Trusting the Lord thru Suffering to Success in Service
Isaiah 49:6-8
Introduction:
- What would you be willing to endure, if you were absolutely guaranteed of success in service.
- My friend Justin, w/o any guarantee of success, in fact with the determined attempt of others to see him fail, he endured the 21-day gruelling endurance test to join the Aussie SAS, He finished!
- Of the several hundred who began, 0nly few finished & passed.
- But, Imagine If someone had come to one of those who didn’t finish & gave them the message that no matter the depth of fatigue, pain, stress & suffering… w/ someone’s help: They’d make it. They’d get there, They’d finish the test, successfully….
- How much difference would that make?
- Well, first it depends on One who’s making such a promise
- If I made: promise….there’d be very unlikely to trust me & promise
- But if Andrew Grilles had made the promise – that’d be different.
- So, what’s this got to do with Isaiah 49:6-9?
Here’s the point: The Lord God, in: passage we’re considering today,
- …Promised: Despite All Difficulties, Pain, & Humiliation, the Servant will encounter, He will succeed in His mission… & so will we,
- Becoz our Trustworthy Lord Promised to Hear, Help & Preserve Us
- The Servant of: Lord has been speak. in 1-5, to tell us of His Preparation, His Work, His Purpose, His Goal, even His sense of Futility as He faithfully Served w/ what seemed like little-no lasting repentance-result within his earthly service
- Then Fr. 6-on, The Servant recounts the Lord’s Words to Him, in prophetic past tense, describing:
- 1) The Scope of His Service,
- 2) His State in Serving the Lord
- 3) The Success of His Service, all thru…
- 4) The Lord’s Help in His Service
- Christ Set us the Perf. Example, serving w/ Humiliation & Despisal
- Christ has called us 2 continue his ministry, to its full extent, and…
- We have: same promise of the Lord’s Hearing, Help & Preservation
- The question that lies before us, is the same question again:
Will we Trust the Lord & Follow Christ’s Example, w/ the tremendous promise of the Lord’s Hearing, Help & Preservation?
1stly): Security in the Servant’s Lord [read vs.7]
- By “Security”, I mean His Trustworthiness
- Our Faith is Secure because the Lord is Trustworthy….
- Can we… should we trust the Lord whose words: Servant recounts?
- Notice In vs.7, Isaiah describe the Lord w/ four Descriptions
1) He is the Lord, fr. Yahweh, mean: Covenant-making-keeping God
- He is: Lord, God of Abra’m Isaac & Jacob, Names assoc. w/ Coven’t
- He is: Lord: God Who sent Moses & Who would Deliver fr. slavery
- He is: Lord: God Who Promised to Evict & Exile if they Disobeyed
- He is: Lord, Who Promised to Restore them to land, if they repent.
- He is: Lord, the Covenant making-keeping God who keeps His Wd.
- We should trust Him based on His past promises kept…
2) He is the Redeemer, lit mean. Saviour, Deliverer, Reclaimer,
- a Kinsmen who safely brings or buys back, Grk: One who Prys loose
- He is Omnipotent God, w/ Unltd. power to bring about His desires
- In 130:7, there is Abundant Redemption, with the Lord
- In 103:4, The Lord redeems our lives from the pit
- In Micah 4:10, The Lord redeems us fr. hand of our enemies
- In 13:14, The Lord redeems us fr. power of Sheol-Hell.
- We Must trust Him for He alone can redeem us fr. Hell…
3) He is the Holy One, meaning both absolutely Separate
- from sin & defilement and absolute Moral Uprightness.
- He, the Lord our God, cannot be defiled by sin.
- He is the absolute standard by which morality is known
- He is the One, whom the seraphim never cease to cry: Holy-3x
- In 1:4, He is the Holy One, Provoked to Anger by Sin
- In 10:20, He is the Holy One, in whom Remnant will never cease to trust, but will depend on forever, in truth
- In 12:6, He is the Holy One, Great in presence of: Redeemed
- And there’s 23 more times: “Holy One” in Isaiah…. (not looking)
- He can-must be trusted because, Being Holy, He cannot lie, mislead, deceive, be false in any conceivable way, He is the Truth!
