蒙阅纳的敬拜 Isaiah 58-59

True Worship – 蒙阅纳的敬拜
Israelites had finally rebuilt the temple and joyfully participating in its rites/rituals/fasts.
Saw themselves as very religious people carrying out God’s instructions precisely.
God showed Israel’s true character, what a shock for self-satisfied people of God!
God’s children,
- to learn true worship
- seeking justice and compassion
- only then, God will satisfy your needs

Coming to worship and asking God what he wanted is not enough, God’s people must DO what God wants.
‘worship’ -> ‘service’

58:1 - 你要大声喊叫，不可止息，扬起声来好像吹角，向我百姓说明他们的过犯，向雅各家说明他们的罪恶。
Prophet Isaish was tasked by God to declare the people’s sins to them. Because the people didn’t saw their own sin, yet thought they were holy and righteous,58:2 - 他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道。好像行义的国民，不离弃他们神的典章，向我求问公义的判语，喜悦亲近神。
They seek God, seem eager to know his ways, had not forsaken his commands, asked God for decisions,58:3 - 他们说，我们禁食，你为何不看见呢。我们刻苦己心(humbled ourselves)，你为何不理会呢。
People put on a great show as if they obeyed everything God had commanded.
God starts to rebuke them.
看哪，你们禁食的日子，仍求利益，勒逼人为你们作苦工。58:4- 你们禁食，却互相争竞，以凶恶的拳头打人。你们今日禁食，不得使你们的声音听闻于上。 They fasted, humbled themselves(put on a great show), but still led a life where they could do as they please.
Not only that, but caused the oppression of others.
-End up quarrelling, fighting with each other.
God wanted people to show their religion through concern and help for other people in need.
Questions:
What does fasting do?
Fasting meant focusing on God and deep sorrow for their sin.
Over time, some Hebrews began to see fasting as a ritual that could earn God’s favour. “If we fast, God will bless us.”
Isaiah knew rituals were pointless unless motivated by sincere faith and obedience to God’s moral law.
The fasting God wants is in v.6-7. Ensure justice, set the oppressed free, share food with the hungry, provide poor wanderer with shelter, clothe the naked.

How did the Israelites exploit people?
-Overworked their servants – caused them not to be able to attend worship services,
-been inhospitable to strangers,
-ignored needs to the poor,
-used bribes to get their way
No regard for God and His laws.
Application:
1. Ourselves? We exploit our
-friends, eg. Divorcing family, a sister “I can’t understand that if you love Jesus and he loves Jesus, why are you doing that?”. The pain of it was that the couple both loved Jesus but the marriage was broken beyond mending. If she had just put her arms “I’m so sorry”
Sister. Stood for right so strongly that could not reach out to the person who was in hurting and in need.
A little girl’s prayer. Dear God, make all the bad people good and the good people kind.
-families
-classmates
We should help others in need.

2. Quarrelling/Fighting
-Hate each other in our minds

3. -Don’t be proud of our humility. Always be reminded of God’s grace.
58:5 - 这样禁食，岂是我所拣选使人刻苦己心的日子麽。岂是叫人垂头像苇子，用麻布和炉灰铺在他以下麽。你这可称为禁食为耶和华所悦纳的日子麽。
1. Let us not dwell in false humility.
2. We pray that our service is acceptable to God.58:6 - 我所拣选的禁食，不是要松开凶恶的绳，解下轭上的索，使被欺压的得自由，折断一切的轭麽。 58:7 - 不是要把你的饼，分给饥饿的人。将飘流的穷人，接到你家中。见赤身的，给他衣服遮体。顾恤自己的骨肉而不掩藏麽。
Can social works replace spiritual disciplines?
No. Works can’t replace spiritual disciplines. But religious rituals cannot replace them either (theme emphasized in this chapter). God despises empty rituals done by empty people.

Word and Deed have to be balanced. The church though have deeds(old aged home, visitation, offering), maybe limited in some ways, but we live out the deeds in our daily lives! True worship, not waiting till the synagogue moves, but towards each own personels.
58:8 - 这样你的光就必发现如早晨的光。你所得的医治，要速速发明。你的公义，必在你面前行。耶和华的荣光，必作你的后盾。 58:9 - 那时你求告，耶和华必应允。你呼求，他必说，我在这里。你若从你中间除掉重轭，和指摘人的指头，并发恶言的事。 The blessed results we get from true worship. God with us.
We must remove oppression, finger pointing, malicious talk (gossip), but increase in satisfying needs of the oppressed.
God will answer the prayers of obedient servants. God is present only for his people only when his people are present for others.
In contrast to James, when God does not answer because we ask with the wrong motives.
Application:
Don’t oppress,
point fingers (very easy to do so when bad things happen, but we pray for the silence when needed. Qns: Keep silent always? We rebuke of the person’s sin, not the person)

58:10 - 你心若向饥饿的人发怜悯，使困苦的人得满足。你的光就必在黑暗中发现，你的幽暗必变如正午。 58:13 - 你若在安息日掉转（或作谨慎）你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的。而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话。
Worship is according to God’s way. Not by our own way, as we please (follow the revealed way of worship, church growth, evangelizing), or speaking idle words (have to prepare sermons, Sunday school, chairman, translation!).
There will be a revival if proper respect for God and His worship ruled the day.58:14 - 你就以耶和华为乐。耶和华要使你乘驾地的高处。又以你祖雅各的产业养育你。这是耶和华亲口说的。

Lastly, true worship -> True Confession
59:12 - 我们的过犯在你面前增多，罪恶作见证告我们。过犯与我们同在。至于我们的罪孽，我们都知道。
Application:
Take a sin inventory, Repent of sins.

