It's a huge privilege for me to be here with you this morning on this auspicious occasion.
! The occasion when Paul Levy wears a tie.
! But it is, I do count it a privilege to be with you on this very special day.
There are a few days more special in the life of a church
when men that God has raised up
are acknowledged to be men that God has raised up
and who begin ministerially their calling to serve the church of Jesus Christ.
Whenever a visiting preacher comes to my own congregation
I'm nosy enough to want to know a little bit about them
to put a human context to their ministry.
My name, Ian Hamilton.
The best thing about me, I'm married to Joan.
I have four wonderful children.
One of whom is here, David, with his wife Sarah.
And two of my granddaughters, Emily and Molly.
I have another daughter who at this moment is in the midst of labour in Inverness.
So, please God, by the end of the day we might have a fifth grandchild.
We don't know the sex yet.
It's all a secret until the last moment.
I served for 20 years in the Church of Scotland
as a parish minister.
17 years in Cambridge.
Loved every minute of both situations.
Last year we transitioned back to Scotland.
I thought mid-60s it's time to do what I've always longed to do
at some time in my ministry
and become a theological teacher.
So, in addition to serving in Smithton, Free Church of Scotland,
I teach historical theology in Edinburgh
and teach patristics and Puritan pastoral theology in America.
They like the accent.
So, that's a little bit about me.
I was raised in Glasgow.
In case you're wondering, the accent has educated Glasgow.
It's amazing what 10 years of university will do for you
regarding your accent.
We are here to hear the Word of God.
Please turn with me to Isaiah chapter 42
and to the first four verses.
If there is one thing I would want to be saying today
to the men who have been ordained and installed
as under-shepherds in this flock of Jesus Christ
and beyond this flock of Jesus Christ
in His Church Universal,
it would simply be this.
Model your lives
after the great shepherd-servant of the Church,
Jesus Christ.
Isaiah chapter 42, the opening verses,
are the first of four servant songs.
Songs that increasingly unfold for us
the identity and the character
of the one described by God
as His servant
and who will come from God,
commissioned by God
to fulfil the purpose of God
to be the saviour of the world.
And God is saying,
Behold my servant.
But if we have to understand
these opening verses,
we need to set them
in their more immediate context
because the first word of chapter 42,
Behold,
which is a summons for us
to consider carefully
and to give detailed attention to,
is the third
in a triad of beholds.
If you look back to the previous chapter,
verse 24,
the Lord says,
Behold,
you are nothing.
And He's speaking of idols.
Your work is less than nothing.
An abomination is He who chooses you.
And so God is saying,
Behold,
the idols of this world
are empty,
they are vain,
they are nothing.
They can do nothing
because they are nothing.
And then in verse 29,
Behold,
they are all a delusion.
Now He turns from the idols
to the idol makers,
the idol worshippers,
the idolaters.
Not only are the idols
empty and vain and worthless,
those who make them
are a delusion.
Their works are nothing.
Their mental images are empty wind.
And so the Lord God
is summoning His creation
to behold the emptiness,
the vacuity,
the vanity,
the nothingness
of all that this world
counts important.
And then you have the third
in the series of beholds.
Behold,
my servant.
The servant of the Lord,
whom we know
from the New Testament,
Matthew 12,
is none other than
the Son of God
in our flesh.
He is God's answer
to the vanity,
the nothingness,
the emptiness,
the delusions
of this world.
Behold,
my servant.
And perhaps you could imagine
people for the first time
hearing those words
and listening with
tremendous anticipation.
Who is this servant
of the Lord?
Who is this great one?
Who is God's answer
to the vacuity
and the emptiness,
the nothingness
and the vanity
of this world?
Who is this great servant
of the Lord?
And the Lord Himself
tells us,
Behold,
my servant,
whom I have chosen,
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.
Behold,
my servant.
The Lord Jesus Christ
is set before us
in the Bible,
promised in the Old Covenant
and revealed in all his glory
in the New Covenant.
He is set before us
as the prototypical
servant of the Lord.
He is the one
who exemplifies
in himself
what true
servanthood means.
God's first
servant son,
Adam,
failed and fell
miserably
and horribly
in the garden.
God's
but here is
God's better
than Adam.