4) He is the Faithful God, He is Steadfast in His Allegiance, His Affections and His Reliability
- to Himself – He cannot deny Himself
- to His Word – God canot deny, break, go ag’st His Own Wd.
- to His People – God is Faithful to His Promises to His People
- In 7:9, He is the Lord our God, the faithful God who keeps His Cov’t & mercy for 1,000 generations of those who love-obey
- In 1:9, God is Faithful, by whom we were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ
- In 3:3, The Lord Is Faithful who will establish and guard U-us from the evil one.
- We hear His words to the Servant in vss.6-on, and we can, we should, we must Trust Him and His Words, He is the Lord, the Faithful, Holy Redeemer of His People,
- He could sooner cease to Exist, than break His Words to us
- And so we Trust the Lord-God.
2ndly) The State of the Lord’s Servants [read vs.6]
- We’re secure in Trusting Him! He is Trustworthy! But, not just when He blesses us w/ nice, sweet, comfortable times/things, Homes, Jobs, Clothes, Health, Safety, Family, Friends & Wealth
- We Trust Him, especially when, He ordains that our Service be, as Despised, & Abhorred by men-nations?
- Notice 7, Thus says the Lord… to Him: whom man Despises…
- Surely, here we see Isaiah foreshadowing His descriptions of the Suffering Servant in 50-53 – “despised & rejected of men”
- The Lord sovereignly ordained that His Servant accomplish His work as One whom men despise, look down on, consider repulsive,
- It’s: same wd, In 15:31, as when men despise the Lord’s command, so he utterly cuts them off, they shall bear their Iniqity
- In 12:9, to despise Wd. of the Lord is to do Evil in His sight.
- How Great an Evil does mankind commit, when we Despise, & Treat w/ utter Contempt, our Creator & Sustainer, our Saviour & Lord?
- Surely Unbelief in God, is: Height of what it means 2 Despise Him
Christ trusted The Lord, when He was Despised & Rejected; when He
- was cursed & spit on; Even when He was Scourged & Crucified!
The Cross of Christ was the Greatest Evil Committed by Mankind,
- Yet, it was Used by God, to accomplish: Greatest Possible Good:
- Our Salvation from His Own wrath.
- Christ trusted God, even as he was despised and abhorred…
Christian, We (His Servants) Are Despised/Abhorred by Man/Nation
- We’re Consider’d Backwards, Foolish, Simple, Ignor’nt, Arrogant, Becoz: We believe: Gospel is Man’s Only Hope for Salvation fr. God
- We Believe every other Faith/Religion ends in Hell
- We’re Despised becoz We Believe & We boldly dare to Declare:
- The Reality of One True God… One, Sovereign, Eternal, Absolute, Holy, Righteous, Creator, Saviour, Lord & Judge
- We are Despised & Abhorred, becoz the truth of our Beliefs, By their very nature, Condemn all who refuse to Agree-Submit to God.
- That Despisal has Cost millions of Christians throughout history their families, their health, their wealth, their position, their safety, and ultimately their lives, as they trusted God, thru it.
- So what do We do? How do We handle it when we’re asked to face such Despisal? We Must Trust: Lord our God, who is Trustworthy
- We trust, that in a similar way to How God used: Cross for Good…
- So, also God will use our Despisal, by mankind, 4 His Good Purposes
- God will use our Despisal, to portray Christ’s suff’rings 2 New Gen.
- Christ was: despised of mankind – and we will also be: Despised…
- He was the abhorred of nations – and we will also be: Abhorred….
- If we hold fast, by faith, to God & Bible, we will be Despised. And…
- When we are, Then we Trust the Lord our God
3rdly): The Scope of the Servant’s Service [read vs 5-6]
- Notice in 5, The Servant states: the Lord has formed him from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob & gather Israel to Him
- But notice in vs. 6, the task of gathering/restoring Israel to God is too small a task for such a great Servant of the Lord
- With the v. same sacrificial, loving, obedient, suffering & death, Christ provided sufficient atonement to deal with every sin ever committed. All mankind, Jew & Gentile, can be redeemed to God.
