and whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.
I will put my spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.
He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.
This is what God the Lord says.
He who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it.
I the Lord have called you in righteousness.
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison,
to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord.
That is my name.
I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place and new things I declare.
Before they spring into being, I announce them to you.
Well, let's pray together as we hear God's word.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you for your word,
for this prophecy written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ,
but yet true.
We thank you for this grand and great announcement.
And we thank you that it has become a reality for us today.
We pray that your word would refresh us and change us,
and that you would help us to see life and this world from your perspective,
and that it would shape how we live.
So we ask for your help, the power of your spirit,
to be at work amongst us,
so that the words that we hear are your words,
and changing us to be more like you.
And we ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, the story is told, some of you may have heard it,
of a radio show host
who at Christmas time rang around various ambassadors
asking what they would most like for Christmas.
The first one that he called was the French ambassador.
And his answer to what would you most like for Christmas said this,
I would like peace and goodwill to all men.
The next to ring was the Chinese ambassador.
He thought for a moment and then he said,
I'd like to end hunger and disease throughout the world.
Then he called the British ambassador.
What would you like for Christmas?
There was a pause.
I'd be very happy with some aftershave and a pair of new slippers.
Well, I think if we could have anything that we wanted,
we'd all want something a little bit more than aftershave or slippers
or socks that perhaps some of us got at our Christmas gifts.
And like the ambassadors that also replied,
we do want a better world than what we have.
We want a world where everything is put right.
We want to be able to turn on the news
and hear that there is no bad news.
We want to be able to walk out onto our streets
without fear or any worry.
We want to be able to wake up in the morning
and know that everything is going to be okay.
All our concerns are all taken care of.
Well, I want to give you the gift of someone this morning
who can do just that.
He brings justice to our disordered world
and he gives grace to our broken lives.
He is the Spirit-filled servant.
First, this servant has been promised.
Look at verse 1 of chapter 42.
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight.
So this is not just any servant.
He stands above everyone else.
This is God's chosen one.
One in whom, verse 1, I delight.
The servant is chosen because he brings to God great joy.
He pleases God.
In other words, everything that this servant does
and how this servant lives brings God great pleasure.
God is thrilled.
God is delighted to see this servant at work.
He is his prized servant.
But not only is this servant chosen,
this servant comes with great power.
Look at the rest of verse 1.
He says,
I will put my spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
To be filled with the Spirit
or to have the Spirit of God come upon him
is to be filled with the power of God.
The power of God to achieve the purposes of God
and accomplish the plan of God.
So this is no ordinary servant.
He is chosen by God for a special purpose.
But who is this promised servant?
Well, this promise has actually been fulfilled.
In one sense, we are told that the servant is already here.
So look how it even starts in verse 1.
He says,
Here, this is God speaking,
Here is my servant.
So the servant could be the people of God,
the nation of Israel.
But the problem is,
as we begin to read through the rest of Isaiah
and as we read through the story of the Bible,
we realize that God's people
are not all that they should be.
God does not always delight in them.
So just have a look at chapter 42, verse 24.
Because we see what happens to them.
In verse 24 we read,
Who handed Jacob,
that's a word to describe,
a name to describe the people of God.
Who handed Jacob over to become loot
and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the Lord
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow his ways.
They did not obey his law.
So this is hardly a servant
that God delights in
or takes great pleasure in.
His people displeased him.
They failed to serve God as they should.
So the servant is here,
but it's not quite what we think.
So in another sense,
the servant is here,
but the servant is yet to come.
So it says in verse 1 of chapter 42,
I will put my spirit on him.
So it's something future.
So who is this spirit?
Who is this spirit-filled person?
Well, in time,
as we begin to read through the scriptures,
we see the plan
and the purpose of God
beginning to unfold.
Keep your finger in Isaiah 42
and jump to Luke.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 2.
And as we approach
and as we come into the New Testament,
we begin to see the Spirit of God
coming as he promised,
filling people,
filling his servants
and doing an extraordinary work.
Luke.
