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Please turn with me in your Bibles 
to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew 12 as we continue our 
exposition of this first gospel record concerning our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Remember the larger context in 
chapters 11 and 12 record the varying responses to the life 
and ministry of Jesus Christ. And while there is favorable 
response along the way, the stress seems to be on the rising opposition 
against Christ, setting the stage and the foundation for what will 
follow later in Matthew's Gospel. Our subject or our text this 
morning will be verses 15 to 21, but I do want to begin reading 
in Matthew chapter 12 at verse 1. At that time, Jesus went through 
the grain fields on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry 
and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees 
saw it, they said to him, Look, your disciples are doing what 
is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. But he said to them, Have you 
not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who 
were with him, how he entered the house of God and ate the 
shewbread which was not lawful for him to eat? nor for those 
who are with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not 
read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane 
the Sabbath and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this 
place there is one greater than the temple. But if you had known 
what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would 
not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even 
of the Sabbath. Now when he had departed from 
there, he went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who 
had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is 
it lawful to heal on the Sabbath that they might accuse him? Then 
he said to them, What man is there among you who has one sheep? 
And if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold 
of it and lift it out? Of how much more value, then, 
is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do 
good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man, Stretch 
out your hand. And he stretched it out, and 
it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went 
out and plotted against him how they might destroy him. But when 
Jesus knew it, he withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed 
him, and he healed them all. Yet he warned them not to make 
him known that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah, the 
prophet saying, behold, my servant, whom I have chosen my beloved 
in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, 
and he will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel 
nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 
A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not 
quench, till he sends forth justice to victory. And in his name Gentiles 
will trust. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
blessed God and our Holy Father, we thank you for the Lord Jesus 
Christ, we thank you for Isaiah's servant of the Lord, we thank 
you for his blessed ministry, for his life, his death, his 
resurrection, and I pray God most high that he would be altogether 
lovely and chief among 10,000 for each and every one of us 
here. I pray that you draw out our hearts to believe and to 
repent if we are outside of Christ. I pray for those who are believers 
that they would be drawn out to love and to adore and to worship 
this one. Forgive us now for all of our 
sins and our transgressions. Wash us afresh in the blood of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that the ministry of 
the Holy Spirit would be upon each one of us now. And we ask 
these things for your glory. And we ask in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Well, as I said, there is rising 
opposition growing in terms of Jesus' life and His ministry. We see it culminate here in chapter 
12 at verse 14. After these Sabbath controversies, 
the one recorded In verses 1 to 8, the Lord Christ announces 
that He Himself is Lord even of the Sabbath. That is the linchpin 
or the hinge upon which these two narratives turn. It is the 
climax of verses 1 to 7, and it introduces verses 9 to 13. Well, after Jesus restores this 
man, After he heals this man with a withered hand, we see 
the response of the Pharisees recorded for us in verse 14. 
And as I said, this is imperative that we understand this. There 
is rising opposition, there is a growing enmity, there is a 
hatred that is being leveled against the Lord Christ. That's 
how we understand the passion narratives when we get to chapters 
26 and 27. All throughout his life, all 
throughout his ministry, we see these religious leaders in particular 
opposed to him. And we see there written in verse 
14, Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they 
might destroy him. So this One who does good, this 
One who comes in the name of the Lord, this One who heals 
people and raises the dead, He is the One that they are provoked 
to rage against and they want to destroy. Now before Matthew 
continues with the particular narrative of Christ's ministry, 
he stops in verses 15 to 21 to show us, or to indicate for us, 
how it is that Jesus fulfills the scripture. If you go back 
to the prophet Isaiah, there are four what have been called 
servant songs concerning the Lord Jesus. This convention or 
this identifier was brought to the church by a man in the 1800s. 
It's not that the Bible says, here are the four servant songs. 
But this man saw that these four areas in the scripture spoke 
about the servant of Yahweh. It spoke of his character. It 
spoke of his function. It spoke of his mission. And 
the first one is in chapter 42 of Isaiah, verses 1 to 7. The 
next one is in Isaiah 49, verses 1 to 9. The next is in Isaiah 
50, verses 4 to 9. And then the one we're perhaps 
most used to is in Isaiah 52, 13 to Isaiah 53, 12. That one that records the servant 
as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Well, it's interesting 
here that Matthew wants us to see that it's Christ who fulfills 
those servant songs. We need to understand that the 
authors of the New Testament, they're not reinterpreting the 
Old Testament in light of Christ. Rather, they are telling us what 
the Old Testament always meant as it looked to, as it pointed 
forward to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. So 
we'll take up this section in verses 15 to 21 under two broad 
categories this morning. First, the Lord's response to 
rising opposition. That's verses 15 and 16. And 
then secondly, the Lord's fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in verses 
17 to 21. But notice first of all, with 
reference to his response to rising opposition, his actions 
are indicated there. He withdraws from this particular 
scene. He knows that the Pharisees are 
plotting to destroy him. He knows that the Pharisees want 
to terminate him. He knows that they want to kill 
him. And so he withdraws from there, specifically the synagogue 
in Capernaum, but as well from the people who are at odds with 
him. This is consistent with his instructions to his disciples 
in Matthew chapter 10. Remember in verse 23 he says, 
when they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, 
you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the 
Son of Man comes." The Lord Christ Almighty knew that He came to 
die, but His time was not yet. They may plot His destruction, 
but He has other ministry to fulfill. They may plot His demise, 
but the hour had not yet come. There are things to do prior 
to His going to the cross. So when this mob rages, He withdraws 
Himself from there. Again, I think that's the point 
in verse 23 of chapter 10. When they persecute you in this 
city, flee to another. Why? so that you can extend the 
gospel of the kingdom, so that you can go and preach the truth 
as it is in Jesus. If you meet with opposition, 
if you meet with those who oppose, if you meet with those who hate 
and will destroy you, there is no shaman running from them, 
so that you may testify to other peoples. And this is what Christ 
does here. When Jesus knew it, He withdrew 
from there. It's not cowardice. The prophet 
Isaiah will be cited to tell us why the Lord Jesus does this, 
but it is because the hour of his death had not come. Notice 
his popularity. Though the Pharisees rage, though 
the Pharisees plot his destruction, the multitudes, all the multitudes 
follow him. And I would imagine that this 
made even more angry those Pharisees and religious leaders. They didn't 
like the fact that attention was being taken from them and 
it was given to this Lord of Glory. They didn't like the fact 
that the multitudes followed Him. If you look for just a moment 
in Mark chapter 3, you'll see the types of people indicated 
that followed him. And when it says followed, I 
don't think we're supposed to understand that each and every 
one was a believing disciple. At this particular time, it was 
more his fame, his popularity, the effect that he had upon people. 