God's
better
servant son,
his own
chosen,
his own
beloved son
and he
comes
not to fail
where Adam
failed
but to stand
faithfully
and resolutely
to the last
and to do so
in humble
servant
hearted
obedience
and love
to the Father
who commissioned him
and sent him.
And the Lord Jesus Christ
himself
was self-consciously
aware
that though
he had been
from times
eternal
the Son of God
though there was
never a moment
when he was not
the eternal
Son of God
he understood
that he had
come into the world
to be
the servant
of the Lord.
He said in Mark's
Gospel
I have come
not to be
served
but to serve
and to give
my life
a ransom
for many.
He said
as he faced
the cross
I am
among you
as one
who
serves.
and when the
disciples
stood
in
bewilderment
as the Lord
Jesus Christ
washed their
feet
John chapter
13
as they almost
drew back
at the thought
that he
their Lord
would stoop
so low
as to wash
their feet
he said
to them
I have left
you
an example
as I
have been
to you
so you
are to be
to one
another.
Jesus Christ
the servant
of God
is God's
counter
intuitive
example
to the world
his
counter
intuitive
answer
to the world
and that
answer
is bound
up
in a
servant
and what
a servant
the servant
of the
Lord
is
and it's
true that
every Christian
is called
to mirror
in their
lives
the servant
heartedness
of the Lord
Jesus Christ
remember Paul's
words in
Philippians 2
let this
mind be
in you
or among
you
that was
also in
Christ
Jesus
who though
he was
in the
form of
God
did not
consider
equality
with God
something to
be grasped
or held
on to
he made
himself
nothing
literally
he emptied
himself
he emptied
by becoming
a servant
let this
mind
be
among
you
let
the servant
heartedness
of the
son of
God
be the
distinguishing
mark
of your
Christian
life
and that
comes to
pass
because the
Holy Spirit
who first
created
in the
holy humanity
of Christ
that servant
heartedness
comes to
overlay
that
model
that perfect
model of
servant
heartedness
on all
of our
lives
it's his
ministry of
replication
he has
come
to make
us
like
our
saviour
that's what
it means
to be a
Christian
to be
born again
into the
family of
God
and having
been born
into God's
family
to become
the
recipients
of the
Holy Spirit's
replicating
ministry
God's
ultimate
purpose is
to glorify
his son
and listen
to this
to make
him
the first
born
of many
brothers
he wants
to populate
glory
with
creaturely
reflections
of his
son
and at
the heart
of
the
God
man
there is
this
obedience
to the
father
not
ontological
eternal
obedience
he was
ever equal
to the
father
never
subordinate
to the
father
but in
his holy
humanity
as our
mediator
he
embraces
his
calling
to be
obedient
in all
things
to the
father
as our
covenant
head
he is
majesty
clothed
with
meekness
and
servanthood
every
Christian
is to
be
conformed
to his
likeness
but
uniquely
I think
every
Christian
leader
who is
called
to mirror
the
headship
and
leadership
of
Jesus
Christ
in his
church
is called
in a
special way
to model
for the
church
what it
means
to be
like
Jesus
Christ
and at the
heart of
that
modeling
is a
servant
heart
that says
no matter
what it
may cost
me
I will
seek
God
helping
me
your
present
good
though it
means
laying down
my life
for that
good
I want
to notice
just four
very brief
things that
we are told
here about
the Lord's
servant
we are told
first of all
that he
would be
dependent
on the
Holy Spirit
behold my
servant
whom I
uphold
my
chosen
and whom
my soul
delights
I have
put my
spirit
upon him
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
who is
the servant
read
Matthew
chapter
12
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
lived out
his life
in
holy
hearted
dependence
on the
Holy Spirit
he did
nothing
from womb
to tomb
without
doing it
in
dependence
on the
Holy Spirit
remember
how he
begins his
public
ministry
in Luke
chapter 4
the spirit
of the
Lord
is upon
me
