Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high
Oh my beautiful Friends in Christ, as the old people would say: ‘wonders never cease, but daily they increase!’ And what wonder did I behold? Well, yesterday morning I was watching a college football game between Florida and Florida State, the Gators vs. the Seminoles, one of the great college ball rivalries. Anyway, as the Gators were en route to a rout of the ‘Noles, led by their most excellent quarterback, Tim Tebow, the announcers began talking about his life. It seems he’s a sincere Christian young man who handles the media circus with grace and total aplomb, and two or three times, they quoted the scriptures from Hebrews, apparently used by Tebow in his football dealings. One of the passages was Hebrews 12:1. about running with patience the race set before us. I was certainly taken aback by it. Imagine an announcer on a CBS station quoting scripture doing a ball game. Hn! What a bam bam! Praise the Lord! Although there are many other serious Christian athletes, that was mentioned only because of Tebow’s high profile in both football and Christian ministry. But Friends I’ll take it any way I can get it. But from all I’ve read and heard about him, the youngster seems to be an excellent example of servant-hood a` la Jesus; for that’s how Isaiah prophesied of Him. ‘Behold my servant…’ Yes Friends, that was Jesus’ role on earth; servant – to do His Father’s bidding, which was to suffer, to pay the consequences of our abominable sins. And note, Jesus never made anything of Himself; He always spoke of and deferred to the Father. ‘The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.’ (John 5:19) And He further clarifies His relationship to the Father. ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30) As the Lord’s servant, His vicarious suffering; meaning delegated, done for another, was terrible. He was despised, rejected, smitten of God and man, afflicted, bruised for our iniquities, wounded for our transgressions, chastised for our peace, yet by His stripes we are healed. Oh Friends, please turn to Isaiah 53:4-9 and read all the stuff Jesus suffered as the Lord’s servant on our behalf. But our God is so great, that out of all that unfair, unjust suffering, Jesus came out victorious. The Lord declared: ‘Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors: and he bare the sin of many; and made intercessions for the transgressors.’ (Isa.53:12) My people, these things were prophesied centuries before Jesus actually came to earth, and they’ve all been fulfilled. Yet the naysayers have the gall to doubt the Bible and dispute that it’s the GREATEST Book ever! That’s total madness mih people! And as our Bit states: ‘Behold, my servant shall deal prudently (prosper), he shall be exalted and extolled (lifted up), and be very high.’ And so He was, my Friends! The Lord made Him ruler over all, so that every knee would bow and every tongue confess to Him and call Him Lord. Another of Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled. (Isa.45:23) He’s become our Lord and Saviour, Our Advocate and the only way that man can come to salvation and the Father. ‘And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’ (1 John 2:1-2) Now isn’t that exalting and extolling! But mih people, ah know some of you wondering what all of that has to do with us? Well everything; everything mih breddren! And Jesus spelled it out for us; ‘but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat (the table), or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.’ (Luke 22:26-27) Oh my people, to be a follower of Jesus means to be willing to serve others with a willing, caring and humble heart, and be prepared to suffer for our beliefs, for His name’s sake. We can’t call ourselves believers if we’re not willing to put on the lowly mantle of servant-hood as our Saviour did. And that doesn’t mean in a lowly, servile fashion, but with a proud, uplifting attitude. The early Christians called themselves servants of God and of Jesus. Therein they showed their willingness to completely depend upon God and obey His Word fully. ‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’ (James 1:1-3) That’s how James greets his readers, along with the solid advice that whenever trials beset them, they should consider it joyous, cause it tests their faith and increases their patience, their maturity in Christ. Oh Friends, the same holds true for all believers today. If we’re a follower of Jesus, then we should follow His example of suffering, by obeying the Word, even when it doesn’t seem right, fair or just. It’s the only way to grow and mature in our faith. And as I keep reminding us, true Christianity is not an easy row to hoe, but if we’re serious, with Jesus’ help, through the guidance and direction of His Holy Spirit that indwells us, we too can come out victorious from our trials and tribulations, just like He did. A believer’s life might be hard, but remember mih people, our God is GOOD. Much LOVE!…come follow, follow…follow Jesus…the truest servant ever…
