God's Servent Matthew

turn back with me to Matthew chapter 12. Of the four gospel narratives that we are given, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, most people agree that Matthew's gospel was the first one which was written and that it was written especially for the Jews. Now remember the Jews had the scriptures and the Apostle Paul tells us chiefly what advantage then have the Jews and Romans Paul answers that question and he said chiefly to them was committed the oracles of God. So As I said, this gospel narrative was written mainly for the Jews, and that's the reason so many times we see this statement that you have in verse 17, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Esaias, or Isaiah, the prophet. In Acts chapter 10, the apostle Peter said to him, That is to Christ, give all the prophets witness. And I've counted six times before this place here in Matthew chapter 12, where we see this statement. And I want us to look at these as they are given to us in order.

If you turn back to Matthew chapter one, Matthew chapter one, And this is when the angel spoke to Joseph, who was espoused to Mary. Verse 19, we read, then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold, The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child and bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. So this is the first time that we see that this phrase is given to us in Matthew's gospel. that this was fulfilled. This took place because this was prophesied. And we know the prophet here was a prophet Esaias as well as in our text this morning. And he had prophesied that a virgin would bring forth a child, that a son would be given. And we, of course, see the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we see his deity here, he is a son which is given, that is the son of God. But he is a child which is born, that is the man, Christ Jesus.

And this next to the truth about God himself, there's no truth revealed in scripture any more important than the incarnation of the eternal son of God. Because if the Lord Jesus Christ is not God, I shouldn't even say that, if. There is no possibility that he's not. But if he were, then his dying, his death would mean nothing other than the sufferings of a man, but the blood of a man could not atone for the sins of God's people. And his obedience to the law of God could not be something that could be accredited to other men. And so in the very beginning of this gospel narrative, we see the, the truth concerning the incarnation of the eternal son of God, that God came into this world as a man.

The second time that we see this is in Matthew chapter 2 and verse 15 when we are told that in a vision after the Lord Jesus Christ was born that Joseph, Mary's husband, that he was warned in a vision or in a dream to take the young child and his mother and go into Egypt. Now all of this we're told, let's read that here in Matthew chapter two, beginning with verse 13.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. And be thou there until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. when he arose and took the young child and his mother by night and deported into Egypt and was there until the death of Herod, that in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, out of Egypt have I called my son. And we know this time the prophet he has reference to is a prophet Hosea. The minor prophet, Hosea, out of Egypt have I called my son.

And then another time here in Matthew chapter two, verse 17, we read, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy, or Jeremiah the prophet. And what was this? That there was a lamentation. Notice in verse 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and all the coasts thereof from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, and Rama, Was there a voice heard? Lamentation and weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children would not be comforted because they are not. So the slaying of those children two years old and younger by Herod. And Herod, if you read any about Herod, he was such a wicked man. Such an evil man, even had his oldest son murdered.

I mean, he had no care, no love for anyone it seems like but himself. And yet he was a king over the nation of Israel at that time under the Roman authority. In fact, I think it was Caesar who said it'd be better to be one of Herod's swine than his son. In other words, he was more inclined to show mercy to a hog than to his own children. He was such a ruthless, ungodly man.

He commanded that when he died, he knew that no one would grieve over his death, so he commanded this wasn't executed, after he died, but he had commanded beforehand that people be gathered in a place and all of them killed, the leaders of the Jews. And he knew there would be weeping. It wouldn't be over him, but he wanted to assure that there was some sadness at least at his death.

Yeah. Can you imagine giving a command to kill all the infant children there around Bethlehem two years old and younger, and yet all of that to fulfill the prophecy by Jeremiah. And then we see also in Matthew chapter 2 and verse 22 when Joseph and Mary and the babe Jesus, the young lad actually by this time came out of Egypt that they turned into Nazareth. verse 22, but when he heard that Archelios did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he, that is Joseph, was afraid to go thither, notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee, and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, he shall be called A Nazarene, one of the prophecies we believe this refers to is found in the book of Isaiah when we read, there shall come a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch, a branch shall grow out of his roots. And that word which is translated, that Hebrew word which is translated branch is netzer from which the word Nazarene comes. But all of this, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And then look in Matthew chapter four, beginning with verse 13.

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Naphthalim, that it might be fulfilled. which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee, of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.

