The Tender Savior: Matthew 12:15-21

Good morning. We are so glad you're here with us to worship this morning. And I pray that you're doing well staying healthy. And we are thankful that we're able to get the Word of God out in worship Because the Word of God is not bound and I just pray that You would be encouraged this morning in these difficult times Through Christ and the Word.

Let's open up with prayer. Dear Heavenly Father. We are thankful this morning to know you To be able to come and worship you and get into your word. And may you use your word in our lives that we might be More like Jesus and we ask this in his name.

We have a few Announcements and a few prayer Requests. We will not Have services or Bible studies until further notice due to the coronavirus. We miss Assembling as believers to encourage each other in the Lord and we're waiting until the time We will meet again.

That's going to be a blessed time. But we are thankful that the Word of God Is not bound and We as a church are still seeking to make disciples and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ in terms of prayer. Pray for the Lord's comfort on those who are sick with the virus in the families who are grieving the loss of Loved ones due to the virus.

Lori and I know two families that are close to us that Have members who have the virus so it really comes close to home. Pray for the Lord's protection for the doctors nurses and medical Workers who are on the front lines of this battle.

Pray that the Lord would bless us as a church To get the Word of God out and to minister the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to a hurting world also. Pray that our state in our country would have the wisdom to get people back to work and keep them safe and healthy.

Pray for the Lord to defeat this virus soon and Pray that he would use it For his glory in his way. So it's at this time We want to have a time of worship. Howard Henricks the great Bible teacher Spoke of a time when he got in a fight With his wife and he left In the morning in a huff.

And he said I'm going out to preach the word and he went out and he came back and He was still Mad at his wife and didn't talk to her for a while. He said but the time between not talking to her it's been getting shorter and And he said that is evidence of the Lord working in my life.

And I thought that was really good. He said when we learn to forgive people Accept people and show mercy to people. It's a sign of the Lord working in our lives. This morning we see the Lord Jesus Christ Healing people.

He went around and Did good to people healed and showed great mercy Showing that he is Lord. And also this morning what we're going to see is the character of the Messiah the character of Jesus Christ that not only is he great and is he Lord, but he's gentle he's compassionate and he's tender and That is so significant to us because if we really know Jesus if we have received salvation We should seek to show forth those fruits the fruits of the Spirit the gentleness the Love of Jesus to others.

So what we want to look at the tender Savior in Matthew 12 verses 15 through 21. Matthew 12 15 through 21 I'll read. 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.

Wonderful. What a portrait of our Lord and Savior. We're looking this morning at the tender Savior and the first thing we want to see is The lowly Savior that Jesus Christ is humble and lowly verses 15 through 18.

Verse 15 look at the greatness of Christ. Here we see that the Lord knew that the Pharisees were out to get him. At this point in the gospel record They were seeking and planning to destroy Jesus Christ.

They wanted to put him to death and this would lead to our Savior going to the cross and dying for our sins so our Lord with the wisdom of God He withdrew from them. He withdrew from the conflict that would ensue.

And so what we see here is the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that he did He did in God's timing. This was not Yet the time for him to be taken and go to the cross and so it's interesting to see that though he withdrew from the Pharisees and the Conflict that he could have with them at this time the multitudes came to him and They followed him.

They saw him in other words. Everywhere Jesus went there were crowds following him. There were multitudes Following him. Why? Because he's the tender shepherd. He's the friend of sinners. They knew he cared.

And they knew that he could heal them and have mercy on them. It's interesting that the multitudes wouldn't readily go to the Scribes or Pharisees for help or for healing but they would go to Jesus and the thing that we can learn from that is When we're struggling and there's nobody to go to.

There's nobody who understands Go to Jesus. He's there. He's there for you. Always Lay out your burdens give him your heart give him your concerns. He's the tender Savior and he has all power and he can work all things In our lives and do all things for us.

