"Here is My Servant"

 

Scripture

 Isaiah 42:1-9

¹   Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
          my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
     I have put my spirit upon him;
          he will bring forth justice to the nations.
²   He will not cry or lift up his voice,
          or make it heard in the street;
³   a bruised reed he will not break,
          and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
          he will faithfully bring forth justice.
⁴   He will not grow faint or be crushed
          until he has established justice in the earth;
          and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

⁵   Thus says God, the LORD,
          who created the heavens and stretched them out,
          who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
     who gives breath to the people upon it
          and spirit to those who walk in it:
⁶   I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,
          I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
     I have given you as a covenant to the people,
          a light to the nations,
⁷        to open the eyes that are blind,
     to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
          from the prison those who sit in darkness.
⁸   I am the LORD, that is my name;
          my glory I give to no other,
          nor my praise to idols.
⁹   See, the former things have come to pass,
          and new things I now declare;
     before they spring forth,
          I tell you of them.  (NRSV)

Devotion

 Yesterday, we kicked off Holy Week by celebrating Palm Sunday.  For those of you not involved in church planning, Holy Week is the busiest and most important 8 days in the Christian calendar.   In this short period of time, we experience the joy of  Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the challenge of some of his most important teachings, the deep connection and grace of the Last Supper, the guilt that comes with his betrayal, arrest, and torture, the despair of Christ's death on the cross, and finally the ecstasy of Easter morning.  Because it is a week of intense highs and lows, it is important to pace ourselves like one would for a marathon.

Today's reading from Isaiah reflects the joy and expectation we feel on Palm Sunday.  When Jesus rode into the city on the back of a donkey, he did so as God's chosen one--the one covered in God's spirit so that he could bring justice to the nations and usher in the righteous Reign of God on Earth.   When Isaiah says that this servant will open the eyes of those who are blind and bring the prisoners out of  the dark confines of their dungeons, he is talking about more than physical blindness or imprisonment.  The prophet refers to all those who are captive to sin, injustice, and a lack of mercy.  God's chosen servant will liberate those people to create a truly just and merciful society in which all God's children have what they need to thrive.

While the people who shouted "Hosanna!" and lined Jesus's way with palms and cloaks were overjoyed at the thought of God's chosen one arriving to save them, it should come as no surprise that other people were less than thrilled.  Anyone whose mission is to bring sight those who are physically, spiritually, or ethically blind and liberate the oppressed is going to upset the order of things...and those who benefit or are at least used to that order are likely to push back.  The Bible is full of a long list of God's servants who were persecuted for answering their call to righteousness.  Some were mocked, conspired against, and beaten.  Some were even killed.  And though God may delight in his son Jesus, humans will treat him no differently than we have God's other servants down through the ages.  Jesus's commitment to spreading God's justice throughout the Earth will lead us to kill him.  Indeed, those wheels are already in motion.

The Good News, though, is that when God sends someone to fulfill a task, nothing can stop them from doing so.  Moses couldn't be stopped from taking the people at out o Egypt.  The prophets couldn't be stopped from calling God's people to repentance.  And Jesus?  Well he may be bruised, but he will not break.  He may laden with heavy burdens, but he will not be crushed.  He will open the eyes of the blind, set loose the captives, and faithfully bring forth justice on the Earth.

As we proceed further into Holy Week, let give thanks that though all the world turned against him, nothing could stop him from serving God or fulfilling his purposes.  And let us never forget that through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus rides through the streets to this very day.  He rides on in us.  When we serve God in his name, no one can truly hinder the ways he continues to bring forth justice in our homes...our communities...our world.   That is more than enough reason to shout "Hosanna!"

 

Prayer

 God, thank you for giving Jesus the power to serve you faithfully as he brings about your justice on Earth.  May we put our hope and trust in him as we do our parts to serve your good purposes.  Amen.