Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / The Servant's Love and Obedience
Transcript
- 0:00Isaiah chapter 50 at verse 4.
- 0:30I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
- 0:37As you read through Isaiah, and especially following chapter 40,
- 0:43you find there's four parts where they're known as the servant songs or the servant poems.
- 0:52And the verses that we read here in verse 4 through to verse 9 are the third.
- 0:56It's the third of these servant songs.
- 1:01And as you read through it, what you find is that Isaiah in his day is looking way in the future to another day
- 1:09when the servant of the Lord would come.
- 1:13And you see it there, especially in verse 6 when it speaks about,
- 1:18I gave my back to those who strike and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard.
- 1:25And I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
- 1:30When you look to what Isaiah was seeing there, we find that speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- 1:36who gave his back, that by his stripes we would be healed.
- 1:42So here we have the third of these servant songs.
- 1:44It's most maybe well known, of course, as Isaiah, end of 52 into 53,
- 1:50where it speaks of a very vivid imagery of how Jesus would suffer.
- 1:56But we find it here and in the other songs too.
- 2:00I'm just going to reflect on some of this chapter together this evening
- 2:03and see what it says to us, a little of the servant that we see here.
- 2:09I want to begin by asking a question.
- 2:14If you were to go back to the 28th of February 2020, four years ago today,
- 2:22and to think, where do I see myself four years from now?
- 2:27What kind of reply would you have given?
- 2:31You might think initially about location.
- 2:35Perhaps you've not moved at all.
- 2:39Perhaps you're living in the same place you were four years ago.
- 2:42Or perhaps, I include myself in this, you're in a different place now.
- 2:47Some of us will have moved during that time.
- 2:49Others, we maybe think of the work situation that we're in.
- 2:52Maybe that's changed in that four-year space.
- 2:56There's many different kinds of answers that we could come to,
- 3:00maybe when you think of where do I see myself in such and such a time.
- 3:03But if you go back to the 28th of February 2020,
- 3:08would the answer have included things like going through a global pandemic,
- 3:15having come through a period of lockdown,
- 3:19where the world was almost brought to a standstill,
- 3:23and then coming out of that to see the last few years
- 3:27and the turmoil of the world in different places,
- 3:30our own nation included.
- 3:32And we think of other parts of the world where there's conflict and war.
- 3:37We think of natural disasters that we've seen happening on a regular basis.
- 3:43Would we have been thinking along those lines four years ago?
- 3:48In many of these things,
- 3:50they'd have been the furthest thing from our mind.
- 3:53And yet in God's providence,
- 3:55we've gone through all of these things.
- 3:59And in some, we're still going through these things at this time.
- 4:04And if we go back further to the day of Isaiah,
- 4:08to the people of God then,
- 4:11if you'd asked them,
- 4:13where do you see yourselves in four years' time
- 4:16prior to them being taken captive by the Assyrian invasion
- 4:22that took them away from their homeland into a foreign country,
- 4:27if you'd asked them where would they see themselves in four years' time,
- 4:31the answer would have been far from being captive in a foreign land
- 4:35because everything was going well with them.
- 4:39They were wealthy.
- 4:40They were prospering.
- 4:41They were happy in so many ways.
- 4:45But what was happening was they were forgetting God.
- 4:50And God, as he has reminded us in these last four years,
- 4:53that things can change very quickly.
- 4:56He was about to remind the people of God in Isaiah's day
- 4:59that things can change very quickly as well.
- 5:04And so you find the book of Isaiah divided into two,
- 5:07where you see initially the first 39 chapters
- 5:10where Isaiah is giving a warning,
- 5:14a warning for the people to listen,
- 5:16to heed the warning,
- 5:17that if they don't turn back to God,
- 5:19that there are going to be consequences coming upon them.
- 5:23But then from chapter 40 onwards,
- 5:26you see the consequences of not listening
- 5:29and being taken captive.
- 5:32But the amazing thing is that God speaks.
- 5:36God still speaks to them.
- 5:38As he was warning them to listen before they were taken captive,
- 5:42so he continues to speak to them as they are in captivity.
- 5:47And he's speaking a word of rescue,
- 5:51a word of salvation,
- 5:53a word of one who would come to save.
- 5:56And especially looking,
- 5:58as we see in these servant songs,
- 6:00to one who would ultimately save his people
- 6:03from all their sins.
