Isaiah wants to encourage to people of Israel. Though they have known war, one day the land will know abundance and peace. This is fully achieved in Christ.
Isaiah 42: The LORD's Chosen Servant
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Sing to the LORD a New Song
10 Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.
11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the coastlands.
13 The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.
14 For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.
16 And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.
17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, "You are our gods."
Israel's Failure to Hear and See
18 Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see!
19 Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the LORD?
20 He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear.
21 The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, "Restore!"
23 Who among you will give ear to this, will attend and listen for the time to come?
24 Who gave up Jacob to the looter, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey?
25 So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart.
Isaiah 43: Israel's Only Savior
1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!
9 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God.
13 Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"
14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."
16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
22 "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.
24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
25 "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
27 Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
Things to think about…
1. Isaiah 42:1-9 is a prophecy about the Lord Jesus. He is the servant of the Lord and God’s Spirit rested upon Him. John the Baptist said he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Him like a dove, John 1:26. Jesus did not raise up His voice, in fact as a sheep is silent before the slaughterers so was our Lord Jesus Christ prior to His crucifixion, Mt 27:12-14. Jesus is the One who does not quench a flax or break a bruised reed, Isa 42:3; confirmed in the NT in Mt 12:20. He establishes justice on the earth, vs 4, stretched out the heavens vs 5 and the Father called Him in righteousness vs 6. He is given as a covenant to the people and a light to the nations, Isa 42:6. This ministry is only found in Christ. Jesus is the One who opens the eyes of the blind and sets the captives free from sin, Isa 42:7, cf Luke 4:18; Acts 26:18.
2. How does the Lord lead His people? He shows them the error of their ways, Isa 42:10-17. What makes them sing a new song, vs 10, or shout for joy and shout from the mountaintops, vs 11? The Lord goes out ready for war on the inhabitants of the land, He stirs Himself up, vs 12, like a woman in labour, vs 14 he lays waste the mountains and dries up the pools, vs 15. Who trust in gods, vs 17. The Lord exhorts them “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see!”, vs 18. The Lord Jesus as the One who wanted His people gathered to Himself urged them to come to Him, but they would not listen. Seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not understanding, vs 20; cf Mt 13:14. When we do not listen the Lord raises up adversaries, Isa 42:20-22 and we reap what we sow May we not be given to the same hardness of heart, vs 25. It is a mercy when we have a tender heart towards the Lord rather than be given over to our own devices.
3. Jacob was the one chosen to be redeemed, Isa 43:1. He was scattered to the 4 winds, but the Lord promises to bring them back, Isa 43:3-7. The Lord is returning Israel back into the land even in our day. We know that Babylon would also be judged as the ones who took Judah captive, vs 14. He is the Saviour of Israel, vs 11; and their king vs 14. As Isaiah has prophesied many times, the Lord will bless the land and restore water courses etc where there has been a barren wilderness, Isa 43:19-21. The Lord will bless Israel, not because they have given Him their offerings, vss 22-24; but for His own sake He will not remember their sins vs 25. Praise the Lord He does the same for us. His mercy endures forever.
4. Israel sinned from the beginning, Isa 43:27. We know Jacob was a deceiver and we know at the time of Isaiah that many prophets, priests, princes and elders all went astray at various times, Isa 43:27. As such, because of His love for Jacob they would be handed over to destruction and reviling, vs 28. Such is the case with all those who name the name of Christ. The Lord rebukes and chastens those whom He loves, Heb 12:6. May we not lighten the rod when the Lord’s hand of love and grace is behind it. One of the tragedies we see today is that children are not disciplined the way they need to be. Parents do not see the original condition of sin and hence are not showing Christ’s love to their children.
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. 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.
2. Conflict in Israel and Ukraine.
3. Those who are travelling over Easter and holiday period. Many people have already lost lives on Qld roads this year.
4. Those who are considering baptism.
5. Church finances to cover all expenses.
6. Pray for of Kids@Church, Life groups and church community days.
7. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
8. 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.
9. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Wonderful time of reflection over good Friday and a real spirit of celebration at our Easter Sunday service
2. Praise the Lord for plenty of visitors Easter Sunday.
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.
