Jesus Reigns预览

JESUS: CHOSEN AND PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD

Jesus, described by Isaiah might have been rejected by men because He did not suit their taste, but the Bible affirms that He was "chosen and precious in the sight of God." Why would such a man be special and accorded the honor of highest greatness?

A. First, He is the Lord's submissive or faithful servant. God has so many servants from the heavenly angels, nature to earthly kings. No wonder Isaiah's favorite title for God was the Lord of hosts. However, Jesus the Servant who is yet to come, will be one in whom God's soul will delight. He will not only grow pleasing to the Lord, He will faithfully discharge His will. In His hand, the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper.

How about mankind today and those who profess to be Christians? Do we have the passion to put the will of God in the center of our lives? Word and deed has only one source of authority. Does God have a mission for us? Are we like Abraham that when God said leave... He packed his things right away without really knowing where God would lead him or are we the rich young ruler who gave more importance to his temporal goods but lost the everlasting joy of serving God?

B. Second, He is man's substitute servant. As we read Isaiah 53:4-6, we realize that Jesus as Servant will not only serve God, He will come to be of service to man. While people willfully rejected and cruelly persecuted Him, Jesus voluntarily offered Himself to take the blows and the punishments on their behalf. If there is no greater love when one lays down His life for a friend, what kind of love was it that Jesus would even die for His enemy?

C. Third, He is the Lord's and man's silent servant. Unlike many who suffer in our days, Jesus servant suffered silently, He neither complained nor protested. When He was reviled, He did not revile; though He had the power to destroy His persecutors, He uttered no threats. "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats." He faithfully served the Lord's cause and of sinful men even up to the point of dying with wicked men on that shameful cross. If this servant was also the Son of the Most High God, why did He remain silent amidst such humiliation and did not avert His tragic end? He gave the answer Himself – He did not come to be served, but to serve.