Date:   01/09/2011

Text:   Isaiah 50:4-11

Title:   Servant of God 神僕典範

Theme: Since the Messiah came as a servant, therefore those who serve in His visible kingdom on earth must do so with a servant heart.

Introduction:

  Each year on this Sunday, our church has the installation of deacons and elders for the coming year. In 2011, we have one elder and 6 deacons and deaconesses who are serving for the first time in their particular capacity. I feel it is appropriate for me to share with you some thoughts on leadership.

  In recent years, at HCC, plus other churches and Christian organizations, we have heard much talk on servant leaders. As leaders we are to serve like a servant. We are to be servant leaders at home and at church. Moreover, at our workplaces, we also hear the talk of servant leadership. We find this term in the more classic management books by Peter Drucker or Max Depree, also in books by more recent authors such as Jim Collins. So, by now, the term Servant Leader has become familiar to many. However, because of our lack of experience of being a servant in the west, we often have a difficult time to fully comprehend what a servant is. Therefore the term Servant Leader can easily become a cliche or empty slogan.

  This morning I would like to share with you some thoughts on servanthood, servant leader from Isaiah 50:4-11. In the book of Isaiah, chapters 42, 49, 50 and 52 are known as the Servant Songs. In these chapters, the prophet Isaiah, revealed to God’s people that the coming Messiah would be like a servant. This Messiah is God’s servant. When this was first spoken, the first reader really did not understand its significance. Several hundred years later, Jesus came and said that he had come not to be served but to serve. All of a sudden a window opened. This Jesus, the Messiah was God’s servant. He is the servant par excellence. The servant whom all other servants are to listen and follow.   

  From Isaiah 52, we’ll take a look at some of the characteristics of a servant leader as exemplified by the Messiah. In this and other churches, or even at work, how are we to serve as a servant? Not just elders and deacons in the church, but including leaders in campus ministry, small group, and/or fellowship group leaders. We will look at a simple truth that since the Messiah has come as a servant; those of us who serve in his visible kingdom on earth are to serve with a servant’s heart.

I •  A servant leader is ready to receive the Word.

Vs.4,5, “ 4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. ” In these two verses we notice morning by morning, the Lord awakens, he awakens my ear, he opened my ear. It gives us a picture of prolonged, extended activity. This Messiah, the servant of God, on a regular basis was attentive to God’s word. We also notice in vs.5 that this servant of God was not rebellious. He was obedient to what God had to speak to Him.

Reading vs.4 and 5 will remind some of us the Genesis story of the first Adam. He heard God’s words, God’s command. Did he obey? No, he was rebellious. Now, this Messiah, in the NT is also known as the second Adam. This second Adam heard God’s word, and unlike the first Adam, was obedient to God.

Last Sunday we mentioned that to be concerned with God’s business, one has to start with God’s word. Today, we hear the same message; to be servants of God, to be a servant leader in God’s church, one starts with His word. However, we also know how difficult it is for us to listen and to be obedient to the word. On the one hand we don’t spend enough time in the scriptures, making us biblically illiterate. But among the Christians, there is also another extreme, we read the Word, but we are not obedient to it. If we listen and obey, then our spiritual growth, our maturity will be in direct proportion to the amount of time we spend in reading God’s word. Sometimes we hear new Christians say, look at him/her, he has been a Christian for so many years, how come he/she is still like this? It hurts, right? But it is also true. As servants, may we be ready consistently to listen and receive God’s word.

II •  A servant leader is ready to serve with words.

God awakens the servant so he could listen to the Word. What is the purpose of receiving the word? Vs.4, “…… that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary…” He hears the word from God, and the purpose was to use these words to sustain those who are weary. Using words to encourage and comfort the discouraged ones. It was a ministry of the word.

Again, let us review the genesis story. After the fall, Adam’s praise of Eve turned into blame, shifting the responsibility to her. “ The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” These are not kind words, instead, they are full of irresponsibility and cutting nuances. And now with the second Adam, the Messiah, He would use the words to sustain, to comfort those in need. In Proverbs 25:11, “ 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Isaiah 42:3, “ 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;..” it is a ministry of using words to heal, comfort and sustain the weak.

We don’t do this well, do we? In the last two years, we have heard incidents of high school students committing suicide because of being bullied at school. It is not physical abuse but verbal abuse. Demeaning and derogative statements drove the students to suicide. Words can kill. Certainly these are extreme cases, but isn’t it true that at home and even in our Christian community, we have seen the destructive forces of words?

When events are smooth going, under our control, it is easy for us to say words of comfort and encouragement. But when things are rough, people, circumstance and ministry are beyond our control, what comes out of our mouth is usually fighting words, bitter words and cutting words. It is not encouraging and sustaining. Instead of bringing healing, it opens up old scars and creates new wounds, creating great harm. Instead of bringing people closer to God; we have let our words drive people away from God, from each other, and even from the church. We also know that once words are out, it cannot be taken back, and no amount of apology can make it right again.

  We are not to use our words to hurt others. My heart hurts when I see pastors and church leaders, even though not intentionally, have allow their words to bring great damage to relationships, church unity and harmony. Words are meant to heal and comfort, and not to hurt and ruin relationships. For this reason, in the NT, we find in Jesus' teaching, later in the apostles’ writing, especially in the book of James, are full of instructions and reminders that we are to control our speech, our language. Words are meant not to kill but to bring life.