- 6:07And so it's remarkable how even in disobedience,
- 6:10God shows mercy and continues to speak to us.
- 6:14But as is always the case,
- 6:16the question is,
- 6:17are we listening?
- 6:20Now when you go back to the early days of the pandemic,
- 6:24one of the most common Google searches was on prayer
- 6:28and how to pray.
- 6:32Because people were worried,
- 6:34people were anxious,
- 6:35people were fearful of what was ahead.
- 6:38But you think,
- 6:39well, where are we today?
- 6:41Is there still that same urgency with people?
- 6:43Is there still that same worry with people
- 6:45about their lives,
- 6:47their future,
- 6:49and ultimately eternity?
- 6:51That worry seems to have gone.
- 6:54And with it has a sense of relying
- 6:57or looking to God gone.
- 6:59But God has warned us again and again.
- 7:02The question so often is,
- 7:04are we listening?
- 7:06You see that in verse 10 here of chapter 50.
- 7:09Who among you fears the Lord
- 7:11and obeys the voice of his servant?
- 7:14Who is listening?
- 7:16When you think of what we would want to see in the future,
- 7:23if you were to see into the future,
- 7:26what would you want to know?
- 7:28And what would you do differently as a result?
- 7:33We might have all the kinds of different ideas
- 7:35of what we would want to know about the future.
- 7:38What is the world going to be like?
- 7:40What are our lives going to be like?
- 7:42What is going to affect us in this life?
- 7:45What events are going to come our way?
- 7:48There's lots of things we would maybe like to know.
- 7:52But God in his wisdom
- 7:53doesn't show us many of these things.
- 7:57And the Old Testament prophets,
- 7:59you find such as Isaiah,
- 8:01they were given an insight into the future,
- 8:04seeing far ahead into the future
- 8:07of what was going to take place
- 8:10by God's providence.
- 8:12But what did they tell the people about?
- 8:16Do you see them telling about amazing discoveries
- 8:20that would be made of different lands?
- 8:22Do you see them speak about how communications would develop
- 8:26so that you're able to speak to somebody
- 8:28and see someone on the other side of the world
- 8:30on your screen and talk to them?
- 8:33Do you think it's speaking about these remarkable journeys
- 8:37into space or anything like that
- 8:39that leaves us fascinated in many ways?
- 8:42Are these the important things
- 8:44that the prophets were telling the people about?
- 8:48All of these things may be amazing in and of themselves,
- 8:51but there's nothing more amazing
- 8:55than what the prophets were speaking about.
- 8:59They pale into insignificance
- 9:02compared to what Isaiah is speaking about here
- 9:05and the prophets are speaking about
- 9:07throughout the Old Testament.
- 9:10They were speaking about what is vital,
- 9:13what is crucial,
- 9:14what is of first importance for us as a people
- 9:17and what we should truly stand in awe of
- 9:22and be amazed at.
- 9:25The very fact that we have turned our back on God,
- 9:29that we have put God's word behind our back
- 9:32as we were thinking about on Sunday evening,
- 9:35how we have rejected God and sinned against God,
- 9:38and yet that God in his wonderful grace
- 9:42would send his servant,
- 9:45his son into this world
- 9:47to provide for his people,
- 9:51to provide a saviour.
- 9:55Do we stand in wonder at that?
- 10:01When you think of the hymn,
- 10:04How Great Thou Art,
- 10:06and the words of that hymn that says,
- 10:07O Lord my God,
- 10:09when I in awesome wonder
- 10:11consider all the worlds
- 10:13thy hands have made,
- 10:15but when I think
- 10:17that God, his son not sparing,
- 10:20sent him to die,
- 10:22I scarce can take it in,
- 10:25that on the cross,
- 10:27our burden gladly bearing,
- 10:30he bled and died
- 10:31to take away our sin.
- 10:34Do we stand in wonder
- 10:38at the servant who gave his back for us?
- 10:44Well, what Isaiah is telling the people here
- 10:47is urgent for them.
- 10:50And he's telling it to us as well,
- 10:52because it's urgent for us
- 10:54to recognise the one he is speaking about,
- 10:58to recognise how significant it is for ourselves,
- 11:02the one who gave his back for us.
