Listen to the Servant, all the ends of the Earth

Sermon Transcript

For those of you watching on the livestream, we’re going to pause that for a few minutes.

Speaking of international missions, this morning we have the sad privilege of saying goodbye to a couple who are members of Citylight Church and two of our supported international workers. Stefan and Aleh are moving to Kansas to continue their ministries and care for Stefan’s aging parents.  

 

Alejandra serves in the digital mission field of social media, producing Christ-centered content, teaching biblical counseling, and mobilizing other Christ-centered ministries. She’s also an author and international speaker, focusing on Spanish-Speaking people.

 

Stefán serves as a translation consultant, training Bible translators and checking their translations to ensure quality. He works to provide Scripture access to some of the remaining 1.5B Bibleless peoples of the world.

 

They also have a podcast in Spanish where they teach through the Bible verse-by-verse.

 

Pray for Stefan and Aleh

 

INTRODUCTION

 

I want to talk to you this morning about who you listen to; who you listen to. I want to talk to you about whose words shape the way you feel, think, and act. I want to talk to you about who you listen to because to be human is to listen. Everyone of us is influenced and shaped by some voice above all others, and the voice that shapes us most is one of the most important things about you – and us, as a church. I want to talk to you about who you listen to. If left to our own devices, the voice that we listen to most is our own. And that is a main source of most of our problems.

 

In his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures, the late physician and preacher, Martin Lloyd-Jones wrote, “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problem of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Notice again what Lloyd-Jones wrote, “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself…?” I want to talk to you about who you listen to. I want to talk to you about who you listen to because Isaiah 49 begins with these simple, earnest words: “Listen to me…” (Isaiah 49:1). Who is speaking? He is named three times in Isaiah 49:1-6: “You are my servant…” (49:3). “…His servant…” (49:5). “…My servant…” (49:6). Isaiah 49 is the second of the Servant Songs in Isaiah, which are fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the Servant speaking to? Look again at Isaiah 49:1 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar.” The Servant of the Lord is speaking and he deserves a worldwide hearing. That brings us to the big idea of our passage: Listen to the Servant, all the ends of the earth. Listen to the Servant, all the ends of the earth. Now, the Servant is the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks through every syllable of Scripture. We listen to the Servant by listening to the Bible – the word of God – and what it says about everything. But what is the Servant saying in our passage that we should listen to? Two things: 1. He is a light for the nations (49:1-13). 2. He will not forget you (49:14-50:3). 

 

HE IS A LIGHT FOR THE NATIONS (49:1-13)

 

Let’s get a historical lay of the land before we jump further into our passage. In Isaiah 40-55, Isaiah is writing in the 700’s BC, but he’s writing ahead in time to the 500’s BC to Israel in exile in Babylon. Isaiah is writing to assure the exiles that the Lord will forgive their sins and bring them out of captivity through His servant, Cyrus the Great from Persia. But in our passage, Isaiah sees beyond Cyrus to a greater Servant who will not only rescue Israel, but will one day come to be the light to all nations. And that Servant is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 49:1-13, the Servant – the Lord Jesus Christ – is speaking and he provides a profile of himself. Since the voice we listen to makes all the difference, let’s listen to what he says. 

 

Isaiah 49:1-2 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. Unlike Cyrus, the Servant Jesus does not conquer the nations with a sword. He conquers peoples and nations for God through the spread of his word, the gospel, the good news of his life, death, and resurrection for our sins. Listen to Him. Now, in Isaiah 49:3, it sounds like the Servant is actually Israel herself: And he [the LORD] said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But we know that the Servant isn’t Israel because Isaiah 49:5 says that the Servant rescues Israel. Ray Ortlund helps make sense of it for us: “…Israel failed, and by now their failure makes a mockery of their ancient identity as the Israel of God. Is the purpose of God therefore defeated? No. God provides a substitute Israel, who does live up to the name. Jesus Christ is our substitute not only in his death but also in his life…” Now, the Servant Jesus also felt like a failure, when on the cross he was crying, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Isaiah 49:4a – But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity…” But all thoughts of failure were banished when on the third day he rose from the grave. Isaiah 49:4b – “…yet surely my right is with the LORD and my recompense with my God. 

 

Now we come to perhaps the most important thing the Servant – the crucified and risen Jesus – says about himself. Let’s listen. Isaiah 49:5, 6 – And now the LORD says…“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” The Servant – the Lord Jesus Christ – is not only Israel’s Messiah. He is the only light for all nations! Listen to the way Jesus articulates his identity in the New Testament. John 10:14-16 – I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold [ethnic Israel]. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. The Lord Jesus puts it most succinctly in John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Listen to the Servant of the Lord – He says that he is the only light to all the nations and peoples of the earth.

 

Ok – What does it look like for the Servant’s mission to be the light for the world to be accomplished? It looks like a day of salvation coming to the undeserving as his word of grace – the good news of his life, death and resurrection for sins – spreads far and wide. Isaiah 49:8 – Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages… Jesus Christ is the covenant to the people – he is the embodiment of God’s promise of grace to all who trust Him. He has come and today is the day of salvation. His mission to be a light for the nations being accomplished looks like the undeserving receiving grace and getting free from their sins. Isaiah 49:9 – “…saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’” His mission being accomplished looks like the undeserving receiving grace, getting free, and being kept secure in the Servant until he comes again to give everyone from every nation who receives his gift of salvation final, eternal liberation from our present exile in this world. Isaiah 49:9-12 – They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; 10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. 11 And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up. 12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.” His mission to be the light of the world looks like a people singing for joy because they have been eternally comforted by the Servant’s grace. Isaiah 49:13 – Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

 

