Christ's Heart for the Downtrodden

Isaiah chapter number 40 2B this evening. Thank you Pastor Carnes for moderating the service for us this evening. I haven't quite got down the order of service yet, so I appreciate him allow me to embarrass self this evening.

Isaiah 42 verses one through four. Here is me the words of the true and living God accesses people.

Behold my servant whom I might hold my elect one in whom my soul delights. I put my spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out nor raises voice more causes voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax. He will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth, it will not fail nor be discouraged to has established justice in the earth and the coastlands shall wait for as long this is the word of God or the people of God. In 2021, following my full embrace of reformed theology. I was called Tyler to recant of my theological convictions for I would be expected to return my ordination following the return of my papers. I soon resigned my pastor understanding. There had on my part. Developed a great theological difference between myself and the congregation to which I ministered, so being unwilling to create controversy or to cause harm to those people whom we deeply love that we resigned and found ourselves moving back to South Carolina with no community there to surround us, and so I began to work a secular job as a driver for a company called canteen back and revolts.

It was during that time that I found myself facing quite identity crisis of sorts, self struck struggling with depression quite seriously. During the time.

Fast forward to August of the same year and one week self life and our two-year-old COVEN we receive a letter in the mail telling us that our taxes were filed or owned by the company that we would use weed expected to be paid quite quite a bit more and we also receive a letter that our employer had not insert us as we had previously understood. Few that was nice.

That was a nice surprise. Two weeks later after were doing better. My mom catches Kevin and eyes quickly hospitalized and would go on to spend a month in ICU were we would be informed that she would not be expected to live in the reality of understanding in my early 20s and in her early in her early years as part of their thinking that in my early 20s I may be left about my mother and the fact that she sitting in a hospital bed somewhere was delivered that news without me being there to embrace her and to encourage her but my heart quite drastically quite more than I was prepared to admit my mom was in the hospital beforehand. She would take care of her mother and so we were left with those same tasks she was doing quite well. The Lord blessed us tremendously, and as I would come home and build spend time with my grandmother and I always was a 90s boy the Lord clarify reminded her health looked to be improving tremendously. And so I enjoy those weeks with her overcoming home one evening a check drawn to levels which are 98 the day before this day they were at 60 and so to keep a long story short three days later, I'm holding her hand as she slips off into eternity. So I one month span were faced with depression with sickness but deals with stress, with your and facing death, all while having the toddler to look after. During this time you might be wondering why are you telling us this this morning and the reason for this evening and the reason I feel like this may be helpful is that you also may be finding yourself overwhelmed. You may have found yourself looking over is not at this time. All I tell the story, looking over times in your life for you to find yourself bombarded about with the multiple different types of stresses that can find us in compass in our day to day life. You may feel overwhelmed and exhausted in the midst of all that in the midst of this story. I really don't have the part where I can seem to make myself seem as the super there's no way that we can do that however I can tell you with all and full of affirmation that there is a Christ, who, in the midst of these times of stress and worry these times of fear.

This type of this time of unsettling nervousness and anxiety that encompasses us. There is a Christ will not break the bruised reed and who will not extinguish the smoking flax.

He is the Christ, he is the Lord of glory, who is gentle and lowly of heart and in him we find strength for our souls when it seems the circumstances of this life are greater than we can bear. We can look to our most precious Lord, are you tired today is your soul broken and weary, the Lord of all creation has looked forth and called you from the toil and strife of your life. He is set aside this Lord's day, and called us to be strengthened, strengthened, not with the mere sitting aside to watch TV but to be strengthened by the by the contemplating of his grace to feast upon his faithfulness. The Lord has set aside this Lord's day, we may come to feast upon the means of grace to be strengthened and to consider his faithfulness to us. This is what he has provided for us this day as we look in Isaiah chapter 42 we notice that it begins with the phrase, behold, the ESV captures it most. Well, as does the new King James.

This phrase behold because throughout chapter 41. You will notice it as well. Immediately my eyes drawn to verse number 11 behold we will notice it again several times that chapters you will read the behold your are bursting forth even in verse number 15 behold, it seems as the translators grass very well is what Isaiah was doing here in the midst of all this cascading darkness. He comes forth upon this seeing this cloud of darkness in the midst of the depression that is there is forth all the all the stupidity if you will of your idols. Behold the judgment that is falling upon us. The captivity that is coming in the midst of this darkness, radiant light burst forth through the shroud of darkness. The shroud of darkness burst forth with the promised servant of the Lord who will come for us summary for my lesson. My sermon here this evening. Is this that Christ the servant will perform his work of bringing righteousness to the world gently yet unfailingly so I can have confidence in that when it feels as though life's difficulties overwhelmed me. Christ has not forsaken his purposes of bringing forth righteousness to this or to make it even more basic for you and I when life seems to be falling apart. I can look to my most general Lord who knows what he is doing so in the midst of the troubles of my life. We can look first and foremost of the servant, in whom God delights would you look at me in Isaiah 42 verse one behold, the servant, whom I uphold my elect one in whom my soul delights I have put my spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

First, who is this servant the circuit's identity is identity. Matthew chapter 12 verse 16 through 21 reads yet.

He warned them not to make him not to make him known. That might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, behold, my servant whom I have chosen my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, he will declare justice to the Gentiles.

He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets bruised reed he will not break smoking flax. He will not quench, till he sends forth justice to victory and in his name. Gentiles will trust also considered with me this evening if you will ask chapter 13 which reads the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers notice this glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. Verse 26 of the same chapter reads to you first God, having raised up his servant Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. Acts 427 reads for truly against your holy servant Jesus. And in verse number 30 by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

I believe it is certainly safe for us to conclude that Christ Christ is the most beloved servant that we are seeing in Isaiah. Here in what we do hold as we examine the life of the servant as we look within his life.

We consider multiple passages and one which I am drawn to is Matthew 2026 through 28, which reads, yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, to give his life as a ransom for many. This servant within whom the Father delights is Christ as we look at his life. We behold a life of ministry he has, as the servant, not merely granting us an example of the depth of servant hood but I say this with all reverence he himself has become a servant unties not to poorly but eternally as he is our advocate in great high priest at the right hand of the father.

He is the servant within whom the father delights as we look at his life. We behold the servant of Christ, who is our most beloved servant, we not only notice the identity of the servant we need to notice the esteem of the servant my servant whom I uphold. Isaiah 42 reads my elect one in whom my soul delights. I put my spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles is esteem. First, let us notice that he is the servant whom the father upholds Alec Mortier says concerning the word uphold that the ideas not so much of imparting strength as of the Lord's rights over his servants and his determination to as it is of the Lord's rights over his servants and his determination to keep his servant for himself. He is the one with whom the father's very soul delights. He is not merely a capable man for the Lord's task that he himself is the Lord's man for the Lord himself. Redpath believes it speaks of the father's trust, independence on the son. The picture is taken from an eastern court where the monarch is in a procession and as he walks he leans upon his favorite Corriere in this verse. In fact, could be well translated behold my servant, upon whom I is an indication of a special flavor and confidence. So here we have a picture of God the father who is leaning upon God the son.

This would be a beautiful depiction of a portrait of the old covenant expectation with new covenant realities. He is the one within whom the father upholds he is the one within whom the father in trust to carry forth his will. Christ as I come not to do my will, but to do the will of sent me, I will do notice that he is the servant of the father of women's notice.

This great statement here. He is the elect of the father.

My elect one in whom my soul delights. Calvin said of the statement in this passage, the word elects denotes excellence as in many other passages, for they who aren't in the very flower of their age are called chosen use in first Samuel 26 Jehovah therefore calls him an excellent servant because he bears the message of reconciliation and because all of his actions are directed by the father at the same time, he demonstrates his undeserved love by which he embraced us all in the only begotten son, that in his person we made to hold an illustrious display of that election by which we have been adopted into the life this glorious passage year, as he began to consider that as the father looks at the son his heart with radiant love verse four. This is the one within whom I delight. This is my elect one in this France breeze passion upon our great reformed doctrine of election is nothing more that the world would say that it is a cold and hard, and doctrine as we consider that the father has passion upon his elect one, and that we are the ones that God has Pro and no scope whom he has intimately set his love upon before the world began, and has placed us within the beloved this breeze life upon our doctrine of election that the father has made us accepted within his beloved that is Christ. Christ is is elect this floods this great doctrine of election with radiant beaming passion.

As we consider the unbound love the father has for his son and thus the unimaginable love that he has for us whom he has foreknow, notice not only the word elect.

But notice the phrase my spirit.

I have put my spirit upon them more continued with my spirit is the Lord's personal presence and action that is endowing leadership as a consequence of his divine inducement, the servant will perform the task of bringing divine truth to the Gentiles. This is also fine verse in connection with John 132 which reads in John bore witness saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove. He remained upon him. This is further identifying or agreeing with our identification of the service Christ.