- 11:07And there's three things
- 11:08just briefly want to take
- 11:09from this passage about
- 11:11the servant that it speaks of.
- 11:14And the first thing is
- 11:15the servant's word.
- 11:18Then secondly, we'll see
- 11:19the servant's obedience.
- 11:21And then thirdly,
- 11:23the servant's light.
- 11:24So the first thing we want to see
- 11:26is the servant's word.
- 11:30As Isaiah is writing
- 11:32to the people here,
- 11:33it's in the midst of captivity.
- 11:36Their world had been
- 11:37turned upside down
- 11:38in so many ways.
- 11:40The temple in Jerusalem
- 11:41had been destroyed.
- 11:44We've been looking at
- 11:44Nehemiah,
- 11:45which would come later on,
- 11:47although it's different order
- 11:49if you look at it in the scriptures.
- 11:50But the years are
- 11:52Isaiah is writing
- 11:54before Nehemiah.
- 11:55So it's prior to Jerusalem
- 11:57and the people being taken captive
- 11:59and Jerusalem destroyed.
- 12:01Nehemiah would be writing
- 12:02about the restoration.
- 12:04Well, here Isaiah is writing to them
- 12:06in the midst of them
- 12:08being taken captive.
- 12:10And it's clear
- 12:11as he's writing to them
- 12:12that it's because
- 12:14of their disobedience
- 12:16that they find themselves
- 12:17in this situation.
- 12:19You see that in verse 1
- 12:21to verse 3.
- 12:24Just there in the middle
- 12:25of verse 1.
- 12:27Or which of my creditors
- 12:28is it to whom I have sold you?
- 12:30There's this image
- 12:31of them being taken away.
- 12:33Behold, for your iniquities
- 12:34you were sold.
- 12:36And for your transgressions
- 12:37your mother was sent away.
- 12:39They were taken captive
- 12:41because of their sins.
- 12:45But in the midst of this,
- 12:46the remarkable thing
- 12:48is the word of God
- 12:49being given.
- 12:51And it's a word
- 12:52of comfort
- 12:53and a word
- 12:55of hope.
- 12:57When you did wrong
- 12:58in school,
- 13:01you did something wrong
- 13:02in school,
- 13:03you would be told
- 13:05in no uncertain terms
- 13:07that what you had done
- 13:09was wrong.
- 13:10that it was not acceptable.
- 13:15But if it was left at that,
- 13:17you wouldn't really learn
- 13:18the true lesson.
- 13:20Because a good teacher
- 13:22wouldn't just leave it there.
- 13:23As well as pointing out
- 13:24what you've done wrong
- 13:25and how it's unacceptable,
- 13:27they would seek to put you
- 13:28on the right path
- 13:29and the right direction.
- 13:32A word of rebuke
- 13:33followed by a word
- 13:35of direction.
- 13:36And that's really
- 13:38what you see here.
- 13:40God is speaking
- 13:41through Isaiah
- 13:42and he shows
- 13:43both of these sides.
- 13:46He's reminding them
- 13:47strongly
- 13:47with a rebuke
- 13:49that their sin,
- 13:51their transgression
- 13:52has left them
- 13:53where they are
- 13:55and where they've
- 13:57done wrong.
- 13:58But he's also
- 13:59speaking to them
- 14:00in a tender way
- 14:02as well.
- 14:03Speaking to them
- 14:04that they might come back
- 14:05and listen and go
- 14:07on the right path
- 14:08once again.
- 14:11And what we see here
- 14:12in verse 4,
- 14:14it speaks of
- 14:15the servant's word
- 14:17to us.
- 14:18The Lord has given me
- 14:19the tongue
- 14:20of those who are taught
- 14:22that I may know
- 14:23how to sustain
- 14:24with a word
- 14:25him who is weary.
- 14:28the Lord has given
- 14:32me the tongue
- 14:35of those
- 14:36who are taught.
- 14:37This is not
- 14:38just Isaiah speaking.
- 14:40He is speaking
- 14:41of the servant
- 14:42of God.
- 14:44The one who God
- 14:46would send
- 14:46into this world
- 14:48for his people.
- 14:51With a tongue
- 14:51of those
- 14:52who are taught
- 14:54that I may
- 14:55know how to
- 14:56sustain
- 14:57with a word
- 14:58him
- 14:59who is weary.
- 15:02He is saying
- 15:03that God
- 15:04will send
- 15:05someone
- 15:06to come
- 15:07to his people
- 15:08with a word
- 15:09of comfort.
- 15:11It's not just
- 15:12for their day.
- 15:13It's for all
- 15:14of God's people.
- 15:17And the most
- 15:18important thing,
- 15:19the best gift
- 15:20that God
- 15:21could give
- 15:22apart from his son
- 15:23is his word.
- 15:25That he would
- 15:26speak to his people
- 15:27despite our sin,
- 15:29despite our rebellion,
- 15:31that he has not
- 15:31turned away
- 15:32from us.
- 15:35And God's word
- 15:36is precious.
- 15:39And it should
- 15:39become more
- 15:40and more precious
- 15:41to us
- 15:41day by day
- 15:43that morning
- 15:44by morning
- 15:45we'd be
- 15:45awoken
- 15:46by his word.
- 15:48Stirred up
- 15:49by his word.
- 15:51just as a servant
- 15:52here
- 15:53is being
- 15:54stirred up
- 15:55as well
- 15:55because he has
- 15:57the word
- 15:57that is able
- 15:58to sustain
- 15:59the weary.
- 16:01And we are
- 16:02to listen
- 16:02to this word.
- 16:06And that comfort
- 16:07is seen here
- 16:08in verse 4
- 16:10because we all
- 16:12feel that sense
- 16:13of burden
- 16:14and weariness
- 16:15in this life.
- 16:16we all feel
- 16:18that sense
- 16:19of lacking
- 16:20strength,
- 16:21unable to go
- 16:22on at times.
- 16:24But when we
- 16:25know the Lord
- 16:26we know
- 16:26he sent
- 16:27his servant
- 16:28for us
- 16:29who has a word
- 16:31to sustain us,
- 16:33who has a word
- 16:34to keep us.
- 16:36That Jesus
- 16:37is the one
- 16:38who is the word
- 16:39that became
- 16:40flesh.
- 16:40And so
- 16:42Jesus
- 16:42came into
- 16:43this world
- 16:44that we
- 16:45would listen
- 16:45to him.
- 16:47When you read
- 16:48in the Gospels
- 16:50in the New Testament
- 16:51for example
- 16:52you have
- 16:52the time
- 16:53of the
- 16:53Transfiguration
- 16:54in Luke 9
- 16:55verse 35
- 16:56when the Lord
- 16:57God the Father
- 16:58speaks in the
- 16:59clouds saying
- 17:00this is my
- 17:01son,
- 17:02my chosen
- 17:03one.
- 17:05Listen
- 17:05to him.
- 17:07Listen
- 17:08to him.
- 17:10And what does
- 17:11Jesus have to
- 17:12say as he
- 17:13speaks?
- 17:15Verses like
- 17:15Matthew 11
- 17:17verse 28
- 17:18Come to me
- 17:19all who
- 17:20labor and are
- 17:21heavy laden
- 17:21all who are
- 17:22weary
- 17:23and I will
- 17:25give you
- 17:25rest.
- 17:27The servant's
- 17:28word.
- 17:29He has a
- 17:30word to speak
- 17:31that sustains
- 17:32him who
- 17:33is weary.
- 17:35That is the
- 17:36wonder of
- 17:37the God
- 17:37we have.
- 17:39The servant's
- 17:40word.
- 17:42The second
- 17:42thing we see
- 17:43here is the
- 17:44servant's
- 17:45obedience.
- 17:47He was
- 17:48skilled in
- 17:48God's word
- 17:49but submissive
- 17:51to God's
- 17:53will.
- 17:54In verse
- 17:555
- 17:55the Lord
- 17:56the Lord
- 17:56God has
- 17:56opened my
- 17:57ear and
- 17:57I was
- 17:58not
- 17:58rebellious.
- 17:59I
- 18:00turned not
- 18:00backwards.
- 18:02I gave
- 18:02my back
- 18:03to those
- 18:04who strike
- 18:05and my
- 18:05cheeks to
- 18:06those who
- 18:07pull out
- 18:07the beard.
- 18:09I hid
- 18:10not my
- 18:10face from
- 18:11disgrace
- 18:12and spitting.
- 18:15I was
- 18:15not
- 18:16rebellious.
- 18:17I gave
- 18:18my back
- 18:18to those
- 18:19who strike
- 18:20me.
