"God's Goal For Your Life"
Weekend of March 15, 1998
Sermon on Isaiah 42: 1-8
Saint Mark's, Watertown
Pastor Karl Walther
The Scriptures declare: Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Amen.
The Word of the Lord for our special consideration this morning is Isaiah chapter forty-two, verses one through eight. There God the Father says regarding God the Son, Jesus Christ:
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.
This is what God the LORD says -- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."
I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
This is God's Spirit-inspired Word of Jesus Christ.
Introduction: Survey Of People's Goals For Their Lives
Dear fellow Christians-- whose lives God directs and empowers:
What's the goal of your life? What are you aiming for in your existence?
Let's admit it: that's an important question-- and a question I bet we don't often really consider.... So this morning, I'd like you to clear your mind of all your other concerns and consider with me: What's the goal of your life? What are you aiming for in your existence?
° Are you aiming for success on your job? A higher position, a higher salary, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it-- is that your goal in life?
° Or: are you aiming for the survival of your family? A decent marriage, reasonable children, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with these things-- is that your goal in life?
° Maybe you're a little bit younger and still in school. Is getting out of school your goal in life? Do you live for the day that there are no more classes, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks?
° Or maybe you're a little bit older now and retired. Is maintaining your health and your independence your goal in life? Do you live one day at a time, hoping you can continue to live on your own?
What's the goal of your life? What are you aiming for in your existence? ...Well, friend, let me suggest to you that as a Christian: you have one main goal in your life, and you have a secondary goal that proceeds from it.
• Your main goal in life is to be gained by Jesus Christ for eternal life. It's as Jesus said in this morning's Gospel reading: This is eternal life: that they may know you, Father, the only true God-- and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Your main goal in life is to end life with confidence in Christ. This is true whether you are student, parent, employee or retiree.
• And your secondary goal in life is rather similar: to gain others for eternal life through Jesus Christ. It's as Paul and Barnabas said in this morning's Epistle Reading: This is what the Lord has commanded us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." Your secondary goal in life is to bring many others to end their lives with confidence in Christ. This is true whether you are student, parent, fast food worker, factory worker, secretary, v.p., or retiree.
Theme: God's Goal For Your Life
And it's really a combination of those two goals: being gained for Christ and gaining others for Christ-- it's really a combination of those two goals that comes into focus in God's Word to us today. Here the Lord lays out: GOD'S GOAL FOR YOUR LIFE. First of all: GOD DIRECTS YOU TO GAIN OTHERS (JUST AS HE DIRECTED JESUS TO GAIN YOU). And secondly: GOD GUIDES YOU TO GAIN OTHERS (JUST AS HE GUIDED JESUS TO GAIN YOU).
Part #1: God Directs You To Gain Others--Just As He Directed Jesus
Now, God's Word to us today: the first eight verses of Isaiah, chapter forty-two-- God's Word to us today is the first of four "servant songs" in the book of Isaiah. In these "servant songs", it's not the Prophet Isaiah talking any more; it's God talking: regarding the saving work of the Servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Along those lines, God the Father begins by saying: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him.
Of course, God the Father is speaking of Jesus Christ. He was his Father's only perfect servant. He was uniquely his Father's chosen one. And from the time he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, to the time he was baptized in the presence of the Holy Spirit, to all the many times the Bible says the Holy Spirit empowered him, God put his Spirit on Jesus Christ.
But because we are Christ-ians, all of this applies to us in a secondary sense. We are God's servants. We are God's chosen ones. He put his Spirit on us in baptism. And it means we have to listen very attentively to Jesus' mission: because Christ's mission has become a Christian's mission, too.
And what is Jesus' mission? The Lord replies right here: He will bring justice to the nations. And just a few verses later, God reiterates that: In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.
So, Jesus' mission was to bring justice to the nations. And he surely did so! Jesus brought judgment upon your every apathetic yawn toward his word; Jesus suffered God's judgment for your sins. Jesus brought judgment upon your every lazy failure to pray; Jesus suffered God's judgment for your sins. Jesus brought judgment upon your every allegiance to others; Jesus suffered God's judgment for your sins. And by behaving and obeying in your place, Jesus brought God's righteous verdict upon your life: you are right in God's sight-- for Jesus' sake.
Jesus' mission was to bring justice to you and all nations. So, your mission is to bring justice to the nations, too! Jesus says to you: "I have given you eternal life; now: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them." Jesus says to you: "I have given you eternal life; now: Preach the good news to all creation." Jesus says to you: "I have given you eternal life; now: You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth." And don't be objecting, "But I'm not a pastor; I'm not a parochial school teacher; this isn't my job"-- because what God says here he says to all Christians. Your goal is to gain others for Christ!
• Students, your goal is to gain others for Christ! That means that you do your best: listening in class and studying outside of class. You do your best in that way not to bring glory to you, but to Jesus. You behave: inside class and outside class. You do it not to avoid punishment, but to bring honor to Jesus. And as opportunity presents itself, you speak up about Jesus. You explain that all this world's problems stem from sin-- and that Jesus alone is the solution to that sin.