He chose Capernaum to be his residence, his place of residence, while he ministered in this world, but it was that the scripture might be fulfilled, this prophecy that in these two tribes, Zebulun and Naphtali, there might be a great light seen. And we know that Jesus Christ, he is that great light. He said, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.

But the scripture might be fulfilled. And then if you turn to chapter 8, Matthew chapter 8, verse 16. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out all the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick. That, in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah, the prophet saying, himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. This prophecy, of course, is found in Isaiah chapter 53. He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. And now we come to chapter 12, where I have my text for this morning. And there are four more of these instances. We won't look at them that follow in chapters 13, chapter 21, and chapter 27. But do you see what I'm saying is that these prophecies were all given, some of them 600 years. Isaiah lived 600 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born. And all of these prophecies were given so that when Christ came, he would be identified.

There'd be no possibility of a mistake that this is the one. This is the one that from the very beginning From the book of Genesis all through those 39 books in the Old Testament, this is the one of whom they had spoken. And they had encouraged men to look to this one who's coming. And that's the reason we continually say there's never been but one gospel by which men are saved.

And those who live before the coming of Christ, they look forward to his coming and him fulfilling the scriptures, the verses that were written, the prophecies, rather, concerning Him of who would come and what He would do and what He would accomplish when He came. There can be no mistake, if people would be honest, be honest with the Word of God, there could be no mistake that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And all of the prophecies concerning him were fulfilled.

Now, looking back here in Matthew chapter 12, I want to say a few words. Let's read the verses again. Verse 14, then the Pharisees went out and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence.

And great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all, and charged them that they should not make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias 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, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he sent forth judgment unto victory, and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

I have two parts to the message. First of all, I want to point out the knowledge and the submission of the Lord Jesus Christ. His knowledge, you notice in verse 15 we read, but when Jesus knew, when Jesus knew. Now we know that he is eternal word of God, eternal son of God, who was made flesh. Sometimes people think that he laid aside his deity. That's not true. In fact, I believe one of the hymns that we sing even speaks of him laying aside his deity except for his attribute of love. But no, he didn't lay aside any of his attributes.

That he is the eternal son of God and as God he is omniscient, he knows all things. And this verse here tells us his knowledge when Jesus knew. Let me read you a verse from the Gospel of John that speaks of this. Now, when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast, many believed on his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them. Now listen, because he knew all. He knew all and needed not that any man should testify. of man, for he knew what was in man. What was it that this verse here in our text tells us that Jesus knew?

Well, verse 14, he knew that the Pharisees had gone out and held a council, a meeting together as to how they could destroy him. He had healed a man, a man was in the synagogue that day in Capernaum who had a hand, one of his hands was withered. And they all looked at him to see if Jesus would heal this man on the Sabbath.

And of course he did. And when he did, he exposed the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. He exposed their hypocrisy by showing that any of them, any of those men, if they had an animal that had fallen into a pit or a ditch that day on the Sabbath, that they would help their animal. They would do whatever was necessary to get the animal out of the pit or if he needed water to lead him to water. But yet, here was this man, a much higher man is than an animal.

And they would criticize the Lord Jesus Christ and find fault with him for healing this man on the Sabbath. You see, the scriptures teach us that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man. Man needs to rest. A man is not a machine. You know, these machines that men have invented and manufactured, they can just run 24 hours, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year. That's not a man. A man needs rest. Yes, work is honorable. Work is. Even Adam, holy Adam, before he fell into sin, God gave him work to do. He was to tend. the garden, and work is honorable, and yet man needs rest, and God provided for man.

One of the ways that we know that God is good, I like to think of the work of creation, the week of creation, we see his power, we see his wisdom, and we see his goodness too. We see his power in speaking the world into existence, commanding light, light be, and light came into being. We see his power. We see his wisdom in all of his creation.

We also see his goodness, don't we? He saw it was not good that man should be alone. So what did he do? He created him a helpmate, someone that he could have communion with, fellowship with, someone he could love and be loved by. To me, that speaks of God's goodness.

And also, the Sabbath day, he commanded that work be done on six days. He rested from his work, not because he was weak or tired or needed a rest. But all of creation was finished. It was all finished and it was all perfect. But I see his goodness. But here are these religious Pharisees. They were critical of the Lord for healing this man on the Sabbath day, even though they would have done the same to their animals.