So in chapter 1 of Luke's Gospel,
verse 41,
we've had the announcement
from the angel to Mary
that Mary is going to give birth
to a son
and she's going to call him Jesus.
And at the same time
as her giving birth,
her cousin,
Elizabeth,
is also
going to give birth.
So Luke, chapter 1
and verse 41.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the baby leaped in her womb
and Mary was filled
with the Holy Spirit.
So the Spirit is there working
and in a loud voice she exclaimed,
Blessed are you among women, Mary,
and blessed is the child
you will bear.
So Elizabeth is pointing
to the child
that Mary is going to have.
But not just Elizabeth.
Look at verse 67.
So her husband, Zachariah,
he is also filled,
verse 67,
with the Holy Spirit.
And he prophesied,
the Spirit comes upon him
and he says,
Praise be to the Lord,
the God of Israel,
because he has come
and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn
of salvation.
That is the strength of God
is going to come
and save us.
So the Spirit of God
coming on his servants
to declare something
about who Jesus is
and what he's going to do.
Then in chapter 2,
verse 25,
we have Simeon
who's in the temple
and he was waiting
for Jesus to arrive.
So read verse 25.
Now there was a man
in Jerusalem called Simeon
who was righteous
and devout.
He was waiting
for the consolation
of Israel.
That is for everything
to be put right again.
And the Holy Spirit
came upon him.
Verse 27,
Moved by the Spirit,
he went into the temple courts
and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus
to do for him
what the custom
of the law required,
Simeon took him in his arms
and praised God,
saying,
Sovereign Lord,
as you have promised,
you now dismiss
your servant in peace.
For my eyes
have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared
in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation
to the Gentiles
and for the glory
to your people Israel.
So can we see
the Spirit of God
coming down
on his servants,
on different people,
pointing and proclaiming
and saying,
Look at this Jesus.
And then we read
in Luke chapter 3
and verse 21.
This Jesus who was born,
is now 33 years of age.
Chapter 3, verse 21.
When all the people
were being baptized,
Jesus was baptized too.
And as he was praying,
heaven was opened
and the Holy Spirit
descended on him
in bodily form
like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
an audible voice.
You are my Son,
whom I love.
With you
I am well pleased.
So here,
at last,
is the Spirit-filled
servant,
the Spirit of God
coming down
on the Son,
on Jesus,
the one in whom
God takes
great delight
and pleasure.
You are the one
I love.
With you
I am well pleased.
the power of God
coming down
on the Son of God
to achieve
the purposes
of God.
So what is this
Spirit-filled servant
sent to do?
He was promised
and he has come.
Well, let's see
what he is going to do.
Let's go back to Isaiah
chapter 42.
Two big things
the servant
will do.
First,
he is going to bring
justice
to our disordered world.
So Isaiah 42,
the end of verse 1.
He says,
I will put my
Spirit on him
and he will bring
justice
to the nations.
Now,
every one of us
here
has experienced
some kind of
injustice,
haven't we?
I was playing
a game of Monopoly
last night
with my family.
I experienced
great injustice,
stealing of money,
all kinds of
wrongdoing.
We all understand
what it is
to face
injustice.
But we're talking
here about
serious injustice,
where people
say things
about you,
discredit us.
Maybe things
have been taken
from us
in our lives.
And we all
long for
justice
to be done.
And when God
talks of bringing
justice,
as he does here,
it implies
two things.
First,
it's about
punishment.
So correcting
wrongs
and making sure
people receive
the penalty
for their crime,
that's justice.
justice.
But it's also
about protection.
So it's about
giving people
their rights
and making sure
that the vulnerable
are treated
fairly and given
the respect
that is due
to them.
So punishment
and protection,
that is the
justice of God.
And that's the
kind of justice
we all long
for,
where every
wrong has been
put right
and every right
is upheld.
Well,
the Spirit-filled
servant
is going to
bring about
that kind
of justice.
Have a look
at what this
justice will be
like.
It's going to
be universal.
So look at
verse 1 again.
He says he will
bring justice
to the nations.
Not just to
one person
or one country,
but to the
whole of
the world.
No country
or leader
or government
will be
excused.