Great encouragement and So great multitudes follow Him and I just want to point out the fact that that he's the friend of sinners and they follow him it's a tender Savior and Notice he healed them all.

I Like what it says in Acts chapter 10 verse 38 Peter says that that Jesus the Son of God was Anointed with the Spirit and power and he went around doing good. And that's what we see here. He went around doing good.

He healed people and it says he healed them all. And what that tells us again is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is God because nobody can heal anybody Unless they're God because only God can heal and he healed them all.

If we look at Isaiah chapter 35 verses 5 and 6 we don't need to turn there now. We see the credentials of the Messiah. That when the Messiah would come he would come with great power and He would show forth great works of miracles in Healing so he would raise the dead.

He would heal the blind and the deaf and heal the sick and Those were his credentials and those show that he is Lord and that is what we see here again. How great is our Lord Jesus Christ? He's God yet.

He was a servant unhumble and tender and Compassionate toward the hurting and that's what we see in these passages. We see the humility of Christ in verses 16 through 18. He warned them not to make him known.

Again the humility of Jesus Christ. He did not seek popularity. He sought to please God and that's a very important lesson for us as Christians. Jesus Christ did not want even though he's God he did not want the Spotlight on himself.

He wanted a spotlight on God and that should be the essence of our lives. So we should not want the spotlight on ourselves. We should want to glorify God in everything we do. We want to give him the glory.

We want to seek to be humble. We want to seek to serve him and The Multitudes we know they wanted to take the Lord and make him king and he would not do that because He did not come to be a political ruler.

He came to give us spiritual life. And so he warned them not to make him known. And It's Interesting that many people. And it's we can do this ourselves we we want. Well, many people want power they want the spotlight on themselves.

You look at TV and there's so many people on TV. They got their stick and they they they they have a persona and they want people to know Them and the whole things about them, but Jesus Christ the Lord it's all about God and That's that's the big point here in our lives.

Our focus should be on God and on others not in serving ourselves. Not just meeting our own needs but but Glorifying God and meeting other people's needs and seeking to serve others for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Important lesson and this is what we see. We see in verse 17 and 18 That the very character of Jesus Christ Who is Lord and though he's so great and Did these healings his? character was that he was tender and compassionate toward the hurting and gentle.

Wow, it's just so wonderful and that's what we see and he fulfilled the very Messianic prophecy of the Old Testament. From Isaiah 42 1 through 4 Regarding the Messiah. And that's what we see in verse 18 this verse verse 18 Is a quotation from Isaiah 42 verses 1 through 4.

And Christ fulfills it and What is also interesting about this verse if you look at it closely is It makes reference to the Trinity. All three persons of the Trinity are in this verse so the Father Shows the Son and the Spirit is upon the Son very interesting and The Messiah or Jesus Christ is called my servant.

He's a servant. And he would come and serve. I like what mark 9 35 says let's turn there because it is important for our walk to Realize the importance of being a servant. Mark 935 When Jesus talks about what it means to be great, of course, we should not seek greatness.

For ourselves we should seek To make God great and have him great in our lives. But look what he says it's so much different than the way the world looks at success and greatness. And he sat down and called them Called the twelve and said to them if anyone desires to be first He shall be last of all and servant of all.

In other words if you desire to be first or Preeminence Or to be great What you need to realize is greatness lies in serving the one who's the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven is the servant of all. So that is so important for us to realize.

I like Charles Colson I Admire, I admired him. He was a great intellect. He was a political genius. He was so smart. He was like the smartest guy in the room and he was the chief counsel to President Nixon and Unfortunately, he got involved in the Watergate scandal and as a result of that He became a very broken man.

His life just fell apart and he says that it was through that experience That he came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and he got saved but he still had to pay Consequences for the crimes that he did and he landed up in prison but in prison this great man Who had such a great intellect had a great political intellect Now was using it his skills and his intellect and everything else for the kingdom of God and he started prison fellowship and He was leading people to Christ in prison and he was teaching him the Word of God and he said the Recidivism rate of prisoners was almost nothing with What he was doing because he was teaching the Word of God Giving him the right foundation to life the eternal foundation.