And Jesus knew they held a counsel against him. that they should not make him known. His submission also, we see here, not only his knowledge, but he charged those that he healed. No one ever came to him asking for healing that did not receive healing. So we can imagine there were hundreds if not thousands of people who were healed during his earthly ministry. men and women out of whom he cast demons and gave sight to the blind and restored health to the lame and all of those, but he commanded them, he charged them that they should not make him known. Verse 16, and charged them that they should not make him known. He lived in submission to his father. to his father's will, and the hour which God had fixed in eternity. We read this especially in the Gospel of John, when men would have attempted to destroy the Lord, but they did not because his hour was not yet come. And for this reason, the Lord commanded these that he healed, not to make it known. He wasn't seeking fame. He wasn't seeking recognition. He was here to do one thing, and that was to do his father's will.

And he, you know, in John, John chapter 6, after he fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and the children, the scripture said, some of them said, let's take him by force and make him a king. So the Lord, he knew that his fame, he would not allow his fame to be such that men would want to proclaim him king. That's what they were looking for is a king, a physical, material king, but that was not his purpose in coming into this world.

So I see his knowledge and I see his submission When we think about the Lord Jesus Christ, and I hope we think of Him often and think much about Him, not just about the doctrines. Some people get so fixed on doctrines and doctrines as the teaching of the Word of God's ever so important, but let's think about Him, the person, the person of Jesus Christ. meditate on him, what he was. But we see his knowledge here. And when we think about the fact that these people went out and they held a council somewhere, he wasn't with them, but he knew what was going on there.

Reminds us that he knows everything that goes on in our heart. He knows what we're thinking right now and what we were thinking yesterday. And not only that, but as Psalm 139 tells us, there cannot be a word upon our tongue. But he knows it all together. We don't know. We don't have a clue. All we're going to say tomorrow. But he knows. He knows. But I see not only his knowledge, but his submission to his father's will. The second thing, I want us to look at this particular prophecy that was fulfilled here. Three things about it. The father's confession.

Behold, my servant, notice in verse 18, behold, my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved and whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles." First of all, he is God's servant. Behold, my servant. In the great work of salvation, God has ordained that that work be done by one person, one being, and that is his, his servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold, my servant. Philippians chapter 2, the apostle tells us about him becoming a servant.

It begins by saying, who being in the form of God. In other words, he is God, being in the form of God. thought it not robbery to be equal with God, one with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. But yet he made himself, made himself, excuse me, of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man. You know, people that deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, sometimes they'll quote that verse where he said, my father is greater than I. And they don't recognize he's speaking as a servant of the Lord, as a mediator, and as a God man.

Yes, he came in submission to his father. Behold, my servant, the scripture says. My servant, he came here in obedience to the father. In John, he said, I am among you as he that serves. In Hebrews chapter 10, we read where God prepared him a body in which he said, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.

You know he was pictured in the law by the Hebrew servant. Always like that picture, don't you? How the Lord Jesus Christ was pictured if a Hebrew were to sell himself into slavery. then the master could only have him serve for six years. But in the seventh year, he was to go out free.

And yet, if he so desired, they would take him to a post and drill a hole through his ear, and he would say, I love my master. I love my wife. I love my children. I will not go out free. Who's that speaking of? It's speaking of Christ, isn't it? Who for his love to the father and his love to his bride, to his children, he would not go out free, but he is a servant forever. Yes, to serve his people. Behold my servant. Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. The second thing that we read about him in this prophecy is he is my chosen. Behold my servant whom I have chosen.

He was chosen to do the work of redemption, ordained to do the work of redemption, set apart to do the work of redemption. No one else. God never gave this work of redeeming his people to anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The work of redemption is a work that an angel could not perform. that an angel and men together could not perform.

Behold, he is my chosen. And remember this, when he was chosen as head, his body was chosen at the same time. In other words, all of God's elect, when he is God's first elect, yes, but every believer was chosen at the same time in Christ. And that's the only way that it might be said that He hath loved us with an everlasting love. This really came home to me last year, I believe it was, in studying the Word of God. When a baby is conceived, the head isn't conceived by itself. No, a child is conceived, head and body, a child. And in God's purpose, Christ, he's a head, but he has a body. The church, the church.

