bibleteacher.org: sermon by Rev Willmouth, The Messiah's Ministry, Isaiah 9:1-2; 42:2-3

"The Messiah's Ministry"
(Christ In Isaiah - Part V)
Isaiah 9:1-2; 42:2-3

This Sermon was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author. It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite.

(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church on January 12, 2003. This sermon series is based upon a request to preach on Christ in the Old Testament. All Scripture references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB®, unless otherwise stated)

9:1 But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

42:2 "He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. 3 "A bruised reed He will not break, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

Introduction: It is very easy for Christians today to lose their focus upon what their purpose is as a church body and as an individual Christian. Many churches today have programs for all ages, that keep their people busy within these little groups. In fact, most Christians today who seek a church home, look for those churches that provide them with the programs that "fit" their needs. Churches have become sort of like the Burger Kings of religion, "Have it your way." And Individual Christians are more like consumers than they are disciples. But when we stop and reflect upon what Christ's ministry was on this earth and compare it to what we call "church" today, many would be surprised. Most of us know the "Great Commission" found in Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" But so few Christians or churches put it into real life practice. In word we proclaim it, but in practice we say "send someone else." When we take the time to look at the ministry of Christ, it helps us to realize that we are to be carrying on His work until He returns. In our passage today, Isaiah foretells the world what the Messiah's ministry will be, and Christ fulfilled it as we will see.

Transition: First, lets look at. . .

I. The Area Of His Ministry (Isa.9:1-2).
1. He will minister in the land of Zebulun [zeb'yuh-luhn] and Naphtali [naf'tuh-li] (v.1)

A. In the closing verses of Isaiah 8, the prophet predicted a time when God's people would suffer great distress because of sin, and here in verse 1, the prophet predicted a change (POC).
1) The humbling of the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali refers to the invasion and annexation of the northern parts of Israel by the Assyrians, who carved out three provinces for themselves from these areas (EBCOT).
A. Under Gentile domination, this area would eventually be called Galilee of the Gentiles (BKC).
- Galilee became a despised area at the time of Christ because it was a place where Gentiles had congregated (McGee).
B) The way of the sea describes a major international highway running through this region (BKC).
- This is the only place where the Bible used this phrase, but it appears often in Assyrian and Egyptian records.

2) But the prophet also gives the people hope in that their anguish would pass, and their humbling affliction would give way to future honor (POC).
B. The very region where Assyrian armies brought darkness and death would be the first to rejoice in the light brought by the preaching of Christ (WGB).
1) From this area the Messiah will arise and will wipe away the gloom and darkness brought on by Gentile domination (BKC).
A) It is striking that Jesus' upbringing and early ministry was mostly in that very area near the Sea of Galilee.
B) Matthew's record of the public ministry of Jesus begins in Galilee (POC).
2) Matthew refers to the fulfillment of this prophecy by Jesus' travels.
- Matthew 4:12-16, "Now when He heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, And to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a light dawned.'"

Transition: The Messiah's ministry would first shed its light upon those who needed it most. . .

2. He will bring light to those in the dark places (v.2).

A. The inhabitants of this region of Galilee were described as walking in darkness (Barnes):
1) They were far from the capital and from the temple.
2) They had few religious privileges.
3) They were intermingled with the pagan, and were comparatively rude and uncultivated in their manners and in their language.
4) An allusion to the Jewish people's attitude about this area is made several times in the New Testament.
A) John 1:46, "And Nathanael said to him, 'Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'"
B) John 7:52, "They answered and said to him, 'You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.'"
C) Acts 2:7, "And they were amazed and marveled, saying, 'Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?'"

B. The Messiah came to give light in a place of darkness (POC).
1) Light is not only an emblem of knowledge in the Scriptures, but of joy, rejoicing, and deliverance (Barnes).
- It stands opposed to moral darkness, and to times of judgment and calamity.
2) It was no accident that Jesus lived and taught in this region for thirty years (PC).
A) It was here that he had first come forward to teach in a synagogue according to Luke 4:16-21.
B) It was in Galilee He had did his first miracles.
(1) At the wedding at Cana in John 2:11.
(2) At Capernaum when he healed the Official's son in John 4:54.
C) It was in Galilee that He began His preaching ministry according to Matthew 4:14-30.
D) So it was that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled as the "light" first streamed forth in this area of Israel, glorifying the region on which contempt had long been poured.

