“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)

24/05/2020 – Evening Service: The LORD’s encouragement to His Servant

Bible Readings:

Isaiah 49:1 – 13

John 10:8 – 17, 2 Cor 5:9 – 6:2

Sermon Outline:

Isaiah 49:5–13 (NKJV)

5 “And now the Lord says,

Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

To bring Jacob back to Him,

So that Israel is gathered to Him

(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,

And My God shall be My strength),

6 Indeed He says,

‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob,

And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,

That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

7 Thus says the Lord,

The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,

To Him whom man despises,

To Him whom the nation abhors,

To the Servant of rulers:

“Kings shall see and arise,

Princes also shall worship,

Because of the Lord who is faithful,

The Holy One of Israel;

And He has chosen You.”

8 Thus says the Lord:

“In an acceptable time I have heard You,

And in the day of salvation I have helped You;

I will preserve You and give You

As a covenant to the people,

To restore the earth,

To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’

To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

“They shall feed along the roads,

And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.

10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst,

Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;

For He who has mercy on them will lead them,

Even by the springs of water He will guide them.

11 I will make each of My mountains a road,

And My highways shall be elevated.

12 Surely these shall come from afar;

Look! Those from the north and the west,

And these from the land of Sinim.”

13 Sing, O heavens!

Be joyful, O earth!

And break out in singing, O mountains!

For the Lord has comforted His people,

And will have mercy on His afflicted.

I The identity of the Servant and His relationship to the LORD God

1 Peter 1:10–11 (NKJV)

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

II The double task of the Servant – restoring Israel and saving the Gentiles

2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)

2 For He says:

In an acceptable time I have heard you,

And in the day of salvation I have helped you.

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

III The blessings that the Servant will bring to the whole world

Isaiah 49:8–9 (NKJV)

8 Thus says the Lord:

“In an acceptable time I have heard You,

And in the day of salvation I have helped You;

I will preserve You and give You

As a covenant to the people,

To restore the earth,

To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;

9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’

To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

“They shall feed along the roads,

And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.

Isaiah 49:11–12 (NKJV)

11 I will make each of My mountains a road,

And My highways shall be elevated.

12 Surely these shall come from afar;

Look! Those from the north and the west,

And these from the land of Sinim.”