Oh my beautiful Friends in Christ, as the old people would say: ‘wonders never cease, but daily they increase!’ And what wonder did I behold? Well, yesterday morning I was watching a college football game between Florida and Florida State, the Gators vs. the Seminoles, one of the great college ball rivalries. Anyway, as the Gators were en route to a rout of the ‘Noles, led by their most excellent quarterback, Tim Tebow, the announcers began talking about his life. It seems he’s a sincere Christian young man who handles the media circus with grace and total aplomb, and two or three times, they quoted the scriptures from Hebrews, apparently used by Tebow in his football dealings. One of the passages was Hebrews 12:1. about running with patience the race set before us. I was certainly taken aback by it. Imagine an announcer on a CBS station quoting scripture doing a ball game. Hn! What a bam bam! Praise the Lord! Although there are many other serious Christian athletes, that was mentioned only because of Tebow’s high profile in both football and Christian ministry. But Friends I’ll take it any way I can get it. But from all I’ve read and heard about him, the youngster seems to be an excellent example of servant-hood a` la Jesus; for that’s how Isaiah prophesied of Him. ‘Behold my servant…’ Yes Friends, that was Jesus’ role on earth; servant – to do His Father’s bidding, which was to suffer, to pay the consequences of our abominable sins. And note, Jesus never made anything of Himself; He always spoke of and deferred to the Father. ‘The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.’ (John 5:19) And He further clarifies His relationship to the Father. ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30) As the Lord’s servant, His vicarious suffering; meaning delegated, done for another, was terrible. He was despised, rejected, smitten of God and man, afflicted, bruised for our iniquities, wounded for our transgressions, chastised for our peace, yet by His stripes we are healed. Oh Friends, please turn to Isaiah 53:4-9 and read all the stuff Jesus suffered as the Lord’s servant on our behalf. But our God is so great, that out of all that unfair, unjust suffering, Jesus came out victorious. The Lord declared: ‘Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors: and he bare the sin of many; and made intercessions for the transgressors.’ (Isa.53:12) My people, these things were prophesied centuries before Jesus actually came to earth, and they’ve all been fulfilled. Yet the naysayers have the gall to doubt the Bible and dispute that it’s the GREATEST Book ever! That’s total madness mih people! And as our Bit states: ‘Behold, my servant shall deal prudently (prosper), he shall be exalted and extolled (lifted up), and be very high.’ And so He was, my Friends! The Lord made Him ruler over all, so that every knee would bow and every tongue confess to Him and call Him Lord. Another of Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled. (Isa.45:23) He’s become our Lord and Saviour, Our Advocate and the only way that man can come to salvation and the Father. ‘And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’ (1 John 2:1-2) Now isn’t that exalting and extolling! But mih people, ah know some of you wondering what all of that has to do with us? Well everything; everything mih breddren! And Jesus spelled it out for us; ‘but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat (the table), or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.’ (Luke 22:26-27) Oh my people, to be a follower of Jesus means to be willing to serve others with a willing, caring and humble heart, and be prepared to suffer for our beliefs, for His name’s sake. We can’t call ourselves believers if we’re not willing to put on the lowly mantle of servant-hood as our Saviour did. And that doesn’t mean in a lowly, servile fashion, but with a proud, uplifting attitude. The early Christians called themselves servants of God and of Jesus. Therein they showed their willingness to completely depend upon God and obey His Word fully. ‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’ (James 1:1-3) That’s how James greets his readers, along with the solid advice that whenever trials beset them, they should consider it joyous, cause it tests their faith and increases their patience, their maturity in Christ. Oh Friends, the same holds true for all believers today. If we’re a follower of Jesus, then we should follow His example of suffering, by obeying the Word, even when it doesn’t seem right, fair or just. It’s the only way to grow and mature in our faith. And as I keep reminding us, true Christianity is not an easy row to hoe, but if we’re serious, with Jesus’ help, through the guidance and direction of His Holy Spirit that indwells us, we too can come out victorious from our trials and tribulations, just like He did. A believer’s life might be hard, but remember mih people, our God is GOOD. Much LOVE!…come follow, follow…follow Jesus…the truest servant ever…
SCRIP-BITS 