Together in Christ: 'My Servant' — Isaiah 41:9-10

Our verses today are part of the four "Servant of the Lord" songs found in Isaiah. ^[1] These songs compose one of the prophetic streams about the Messiah that Jesus used to identify Himself and New Testament writers applied to Him. ^[2] Rather than coming as a conquering ruler, Jesus came as God's servant, sent by the Father to seek and save the lost. ^[3] He did not come claiming His divine and royal privileges but instead chose to serve all people. ^[4]

The words of our passage were written originally for Israel to remind God's people of their role as His servant and His witness to the nations. They were to serve and give witness to God's goodness even in the face of great difficulty: He promised He would be with, strengthen, and help them as they did. God would make them victorious. Israel refused to embrace this role. Jesus came and fulfilled God's intentions for His servant. So, these words became the Father's words of reassurance to the Messiah, His Son, as He endured horrible abuse, legal unfairness, and crucifixion. Yet, God never abandoned Him. ^[5] Jesus ultimately triumphed over sin, death, and hell through His resurrection. ^[6] Jesus then sent His disciples on a mission to the world promising them His help, power, and presence. ^[7]

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ^[8]

We can embrace Jesus' mission for us to be His servants to the lost around us and declare His goodness and grace. God wants all people to come to Him and embrace Jesus as their Savior and serve Him as their Lord! ^[9] We have been placed in the world to bless the people around us and help them find their way home to God. While most of our closest friends may be believers, we realize that we have been remade in Christ Jesus to enter the world to bless it - including the unbelievers in it - with God's grace as Jesus did. That means making friends and genuinely caring for our neighbors! ^[10]