Epistle Lesson; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Gospel Lesson; John 1:29-41
Sermon Text; Isaiah 49:1-6

So far during this Epiphany Season, we have been looking at the Old Testament lessons from the book of Isaiah. The following is just a little refresher of what we have talked about so far. Two weeks ago we started the Epiphany Season by looking at Isaiah chapter 60, that section of scripture in which Isaiah says,

"Arise and shine for your light has come."

We rejoice with that message, because the Holy Spirit has brought us to faith to believe in Jesus, as our Savior. And so, we arise and we shine in that light and glory of our Savior coming into our hearts.

Last week Pastor Bartels looked at a section of scripture from Isaiah chapter 42. He talked about our gentle Messiah and focused in, specifically, on that section of scripture in which Isaiah says,

"A bruised reed He will not break

and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out."

Thanks be to God, weak faith is saving faith, as well.

As we continue looking at the prophet Isaiah, today we come to this section of scripture from Isaiah, chapter 49. And it is as if we are looking at a conversation that is taking place between Jesus, God the Son, and God, our Heavenly Father. As you look at our text for today, as it is printed out for us, you will see some of those words are in bold. Those are the words of God, our Heavenly Father speaking.

Isaiah 49:1-6

Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 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. He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’S hand, and my reward is with my God."

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 honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength – 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 you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

These are your words, Heavenly Father. Lead us in the way of truth. Your word is truth. Amen

 

A couple of weeks ago, as I was looking at preparing for today, the worship guide, and our sermon text, I focused in on the two words in which Isaiah says that Jesus is a polished arrow. And I did some digging into what it was that Isaiah meant. When he calls Jesus a polished arrow, he means that Jesus is that well-used tool, or that well-used instrument that God uses doing His work. And so, it got me thinking about things that I have come across in my life that have been polished, because they have been used quite frequently.

These are some examples that I came up with. Maybe you can think of examples in your life, as well.

1. I don't see them anymore, but when I was a kid, and we would ride bikes in the neighborhood, some of the kids would have a rubber strap that they would put around the hub of their bicycle wheels. That little, rubber piece was not on very tight. As they would ride down the street, that rubber would gently polish the hub of the wheel. No dirt could ever build up on the hub of that wheel, nor could rust build up on the hub of that wheel, because it was being gently polished. You could see that the bicycle was well used.

2. Or, if you are a mechanic, as you look inside of your toolbox, you can see those tools that are used more frequently. They are the ones that are well polished, because they are being used all of the time.

3. Here in Madison, if you have ever taken a tour of the state capitol, just a couple of blocks down the road, and you come to that section right outside of the governor's conference room, there you will see a little bronze or brass badger. It is known as the USS Wisconsin Badger. The nose is shiny. The nose is shiny, because many people walk by and touch that badger's nose. You can see it is well used, because of the many people who have touched it.

Today, as Isaiah is talking about Jesus being a polished arrow, what he does he mean by that? Well, if you are an archer, what is your goal? Your goal is not only to hit the target, but your goal is also to hit the bull’s-eye. As an archer, would you choose to use a bent and crooked arrow, or would you choose to use a straight and polished arrow?

That is precisely what God, our Heavenly Father, has done. He has taken Jesus, the polished arrow out of His quiver. And Jesus, as that straight and polished arrow, has come to us and has done the work that God has asked Jesus to do. In keeping with scripture, and in keeping then with the Epiphany Season, let us look at what the work of Jesus is.

The work of Jesus is to proclaim God's Word. For those of you who are high school students or college students here this morning, are there times in your life when you wonder what it is that you should do with your life, what it is that you should grow up to be? Even some of our adults here this morning may wonder that same thing, "What is it that I should do, when I grow up?" J

Jesus never had to struggle with what it was that He was supposed to do. Isaiah, in our text for today, speaking for Jesus says,

"Before I was born,

the LORD called me."

When Jesus was born, He knew what the work was that He came to do. When Jesus was twelve years old and in the temple, He did not have to struggle with what it was that He came to do. He told His mom, "Didn't you know I had to go about my Father's business?"

And when Jesus performed His first miracle, He didn't struggle with what it was that he was supposed to do. Again, He told His mom, "My time has not yet come."