They wanted to come, they wanted to see, they wanted to be healed. But notice in chapter 3 of Mark's 
Gospel in verse 7. But Jesus withdrew with his disciples 
to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and 
from Judea, and Jerusalem, and Edomia, and beyond the Jordan, 
and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they 
heard how many things he was doing, came to him. If you know 
your geography, you realize these aren't just Jews. These aren't 
just people from Israel. Gentiles are drawing nigh to 
hear what the Savior has to say. This will come out in this reference 
from Isaiah the prophet in chapter 42. It was not ever the Lord's 
purpose simply to come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, 
but He came to be a light unto The Gentiles. He came to bring 
comprehensive salvation. He came to exercise universal 
dominion from sea to sea. That's the mission of Messiah 
as recorded in the Prophets and as fulfilled in the Gospel of 
Matthew here. So we see He withdraws, we see 
that the multitudes draw to Him, and He heals them all. Again, 
I don't think we're supposed to understand everybody was sick, 
everybody was diseased, everybody had injury, but that mass of 
humanity that drew near to Him, those among them who were sick, 
those among them who were diseased, those among them who were ill, 
He heals them. He's merciful, He's kind, He's 
gracious. On the one hand, the Pharisees 
rage, they plot His destruction. On the other hand, even Gentiles 
draw nigh unto Him, and the Lord Christ lays His healing power 
upon them. And then notice what He says 
in verse 16. Yet He warned them not to make 
Him known. He warned them not to make him 
known. Again, the time for Christ's 
death had not come. What he's doing here, we might 
call it damage control. He's trying to reduce the amount 
of confrontation. He's trying to reduce the amount 
of tension. He is trying to reduce the amount 
of the situation that is going on around him. So he warns these 
people, he rebukes them, he tells them not to make it known where 
he is. It is not his time yet. That 
will come. The latter chapters of the Gospel 
of Matthew record that for us. The Lord Jesus is on a timetable. The Lord Jesus knows what is 
going on, and the Lord Jesus is operating consistently with 
it. R.T. France says in 1413 and 
1521, a similar point will be made, and the repeated motif 
seems too obvious to ignore. Jesus is taking precautions to 
avoid premature confrontation. He warns the multitude so that 
he can stay this particular time. France goes on to say, when the 
time comes for the showdown in Jerusalem, he will not hold back, 
but for now he has a wider ministry to fulfill. That's the reason 
why he withdraws from the rage, that's the reason why he heals 
these multitudes, and that's the reason why he warns these 
multitudes not to make these things known. And so this isn't 
just a life in the day of the Savior. This brings us, secondly, 
to consider the Lord's fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. You see, 
again, Matthew the Evangelist understood his Bible. Matthew 
the Evangelist understood theology. Have you ever considered the 
Lord Jesus Christ in his years prior to his public ministry? The Lord Jesus Christ worked 
in his father's carpentry shop, didn't he? His life was relatively 
uneventful. The only thing that we garner 
from his time as a youth is when he's about age 12, when he's 
in the temple, when he's talking to the doctors of theology there, 
and they're amazed at how well he knows the Scripture. Well, 
Luke records for us that He continued in subjection to His parents, 
but that He increased in wisdom and stature among men. He grew in favor with God. Sometimes 
we read that and we forget Jesus is true man. Jesus is Almighty 
God. He is the Lord of the Sabbath. 
He has comprehensive sovereignty over all things. But the uniqueness 
of our Lord Jesus Christ is that He's one person with two natures, 
God and man. Now, if you think about it, our 
Lord Jesus, when He was a young man, our Lord Jesus, when He 
was a youth, He would read the scriptures, wouldn't He? I mean, 
it seems odd that we would think that, but He did. He would read 
the Bible. He would read the Old Testament. 
He would go to the synagogue. He would hear the Scriptures 
explained. He would hear them expounded. When the Lord Jesus 
came to the Old Testament Scriptures, it was as if He was looking in 
a mirror. All those things were written 
of Him. That's something you and I don't have. When we read 
the Old Testament Scriptures, we're not seeing ourselves in 
those Scriptures. But when Christ read those Old 
Testament Scriptures, He understood. The dots were being connected. 
There was that messianic consciousness, and He's growing in stature. 
He's growing in wisdom in terms of these things. Well, the same 
thing is true with the apostles. They walked about with our Lord 
as they observed our Christ, as they saw His mighty works 
and His deeds, as they heard His doctrine and His teaching. 
