About all I can say is that the sermon never developed as I would have liked. I got sidetracked on who the servant was and lost sight (no pun intended) of the light theme. I ended up just repeating the text a few times in hopes that would give some meaning to those listening.
“Light Opens Eyes”; Isaiah 42: 1-9; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; January 11, 2026
Isaiah 42: 1-9
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry out or lift up his voice
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
Introduction: We continue reflecting on the prophet Isaiah, with special emphasis on the role light plays in his prophesy.
This morning, we find ourselves in what biblical scholars call
2nd Isaiah, which means this prophesy takes place around the time the Israelites were in exile.
a time when the kingdom of Judah is no longer viable:
a time when No next king in the line of David to come and rescue them
a time when Many have been exiled to a foreign land, which not only involves being uprooted, but puts the whole covenant thing with God at risk in their minds because they no longer have and control the Promised Land.
As Tyler Mayfield, a OT professor at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary notes, “Without a temple and a Davidic leader, the future of the people is greatly in peril. They need assurance, assistance, and a new vision.” (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/baptism-of-our-lord/commentary-on-isaiah-421-9-5, Tyler Mayfield)
it is as if the darkness of the moment,
the shadows of exile
keep them from seeing with clarity the future that is before them and the tasks to which they are being called
In this critical moment, Isaiah announces a servant who is chosen by God to come serve,
maybe save,
to give hope to God’s people in exile,
to bring light to the darkness so they might see the future before them.
God calls the servant “my chosen,” the one in whom God’s soul delights.
and this servant will be filled with God’s spirit.
Let’s reflect in a few moments on who this messenger might be and what the message is that will shine light on how they are supposed to live into the future.
Move 1: who is this servant?
a. Who do those hearing this message of hope understand this coming servant to be?
1. Perhaps they were looking for the next king in the Davidic line, someone who comes to power and will lead them out of the darkness.
2. Perhaps they were looking for an historical figure in that moment,
maybe King Cyrus of Persia, who, in fact, will give permission for the exiles to return home to Jerusalem and who will support them in their efforts to rebuild.
3. Some hear the words of the prophet Isaiah and see the servant not as an individual person, but as the community of Israel itself.
4. Maybe this servant is the messiah figure for who. They have been waiting who will transform the world.
5. Of course, as Christians, we see in this prophesy of Isaiah Jesus Christ,
the son of God.
A lot of possibilities for who God’s people might have thought this servant would be.
Move 2: as we ponder who the servant is, we are called to see what it means for this light to shine in the darkness.
how this light gives shape to the work of the servant places an expectation on those of us who desire to join with the servant.
a. This light will shine forth in the world as light to the nations.
but listen closely:
the light’s purpose is to
to bring forth justice
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
b. this, of course, links the servant to Jesus
1. in the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus stands in the synagogue to begin his ministry, he reads from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
2.Or, we remember how Paul describes how Jesus acted in his letter to the Philippians 2:7:
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
c. the servant that isaiah prophesies about does not seek conquest,
but empties himself.
the servant does not seek power over others,
but reaches out to the imprisoned
the servant does not want people to be in the dark
but opens the eyes of the blind.
Move 3: In some ways, whether Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of Christ years later,
or whether he is looking for a person in the more immediate moment,
or whether he means to suggest that Israel should see itself as the servant does not matter.
what matters is how each of God’s people individually and collectively are shaped by the way the servant brings light into the darkness.
a. Later in the service, we ordain and install today the next class of deacons and ruling elders to serve in leadership here at St. Andrew.
How will they bring forth justice
open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
1. It it intentional that - their first act is to serve communion to the congregation.
it emphatically marks their calling as servant leaders.
2. We might ask that same question about our work as a congregation.
how do our programs bring forth justice
open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
2. As we in the United States lay claim to being a Christian nation, how do our actions
bring forth justice
open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
3. in a very personal way, how are you living your life in ways that
bring forth justice
open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
Conclusion: As we peer into the shadows of our world,
the sinfulness, the lust for power, the thirst to control,
a light shines to guide us,
a servant light,
a light that calls us bring forth justice
open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
