The Model Servant
Devotions for Growing Christians
The Model Servant
Isaiah 42:1-4 - Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen One in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. 2He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. 3A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. 4He will not be disheartened or crushed, until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.
Christian service is certainly an important and necessary aspect of living a balanced Christian life. Most growing Christians, however, are unbalanced in their approach to this vital area of Christian living. Too often we ask, "Where should I serve?" and "What ministry is best for me?" Proper balance should also include: "Do I meet the qualifications of a good servant?" and "How do I become the kind of servant God uses?" In fact, these questions should be considered before we look at the where and the what of Christian service.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect model Servant. Throughout the days of His earthly ministry He was totally involved in serving others. In Mark 10:45, He said to His ambitious disciples, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Every question about biblical servanthood is answered by looking at the example of our Savior. He was the perfect Servant, the perfect model for us to follow.
In analyzing the servant character of the Lord Jesus there are many Scriptures to examine. The entire Gospel of Mark presents Jesus Christ as the perfect Servant. Mark should be studied from this perspective for valuable insights into the proper servant mentality and attitude. For the purposes of this limited study, however, we will look at a messianic “Servant passage” in Isaiah.
In Isaiah’s prophecy, the amazing truth that the Messiah would come as a Servant emerges in no uncertain terms. Many Old Testament prophecies predict that the Messiah would come as a great Prophet, a perfect Priest, and a mighty King. But the prophet Isaiah emphasized that the Messiah would also come as a humble Servant.
God had called His people Israel to be His servant, but they had turned away from the Lord and forfeited their privileged position. Thus in the prophecy of Isaiah, while the nation of Israel is sometimes referred to as God's servant (see 41:8, 42:19, 43:10, 44:1, 45:4), Isaiah foresees the servant role being fulfilled instead by an individual - the Messiah! It is He, not the nation, who would be a "light to the Gentiles," and it is He who would ultimately restore Israel to God (Isaiah 49:5-7). To the Jews, the idea that the Messiah would come as a humble servant was so shocking that Judaism pushed this truth aside. The concept of Messiah in orthodox Judaism today still does not allow for a humble servant Messiah, such as Jesus of Nazareth.
The “Servant passages” of Isaiah are interspersed within the second half of this prophetic book. They begin in chapter 42 and conclude with the well-known 53rd chapter, where God's Servant becomes God's Lamb of sacrifice for the sins of the people. These Messianic sections are sometimes referred to as Isaiah's four "Songs of the Servant": First song, Isaiah 42:1-9; second song, Isaiah 49:1-13; third song, Isaiah 50:4-11; fourth song, Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The Servant songs bring out various aspects of the Servant's character and ministry. We’ll focus on the beginning of the first Servant song - looking at the characteristics of the perfect Servant, and the moral qualities that need to be developed in us if we are to be effective servants.
In Isaiah 42:1-4, the character of the model Servant can be seen from four perspectives: God-ward, self-ward, man-ward and world-ward.
God-ward
The relationship between the model Servant and God is seen in verse 1. Every clause of the verse brings out the perfect supportive/dependent relationship between God the Father and God the Son - who, as Man, would take on the role of a Servant.
The Servant is specifically chosen and especially supported by God Himself. He is not designated as a chosen Servant, or even the chosen Servant, but "My Servant...My chosen One." The Spirit of God would empower Him. Thus His ministry of justice to the nations would prosper, in contrast to the failing attempts of great world leaders.
One such leader was Cyrus, the Persian emperor, who is mentioned several times throughout this section of Isaiah's Servant songs. (For example, see Isaiah 44:28-45:5.) While God would use Cyrus to help the Jews return from captivity in Babylon, Cyrus never established justice and God's laws on the earth. Although Cyrus is mentioned as God's “anointed shepherd” because of his dealings with Israel, he is never called "My Servant." That term is reserved for the coming Messiah who, as God's humble servant, would be incomparably greater than powerful world leaders such as Cyrus.
That the same power for success that the Holy Spirit provides is available to us as Christian servants today - if we follow the model of the perfect Servant. Too often, however, we are content to operate in our own power, and all too often for self-serving causes. All of the perfect Servant's actions and motives were Spirit-led, and thus were pleasing to God. Could there be any higher praise from God than "in whom My soul delights"? This could be said of the perfect Servant only.
Remember the Father's declaration at Christ's baptism, and also at the Mount of Transfiguration: "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (See Matthew 3:17 and 17:5.) The model Servant never wavered in His obedience or submission to the Father. What a contrast to the nation of Israel, whose disobedience and rebellion brought such sorrow to the heart of God! And what a contrast to us as well! How can we possibly delight the Son of God when, so often, our commitment is weak and vacillating? Frequently our service is governed more by our own pleasure and desire for prestige than by pleasing God. Why, for example, are we sometimes more concerned about our public image than our private devotional life? May our Christian service be more "God-ward," like the model of the perfect Servant!
