We are loved by the Lord with a love that only He can fully fathom. Jesus went to the cross and affirmed your name on the palms of His hands.
Isaiah 49: The Servant of the LORD
1 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.
2 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.
3 And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
4 But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God."
5 And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him--- for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength---
6 he 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."
7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
The Restoration of Israel
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,
9 saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' 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."
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.
14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me."
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.
16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
18 Lift up your eyes around and see; they all gather, they come to you. As I live, declares the LORD, you shall put them all on as an ornament; you shall bind them on as a bride does.
19 "Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land--- surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 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?'"
22 Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."
24 Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?
25 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."
Isaiah 50: Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience
1 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.
2 Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness and make sackcloth their covering."
4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.
6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
7 But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment.
Things to think about…
1. The Servant of the Lord is described as One who was called from the womb and He named Him. We know that the angel told Joseph His name shall be called Jesus, for He will save people from their sins, Mt 1:21. He would not only save His people from the sins, but He would also be a light to the nations and His salvation would reach the ends of the earth, Isa 49:6. Even though He is the Redeemer of Israel, vs 7, He is also deeply despised and abhorred by His nation, vs 7. Jesus was not accepted by His own, His hometown rejected Him and the nation ultimately rejected Him. But He who is faithful, chose Him, vs 7. The Lord will ultimately open the eyes of the Jewish people and they will mourn over the One they have pierced.
2. This Servant will be given as a covenant. Jesus said at the last supper “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”, Luke 22:20. This new covenant He would be “To the people and establish the land”, Isa 49:8. This will ultimately be fulfilled in the Millennium. The prisoners referred to in Isa 49:9 are lost in sin and darkness, but they will be forgiven and know the blessing of a restored land, vs 9, 10. The mountains and the roads will be made even, vs 11. Isaiah has also made a reference to the “way of Holiness”, Isa 35:8. This Way is obviously Christ, and the road is travelled by all nations, vss 12. Syene was southern Egypt – modern day Ethiopia.
3. The Lord is about to redeem and deliver Israel, as such there a call for rejoicing and praise, Isa 49:13. But the people of Zion cry “LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me”, vs 14. We often mistake the Lord’s love, mercy and care. He is our great God and king. He loves us. Indeed he says even if a mother forgets her child, he could He forget us, vs 15. Then the profound verse “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me”. Jesus’ crucifixion showed that the Lord would sacrifice Himself for Zion and that its walls were ever before Him. Our Lord has a profound love for Israel, especially Jerusalem. He will redeem its people to Himself.
4. In an amazing fulfillment of prophesy, we see Israel growing in numbers in our day. The children have been raised up, even surprisingly, Isa 49:21, 22. They have been raised by the nations and they shall return, vs 22. The kings of nations have been foster fathers and their queens nursing mothers, vs 22. These same nations shall bow down to Zion, vs 23. Assyria and Babylon may have taken captives from Israel and Judah, but at this end time the nations will bow down vs 25. Any oppressive nation will be judged. Why? Because the Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob, the Lord is Israel’s Saviour, vs 26. Regardless of how the people of the Lord are treated, even though we may say at times ‘Lord where are you’, He is there even during the storm. New growth comes in the light and blessing of the Son in the morning. How great is our God!
5. The people who had been taken captive to Assyria were saying that the Lord had forgotten them. But the Lord says if that is the case “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce” Isa 50:1. If you have been sold “which of my creditors, have I sold you”, Isa 50:1. The Lord has not done either. Why? Because He is in complete control of both the heavens and the earth, vs 2, 3. He then turns to the One who is His Servant. Unlike Israel and Judah, our Lord Jesus heard the Lord’s will and was not rebellious, vss 4, 5. In a very descriptive example of prophesy that could only be fulfilled by the suffering Servant, Isaiah says of Him “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting”, vs 6. This is fulfilled in our Lord’s ministry prior to His crucifixion, Mt 26:67.
6. Jesus would set His face as flint, vs 7, fulfilled “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.”, Luke 9:51. This Servant is One who would not be forsaken by the Lord, Isa 50:7, 8. As such the challenge by Isaiah is that people walk in the light of this One. If you are in a place of darkness, the encouragement is he “who walks in darkness and has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God”, Isa 50:10. But those who live and walk by their own light and who reject the light of Christ, Isaiah has this dire warning “This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment”, Isa 50:11. A certain fearful expectation of judgement. Why would anyone neglect so great a salvation that is only found in Christ? Seek the risen Saviour today and every day. Let us “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths”, Prov 3:5, 6.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. Ric Benson group will be on break for the next 2 weeks of holidays.
Pastor Jay has started the young adult’s life group after Sunday mornings café time. On break over the holiday period.
Prayer Points
1. Anna is advertising for a Playgroup to be started at CBC. Please pray the Lord blesses this outreach.
2. Pray for all the new people and contacts over Easter. Some people had never been to church. Pray for them that they continue to see Christ.
3. Conflict in Israel and Ukraine.
4. Those who are travelling over Easter and holiday period. Many people have already lost lives on Qld roads this year.
5. Those who are considering baptism.
6. Church finances to cover all expenses.
7. Pray for new Playgroup outreach, Kids@Church, Life groups and church community days.
8. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
9. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
10. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Thankyou Lord for the joy and teaching time on Sunday.
2. Praise the Lord for ministry opportunities at Kidz@church and Playgroup.
3. Continue to pray for Tad to gain strength at home. Good to see him at church yesterday. Continue to pray for Glenys as she now has a splint to gain full use in her left arm. Any encouragement you can give will be greatly appreciated.
4. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. All Life Groups Wednesday on holidays for 2 weeks.
2. Kids@Church on break over the school holidays.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for April...
Q. 19. Do you have a soul as well as a body? A. Yes; I have a soul that can never die.
