Hope In His Name
Restoring the Bruised and Smoldering
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 12:21 CSB - (21) The nations [Gentiles] will put their hope in his name.
OBSERVATION:
In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders about His disciples, who had broken the Sabbath by picking grain and eating it. The leaders considered this a violation of four Sabbath laws: reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. Jesus replied that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and knew His disciples were not breaking it. He explained that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). It is meant as a day of rest, renewal, and spiritual reflection to serve human needs, not to be an oppressive rule. Interestingly, the religious leaders themselves broke their own law by following Jesus’s disciples to see whether they would violate the Sabbath—thus, their self-righteousness led them to break their own rules.
Jesus clarifies the situation by citing Isaiah 42.
Matthew 12:18-19 CSB - (18) Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. (19) He will not argue or shout, and no one will hear his voice in the streets.
Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus arrived as a servant. They came with the condemnation of the law; He came with a spirit of gentleness.
Matthew 12:21 CSB - (21) The nations [Gentiles] will put their hope in his name.
OBSERVATION:
In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders about His disciples, who had broken the Sabbath by picking grain and eating it. The leaders considered this a violation of four Sabbath laws: reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. Jesus replied that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and knew His disciples were not breaking it. He explained that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). It is meant as a day of rest, renewal, and spiritual reflection to serve human needs, not to be an oppressive rule. Interestingly, the religious leaders themselves broke their own law by following Jesus’s disciples to see whether they would violate the Sabbath—thus, their self-righteousness led them to break their own rules.
Jesus clarifies the situation by citing Isaiah 42.
Matthew 12:18-19 CSB - (18) Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. (19) He will not argue or shout, and no one will hear his voice in the streets.
Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus arrived as a servant. They came with the condemnation of the law; He came with a spirit of gentleness.
He serves us; not only in what He did in the past, but also, He serves us every day through His constant love, care, guidance, and intercession. Jesus did not stop serving when He went to heaven; He serves all His people more effectively than ever from heaven. – David Guzik.
Matthew 12:20 CSB - (20) He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick, until he has led justice to victory.
This is another reference to the gentle character of Jesus. A reed is a fairly fragile plant, yet if a reed is bruised the Servant will handle it so gently that He will not break it. And if flax, used as a wick for an oil lamp, does not flame but only smokes, He will not quench it into extinguishing. Instead, the Servant will gently nourish the smoking flax, fanning it into flame again. – David Guzik.
As we follow Jesus' example, let us approach others with gentleness: not breaking a bruised reed but restoring it, not condemning the lost but guiding them to salvation. Similarly, when we see a smoldering wick, we shouldn't snuff it out but instead restore and rekindle the passion for Jesus through His Spirit.
We can choose the way of Jesus—marked by gentleness—or the way of the religious—marked by condemnation. Which approach will inspire the nations to hope in His name?
The answer is clear, for Jesus told us—serve with a spirit of gentleness, as described in Isaiah 42.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for Your servant-hearted, gentle, and humble spirit. Thank you for not cutting me off when I was bruised, nor putting me out when I was smoldering. You did the opposite. You restored and reignited the flame within me through Your Spirit. Please fill me with Your Spirit so I can serve others and share the hope that is found in Your name with everyone.
We can choose the way of Jesus—marked by gentleness—or the way of the religious—marked by condemnation. Which approach will inspire the nations to hope in His name?
The answer is clear, for Jesus told us—serve with a spirit of gentleness, as described in Isaiah 42.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for Your servant-hearted, gentle, and humble spirit. Thank you for not cutting me off when I was bruised, nor putting me out when I was smoldering. You did the opposite. You restored and reignited the flame within me through Your Spirit. Please fill me with Your Spirit so I can serve others and share the hope that is found in Your name with everyone.
God’s love calls us to gently restore and rekindle those who are hurting.
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