This is The Living Word for Sunday, January 15, 2023
Theme: God’s grace of renewal in Jesus
Isaiah 49:1-7 — The servant of God brings new light to the Gentiles
John 1:29-42 — Jesus renews the sinful world by the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 — God’s grace is found in fellowship with Jesus
- Read this week’s linked article How We Live a Renewed Life — the Life of the Spirit
- Watch this week’s video or listen to this week’s podcast episode (to follow)
Psalm 40:1-3, 7-10
1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.
7-8Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about Me in the Scriptures: ‘I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on My heart.’
9 I have told all Your people about Your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know.
10 I have not kept the good news of Your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of Your unfailing love and faithfulness.
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Isaiah 49:1-7 — The servant of God brings new light to the Gentiles
It is His life’s call to bring every kind of people to God
1 Listen to Me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called Me; from My mother’s womb He has spoken My name.
“The Lord called Me… from My mother’s womb” — this second ‘Servant Song’ describing the Messiah to come emphasises a very specific, personal call, the central meaning of the Servant’s life.
• For further study, see Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 1:15.
2 He made My mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid Me; He made Me into a polished arrow and concealed Me in His quiver.
“Mouth like a sharpened sword” — the Servant conquers by the force of the truth of His word, by encouragement for the righteous and judgment on wicked-doers, Isaiah 11:4.
• Further study: His word is ever effective, Isaiah 55:11; Eph. 6:17; Hebrews 4:12.
3 He said to Me, “You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.”
“My servant, Israel” — an individual who characterises the ‘true Israel’ of God’s original intentions, who will succeed where the rebellious nation of Israel so tragically failed.
4 But I said, “I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due Me is in the LORD’S hand, and My reward is with My God.”
“In vain… for nothing at all” — in the third and fourth servant songs the suffering theme emerges more fully. At His first coming the Servant (Christ) was met with rejection by His own people, and His mission looked at the time like a failure (John 1:9-11) but here in the foretelling is assurance that God’s plan will be successfully fulfilled.
• For further study, see first servant song, Isaiah 42:1-9 and the last two, Isaiah 50:4-11 and 52:13-53:12.
5 And now the LORD says — He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself, for I am honoured in the eyes of the LORD and My God has been My strength —
“To bring Jacob back… gather Israel to Himself” — now it is clear that the Servant is an individual, called to serve Israel and beyond, in a work of restoration.
6 He says: “It is too small a thing for You to be My Servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
“Also… a light for the Gentiles… to the ends of the earth” — reiterating Isaiah 42:6-7. God’s intention is for His salvation to reach to all on earth. It’s the call of Abraham, and the nation of Israel, and the Great Commission, to be a blessing beyond our ‘tribe’.
• Further study, see Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Matthew 28:18-20.
Reflection
SUMMARY Isaiah has four poetic descriptions of the mysterious character called God’s Servant, of which this is the second. It emphasises the role of the Servant in fulfilling the mission of God, not only to be the renewal of His people, Israel, but to bring salvation to the whole earth.
APPLICATION Already we are getting caught up in God’s mission breaking out from those who have been guardians of the tradition. As the Servant — who points to Jesus Christ — is again described as “a light for the Gentiles”, it is not a big step to see our life in Jesus being life-giving guides to those who do not yet know Him.
QUESTION Who are the ‘Gentiles’ of our world who need the light of Jesus?
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John 1:29-42 — Jesus renews the sinful world by the Holy Spirit
John recognises the unique sacrificial role which enables salvation
29-31 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
“The Lamb of God” — John recognises that Jesus is the One spoken of in the servant passages of Isaiah and his exclamation references Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed… brought as a lamb to the slaughter”. Instead of lambs sacrificed for sins, Jesus became the sacrifice. Our salvation is not through our sacrifices, but by believing in His.
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him.
“John gave this testimony” — second testimony, see John 1:19-23. John had already baptised Jesus. God gave John a sign, the Holy Spirit descending as a dove, to show him the Messiah.