Application: Jesus Christ not only came to bring light into the world, but He is the light of the world; John 8:12, "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.'" The people were in darkness, so Messiah took the initiative. The Jews were spiritually dead; they could do nothing for themselves. But Jesus went to them. He came to earth "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). It is still true today that no man seeks God; Romans 3:10-11, "as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God.'" To do so would expose his evil deeds; Isaiah 64:6, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." God alone initiates our salvation; John 16:8, "And He [i.e., Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment" (POC).

Transition: Christ's ministry was also marked by His grace. . .

II. The Graciousness Of His Ministry (Isa.42:2-3).
1. His ministry would be different than others (v.2).

A. Unlike other worldly and noisy warriors, this gentle conqueror would not allow his voice to be shouted out in the streets (WGB).
1) Our Lord would bear absolutely no similarity to the rebels of His day.
2) He will not be boisterous, in the manner of a man of strife and contention (v.2a: Barnes).
B. Nor would the Messiah use loud and angry words, as they do who are engaged in conflict, but all his teaching shall be gentle, humble, and mild (v.2b: Barnes).

Application: Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy according to Matthew 12:19, "He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets." Christ let His teaching, healing and caring ministry speak for itself (POC); Matthew 20:25-28, "But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'" There was a marked unobtrusiveness in all of Christ doings (Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 12:15; 14:13; John 5:13; 6:15; 7:3, 4; 8:59; 10:40: PC). Note the difference with many ministries today that think that they need loud music, or shouting from the pulpit. Christ didn't seek the praises of man, He didn't say to everyone "look at me!" He didn't come to entertain people, He came to save them. And yet so many of His "followers" today do just the opposite of Christ by trying to draw people to themselves and sadly many people will follow a personally before they will follow the Savior. When we worship Christ, we do so not by external means that make us feel good, but by the internal means of His word quietly having its effect on our hearts - that's biblical worship! Everything else is just man's feeble attempts to make God's Word more palatable to our liking which only results to taking us further away from God's truth.

Transition: Another mark of the Messiah's graciousness is. . .

2. His ministry would be one of forgiveness (v.3a).

A. The "bruised reed" and the "dimly burning wick" refer to the poor, the downtrodden, the needy(POC).
B. Christ would deal tenderly with such and not violently; "He will not break" (PC).
1) The idea here is that the Messiah will not make those who are already broken down with a sense of sin and with calamity, more miserable (Barnes).
A) He will not deepen their afflictions, or augment their trials, or multiply their sorrows.
B) The sense is, that he will have an affectionate regard for the brokenhearted, the humble, the penitent, and the afflicted.
2) Matthew points out again that this passage refers to Jesus in Matthew 12:20, "A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory."
3) Christ demonstrated when he freely forgave and restored woman who was caught in the act of adultery in John 8:1-11(WGB).

Application: I'm glad that Jesus was the Christ and not a "Christian" like many claim to be today. He came to minister to the people that the world rejected; He came to minister to the poor, to the sick, to the weary, and yes, even to the nerds of the world; Matthew 9:10-13, "And it happened that as He was reclining at the table in the house, behold many tax-gatherers and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, 'Why is your Teacher eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners?' But when He heard this, He said, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means, 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" If Christ sought out these individuals, why shouldn't we also (POC).

Transition: The Messiah's ministry will be one that builds faith. . .

3. His ministry would be one of faith (v.3b).

A. The phrase "a dimly burning wick" is a reference to a wick on a lamp or a candle that is ready to go out because its fuel is consumed (Barnes).
1) This denotes the condition of one who is feeble and disheartened, and whose love to God seems almost ready to expire.
2) It represents those who have almost lost their faith and hope in the Lord (NIBC).
B. Where the flame of devotion burns at all, however feebly and dimly, Messiah will take care not to quench it, and He will tend it, and trim it, and give it fresh oil, and cause it to burn more brightly (PC).
C. The Messiah will also "bring forth justice" (Barnes).
1) Meaning, He shall establish his faith according to truth.
2) He shall faithfully announce the true precepts of faith.
3) And ultimately, Christ shall overcome all falsehood, and all idolatry, and shall obtain a final triumph in all nations when He returns the second time.

Application: Christ's ministry on earth was one that sought out those in need, and He filled their lamps with spiritual oil so that their flame of faith did not go out; Matthew 11:5, "the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Christ came to restore the poor and the needy, and to encourage people in their faith towards God. As Christians, we not only need to reaching out with the gospel to those who are lost, but we also need to be reaching into other believers to encourage their faith in Christ; Hebrews 10:24-25, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near." It is so easy for us to loose sight of this and to fall into the trap of criticizing each other rather than encouraging one another. It is so easy for us to skip church, and allow our spiritual oil to get low, instead of coming to the place where our lamps can be filled. And it so easy to forget that the love we are to exhibit for one another is the same love that put Christ on the cross to die in our place - sacrificial love. Let's put into practice the ministry of Christ in our lives and in our church. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Philippians 2:1-4, "If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

Truths To Ponder:
1. If Christ's primary ministry at His first coming was to save a lost world from their sins, what do you think the church's
primary focus should be?

A. Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade For Christ said, "Less than two percent of believers in this country ever share their faith in Christ with others" (The Coming Revival, Bill Bright, New Life Publications, pg. 65).
B. How can we "followers of Christ," that is, "Christians" if we are not willing to continue to reach out with the gospel to the lost?

2. We are also reminded here to season our ministry with the same love that Christ showed us.

3. Finally, are you walking in the dark, or have you felt the Holy Spirit convicting you of your sin, and your need to
come into God's light?

A) Christ came to save you, but when He returns it will be to judge you.
B) There was only one Messiah, and there is still only one way to be saved and that is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
- Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

Study References

Barnes - Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament, Albert Barnes, Parsons Technology, Inc.
BKC - Bible Knowledge Commentary, John Walvoord & Roy Zuck, Victor Books
EBCOT - Expositor's Bible Commentary, Old Testament, J.D. Douglas Ed., Zondervan Pub.
McGee - Isaiah, J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible
NIBC - New Illustrated Bible Commentary, Radmacher, Allen & House, Thomas Nelson Inc.
PC - The Pulpit Commentary, Ages Software.
POC - Portraits Of Christ In Isaiah, Arthur B. Walton, Regular Baptist Press
WGB - Willmington's Guide to the Bible, H.L. Willmington, Tyndale House

Word Studies

Isaiah 9:1-2

V.1.
- "gloom," ("muw'-aph" {moo-awf': n, m, sg}); gloom, darkness, dimness. (KJV = dimness)
- "anguish," ("muwtsaq" {moo-tsak': n, m, sg}); something narrow, scanty, straitness, distress, constraint.
    (KJV = vexation)
- "earlier," ("ri'shown" {ree-shone': def art, adj}); first, former, before. (KJV = at first)
- "times," ("'eth" {ayth: prep, def art, n, f, sg}); time, season. (KJV = when)
- "treated," ("qalal" {kaw-lal': Hi pf, 3 m, sg}); to make light, to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonor.
    (KJV = lightly afflicted)
- "land," ("'erets" {eh'-rets: n, f, sg}); land, earth, country.
- "Zebulun," ("Zebuwluwn" {zeb-oo-loon': pr, n}); Zebulun = "exalted", the tribe descended from Zebulun and the
    land that was allocated to them.
- "land," ("'erets" {eh'-rets:conj, v, supra}); land, earth, country.
- "Naphtali," ("Naphtaliy" {naf-taw-lee': pr, n}); Naphtali = "wresting", the tribe descended from Naphtali and the
    land that was allocated to them.
- "later," ("'acharown" {akh-ar-one': latter, later, subsequent, last. (KJV = afterward)
- "glorious," ("kabad'" {kaw-bad': Hi pf, 3, m, sg}); to cause to be honored or can mean to make heavy.
    (KJV = grievously afflict)
- "way," ("derek" {deh'-rek: n, m, sg}): way, road.
- "of the sea," ("yam" {yawm: def art, n, m, sg}); sea, Mediterranean Sea.
- "other side," ("'eber" {ay'-ber: n, m, sg}); beyond or across, side, opposite side. (KJV = beyond)
- "Jordan," ("Yarden" {yar-dane': def art, pr, n}); Jordan = "descender", the river in Israel running from the
    roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea.
- "Galilee," ("Galiyl" {gaw-leel': n, m, s}); Galilee = "circuit, district", a territory in Naphtali largely occupied by heathen.
- "Gentiles," ("gowy" {go'-ee: def art, n, m, pl}); nation, heathen, Gentiles, people. (KJV = nations)