So the application here. So when we are not sure where to look in the midst of life's trials. We are to look to Christ, we are to look to Christ the one in whom the father is delighted we are to look to Christ, the one whom the father has been pleased to give to us and who the spirit has been most gracious in bringing us to. We are Christ we are Christ's, forever and we can look to our most submissive and gentle Lord in the midst of life when it seems that tyrannical dictators would pursue and push us out of our own homes. We can look to Christ when it seems as though we are no longer able to lay within our own homes but lay our hands upon hospital beds. We can look to Christ when it feels like those to whom we love greater than life itself slips from our hands in the cloud of doubt and disarray lands upon our faith, we can look to Christ when the problems in this life begin to reveal that we are not as strong in faith as we thought we were. We can look to Christ. We look to him, the one with whom the father delights. We look to him who is that faithful faithful servant to whom the father is been pleased to give us to whom the spirit in love has drawn us to.

We look to Christ. We look to Christ. Next let us notice the servant in the midst of this life in the midst of the circumstances in the midst of the pain in the midst of fear. We look to Christ the servant who is gentle with the downturn who is gentle with the downtrodden.

Would you please read with me. Isaiah 40 2233. He will not cry out more raise his voice more causes voice to be heard in history. There was notice quickly. His demeanor as we consider this passage we must ask ourselves what this means, because we read accounts of Christ preaching in the streets with ECM crying out we see him raising his voice. So what does this mean this is passage disqualified Christ as being the servant this is passage reveal that maybe I've been wrong a modification. What does this mean for our interpretation well and must be understood that this is a depicted passage of the demeanor of the servant.

Isaiah's flow is this if you want an outline of the passage. It is this verses one through four, verse one. God will provide his beloved servant to bring forth justice two and three. Here is how he will not do it in for he will not fail to perform this task and so as we consider this passage and we note the three verbs cry out to raise his voice and to cause his voice to be heard.

We understand that these are depicting the opposite of his nature Christ when he comes would not be like Nebuchadnezzar, he would not be like Cyrus or any other king of the earth is ever seen. For that matter, he will be nothing like the world would expect that the world would have ever seen. He will be gentle and not self assertive. He will be meek and he will be gentle and hard. Think of it in our minds wrong with wonder, the one who is the creator of all things, the one who formed the cosmos has come to earth to do the will of the father and he does so quietly.

Indeed, for us as believers, we can take note that when we go for it in the service of God. When you and I go forward in the service of God. We do not need fanfare or attention photographs or applause. Our services been seen by the creator of all things and that is payment enough. If it is Christ is come, not arguing not drawing sword but he is come meek, general lowly of heart submitted to the will of the father notice. Not only is his demeanor blessed notice. Secondarily, his compassion in verse number three through three. He will not break, and smoking flax college. It would be understood that any king when he would come would be most un-gentle with those whom he is conquering, but as Christ is coming and will unfailingly perform his task. How can we expect them to come would be expecting to trample over all who come to him for mercy. The prophets is no.

He will be meek. He will be gentle.

He will not break the bruised reed he will not extinguish that most flickering wick first notice with me that he is gentle with the distraught is the climax of our sermon. If you will for today. He is gentle with the distraught.

Not only will Christ come modestly, but Christ will come mildly and just as he will work is no king ever has. He will also be more general than no king ever has. See or read is a plant that would grow near a marshy area most mostly around the pond in such it is a plant that when dry would be used for many purposes, particularly once fully grown and dried out to be used for a cane from measuring stick in time for several other reasons was that as it is growing as it is green. It is a hollow point in the inside and any firmness on the outside would cause it to been in it would not be able to bear anyway were even the way of the sparrow landing appointment because of the splinter cause it to break in. Here we see Christ handling of such people. Richard ship said the church is compared to week things to a dog among the files to a vine among the plants to sheep among beasts.

These are the weaker vessels. First, let us ask ourselves this question. What is it mean to be bruised. What is it mean to be bruised I can think of no better connection than that of Matthew 53 which Christ reaches he is sending them out looks back at his congregation says blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Two words that he uses. There are Makarios and total cost. This is what we know as based blessed bankruptcy as he looks at them and he says those to whom the kingdom belongs are those who are poor, they are poor in spirit, and they are the most blessed upon the earth.

The bruised or the broken, the downtrodden, the hopeless, and it is those who under the weight of the ravages of sin are the most blessed when they see themselves in such a place as within the round of blessed bankruptcy is those who find themselves within the estate of total cost poverty that they find themselves within great blessedness. What is this work took cost me it is and it is an illustrative word which most Greek is and it would give us the depiction of the beggar who was sitting upon the side of the street who is extending his hand and is saying all homes for the poor. If you do not show me grace. I have no ability to provide for myself, and unless you should so mercy and grace to me.

