Tonight I preached a message
from the first four verses of this 42nd chapter of Isaiah. We saw four things from this
first four verses. Number one, the person of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the person of the Messiah. He's God. He's God. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God. The Word was God. And all things
were made by Him. He became a man. Scripture says, great is the
mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
This Word who is God was made flesh and dwelt among us. We
beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten
Son of God. He's God and He's man. Two entirely different natures
in one person. And yet, He's the Godman. Somebody
said, if we could, we ought to say that word even without a
hyphen. He's the Godman. He's God, perfect
God. He's man, perfect man. But not
only that, he's God's man. He's God, he's the Godman, and
he's God's man. He's the man which God made. A body hast thou prepared me.
He's the man whom God sent into the world to redeem a people.
He said, when he spoke in Nazareth, he said, Spare the Lord's upon
me. because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the
poor, to set at liberty the captives, to deliver the prisoner out of
the prison house, give sight to the blind, to preach the acceptable
year of the Lord." He said, I'm God's man. And then here he called
him in verse 1, my servant. This God man is my servant. thought
it not robbery to be equal with God, but took upon himself the
form of a servant. I am among you as he that serveth."
Then he calls him, mine elect, chosen to be God's servant. The hymn writer said, Christ
be my first elect, God said, and then chose us in our head. He's the head, we're the body.
He's my first elect, my first born of every creature, my servant,
mine elect. in whom I delighteth, in whom
my soul delighteth. God is well pleased with him. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased, my beloved Son. In the flesh no man can please
God, but this man did. God's pleasure is upon him and
us who are in him. in whom my soul delighteth."
And then he says, I put my spirit upon him, and he'll bring forth
judgment. Christ is the power and the wisdom
of God who enables God to be just and justifier. He'll bring
forth judgment. He'll satisfy judgment. He'll
take away judgment. And those who are in him will
not fear the because he set forth judgment on the earth. That's
his person. In verse 2, he tells us about
his kingdom. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.
It says in verse 2, he'll not cry. He doesn't need to raise
his voice. He doesn't need to create a tumult.
He doesn't need to buy time on television to promote his cause.
His voice need not be raised in order to be heard, because
he speaks by his spirit to the heart. Oh, if all we preachers could
learn that. He doesn't need to lift up his
voice and scream and yell and badger people and browbeat them
and strive over words. He doesn't need to lift up a
banner. He doesn't need to organize or sit in or stand in or walk
in. He doesn't need to campaign in
the streets. He doesn't need to cry out or
lift up his voice or strive with men or let his voice be heard
in the streets. His voice will be heard to everyone
he calls. Because his kingdom is not of
this world. His kingdom is not meat and drink
and organizations and followers. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. His enemies are not people. His
enemies are principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness
and spiritual wickedness and high places. He's dealing with
them in you and about you. But you're not his enemy. They're
his enemies. And his weapons are not carnal.
They say God has no hands but yours. Don't be as sure of that
now. God has no feet but yours. I
wouldn't bank on that. He said my arm's not short that
I can't say. My ear's not heavy that I can't
hear. The eye of the Lord is in every place beholding the
evil and the good. All flesh is under his control. The heart of the king is in the
hands of the Lord and the attorney, whether so ever he will. He doesn't
need to cry. He doesn't need to lift up his
voice. He doesn't need to march in the streets. He doesn't need
to strive with men over words. His people are made willing in
the day of his power. Livia heard his voice in the heart. And then his subjects, verse
3, his subjects, the bruised reeds, the smoking flax. The bruised reed is that little
plant, that stem of the plant is the reed, and it's been bruised
and mangled. It doesn't look like it's worth
a thing. It's a weak weed, it's a wounded weed, it's a bruised
and mangled by the fall. But he said, I came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance. A bruised reed. He won't break it. He won't throw
it away. He won't discard it. He came to straighten it up. He came to heal the brokenhearted.
He came to heal the contrite spirit. He came to save the lost,
the weary, and the heavy laden. The reeds that stand alone, they'll
continue to stand alone. They'll always stand alone. But
those dependent on his power will be healed. Heals are brokenhearted. Bruce Reed, you might break the
smoking flax. That's a wick in a candle or
a lamp. A wick's made out of flax. But
this wick's not burning. It's not giving any light. All
it's doing is smoking. It's smoking. It's not putting
out any light, putting out no flame. just putting out a fence
of smoke. But he doesn't throw it away.