- 18:21The servant
- 18:21is obedient
- 18:22to the
- 18:23will
- 18:24of God.
- 18:27And what
- 18:27is God's
- 18:29will for
- 18:30his servant?
- 18:33Well that's
- 18:33what we've
- 18:34recently
- 18:34remembered
- 18:35as we've
- 18:36sat at the
- 18:36Lord's
- 18:37table.
- 18:38At time
- 18:39of communion
- 18:39and in
- 18:40all our
- 18:41worship
- 18:41we remember
- 18:42what the
- 18:43Lord has
- 18:43done for
- 18:44us through
- 18:45his servant.
- 18:47Through the
- 18:47one who
- 18:48gave his
- 18:49life for
- 18:51his people.
- 18:52Who didn't
- 18:53rebel or
- 18:54turn backwards
- 18:55in the sense
- 18:56of shunning
- 18:57what lay
- 18:58ahead of
- 18:58him.
- 18:59But who
- 19:00bore our
- 19:00sins on
- 19:02the cross.
- 19:05The
- 19:05Father's
- 19:06will was
- 19:07for the
- 19:07servant
- 19:08to come
- 19:09and to
- 19:09give his
- 19:11life.
- 19:14And you
- 19:15think of
- 19:15the burden
- 19:16of this.
- 19:18The doing
- 19:19of the
- 19:20Father's
- 19:21will.
- 19:22The giving
- 19:22of his
- 19:23back to
- 19:24those who
- 19:25would strike
- 19:26him.
- 19:27You think
- 19:28of the
- 19:28burden of
- 19:28this as you
- 19:29see it in
- 19:29the Garden
- 19:30of Gethsemane.
- 19:32In Matthew
- 19:3226 verse
- 19:3339 where it
- 19:34says,
- 19:35Going a
- 19:36little further
- 19:36he fell on
- 19:37his face
- 19:38and prayed
- 19:38saying,
- 19:39My
- 19:40Father,
- 19:40if it
- 19:41be possible
- 19:42let this
- 19:43cup pass
- 19:43from me.
- 19:45Nevertheless,
- 19:46not as I
- 19:47will,
- 19:47but as
- 19:49you will.
- 19:51He didn't
- 19:52turn
- 19:53back.
- 19:55He gave
- 19:55his
- 19:57back.
- 19:58He set
- 19:59his face
- 20:00as a
- 20:01flint as
- 20:01it says
- 20:02here and
- 20:02you see
- 20:03it in the
- 20:03New Testament.
- 20:04He set
- 20:04his face
- 20:05towards
- 20:06Jerusalem.
- 20:07He didn't
- 20:08turn away.
- 20:09He didn't
- 20:09go backwards.
- 20:10He was
- 20:11not rebellious.
- 20:12He was
- 20:13obedient.
- 20:15He was
- 20:15the obedient
- 20:16servant.
- 20:17because of
- 20:20God's
- 20:20love for
- 20:21his people
- 20:22gave his
- 20:24back.
- 20:25And you
- 20:25think of
- 20:26what that
- 20:27entailed.
- 20:28The beating
- 20:29that he
- 20:30bore.
- 20:32The
- 20:33spitting.
- 20:34The
- 20:34disgrace.
- 20:35The striking
- 20:36of his
- 20:36cheeks.
- 20:37It's all
- 20:37there for
- 20:38us.
- 20:39As I
- 20:39say,
- 20:40as writing
- 20:40700 years
- 20:42before it
- 20:43came to
- 20:44be.
- 20:44the
- 20:46servant's
- 20:46obedience
- 20:48is there.
- 20:52The
- 20:52Lord came
- 20:53to take
- 20:55our
- 20:55burdens
- 20:56from us.
- 20:57To bear
- 20:58our
- 20:59burdens.
- 21:00He
- 21:01was
- 21:02obedient.
- 21:05He
- 21:05became
- 21:06sin
- 21:07for us.
- 21:08God
- 21:10is there.
- 21:11Do we
- 21:11stand in
- 21:13awe of
- 21:14that?
- 21:15Do we
- 21:16stand in
- 21:16awe of
- 21:17the cross?
- 21:19Of how
- 21:20they crucified
- 21:20him?
- 21:21How they
- 21:21nailed his
- 21:22hands and
- 21:22feet?