I have no hope. It is those to whom the Spirit has shown that that is the estate of our souls. It is those to whom are most blessed because it is that David which we realize that we are bankrupt entity of righteousness that all righteousness is as far as this form from us and any hope of righteousness, that the righteous is that we have Luther would say must be an alien righteousness is that we find ourselves in this place will be coming to Christ, broken, extending a hand saying all this for the poor, and unless she said, show us that grace, we should be eternally without within that hopeless condition.

The conquering King will not cut down those who were broken and worthless, but he instead is gentle with them. He receives them. Christ said in Matthew 1128 come to me all you who are who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Consider this, if you will. Isaiah 53 five, he was bruised for our iniquities.

What a general warrior. He is that the upright would be bruised that the bruise now may be made upright. This is our Lord Nessie makes his presence known upon the earth. He does not extinguish those or crush those whom the weight of a mere sparrow would destroy them.

But he shows the most gentleness with him and where it may seem as though Satan himself may discourage you and saying you will not find help with in the hands of Christ. Christ's own heart is deeply touched with every sinner to whom the spirit is strong and he will not break.

The upright one has come and has been bruised that you who are bruised may now be made upright in the side of the father.

This is our most in the Lord. Next please notice that he is gentle with the defeated. When you look up in the night sky. There are few things that are more amazing than watching the shooting. The speed which the flight. The light flashes across the sky is quite exhilarating. But have you ever stopped to consider that whatever type of debris is falling into orbit is actually in the process of burning up is being consumed and the heat that it is generating that is generated as an object quickly deteriorates is the light which we see pretty quickly that object burns out slight ceases, if it is big enough, it breaks there are atmospheric lands with a giant summer on the planet. The black and as we look at this text we notice that Christ will not will not quench the smoking flax with the smoking flax. There is but a little like that is remaining is weak and it is struggling for fuel is mixed with smoke and just a tiny member that is still alive in Matthew 12 Christ heals the widowed man's hand on the Sabbath, and he continues to heal all of those who are around them who are in the he is healing the bruised reeds in the smoking flax.

The prophecy here in Isaiah is that Christ would not extinguish the fading flames of those who needed him he would not snuff out the remaining embers of faith within their souls. Instead, Christ comes stoking the embers of faith reigniting what once was feeble and fading Shirley that woman that widow of name was a smoking flax.

As she follows the funeral procession of her only son. Yet there was Christ coming to him and to stoke that fading, we may consider John the Baptist as he sends his disciples asked Christ whether he is the Messiah, or whether we should look for another Christ, seeing the fading flames does not extinguish speaks, igniting truths that most beloved John consider doubting Thomas who Christ bore with so gently consider Peter who after his and his denial being broken by shame though denying Christ. Christ is not denied Peter consider the handling of our most beloved Lord with those who seem to be fading into oblivion within the hearts of believers, whether babies are not within the hearts of believers, whether fading or not there may be times where it seems our faith is fading and it is in those times, the deceiver would convince us that Christ will not show mercy brutality towards us but on the contrary, it is with Christ. When we are broken we are struggling and hurting. We may run to Christ and he will fan the flame fading flames is not a burden to Christ to fan those flames and it is not a burden to Christ for his children.

The plea to him. I would argue that it is must touch the inner chambers the inner recesses of Christ being his heart to cradle the wounded spirit of his beloved, for whom he has done in the moments of life are, it seems as though your faith is nothing more than just some smoke and a small ember run to Christ fleeing to him you are not a burden to the one for whom he has died. It must touch the inner recesses of his heart to cradle his most beloved and those most broken hours of your life is that you today morning.

Mother is that you today exhausted father is you one who feels abandoned and misunderstood them alone. Do you feel like that shooting star who is putting a display for all around you to see that last glimmering like before you are extinguished in the nothing but in reality audio. Most of as you sit at the bedside of a loved one who is slipping off into eternity and it feels like a cloud of turmoil and darkness and pain has settled itself upon your soul to reveal to you that you were not as strong as you thought you were to Christ.

He will help you. He will nurture you.

He will sustain you are most precious Lord loves you. He is elect and he will not extinguish the smoking flax. My dear friend this is the heart of Christ for the downtrodden as we consider him we consider that Christ the servant will overwhelmingly bring righteousness unfailingly cogently enclosed with this last point, he is the servant in the midst of all of last term. He is the servant who is committed to his duty notice of me. Verse three please he will bring justice for truth, the finality of verse three verse four. He will not fail or be discouraged, though he has established justice in the earth and the coastlands shall wait for his law, though facing our temptation and burden on earth.