Self-ward
The "self-ward" perspective of the model Servant is seen i verse 2. The coming Servant would not be intent on drawing crowds to Himself by loud and dramatic public speeches. He would not yell or be pushy. His quiet and reserved way of operating would not be for lack of courage or sense of mission, but rather because He would not be out to make a name for Himself. Even though He would minister to large crowds, He would disdain sensationalism and fanfare. Matthew quotes this prophecy of Isaiah to explain the frequent requests of Jesus to the crowds that they should not make Him known (Matthew 12:18-21). As the perfect Servant, He avoided publicity and the limelight.
How different we are! We don't mind our good works being made the center of attention. We’re not even opposed to making a big splash with good press coverage in the church bulletins or local newspaper, so more folks will take notice of our service for the Lord! Can you imagine our "game plan" if we could walk on water or multiply loaves of bread?! What self-control the model Servant exhibited throughout His ministry in the use of His power and spiritual gifts! We need to follow the unassuming and unpretentious ways of the model Servant.
Following the "self-ward" model of the perfect Servant doesn’t mean that there won’t be stormy public confrontations at times. Think of our Lord's reaction to the moneychangers in the Temple (John 2:14-16). However, if we follow his example, these kinds of stormy confrontations will not characterize our lives, just as they did not characterize the Model Servant.
The kingdom is not best advanced by servants who make themselves known by public shouting-at-the-street-corner tactics. Steady progress comes through servants who personally share the love of Christ with individuals God brings into our lives - business associates, fellow students, neighbors, or people who happen to sit beside us on a plane. Shouting the Christian message in the streets may actually be a way of drawing attention to ourselves, rather than to the Lord! We servants need to be characterized more by living the Christian message in the streets, and following the modest and unobtrusive ways of the model Servant.
Man-ward
The "man-ward" perspective of the model servant is seen in verse 3. The “bruised reed” and the “dimly burning wick” emphasize the graciousness and gentleness of our Lord's dealing with people. Reeds are easily broken, and bruised reeds are practically worthless. So often we tend to push bruised reeds aside. But that's not the way the Lord works with people. No one is worthless or beyond His sympathetic touch, no matter how battered or bruised they may be - physically, spiritually or psychologically.
Dimly burning wicks are feeble and fragile. They’re easily snuffed out. Who would take the time and effort to "nurse" a small smoldering light back to full strength? The Lord would! He is tender and patient with us. He knows how to properly trim the wick and gently fan the delicate spark back to flame and full light. Think of how the Lord worked with the bruised reed of the Samaritan woman in John 4, or the dimly burning wick of Nicodemus in John 3.
Do you feel like a bruised reed - or that your faith is like a dimly burning wick? Maybe you're so bruised that you're almost turned off to the faith. Maybe you're so smoldering that you're almost burned out for any kind of Christian service. Don't give up! The model Servant is still in the business of healing and helping bruised reeds and flickering flames. Submit to His tender and gentle hands. And those of us who know His kind touch must follow His example in the way we treat fellow servants and others who are hurting.
World-ward
The relationship between the model Servant and the world is seen in verse 4. The coming Servant would not be "disheartened or crushed" by the pressures of the world system. It’s significant that these two words in Hebrew are the same as the terms "dimly burning" and "bruised" that were used in verse 3. In other words, while the perfect Servant would reach out to the bruised and dimly burning people of the world, He Himself would not be bruised or burning dimly. The world system, with all its disappointments and discouragements and evil pressures, would not detrimentally affect His ministry. Who could this Servant be but God Himself!
The world into which the humble Servant would come would be a world where justice and the law of God were not being upheld. But God's Servant would patiently preach and practice the standards of heaven, even if immediate results were not spectacular. This verse promises that His truth would eventually triumph! While world leaders like Cyrus would come in glory in their own political and military triumphs but then pass away, the perfect Servant would live on to see God's justice and truth established in the earth.
The world is not looking for Christ's order on the earth. But when our resurrected Lord returns, His just judgments and perfect laws will not only be established - they will be joyfully accepted! Think of the patience of our Lord as He waits in Heaven to see the full fruits of His labor on earth. Here is another lesson for the proper servant attitude. We must not become discouraged when the "world-ward" results of our serving the Lord are not instantaneous or spectacular. We must be willing to patiently wait.
Let’s follow the perfect example set for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Model Servant!
- Dave Reid