- His death is Sufficient 4 all, but Efficient for those who believe
- How will Servant bring both Jew-Gentile to God? Light & Salvation
Notice that He, the Servant, Jesus Christ is the Light to the Gentiles
- 1:4, Christ Possessed: Essence of Life & It was Light of Men
- 1:5, Christ: Light shone into darkness, But, was not overcome!
- 9:5, Christ is the Light of the world & whoever follows Him, will not walk-live in darkness
- Christ is Light of God, which is the Truth of God shining into a Darkened, Deceptive world: World under: Devil’s Domain: Darkness
- It’s a World Consumed w/ keeping: Truth of God from being known,
- It’s a world, that deceives its inhabitants to think there’s nothing better than: Darkness they love…. They love it becoz Deeds R Evil
Christ came as the Light of the Gospel Truth of God
- There is One True God: Creator, Sustainer, Saviour, King & Judge
- God Created Mankind to Know: Heights of Love, Joy, Peace, Fulfilment & Purpose, thru Trusting and Obeying God thru His Wd.
- But Man Disobeyed God, Choosing to live for ourselves – Folly!
- By Disobeying both God’s Word & our Consciences, we have left ourselves, w/o Excuse or Hope, facing God’s Judgement
- But God, becoz of His Great Love w/ which He loved Us, Sent Christ to Declare God’s Truth & to Die in our place, to Absorb God’s wrath against us, to Set us Free from Condemnation: Hell
- Christ Came: Preached & Healed, Loved & Taught, Suffered & Died
- He was Buried & Rose again, so that we could have New Life…
- That’s the Light of the Gospel Truth: What Will we Do with it?
- Will we Listen-hear the truth of the Gospel
- Will we Leave the darkness… turning our back on sin
- Will we Step out of Sin’s Prison to Live in the Light of: Truth?
Notice: || state: That you should B My Servant,
- That you should be My Salvation… Heb: My Yeshua
- Christ is not merely the Means of Salv., the Mediator of Salv. `÷
- Christ IS God’s Salvation to sinful world; He is: Embodiment of it
- To Be Saved is to be in Christ: Trusting in Him, Identifying with Him, Obeying Him, Loving Him, Following Him…
The Scope of the Servant’s Service is to Gather, to Restore, to be
- God’s Light to Jew & Gentile, to the ends of the Earth
- Christ was the Servant to be the Salvation of God to All.
We, as His servants, are the Messengers of His Salvation
- Christ obtained: Salvation for all, we Proclaim His Salvation to all.
- Paul said in Romans 1:16-17, the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation, to Jew first and also to the Greek, meaning all Gentiles
- To the Jews; To the Gentiles, To the Ends of the earth
- Jerusalem, Judea-Samaria, To the ends of the earth, Acts 1:8
- We go-out w/ Message of Freedom to the Prisoners, 9,
- The King-o-kings, The Suff’ring-Servant has Paid your Penalty and Served your Sentence
- If you Turn away from Sin and Turn to Him & Trust in Him…
- There’s no more Sentence left 2B served, The Wrath is Removed
- So, Abandon your Sin, Follow Christ, Live Free! as His Sheep!
- We Go Out, with that Message, in Faith, Trusting Him, to Save as many or as few as He chooses… its not our concern how many
- It Is our concern that we’re being obedient with that message.
- We can trust Him with the results of our service, because He promises it will see success…
- Look at the Scope of our Success, it will not be merely poor, weak, powerless who’ll flee to Christ…
- Notice vs.7b. Kings shall see & arise; Princess also shall will worship
- Literally the highest will see, discern, understand the message,
- They will arise, fall down, prostrate on ground in worship of Christ!
