January 12, 2020 – Baptism of our Lord Text: Isaiah 42:1-9
Dear Friends in Christ,
Back when newspapers were the most important way to communicate news and happenings they would sometimes have two editions. One was the regular edition of the paper but then they would put out an “extra” edition of the newspaper. Young people would stand on the corners, especially in the big cities and yell, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” Then a brief description would be given. “Pearl Harbor Bombed!” “Full Surrender Brings War To An End!” “President Shot in Dallas!” “Man Walks on the Moon!”
In text for this morning God is coming to us with an “Extra! Extra! Read All About It!” He begins by saying “Behold.” Behold is a transitive verb that means to see or look. The Lord wants us paying attention to His message. He ends our text with “I tell you of them.” He is getting our attention. Are we ready to behold? “Extra! Extra! Read All About It!”
“GOD’S SERVANT BRINGS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE NATIONS”
What a mission that is. The Servant comes to bring “justice” to the nations. For us that means as guilty sinners we can be declared “not guilty,” “righteous.” This is because the Servant is bringing a new “covenant” for the people. The “old” covenant is the Law, which all men and women have failed to keep. Through the shedding of His blood on the cross, He establishes a new way for us to be acceptable to God.
This Servant comes to be “a light for the nations.” We can live some pretty dark times. Our minds can be in some pretty dark places. This Servant comes to be the light and a beacon of hope. He comes to give sight to the blind and release to those in prison.
What a servant. This is the chosen One of God in whom He takes great delight. We see this in our Gospel lesson at the Baptism of Jesus. We all like to be uplifted by a parent and God the Father says this to His Son, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
This Servant could only be Jesus. God’s “Spirit” will be upon him. He is righteous. God’s “glory” is upon Him and no other. Only the perfect Son of God could be the servant to carry out this mission.
This Servant comes in humbleness and mercy. He is not blowing his own horn in the streets. He is dealing tenderly with those who are hurting and broken – He is dealing with us. He is not going to “grow faint or be discouraged.” He will fulfill the task no matter how hard it is.
Why does God make this special announcement to us? Why does God in this text stand on the street corner and yell out for all to hear, “Extra! Extra! Read All About It”?
Because through this Servant He brings all that we need. He brings justice – we need it. We need breath – He provides it. We need sight – He opens our eyes. We need release as prisoners – He gives us the key. We need forgiveness – He died for it. We need eternal life – He rose for it. Are you putting your hope in Him? This Servant is for all the nations. What about your neighbors and relatives and friends, your co-workers and your school classmates? Are they putting their hope in Him?
Jesus is the only way. As we believe in Him and the work that He has done in our life, we join God in standing on the street corners and proclaiming Christ to the nations. We, too, join God in yelling out for all to hear: “Extra! Extra! Read all about it! God’s Son has come and died for us on the cross so we might have eternal life.”
The evangelist Dwight Moody once spoke to a group and after his talk a locomotive engineer came forward. He said he wanted to go to a foreign country to be a missionary. Moody asked him if his fireman was a Christian. (In those days steam locomotives needed someone to keep the fire ablaze. That man was called the “fireman.”) The engineer said, “I don’t know if he is a Christian, I’ve never asked him.” “Well,” said Moody, “why don’t you start with your fireman.”
Who close to you needs the hope that only Christ can give? When we consistently and actively encourage others we live with joy and purpose. Maybe we can’t stand on the street corner but we can use our God-given abilities to tell others of this hope we have in Jesus. Don’t we want others to have what we have?
Epiphany is the revealing of Jesus as God’s Son and the only Savior. To whom can you reveal Jesus?
Amen.