Sing Of The Sorrowing Servant Isa 53 1 3

2nd Midweek Lenten Vespers -                                       19-March-2025
Lenten Midweek Theme: SING OF THE LORD’S SERVANT    
Sermon Text: Sing of: “The Sorrowing Servant!” I. See Him In His Simplicity! (Vs.1-2) II. Behold His Sorrow FOR YOU! (Vs.3)  by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. Open your hymnals to page 273, the Rite of Confirmation. Let me ask all you a few questions beginning with the second at the top.. “P Do you hold all the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God? R I do. P Do you confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Scriptures, as you have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true? R I do. P Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord's Supper faithfully? R I do, by the grace of God. P Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death? R I do, by the grace of God. P Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? R I do, by the grace of God.
    “John 13:21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.".. Jesus speaks these words to you catechumens. He speaks them to everyone here.... How will you answer? “Lord, is it I?” “Lord, they may all fall away, but I never will!” “I will never betray You!” Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. " We sing the truth: “The old evil foe now means deadly woe, deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight, on earth is not his equal”(LSB 656) You are marked - Satan and his demon army seeks to devour you by destroying The Faith you confessed this evening.
    Are you willing to die, rather than fall away from The Faith - The Apostles’ Creed - you confess? On February 12th in the Democratic Republic of Congo - seventy of your brothers and sisters in Jesus answered, “Yes!” In church they joyfully confessed “Jesus is Lord!” To live all they had to say was, "There is no god but Allah , and Muhammad is his prophet." Their Islamic captors put the question to each of them. When our fellow believers boldly confessed, “Jesus is Lord”. Their captors took a machete and chopped off their heads one by one to quiet their confession of the Truth.   About a week later their decapitated bodies were found in their church in the town of Kasanga, in the Lubero Territory in the province of North Kivu, DRC. P Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? Last week, March 10th , reports leaked out of the massacre of at least 800 Syrian Christians in their homes. They continued steadfast in The Apostles’ Creed suffering death rather than surrendering The Truth. Will you follow in their train?
  Tonight the Crucified Risen Lord Jesus says to all: Luke 9:23-24 ......"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (24) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” He surrounds you with songs of victory. Sing of: “The Sorrowing Servant!” I. See Him In His Simplicity (Vs.1-2) II. Behold His Sorrow FOR YOU! (Vs.3)
I. “If you really believe what you say you believe...why do you live the life you live?” Asked a character in Garrison Kiellor’s imaginary town of Lake Woebegone, Minnesota a few decades ago on his radio show “A Prairie Home Companion.” It’s a piercing question to ponder, “If you really believe what you say you believe...why do you live the life you live?”
      Tonight you confessed real reality - Truth’s teaching - The Apostles’ Creed. Do you really believe it? Isaiah sings forth (vs.1) Do you believe that God the Father is your loving Creator, Sustainer, and Guardian ? Or do you just say these words ignoring the history’s record in the Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation? Few believe what they repeat of God the Father. If we did we wouldn’t strut in pride and insolence. Trusting the lie we are self-made - the source of our talents, wealth, and power. If we really believed that God is the Source of all we are and have - we’d be terrified. Idolizing self daily we sin misusing body and soul, eyes, ears, and all our members, our reason and all our senses following our desires. We turn God’s gifts of clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all we have into idolization of our hard work. We ignore the revelation of God’s love and care echoing through the creation our sin corrupted.