Justice
will be
done in
every nation.
No one
can hide.
No one
will be
immune.
Everything
will be
revealed.
Everything
will be
exposed.
Justice
will be
done.
And it
will be a
faithful
justice.
Look at
the end
of verse
3.
In
faithfulness
he will
bring forth
justice.
We want
the truth.
Thus the
cry of
everyone who
suffers
injustice.
No more
lies.
No cover
ups.
No more
spin.
We want
the plain
truth.
Well this
servant is
faithful in
bringing justice.
He will
uphold the
truth.
He will
not be
swayed by
people's
stories.
It's not
going to be
like the
banking
inquiry or
the
investigations
into FIFA
where truth
is hard
to come
by.
It will
be the
whole
truth and
the absolute
truth.
So it will
be universal,
faithful and
his justice
will be
eternal.
Look at
verse 4.
He will
not falter
or be
discouraged
until he
establishes
justice
on earth.
The kind
of justice
that we're
used to
is people
being sentenced
for some
particular crime
they've
committed
and then
they're being
let off so
many years
for good
behaviour
and then the
rest of the
sentence being
suspended.
So the
criminal walks
free and
the victim
suffers.
That's the
kind of
justice we
get today
whereas this
servant that
we're reading
about he
will not
rest until
justice is
established
until there
is a
foundation of
justice where
there is a
new kind of
order in this
world that
will last
forever.
So the
spirit filled
Jesus is
going to
bring justice.
The one who
has the power
of God
to achieve
the purpose
of God
and accomplish
the plan
of God.
The second
big thing
it's not
just justice
that he
will bring
but he's
going to
bring grace
to our
broken lives.
Grace is
God's
unconditional
kindness
that he
gives
freely
to those
who are
weak
and broken
and
undeserving.
It's
mercy
God's
unconditional
kindness
to those
who are
weak and
broken.
He is
gentle
in bringing
grace.
So look
in verses
2 and 3
we've got
justice
going on
and then
right in
the middle
of all
this justice
and bringing
things to
right
we see
a servant
of grace.
Look at
verse 2.
He will
not shout
or cry
out
or raise
his voice
in the
streets.
The bully
shouts
doesn't he?
The
domineering
cry out
and shout
people down
and put
people down.
The unjust
boasts
from the
street and
says look
at who I
am and
look at
what I've
done and
look at
what I
have.
We've
all met
that kind
of person.
They don't
care about
the weak
or the
vulnerable.
They're
aggressive.
They're
threatening.
They're
about building
their own
little empires
and their
own ego.
They trample
on the
broken only
to get to
the top.
But not
the servants.
He comes
with the
power of
God but
yet he is
gentle.
he doesn't
shout.
He speaks
words of
calm and
comfort.
He doesn't
shout people
down but
he listens
to the cry
of those
who suffer
and who
struggle.
So here
is one
who is
understanding
and gracious.
He is
slow to
anger and
rich in
love towards
the weak
and the
vulnerable
and the
broken.
But he's
not just
gentle.
He is
compassionate.
Look at
verse 3.
A bruised
reed he
will not
break.
I don't
think we
use reeds
much but
in the
time that
it was
written
reeds
were very
useful for
making all
kinds of
things.
Maybe
putting on
a roof.
Maybe
building a
boat.
So a
bruised or
a rotting
reed is
of no use
to anyone.
It's for
the fire.
It's
considered
useless,
fit for
nothing,
of no
value.
All it
can be
done is
thrown into
the rubbish
heap.
But look
what it
says.
A bruised
reed he
will not
break.
The servant
will not
discard or
reject those
who are like
bruised
reeds.
He will
not break
us or
destroy us.
He is
compassionate.
Look at
the rest of
verse 3.
And a
smouldering
wick he
will not
snuff
out.
we might
modernise it
and say
an old
lightbulb
he won't
throw out.
A lightbulb
that doesn't
work anymore
or the
candles that
we've used
for Christmas
decorations
and there's
hardly anything
left in it
at all.
Well it's
fit for
nothing,
its purpose
is over,
it's chucked
out,
it's thrown
away,
it's
discarded,
it's
useless.