he lives
out his
life
in faithful
trustful
dependence
on the
Holy Spirit
and my
brothers
those of
you who
have been
set apart
this morning
to be
under
shepherds
in the
flock
of Jesus
Christ
and to
reflect
his
servant
heartedness
you need
to be
men
who
model
to this
congregation
what it
means
to live
and to
act
in every
sphere
of your
life
in
dependence
on the
new
covenant
ministry
of the
Holy Spirit
anything
you do
you are
to do
in
dependence
on his
gracious
upholding
and
empowering
you are
to be
pneumatic
men
men of
the Holy
Spirit
and what
is the
great
ministry
of the
Holy
Spirit
to bring
glory
to Christ
the spirit
is most
honoured
when Christ
is most
exalted
and we
live
spirit
dependent
lives
when we
seek to
live
Christ
exalting
lives
and people
need to
see in
you
as
husbands
as
fathers
as
friends
as
leaders
they
need to
see
he
is a
man
who
glories
in
Jesus
Christ
and who
is at
his
happiest
and
highest
when
Jesus
is being
exalted
and that
will mean
you will
be men
of prayer
remember
those great
words in
Acts 6
when the
apostles
recognised
that they
couldn't do
everything
in the life
of the church
in Jerusalem
and certain
men are set
apart
because
said the
apostles
we must
give ourselves
to prayer
and the
ministry
of the
word
there was
John Bunyan
who wrote
you can do
more than
pray
after you
have
prayed
but you
cannot do
more than
pray
until you
have
prayed
prayer
is to
be one
of the
great
spiritual
realities
that is
woven
through
every
sphere
of your
life
that's
why our
Lord Jesus
Christ
prayed
he prayed
because
without
the Holy
Spirit
he could
do
nothing
there
wasn't
a channel
from his
deity
flowing
into
his
humanity
that
would
make
his
humanity
not a
true
humanity
and he
couldn't
therefore
stand
for us
with us
represent
us
and save
us
with every
prayer
he was
saying
Holy Spirit
enable me
help me
sustain me
support me
that's
why you
have that
almost
unexpoundable
verse
in Luke's
gospel
where our
Lord agonises
in the
garden
and the
father
sends
an angel
to comfort
her
in his
holy
sinless
perfect
humanity
he needed
the upholding
of God
to
fulfill
his
divine
calling
the
Lord's
servant
will be
dependent
on
the
Lord's
spirit
the
second
thing
we
notice
here
is
that
the
Lord's
servant
will
be
un-self
advertising
he
will not
cry
aloud
or lift
up his
voice
or make
it heard
in the
street
now that
doesn't
mean
he
wouldn't
be an
open-air
preacher
it
didn't
mean
he
wouldn't
shout
out
and
call
people
to
himself
the
language
here
in
his
Hebrew
form
the
language
is
saying
he
will
not
be
self
promoting
he
will
not
advertise
himself
he
had
come
to
glorify
his
father
un-self
advertising
brothers
in your
shepherding
of this
congregation
these
dear
people
need
to
see
that
you
are
their
servant
for
Jesus
sake
that
you're
not
out
to
promote
yourself
you're
out
to
seek
their
good
they
may
not
always
agree
with
you
may
fail
them
as
you
most
certainly
will
at
times
but
please
God
they
will
never
ever
for
one
moment
be
able
to
say
at
his
heart
and
what
drives
him
in
his
service
in
this
congregation
is
not
himself
but
my
good
you
are
this
congregation
servant
for
Jesus
Christ
sake
and
so
you
are
to
pastor
this
congregation
in
such
a
way
that
they
will
know
that
Jesus
Christ
truly
is
the
chief
shepherd
of
the
church
that
your
pastoring
will
not
make
them
for
one
moment
think
that
you
are
the
one
who
has
ultimate
responsibility
for
them
but
by
the
very
way
and
manner
in
which
you
go
about
your
work
the
way
and
the
manner
are
as
vital
as
the
substance
the
words
that
you
may
speak
they
will
see
by
your
way
and
your
manner
that
it's
the
Lord
Jesus
who
is
the
chief
shepherd
of
this
flock
and
that
you
are
his
servant
and
under
him
the
servant
of
this
congregation
you
will
be
unself
advertising
that's
no
easy
thing
because
the
devil
is
always
seeking
to
infect
us
with
the
serpentine
sin
of
pride
you
had
it
in
the