True religion: Combination of helping the needy and proper respect for the worship observances as revealed by God.
We repent in word and in God’s righteousness and justice. Also, offer love and grace to other people and provide their basic needs even when they cost us.
It may really be inconvenient, but that’s when the deed really comes in.

59:20 - 必有一位救赎主，来到锡安雅各族中转离过犯的人那里。这是耶和华说的。 God promised to come to his people as their redeemer, but only to those who repent of their sins.

Summary
- More than outward religious rites are needed to find God’s favour
- Can be eager to know God and go through all religious services and actions yet still find God’s judgement
- Examine our lives and see if we exhibit true religion in our lives. Or are we simply going through motions of what the church requires?

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12

Isaiah chp 1-39, God’s messages of judgement because of Israel’s sinfulness.
Isaiah chp 40-66 God’s messages of comfort.
God’s promise to His people to return to their land and of the coming savior.
Chp 40-48
Isaiah told people that Israel’s enemies were used by God to teach them a lesson.
When Israel repented, enemies would be destroyed and Israel given back its strength.
Chp 49-66
Description in detail the savior God promised to send.
Chp 52-53
Below passage, one of the climatic portions of the description of the Messiah.
God calls Jerusalem to wake up ready for his redemption.
God introduces his servant who was so scarred and ugly that his appearance was appalling.
God promises to exalt him.
The insignificant servant knew suffering and human sorrow.
His suffering had purpose. Bored punishment for our sins to bring us peace.
We sinful man, strayed like sheep, but God had punishment on him.
He endured it without complain. Endured death penalty though he was innocent.
God’s purpose was fulfilled, making the servant an offering to cover our guilt.
Death and burial do not complete the story. He will live anew and will be exalted by God because he bore the sins of man.

The Suffering Servant

Miracle on the River Kwai
Missing shovel, officer threatened to kill all slaves. One man stepped out, beaten to death.
Second tool check, miscounted.
An innocent man was willing to die for others!
POW began to treat each other like brothers. Allies later won war, POWs insisted no more hatred, no more killing. Sacrifical love has transforming power.

Servant referring to? Israel, remnant of Israel, but both could not fully fulfill the conditions. Jesus could!

52:13 - 我的仆人行事必有智慧，（或作行事通达）必被高举上升，且成为至高。
Jesus acted with wisdom. Give illustrations. Eg. Adulterous woman. Any more stories?52:14 - 许多人因他（原文作你）惊奇，（他的面貌比别人憔悴，他的形容比世人枯槁） 52:15 - 这样，他必洗净（或作鼓励）许多国民。君王要向他闭口。因所未曾传与他们的，他们必看见。未曾听见的，他们要明白。
Jesus will wash the sins of man.
Heb 10:14因为他一次献祭，便叫那得以成圣的人永远完全。
53:1 - 我们所传的，（或作所传与我们的）有谁信呢。耶和华的膀臂向谁显露呢。
Note of astonishment! They had seen the arm of the Lord revealed!
Jesus, was the Word which became flesh, God revealed in the form of man. God had revealed himself to man. Question is. Is man willing to believe, accept and abide by God’s revelation?
Challenge: Do we truly believe the revelation of God, the bible? Christmas day, Good Friday, we truly believe?53:2 - 他在耶和华面前生长如嫩芽(nen4 ya2)，像根出于乾地。他无佳形美容，我们看见他的时候，也无美貌使我们羡慕他。
Tender plant. Jesus was born in a manger, full of filth and smell from animals dung. Try going to the zoo! (Manger not our typical Christmas card manger with cute animals and perfume.)There he was in a manger, so weak, so helpless. From the heavenly throne in heaven, to a human being in a lowly manger.
Jesus didn’t come and attract people with looks. Principle: We should not attract people to church by asthetics, by good looking people, to look for prospective partners. Jesus attracted people because of his compassionate, love and more importantly, his Truth that he is God and has offered salvation to man.53:3 - He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.- 他被藐视，被人厌弃，多受痛苦，常经忧患。他被藐视，　　　　　　好像被人掩面不看的一样。我们也不尊重他。
Despised by the Pharisees, despised/rejected by his brothers, despised by people when he was at the cross, by the roman soldiers whom mocked him and asked him to save himself.
Rejected by his disciples, rejected by Judah. The light did not receive him.
Acquainted with grief. Wept at Gethsemane, sad for the people that did not know what they were doing.
Today, he is rejected to this day. Jesus just a man, a great prophet, married Mary had children.
Familiar with suffering. He knows the sufferings we are going through.Rejection by bros, friends, disciples, co-workers. He was wronged. Loved but was not loved back.
Application: Jesus knows our inner depths more than we know ourselves. Let’s learn to rely on him and trust him for all our sufferings.53:4 - Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.- 他诚然担当我们的忧患，背负我们的痛苦。我们却以为他受责罚，被神击打苦待了。
He bore our sins, yet we thought he was punished by God, like Job’s friends. The thought of the Pharisees and teachers might had when they saw Jesus crucified supposedly for blasphemy,53:5 - But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.- 那知他为我们的过犯受害，为我们的罪孽压伤。因他受的刑罚我们得平安。因他受的鞭伤我们得医治。
His sufferings on the cross. O.T. people might not understand the idea of Christ dying for their sins. The animal sacrifices were a shadow of Christ’s dying on the cross for us. God’s prophecy here for the people of Isaiah’s day to look ahead to the suffering of the Messiah resulting in the forgiveness of sins for man. 53:6 - All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.- 我们都如羊走迷，各人偏行己路。耶和华使我们众人的罪孽都归在他身上。
Application:
We have the complete picture now. The complete revelation of salvation. We used to be dumb sheep but now, we are sheep that can see better now. Let us follow the good shepherd, able to listen to his voice, lest not that God holds us accountable for knowing even more yet still rejecting him.