Ok – now that we’ve seen what the Servant says about himself – he is the light for the nations, let’s get back to this all important matter of listening because the Servant deserves a worldwide hearing and the voice that shapes us most is the most important thing about us. What does it look like to listen to the Servant who is the light of the world? Two practical ideas: First, listen to him by returning to Him. It’s clear in Isaiah 49 that the Servant is sent to gather God’s people back to Him. Have you wandered from the Lord? Perhaps you were raised in church or once even professed faith in Jesus, but you’ve wandered. The Servant has come as a light to the nations to bring God’s people back. Listen to Him by returning to Him today, falling into his open arms, never to wander off again. Second, listening to the Servant by being the light for the world. The Lord Jesus – who said “I am the light of the world” – told his followers in the Gospel of Matthew, “you are the light of the world, a city on a hill can not be hidden.” It’s too light a thing that Jesus should bring back the preserved of Israel, the Father made him a light for the nations! Young people – it’s too light a thing for you to go to a great college, get a great job, and marry a godly spouse. It’s too light a thing to live for the next adventure. You are the light of the world as you shine the light of Christ in word and in deed here and to the ends of the earth! Parents – it’s too light a thing for us to raise athletically gifted, musically literate, academically successful, nice children. It’s too light. We are raising the next generation to be the light of the world. Don’t just practice piano, pray with them. Don’t just run off to work to provide for them, read God’s word with them. Don’t just expose them to sports, bring them to church every Sunday. It’s too light a thing to raise them to be anything less than the light of the world. My older friends – it’s too light to make it to retirement and hangout with grandkids. There is a sea of young people here who need you to invest in them so that they can be the light of the world. Citylight Church – It is too light a thing for our church to get a good building, maintain a comfortable size, and put on helpful ministries. It’s too light a thing for us to do intentional spiritual good to one another. It’s even too light a thing for us to shine the light of Christ in word and deed here in our region. It’s too light! Our church exists to make disciples of Jesus to the glory of God in Philadelphia, and beyond to the ends of the earth. Give sacrificially so that we can give more dollars to international missions and even leave the comforts of this country and be trained to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Listen to the Servant – he is the light of the world. Return to Him and be the light! He is the light of the world, but that’s not all he says about himself. Listen to the Servant, all the ends of the earth. He says…

 

HE WILL NOT FORGET YOU (49:14-50:3)

 

I want you to keep in mind the amazing news that has just been announced to God’s exiled people in Babylon. They’ve been promised safe rescue from exile, a return to the promised land, and that a Servant will come from them that will be the light for the nations. Amazing promises! Now, listen to their reaction. Isaiah 49:14 – But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” Oh my goodness, that sounds so much like me! From my vantage point in history, the Servant of the Lord has come, the word of his gospel has gone out from a small band of followers in Jerusalem to the likes of me, I’ve been forgiven of my sin and promised that soon the exile of this life will be over and I’ll be brought safely home with him forever. Amazing promises. Then I look around at some of my circumstances that I don’t like and my inner thoughts are, “the LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” Can’t you identify with that?! Now, we have to be honest with ourselves. The feeling that the Lord has forgotten and forsaken us is not morally neutral. Our feelings can be wrong and it’s wrong for me to feel forgotten by the Lord because it’s not true. It’s wrong to feel forgotten by the Lord, but I want you to notice how the Lord responds to his people who feel forgotten. Isaiah 49:15 – “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” My discouraged and angry friend, it’s wrong for you to feel forgotten by the Lord, but the Lord isn’t coming down on you for feeling forgotten. He just heaps on more assurance and encouragement. Can a mother forget her nursing child? In our wicked world it happens on occasion. Even these may forget, yet he will not forget you. Listen to the Servant, all ends of the earth – he can’t forget you. Isaiah 49:16 – Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. The Lord will not forget you because he engraved you on the palms of his hands with the nails that held him on the cross where he died for your sins. Listen to the Servant, he won’t forget you. Listen to the Servant, not your feelings. He will remember you.

 

Not only will he not forget you, he will not forget his church. As bleak as the madness of this world is, Jesus will build his church as his gospel spreads to the ends of the earth and his church swells with newborn children of God through Christ. Isaiah 49:20-21 – The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’ 21 Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?’” Listen to the Servant, not your discouragement. He will remember you.

 

Not only will the Servant remember you and his church, but he will remember his enemies. We all long for some final judgment and justice. We all want the wrongs of this world to be righted somehow. Listen to the Servant, he will remember his enemies – he will eternally punish all who call evil good, call good evil, and refuse his offer of grace so that all will know that He is the only Redeemer. Isaiah 49:25-26 – For thus says the LORD: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you,

and I will save your children. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the LORD your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Listen to the Servant, not his enemies. He will remember you.

 

But some of us have listened to ourselves for so long that we are beginning to blame the Lord for the mess we are in. Israel sunk to that place. Isaiah 50:1-3 – Thus says the LORD: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce, with which I sent her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away. The Lord challenges our blame-shifting by saying, “why don’t you take out the certificate of divorce I signed when I sent you into exile and see who is actually at fault.” Friends, it is never right to be angry with the Servant because the Servant has never wronged you. We don’t blame Him, we cry to Him. And when we do, we hear his promise once again that he will not forget us. He will not forget us because he engraved us on his hands when he hung on that cross, nails piercing his hands, and our sin laying on his shoulders. Listen to the servant, you ends of the earth. He will remember you.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Friends – Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Joy dawns as you speak the Servant’s words to yourself. He is the light of the world – return to Him and be his light. It’s too light a thing to live for anything less. He will not forget you – believe Him over what you feel. How could he forget you? You’re engraved on his hands.