to
have
mercy
be
clean
and
he
believed
it
the
paralyzed
man
heard
it
take
heart
my
son
your
sins
are
forgiven
however
guilty
you
feel
he
has
proclaimed
justice
over
us
your
sins
are
forgiven
the
tax
collectors
and
sinners
heard
it
I
came
not
to
call
the
righteous
but
sinners
and
they
ate
and
drank
with
him
but
so
many
in
those
cities
who
saw
the
miracles
didn't
hear
it
the
Pharisees
didn't
hear
it
and
Jesus
says
woe
to
you
his
resurrection
from
the
dead
his
suffering
in
our
place
proclaims
justice
to
all
who
will
listen
and
believe
him
all
your
sin
is
forgiven
you
do
have
peace
with
God
I
am
the
first
fruits
of
the
resurrection
you
will
rise
with
me
the
whole
world
will
be
resurrected
I'll
put
society
right
his
resurrection
proclaims
all of
that
it's
done
sin
is
dealt
with
but
he
achieved
it
by
not
crying
aloud
but
choosing
to
suffer
and
serve
if
you
put
your
hope
in
Jesus
this
one
that
the
father
delights
in
sin
I
believe
this
word
is
saying
to
us
that
God's
delight
can
be
ours
because
God
sees us
so
bound
up
with
his
son
if
we
put
our
hope
in
him
for
our
world
for
the
world
he
sees
us
so
bound
up
with
him
that
his
victory
becomes
our
victory
his
proclamation
of
truth
is
truth
sin
is
forgiven
and
God
can
say
over
my
life
over
your
life
my
beloved
with
whom
my
soul
is
well
pleased
not
because
of
what
you
have
done
but
because
of
his
victory
on
your
behalf
who
cares
about
six or
seven
thousand
people
tweeting
in
response
that
you're
right
saying
that
they
love
you
if
you've
got
the
father
of
all
saying
my
beloved
with
whom
my
soul
is
well
pleased
because
of
what
my
son
has
done
for
you
everything
is
right
between
us
you
will
rise
again
so
let me
just
finish
with a
few
questions
how
much
does
your
soul
delight
in
him
how
much
I
suppose
do
you
want
your
soul
to
delight
in
him
more
can
you
see
what
the
father
sees
in
him
is
the
vision
of
putting
the
whole
world
right
by
first
putting
your
heart
right
with
God
is
that
the
hope
that
you
have
that
you
want
or
do
you
want
just
all
the
external
stuff
does
the
way
he
achieves
it
delight
your
soul
does
it
impress
you
is
it
attractive
to
you
that
he
doesn't
cry
aloud
but
knowing
it's
going
to
hurt
he
chooses
to
serve
is
that
attractive
to
you
because
if
it
is
we'll
want
to
be
like
him
if
we're
not
like
him
as
much
as
we
say
it's
attractive
then
we're
not
fully
believing
it
yet
so
how
much
so
how
much
I'm
not
but
if
it
hasn't
yet
then
keep
looking
at
him
see
what
the
father
sees
but
those
who
do
delight
in
him
how
much
does
it
he
is
the
hope
of
the
world
he
is
the
hope
of
our
world
so
let's
follow
him
let's
be like
him
more
and
more
will
you
pray
with me
let's
pray
father
I pray
for each
of us
that
you
would
draw
us
closer
and
closer
to
your
son
open
our
eyes
more
and
more
and
more
as
we
understand
your
word
more
as
well
as
we
see
your
character
embodied
in the
lives
of one
another
in the
church
lord
I pray
that
you
draw
each
of us
closer
to
you
delighting
in
your
son
that
we
might
follow
in
his
steps
lord
I
pray
that
the
power
and
stability
of
Jesus
life
might
be
ours
as
well
that
we
might
know
your
proclamation
that
you
have
spoken
over
us
that
we
are
your
beloved
with
whom
your
soul
is
well
pleased
not
because
of
what
we
have
done
but
because
of
what
your
son
has
achieved
on
our
behalf
lord
help
us
to
believe
that
more
and
more
when
sin
is
just
making
us
feel
ashamed
help
us
to
believe
your
proclamation
over
us
when
we're
discouraged
when
we're
fearful
help
us
to
believe
that
you
are
the
hope
of
the
world
help
us
to
have
confidence
that
you
will
get
the
victory
in
the
end
help
us
to
look
to
the
resurrection
I
pray this
in
Jesus
name
Amen
don Not