January 8, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 12:15-21
OBSERVATIONS
My sense of Jesus is that He was not a trouble-seeker, not aggressive or militant or pushy (just saw a National Geographic special last night on an cult called the Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps, so unlike Jesus). When they plot against Him, He retreats. He does not flaunt His power but makes every effort to keep things quiet, low key. He is not hiding anything, He does what He does in the open. But He is not unnecessarily provocative or aggressive. He is not instigating rebellion, He is not advocating political or religious revolution. His teaching is revolutionary, but not because He is militant or aggressive.
Matthew sees this as evidence that He is the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Jewish hope as expressed in Isaiah 42:1-4. This is how God’s chosen and loved servant is, and this is how we ought to be. Jesus is the yardstick for knowing Who God is, and Who His followers are to be. Though following Jesus will turn the world upside down (or right side up), we are not to be revolutionary in the wrong sense. We need to be known in the same way as Jesus, as people who are extremely gentle with the broken (bruised reed) and almost burnt out (smoldering wick).
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
Jesus is God’s object lesson of the kind of servant God loves. He is what we were supposed to be (ie what Adam and Eve were created to be), and what He is restoring us to be. This way of life (the fruit of the Spirit life, the Jesus life, the kingdom life, the Adam life) is what leads to Jesus’ death – because He goes against the grain of the sinful, selfish life – but it is also what leads to His vindication and resurrection. He resists and defeats Satan, and brings back Adam (humanity) to the throne of creation, and everyone who believes and follows Him, joins with Him in His victory. This is the good news!
Now, like Jesus, we have been anointed with the Spirit, Who produces this same fruit (lifestyle) in us. Now we are called and equipped to live as the kind of servants God loves, the kind of people who are extremely gentle with the broken (bruised reed) and almost burnt out (smoldering wick). This is where too often Christians fail. We (collectively) have often been more like the Pharisees, or the Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps. Critical and judgmental, unconcerned about the needy, pushy with our evangelism, drawing attention to all our ‘good deeds’.
We are not saved BY being like Jesus, but we are saved FOR being like Jesus. If we are not increasingly, more and more, like Him, then we are either resisting His Spirit, or showing that we do not really know or follow Him.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Jesus, I am sorry where I do not represent You well. Thank You for Your Spirit, Who is helping me through conviction and correction to change. May I be known as someone who is extremely gentle with the broken (bruised reed) and almost burnt out (smoldering wick).
Jesus became aware that his life was in danger. He moves on, keeping a low profile, yet continuing to have a following and healing people. Even though he told people not to spread the news about who he was, I am sure that when great things are happening, and healings are taking place, that people would soon know exactly where he was. Jesus continued with his mission in spite of the plots against him.
According to Isaiah, this mission was to proclaim justice to the nations. He did not come to quarrel and cry out. As a follower of Jesus, I need to proclaim justice. What does this mean for me? Certainly I can take my queue from these verses and not try to argue or quarrel in order to get others to see my way.
I see the verses about a bruised reed and smouldering wick as Jesus being gentle with those who are bruised, desperate, and just hanging on. Jesus is there to help and support the down trodden in life, and he will not break the bruised reed or put out a smouldering wick. Not only that He will lead justice to victory. Justice will prevail. Justice is a big topic, and one that is often not thought about. As I look into this topic more over the next month, this may take on more importance for me. I am not sure yet how this fits for me.
In his name the nations will put their hope. This has become the case in many places. I pray that in my life I will put my hope in His name. I pray that I will be there with Jesus as He leads justice to victory. I pray that I will be gentle and not break the bruised reed or put out a smouldering wick.
Observations:
Jesus withdrew rather than confront. And He told the ones healed not to tell other, for His time had not yet come. As the passage continues to quote Isaiah, ‘Jesus is the One I love . . . I will put My Spirit on Him.’
Having God’s Spirit, He continued to proclaim the Good News – not with force or crying out – but to all who had ears – they could hear. Even with the opposition of the religious leaders – the reed they could not break, nor the smoldering wick put out. Rather it fanned into flame and it continues to burn to this day for all to see. He is victorious and I serve a risen Saviour this day!
Application:
I am reminded once again of the text – ‘as far as it depends upon me, live at peace with all mankind.’Romans (12:18) God will have His way and it is not through war or conquest or heated debate or ‘dumb’ arguments or . . . He will have the victory. The method Christ used to silence the enemy is still the way today. Just go about doing His work without fanfare or force – like an army the people thought of during His time to free them from the Romans. We need, I need to go about His business with the same temper and conduct – to be more and more like Him. WWJD! SpiritLead. GodStrong.
Prayer:
Lord, make me an example of your peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.