- 21:23How they
- 21:24pushed a
- 21:24crown of
- 21:25thorns on
- 21:26his head?
- 21:27How they
- 21:27mocked him
- 21:28and spat
- 21:29at him?
- 21:30He did
- 21:31not turn
- 21:32backwards.
- 21:34He was
- 21:34not rebellious.
- 21:36he gave
- 21:37his back.
- 21:40The wonder
- 21:41of that
- 21:42love.
- 21:44But you
- 21:44see too
- 21:45how the
- 21:46Lord was
- 21:46sure of
- 21:48his help.
- 21:49But the
- 21:50Lord God
- 21:50helps me.
- 21:52Therefore I
- 21:52have not
- 21:52been disgraced.
- 21:54Therefore I
- 21:55have set my
- 21:55face like a
- 21:56flint and
- 21:57I know that
- 21:58I shall not
- 21:58be put to
- 21:59shame.
- 22:00All of
- 22:01these things
- 22:02he did
- 22:03for us.
- 22:04and it's
- 22:06assuring us
- 22:07too of
- 22:08the Lord's
- 22:09help as
- 22:10we put
- 22:10our trust
- 22:11in him.
- 22:14The final
- 22:15thing we
- 22:15want to
- 22:15see from
- 22:17this section
- 22:17is the
- 22:18servant's
- 22:19light.
- 22:22And you
- 22:22see here
- 22:23in the
- 22:23contrast you
- 22:24have at
- 22:24the end
- 22:25in verse
- 22:2910.
- 22:30Who among
- 22:31you fears
- 22:31the Lord
- 22:32and obeys
- 22:33the voice
- 22:34of his
- 22:34servants.
- 22:34So this is
- 22:35a challenge
- 22:35for us
- 22:36here.
- 22:37Isaiah
- 22:37is speaking
- 22:38once again
- 22:39to us.
- 22:40Let him
- 22:40who walks
- 22:41in darkness
- 22:41and has
- 22:42no light
- 22:43trust in
- 22:44the name
- 22:44of the
- 22:45Lord and
- 22:45rely on
- 22:46his God.
- 22:47So he's
- 22:47telling us
- 22:48there what
- 22:49we are to
- 22:49do.
- 22:50We can
- 22:51walk in
- 22:51darkness
- 22:52and has
- 22:53no light.
- 22:54We have
- 22:54the hope
- 22:54of the
- 22:55Lord.
- 22:56Trust in
- 22:56the name
- 22:56of the
- 22:57Lord and
- 22:57rely on
- 22:58his God.
- 22:59But verse
- 22:5911 shows
- 23:00the opposite.
- 23:00behold all
- 23:02who kindle
- 23:03a fire
- 23:04who equip
- 23:05yourselves
- 23:05with burning
- 23:06torches.
- 23:07Walk by the
- 23:08light of
- 23:08your fire
- 23:09and by
- 23:10the torches
- 23:11that you
- 23:11have kindled
- 23:12that you
- 23:14may have
- 23:14from my
- 23:15hand.
- 23:16This you
- 23:16have from
- 23:17my hand
- 23:18you shall
- 23:18lie down
- 23:19in torment.
- 23:21Lie down
- 23:21there is
- 23:22speaking of
- 23:22dying.
- 23:24You shall
- 23:24die in
- 23:25torment
- 23:26if you
- 23:27go by
- 23:28your own
- 23:29light.
- 23:31If you
- 23:31go by
- 23:32your own
- 23:32ways.
- 23:33The
- 23:33torch is
- 23:34the light
- 23:34he is
- 23:34talking
- 23:35about.
- 23:35There is
- 23:35just
- 23:36kindling
- 23:36a light
- 23:37for yourself
- 23:37to try
- 23:38and find
- 23:38your own
- 23:39way.
- 23:41It's
- 23:41the complete
- 23:42opposite
- 23:42of the
- 23:43servant's
- 23:44light.
- 23:45And
- 23:45listening
- 23:45to the
- 23:46servant's
- 23:46voice.
- 23:48Because
- 23:49we have
- 23:49one who
- 23:50came into
- 23:50our
- 23:51darkness
- 23:51and who
- 23:52is the
- 23:53light of
- 23:53the world.
- 23:54he gives
- 23:56us his
- 23:57light.