So what is the work that Jesus came to do? Well, picking up on that idea of Jesus being a straight and polished arrow or a sharpened sword, the author of the book of Hebrews says, "For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

That is why King David, in the Psalms, could rightly say, "My sin is ever before me." That is why King David, in the Psalms could say, "The arrow has pierced my heart."

That is one of the prongs of Jesus, as the polished arrow, as He hits us right in the heart and exposes our sin.

I have never done this before, but I did it on Thursday night, for the opening devotion for the All-Boards Meeting. I gave everybody a half sheet of paper, along with something to write with. Then I said, "I want you to write down one sin on that sheet of paper that you have committed this past week."

Certainly, we can fill up that whole piece of paper very easily, but I said, "Just one sin." We all did that. And it is very terrifying to see your sin printed out before you on a sheet of paper. That is part of Jesus' work – to penetrate our heart and expose our sin. Our sin is ever before us and the arrow of God's Law has attacked all of us.

But at the All-Boards Meeting, I also said, "Isn't it awesome to know that the sin you have on that piece of paper, along with all of the other sins that you have ever committed, have been paid for?" That is the other arrow that Jesus has struck our hearts with. You see, you didn't come here today, so that you could just feel guilty of your sin. You didn't come here today to hear how terrifying Hell is. But, you came here today to find comfort. You came to hear how it was that your sins are forgiven. And, how awesome it is to know that Jesus is that perfect, polished arrow, He has completed and fulfilled the work that He came to do, by proclaiming God's Word.

And so, as we gather here today, it is awesome to know, be reminded, and believe that Jesus lived a perfect life for us. It is awesome to know, be reminded, and believe that Jesus paid a great price by purchasing eternal life for you in Heaven by his death on the cross. And, Jesus fulfilled that work of proclaiming God's Word, as He penetrates you in your heart, forgiving you of your sin.

Well, another portion of Jesus' work that we look at during the Epiphany Season is to see how He has displayed God's splendor. Through all of the miracles that Jesus did, it was to show who He was.

He is true God.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Father glorify me, as I have brought glory to you." But, note also in His state of humiliation, what Jesus says, through Isaiah, this morning. As He wonders, "I have labored to no purpose." Yes, Jesus, even according to His humiliation, was wondering if what He did had a purpose. During the three years of His public ministry, Jesus was first of all ‘a nobody’ for the first year. Then, He grew in popularity. But then, during His third year, He was rejected and He was opposed by the people.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, He came before God, His Heavenly Father, and asked if that cup could be removed from Him. But then He said, "Not my will, but yours be done." Here through Isaiah, Jesus said, "My reward is with my God." It was not up to Jesus, the Son, to determine whether His work had been effective or not, but He said, "My reward is with my God." "God, I came to do the work that you gave me. I have completed it. And now my reward is with you." Jesus fulfilled the work that He was asked to do by displaying God's splendor.

But, dear fellow redeemed, I want you to note the heart of a servant, as we close by looking at this section of the book of Isaiah, by looking at the servants of the LORD. God, our Heavenly Father, gave Jesus the dirtiest and hardest work imaginable - that of paying for the sins of the whole world. And yet, note Jesus' reaction. Jesus did not step down from that work, but He willingly went to the cross. And there, Jesus willingly fulfilled the work that He was asked to accomplish. He came to be what the person Jacob could not be. He came to be what the nation of Israel could not be. And He came to be what you and I cannot be. Jesus is the true Israel. Jesus is the true servant of the LORD. And, Jesus is that true, perfect, and polished arrow who fulfilled the work of the LORD; by not only proclaiming God's Word and displaying His splendor, but also bringing back to Israel those people who belong to the LORD.

Here now is the application for you and for me, during this Epiphany Season. Throughout the course of our service this morning, we have been looking at Jesus, the polished arrow. We see how John the Baptist was an arrow, telling other people that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In our Epistle Lesson, we saw how Paul was an arrow proclaiming to others that Jesus is our Savior. May you too, be that polished arrow that God has kept hidden in His quiver. And may you be that polished arrow, so that when God pulls you out of His quiver, to use you for His work, may you proclaim to others God's Word. May you display to others God's splendor, so that in turn, those people who don't know Jesus, as their Savior, or those people who have strayed away from Him, may see the work of our Savior, may see the perfect life that He lived, may see the death that He died, to give them that great comfort that our hearts need - the forgiveness of sin, and eternal life with Him in Heaven!

Amen.