2/17 Life

Behold, My Exalted Servant
(ISAIAH 52:13-15)
 
Pause & Reflect
 
13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.

 

1. [v.13] *Biblical principle – EXALTED IN WISDOM – Being God yet still an Obedient Servant: Jesus acted wisely as both exalted Son of God the Father and lowly servant to sinful humanity, obeying the Father’s will completely as His servant yet being high and lifted up as His exalted Son. Servants stay servants. They are never exalted to another status. They are slaves who carry no rights nor identity of their own, and their only purpose is to obey the Master’s command, who owns them. Yet this vulgar term of “servant/slave” is how God the Father describes His only Son. By acts of wisdom, His Servant-Son will be high and lifted up – a promotion and expression of worship only belonging to the LORD God Himself (Isaiah 6:1; 33:10; 57:15). In Jesus, we learn how to act wisely as both beloved sons/daughters of our Father yet obedient slaves to our Master. Controlled, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial wisdom begins in the two natures of Jesus in unity – exalted LORD yet humble servant to sinners.
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul writes about the future glory of God’s children, “and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (ROMANS 8:17). Even creation itself waits with eager longing for this to happen, “groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (ROMANS 8:22). This glorification of God’s children into God’s heirs – and co-heirs with Christ – is guaranteed, for “those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified” (ROMANS 8:30). From the beginning of creation – before sin entered the world – we were called not only to be beloved children of God, but glorified stewards with God to wisely rule over His creation as inheritors and co-inheritors of it with Christ, reflecting His image into the world (GENESIS 1:26-30). As Jesus acted wisely in His journey from obedient servant to exalted Son, how are you taking that same journey from suffering to glory today? For you, is there a costly suffering in following after Jesus? For you, is there wise stewardship in ruling over all He has entrusted to you (His gifts, His time, His resources, His family [parents, siblings, spouse, children], His church, His life[body, health, nurture] etc)? Although there is suffering before glory, is your heart thrilled with joy for this journey in which the present sufferings are not worth comparing, for “the glory that is to be revealed to us” (ROMANS 8:18)?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – Jesus held two natures in perfect union – the lowly servant of the Father to sinful mankind and the divine Son of the Father as savior of mankind. With His actions of wisdom, Jesus did not compromise both His natures of sinless humanity and exalted divinity. How can we learn godly wisdom from Jesus that is controlled, submissive, full of mercy, humble, fruitful, and impartial? How can we practically act in His wisdom today?

 
14 As many were astonished at you--
    his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind--

 

1. [v.14] *Biblical principle – EXALTED IN APPEARANCE – Forever Marred as the Suffering Servant: One day every infirmity in our body will be perfectly restored to imperishable immortality (1 CORINTHIANS 15:53), but the body of Jesus will forever be marred with the scars of His great suffering to show that by His wounds, we have been healed (1 PETER 2:24). There was nothing in the appearance of Jesus that made Him attractive. “He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him” (ISAIAH 53:2). So much more undesirable will be the way His sufferings disfigured and marred His body beyond human semblance. It was not only His hands and side that were pierced, but His entire body during the beatings/scourging (LUKE 22:63-64; JOHN 19:1-3). Our scars will heal, but His scars forever remain to tell how much He loved us.
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – When Jesus brings the new heavens and new earth, we get new immortal bodies, perfectly restored without defect, pain, or tears. But why does Jesus’ body remain defective, scared, and marred forever – although it wasn’t that way before being sent to the earth? In this life, we will eventually pick up wounds that turn into scars. How can our scars become a beautiful, wonderful, and exalted appearance of Jesus’ scared face, legs, arm, back, chest, hands, feet, and thorn-pricked head?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – Both testaments of Scripture declare, “with his wounds we are healed” (ISAIAH 53:5), and “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 PETER 2:24). How is focusing on our wounds or wounding one another not the path to healing? What is the only path to wholeness in healing? How can we look off our wounds and onto His wounds?

 
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations.
    Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.

 

1. [v.15] *Biblical principle – EXALTED IN VICTORY – King of kings shutting mouths of all kings: Even as a lowly suffering servant, forever marred in appearance, Jesus Christ is exalted to the highest place of victory above all earthly kings, rulers, and authorities, where every knee will bow and mouth will confess that He is LORD. Many nations are cleansed/sprinkled by Jesus’ faithful servanthood in being the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world. Some nations may still resist His cleansing work, but the kings of all nations will one day shut their mouths in awe of seeing and understanding Jesus as King of all kings. Whether believer or unbeliever, at the name of the Servant-King Jesus, every knee – including the devil – must bow and every tongue must confess in heaven and on earth and under the earth, that Jesus Christ is Lord (PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11).
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – For God, the way up comes by first taking the way down. When the divine Son obeyed completely His eternal Father’s will to be His servant to sinners, the Father exalted His Son to such an eternally high place that no knee could ever remain unbowed, nor tongue ever remain silent that Jesus Christ is LORD (PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11). Usually, a reaction of shock comes by utter silence or scream out of fear, or sheer excitement and joy out of thankfulness. Which reaction is yours today when you behold Jesus daily in Word and prayer? Which reaction will be yours on that great and awesome day when He renews all things, bringing the new heavens, the new earth, and gifts us new bodies to reign with Christ forever?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – In what ways do we need to close our mouths? In what ways do we need to confess with our mouth? What kind of mind and mouth did Jesus have? Read the following Scriptures –
      1. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11)
      2. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 PETER 1:13)
      3. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (PHILIPPIANS 4:8)
      4. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (COLOSSIANS 3:2)
      5. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (ROMANS 8:5-6)
      6. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 CORINTHIANS 10:5)

 
The central truth of this word was –
Are you beholding this Servant and exalting in His wisdom, appearance, and victory over all of life? Jesus is not your slave to serve your selfish purposes. He is King and LORD, serving God the Father’s purpose to cleanse you and draw near to you. So Jesus drew near by wearing the full vulnerability of frail humanity, wearing the fullness of our sin and shame in our place before the wrath of God the Father against all ungodliness throughout the ages. By His actions of wisdom to draw near to our lowly place, the Father exalted Him to the highest place. Now the scars of Jesus forever retained in His body will forever speak of how our suffering Savior loved us to the end. So behold, the LORD’s Servant! Let Him be high and lifted up! Let His wisdom indwell you! Let His scars heal you! Let His cleansing flow touch you! Let His Word cause you to see, to understand what has been spoken of our Servant-King!

– *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this?
 
Group Prayer Requests
 
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5)
 
For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27)
 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7)
 
 
- Park’s (JP, Maria – Julia, Ben, Abe)
- Huh’s (John, Angela – Athena, Eliana)
- Yang’s (Beomjoo, Haemin – Doyoun)
- Choe’s (Chong, Kate – Stella)
- Park’s (Ben, Hanna – Evelyn, Louie)
- Jeng’s (Jonathan, Nara – Emma)
-  Yi’s (Jonathan, Christina – Samuel, James, Ethan)
- Gee’s (Waywah, Gloria – Emilee, Melanie)
- Kim’s (David, Josephine – Elliot, James)
- Jun’s (Kevin, Sarah – Ellie, Ella)
- Shin’s (Jay – Ethan, Ivy, Iris)
- Lee’s (Andrew, Heather – Amanda [Jake], Kristen)
- Chung’s (Chester, Ashley – Joy, Jonah)