Christ are not splinter as a bruised reed and Christ did not fade as the smoking flax is made his way towards Calvary. He remained faithful faithful even unto death. But not only then Calvin writes this must not be limited to the person of Christ, but it extends to the whole course of the gospel, for he not only discharge the embassy committed to him for three years but continues to discharge the same embassy every day by means of his servants. Indeed, Christ has established us his church that the gates of hell will not prevail against her and as he sits at the right hand of the father. He is actively making his enemies a footstool. He will not fatigue and he most certainly will not fail. The success of the church rests not upon the tactics of carnal man, but upon the Christ who is faithful to use his most beloved church. He will zealously triumph, establishing righteousness, even to the remote lands for no means but by his gospel, and as we look at this text. Indeed, within the context at hand here there is heartbreak. It is the eighth century BC bondage has and is coming for them at the end of chapter 40 through 41 is both assuring them of God's provision while simultaneously giving them a dark address of it is understood as Derek Thomas writes that much of Israel has turned to idols in the believing remnant hang on the slipping grip, but within this cascade of darkness.

The piercing light of God's compassion has been shown and is presented in his present will is beautifully encouraging and reassuring.

Perhaps this evening you find yourself discouraged. But the heart of Christ for the downtrodden be a bone to your weary wounded soul. In conclusion, I will provide you with two streams of application. The first one being a personal comfort in the latter being one of practical conduct first as we consider the heart of Christ towards the downtrodden. Let us flee to him in tumultuous times as we consider the heartbreak that you face in this life. Whether is the sickness of a child. The passing of a loved one. The ravages of your own homeland. The watching of one who is sliding off into eternity is the tumult of this life finds itself to your front door right before you look to Christ who has heart for the downtrodden. Now let us consider practical conduct first we hold in verse number one.

The servant performing God's tasks under God's power for God's glory.

We must also function in the same manner if our most beloved Lord to come. Laying aside his divine prerogatives resting solely in the power of the spirit to fulfill the will of the father. How much more should we rest in the power of the spirit as we live and minister for the glory as we go forth, trying to love neighbor and to love the Lord, it must not be accomplished within our own life went resting in the my of spirit as we go to minister and a witness to our loved ones to teach our classes to go to school. We must rest in the power second, we should note in verse two that Christ will not wage this conquering war with the weapons of carnal's. This warfare is not one that is waged as the means of the pagan world but is of a different world has to be and I were speaking of the great pressure that we face, particularly within use minute youth ministry to try and bring different attractions and to gain a larger youthful, but to develop great Christian men and women. It is not the usage of carnal minds and different means, but it is the weapons of this warfare, the strengthening of the church that Christ is given us or his means of grace.

We rest upon nothing else but the word preached the word given prayer, baptism, the Lord's table in the coin and the fellowship of the saints. This is the weapons of our warfare, the strengthening of our soul are you tired today.

Are you beaten-down for the problems that you face to that you are anticipating the face tomorrow. The bank recalls the doors to them have been flung open and you have been invited in to dine upon the faithfulness of your Lord, who is gentle towards the downtrodden and lastly, as we consider Christ heart for the downtrodden. So should we minister with the same heart towards others around us, their broken friends person sick friends who are around us, may we minister to them with an eye upon Christ heart for the downtrodden.

This is God's word) father, you have been most gracious to us.

You have brought us together and you know the needs of each and every one whom you have brought here together today. Perhaps there is one to whom you have revealed that they are broken and that they are spiritually bankrupt of all righteousness. Lord made you call them and to yourself to kiss the son while he is near lest he be angry or do you trawl them into yourself to repent of their sins. The place their hope in Christ, our only hope in life and in death, forsaking all the faulty and failing attempts of this temp oral life, but latching onto Christ, who was full of grace towards the bruised reed father today.

Perhaps there is a brother sister mother father who is nothing more than a smoking flax and they have put on a great façade and show for all of us with the remaining fuel that is within them to seem as though they are burning like a within their hearts. They are fading, fading quickly.

Would you strengthen their faith born. Would you nurture them where they are with a feast and hold Titan close to them the words of God which we have looked at here together this evening. May they go forth throughout this week, nurturing themselves from the word of God. Father I pray for those whom are exhausted who are weary and I pray that you would strengthen them.

In Christ name we do pray