Isaiah 49:1-7
Key Verse 49:6

“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 you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Welcome to the 10th anniversary celebration of our center dedication. Rivers and mountains change during 10-year period. Many things changed during last 10 years. Bill Clinton won the presidential election 10 years ago defeating George Bush Sr when God opened our center. Now George W. Bush is the President of the United States. John Lee was in the middle school 10 years ago and now he is ready to go to the medical school. What happened to our Bible center for last 10 years? God used it as a house of prayer for all nations. God used it as a power station to pioneer 206 East Coast campuses. God used it as a city on a hill for world campus mission.

Last Friday we heard 10-year vision plan for 206 East Coast campus pioneering and world mission. I would like to think about how we can be powerful servant of God to implement 10-year vision plan through today’s passage.

At the time of Isaiah, Israel’s security was threatened by the Super Powers. People were trembling like the trees due to the threat of invasion of foreign armies. The national prospect was gloomy and dark. But he saw the hope of God through the servant of the Lord. Here the servant of the Lord refers to Jesus. At the same time we can apply this passage to any servant of God.

When did God call Jesus and mention his name? God mentioned his name before his birth. Jesus’ name was given before his birth. Jeremiah 1:3 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” God calls his servant from our birth. God knew each of us even before we were born. This means that God protects his chosen servants from their births with his mighty hands.

How did God train him to become his powerful servant (2, Heb. 4:12) “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.” Heb 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” When Jesus opened his mouth and spoke the world of God, people were amazed at his world. When he commanded the evil spirit to come out, the evil spirit came out. His word cut people’s hearts and penetrated their souls. When apostle Peter spoke God’s word at the Pentecost, people were cut to the heart and three thousand people repented and were added to their numbers. How’s your mouth? Dull or sharp? Mouths can save people when they were trained with the word of God. Or they can kill people when they were not trained. God’s servants must be trained to have the word of God like a sharpened sword. How? We need to have a learning mind daily and to know how to study the Bible and to know how to pray. How can we become a polished arrow? This means readiness to obey God’s command. The arrow has to be polished daily to be effective. Are you ready to obey Jesus’ world mission command? When Isaiah heard God’s calling (Isa. 6:8) “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” He responded, “Here am I. Send me!” He did not say, “Let’s me think about it.” He said, “Send me!” When Hudson Taylor heard God’s call for China, he responded. When William Carey received God’s call, he responded by saying, “Expect great things from God.” David Livingstone responded God’s call to Africa. Whom shall we send to Peru? Whom shall we send to China? When Jesus called his disciples, “Follow me,” they followed him immediately. Readiness is important to the servant of the Lord. What was the purpose of God’s training for his servant? Look at verse 3. “He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” It is to reveal the glory of God. God revealed his glory through Jesus, the suffering servant. God revealed his glory through Peter, John and Paul. God reveals his glory through his servants like us. How did the servant feel about his ministry? Look at verse 4. He felt he labored to no purpose but he corrected his despairing response later because God would do great works in the end. What was God’s ultimate plan to accomplish through his servant? Look at verse 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 you may bring my salvation to the end of the earth.” Of course, God had plan to restore Israel people from their captivity. But it was a too small thing. What was a big thing to God? It was to save the whole world through Jesus. In Isaiah 48:6 says, “You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? ‘From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.” God wanted to show a new thing to us. What was the new thing? It was to save the world from the power of sin and death. It was to make Jesus a light for the Gentiles. Jesus freed us from the power of sorrow and body of sin and selfishness through his shining light. Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 5: 14, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” John Winthrop had vision that God would make America a city of hill. God made America a missionary sending nation. Samuel Moffet had vision that God would make Korea as a city on hill in Asia. God used his vision. Jesus commanded his disciples in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Today Jesus commands us to go into all nations and make disciples. Jesus wants us to become a light for the Gentiles. May God bless America to send one million missionaries in the 21st century.