He gives you some oil off, that it might burn brighter. That's
his subjects. Those are his people. God has
chosen the weak to confound the mighty. God has chosen those
that are naught, nothing, to bring to naught the things that
are. God has chosen what the world calls foolish to confound
the wise, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Come unto
me all ye that are bruised and weary and heavy laden. Come ye
sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Jesus
ready stands to save you. He's full of pity. Not just pity,
but love and power. Come ye sinners, heavy laden,
bruised, mangled by the fall. If you wait till you're better,
you'll never come at all. The lamp will never burn on its
own, and the bruised reed will never get well. Let not conscience
make you linger, nor fitness fondle a dream. All the fitness
he requires is to feel your need of him. And then the next verse
gives his victory. He shall not fail. Did you think
he would? Did you ever entertain a thought
that the Lord wants to do what he can't do? Desires to have
what he can't have? Desires to own what men won't
let him have? Nonsense. He shall not fail. He said in Isaiah 46, I've spoken,
I'll bring it to pass. I've purposed it, I've promised
it, I'll do it. He prayed in John 17, Father,
you've given me power over all flesh that I should give eternal
life to as many as thou hast given me. All that my Father
giveth me, they will come to me. They will. And him that cometh to me, I
will never cast out. You see, I came down from heaven
not to do my will. the will of him that sent me."
And this is his will. What is the will of God? Christ
said, this is his will. This is his will, him that sent
me. That of all which he hath given
me, I won't lose a one, but I raise it up at the last day. I'll not
fail. I lay down my life for my sheep,
and other sheep I have, and them I must bring. and they shall
hear my voice, and there shall be one toll and one shepherd." At the end of his obedience,
his suffering and his sacrifice, he said, it's finished. The first
recorded words of the Lord Jesus Christ, after he took on himself
human flesh, the first recorded words that he spoke on this was
to his mother when she complained about his straying away from
them and them looking for him. He said to her, do you not know
that I must be about my father's business? That's his first recorded
words as a human being. I must be about my father's work.
His last words were, Before he died, it's finished. My work is finished. I finished
the work he gave me. It's finished. He can't fail. He shall not fail. He'll not
even be discouraged. I am! Sometimes. But he's not. Everything, every step, is ordained
of God for his glory. He's not discouraged. And he'll
not fail nor be discouraged till he set judgment on this earth,
and the hours wait for his law. Now, who on earth, look at verse
5, who on earth can talk this way? Who in heaven can talk this
way? Who speaks with such authority?
Preachers today don't speak with any authority. They try to persuade
and things of this nature. But this one speaks with authority.
Who is this that promises such great things? Who is this that
ordains such magnificent things? Well, he tells us who he is.
All these things, his person, his victory, his people, subjects,
his victory, thus saith the Lord, God the Lord. That's who says
this. I tell you who I am, he said, I am he that created the
heavens. and stretched them out, let there
be light, that the stars and the moon appear, calls them all
by name. That's who I am. Who is this
that speaks with such authority? It's he that spread forth the
earth, he that created and spread forth the whole earth, said let
there dry land appear, created the animals, created man, brought
each animal to Adam to be named. What you gonna call that one,
Adam? A dog. What you gonna call that one,
Adam? A cat. What you gonna call that one?
A blue jay. What you gonna call that one? A robber. I tried. He said, I created the earth.
I created the earth, spread forth the earth, and everything that
comes out of it, the trees, the plants, the flowers, and everything
in the bed of the sea, Magnificent things. God's hand that made
it. And he that giveth breath to the people, in him we live
and move and have our being. We breathe by the power of God. I'm holding that hand up right
now by whose power? Mine? By his power. In him I live, I move. That's my being. And when he
wills it, my being stops here. Man's days are determined. The
number of his months are with the Lord. God has set his bounds. He cannot pass. That's the word. That's God. I give birth to the
people and spirit to them that walk therein. The Lord said,
Abraham! Why did that old lady laugh in
that? You remember Sarah, 95 years
old, God said she'd have a son. She lied. She did. He said, well, Sarah lied. Is there anything too hard for
God? Name something. He can even save my soul, justify
me, make me like Christ and take me to glory. He'll have to do
it, because I can't do one thing about that. I can't will it. You can talk about your free
will, but mine's not free. It's bound in bondage and captivity
to the flesh. It's not free, unless he sets
it free, unless he makes me willing in the day of his power. Then
it's free. It's free to love him, free to
choose him, free to obey him, free to do what his spirit says.
yet still subject to that flesh. But one day that'll be gone,
and that perfect, immaculate, holy, righteous will will do
nothing but that which pleases my Father. And I can say one
day with Christ, I always do those things that please my Father.
