The Covenants God Keeps (6): Servant
2015/03/29
Christ Church, Mountain Top, Palm Sunday
Christ Church, Mountain Top, Palm Sunday
Call
to Worship, Psalm 118.1-2, 19-29
to Worship, Psalm 118.1-2, 19-29
Children,
Mark 11.1-11
Mark 11.1-11
Message,
Isaiah 50.4-11
Isaiah 50.4-11
The exile experience (the historical
context of the original audience)
context of the original audience)
“When
the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11.3
the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11.3
The human experience
Going from a bright future to an uncertain
one, out of my own control
one, out of my own control
Being totally in the dark in a season of
pain (eye infection – getting to the
shower in the morning)
pain (eye infection – getting to the
shower in the morning)
Judged, because bad things keep happening,
and without an advocate
and without an advocate
Powerless to change the situation, just
worn out
worn out
Hosanna! Lord, Save!
Covenants
Water – Noah, rainbow
Flesh
– Abraham, circumcision
– Abraham, circumcision
Stone
– Israel, law
– Israel, law
Broken
– Israel, broken covenant
– Israel, broken covenant
Heart
– God’s solution (pt 1), heart transplant (new covenant)
– God’s solution (pt 1), heart transplant (new covenant)
Servant
– God’s solution (pt 2), a savior
– God’s solution (pt 2), a savior
Hosanna! Lord, Save!
Isaiah’s Servant of the LORD (song #3)
Servant songs, 3rd of 4 (full
list on note sheet – read!)
list on note sheet – read!)
Transition in the use of the Hebrew root
“servant” (`ebed) in Isaiah
“servant” (`ebed) in Isaiah
1-40 – plural, present, of
kings/rulers, of labor (even animals)
kings/rulers, of labor (even animals)
54-66 – plural, future, servants of
God
God
41-53 – singular, future, Servant
(either individual or collective)
(either individual or collective)
Open ear
48.8 – contrasted with God’s people: “from
of old your ear has not been opened … you were called a rebel”
of old your ear has not been opened … you were called a rebel”
Exodus 21.2-6 – serve for life with a
pierced ear
pierced ear
Luke 22.27 – “I am among you as one who
serves”
serves”
Suffer-er
50.6 – participating with God’s people: “I
gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the
beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.”
gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the
beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.”
Confident, Innocent, Triumphant: “Who will
contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them
confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?”
(50.8-9)
contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them
confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?”
(50.8-9)
Contrast with God’s people: weary,
fearful, guilty, failures (the exile/human experience)
fearful, guilty, failures (the exile/human experience)
Read by the church as a description of
Jesus’ passion
Jesus’ passion
Echoed in the promise of Romans 8.31-39:
If
God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not
with him also give us everything else?
33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is
Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who
will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we
are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be
slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not
with him also give us everything else?
33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is
Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who
will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we
are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be
slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Invitation/Response (50.10-11)
Listen to the Servant OR Light your own
fires
fires
Servant
Steps into our darkness with confidence
because he himself is Light
because he himself is Light
Fire
lighters
lighters
Refuse to be honest about the darkness
Servant
Dependent on and obedient to God’s Word
Fire
lighters
lighters
Self-sufficient or co-dependent
(manipulate) … but not depend on God
(manipulate) … but not depend on God
Servant
Leads us into an uncertain future
Fire
lighters
lighters
Cling to the past with grief or denial
Servant
Trusts and obeys – colt, “the Lord needs”
Fire
lighters
lighters
Making sense of life on their own
Resources:
Christopher
R. Seitz. 2001. The New Interpreter’s
Bible (Isaiah 40-66), Vol VI. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
R. Seitz. 2001. The New Interpreter’s
Bible (Isaiah 40-66), Vol VI. Nashville: Abingdon Press.