But the
servant
will not
push away
or trample
on those
of us
who are
like a
smouldering
wick,
struggling
to survive
in the
struggles
and the
heartaches
of life
and all
the pressures
and the
demands
that come
upon us.
He will
not crush
us or
smash us,
he is
compassionate.
You see
what the
world sees
as hopeless
and beyond
use,
the servant
will take
those people
and he
will restore
them.
What the
world sees
as useless
and without
hope and
everybody else
is discarded
and given
up on,
they're too
broken,
they're too
sinful,
their life
is too
much of a
mess,
the servant
will take
those people
and he
will renew
them and
make them
right again.
So here
is the
promise of
a spirit
filled servant
coming to
bring justice,
to correct,
to bring
protection,
to bring
punishment,
but one
who comes
to bring
grace to
the broken
and to
the weak,
to be
gentle and
compassionate.
So how
are we
going to
experience
justice
and grace?
Well,
as Jesus
walked this
earth,
as the
spirit-filled
servant
began to
live his
life,
he brought
justice and
grace where
he went.
He spoke
up,
didn't he,
for those
who were
vulnerable
and weak.
He took
the bruised
reeds
and the
smouldering
wicks.
He had
compassion on
those who
were shut
out and
who had
nothing.
He fed
the hungry,
he healed
the sick,
he welcomed
the leper
that everybody
else had
despised,
he took
in the
woman who
everybody
else had
rejected,
he accepted
the sinners
and those
that everybody
had thrown
out and
the outcasts,
he restored
the demon
possessed,
he came
with gentleness
and compassion,
but he also
came in
justice,
he condemned
the selfish
rich,
he judged
the hypocritical
religious who
looked down on
everybody else
because they
failed and got
so many things
wrong.
So as Jesus
walked this
earth,
the spirit
filled servant
came with
justice and
with grace.
But that was
only a sign
of the greater
justice and
a deeper
grace that
we can all
experience today.
You see,
Jesus,
the spirit
filled servant,
did not end
his life by
walking amongst
people,
he came to
die for
people like
you and me
and it's
only when we
look at the
cross that
we actually
see justice
and grace
in all its
wonder and
all its
beauty.
Because when
we see Jesus
dying on the
cross,
we see him
taking my
place and
your place.
He pays the
penalty for
all the acts
of injustice
that have ever
taken place.
So the
justice that
we long
for ourselves,
the justice
that we
want upon
everybody
else and
that we
deserve,
fell not
on us,
but fell
on the
servant,
on his
son,
Jesus
Christ.
Keep your
finger in
chapter 42
and jump
forward to
Isaiah 53.
and here
we have
another
picture
of the
justice of
God
falling
not on
us,
but on
this
spirit-filled
servant,
the gentle,
compassionate
and pure
one
who takes
the injustices
on the
world.
Look at
verse 4
of chapter
53.
This is
speaking of
the spirit-filled
servant.
Surely he
took up
our
infirmities
and carried
our
sorrows,
yet we
considered him
stricken
by God,
smitten by
him and
afflicted.
He was
pierced
for our
transgressions.
He was
crushed for
our
iniquities.
The
punishment
that brought
us
peace
was on
him
and by
his wounds
we are
healed.
We all
like sheep
have gone
astray,
each of us
turned to
his own
way,
and the
Lord has
laid on
him
the
spirit-filled
servant,
the
iniquity
of us
all.
So the
spirit-filled
servant dies
for you
and me.
So when
we look
at the
cross,
justice
is
established
at the
cross.
And because
justice has
been done
at the
cross,
that means
grace now
flows to
people like
you and
me.
Grace
flows to
us from
the servant
and he
offers
forgiveness,
he offers
a welcome,
he says
you can be
now accepted,
you can
now be
treasured as
God's own
child,
no longer
struggling
under the
weight of
our own
failure.
The servant
will not
break the
bruised
reed,
he will
restore me,
the servant
will not
crush and
blow out
the smouldering
wick,
he renews
me,
he gives
me a new
kind of
life,
a new
way to
live.
