Let’s look at the book of Isaiah through the lens of a people who were in captivity. It was written about 700 years before Christ to an oppressed, exiled remnant of Jewish people. Isaiah 42 is part of what is referred to as the Servant Songs. This passage is about the great servant, Jesus Christ. Only he can accomplish the act of taking off the shackles of sin from those who sat in darkness.
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v.1- God introduces His servant, His delight, His vessel of justice, Jesus.
Jesus, The Giver of Justice vv.1-4
Isaiah 1:17-18 “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
What is justice? In the terms of a relationship with Jesus, it’s the mercy, grace, and forgiveness to those who place faith in Him. It’s the wrath of those who do not!
The word Justification- “Just if I had never sinned”, is granted by Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Philippians 2:10 “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”
Every knee will bow, either out of regard or regret! That’s justice! The negative side of justice is judgment! Those who do not love Jesus, will be eternally punished! Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Jesus, The Giver of Justice vv.1-4
Isaiah 1:17-18 “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
What is justice? In the terms of a relationship with Jesus, it’s the mercy, grace, and forgiveness to those who place faith in Him. It’s the wrath of those who do not!
The word Justification- “Just if I had never sinned”, is granted by Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Philippians 2:10 “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”
Every knee will bow, either out of regard or regret! That’s justice! The negative side of justice is judgment! Those who do not love Jesus, will be eternally punished! Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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The cross is a scandal- that somehow God could bring justification to me an undeserving sinner through me surrendering to His son, that’s a scandal. Rigged, for our good and His glory! Thank you God!
The cross is a scandal- that somehow God could bring justification to me an undeserving sinner through me surrendering to His son, that’s a scandal. Rigged, for our good and His glory! Thank you God!
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Jesus, The Giver of Freedom vv.6-7
Spiritual Freedom Offers:
1) Forgiveness of sin- Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”
2) Freedom from the bondage of sin- Romans 6:17-18 “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
3) Sight- John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
4) Confidence- 1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life”
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”
The motto of the U.S. Army Green Beret- “De Oppresso Liber”- Free the oppressed
Jesus, The Giver of Freedom vv.6-7
Spiritual Freedom Offers:
1) Forgiveness of sin- Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”
2) Freedom from the bondage of sin- Romans 6:17-18 “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
3) Sight- John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
4) Confidence- 1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life”
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”
The motto of the U.S. Army Green Beret- “De Oppresso Liber”- Free the oppressed
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Jesus, The One We Will Worship vv.8-9
It was there custom as they turned away from Yahweh, to worship idols. There is nothing new under the sun, the same worship of idols happens today, but maybe with another name! We’ve got to remember that Jesus Christ is the only one who can free us from our shackles of sin, shame, and slavery, therefore, He alone is worthy of our worship!
Jesus, The One We Will Worship vv.8-9
It was there custom as they turned away from Yahweh, to worship idols. There is nothing new under the sun, the same worship of idols happens today, but maybe with another name! We’ve got to remember that Jesus Christ is the only one who can free us from our shackles of sin, shame, and slavery, therefore, He alone is worthy of our worship!
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“He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. And the danger now is that when we gather in our church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves” -David Platt
“He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. And the danger now is that when we gather in our church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves” -David Platt
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“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.”
― A.W. Tozer
“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.”
― A.W. Tozer
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Psalm 146:1-4 “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.“
Psalm 146:1-4 “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.“