The Gentle Servant Who Brings Justice (Mt. 12:15-21)
Here’s my sermon from this past Sunday, November 5th, from Matthew 12:15-21. You can also listen to the audio here.
Want to know how to keep a guy humble? Give him a woman he couldn’t pin for three seconds if three million dollars were on the line. That’s my Amy, if you didn’t know. Perfect for church planting. Extremely hard to control. Back before we started dating, in her pre-Christian days, a guy started yelling at her as she was pumping some gas. Catcalls turned into cusswords, and then, suddenly she had had enough. She dropped the nozzle, walked over to the guy, and punched him right in the face. Shock spread across his face as blood began to gush out of his nose. Days later, he called her family phone. He threatened to sue. And her brother made fun of him on the line. They never heard from him again. That’s my wife. I joke that our security team is 50% there to keep our people safe. And also 50% there to keep Amy from getting involved. Walk in here all tough, and you might just get punched in the face. By the pastor’s wife!
As we look at our lives, and the struggles we go through, isn’t that how we’re tempted to respond? Don’t we really wish we could somehow fight back? Or that we’d have someone come along and defend our cause? Maybe raise his voice for us? Or throw some punches perhaps? I think we do. We want rescue. We want relief. We want healing. We deeply desire justice. But we find in our Bibles that it all comes about in a quite different way. And we see it so clearly here in Matthew 12:15-21.
A couple of weeks ago, Aaron walked us through the verses right before. And we saw the Pharisees about to throw punches at Jesus. The Lord had called into question their teachings on their Law. And He had really undermined their authority. And that had left them angry and offended. But more than anything, He hadn’t met their expectations. For the Messiah that would come. And bring justice to their land.
Conspiring to Destroy Jesus the King
So verse 14 says they conspire, and they’re ready to destroy Jesus. This is why verse 15 says that the Lord withdraws. Now Jesus isn’t scared. He’s not running from pain. It’s just not yet the time for Him to die. There’s too much teaching left for Him to do. So He tries to get away.
But withdrawing for Jesus never works out too well. The crowds keep on His heels. They continue to hound. And there’s plenty of healing still to do, also. And He can’t help but show compassion. Matthew says, “Many followed him, and he healed them all.” But, as a result, the people continue to get worked up. And this explains these puzzling words in verse 16.
Matthew says Christ “ordered them not to make him known.” What? Why? Jesus does’t want His miracles to be the focus. And He doesn’t want to keep feeding their wrong expectations. That He’s a Messiah that will kick butt and take names. That He’d ride into town, mounted on His great white horse, and take out all their enemies. Those that had stolen their land and had oppressed them for years. You know, really smash some Roman faces. More and more miracles would just work up those crowds. If the Pharisees didn’t kill Him, the Romans sure would. So Jesus tells them to keep things quiet. But we all know how well that works out.
Now we can look at the Pharisees, as well as these crowds, and sit in judgment on them. But are we really that much different? We want our trials dealt with. Justice. Relief. We want it in our way. Want heads to roll. Skulls to get smashed. And today, preferably. Plus, we want it for our tribe. Our people. Who look and talk like us. We do. We want the same kind of King. Don’t we?
But Matthew here says Christ’s works fulfill some Old Testament words. And those verses here tell us what our King is really supposed to be like. Isaiah says our Lord is a servant. And we can go to Him ourselves in order to be healed.
In verses 18 through 21, we see this extended quotation. And it comes from Isaiah chapter 42, verses 1 through 4. This is one of four sections in that book that have come to be called Servant Songs. They point ahead to our King, to Jesus. Verse 17 says, “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.” The “this” references the two verses before. But the question you may have dancing in your brains is this: how? How does Jesus withdrawing from the Pharisees, continuing to heal and telling the crowds to keep it on the DL - how does this “fulfill” the words from Isaiah 42? What in the world does this quotation from Isaiah have to do with what we see Jesus doing here?
