Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Old Testament Lesson just read, from Isaiah 50. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- I do not need to tell you that it is extremely difficult for us to learn “THE WAY OF CHRIST,” how it is that God wills for us to live our lives in this world by faith and humility. We are by nature resistant to hearing His Word and it strikes us as unrealistic – that is, that “THE WAY OF CHRIST” is no reasonable way to thrive in this world, or even survive. If we were to live as Jesus did we logically conclude that we would likely die as Jesus did, or at least suffer greatly.
- But if we decide that we will give it a try, we quickly learn how difficult and impossible it is for us to succeed. As James reminds us in our Epistle reading – dismally, we can’t even tame our own tongue. And one needn’t live long within the church to learn that it is so. And how frequently we find ourselves sorrowing over this reality!
- So we may be tempted to decide that we may as well just give up in this whole matter and live as best we can, allowing our sinful nature and “the restless evil” of our tongues to have free reign. Well, this might be more satisfying and comfortable for you, but those around you will not much appreciate it much. We recognize the painfulness and deadly poison when it comes from others, but tend not to “taste” it in our own mouths. But others will assure us that our venom is just as distasteful, disgusting, and deadly. It is a bit like “bad breath” – others are aware of our bad breath long before we are.
- And just as the evil spirit that Jesus cast out, as described in our Gospel reading, required “prayer” and the power of the Lord Himself, so also the evil that is within each of us is deadly and powerful and cannot be cast out or even mitigated without prayer and the power of Jesus. This too may seem dismal to us, and not worth the effort since it is beyond our control and determining, but this is a false conclusion. It is humbling but noble to walk “THE WAY OF CHRIST,” to seek earnestly to follow His example as described in our text – and we do well to consider it and to follow Him. We see in our text that:
I. The Way Of Christ Is Submission To God’s Word
Text: “Morning by morning He awakens; He awakens My ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.”
A. His Word Is Able To Sustain The Weary
Text: “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.”
B. His Word Is Able To Steel Us Against Our Persecutors
Text: “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.”
Statement: This is the nature and effect of being submissive to the Word of God and putting our faith and trust in Him. We are sustained and uplifted by the constant assurance of His gracious forgiveness and mercy, and His promises to be with us to protect us and bless us. And we need such “sustaining” – for the life of repentance and truth is sorrowful and disturbing. It is downright depressing to acknowledge the reality that James described of us, that “a salt pond” cannot yield “fresh water,” and that “no human being can tame the tongue,” that we cannot cease completely from sinning.
And of course, as soon as we acknowledge our guilt and weakness, there are numerous self-righteous people lining up around us who are eager to “strike” our back and “pull out the beard” – that is, to castigate and pummel us with their own evil and hypocritical tongues. And nowhere is this more prevalent than among “religious” people – and sadly, even within the church! Stop for a moment to consider how your own tongues are eager to criticize and demean others – especially and even those who confess their sins and acknowledge their guilt!
Application: But what does the Lord say about the Word that God has given? It is able to sustain him who is weary. It is able to strengthen and steel one who is persecuted and abused by those who are unaware of the log in their own eye but are certain that they have been called to clumsily gouge out the various specks that they find in the eyes of others. Unfortunately, we would still prefer to be the ones who do the “striking, the disgracing, and the spitting” rather than to take this from others. Think about your own preferences! But stop to consider what God gives, and “THE WAY OF CHRIST,” and what side you really want to be on! For “as you have done to others, you have done to Me” Jesus reminds us!
Transition: And we might also want to consider the outcome – for God will not allow the poisonous and restless evil of human tongues to have the last say! And so:
II. The Way Of Christ Is Faith In God’s Gracious Vindication
Text: “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. He Who vindicates Me is near.”
A. So Too, Those Who Confess Their Sins And Believe In God’s Gracious Mercy And Forgiveness In Christ Jesus Will Be Justified And Vindicated By God’s Grace Through Faith
Text: “He Who vindicates Me is near. Who will contend with Me? Let us stand up together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near to Me. Behold the Lord God helps Me; who will declare Me guilty?”
Eph. 2:8,9 “By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Rom. 8:31-35 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”
B. And The Way Of Christ Includes Faith That God Will Ultimately Destroy Our Accusers
Text: “Behold, the Lord God helps Me; who will declare Me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.”
Statement: But the “striking, the beard-pulling, the disgracing, and the spitting” will still come our way when we walk in “THE WAY OF CHRIST.” We know our enemies, our accusers, our condemners; we have heard the deadly poison of their tongues and have felt the sting of their restless evil. And so has the Lord Jesus Christ, as He submitted to the Word of God and the way of God in His life and mission!
Application: So if we are to follow in “THE WAY OF CHRIST” we too must submit to God’s Word and rely upon it to sustain us in our weariness. We too must allow God to awaken our ears so that we may “hear as those who are taught,” so that we not turn backward and become rebellious. This is not something that we can do on our own – no more than we can tame our tongue; but God will help us to continue in repentance and faith, and He will ultimately vindicate us! So let us remember that:
III. The Way Of Christ Is Fear Of God And Obeying His Servants – Trusting God’s Word And Relying On Him
Text: “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of His servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the Name of the Lord and rely on his God.”
Statement: His servant, the servant of the Lord, speaks His Word and is faithful to “the Name of the Lord.” So those who “fear the Lord” and “rely on” God pay heed to God’s servants. But those servants, as was the case with the Lord Jesus, are often reviled, persecuted, disgraced in the eyes of men, and spit upon. And so also are those who follow in the way of the Lord and trust in God – living in repentance and faith in God. We too will suffer under the venomous tongues of others, the unbelievers, who don’t even try to tame and subdue their evil tongues.
Application: But as we walk in the Word of the Lord we will be sustained by His Word, and as we endure the condemnation and reviling of others, so we shall be vindicated by the Lord God – and our enemies will be destroyed. So let us take care to “fear” the Lord – to rejoice in His Word of gracious love and to put our faith and trust in Him; for though Christ suffered and died He was also raised from the dead and vindicated in His exaltation. And so shall we – if we also walk in “THE WAY OF CHRIST.”
Conclusion: Again, “THE WAY OF CHRIST” is difficult and counter-intuitive – and our sinful resistance can only be “driven out by prayer,” by the power of Jesus. What we cannot tame, God can, and ultimately will do – unless we give up altogether and return to rebellion. He will sustain us with His Word. So let us continue to hear His Word and obey His Servant and trust in Him! This truly is our light in the darkness of this world. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.