And so what we see a big fish Charles Colson and God took a man like that and He used him and Made him a servant of all and that's the idea here. So what we see here in our Lord Jesus Christ is what we call servant leadership.

That true leadership is not lording it over people whether it's in a marriage whether it's at family or whether it's at Church, but true leadership is Serving it's found in humility. And that's what we see here.

We see That the messiah is my servant. I want to point out to you some verses That show us not only how we are to live But the attitude that we are to have and what the mind of Christ is the mind of Christ is the lowly mind.

And it's exemplified most in what we call the incarnation or the kenosis in Philippians 2 turn with me to Philippians 2 5 through 8. Philippians 2 5 through 8 these verses are known as the kenosis coming from verse 7 where it says that Christ made himself of no reputation.

The word Uh kenosis in greek means to empty. And it's where Christ emptied himself. And these verses are speaking of the glory of Jesus Christ that God Became a man and not only did he become a man But he became a bond servant and the word actually is a slave and he became obedient unto God to the death of the cross.

And if we look at these verses It says here let this mind be in you or attitude be in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus who did who being in the form of God Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bond servant and coming In the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man.

He humbled himself And became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross. I just want to read verse 9 to make a point therefore God also Highly exalted him and given him the name Which is above every name.

What we see here is first comes humility then comes exaltation. The way up Is the the way down. Humility is the way we are exalted. Uh is the is the path of blessing and so. So we see the mind of Christ here that God himself Jesus Christ Became not only a man took on human flesh But died of the brutal death on the cross And became a servant was obedient to God To death.

And that has so many implications for us but one of the main things is That by the grace of God We should want to seek to be obedient to God To death. Can't do that in ourselves, but we can't through the grace of God.

Oh that he would enable us to live lives of obedience To him. I'm learning As a christian as I seek to be Obedient to God that it's very difficult and it's very painful To be obedient in a world that is Not obedient to God, but it is well worth it and It is the pathway to blessing.

So this is what we see. So as we go back to Matthew chapter 12 We've seen the humility of Christ. Now we see the tender savior. Verses 19 through 20. Christ did not seek his own glory. I just love this.

There's people who they're just by nature. They just cause trouble Everywhere they go. They leave a path of destruction Um behind them. And sometimes you don't want to go around them because You could get hurt or they could cause you trouble so much different Than The spirit of Jesus Christ.

And what he wants us to be. We see that Jesus Christ did not assert himself or as I said he didn't want popularity himself, but um sought to be a servant. And was always pleasing to God always obedient to the will of God and he had perfect obedience because He is without sin.

He didn't quarrel. He wasn't quarrelsome. He wasn't boisterous um. In other words, he wasn't always saying look at me look at me I'm the messiah. Look at me. Look at me um, but yet he sought to live as a servant.

And Had that a gentle spirit Just so important for us. You know, it's not always the person that's out front. In ministry or in a church that's blessed. And that's doing God's will. It's really the person Who has that quiet?

Obedience and is willing to serve God. Wherever God would want him to serve and not want. I'll use the word notoriety not want um all the applause. But even shuns the applause um. You know, you may be serving God today and even in our church.

And maybe nobody sees. But God sees you might not be getting the applause of men. What's more important? Is pleasing God getting God's applause. God's smile is more important than man's frown. It's such an important thing.

So Jesus Did not seek his own glory. Verse number 19. And Christ will not break the broken. He will not break the broken. I love this the gentleness of Jesus Christ. I want to be gentle, but so often I find i'm not.

There's times I I I want to do what's right and as it says in romans chapter 7 I turn around and do what's wrong. Why is that because we have indwelling sin within us? But as christians We have the holy spirit and we can now seek to please God.