They thought Old Testament. They thought this is what Isaiah 
spoke of. This is what Jeremiah wrote of. 
This is what Moses pointed to. We have Him here right before 
our eyes. And I suggest to you that when 
Matthew turns his attention here to this prophet Isaiah, what 
is recorded here concerning Christ is absolutely amazing. It fits 
in the context and explains what is going on or why what is going 
on is going on. but as well it highlights certain 
truths about our Christ that ought to encourage our hearts. 
There are several passages in Matthew's Gospel, 10 or 11, that 
are fulfillment passages. We've already seen one from the 
Servant Songs in Matthew chapter 8 and verse 17. After Jesus is 
healing people, after He cures the multitudes, Matthew says 
that it might be fulfilled which was written in the prophet Isaiah. Then he pulls from Isaiah 53 
to highlight the fact that it's Jesus who heals our infirmities. It is Jesus who cures our ills. 
It is Jesus who brings healing. So this is a convention that 
Matthew employs throughout his gospel account. Several times 
Isaiah has been brought to pass. In the birth narrative, at the 
naming of the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall call His name Jesus. 
He is Immanuel, God with us. Where does that come from? It 
comes from the prophet Isaiah. In Matthew chapter 4, when Jesus 
begins His public ministry, where does He begin? He begins in Galilee 
of the Gentiles, which again fulfills what is spoken in the 
prophet Isaiah. I don't think it's wrong for 
us to refer to the prophet Isaiah as the evangelist Isaiah. Isaiah 
was given insight, Isaiah was given prophecy, Isaiah was given 
that blessed reality of the coming of Jesus Christ, and he records 
it for us. Those four servant songs, as 
I mentioned, give us various facets and characteristics of 
our beloved Christ. And I think the one that he pulls 
here, the first servant song in Isaiah 42, as I said, satisfies 
the immediate context. But if you're here this morning 
and you don't know Jesus, may I say you're going to be introduced 
to one who is altogether lovely, and one who is chief among ten 
thousand. What he records here concerning 
our Christ is most blessed, most wonderful, most glorious. Calvin 
wants us to understand, by this circumstance concerning the withdrawal 
of Christ from the multitudes, or from the rage of the Pharisees, 
he says, by this circumstance he intended to show, his quoting 
of the prophet Isaiah, that the glory of Christ's divinity ought 
not to be the less admired because it appeared under a veil of infirmity. So you have to understand, that's 
what the servant of Yahweh is about. The Word is chosen carefully, 
He's the servant. Certainly Isaiah portrays Jesus 
as the Son of David, which incidentally in Matthew's narrative after 
this particular account, when Jesus casts out a demon from 
a man, they start to question, is this the Son of David? Certainly 
Isaiah portrays the Lord Christ in that garb, but he's the servant 
of Yahweh. He is humble. He is lowly. And that's the point of this 
song. I don't know that anybody ever 
sang it. The man who said they were songs, again, saw them as 
being parallel in terms of their thought. And that's why he called 
them the servant songs of Isaiah. This is the servant song of Matthew. He wants us to behold our Christ. That's so often His emphasis. 
The Lord Christ performs these powerful works. The Lord Christ 
heals this man with a withered hand in the synagogue in Capernaum. 
The Lord Christ withdraws from the rage of the Pharisees, and 
all the peoples draw an eye unto Him, and He heals them all. And 
yet the Lord Christ, in doing this, maintains a humble persona. He doesn't stand out on the street 
corners with a bullhorn and say, do you know who I am? He doesn't 
cry out among the peoples of the earth, you know what I'm 
doing. He maintains a low profile as the servant of Yahweh. So 
let's look at this particular song. Six things are indicated 
that Matthew gives us in terms of Isaiah's prophecy. The description 
of the servant. First of all, his excellence. 
Notice in verse 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 
by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have 
chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. Look at 
the contrast. Look at the difference. You see, 
the Pharisees prided themselves, and yes, prided themselves, that 
they were the teachers in Israel. The Pharisees prided themselves 
that they knew God, that they delighted in the Father, that 
they maintained allegiance to Yahweh of Israel. Note the contrast 
and the irony. In verse 14, they're plotting, 
they've got rage in their hearts, and they want to destroy this 
one. What does the Father, what does Yahweh of Israel say concerning 
this particular one? He says, Behold, pay attention, 
look and listen, observe, be on your guard, watch out. I want 
you to hear what I have to say. He says, Behold, My servant, 
whom I have chosen, You see, the Lord Christ is specifically 
fitted for the task of redeeming His people, because God the Lord 
chose Him for this particular task. He calls Him, or He says, 
My Beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. The Pharisees may 
hate Him, but the Father is pleased with Him. This is what I mean 
by His excellence. There are people in this world 
that hate Jesus. There are people today that they 
can't rage against Him personally and plot His destruction personally 
because He's in heaven. So they'll do that against His 
people. There are people today that just despise the thought 
of Jesus. Again, this time of the year, 
and I'm not here to give a reading on how we do incarnation time. You can't say Christmas. in December anymore. Why is that? Because we all have to be politically 
correct. No, it's the mutiny of man, raging 
against the Lord and against His Christ. So for everybody 
out there that despises the Lord Jesus, for the Pharisees in the 
1st century, for the Pharisees in the 21st century, for every 
God-hating rebel, every Christ-despising person, you have to see yourselves 
at odds with the God of heaven and earth. Because the Father 
says, He is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in 
whom my soul is well pleased. The New Testament authors take 
up that theme several times concerning the resurrection of the Lord 
Jesus. What happens in Ephesians 1 after God raises Him from the 
dead? He exalts Him high. He seats 
Him at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He gives Him 
a name that is above every name. He gives Him universal and absolute 
dominion and sovereignty over all things. Interestingly enough, 
this Servant Song of Isaiah, we've already met it as well. 