我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。John 10:1153:7 - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.- 他被欺压，在受苦的时候却不开口。（或作他受欺压却自卑不开口）他像羊羔被牵到宰杀之地，又像羊在剪毛的人手下无声，他也是这样不开口。
Sheep before her shearer is obedient, quiet. Jesus, was obedient, submissive to the will of his Father, knowing full well he was to be killed.53:8 - He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.- 因受欺压和审判他被夺去。至于他同世的人，谁想他受鞭打，从活人之地被剪除，是因我百姓的罪过呢。 53:9 - And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth.- 他虽然未行强暴，口中也没有诡诈，人还使他与恶人同埋。谁知死的时候与财主同葬。
Emphasized his sinlessness.53:10 - 耶和华却定意（或作喜悦）将他压伤，使他受痛苦。耶和华以他为赎罪祭。（或作他献本身为赎罪祭）他必看见后裔，并且延长年日，耶和华所喜悦的事，必在他手中亨通。
It was the Lord’s will that Jesus was crucified, but there was to come, God’s favour, God’s prosper on him.
53:11 - 他必看见自己劳苦的功效，便心满意足。有许多人，因认识我的义仆得称为义。并且他要担当他们的罪孽。
We are saved not because of our works but because of Christ’s work on the cross.53:12 - Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.- 所以我要使他与位大的同分，与强盛的均分掳物。因为他将命倾倒，以致于死。他也被列在罪犯之中。他却担当多人的罪，又为罪犯代求。

God chose to save the world through a humble, suffering servant. Rejected headlines and heroism. Drew no attention to himself.
What can we say to such love?
How will we respond to him?

What is this servant doing for us and what he is calling us to do for others?
The suffering servant called his church to take up the cross and follow him. The church is to be the suffering servant for its generation.
Forsake, political, economic, and military games of the world’s rise to prominence and success.
Take on suffering servant’s identity and unremarkable appearance for our generation, bringing people to know Jesus as their offering for sin and savior. Ready to sacrifice our lives for the salvation of our generation.

Jesus our substitute – Martin Luther
Christ became the greatest murderer, adulterer, thief, blasphemer, etc. in the world for ever. For he made a sacrifice for sins of the whole world, is now not an innocent person and without sin because he had become man’s substitute.
On him, the sins of Peter the denier, Paul the persecutor, David the adulterer, sinner which ate the fruit in Eden, thief that hanged on the cross. Here now comes the law and said, He is a sinner, therefore, die on the cross. By this the whole world is purged and cleansed of all sins for those who accept this substitution.

His Love is manifested on the cross. To Jesus, “You are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You became what you were not so that I might become what I was not.”

‘In the cross’ hymn.

Isaiah 42:1-7

Isaiah 42:1-7
The Servant of the Lord
1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

May refer to many persons, but pointing to the absolute fulfillment, is Jesus Christ.
Referring to Matthew 3:17 "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."
Jesus Christ, a son whom God delights in.

The Spirit is on Jesus, John 1:32-34
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

He will bring justice to the nations. v2,3,4. Fulfilled in His second coming, when He reigns on His throne of justice.

2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
5 This is what God the LORD says— he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Jesus came as a servant, submitting to the Lord, by the authority and power from the Lord. A saviour to Gentiles, to free all from captivity, who those in the darkness.

John 1:3-9
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.[b]

Above is an example of the bible's one common theme. Jesus Christ as saviour, first a shadow revealed in Isaiah, and later the reality in John. Praise the Lord!