And we should seek to emulate The gentleness and the love of Jesus. He's so tender he's so merciful toward us he's so compassionate. Our great high priest in heaven Is so compassionate. Toward us who are broken in need.

That's what it says here in verse 20 a bruised reed. What does a bruised reed represent? A bruised reed represent a bruised person a broken person. You see a reed breaks easily. Human beings break easily.

We need to be careful how we treat others because we can really hurt others If we're not careful. We all know that Jesus Always treated the broken person with great gentleness and tenderness. And didn't break the broken.

But builds the broken up he transforms lives. He takes the broken. And the hurting and the sinners. And in exchange for our brokenness, he gives us new life. That's why Jesus Christ came into this world.

He came into this world to die for us to give us new life. And so He is compassionate and tender toward the broken. And that's how we should be. Compassionate tender. I remember when I was a new believer I was young.

I was 19 when I came to know Jesus. And I was wondering because I was looking around at christians and I was just wondering Can I find a christian that really listens to me and really will take the time?

To understand where i'm coming from and show love and acceptance. You know, I was a just an average teenager. And You know what I didn't. I searched but I didn't find any but I did find one person That showed that.

And you know, we can be that one person That shows That kind of love the love that Jesus shows. The mercy toward people understanding that's what people want. Everybody wants to be loved and understood.

And wants people to treat them the way that we would want to be treated. And so We need to be like jesus. In that area and we all oh, let me speak for myself. I have a long way to go. But i'm on that sanctification journey.

Seeking to become more merciful more tender like jesus. The smoking and smoking flax. He will not quench. Well, what does that mean? What's smoking flax? Well smoking flax is a wick on a lamp, but it's a wick that's Smoldering and it's about to go out.

It's a wick that's dying. And what does that represent. It represents a weak person that cannot help himself. He's smoldering. Feels like he's dying. He doesn't feel like he has any strength. In other words, jesus christ will not break or quench.

Not only will he not quench the smoldering Flap or the wit that's about to go out and snuff it out destroy a life. It's human beings. You know, we are sinners and As human beings we can be unkind. We see so much unkindness in the world.

But we should be different. And jesus seeks to save lives now. That's something we really need to understand. Why did jesus christ come into the world? And i'm going to take you to a verse that's really going to say it loud and clear.

Luke 9 56. Luke 9 56. Luke 9 56. For the son of man. Did not come to what? Destroy men's lives. See that. But to save them. That's it. Jesus christ did not come into this world to destroy men's lives, but he came to save us.

Wow, what wonderful love he came to save. People to save sinners. He will not break. The broken you want restoration in your lives. You want healing of your soul? Come to jesus. Live for jesus. He will not cast you out if you come to him.

He will not take you and break you but he will Give you life salvation. Hope. So he's the tender shepherd. He's the glorious lord. Verse 21 going back to matthew. Matthew chapter 12. Love this. Salvation is in christ alone.

I want to go back to the last part of verse 20 we see. It says till he sends forth justice To victory. I want to just focus on the fact that what we see here Is the victory? That the messiah would have The victory that he had.

Was the victory over sin? Jesus christ when he died on the cross He died As what we call a propitiation for our sins or The atoning sacrifice for our sins the only sacrifice That god would accept to turn away his sin From man.

Christ's sacrifice on the cross Is the only sacrifice that turns away god's wrath from man. And he was victorious Over sin. And we see he's victorious By his resurrection. Now, we just celebrated easter that christ is risen.

And we celebrated good friday on good friday. Jesus christ died for our sins. He died for the sins of the world. Three days later on easter He rose again showing that he is lord and that his offering for Our sins on the cross was accepted by the father and we are now justified By faith in jesus christ and that's the victory.

I want to show you That in first john if you'll turn with me to first john. Chapter two verse two first john 2 2. Right after second peter. First john 2 2. It says here and he himself is the propitiation for our sins.

And not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now there's that big word again propitiation. What does that mean? That mainly means sacrifice. That he is the Atoning sacrifice that his sacrifice Is sufficient for our sins and it appeases god's wrath.