garden
it
was
pride
in
Adam
and
Eve
pride
that
they
knew
better
than
God
self
exalting
self
advertising
pride
that
caused
them
to
rebel
who
in
their
right
mind
would
rebel
against
a
holy
gracious
glorious
good
cosmically
creating
God
it's
the
serpentine
infiltration
of
Satan
self
exalting
over
God
and
Satan
will
seek
to
serpentine
his
way
into
your
life
and
you
need
every
day
to
call
upon
the
Lord
to
help
you
to
put
to
death
every
self
advertising
self
exalting
self
promoting
thought
but then
the third
thing
the Lord
servant
will be
gentle
and
kind
and
unthreatening
to the
weak
the
needy
and the
seemingly
useless
a bruised
reed he
will not
break
and a
faintly
burning
wick
he will
not
quench
and the
point
that's
being
highlighted
here
is that
this
servant
of the
Lord
would be
like
no
other
servant
he
would
come
with
gentleness
with
tenderness
with
meekness
he
will
come
alongside
the
seemingly
useless
in the
church
of God
and
shepherd
them
safely
to
glory
he
will
tell
them
that
yes
you
are
a
bruised
reed
yes
you
are
a
dimly
burning
wick
but
you
are
precious
to
God
your
significance
and
value
does
not
lie
in
your
own
self
esteem
but
in
the
fact
that
you
are
bought
with
the
precious
blood
of
the
Son
of
God
that
God
made
you
and
has
imprinted
his
image
upon
you
be
the
kind
of
man
that
the
weak
and
the
retiring
and
the
shy
and
the
introverted
and
the
broken
will be
able to
say
I can
go to
him
and
know
that
he
will
receive
me
just
as
I
am
and
will
seek
to
help
me
where
I
am
it
must
have
been
breathtaking
to
be at
the
receiving
end
of the
tenderness
of the
Son
of
God
in
our
flesh
think
of how
gentle
he was
with
his
disciples
they
would
have
driven
you
round
the
bend
lord
we're
going to
call
down
fire
from
heaven
goodness
me
what
have
you
learned
how
patient
how
forbearing
he
meets
a
Samaritan
woman
at a
well
Jews
have
no
dealings
with
Samaritans
and he
evangelizes
her so
sweetly
at first
and then
the punch
comes
where's
your
husband
well
I
don't
have
one
well
that's
true
you've
had
five
you're
now
living
with
your
six
and
very
tenderly
Jesus
is
saying
I'm
going
to
be
your
seventh
and
last
man
and
then
there
was
a
woman
caught
in
adultery
I
can
never
read
that
passage
without
thinking
what
kind
of
men
must
these
men
have
been
who
were
waiting
to
pounce
on
a
woman
and
flagrant
had
her
what
kind
of
men
they
were
that
they
brought
her
to
Jesus
she
must
have
feared
the
worst
and you
know
the
story
Jesus
says
which of
you
is
without
sin
cast
the
first
stone
and we
all melt
away
shamefaced
and then you
have this
breathtaking
moving
climax
I
find it
hard
to
read
without
tears
actually
Jesus
says to
the woman
where are
your
accusers
she
must
have
been
absolutely
bewildered
well
I
don't
know
neither
do I
condemn
you
go
and
sin
no
more
I
remember
for the
first time
reading
Augustine
the
great
late
fourth
early
fifth
century
church
father
in this
passage
John
8
1-11
he has
a stunning
comment
some of you
might know
I'll tell you
what the
Latin is
and I'll
translate it
because the
Latin is
just
stunning
relicti
sunt
duo
misericordia
there remain
but two
misery
and mercy
isn't that
stunning
there remain
but two
misery
and divine
mercy
clothed in
holy humanity
and brothers
we are to be
gentle
as well as
unthreatening
we are to be
patient
and kind
and be the
kind of men
that people
in their
brokenness
can come to
and say
I need
your help
and we are
in all the
fragility
and frailty
of our yet
fallen
bodies
to minister
of the
grace
of Jesus
Christ
to them
but then the
fourth thing
is very simply
the Lord's
servant
in all of
this would
be undeviatingly
faithful
three times
verse 1
verse 3
and verse 4
this is
emphasized
he will
bring forth
justice to the
nations
verse 3
he will
faithfully
bring forth
justice
verse 4
he will
not
grow
faint
or be
discouraged
until
he has
established
justice
here is a
servant
who
will not