I remember visiting some others pastors at a church over in Kansas City. They’d also been given an older building - just like us. And they had saved some of the artifacts that had been left behind. One of the pastors had one of them displayed. And I’m not kidding. It was this picture of this extra buff or swole or ripped - or whatever they say these days - this super muscular Jesus, and no joke, He was riding on what looked like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. This is what someone at some point thought Jesus looked like. Now I won’t get into this, but that reminds us of the problem with drawing portraits of God at all. And it’s why the second commandment tells us to stay away with that. We diminish His glory. We get things wrong.
Matthew here is telling us Jesus isn’t that kind of King - who doles out punches and breathes out fire. That the Jews there really wanted. A picture they’d learned as much as anything from Rome. He doesn’t fit the vision they had for their Messiah. Maybe hung on their walls. Maybe dancing in their heads. Matthew says, “What you’re seeing Jesus here do - this is the kind of Messiah God said would be coming. Back in Isaiah. He’s a Servant.”
Behold the Servant
This quotation from Isaiah, that starts in verse 18, begins with this word “behold.” I want us to see Him together today. I want us to take Him in, with our hearts - in a life changing way. Yes, this Messiah will one day be a conquering King. He will come back and give us relief from our enemies.
But before that, He’s a suffering servant. He gives of Himself, and ultimately His life. He “came not to be served but to serve,” as He says elsewhere, “and to give His life as a ransom for ‘many.’ (Mark 10:45).” This is God’s “chosen” One, it says, to do the Father’s will. And He is His “beloved with whom (His) soul is well pleased.” If you didn’t catch it, Matthew words this in a way that sounds an awful lot like two big events in Christ’s life. Isn’t this what the Father says at His Son’s baptism - when He’s anointed with the “Spirit” to take on this ministry? We saw that back in chapter 3. And later we’ll see it’s what He says at Christ’s transfiguration. That’ll be over in chapter 17. But here, I want you to see three things this passage teaches us about this Servant.
The Servant Brings Justice
First, He brings justice. That’s what He comes to do. Verse 18: “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.” And also in verse 20: He “brings justice to victory.” One day, Jesus is going to make everything wrong right once again. That’s what Isaiah 42 had promised.
But here’s a thought. Jesus in healing is fulfilling these words. But the emphasis of the words in this song is justice. What does justice have to do with that? Maybe a lot. We often talk about two kinds of evil - that we encounter here in this fallen world. Moral evil. Bad people doing bad stuff. Sins people do. And the suffering that results. But also, there’s natural evil. Stuff that happens that wasn’t meant to be. Things like tornadoes and tsunamis and forest fires and floods. But also, fatal car accidents and viruses and heart attacks and cancers.
None of that is what God intended. None of that is right. And Jesus is going to fix it all one day. It may be justice is even a bigger idea than we think. As R.T. France puts it, justice denotes the “the setting right of whatever is not as it should be, ‘the complete establishing of the will of God.’” Yes, we experience some of that justice here and now. But one day, He’ll make all that pain go away. Fully and forever. That’s our hope, church. Healings here. Healings to come. The One Isaiah had spoken about, all those many years ago, the Servant, has come. Behold the One who brings justice.
He Brings Justice with Gentleness
Second, He does it with gentleness. Again, this confounded all their expectations. And it still shocks us even today. Hear these words in verses 19 and 20.
Matthew 12:19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
Matthew 12:20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
This is the how - how that justice comes about. See how He spreads His kingdom. Through gentleness. It doesn’t come through screaming and fighting. He works quietly, in small, subtle ways - gently. That’s what verse 19 shows us.
But also see how He serves its citizens. These two metaphors - the “bruised reed” and the “smoldering wick” - they remind us how gently He deals with us. Jesus doesn’t come over to the plant that’s bent and toppling over - and push it until it snaps. No, he supports it. He lifts us. And helps us to heal. Those who have been hurt. Those who’ve been abused. He handles us with care. He’s extra gentle. That’s this Servant, our Kings.
He doesn’t walk over to candle or lamp, that’s just about to go out. He doesn’t give it a big puff or quench it with his fingers. No. He keeps it aflame. He helps us to shine. He won’t let darkness overtake those who are His. If our faith is weak, if we’re barely hanging on, He’s drawn to us. He won’t push us down. He’ll lift us up. Jesus comes this way to those then oppressed by Rome and weighted down by those Pharisees. And He preaches words of hope. And dispenses doses of justice. In a surprising way. And He comes for us now, too. Behold the Servant who is gentle!
Justice for the Gentiles
Third, He brings this justice - with gentleness - to the Gentiles. We’ve seen the what - justice. We’ve heard the how - gentleness. This is the who - the Gentiles, the world. We’ve seen this in verse 18. “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.” We also see it in verse 21, the other “bracket” for this section. “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.” This is for the world.
The Pharisees and the crowds, they had Israel on their minds. Their tribe. And theirs alone. But Jesus had much bigger things in store. The world. The nations. The “other.” The outcasts. Every tribe, tongue, and nation. The people in the margins. Not too many here who have Israelite in their blood. And not many here who have it all together. Jesus came for us, Karis.
He cares about the immigrant, the Palestinian getting bombed, the Russian solider dropping the bombs. The addict on the streets, the trader in a Wall Street high-rise, the kid on the island who’s never heard.
In another Servant Song, in Isaiah 49:6, the Father says of His Son, “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” The Servant brings justice through gentleness for the Gentiles. Behold Him, Karis. The One who came for the world.
Abiding in Jesus
Now preaching is a lot easier and better when my heart’s engaged with the passage. Big surprise, huh? But times I take off a few weeks in a row, I kind of have to relearn how to ride a bike again. And it’s easy to get too focused on the mechanics - the outline, the points, the words, the theme. Here’s how I got my heart connected to these words. And I want to share it with you. It’s by Robert Cheong. It’s a method of Bible study, a way to abide with Jesus. How to open up the Bible and come away changed.
As we come to the Lord in worship, we bring our realities, our circumstances and struggles, along with how we're processing through them in our minds, hearts, and bodies. In our fallen, sinful flesh, we process them in unhelpful ways, believing lies and cherishing idols.
This exercise helps us work through what we bring to God's word. It opens us up to healing and hope, as we hear how God speaks into those realities with His truth and grace. It’s helpful to start by honestly answering questions like these:
What have I been thinking about or dwelling on? What lies am I believing?
Given my reality, what am I experiencing in my heart and soul?
Given my reality, what am I experiencing in my body?
What do I want or desire in my flesh?
Given my reality, how do I see God and relate to him in my flesh?
So we tell the Lord what we’re thinking and feeling - in our hearts and our bodies. And we ask Him to speak words of hope to us. We prayerfully read a passage of Scripture, ideally more than once. And then we try to answer questions like these:
How is God shepherding me from this passage? What are God’s promises here?
Given the truths and realities in this passage, what am I experiencing in my heart and soul?
How is my body responding to how God is speaking to me from His word and stirring my heart?
How is God inviting me to live differently?
What does all the above say about God and his relationship with me?
Now as I was walking through that exercise, this is what hit me. There’s been a lot of pain the past several years. Do I really believe that these words are for me? Do I really believe God is going to make things right? And do I really trust that Jesus is handling me with care? The Lord wants me to! I experienced Him speaking this over me as I went through this this past week.
I encourage you to try this exercise for yourself - for this passage and others. But what about you? You with broken relationships. Struggling with sickness. Victimized by abuse. Mired in poverty. Bullied on the playground. Do you believe Jesus will one day make things right? That He’ll heal you and bring justice?
And do you believe Christ is being gentle with you? In your circumstances, in your struggles? Can you trust that He’s handling you with care? That He’s not trying to hurt you? That He’s seeking to transform you? Do you believe your struggles come from His sovereign hand? And that He’s good and gentle and kind?
Do you believe that friend? Jesus wants you to. He wants you to behold Him, to worship Him - the gentle one, who’ll bring justice, to gentiles like us. To the broken and bruised, the helpless, the weak. And He wants you to believe Him, too - to trust what He says. To have it move and warm your heart. This is the gentleness of the Servant. He welcomes us in our weakness. And calls us to run to - and find rest - in Him.
I began talking about my wife and her punching back in the day. Over the past few years, she’s felt like she’s the one who’s gotten punched. Over and over. And I’ve felt the same way, walking by her side. Multiple surgeries and rounds of chemo and radiation. All during COVID. While doing gospel ministry during really turbulent times. For us it’s easier to believe that God is in control. That He’ll make all things right. Trusting that He’s good - that’s the tougher part for sure. That He’s kind and gentle. That He’s not just throwing punches. What about you?
Matthew here says that Jesus is a Gentle servant. Who’ll one day bring justice for you and for me. We may not always understand what His hands are doing. But we can trust that He’s working for our good.
Sent as His Servants
Now Isaiah again called our Jesus the King. And Matthew says in verse 15 that “many followed him.” And we still receive that invitation today. But we can see the full picture of who our Messiah is. And we see that He is a Servant. And this should change not only our expectations for the future, but our purpose for our lives today. It’s not just about Him taking away our trials, in our way, and for our tribe.
Briefly, I want us to think about how we live this out in the world. He, the Servant, welcomes us in our weakness. But He also sends us out in His strength, as servants - to run out, and represent Him. What type of person goes out, spreading the kingdom, and serving those around them, who seeks justice with gentleness? Someone who has a Father in heaven. Who has a deep confidence in Him.
Now we’re not the eternal Son of God. Don’t misunderstand me. But aren’t those words in verse 18, in a sense, also true of us? If we’re believers, we are His “chosen.” We’re also His “beloved” ones. He looks at us and His “soul is also well pleased.” He, also, has “put (His) Spirit upon (us).” And realizing all that will free us up to live before those around us in a completely different way.
It’s not just about our trials - and making them go away. With Jesus, we have a new passion. That of justice. We long for it - for ourselves and our world. And one day, it will come. But until then, we want to spread His justice to those all around us. Thabiti Anyabwile defines justice as “doing the right thing for the right people at the right time in the right way to the right extent.” If we’re citizens of His kingdom, we’ll seek justice, just like our King.
But we don’t get rid of those troubles by our own hands, in our way. The kingdom comes less with punches as with prayer. We have a new posture, one of gentleness, like Jesus - in how we spread the kingdom. In how we serve those around us. We’ll be known for meekness more than might. We won’t be the loud people on social media, the crazy people at the school board meetings. We won’t be screaming about our rights. We’ll be thinking about the needs of others. We’ll be gentle like Jesus.
Talking about how we deal gently with one another, I love this quote from Scott Smith:
“A sign you’re growing in grace. Bruised reeds and smoking flax (the hurting) love it when you show up.” (Scotty Smith)
Would this be said of us?
We also don’t make things just about our tribe. We will care about the “other,” the weak, the marginalized, the least, the last, the lost. We’ll want justice for them. And we’ll minister to them with care. We have a new people, a bigger family we care about - and want to add to - from the nations, from the margins.
This is the way of the King. This is the way of His kingdom. His passion for justice. His posture of gentleness. For His people - the Gentiles - the nations of the world. He is a Servant.
Teju Cole, in his book Open City, talks about the Statue of Liberty, a place I was at just about a week ago. Up until 1902, it was a working lighthouse. But the flame in the torch disoriented birds. And many flying creatures met their end by slamming into the statue. They could somehow navigate the big buildings. The torch, however, was really dangerous to them. One morning, in fact, in 1888, some 1400 birds were found - wedged in the crown, smashed into the balcony, dead around the pedestal. Cole uses it as an illustration of how our nation can both attract and destroy immigrants. What about us, church? Do we welcome the nations among us? Do we help them to thrive?
The people of Israel have argued that the Servant Songs are talking about their nation. But Christians have always said that they point ahead to Jesus the Messiah. But the reality is that the answer is probably that they refer to both. That nation was meant to be this kind of servant. But they failed. They rebelled. And they turned away from their call. Jesus came and lived it out perfectly. And now He’s forming a new nation, disciples like us. And He’s turning us into servants, as well. To those who’ll do what we read back in Matthew chapter 5, living as the “light of the world,” letting our “light shine before others” - seeking justice, doing it with gentleness, for the nations of the world.
Karis, let’s receive these truths for ourselves, and then let us go out, taking His justice, with His gentleness, out to the world!
Next week, we’ll see the Pharisees battle against Jesus again. As He lives as this Servant, His enemies get angry. As He casts out the demons that are driving their opposition. We’ll look at this idea of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Join us again next week. Let’s pray.