There we are, down on the ground, life having given us a thorough beating. We seem in our own eyes like a total failure. Perhaps we are in debt, lost our job, maybe a spouse having walked out on us. Our enemies are mocking us. We are emotionally bruised and battered, maybe even literally a bit, too. Who can we look to for help? There are times when family or friends might just give us an additional kick, and certainly our foes are there to do just that. Where can we turn? As we see in our reading from Isaiah for today, the first Sunday following Epiphany, the Lord Jesus is there for us.
In our passage, Isaiah is speaking the words of God, from His perspective, and the Lord is speaking about a Servant whom He delights in (vs. 1). The Person that the Lord is speaking of is Jesus Christ, the Servant-Messiah. God has poured out His Spirit upon Him without measure (Matthew 3:16). The first four verses here are quoted in the Gospel of Matthew 12:18-21, and refer to Jesus. Jesus had gentleness, encouragement, justice and truth. As stated in verse 2, He also had a quiet, gentle and submissive demeanor. Jesus didn’t parade around the streets shouting out the greatness of Himself and His work, like many self-righteous people do. We can read that in Matthew 11:28-30, and also I Peter 2:22-23.
In verse 3 we read about bruised reeds and smoking flax. Reeds are a type of tall, wetland grass, and were used in ancient times to make baskets, thatch roofs of simple homes, sharpened to be used as writing implements, and sometimes musical instruments. If the reed is bruised or bent, its use may be hampered. A string of flax was often placed in oil and then lit to provide light in a room. When the flax would smoke, the room would fill with that smoke and smell, and one would put the flame out and get a new flax. When we are beaten down in life, have made mistakes or been kicked around too much by others, and the world says we have no use because we are “bruised and smoking”, they may toss us out. God does not do that. When we are bruised and failing, God does not cast us out as useless to Him. He tenderly, lovingly, and gently picks us up. He brings comfort and encouragement to the weak and oppressed. When we give ourselves to Him, He doesn’t crush us. God is loving and tender to those who are bruised and weakened, and restores and strengthens them.
That was not all that Jesus came to do. We read in verse 7 that He came to open blind eyes and set prisoners free. He brought both physical healing to the physically blind, and spiritual healing to those in spiritual darkness and bondage. Jesus came to set us free from everything that holds us captive, whether addictions, relationships, or whatever the world uses to enslave us.
We further read how God called the Lord Jesus to be a light to the Gentiles, and the Mediator of a better, New Covenant (vs. 6). This is especially relevant in the season of Epiphany, where some churches celebrate when the Magi, who were Gentiles, came to honor and worship the Christ Child, one of the first of Gentiles who God was bringing to Himself. Jesus is a light to these Gentiles. While on earth He ministered to the Samaritan woman at the well, healed the Roman centurion’s servant and the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter, among others, and then instructed His disciples to go into all the world to preach the Gospel.
As believers and followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to share in His mission, and also demonstrate His righteousness to others, and show forth His light to the world. We can share with others how Jesus brings us out of the darkness we are in, and set us free from bondage, and also experience His love and care for us when we are beaten down and despairing.
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