  Since we are to be men and women of words, I feel we do need to exercise more self-control in how we express ourselves. Very often I hear people say, I am sorry you are hurt, but I just need to express how I feel, my emotion. To this, Francis Schaeffer would say, “Don’t forget that we are sinners living in a sinful world. Very often, even our emotions can be ugly and hurt others.” I like this saying, yes you feel good because you have freely expressed yourself, but look at the damages you have left behind. It’s like the aftermath of a tornado and that is not right in the family of God.

  On Friday’s Dear Abby column, one reader asked what were the appropriate words to say in a certain situation. Her reply; before you say it, first ask yourself this: is it true, is it helpful and is it kind? I feel we followers of Christ can also add: is this edifying, is this encouraging, will it bring healing to this person and most importantly, can I say it in a humble and gentle spirit?

III •  A servant leader is ready to serve with perseverance

Vs.5b,6-7, “…I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.” These two verses, especially the phrase, “set my face like a flint,” provide us with a picture of perseverance. Facing enemies, this Messiah, did not turn his back and move away. Instead, he was persistent in carrying out his mission. Many Bible scholars explain “set my face like a flint” is a reference to Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. In the gospel of Mark and Luke, the apostles wrote repeatedly that Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem. Knowing what waits for him there, yet Jesus was determined in going there, he persevered.

I also think of Jesus life and ministry. He was misunderstood by his family members. Being the son of God, he was attacked by the religious leaders of the day. His teachings were not well received by all. He had 12 disciples, and 3 years later, one of them betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. When he was on the cross, of the 11 disciples, only one stayed with him. It was apparent that the 11 disciples did not fully understand what he taught while with them. His 3 years of public ministry were radically different from some of our present day preachers. There were no mass conversions, no mega churches, and his life ended in cruel and violent death. He did not see any of his fruits while alive, like the OT prophets before him. He knew full well how he would end his public ministry, yet he was persistent. In the Apostle Paul’s words, he was obedient unto death. He set his face like a flint. He did not waver or turn backward.

Sometimes I feel that this is very foreign to our thinking. We feel that when we serve as pastors, elders and deacons, once we stand up and rally people, they will all listen and follow. It doesn’t happen too often that way, right? Very often it is hard work. We sent out an important email to 20 people or leaders in our particular ministry. Then through a web service, we realize that only half of the people open their mail J . And then later we find out that even after they opened the mail, there was no guarantee they remembered or understood what they read. We may have worked hard, but seldom do we hear words of appreciation. Working in a scientific lab or working as a project manager, we are trained to be critical of everything we read and see. So, it is natural that we see different church ministries and projects with a critical view. Instead of encouraging, we often find ourselves prone to find fault with what is before us. For this reason, serving in a church is never an easy task.

I think of a church that I visited recently. It was located in a university town. Sunday attendance average about 25 to 35. Since it is a college town, students usually stayed there for 2 to 4 or 5 years. Very few would stay and find a job after graduation, for there are very few companies there. This church has a pastor who had served there for almost 7-8 years. He and his family spent much time to go to the airport, about 1 ½ hours away to pick up students when they arrive. Their home is arranged so they can take in many new students before they find an apartment or move into the dorm. There are three to four families, also serving faithfully alongside the pastor. To me, this is a portrait of dedication and perseverance.

Ministry is never easy, whether or not you are a pastor, elder or deacon. For this reason we find teachings in the NT reminding us to persist, to fight the good fight, run the race before us. don’t give up and keep going. It is difficult yet God is on our side whom shall we be afraid of? Don’t let others’ criticism and attack take over us. verses 8-11 further tell us that God is the one that will vindicate us. Yes, people may not be friendly towards us, but God is on our side. Our responsibility is to trust him and follow him. He, in his own time will vindicate us.

Conclusion:

  As we see this portrait of the Messiah servant, our natural conclusion is: it is difficult, who can do it. Being a servant is difficult or even impossible from the human perspective. For this reason, it is easy for us to revert to human ways of leadership. That would include, being autocratic or shouting out orders, letting the end justify the means. But from the passage we study today, we also get the picture that if the Messiah came to serve as a servant, being ready to receive the word, and carry out a ministry of the word, and being persevering in difficult situations, so who are we, being his followers to dare to be different. However, if I am to stop here, and you go home with 3 principle of servant leadership, I am sending you a wrong message. You see, if that is all I preach one, then this message can be preached at your work place, school chapel, a mosque and synagogue. If so, then I am not being faithful to God’s word.

  You see, we also notice that four times the words, ‘Lord God’ appears in this passage. It is a reference to the sovereign Lord who is in charge and control. And moreover, we also read that it is the Lord God that awakens the servant morning after morning. It is the Lord God that helps the servant to persevere. It is the Lord God that vindicates me and in Him I trust. As a servant, I am totally under his control and direction. Being a servant leader is challenging. But remember, it is he who has called us; it is he who will sustain us.

  For this reason, several hundred years later, the servant par excellence came into the world. He said to his disciples, servants, Apart From Me You can do nothing.