Don't you wish you could say it now? I never think anything
that doesn't please my Father. Boy, that'll be the day, won't
it? But it's coming, but who's going to bring it to pass? He
must. He can. He's the only one who
can, and he will. Because he'll not fail. And look
at verse 6. He speaks to the Messiah, verse
6. He says to Christ, I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness. I've called you to declare my
righteousness. He set forth Christ on this earth
to declare his righteousness. I've heard people say, well,
the law God gave to Moses is a summary of his righteousness.
No, it's not either. Christ is the, in him dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Christ is the manifestation
of God's holiness and God's righteousness. I've set you forth, he said,
in righteousness to declare my holiness. Secondly, to fulfill my righteous
covenant. And thirdly, to bring in an everlasting
righteousness for my people. I've set you forth. Because by
one man's sin, many were made sinners, unrighteous. By this man's obedience, many
were made righteous. I've set you forth in righteousness. And secondly, he said, I'll hold
your hand. And I'll keep, remember Wednesday night I spoke about
that, and I asked you to turn to Isaiah 50. Why would the Lord
Jesus Christ need God to give him strength? He's God himself.
Why would he need the Lord to give him, to uphold him in power?
He's God himself. Yes, but he's man. And subject
to all trials and temptations and weaknesses of this flesh,
hunger and thirst and pain and weariness, Jesus being weary
with his journey. Is God tired? He says he never
sleeps. But as a man he did. He says
he's a man. So here's the man, Christ Jesus,
in Isaiah 50, verse 7. The Lord God will help me, therefore
shall I not be confounded, therefore have I set my face like a plinth.
You remember, set my face like a plinth to go to Jerusalem.
Like a plinth. And I know I shall not be ashamed.
He's near that justifies me. Who will contend with me? Let
us stand together. Who is my adversary? Let him
come near me. Behold, the Lord God will help
me. Who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all stand waxed,
they all shall wax old as a garment, and moths shall eat them up."
That's Christ speaking there, he'll help me. The Lord God said to him, I've
called you in righteousness, I'll hold your hand, I'll keep
you. Verse 6 of our text, look back at it, I'll give thee for
covenant to the people. It's an everlasting covenant
in Christ. I'll give you as a covenant only. Is there another way to be saved?
Well, there's only one covenant, and he's the covenant. He's the
covenant. Like that story in the bulletin
about the lady whose mind was going away as she left to quote
scripture. Remember reading that in the bulletin this morning?
Talking about she forgot everything but one word, Him. But the whole
Bible summed up in that word. The covenant, everything, salvation
is Him. Him. I'll give you for a covenant
of the people. I'll give you everlasting covenant. And look at this statement here.
I want you to look at this a minute. I'll give you for a light of the heathen, of the Gentiles.
Scripture says in John 1 4, in him was life and light, and that
life was the light of men. Life and light. He's our light. There are two things necessary
for a blind man to see. What are they? Think a minute.
Think with me. I ask you this morning, two things
are absolutely essential for a man to see. What are they? Number one, got to have an eye.
Ain't that right? Got to have an eye. The seeing
eyes of the Lord. That's right. He's the one who
created the eye. It's got to be an eye. What's
the second thing that's absolutely essential? It's light. Even a
healthy eye can't see if the light's not on. He can have a
good eye and can't see a lake if there's no light. So it says
here, Christ is the life, L-I-F-E. He's the one who gives them the
eye. And he himself is the light. In him is life, and he's the
light of men. And that life is the light. Jesus
Christ is our light. Let me show you a couple of scriptures.
Turn to John 6. I quoted this a moment ago, but
it'll mean more to you now that we've talked about this. John 6, verse 40, it'll mean
more to you now since we've talked about this, see an eye. A person can't see unless he's
got an eye, unless he's got a living eye. And secondly, he can't see
unless that eye's got some light. And that's true spiritually.