And when he was chosen, we were chosen in him. His people were chosen in him. Here's the third thing. He is my beloved. Remember at his baptism when he walked that far and went to John? Thank you. To be baptized and when he came up out of the water, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. He's God's beloved son. In John 10, he said, therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. And number, the fourth thing in this prophecy is, He is him in whom the father's soul is well pleased.

Behold, my servant, he's God's servant. He came to serve God, to obey God, and he did. He's God's chosen one. He's God's well beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I like that word well there, don't you? It doesn't just say in whom I am pleased, but in whom I am well pleased, well pleased in him and in his work of salvation. He's well pleased in his righteousness and well pleased in his blood as a payment for the sins of his people. And the beautiful thing about this is, He's not only well pleased in his son, but he's well pleased with all of us who are in his son. Are you in Christ today? Then he's well pleased with you. He's made you accepted in the beloved. That's the father's confession there. Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.

When I think about the fact that he is God's servant, that he chose, I think about those two men that were running in the battle when Absalom, David's son, was leading a a rebellion against his father, and they came to a battle, and David was too old to go out to battle anymore, and the battle was fought, and Absalom was slain, and there was one man there, he wanted to run, take the message to David, and Joab said, no, you don't run. He sent this other man. But this man, he still wanted to run, didn't he? He wanted to run. And so finally, Joab said, okay, go ahead and run. And he ran, and he was a fast runner.

He outran the other man, but he didn't have a message. And when he came to David, David said, what about Absalom? He said, oh, I just saw a bunch of dust. And he said, stand aside. And the point I'm making, he was not the man that was appointed to take the message. He had no message.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the one that God has appointed his servant, the one that he has chosen. well-beloved in whom he is well-pleased." Well, notice the Father's promise to him in this prophecy is twofold, I will put my spirit upon him. Now we're told at his baptism that John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. John's Relating that experience tells us, and the Spirit of God stayed upon him. In Hebrews 1 and verse 9, speaking of Christ, God said, thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. If you look here, if your Bible is still open to Matthew chapter 12, if you look back to verse 28, or look up to verse 28, the Lord Jesus said, but if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, God put his spirit upon Christ and the work that he did as a man in this world, he did by the spirit of God.

Not only that, but he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. There's a second part of God's promise to him. I will put my spirit upon him and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. This has to refer to the gospel. He would show judgment to the Gentiles.

When our Lord was here upon the earth in the flesh, There were very few Gentiles who were saved. Very few Gentiles were converted under his ministry. We read of that Syrophoenician woman, remember, that came and the Lord told her that it was not right to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. And she said, truth, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table.

She was a Syrophoenician, she was a Gentile, but yet she had enough faith and knowledge to know that even a crumb, even a crumb from his table would meet her need. Why is that? Because of who he is, right? Even a crumb would meet her need. And of course, her daughter was, healed at that time. And then there was a Roman centurion who had faith, great faith, in fact, the scripture says.

But basically, very few Gentiles were saved during our Lord's earthly ministry, but oh, after Pentecost. After Pentecost, how the gospel spread among the Gentiles. In fact, the scripture in 1 Timothy says, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. So this prophecy foretold how the gospel would go out to the Gentiles. And the last thing I wanted to mention, the Father's testimony of Jesus.

His coming in ministry would be like dew falling. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. When dew falls, it waters the earth, but you don't hear it, do you? You don't hear it like you hear the rain when it's falling, beating upon the roof, but the dew just falls gently upon the earth. The Lord, like his kingdom, comes not with observation, but with power, not with a lot of outward pomp. He was in the world, but the world did not recognize him, did not know him. But we see how tender he was.

A flax, you know what a flax is? A reed, reed that grows by the waterway. And a duck, a duck flies in and falls on, or lands on that flax and it just bends over and breaks. And the Lord is liking this to a person who first hears the gospel. and has a desire in his heart to know Christ, to believe in Christ, to be saved, to be a child of God, that God, the Lord Jesus Christ, deals with those in a tender way, not discouraging in any way. And like also a flax that is smoking, He will not quench it until he sends judgment unto victory.

What a tender and compassionate Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is. Well, I pray the Lord would bless his word to us here this morning. But if we don't say anything else, let's say this, that he was foretold to come. And when he came, he's identified by these various prophecies that he fulfilled, so that with full confidence we may know this morning that we trust in him that the Father promised, pictured, and sent into this world to save his people. May the Lord bless you.

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