- 23:57Because
- 23:57there is
- 23:57no hope
- 23:58for us
- 23:58walking
- 23:59in
- 23:59darkness.
- 24:01But in
- 24:01John 8
- 24:02verse 12
- 24:03Jesus spoke
- 24:04to them
- 24:04saying
- 24:05I am
- 24:05the light
- 24:06of the
- 24:06world.
- 24:07Whoever
- 24:07follows
- 24:08me will
- 24:09not walk
- 24:09in darkness
- 24:10but will
- 24:11have the
- 24:11light of
- 24:12life.
- 24:13You see
- 24:14it's not
- 24:14our own
- 24:15light.
- 24:16It's
- 24:16his.
- 24:18He is
- 24:19the light
- 24:20of the
- 24:21world.
- 24:23And that
- 24:23is the
- 24:23light.
- 24:24that we
- 24:25are to
- 24:25walk
- 24:25in.
- 24:27But it
- 24:27comes down
- 24:28to that
- 24:28question.
- 24:29Who among
- 24:29you fears
- 24:30the Lord
- 24:31and obeys
- 24:32the voice
- 24:32of his
- 24:33servant?
- 24:35Who is
- 24:35listening
- 24:36to the
- 24:37servant's
- 24:37word?
- 24:39The
- 24:39word that
- 24:40is able
- 24:40to sustain
- 24:41the weary.
- 24:43Who loves
- 24:44the servant
- 24:45because of
- 24:46his obedience?
- 24:47Because he
- 24:48gave his
- 24:49back that
- 24:50we might
- 24:50have life?
- 24:52Who among
- 24:52us fears
- 24:54the Lord
- 24:54and obeys
- 24:56the voice
- 24:56of his
- 24:57servant?
- 24:58What are
- 24:58we to
- 24:58do if
- 24:59we do
- 24:59let him
- 25:00walk?
- 25:01Let him
- 25:01who walks
- 25:02in darkness
- 25:02and has
- 25:03no light
- 25:04trust in
- 25:05the name
- 25:05of the
- 25:06Lord and
- 25:07rely on
- 25:08his
- 25:09God.
- 25:11As we
- 25:11hear Isaiah
- 25:12speak of
- 25:14a future,
- 25:16it asks the
- 25:17question of
- 25:17us, what do we
- 25:18want in
- 25:19our own
- 25:19future?
- 25:21Where do
- 25:21we see
- 25:22ourselves in
- 25:23another four
- 25:24years?
- 25:26Well, the
- 25:26reality is
- 25:27none of
- 25:28us know
- 25:29what our
- 25:30situation
- 25:31will be
- 25:31then in
- 25:33some ways.
- 25:35But in
- 25:36another we
- 25:37do as
- 25:38we put our
- 25:39trust in
- 25:40the Lord.
- 25:42So we've
- 25:42been reminded
- 25:43in the
- 25:44prayers this
- 25:45evening,
- 25:46he is a
- 25:46God of
- 25:47providence
- 25:47and he
- 25:49is a
- 25:49God of
- 25:50grace
- 25:50who will
- 25:51never leave
- 25:52his people,
- 25:53who will
- 25:54never forsake
- 25:55his people.
- 25:56That is
- 25:57why God
- 25:57sent his
- 25:58son, his
- 25:59servant,
- 26:00into this
- 26:01world to
- 26:02give us
- 26:02the light
- 26:03to go
- 26:04on, to
- 26:05go forward
- 26:05and to
- 26:06keep
- 26:07going.
- 26:10It's not
- 26:11someone who
- 26:12I would
- 26:12regularly
- 26:13quote, but
- 26:14Nat King
- 26:15Cole once
- 26:16wrote a
- 26:17song and
- 26:17sang a
- 26:18song called
- 26:19Unforgettable
- 26:20and the
- 26:22words in
- 26:23it, they
- 26:24kind of
- 26:25resonate with
- 26:25this passage
- 26:26in some
- 26:27ways if we
- 26:27can apply
- 26:28them in
- 26:29the right
- 26:29way.
- 26:31Unforgettable,
- 26:32he said,
- 26:32that's what
- 26:33you are.
- 26:35Unforgettable
- 26:36though near
- 26:37or far.