So…1st We Trust God, He is: Holy, Faithful, Redeemer Lord-God
- 2nd We Trust God: He’ll Use our Despisal for His Good Purposes
- 3rd We Trust God that thru our preaching the message of Salvation, God will save some His People.
- But, How are we going to do all this? In our own strength? No!
- If I could borrow Pauls’ fav. expressions, in Romans: By No Means!
Last Point 4thly): The Certainty of the Servant’s Help -[Read vs.8]
- 7, He’s Chosen Christ, and we know fr. Eph.1, 1Cor.1, 1Peter.2, He’s chosen Us; 2 Believe in Him, 2B His Special People, 2 Follow Him, 2 Suffer for Him, 2 Bear Fruit for Him, 2 Proclaim His Msg.
- But Not in our own strength…. With the Help He Provides
- One of the grounds of Our trusting in Him, is His Choosing of us.
Vs.8 The Lord has heard Him- the Servant
- In Christ’s many Prayers thru-out His life, He was heard
- In Christ’s agonising Prayer in Garden of Geth., He was Heard
- In His Prayers from the Cross, He was Heard
- In His Final Cry from the Cross, It is Finished – Into Your hands I Commit my Spirit – He was heard!
And so brothers and sisters, will the Lord hear our prayers!
- He will hear when we pray for wisdom, for strength, for grace, for mercy, for ourselves and for others, what a marvellous thought that even as we are forming the words in our minds – He hears Us…
- Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
- Psalm 6:9 The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer.
- and So We Trust Him, as We Pray…
Vs.8, The Lord Has Helped Him – the Servant
- In Isaiah 42:1, The Lord says I will uphold Him, sustain, enable, carry Him thru… He came Preaching, in: Pwr of the H.Spirit
- Isaiah 50:7-9, The Servant says: The Lord helps me, so I’ve not been disgraced…I’ve set my face like a flint… I shall not be put to shame… who will declare me guilty? He who vindicates me is near
- The Lord helped His Servant, thru the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowering and enabling Him to set His face, like a flint, resolute, to finish the work, in the sure knowledge of God’s Help!
- And so, bro’s & sis, will the Lord help us, as we ask in prayer
- He will help us… He will give us the strength to endure every trial in service (whether service is faithfully raising kids for Christ, or witnessing to your co-worker, or street-preaching, or full-time missionary work – whatever area/arena: God calls u to serve in!)
- Psalm 118:13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the Lord helped me.
- God will help you! He will help us! He has helped 1,000’s of martyrs face their deaths w/ calm, peace, even joy! (John Rogers)
- Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
- How will we survive ministry for the Lord? He has helped Us!
Very, very lastly! The Lord will Preserve the Servant
- The Lord all thru Christ’s earthly ministry preserved and kept Him, none was able to touch Him, until His hour had come, and He was delivered over to His Cross-work, to save souls
- Herod tried to kill Him as a babe – But the Lord preserved Him
- They went to push Him off a cliff – but He simply passed thru
- Pharisees plotted to kill him, tried to trap Him
- Psalm 41:2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
- When they came to arrest Him, it was He who surrend’d to them… they fell backward to: ground at: pronouncem’t of His name “I am”
- The Lord preserved Him thru all His days, and thru His days of burial – to raise Him again from the dead
- Psalm 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
And So, Beloved, The Lord will preserve Us, thru all that we face…
- even thru: fires of martyrdom…
- The Lord will preserve us, and see us thru!
- And so we trust Him, We Trust God for our Salvation, thru Christ
- 1) We Trust God, He is: Holy, Faithful, Redeemer Lord-God
- 2) We Trust God: He’ll Use our Despisal for His Good Purposes
- 3) We Trust God that our Preaching the message of Salvation, will be used by God to save some-many, as He Chooses…
- 4) We Trust God, becoz He hears and answered Him – and us…
- We Trust God because He Helped Him, and will help us
- We Trust God because He Preserved Christ thru all His ministry, and He will Preserve us all thru this Ministry!
Trust the Lord, Brothers and Sisters,
Trust the Lord, for there is no other way to be Happy,
but to Trust and Obey!
