The Servant of the Lord - Dec 17, 2023

NewLife Christian Fellowship's Podcast

This morning is the third week in the season of Advent, the four weeks before
Christmas where we look back at the coming of Jesus and look ahead to His return.
During Advent, I am preaching through some of the names given to the Messiah in
the Old Testament. The Hebrew word Messiah, which is the Greek name Christos
and the English word Christ, referred to the anointed king from David’s line who
the Israelites believed would restore the nation of Israel to glory. Two weeks ago
we looked at the name Immanuel from Isaiah 7, and last week we looked at Isaiah
9 and the names “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace.” This morning we will look at a name that figures prominently in the
second half of Isaiah – the servant of the Lord. This servant figure shows up in four
passages. I am going to read and briefly comment on the first three, and then spend
most of my time on the fourth passage this morning:
Isaiah 42:1-4 - "Here is my servant, 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. 2 He
will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will
not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring
forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on
earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
God’s Spirit will be on His servant, and he will bring justice to not only Israel but
to the nations.