This week, we look to Isaiah 49:1-7 as we continue to understand what Jesus came into the world to do and what, by extension, we are still called to do.
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Throughout this period of ordinary time following the Epiphany, we will continue to look primarily at Isaiah to better understand how the gospel writers understood Jesus’ purpose in the world. As we saw last week, the voice from heaven and the descent of the Spirit mark Jesus and indicate to us that he is here to fulfill the words spoken in Isaiah. Isaiah has been speaking of an idealized version of Israel; he is indicating both what it means to be the people of God as well as how much the nation has fallen short. By pointing us back to Isaiah at Jesus’ baptism, we are told that Jesus is the ideal, that he is the one that will accomplish all the things that Isaiah foretold.
And so now we look back to Isaiah to better understand who Jesus was and to consider what it means to be a light to the nations. In doing so, we not only better understand all that Jesus did through his life, death, and resurrection; we rediscover our own role as members of Christ’s body in the world today.
“You are my servant, Israel, in whom I show my glory” (Isaiah 49:3).
In our passage from Isaiah today, Isaiah speaks from the perspective of the one who is to come, the messiah that God will bring into the world. He is telling us who this one will be by speaking as him and outlining what it means to be the ideal one that God has sent into the world. And so God speaks to the one that Isaiah foretold, claiming the messiah as a servant of God. Through this servant, God’s glory will show for all to see.
“Nevertheless, the Lord will grant me justice; my reward is with my God” (Isaiah 49:4b).
When we think that everything relies on our own strength, our own actions, our own abilities, we frequently fail. We weary ourselves. We use up our strength for nothing. Everything we do seems to be in vain for so little changes.
And yet, God is able to do all things. God will grant justice where we have fallen short. God will raise us up where we fail on our own. When we work with God, relying on God’s strength, we are able to accomplish far more than we can on our own.
“And now the Lord has decided...to restore Jacob to God, so that Israel might return to him” (Isaiah 49:5a).
As we read this, we must remember that Isaiah is personifying the people of God. Isaiah is reminding us that the people of God have fallen short in our relationship with God. Even so, God has decided to restore us, to offer us forgiveness and restoration, and God takes steps to make this so. This reminds us that there is nothing we can do on our own to earn God’s love and be restored to good standing. God never stops loving us and acts even in the midst of our failures to restore us in that relationship.
“It is not enough, since you are my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the survivors of Israel” (Isaiah 49:6a).
At this point, Isaiah makes an interesting move. There is something special about being claimed as God’s holy people. God delivered the people from Egypt. God led them out of captivity and created covenant with them to be the people of God. This is an honor and deserving of acknowledgement.
At the same time, we are reminded that there is a purpose to being the people of God. It is not merely about our own status, about serving and saving those that are already present, already part of the community. We do not exist as the people of God solely for our own benefit. Isaiah makes it clear that the one to come will reach beyond the borders and boundaries that the people had created around themselves to reach those who have been excluded.
“Hence, I will also appoint you as a light to the nations so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6b).
And so Isaiah finishes the thought. The ideal Israel, the messiah to come, does not exist only to raise itself up. The purpose of the chosen people and therefore of the messiah is to be a light for the nations, not because their own light makes them better than others, but because they are meant to light the way for others, to be an example. Through this, God’s salvation spreads out to all nations and peoples.
It is an interesting thing that the words of Isaiah work on so many levels. The words of Isaiah in his own time tell us what to look for, how to recognize the coming messiah. This is how we know the person is the one, because they fulfill these roles.
At the same time, Isaiah is offering a bit of a rebuke to the people of God. He is making it clear that this is what has always been expected. This is what we should have been doing the whole time. The purpose of being a light to the nations is to be an example of what it means to live as God’s people.
On the other hand, by pointing us to Isaiah at his baptism, we are told what to expect in the life of Jesus. Rather than looking at the life of Jesus after the fact and saying, “oh, that was the messiah,” we are told up front all that we should expect from Jesus. Jesus will fulfill all of these things and be a light of salvation to all the earth.
We can see a similar example in the latest Star Wars trilogy. An orphan named Rey shows promise in the Force as a potential Jedi. When she finally tracks down Luke Skywalker, who had been living in isolation for a number of years, he tells her a story of the fall of the Jedi. They had become so sure of themselves that they were unable to recognize their own failings, their own lack. And it led to their downfall.
But the Force continues to call forth good in the world. The Force awakens in Rey. Rey refuses to make the same mistakes. She does not always follow the rules that the Jedi had maintained for generations. She trusts that the Force will guide her, and, when in doubt, she errs on the side of serving others. And in the end, she willingly offers herself up to protect others.
As Christians we have been made part of the body of Christ and become a part of the people of God through our baptism. This is partially for the purpose of our own salvation, but it also joins us to the one who came to fulfill all that we read about in Isaiah. Therefore we are called to the same mission, the same tasks. In the passage from Isaiah, in the life of Jesus, even in the example from popular culture, we see that being Chosen is not about being lifted above others. Instead it is about raising up others alongside us.
Being a light doesn’t mean simply believing certain things or avoiding certain things. It is not about piety and personal salvation.
Being a light is about doing the work of saving people. It is about relationships and love and a willingness to work for the good of others.
Being a light to the nations is about setting an example for living in relationship with God that all can see.
May we remember this calling to serve others as we journey together as the body of Christ.
May we serve as an example that the light of salvation may be seen through us and shine into all the world.