And takes away god's wrath and notice it says he himself. The word himself makes it emphatic which makes it stronger it means not Jesus christ. The one or the only one that's what that himself said so only christ Can take away our sins and only the offering of jesus christ on the cross Is the perfect eternal?

Offering that satisfies the wrath of god. There's the victory The victory of the messiah and we Can enter into that trust him and so Going back to matthew chapter 12 We see that salvation is in christ alone.

And it says in here and in his name gentiles will trust and here again we see that jesus christ is lord because We only trust in god and here We are to trust only in jesus christ for salvation. And so jesus christ came into the world not only to die for the sins of the jews.

But praise god he came into the world to die for the sins of the gentile. In other words, he came into the world to die for all of our sins. And In his name when it says his name it means in him because in the old times in the jewish times the ancient jewish times The name represented the person and the character of the person.

So when we put our trust in his name, it means that we're putting our trust in him and He is lord. Again We don't put our trust our eternal trust in anybody except god and praise god when we Trust in him we receive Glorious salvation.

We are redeemed out of sin. We are justified by god. In other words god declares us the sinner righteous By virtue of the righteousness of jesus christ. And we trust in him. We are now made righteous and declared righteous through christ and we now have eternal life.

And our children of god, that is a great thing. Acts chapter 4 verse 12 says there is no other name under heaven whereby a man can be saved except through Christ his name. In other words, there's no other way a person can be saved except through jesus christ.

He's How glorious that is. John 17 Verse 3 tells us that christ came To give us life and in him is eternal life. So if we have jesus christ We have life. If we don't have jesus christ, we don't have life.

So important. So what we see this morning is things of great great Import to us as human beings. Eternal things that we need to come to grips with. And we need to highly consider in our lives. Who is jesus christ?

Is he god? We see this morning he is god. The bible teaches clearly that he's lord. He shows himself to be lord through his miracles. Those were the credentials. Messiah would come and we would see That he's god because only god can raise the dead only god can heal the blind or the deaf.

Only god can save a person from their sins and he is truly Lord, but on the other hand as scripture said in isaiah 42 verses 1 through 4 Though he's so great the messiah and though he Is lord he is so humble and he's so gentle and he's so tender and he's a servant.

And we saw there that if we truly know jesus christ, and we're a child of god. True Leadership is servant leadership. Being a servant seeking to serve. Oh that god would help us To seek to serve In our marriages church In our jobs because we run into problems when it's all about us and we want our will.

But when we want god's will and we put other people above ourselves. Then Relationships go well. And we can be blessed of How we need this. And so we've also seen The great thing that jesus christ is so tender.

He's so compassionate toward us Toward the hurting and the needy and the broken and he will not break The broken and oh how we need. And our prayer should be oh god help me to be more humble. Help me to be more gentle help me to reflect the mercy and the kindness and the love of jesus christ.

In a world that so desperately needs it and especially now when we're going through the big world pandemic How the world needs to see that they need god first of all and how they need to see the mercy.

And love and tenderness of jesus christ through god's people the church. Oh that we might be Those kinds of people and reflect his love and gentleness In a world that so desperately needs. I want to pray at this point and Pray That god would Apply What we've learned in scripture this morning and that we would apply These things to our lives.

And after the prayer we will have Our closing song Let's pray dear heavenly father. We realize that in ourselves we can do nothing that We can only Have salvation and life through jesus christ. We need him so desperate.

Oh lord, I pray that you will help us to humble ourselves Not seek our own way And seek our own self satisfaction. But that we would seek Your glory and that we would seek to please you help us lord to Be people that reflect you in our lives.

People that show forth the fruits of the spirit of god in our lives the love the gentleness the long-suffering the goodness in these things. Help us lord as a church To Show love toward one another and love toward the world.

And get the word of god out and the gospel out to a hurting world. And we ask all this In jesus name Amen.