        It was the beginning of Holy week. Jesus taught in the Temple. Then Greeks came begging Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus!” Philip and Andrew bring word to Jesus. He rejoices. His glory has come - the glory of His crucifixion sacrifice for all sins of both Jew and Gentile - the world. Jesus preaches to doubters. John 12:36-38 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. (37) But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, (38) that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?" Sing with the Psalmist the Sorrowing Servant’s song of deliverance: Psalms 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? (2) My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Do you really believe that in Jesus is the arm of the Lord God revealed! The Roman nail pierces the very flesh of the eternal only begotten Son of God - through Whom all things were made in Heaven and earth. Your Brother, fully human, born of the Virgin Mary - pays your price in full once for all? Really? Why is it easy to despise preaching of the cross, believing the lie that you’ve heard it all before? Why do you think you can make things right with God by your trying? The mystery of the Cross preached never tires God’s holy angels. The Holy Spirit testifies....1 Peter 1:12 (The Prophets served you), .. ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”
    To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? To the whole world. The Gospel goes forth, but we close our ears - I’m good - I don’t need to hear it too often. (Vs.2) Young David was described as handsome, but His Son/His Lord is very plain - perhaps homely by the world’s standards. If Jesus walked among you - you’d ignore Him - make no eye contact with an ugly homeless Wanderer mumbling about things you don’t want to hear. A root out of dry ground is hideous. Giving a woman a dug up tulip bulb for Valentine’s Day won’t impress her much.
    Jesus grew up before God the Father - a tender plant, a root out of dry ground, torn from Bethlehem fleeing to dusty Egypt from murderous King Herod the Great. Returning from exile to grow up in the dry ground of Nazareth of Galilee - a place from where no prophet ever came. He grows unrecognized by man or the fallen angel Satan and his demons.
    Do you know Him? By your own thinking and doing you can’t - do you believe this? No, I have decided to follow Jesus - dead things don’t move. Conceived and born spiritually dead you were lost until He found you. God the Holy Spirit called you by the Gospel in baptism to see the arm of the Lord. How often do you take a breath? What happens if you stop breathing? The Holy Spirit must continue to breath you alive in Jesus. He must daily and richly call you from sin’s death to life in Jesus, gather you from wandering away lost back into Jesus’ fold, enlightening in Jesus- the Light of the World or darkness will swallow you. Live rejoicing in the great treasure found here alone!
      Put it this way. Did you hear of the tremendous treasure received last week on 12th street here in Tell City? Not the $42.5 million winning powerball ticket was purchased before last Wednesday at On the Fly just as you turn from Payne onto 12th Street. This 12th street treasure was worth more! Sing of the Sorrowing Servant’s free gift! Psalms 49:6-9 Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, (7) None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him— (8) For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever— (9) That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.” This treasure isn’t a one in a 9 million chance....it is most certainly true! Through the Sorrowing Servant believe that in this Christian Church - at Emmanuel - God the Holy Spirit daily and richly forgives you all your sins and the sins of all believers! Never stay away from this treasure set before you every Lord’s day!
        Our flesh despises His simple means breathing forth the Lord and Giver of Life. Water, Word, Meal, and Wine - don’t impress us much. Our fallen flesh doesn’t believe that our Triune God is really present in such simple signs saving us through our Crucified Risen Lord Jesus.
II. Sing of the Sorrowing Servant! He bears your burdens! (Vs.3) He came to His own - we rejected Him. Jesus shoulders all my sorrows and grief flowing from the cesspool of my sin. Death isn’t natural - it’s God’s just wrath against sinners born of Adam’s rebellion. Death the last enemy we face and it grieves us to the core - we can’t escape it.
    We rebelled, Jesus our Lord of Joy took our place, bore our burden, fulfilled the just sentence pronounced upon sinners. In all points He was tempted, grieved, sorrowed as you - yet without any sin. He is your Scapegoat - the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
      We hide our faces from Jesus. He never turns His face from you sinners! When the world despises the cross we are tempted turn away surrendering our bold confession that Jesus is MY LORD, WHO HAS REDEEMED ME, A LOST AND CONDEMNED SINNER! Repent! He has knit you into Himself - In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He takes your sins and gives you His salvation! 2 Timothy 2:11-13 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. (12) If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. (13) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.     Will you also go away? Be a greedy Judas, a denying Peter, or fearful runner hiding when the cross comes. Repent! Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. (32) But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." He prays for you! When you fail - hear His Gospel Truth! Romans 8:33-34 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. (34) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Joyfully sing of your Sorrowing Servant! The only True Saving God reveals Himself in suffering sorrow and grief. Confess Him alone unto death! Amen.