Notice in Matthew chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3, while not 
a formal quotation and not a formal fulfillment formula, Here's a 
little alliteration for you on a formal fulfillment formula. Notice in Matthew 3, verse 15, 
the Lord Christ comes to be baptized by the Baptist. Jesus answered 
and said to him, permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting 
for us to fulfill all righteousness that he allowed him. I think 
that's something of a programmatic text in Matthew's Gospel. What 
does Christ do in His ministry? He fulfills all righteousness. 
What does Christ do in His life? He secures for us the righteousness 
of Christ, imputed to us and received by faith alone. Notice 
in verse 16, when He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately. from the water, and behold, the 
heavens were opened to him. And he saw the Spirit of God 
descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice 
came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased. And interestingly enough, in 
Matthew chapter 12, in verse 17, when he cites the prophet 
Isaiah, the word servant that Matthew uses there is not the 
word that only means servant. That would be doulos. You've 
probably heard that word before. It's the word peis, which not 
only means servant, but also means son. So what we find here 
is that this Son is the Servant, and that this Servant is the 
Son. Later on in the Transfiguration, in Matthew 17, verse 5, you'll 
hear the voice of the Father say, This is My beloved Son, 
in whom I am well pleased, hear Him. Our Christ is excellent. Our Christ is glorious. Our Christ 
is majestic. Our Christ is beautiful. Remember, 
when the daughters of Jerusalem hear the explanation of the bride's 
beloved, they say, where is he that we might seek him to? Why is that? Because she described 
him in such glowing terms. He is ruddy, he is handsome, 
he is altogether lovely. When the daughters of Jerusalem 
hear that, they say, where is he that we might find him to? 
You see, brethren, in our presentation of the gospel, It isn't some 
alternate way of life. It isn't, this will make you 
a little bit happier, or things go better with Jesus like with 
Coke. But Jesus is the excellent of the Lord. Jesus is the majestic. Jesus is the glorious one. Jesus 
is the one in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. There's everything good in Christ. 
There's everything blessed in Christ. There's everything beautiful 
in Christ. That's why that pearl merchant, 
when he finds that pearl of greatest price, he rejoices, doesn't he? He doesn't whine, he doesn't 
cry, he doesn't say, look what I had to give up in order to 
get this pearl. What do you mean, had to give 
up to get this pearl? I'm so glad I don't have that 
stuff anymore and I have this pearl of great price. See, out 
in the world today and in the churches today, we're preaching 
Jesus as a help to your life. Let me tell you this morning, 
Jesus isn't a help to your life. Jesus is life. You don't tack him on and add 
him on so that you can be complete. This is the one of whom the Father 
says, My servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My 
soul is well pleased. The Father refers to the Son 
and His servant. The Father chose the Son for 
this particular role. The Father is well pleased with 
the servant. In the Servant Song that Pastor 
Cam read at the outset of worship, I hope you were paying attention. 
Hope you were listening. Did you hear Isaiah 49 5? This is what the servant says 
concerning the father. For I shall be glorious in the 
eyes of the Lord. Do you want to know how we ought 
to view Christ? How does the Father view Christ? Do you want to know how you ought 
to esteem the Son of God? How does the Father esteem His 
Son? Often thought that when the Father 
was well pleased with the resurrection of His Son, that He exalted Him 
high and gave Him that name which is above every name. We as His 
people must esteem His name likewise. We as His people must revere 
Him. We must worship Him. We must praise Him. We must love 
Him. We must adore Him. That is fit. That is meat. That is good concerning who He 
is. Notice secondly, from the prophet 
Isaiah, in the hands of Matthew, he says that his empowerment 
is due to the Holy Spirit. How does Jesus conduct himself? 
How does Jesus go about doing good? How does Jesus know how 
to react to people that rage against him and plot his destruction? Notice in verse 18, We just saw that in Matthew 3, 
didn't we? At the baptism, what happens 
to the Lord Jesus? The Spirit descends upon Him 
in a form like a dove. That does not mean the Holy Spirit 
is a dove. It means this was a symbolic, 
significant representation of the Spirit coming upon the Son 
of God in power. John says that he receives the 
Spirit without measure. Interestingly enough, after this 
narrative, the discourse will turn to this issue of the power 
of the Holy Spirit. Remember, they accuse Christ 
of casting out demons by Beelzebub. And Jesus says, I do this by 
the Spirit. And the prophet foretold, and 
Matthew sees, that this Christ is the one upon whom the Spirit 
rests. This Christ is filled with the 
Spirit. You ever wondered what it looks 
like to be filled with the Holy Spirit? You hear that sometimes, 
don't you? Well, if I speak in tongues, 
that means I'm filled with the Spirit. If I can put a whammy 
on somebody, that means I'm filled with the Spirit. If I can stay 
up all night and pray, that means I'm filled with the Spirit. Do 
you want to know what a Spirit-filled man looks like? Look at Christ. You see, when the enemies rage 
and they despise and they detest Him, what does He do? He does 
what a Spirit-filled man would do. He withdraws from them. I think it was Machen who said, 
I think one of the sure signs of regeneration is the restoration 
of common sense. Amen. Amen. The Spirit does not work against 
the grain. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit upon Jesus was such 
that the Lord Christ always conducted Himself as perfect manhood. His excellence is portrayed in 
the prophet's servant's song. His empowerment is portrayed 
in the prophet's servant's song. Thirdly, His message is portrayed 
in the prophet's servant's song. Notice at the end of verse 18, 
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. Go back for just 
a moment to Matthew 4. Matthew chapter 4, I already 
alluded to this, but I want us to see it to consider this theme 
of Gentiles receiving the message. Matthew 4.12, Now when Jesus 
heard that John had been put in prison, he departed to Galilee. 
