Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20021229.htm

JESUS CHRIST IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY
Part XX: Effective Ministry By Faith With Christ's Gentle Meekness
(Isaiah 42:2-3 and 53:7 with Matthew 12:18-20 and 26:62-63)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

Many of us gather with extended family or friends during the Christmas and New Year's celebrations, and, in doing so, come face to face once again with the incredible spiritual need of others around us:

(1) In the last week, three people in our Church have spoken to me, asking advice on how to approach an extended family member or business associate or friend regarding family matters or spiritual truth. The critical nature of the subject at hand required SKILL in even knowing how to bring the subject up!

(2) This need affects believers as well. My Mother told how my Dad had taught on Bible prophecy in their California Church using our material from the book of Revelation. After Dad had pointed out in a lesson that believers who die during the Millennial kingdom are raised from the dead at the end of that kingdom, an elderly lady a few weeks later asked him in the class, "What happens to those who believe in Christ during the Millennium but then die? When are they raised!"

Mom reported how distraught she felt at the "blindness" to the truth Dad had just recently taught! She wondered over the phone to me what Dad might be able to do to get this truth to stick with this lady!

(3) Often members in our Church have come up to me and said, "My associate not only doesn't believe in Christ, he or she doesn't want me even to bring it up! He is hostile to it -- period."



In noting this is the last Sunday of 2002, and recalling how steadily time keeps ebbing away, and in view of the fact that the people we seek to disciple don't have FOREVER to believe or grow in Christ, what would GOD want us to BE and to DO to be the most EFFECTIVE TOOL we can be to make an impact for the truth to these needy people?



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )



Need: "As time marches on toward 2003, I can only think of an associate who needs to know God's truth before time runs OUT for him, but one whose darkened spiritual state requires great wisdom in HOW I APPROACH him! What would GOD suggest I do?!"
  1. The RISEN Jesus told His disciples on the road to Emmaus how He fulfilled Old Testament Messianic prophecies, Luke 24:25-27.
  2. As these men were edified by Christ's teaching of those passages (Luke 24:32), we also view them, following the list of prophecies named in the Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, s. v. "Messianic Prophecies."
  3. The Isaiah 42:2-3; 53:7 prophecies in light of their fulfillment in Matthew 12:18-20 and 26:62-63 show Jesus CONTRASTED with OTHER Ancient Near Eastern KINGS in PRESENTING Himself and His truth with GENTLENESS and MEEKNESS (as follows):
    1. In making His initial contact with our spiritually dark world, Jesus Christ CONTRASTED with other Ancient Near Eastern kings by His demeanor of gentleness and meekness as follows:
      1. Isaiah 42:1, 2-3 predicted God's Servant, the Messiah would minister in stark contrast to the way Ancient Near Eastern kings would act toward their subjects after defeating them in battle:
        1. Most Ancient Near Eastern kings would force their defeated foes to adopt their religion and administrative programs by way of oppression, cf. E. J. Young, Isaiah, volume III, p. 111-112.
        2. Yet, the Messiah would set up His kingdom in stark contrast to such methods: (a) Instead of using strife (Isa. 42:2a), He would teach in a quiet way, Isa. 42:2b; Ibid., p. 112-113. (b) Instead of oppressing the weak (a bruised reed, a smoking flax), He would be harmless, Isa. 42:3a. (c) Instead of threatening others with the sword, Messiah would impact men by His spoken truths (emet = "truth" as in the KJV, not "faithfulness" in this context as in the NIV, Ibid., Young 113-114; Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 666; B.D.B., Heb. & Engl. Lex., p. 54), Isa. 42:3b. (d) He would faithfully work until His reign came, Isa. 42:4; Ibid., p. 114ff..
        3. His work would be done in the Holy Spirit's power, Isa. 42:1.
      2. Matthew 12:14-17, 18-20 reveals the fulfillment of this prophecy: there, Jesus responded to the lethal threat of the Jewish sanhedrin by withdrawing from them and by healing the sick, and keeping a low profile opposite the actions of other ancient conquering kings!
    2. If persecuted, Jesus only stayed gentle and meek as follows:
      1. Isaiah 53:7 predicted Messiah would be meek and gentle in being persecuted by His opponents (at His first coming).
      2. Then, Matthew 26:62-64 describes this prophecy's fulfillment where Jesus refused to defend Himself except when ordered to answer His persecutors by an admonition from the High Priest that He was required to obey, cf. Bible Knowledge Com., N.T., p. 85!
  4. As God the Father sent His SON to US, Christ in turn sends US, His disciples, to others by using His same GENTLE MEEKNESS:
    1. The risen Lord told His disciples that as the Father had sent Him into the world, even so He had sent them into the world to disciple others, John 20:21b with Matthew 28:19-20.
    2. Also, Jesus told His disciples He sent them out as "sheep among wolves," as meek men among persecutors, Matt. 10:16a; thus, they were to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves," Matt. 10:16b.
    3. Accordingly, as Jesus ministered in gentle meekness with great patience through the Holy Spirit's power, and focused on gentle but penetrating truths spoken with great patience, so were His disciples to minister to gather subjects for the Messiah's kingdom, Acts 1:8!
    4. In this way, Jesus keeps faithfully building His kingdom through us, His subjects, Isa. 42:4; Ibid., Young, p. 114-116 with Acts 1:1-2, 8!
Application: (1) If we have not yet done so, we need to believe on Christ to receive eternal life, John 3:16. (2) If already saved, to be EFFECTIVE in reaching others, we (a) confess any sins since salvation (1 John 1:9) for cleansing and (b) rely on the Spirit for ministry power. (c) Then we do God's will the WAY Jesus did it!

Lesson: To reach needy but hard people EFFECTIVELY, God plans that as HE sent His SON unto US, so WE in turn should go unto OTHERS: (1) like Jesus, we should minister in reliance on the Spirit's power, cf. Isa. 42:1; Gal. 5:16-23; (2) like Jesus, we should not cry out or argue in strife, but teach in a quiet, penetrating way, Isa. 42:2b; (3) like Jesus, we should not oppress, but nurture the weak, Isa. 42:3a; (4) like Jesus, we should rely on the power of the TRUTH we tell rather than be humanly forceful, Isa. 42:3b, and (5) like Jesus, we should work patiently until the job God assigns us is completed, Isa. 42:4. (6) Then, like Jesus, if persecuted in our effort, we should stay gentle and meek, leaving our welfare with God in His infinitely sovereign oversight to handle, Isa. 53:7; 1 Peter 2:21-23.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 This past week, I received news of a spiritual turn around in the life of a young couple who live in another state.

For years, our family has been praying for the spiritual welfare of the young man in this couple who has not committed extremely violent crimes, and who is even very likable, but who has not lived in the godly truths of his upbringing.

He has recently been living in an illicit relationship with a young woman of another religious persuasion.

For a long time, all we could do was pray, relate to the young man with kindness, and patiently wait.

The good news is they are now suddenly both very eager to learn Bible truth. They have stopped their illicit activity and the young woman in particular eagerly takes notes from a Christian niece of mine when they talk of the Lord. In fact, this young woman has asked my niece to mentor her, to disciple her in the truths of the Bible! She just can't seem to get enough of the Bible's truth.

This spiritual awakening has had a great impact on the young man for whom we have been praying. He, along with this girlfriend, is also eager to learn the truths of Scripture with her!



God asks us to be PATIENT, GENTLE and MEEK with ALL men, ESPECIALLY with spiritually needy relatives, friends or associates who are in great need of the Lord. Like our Savior is with US, we are called to function in GRACE and with great PATIENCE with others.