A Blessing to the Nations

Matthew 12:18-21

Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.

At Christmas time, we remember the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnate Son of God.  We celebrate the greatest gift known to mankind; God the creator gave himself to us.  This passage in the Old Testament book of Isaiah tells us, from the perspective of history, what Jesus’ ministry would be to the people of the earth.  Observe these three elements of the passage:

First, Jesus was a servant.  Phillipians 2:5-11 describes Jesus as a willing servant who emptied Himself in order to be born into humanity and carry out His mission in life- that is to provide salvation to those who are in desperate need of forgiveness.  It is hard for us to comprehend how significant this is because we are on the low end of this exchange.  Author, C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity puts it this way, "The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a foetus inside a Woman’s body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.”  What a colorful metaphor- that we should become a slug or a crab.  Jesus gave up much to come and be one of us, because of the love of God the Father!

Second, Jesus was filled with the third member of the Trinity- the Holy Spirit.  He was filled to carry out the specific task of bringing justice to the nations.  He showed us the justice of God against sin on the cross as He absorbed the wrath of God against wickedness.  God’s spirit was with Him and continues to be with us as a gift to teach us what pleases God, and give us the ability to please God.  

Third, Jesus brings us hope and a sense of God’s care for us in the following phrase, “…a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench…”  God knows that we are imperfect and that we struggle to do the right thing.  To those whose hearts desire to do right before God, He extends a gracious hand to uplift and encourage.  To those who feel that they are running on fumes, God’s word says He will not quench you.  Rather, God extends His strength and passion through His Son, Jesus.  

Perhaps you are among those that find the holiday season difficult to get through because of stress, loneliness, bills, or other difficult circumstances.  Jesus, God’s gift to us, offers us the incredible gift of His love and power.  He does this to bless us, and so that we might glorify God who has given us this gift.  Be encouraged by the message of Christmas- God has not abandoned us to a low existence without Him.  He has given us His very presence to lift us up and give us an undeniable HOPE!