And this
is all
ours and
we can
experience
this because
of our
trust in
the spirit-filled
servant.
back in
Isaiah 42
verse 4,
at the
very end
we read
this,
in his
law the
islands,
that is the
people groups,
the nations
of the world,
will put
their hope.
Hope
is the
thing or
the person
we entrust
our lives
too.
So the
encouragement,
the direction
for us is
put your
hope,
rest in
this
servant,
the one
who has
the power
of God
to achieve
the purposes
of God,
the one
who brings
justice to
this world
and the one
who brings
grace to
our lives.
Trust in
him and
we will
experience
justice and
grace today.
God's
love.
But it's
not just
about today.
It is
also to
come,
isn't it?
Because
living in
this world
as we
do,
and while
we may
yet know
the
spirit-filled
servant,
there is
still so
much
injustice
and
heartache
and pain
and war
and violence
that is
going on
in our
world
every single
day.
and there
is still
such a
need
for God's
grace so
that we
do not
sin anymore,
where we
do not
fail anymore,
where we
do not
mess up
anymore.
We want
things to be
so right
in our
lives.
So what we
experience in
a small part
now is a
taste of
the justice
and grace
that is yet
to come.
because what
we see
happening at
the cross
is just a
shadow of
the final
and ultimate
justice
that is to
come.
First,
there will
be justice
to come
when Jesus
comes again.
As we
finish,
turn to
Isaiah 65,
where we
get a
picture of
the justice
and the
grace that
we will
one day
experience in
all its
fullness.
So Isaiah
65,
verse 11.
Isaiah 65,
verse 11.
So this is
speaking of
God's future
justice to
come.
But as
for you
who forsake
the Lord
and forget
my holy
mountain,
so forget
about God
and his
glory and
God and
his ways,
who spread
a table for
fortune and
fill bowls of
mixed wine for
destiny,
I will
destine you
for the
sword,
and you
will all
bend down
for the
slaughter.
For I
called you,
but you
did not
answer.
I spoke,
but you
did not
listen.
You did
evil in
my sight and
chose what
displeases me.
So this is
speaking of a
future justice
when the
Spirit-filled
servant is
going to
come again
and for
all those
who have
refused him,
who pushed
the Spirit-filled
servant out of
their lives
and rejected
him,
justice will
finally come
and it will
be eternal
and there
will be no
grace.
But for
those who
have welcomed,
for those who
have come like
a bruised
reed in a
smouldering
wick and
said I am
helpless and I
cannot do
anything,
they will know
and enjoy
grace in
all its
fullness to
come.
So look at
the rest of
chapter 65
verse 17.
Here it
speaks of
the future
grace that
we will
receive.
Behold,
I will
create new
heavens and
a new
earth.
The former
things will
not be
remembered,
nor will
they come
to mind,
but be
glad and
rejoice
forever in
what I
will create,
for I will
create Jerusalem
to be a
delight,
and its
people a
joy.
I will
rejoice over
Jerusalem and
take delight in
my people,
and the
sound of
weeping and
of crying
will be heard
in it no
more.
Never again
will there be
in it an
infant who
lives but a
few days,
or an old
man who
does not
live out his
years.
In other
words, no
more suffering,
no more
death,
no more
heartache,
no more
pain.
verse 25,
the wolf
and the
lamb
will feed
together,
and the
lion will
eat straw
like the
ox,
but dust
will be the
serpent's
food.
They will
neither harm
nor destroy
on all my
holy mountain.
A picture
of perfection,
of harmony,
and of beauty,
and the
world put
right again.
Grace in
all its
fullness,
with the
spirit-filled
servant ruling
and reigning
over all.
Amazing
grace.
The goodness
and kindness
of God
in all its
fullness,
experienced for
all eternity.
humanity.
This is the
God who has
come to us
in Christ,
not just a
baby,
but the
spirit-filled
servant,
the one with
the power of
God to
bring justice
to our
disordered
world,
and grace
into our
broken lives.
Let's pray
together.
Father,
we long
for justice
to be done,
and we
thank you
that when
we've been
punished,
but because
of your