Sunday, October
23, 2022
OUR GENTLE MESSIAH
Matt 12:17-21
17 That it might
be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
18 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 shew judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not
strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not
quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory [truth].
21 And in his
name shall the Gentiles trust.
Matthew quotes Isaiah in describing
the gentle and unobtrusive nature of Messiah’s ministry. We, or rather I, may
plow ham-handed through the China-shop of men’s hearts but not the Savior. Finding
a bruised reed, He will not so much as brush it with His hand. His purpose is healing. The same is true with an almost extinguished lamp. He will not end
the life of the light by blowing it out. His purpose is life. His goal was not self-preservation but my redemption.
When confronted
with a woman caught in the very act of sinning, He stooped before her, made
Himself small before her accusers, and from the dust of the ground formed the perfect answer as well as the perfect
question. “Hath no man condemned thee?” That is the perfect question. “Neither do I condemn
thee” is the perfect solution and “go and sin
no more” is the perfect judgment.
The word “victory” in Matthew is triumph but the word in Isaiah is truth. Judgment unto
truth and victory includes stability, certainty,
and trust. When those things are absent, it is sure that Satan is at work. When
Isaiah and Matthew say that “He shall not strive nor cry,” the idea is that
there is no wrangling, wrestling, twisting or manipulation. The flow of purpose-to-conclusion
is soft yet powerful.
John Michael Talbot wrote a
wonderful song that has become one of my personal favorites. Recently I heard two
lesser-known verses to the song.
It was our sin
and guilt that bruised and wounded Him.
It was our sin
that brought Him down.
When we like
sheep had gone astray our Shepherd came,
And on His shoulders,
bore our shame.
Meek as a lamb,
that's led out to the slaughterhouse,
Dumb as a sheep,
before it's shearer.
His life ran down
upon the ground like pouring rain,
That we might be
born-again!
Our God Reigns
Our God Reigns
Dear Lord, please reign in my rebellious, ham-fisted heart today. AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment