“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 teaching the islands will put their hope.”

“This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from 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!

Isaiah 42:1 – 4.

As the Gospel of Matthew opens we stand beside the Jordan River with John the Baptist who is baptizing repent Jewish sinners, quite a new thing in Israel’s history. Among those who came for baptism was Jesus of Nazareth, an unknown person by the Jews at that time.  John the Baptist knew him; they were related by family ties. When John saw Jesus he pointed him out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Then, the baptism itself. We read, “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”  Matthew 3:16, 17

The word of Isaiah, spoken prophetically many centuries before, is being fulfilled. Jesus Christ is that chosen one in whom God delights. All the wonderful prophesies are about to be fulfilled. The Spirit is on Him. In fact, the Spirit is in Him. He will bring justice, not by force of arms or through kingly power. He is supremely gentle. He will not cry out but will protect the wounded, the weak – reeds who have been badly bruised and lamps that are about to go out. He is so gentle that one might forget that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and makes it possible for people to live on the earth!  We must always remember who God is.

As Isaiah continues his prophecy he promises a greater vision than just to reestablish Israel, but the promise is that Israel will be a light for the Gentiles.  The missionary vision is embedded in the divine vision.  Israel is not for itself but shall be a witness to all nations that God loves and desires to save every human being on the earth, always and for all times.

I will try to keep that vision clear as we commemorate the coming of Jesus Christ this year, once again.