Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Retiring Moderator's SermonIsaiah 42:1-4The Spark That ShallNot Be QuenchedRev. John O. Edgar, D. D.,Pastor of Southfield, Michigan R. P. ChurchDuring the past decade, there have been hundredsof dropouts from the ministry. According to a recentGallup Poll, four out of every ten clergymen in thiscountry say they would like to quit the church. Some ofthe reasons they have given for their thoughts of quittingare (1) Inability to communicate withpeople; (2) Lack of interest and devotion among themembers of their congregations; (3) That the church isirrelevant in the modern world; (4) Because the wagesare too low. This attitude which is found within the ranksof the clergy is also to be found among the laity, for allaround us there are people who are dropping out andcopping out, for they feel that the church is not relevant inour times.Perhaps there has been no more critical period inthe history of the church since the Reformation, than thatwhich exists in the world today. Truly, we live in times ofgreat trouble. One needs only to read the newspapers tobe discouraged. There is the ever present problem ofincreasing crime, our nation's involvement in Vietnam,student unrest, the increase of drug addiction, brokenhomes, the new morality, racial tensions, and the pollutionof the environment. We could mention an almost endlesslist of things which we consider to be wrong in our society.Because evils have continued to multiply, there arechurches which have largely given up on preaching thegospel and have launched upon a program of social involvement.There are those who are much more interestedin cleaning empty cans and bottles from the nation'sroadsides, than in cleaning up the hearts of sinful men.Discouragement is no new phenomenon for thechurch. The problems we are facing today are differentfrom those encountered by past generations, but the basicproblem of sin remains the same. Our fathers faceddiscouragements in Scotland three hundred years ago, andbefore that time there was the period known as the DarkAges. Still farther back, we find the discouragements thatconfronted the early Christians as they faced the pagancultures of Greece and Rome. And beyond that we maygo to the days of the Prophet Isaiah, who was called towarn Israel and Judah of the judgments of God, whichmust surely come because of sin.In no uncertain terms Isaiah denounces the evils ofhis day. In 5:20-23 we read, "Woe unto them that call evilgood, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and lightfor darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet forbitter! Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes andprudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mightyto drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink!which justify the wicked for reward, and take away therighteousness of the righteous from him!" The first part ofIsaiah's prophecy warns of the judgments which are aboutto fall upon Israel and Judah and their neighbors. But aswe come to the latter part of the book, we find a new tone.It is a message which shows the love and tenderness ofGod, who in His providence will send His Son, JesusChrist, who is referred to by Isaiah as "My Servant."This message of hope is set forth in the passagebefore us. "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mineelect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spiritupon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. . .. He shall not fail nor be discouraged,till he have setjudgment in the earth." It is interesting to note that thistruth is set forth through the use of negatives. "He shallnot cry, norlift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in thestreet." He will not quench smoking flax; He will notbreak a bruised reed; He will not fail nor be discouraged.In considering our topic this evening, we wish to set forththese objectives in positive terms./. HE WILL COME IN MEEKNESS"He shall not cry, . . .nor cause His voice to bein the street."There can be no doubt regarding the identity of the"servant" to whom Isaiah refers. There are times whenIsaiah uses the term "servant" as it applied to Israel, andhe also usesit when he writes of Cyrus, who is called "theservant of God." But in this passageit can refer to noneother than the Lord Jesus Christ. This "servant" is picturedas having Divine approval. . . "mine elect, in whom mysoul delighteth. . . .1 have put my Spirit upon Him." It isalso significant that Matthew (12:18-20) cites this passageand appliesit directly to Christ. These words look forwardto the day when the voice from heaven would sound forthat the baptism, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I amwell pleased."In considering the statement, "He shaH not cry, norcause his voice to be heard in the street," we see thenature of His kingdom set forth. He will not come as an6 COVENANTER WITNESS