- 26:38the people
- 26:42of God
- 26:42had been
- 26:43taken far
- 26:44away from
- 26:45their home,
- 26:46but the
- 26:47Lord should
- 26:48have been
- 26:48unforgettable
- 26:49for them.
- 26:52The
- 26:52warning that
- 26:53Isaiah had
- 26:53given was
- 26:54you are
- 26:55forgetting
- 26:55the Lord.
- 26:58The same
- 26:59warning that
- 27:00the people
- 27:00had as they
- 27:01went into
- 27:01the promised
- 27:02land in
- 27:02Deuteronomy,
- 27:03be careful
- 27:04when you
- 27:04go into
- 27:05the land
- 27:05and you
- 27:06have all
- 27:06of these
- 27:07good things,
- 27:08do not
- 27:09forget the
- 27:10Lord.
- 27:12The Lord
- 27:12should be
- 27:13unforgettable,
- 27:15but is he?
- 27:18That song
- 27:18goes on to
- 27:19say,
- 27:20that's why
- 27:21it's
- 27:22incredible
- 27:22that someone
- 27:24so
- 27:24unforgettable
- 27:25thinks that
- 27:27I am
- 27:28unforgettable
- 27:29too.
- 27:32In the
- 27:33Lord's
- 27:33Supper,
- 27:34we do
- 27:35this in
- 27:36remembrance
- 27:37of him,
- 27:39because
- 27:40surely it's
- 27:41unforgettable
- 27:42what he
- 27:43has done
- 27:44for us.
- 27:46And what's
- 27:46more remarkable
- 27:48is that we
- 27:49are unforgettable
- 27:50to him,
- 27:52that he
- 27:53remembers us
- 27:55and sees
- 27:56our need
- 27:57and provides
- 27:59for it
- 28:00in his
- 28:01servant,
- 28:02his son.
- 28:05When
- 28:05Christ
- 28:06shall come
- 28:07with shout
- 28:08of acclamation
- 28:09and take
- 28:10me home,
- 28:12what joy
- 28:12shall fill
- 28:13my heart,
- 28:14then shall
- 28:15I bow
- 28:16in humble
- 28:17adoration
- 28:18and there
- 28:19proclaim,
- 28:20my God,
- 28:21how great
- 28:22thou art.
- 28:25Let us
- 28:25pray.
- 28:27Our
- 28:28Father in
- 28:29heaven,
- 28:30we thank
- 28:30you that
- 28:30as a
- 28:31people we
- 28:31are precious
- 28:32to you
- 28:33and that
- 28:34though we
- 28:34forget you,
- 28:35that we
- 28:36are unforgettable
- 28:37to you.
- 28:39And we
- 28:39pray,
- 28:40Lord,
- 28:40that you
- 28:40will remember
- 28:41us in all
- 28:41our different
- 28:42needs.
- 28:43We thank
- 28:44you that
- 28:44you know
- 28:45us personally
- 28:46and individually,
- 28:48that you
- 28:48know,
- 28:48Lord,
- 28:49just what we
- 28:49need and
- 28:50when we
- 28:50need it.
- 28:51And we
- 28:52thank you
- 28:52that no
- 28:52matter what
- 28:53our providence,
- 28:54no matter
- 28:54what might
- 28:55change as
- 28:56we look to
- 28:57a future
- 28:57that is so
- 28:58often uncertain,
- 29:00that you
- 29:00do not
- 29:00change,
- 29:02but that
- 29:02you remember
- 29:03us and
- 29:04that we
- 29:04would see
- 29:05how precious
- 29:06you are,
- 29:07how precious
- 29:08your servant
- 29:09is,
- 29:10how precious
- 29:10the word
- 29:12that sustains
- 29:13us when we
- 29:13are weary,
- 29:14how precious
- 29:15the cross
- 29:16and how
- 29:17your servant
- 29:18gave his
- 29:19back,
- 29:20and how
- 29:21precious it
- 29:22is that
- 29:23we would
- 29:23listen to
- 29:24your voice
- 29:25and seek
- 29:26to walk
- 29:27in your
- 29:27paths by
- 29:28your light.
- 29:30Watch over
- 29:31us, we
- 29:31pray, and
- 29:32guide us by
- 29:32your truth,
- 29:34forgiving all
- 29:34our sin,
- 29:35in Jesus'
- 29:36name.
- 29:36Amen.