A person can't spiritually know God. He can't see God unless
he's got a spiritual eye. But he can't see God unless God
reveals himself in light. So watch this now, in John 6,
40. And this is the will of God that
sent me, that everyone that seeth the sun, seeth the sun, and believeth
on him, may have everlasting life, and I'll raise him up to
the last day." You've got to see the Son. And in seeing the
Son, who do you see? Turn to 2 Corinthians, Chapter
5. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5. Who do you see? Chapter 4, 2 Corinthians 4. 2
Corinthians 4, verse 3. Now, if our gospel be heard,
it's heard to them that are lost. this gospel of Christ, this gospel
of faith and salvation, blood and righteousness, in whom the
God of this world hath blinded their minds that believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, whose image
of God should shine to them, they can't see, they've got no
seeing eye, they've got no light. For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus'
sake, and why come we say for God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The sea and I is of God, and
the light by which to see is his Son, Christ. We would preach
Christ here all the time. He's the light. Let's look at
these verses just a few moments. Here in verse 7, I've sent you
to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the prison, them that sit in darkness out
of the prison house. And the only one who can do that
is in verse 8. I am the Lord. I am that I am. That's my name. I'm the Lord. That's my name. I'm the Lord
Jehovah. God my Savior, that's my name,
that's Christ's name. He fulfills all the names of
God, Jehovah God. I'm the Lord, that's my name.
Listen, one writer said this, I am the Lord, that's my name.
I'm the everlasting, unchangeable, holy, omnipotent God of heaven
and earth. Therefore I both can and will
fulfill all my promises set up the kingdom of my dear son in
spite of all opposition and all unbelief. And one day I'll destroy
all idols and all enemies who are against the Lord and his
Christ. I'm the Lord, that's my name.
Now listen to this, and my glory, verse 8, I'm going to close with
this, and my glory I won't give to another. And my praise I won't give to
man-made gods. Let's look at that for a moment.
My glory, what is God's glory? Well, it's not what a lot of
people think it is, although these things do glorify God.
Heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament showeth his
handiwork. Revelation 4 says, Thou art worthy,
O Lord, to receive glory and honor and thanks, for thou hast
created all things. And for that pleasure they are
and were created. There's a sense in which everything
that's made glorifies the power of God, the wisdom of God, the magnificence of God. But
that's not his chief glory. I want you to turn with me to
Exodus 33. Here's a conversation between
the Lord God and Moses, in Exodus 33. Now he said, My glory I won't
give to another. And Moses in Exodus 33, verse
13, he said, Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in
thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I
may find grace in thy sight. And consider that this nation
is thy people. And the Lord said to him, My
presence shall go with thee, and I will give you rest. And
Moses said to him, If your presence go not with me, carry us not
hence. But wherein shall it be known
that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not
in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and
thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the
earth. We're different. God put a difference between the people
on earth and his chosen people. And the Lord said, Moses, I'll
do this thing, also that I have spoken. I'll go with you, have
presence, and you've found grace in my sight, and I know you by
name. And then Moses said, Lord, I beseech you, show me your glory. Well, if God's ultimate and primary
glory is the things that are made, Moses has seen them. Moses
has seen some wonders that you and I have never seen, some demonstrations of the power
of God such as are indescribable. But here you say, Lord, show
me your glory, your chief glory. And the Lord
said, all right. I'll make all my goodness pass
before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you,
and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I'll
show mercy to whom I will show mercy. That's my glory. That's
God's chief glory. His glory is in this very thing
we're talking about here, in his Son, in his kingdom. in his chosen people, in his
victory, in his righteousness. The sun is the brightness of
his glory. The sun is the express image
of his person, the exact likeness of his person. And his glory
is revealed in the face of the sun. For they that glorify not
the sun, and believe not the sun, and worship not the Son
of God, do not glorify God. He says, my glory I'll not give
to another. This is my glory. And my praise,
he said here, my praise, I'll not share my praise with anyone
else. I'll not share my praise with
any graven image, with man-made gods. Let me give you verse 9. Behold,
the former things are come to pass. The things that I told
Adam about. The things I told Abraham, they
come to pass. The things I told Jacob and Israel,
these things have come to pass. And new things do I declare. And before they spring forth,
I tell you often. So sing unto the Lord a new song,
and his praise from the end of the earth. What is the new song?
Well, I turn to Revelation chapter 5. This is the new song. It has
to do with his son. Revelation 5, verses 7-10. He came and took the book out of
the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he had
taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders
fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them hearts and
golden vows full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sung a new song. Sing unto the Lord a new song,
he saith. And here it is, saying, Thou
art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof.
For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood
out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And thou
hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and will reign on
the new earth." All right, may God bless his word to the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the glory of God.