Lent - Pt 21

But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. (Isaiah 50:7-9 ESV).

There is a great little parable that tells the story of how one day, God showed a little boy a rock and told him to push it with all his strength. He did it for many years, though it never moved, even the slightest bit. The devil came to him after many years of exertion tempting him to quit. “After all,” he said, “you are a failure.” Then the little boy, now grown into an adult told God, “I quit. I failed to do it.” God responded, “Child, your task is only to push, not to move it. See how your muscles have grown strong through the years; look how you have become more and more capable in continuing your walk of life.” Indeed! Obedience is easy, if we know how to listen. God doesn't want us to suffer. But He wants us to learn In our reading today we observe the contrast between the obedient servant of the Lord and those who persecuted and abused him. Astonishingly, it is the obedient servant who is called to suffer on behalf of the disobedient people – to be struck, spat upon, and mocked. And yet, he “sets his face like flint” toward the road of suffering and will “not be put to shame.” He knows that his suffering is not in vain because by it his people shall be redeemed. The writers of the New Testament recognized that the servant of the Lord, referenced in this passage, is none other than Jesus Christ. He “set his face” toward Jerusalem, knowing the pain that awaited him there (Luke 9:51). He was struck, mocked, and spat upon (Mark 15:19-20). He suffered, not because of his sin but because of ours, and his life was marked by perfect obedience, even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-9). Through all of this, Jesus remained the sinless servant (Hebrews 12:2). How was Jesus able to endure such treatment and yet be confident that ultimately he would not be put to shame? The answer, in a word, is joy: for “the joy set before him, he endured the cross.” The joy that motivated Jesus was the fact that by his suffering his people would be redeemed. We too have a great joy set before us today. Certainly there is difficulty on our journey, but being united to Christ by faith, we will not be put to shame! Keep on pushing! It will work for your good!