Worship Preparation Guide for Sunday, January 29

Worship Preparation Guide for Sunday, January 29

Sermon Text: Isaiah 42

Sing to the LORD a new song, 

his praise from the end of the earth,

you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, 

the coastlands and their inhabitants. Isaiah 42:10

A student once asked Bonaventure, the medieval Franciscan teacher, "Why don't men love God more?" And he answered, "They don't love him because they don't know him." (Quoted by J Piper 3/23/1986)

As you prepare for worship I encourage you to read Isaiah 42.  Pay close attention to what is said about the Servant (vv1-4, 10-16), and what is said to the Servant (vv 6-9).  Notice his attributes, his characteristics; the way he serves and the worship he receives.

By doing this you will know Jesus more.  When you know him more you will love him more.  As your love for him grows so does your reverence and awe of him.  Love, reverence and awe are all essential for worship that is acceptable and pleasing to God (Hebrews 12:28). 

As I considered these characteristics I also thought about the contrasts that are seen in the life and ministry of Christ Jesus.  For instance,

He is the Servant, and he is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14, 19:16)

He is chosen and called by God, yet he was also forsaken for the sake of sinners like me (Matthew 27:46)

He is God the Father’s delight, yet he was despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3)

He is the justice of God, yet he was killed by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23)

He is filled with the Spirit of God, yet he is co-equal with God (John 10:30, 17:5)

He is gentle, yet he will strike down the nations and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15)

He is faithful towards us in all he does, even when I am faithless (2 Timothy 2:13)

He is a light for the nations – the light of the world, yet he experienced the darkness of being separated from God the Father as he hung on the cross (Luke 23:44)

Carefully and prayerfully read Isaiah 42.  Meditate on what you are hearing from God and who you are seeing. 

The One you see, the One we will worship this Sunday is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), and he is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29) 

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying,

                  “Worthy are you to take the scroll

                                    and to open its seals,

                  for you were slain, 

and by your blood you ransomed people for God

                                    from every tribe and language 

and people and nation, (Revelation 5:5-9)