• Parents: parents, your goal is to gain others for Christ! That means -- more than anything else! -- you get God's Word to your children. It means that, if they're young, you read them Bible stories. It means that, if they're a little older, maybe you have them read you the Bible-- maybe the daily readings from our bulletin, or maybe a chapter a day from the Bible, or maybe the "Meditations" booklet. It means that you use all your loving influence to come to church as an entire family. It means that the way you solve disputes in your family has you -- more than anything else! -- confessing your sins to one another, and speaking forgiveness to one another. And when you're not in the home, it means that you are working or recreating in an effort to support your family so that it in turn can gain others for Christ.
• Workers: workers, your goal is to gain others for Christ! That means that you forgive your boss when he wrongs you-- and you explain it's because Christ has forgiven you. It means that you forgive your fellow workers-- and you express it's because Christ has forgiven you. It means that you listen to the boss-- just as you listen to your real Boss, the Lord. It means that you seek to serve your fellow workers-- just as your Savior did for you. It means that you publicly express your confidence in Christ. And it means that even when you're just earning your wages, you're aiming to provide necessary shelter, food, transportation-- or generous offerings: because it's offerings that serve to spread the Word of the Lord to the world. And if we're honest with ourselves, in view of our Savior's mercy, we can afford to give very generous offerings to him.
• Now retirees: retirees, your goal is to gain others for Christ! Sure, you may not have the money you used to have (and then again: you might...). But you do have a certain extra "elbow room" in your schedule. Use that for Jesus! Use it to pray. I'm convinced that all of what God's church gets done does get done because God has engendered and answered the prayers of his people. You be his warrior in prayer. And use your time to work for Christ. Honestly, we can put you to work here-- just volunteer to a pastor or to the office at church or at school. And use your time to speak for Christ. Spend time with others to such an extent that you're able to address them on their relationship to Jesus.
Part #2: God Guides You To Gain Others--Just As He Guided Jesus
So friend, Christ's mission was to bring justice to the nations. That has meant to you eternal life. Now, your mission is to gain others for Christ. And you might well ask, "Does God have any guidance for me, as I do this?" The answer is: Yes! God wants you to gain others gently. And God wants you to gain others courageously.
God wants you to gain others gently. Consider how Jesus won others for eternal life. In God's Word to us today, the Father described him this way: He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. That's the gentle way Jesus carried on his work.
Jesus didn't shout or cry out or raise his voice. Jesus knew that the way God operates is gently to lay out the truth: our sins and our Savior-- and then the Holy Spirit quietly enters hearts and convinces them of Christ. In fact, that's exactly the way Jesus gently gained you to himself....
Furthermore: Jesus was so gentle, he refused so much as to break off a bruised reed of a person. Think of the gentle way he led the Samaritan woman: from wanting a drink, to acknowledging all of her sexual sins, to recognizing Jesus as her Savior, to an entirely new life. Not only so: Jesus was so gentle, he refused so much as to blow out a barely glowing candle. Think of the gentle way he led Nicodemus from wanting to learn, to acknowledging the sinfulness with which he was born, to recognizing baptism as the washing away of sin, to his entirely new life.
• And it's the same way with our work. God wants us to win others gently. When we lay out this world's fundamental truths: that sin is this world's chief problem, and that Jesus is the Savior from sin -- in short time or long, those truths win others' souls. We don't lose our patience, and we don't lose our temper. We simply proclaim to others, repeatedly, their sin and their Savior.
God wants you to gain others gently. And God wants you to gain others courageously. Consider the encouragement Christ had. In God's Word to us today, the Father promised it this way: This is what God the LORD says -- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it (the one with all authority in heaven and on earth): "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. (Jesus, I will empower you for your work.) I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people (Israel) and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are (sinfully) blind, to free captives from (their sinful) prison and to release from the (sinful) dungeon those who sit in (sinful) darkness. Not only so, but: I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
See: that's the way Jesus carried on his work: with full faith in his omnipotent Father, the only true God. Think of the way Jesus courageously sought the Samaritan woman-- although she was a foreigner of the opposite gender. Think of the way Jesus courageously sought Nicodemus-- although he belonged to the sect which would so soon look to kill Jesus.
• And it's the same way with our work. God wants us to win others courageously. We know the fundamentals of our faith: we are sinners; Jesus is our Savior. And we have the full authority of the Almighty backing that testimony of ours. So, courageously we speak up in class. Courageously we speak up at work. Courageously we speak up at home. And courageously we speak up in our community.
Conclusion: God's Goal For Life Is Eternal Life-- For You & Many Others
So friend, what's the goal of your life? What are you aiming for in your existence?
While you might have an eye on your success at work or on the survival of your family, while you might be aiming for your independence: new or continued, your real goal in life is eternal life-- both for you and many others.
Jesus has gained that for you. Now, you go and gain others for him. And if you'd like a little extra help, we might just be able to provide that in classes this spring.... Amen.
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of service. And that's what the Scriptures declare. Amen.