MATTHEW 12:15-21JESUS AS GOD’S CHOSEN

SERVANT

In this passage, Matthew proclaims that Jesus’ actions demonstrate

that he is the one who fulfills Israel’s calling.

Israel was to be God’s chosen servant to the nations, but failed.

Jesus now fulfills Israel’s role – he is the “new Israel.”

Matthew 12 (ESV)15Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16and ordered them not to make him known.

• What is “this”?

• What does Jesus do? 

Matthew 12 (ESV)15Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16and ordered them not to make him known.

• What is “this”?

• What does Jesus do? 

Matthew 12 (ESV)17This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:18"Behold, my servant

whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul

is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him,    and he will proclaim justice

to the Gentiles.”

• What is “this”?

Matthew 12“19He will not quarrel or cry aloud,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;20a bruised reed he will not break,    and a smoldering wick

he will not quench,until he brings justice to

victory;21and in his name the Gentiles

will hope.”

Matthew highlights Jesus as the fulfillment of the “servant of God” described in the Old Testament.

God’s servant would:

Be God-ordained and Spirit-empowered;

Quietly bring justice and hope to the nations;

Exercise humble, compassionate ministry to the broken and oppressed.See also Isaiah 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3

John the Baptist, for one, was surprised by Jesus and his ministry:

Matthew 3- God’s chosen one would bring judgment by fire. As in Isaiah 42,

Jesus was baptized by the Spirit,

called God’s beloved,

and the one in whom God was well-pleased.

Matthew 11 – “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Why is understanding Jesus’ role as God’s servant important for us?

Because Jesus’ mission is now our mission.

God calls us as his people:

by the Spirit’s power

quietly to bring God’s justice

to all kinds of people

through humble, compassionate,

healing ministry.

Two spheres in which we seek to fulfill our God-given, Spirit-empowered mission:

In our individual lives

In our life together

In our individual lives

Our faithfulness is measured by our commitment to our primary vocation, which, like that of Jesus, is:

by the Spirit’s power

quietly to bring God’s justice

to all kinds of people

through humble, compassionate,

healing ministry.

We easily confuse our primary and secondary vocations.

In our life together

Harvest’s vision is to be a:

Christ-centered community of believers committed to biblical

worship and teaching that reaches all people,

restores them to wholeness, equips them for service,

and sends them out to reach others.

True worship always leads to mission.

Harvest’s historic four-fold worship:

GatheringWordThanksgivingSending

“May the bread on your tongue, leave a trail of crumbs,

to lead the hungry back, to the place that you are from”

Aaron Tate – Take to the World