33-34 And I myself did not know Him, but the one who sent Me to baptise with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the One who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
“Baptise with water… baptise with the Holy Spirit” — John’s water baptism was for repentance; he points out that having seen the Holy Spirit descend and remain on Jesus, He would drench those who believe in Him with the Spirit, enabling a renewed and empowered life.
• For further study, see John 20:22; Acts 1:5, 2:4; 11:15-16; 19:4-6, 1 Cor. 12-14; Galatians 3:5, 14, 4:6, 5:16-25; Eph. 1:13, 5:18; Phil. 3:3; 1 Thess. 4:8. This Holy Spirit-empowered life is normative for believers in the NT and today.
35-36 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
“With two of his disciples” — one is Andrew (v.40 below) and and the other the apprentice fisherman John (see note to v.39).
“[John] said, Look the Lamb of God!” — a rare referral; schools of teachers were generally competitive.
37-38 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
“Rabbi… Teacher” — John translates the Aramaic idiom for his Gentile Greek-speaking readers.
“Where are you staying” — an indirect way of saying they would like to visit.
39 “Come,” He replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about four in the afternoon.
“About four in the afternoon” — John’s first encounter with Jesus (with Andrew) was so memorable, he notes the time.
40-42 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
Andrew worked with his brother Simon and his is the first recorded witness about Jesus. Other mentions of Andrew are about him bringing others to Jesus, John 6:4-9, 12:20-22.
“Cephas… Peter” — Aramaic and Greek for ‘rock’. Jesus renames him, seeing beyond impetuous, unbreliable Peter to the new Peter he will become following the Holy Spirit encounter at Pentecost.
Reflection
SUMMARY An early gospel story about John, who led people to repentance, seeing a clear sign of the greater renewal that Jesus would bring through impartation of the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION There’s an emphasis on the Holy Spirit with a visible sign at the baptism of Jesus and what this means. The Holy Spirit is the Person of God who is instrumental in our renewal and mission and the mention of Andrew bringing others is the pattern discipleship will grow into.
QUESTION How do we understand the importance of baptism and the role of the Holy Spirit imparted to the believer?
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1 Corinthians 1:1-9 — God’s grace is found in fellowship with Jesus
The Corinth church is richly renewed in new life with Christ among them
1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — their Lord and ours:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Sosthenes” — former synagogue leader who did the actual writing of Paul’s dictation. Corinth was the capital city of Achaia in southern Greece, and a busy seaport.
4 I always thank my God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.
“His grace given to you” — or “now that you belong to Christ Jesus”. The church at Corinth reflected the place, somewhat arrogant and self-centred, a tension with experiencing God’s undeserved grace in salvation, the choice members had made.
5-6 For in Him you have been enriched in every way — with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge — God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.
“Enriched… speech and knowledge” — Paul begins by praising the church’s strengths in spoken gifts, which reflected the culture of Corinth and its love of oratory and debate.
7-8 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“You do not lack any spiritual gift — taught more fully in chapters 12-14, also addressing misunderstandings about their use and the undeserved nature of these (lit.) “grace gifts”.
9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
“God is faithful” — spiritual gifts build up the fellowship but spiritual maturity is knowing our identity in Christ and God’s faithfulness.
Reflection
SUMMARY The letter is addressed to those “sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people” and this summarises what the letter will unpack, learning to live in God’s constant renewing work which is what turns us into people being sanctified or made holy.
APPLICATION The letter will reveal how, having put our trust in Jesus and His redeeming work, we engage with the process of His renewing work which shapes us into the maturity of loving people and not just loving the gifts God empowers us with.
QUESTION How would you explain to a a new believer how God saves us through Jesus and then continues His work of renewing us by the Holy Spirit who is like Jesus within us?
PRAYER Lord, we have heard in Your word about a new song, a new way of showing Your light to others, a new role of joining You in Your mission and being renewed from within as we learn to let Your Spirit smooth our rough edges.
We welcome Your renewing work — personally and in our neighbourhood and world. Help us where we are resistant to being changed.
Give us spiritual discernment see Your kingdom purpose and Your way of working — and work with You. For Jesus’ glory, Amen.
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