turn aside
from his
calling
here is a
servant
who will
pursue
come what
may
cost what
may
the calling
entrusted
to him
by his
heavenly
father
brothers it's
required of
stewards
1
countings
4
to be
found
faithful
you are
called
to model
the
undeviating
faithfulness
of the
savior
in your
ministerial
pastoral
care
of this
congregation
you are
called to be
undeviating
in your
resolve to
guard this
flock
from
the
errors
that
swirl
about
the
church
of
Jesus
Christ
and that
so easily
find their
way into
the life
of the
church
to infect
it
you are
to be
men who
so know
the word
of God
and are
so rooted
and grounded
in the
theology
of that
word
so beautifully
exemplified
I think
in the
Westminster
standards
that you
have an
antennae
alert
to
deviant
truth
that
seems
to be
okay
but
you detect
there are
things not
quite right
about it
you
understand
there are
trajectories
here that
are going
to harm
God's
people
you are
to be
faithful
even though
it will cost
you everything
the Lord
Jesus was
obedient unto
death
and the
good of
this
flock
may yet
who knows
require
your
death
you think
well maybe
that's a bit
extreme
well
Jesus said
to everyone
who considered
following him
Luke 9
unless you
take up your
cross
daily
and follow
me
you cannot
be my
disciple
and he
wasn't saying
unless you're
willing to
bear a few
indignities
you know
the life
is full
of crosses
and people
might bad
mouth you
he's not
talking about
that
he's saying
unless you're
ready to
die
every day
for me
don't even
consider
following me
this is not
where discipleship
ends after
10-20 years
this is where
discipleship
begins
and you'll
notice it
says he
will not
grow faint
or be
discouraged
you see
there will
be much
to tempt
you
to
discouragement
and to
faint heartedness
there will
be difficulties
some sheep
are pains
in the
derriere
they are
in a sense
we all
are
some sheep
you scratch
your head
and you
think
Lord
why are
they here
for my
glory
and for
your
sanctification
and you
will be
discouraged
with
yourself
you look
at yourself
and you
see at
times
sin
and weakness
that just
depresses
you
and you
say Lord
I'm not
fit
to be
anything
in your
kingdom
brothers
please
God
that thought
will be
with you
every day
of your
life
that you
will never
ever think
well you
know
I think
I'm the
kind of
man
that IPC
Ealing
was desperately
in need
of
please God
every day
you'll say
with Paul
I am
the chief
of sinners
not I
was
1 Timothy
1
not I
was the
chief
of sinners
I am
the chief
of sinners
and every
day you'll
be praying
Lord be
merciful to
me
the
sinner
Jesus
Christ
resisted
the temptation
to turn
aside
he resisted
the temptation
to settle
for mediocrity
he resolved
to go
on
to the
very last
some of you
know the name
Eric Alexander
one of my
dearest
friends
I
followed him
in his
ministry
in
Eamills
in
Earshire
thinking
venison to
mince
boy
what a
change
he told me
of the first
occasion
he met
Martin Lloyd
Jones
in Westminster
Chapel
a friend
had taken
him
and he'd
heard the
doctor
it was a
great
sermon
and at
the end
of the
service
there was
a huge
queue
of people
waiting to
talk to
the doctor
and Eric
said to me
he said
you know
Ian
I was with
my friend
and as we
got closer
to the
doctor
he seemed
to be
saying
only one
thing
to everyone
who spoke
to him
go on
and he
said
Eric
said to
me
I thought
you know
these people
have pewed
up to
talk to
him
did he
not have
something
more
he could
have said
to them
and then
I realised
what
greater
thing
could he
have said
to them
go on
brothers
go on
when the
world
the flesh
and the
devil
conspire
to turn
you back
go on
when your
own
sins
rise
against
you
cover
them
afresh
in the
blood
of
Jesus
Christ
go on
be
undaunted
fight the
good fight
keep the
faith
finish the
race
go on
because
Christ
shed his
blood
for this
flock
and if
it was
worth his
blood
it is
worth
your
every
effort
let us
pray
God