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which 
is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that 
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, 
saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the 
way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The 
people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon 
those who sat in the region in shadow of death, light has dawned." 
Remember in the parallel with Mark's account, these are the 
peoples that are drawing nigh unto Jesus. He's going to preach 
the message of God's justice to the Gentiles. Go back for 
just a moment to Matthew chapter 1. Again, I want us to understand 
that what Matthew is doing is he is displaying certainly to 
Israel the servant of the Lord prophesied, but he's also showing 
us the mission of the servant of the Lord, that it extends 
outside the borders of geographic Israel to the uttermost parts 
of the earth. And that is introduced fundamentally 
in chapter 1, verse 1. The book of the genealogy of 
Jesus Christ. Notice, the son of David, the 
son of Abraham. We know what it means to be the 
son of David. Kingdom, rule, reign, righteousness, 
dominion. All of those things are indicated 
with reference to the son of David motif. But what of the 
son of Abraham? Genesis 12, Genesis 13, Genesis 
15, Genesis 17, Genesis 22. What is God's recurring theme 
to Abraham in that promise? You will inherit a land. You 
will inherit blessing, and you will inherit a seed. And that 
seed won't be confined to your physical descendants. Now at 
the time, Abraham perhaps didn't understand that, but the rest 
of the Bible fleshes out for us. God tells Abraham, in you, 
in your seed rather, all the nations of the earth shall be 
blessed. So you need to read Matthew's 
gospel and see every indication of Gentiles coming in in that 
light. Matthew chapter 2, where did 
the Magi come from? The Magi are from the East. That's 
awkward, isn't it? No, it is fulfillment. The prophets 
spoke, Isaiah spoke of kings bringing gifts before the chosen 
of the nations. Matthew chapter 4, we just saw 
it. Matthew chapter 8, what does 
Jesus tell that centurion after he heals his servant? He says, 
many will come from east and west and they will sit with Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob. You see, Gentile inclusion is 
something that is overarching in this Gospel of Matthew, and 
it culminates at the very end. What's the final word in Matthew 
28, 18 to 20? Go therefore and make disciples 
of whom? All the nations. Why? Because 
the Son of Abraham has come, the seed of Abraham has come, 
and he has proclaimed the message of justice to the Gentiles. That's 
what the prophet tells us, and that's how Matthew interprets 
it, and he sees that motif fleshed out. Going back to the prophet 
Isaiah, it's an interesting context. The end of chapter 41, it's Gentiles 
steeped in idolatry. And so it is, as it were, even 
in Isaiah 42, this announcement of the servant, and if you trace 
through that song, he says, you will be a light to the nations 
also. Even in Isaiah's prophecy, he 
is saying, the hope for the idolatry of the Gentiles is to be found 
in my servant, my chosen one, my beloved one, mine upon whom 
the Spirit rests. Motier, in his commentary on 
Isaiah, says the servant steps onto the stage specifically to 
perform a worldwide task of revelation. Brethren, I think these are the 
sorts of passages and these are the sorts of things that should 
make you happy. We are part of a much bigger plan. You see, 
God in the garden promised. God through the prophets promised. God, through that Virgin Mary, 
fulfilled. Not Mary. Mary was the vehicle 
of fulfillment. It's Christ. The whole Bible's 
about Christ. This is why moralism and principles 
ought to be treated very responsibly. The Scripture as a whole is God's 
revelation concerning Himself and His plan to get glory through 
His servant, through His Son, through the mediator of the New 
Covenant. Motier says the servant steps onto the stage specifically 
to perform a worldwide task of revelation, the Lord's remedy 
for the emptiness and particularly the absence of the sure word 
of God. This is what Matthew is saying. These peoples populating these 
regions, these Gentiles that are out there, these Gentiles 
that have been marginalized, these Gentiles that by and large 
have been neglected, these Gentiles that have been looked down upon, 
are drawing to Jesus. These Gentiles are being healed 
by Jesus. These Gentiles are being blessed 
by Jesus. These Gentiles are hearing the 
message of God's justice through Jesus. And when the gospel record 
ends, the commission is to go to the Gentiles. Yes, to the 
Jews also, not saying otherwise, but to all the nations. Motier says, justice is the Lord's 
truth and it is the truth about the Lord. That's what Christ 
speaks to these Gentiles. We see his excellence. We see 
his empowerment. We see his message. Notice fourthly, 
his character. His character, and I want to 
smuggle in, and commitment. His character and his commitment. Now, just imagine for a moment 
if you had never heard about Jesus, and all you'd ever heard 
was what I've just said. Wow! It's like the boy who went 
to hear George Whitefield preach. He came home and his mother said, 
how was Mr. Whitefield preaching? And the 
boy says, he preaches a big God. This is a big Christ, isn't he? 
This is a big Jesus. You would certainly expect Him 
to ride around in limousines. You would certainly expect Him 
to have a great entourage to attend to His every need. I mean, 
isn't that what we expect in terms of monarchs or in terms 
of high governing officials? I mean, they don't generally 
ride in taxi cabs and 74 Pintos. which is probably good, because 
they'd die if they were in a 74 Pinto. Rolling bombs, those are. We've come to expect royalty 
to conduct themselves in a very specific way. We've come to expect 
them to be argumentative, to be brash. We've come to expect 
them to lie. I mean, he's a politician, that's 
what they do, right? Note the character of this servant 
of Yahweh. Verse 19. And again, notice how 
this explains everything in the context. Why does Jesus withdraw 
from there? Why does Jesus not enter into 
a shouting match with the Pharisees? Why does He not scream at the 
top of His lungs? Why doesn't He pound His fist 
in the synagogue and say, You don't know who I am. You need 
to understand. No, His character is not like 
that of the kings of the earth. When Jesus makes His triumphal 
entry a few chapters later, how does He come? He doesn't come 
stripped with bullets. He doesn't come guns blazing. 
He doesn't come in whatever the equivalent of the best vehicle 
is. He comes on a donkey. He is the 
servant of the Lord, which just by way of corollary, pride in 
the Christian, ought to die. How many times do we have to 
fight for our rights? How many times do we have to 
insist on our way? How many times do we resist the 
tendency for somebody to discard what we say? Look at Jesus. He will not quarrel nor cry out. Nor will anyone hear his voice 
in the streets." Now that's relative. Jesus preaches the message of 
justice, to be sure. Jesus, at that great day of the 
feast, according to John 7, raises his voice. When he cries out, 
he says, if anyone thirsts, let him come and drink. But the idea 
is simple. He's not pushing himself upon 
people. He's not going to enter into 
a shouting match. He's not going to argue with 
the Pharisees. He's not going to plot their destruction. He 
doesn't always insist upon his rights. I think this is so unlike 
us. Praise God for the servant of 
Yahweh so that wretches like us can be servants of Yahweh. What a description. What a Savior. Fits with how 
he describes himself a chapter before, doesn't it? Come to me, 
all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will rest you, for 
I am gentle and lowly in heart. Carson says, Jesus' conduct under 
these pressures, Matthew perceives, was nothing less than the fulfillment 
of scriptures. Though the Pharisees might plot 
to kill him, he would not quarrel or cry out. Despite all Matthew 
has done to show Jesus to be the messianic son of David and 
unique son of God, he wants to separate himself from exclusively 
royal and militaristic interpretations of Messiah's role. He knows that 
the ministry of Jesus Messiah must also be understood as the 
fulfillment of the prophecies of the suffering servant. In other words, Jesus comes as 
Redeemer, not revolutionary. He's not Che Guevara. He's not 
Chairman Mao. He's not the diabolical tyrants 
of the 20th century. When people plot his destruction 
under the influence and the power of the Spirit because his time 
was not yet, he withdraws himself. Again, this doesn't reduce him 
to doormat status. In Matthew 23, he will pronounce, 
woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. When he cleanses 
the temple, he doesn't go in there and gently suggest, could 
you please leave my father's house? He flips the tables, he 
drives out the money changers. You see, in perfect manhood, 
he's able to express these things in a way that is glorifying to 
his father. But I mentioned in terms of sub-point, 
it's his character, but also consider it's his commitment. Have you ever wondered why you 
don't act like this? Maybe you haven't because you've 
got it down. But when I come to this passage, I wonder, why 
is it that I open my big mouth? Why is it that I want to quarrel? 
Why is it that I want to cry out? Why is it that I'd like 
to stand on the street corner so everybody knows that I'm right? 
Which, interestingly enough, note the contrast here. Jesus 
doesn't stand on the street corners like those hypocrites in Matthew 
6, 5 that stand on the street corners so that they can be seen 
to be holy prayers. But why is it? Why is it that 
guys like Jim Butler, and maybe some of you as well, have such 
a difficulty to just shut up? I submit it's a lack of commitment 
to God. You see, Jesus resigned Himself 
to His Father. Therefore, it freed Him from 
this desire to defend Himself every step of the way. Why is 
it that you and I cry out? Why will we stand on the streets 
to make sure everybody knows we're right? Because we don't 
trust God. You say, how did you get that? 
Peter helped me. Peter says, with reference to 
Jesus in the midst of suffering, again, applying the servant song 
of Isaiah 53 to our Lord, he says, who committed no sin, nor 
was deceit found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, did 
not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not 
threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. You see, if in your heart you 
always have to defend yourself, if in your heart you always have 
to be right, if in your heart you're quarrelsome and you cry 
out and you'd like to stand on a street corner with a sign that 
says, I'm right, just ask me, there could be a fundamental 
failure to commit yourself to the God who judges righteously. It demonstrates his character. It demonstrates his commitment. Praise God he didn't revile back. Praise God he didn't lash out. Praise God he didn't take matters 
into his own hand. Praise God he submitted willingly 
to his father, realizing that he judges righteously and he'll 
sort out this whole mess. That's where we need to be. We 
need to follow the servant in this track. Notice the fifth 
thing that Isaiah and Matthew tell us of our Christ. It speaks 
of His mercy. I love verse 20. Verse 20 is 
one of those passages that I hope speaks balm to your souls. One guy in my library, one man, 
I shouldn't call him a guy, one man took a different interpretation 
of this particular passage. 1 out of 10 commentaries. Now that doesn't mean there aren't 
more out there. Gill acknowledges this particular position, though 
he doesn't take it. But this particular man says 
that the bruised reed of Pharisaic pretense and the smoking flax 
of a nominal religiousness. In other words, he says that 
Jesus doesn't destroy these men and Jesus doesn't obliterate 
these men right on the spot. The overarching and overwhelming 
position, and in fact this man says, I believe this is in the 
interpretation, but the traditional view is balm to souls. I think 
the traditional view is right. It is portraying for us something 
of the mercy of our Savior. Notice, a bruised reed he will 
not break, and a smoking flax he will not quench. He doesn't 
snuff out small faith. He doesn't break weak believers. He doesn't cast off those who 
aren't John Calvin. He's full of mercy. He's full 
of kindness. Isn't this the context? Come 
to me, all who labor and are heavy laden. Isn't this the context 
when he withdraws from the synagogue? He withdraws from the leadership 
and Gentiles draw nigh unto him? What does he do? How dare you 
Gentiles! Get out of here! No! A bruised reed he doesn't 
break. Smoking flax he doesn't quench. He doesn't get rid of people 
who struggle. He doesn't discard us when we 
have issues and trials. There is much comfort in this 
statement of the prophet. There is much comfort in this 
statement given to us by the evangelist. If you are weak in 
faith, you have faith. If you are looking to Christ, 
you are looking to Christ. Again, go back to the wilderness. 
Those serpents bite the people of Israel. Moses is told to erect 
the brazen serpent. The children of Israel are told 
to look and live. I would imagine there were some 
among them that looked like this. And there were others that could 
barely cast their eyes upon. Well, you have to look like this 
or else it doesn't work. You have to push yourself toward 
that brazen servant or it doesn't work. You say, well, that's silly, 
Pastor Butler, but that's what we do with faith. You've got 
to be able to move mountains. No. Look to Jesus. That's it. Isn't that beautiful? Look to me and be ye saved, all 
the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other." Not 
look with this strength, not look with this ability, not look 
with this power, not look with this degree of certainty. Look! He doesn't crush bruised reeds. He doesn't quench smoking flax. He nurtures. He cares for. He's kind. He gives the Spirit. He's provided the Word. He has 
spoken comfort. He speaks encouragement. He brings 
conviction. He brings reproof. He brings 
those things that a soul stands in need of. But this one thing 
we can't be short of. As Machen says, weak faith may 
not move mountains, but there is one thing surely it will do. 
It will bring a soul into saving relationship with Jesus. That 
ought to be a text you put on your fridge this week. A bruised 
reed, he will not break. And a smoking flax, he will not 
quench. Till he sends forth justice to 
victory. And then that brings us to consider 
sixthly and finally what the prophet and what Matthew says 
concerning his mission. His mission. Verse 21, and in 
His name Gentiles will trust. We've already labored this point, 
highlighted certain portions of Scripture, saw where it's 
culminating in Matthew 28, 18 to 20, but you need to realize 
that that commission is consistent with the Servant Song of Isaiah 
that Pastor Cam read at the outset of worship. I'm sorry, with this 
servant song that is under consideration here. Matthew only quotes the 
first four verses. Verses 6 and 7 say this concerning 
the servant, I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness and 
will hold your hand. I will keep you and give you 
as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles. Here's 
what he does, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the 
prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. That's 
the mission of Christ. That's the ministry of our Savior. 
That's what the Lord is all about. This is what Matthew wants us 
to get. Matthew 9, 13. Why do your teachers sit with 
those tax collectors and sinners? Jesus says, do the sick have 
need of a physician? You need to go and learn what 
Hosea means. I desire mercy rather than sacrifice. And he underscores 
his ministry and his mission this way. I did not come to call 
the righteous. but sinners to repentance. I heard recently a quote from 
John Newton. I'm sure you've all heard the 
quote. How could you have done what 
you did? Y'all know John Newton? We sing the song, Amazing Grace, 
how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was 
lost, but now I'm found. I was blind, but now I see. That 
last stanza makes you want to just enter into heaven. Wouldn't 
it be great to be singing the last stanza of Amazing Grace 
and Jesus Come? Or you drop dead and get translated 
in the midst of that? When we've been there 10,000 
years bright, shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing 
God's grace or praise than when we first begun. You know what 
John Newton was before he was converted to the Lord Jesus Christ? 
He was a blasphemer toward God. He was a slave trader of men. 
We often say, oh, he traded slaves. He blasphemed God. That's worse. Breaking the first tablet results 
in breaking the second, or the first table to the second. How 
could you do that, Reverend Newton? How could you sell 22,000 men 
into slavery? says, this much is true. I'm 
a great sinner, but Christ is a great savior. That's it. That's what Christianity is all 
about. That's what our religion is about. That's what it consists 
of. We are great sinners and Christ 
is a great savior. That's what Isaiah says. That's 
what Matthew says. That's what is being conveyed 
here in Matthew 12, verses 15 to 21. In conclusion, we see 
the fulfillment of the Scripture. The conduct, the character of 
the Lord Christ were interpreted by Matthew as the fulfillment 
of Scripture. We will see allusions to the 
fourth servant song in the statement of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 
20, 28. The Son of Man did not come to 
be served, but to serve and to do what? Give His life a ransom 
for many. Who spoke of that in the Old 
Testament? Isaiah the prophet in chapter 53. Every step of 
the way, in Matthew's Gospel, he is interpreting for us how 
Jesus fulfills what the prophets, what the law, and what the wisdom 
literature pointed to. In Christ, we have fulfillment. In Christ, we have every answer 
to what the Old Testament says. In Christ, we have a hermeneutic 
or a way to interpret the Old Testament Scriptures. in Christ 
is fulfillment. Secondly, as we come from this 
passage, may I encourage you to take it home, either today 
or sometime in your future, and consider the excellence of Christ, 
the glory of Christ. Just run through these various 
points that Matthew touches on. His excellence, His empowerment, 
His message, His character and commitment, His mercy and His 
ministry. You see, when you're first in 
love, the more you learn about that particular person you love, 
the more you love them, right? That's the way it's supposed 
to work. You say, that doesn't happen to me. Well, then you 
need to redo this thing called life. The more you learn of Christ, 
the stronger the faith, the more the love. Weak faith is still 
blessed faith. But weak faith ought to grow, 
grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ, 2 Peter 3.18. Do not be content with this much, 
Jesus. You've got a Bible full of Jesus 
sitting in your lap. You've got the Law, you've got 
the Prophets, you've got the Writings, you've got the Gospels, 
you've got the Book of Acts, you've got the Epistles of Paul, 
you've got the General Epistles, you've got the Apocalypse, the 
Revelation. You know what the Revelation 
is all about? It's not about Henry Kissinger, 
it's not about Barack Obama, it's not about Prime Minister 
Harper, it's not about the movings of the history of the world. 
It's about Jesus enthroned. It's about Jesus on the right 
hand of the Father. It's about Jesus as the ruler 
over the kings of the earth. So that when we see these beasts 
raging in Revelation 13, the author sends us to Zion in chapter 
14, to understand that while the beasts rage on earth, there 
is calm, controlled dignity in the throne room of heaven. The 
Lamb is all the glory of Emmanuel's Lamb. That's what Revelation 
14 is all about. What's the apex of the crescendo 
at the book of Revelation? I saw the new Jerusalem coming 
down out of heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband. She is ushered into the eternal 
state. The curse is removed. Our names 
are written on the forehead of... God's name is written on our 
forehead. We will be there, worshiping in His presence, world without 
end. Amen. See, the Bible is all about Christ. It's not first 
and foremost about how you can be a better wife, or you can 
be a better businessman, or you can be a happier and productive 
citizen. Those things are all important, 
brethren, but the primary emphasis in the Bible is not us. It's Jesus. That's what Isaiah 
and that's what Matthew say. I would be remiss if I didn't 
read Ryle on the bruised reed and smoking flax. We will be 
done soon. The food's not going anywhere. 
You gotta hear Ryle, because he was a doctor of souls, brethren, 
that knew how to minister the truth of God. You want comfort? Read your Bible. You want good 
pastoral counseling? Read the Old Boys. The doctors of the soul understood 
these sorts of things. He says, it is a standing truth 
in the kingdom of grace that weak grace, weak faith, and weak 
repentance are all precious in our Lord's sight. Mighty as He 
is, He despiseth not any. Remember that wretch of a man 
that comes to the Lord Jesus and he says, Jesus, can you heal 
my son? All things are possible if you 
believe. Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. What does Jesus say? Well, you 
need to go increase that faith and then come back to me. Take 
another number, get in the back of the line, and when you're 
strong like everybody else, then you come and visit me. He heals 
the man's son. Ryle says the doctrine laid down 
here is full of comfort and consolation. This reality that he doesn't 
crush or break the bruised reed and he doesn't quench the smoking 
flax. He says there are thousands in 
every church of Christ to whom it ought to speak peace and hope. 
There are some in every congregation that hears the gospel who are 
ready to despair of their own salvation because their strength 
seems so small. I suspect they're here with us. 
I suspect they're present. I should see him as excellent. 
I should consider his empowerment. I should listen more to his message. I should consider his character 
and his commitment. I should pay heed to and take 
note of his mission. But oh, I'm weak. Mustn't be 
saved. It's not like anybody. He says 
they're full of fears and despondency because their knowledge and faith 
and hope and love appear so dwarfish and diminutive. That means little. Let them drink comfort out of 
this text. Let them know that weak faith 
gives a man as real and true an interest in Christ as strong 
faith. I like this. Though it may not 
give him the same joy, But you're not saved by joy. You're saved 
by grace through faith, even if that faith is weak. That's 
why Moat says, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly 
lean on Jesus' name. Ryle goes on to say, there is 
life in an infant as truly as in a grown-up man. There is fire 
in a spark as truly as in a burning flame. The least degree of grace 
is an everlasting possession. It comes down from heaven. It 
is precious in our Lord's eyes. It shall never be overthrown." 
Be comforted. If you are looking to Christ, 
you are in the best place. If you are beholding Jesus, even 
with a weak faith, Praise Jesus. And if you have never looked, 
may I say to you today, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and 
you shall be saved. There is everything worthy, there 
is everything adorable, there is everything admirable in this 
one who alone can save you from your sins and give you the righteousness 
that you need to stand before the Father in heaven. Christ 
fulfills all righteousness. Christ died as a substitute at 
Calvary. Christ rose the third day so 
that the Apostle could say he was delivered up because of our 
offenses and he was raised for our justification. The Bible 
says that whoever believes on Him will have everlasting life. We'll praise our God for this 
servant of Yahweh that does what no man could do. Well, let us 
pray. Father in heaven, we thank you 
for your Word. We thank you for the living word, 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray that we would see him as the 
Bible sets him forth, as that one that is altogether lovely 
and chief among 10,000. We pray that today, wherever 
the gospel is preached, sinners would believe on him and would 
know the joy of being found in him. And I pray that would be 
the case here today, God, young and old alike. We know it is 
grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. And we pray 
that you, with your power and your sovereignty and your might, 
would open hearts and cause people to hear and receive the truth. 
And we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.