V.2.
- "people," ("'am" {am: def art, n, m, sg}); nation, people.
- "walk," ("halak" {haw-lak': prep, def art, Qal act, ptc, m, pl}); to go, walk, live, the manner of life. (KJV = walked)
- "darkness," ("choshek" {kho-shek': prep, def art, n, m, sg}); darkness, obscurity, night.
- "will see," ("ra'ah" {raw-aw': Qal pf, 3, cp}); to see, perceive, look upon, gaze at. (KJV = have seen)
- "great," ("gadowl" {gaw-dole': adj, m, sg}); great, distinguished, mighty.
- "light," ("'owr" {ore: n, m, sg}); light, daylight.
- "live," ("yashab" {yaw-shab': Qal act, ptc, m, pl, cstr}); to dwell, abide, inhabit. (KJV = dwell)
- "dark," ("tsalmaveth" {tsal-maw'-veth: n, m, sg}); death-shadow, deep darkness, extreme danger, deep
darkness. (KJV = shadow of death)
- "land," ("'erets" {eh'-rets: prep, n, f, sg, crtr}); land, earth, country.
- "light," ("'owr" {ore: v, supra}); light, light of day.
- "shine," ("nagahh" {naw-gah': Qal pf, 3, m, sg}); to shine, enlighten.

Isaiah 42:2-3 V.2.
- "not cry," ("tsa'aq" {tsaw-ak': neg, Qal impf, 3, m, sg}); to cry out, to make an outcry or clamor.
-"raise His voice," ("nasa'" {naw-saw': neg, Qal impef, 3, m, sg}); to lift up, sustain, to bear. (KJV = nor lift up)
- "nor make. . .heard," ("shama'" {shaw-mah': conj, neg, Hi impef, 3, m, sg}); to cause to hear, proclaim, to sound
aloud, to make proclamation. (KJV = nor cause. . .heard)
- "voice," ("qowl" {kole: n, m, s}); voice, noise, sound, proclamation, thunderings.
- "street," ("chuwts" {khoots: prep, def art, n, m, sg}); without, street, abroad, the outside.

V.3
- "bruised," ("ratsats" {raw-tsats': Qal pass, ptc}); to crush, oppress, break.
- "reed," ("qaneh" {kaw-neh': n, m sg}); reed, water-plant, stalk.
- "not break," ("shabar" {shaw-bar': neg, Qal impf, 3, m, sg}); to break, break in pieces, crush, rend violently, quench.
- "burning," ("keheh" {kay-heh': adj, f, sg}); dim, dull, colorless, faint. (KJV = smoking)
- "wick," ("pishtah" {pish-taw': conj, n, f, sg}); flax, a wick for a lamp. (KJV = flax)
- "not extinguish," ("kabah" {kaw-baw':neg, Pi impf, 3, m, sg}); quench, put out, extinguish. (KJV = not quench)
- "faithfully," ("'emeth" {eh'-meth: prep, n, f, sg}); faithfulness, truth, sureness, reliability, stability, truth, true doctrine.
(KJV = truth)
- "bring forth," ("yatsa'" {yaw-tsaw: Hi impf, 3, m, sg}); to be brought out or forth.
- "justice," ("mishpat" {mish-pawt': n, m, sg}); judgment, justice, proper, order. (KJV = judgment)