Wed Sep 23

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words behold and justice.

Reading

Isaiah 42:1-9—My Servant In Whom I Delight

Optional Reading

Luke 3:21-22

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

God the Father loves Jesus, who is God the Son.
God hates idols, which are fake gods.
God delights in all who believe in Jesus.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

How did God challenge the nations that idols are false gods?
By contrast, how does God present Jesus?
Why does it matter that Jesus is God?

Catechism

(1 Q&A each week related to the preaching text)

WSC #94

What is baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.

(Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Galatians 3:27)

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

As Jesus was being baptized by John, Luke tells us of the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit and the announcement by God the Father to God the Son, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased. Here in Isaiah, God also declares His delight in His Servant/Son. The context (Isa 41:21-24) is God challenging the nations that their idols are false gods. Let your (false) gods demonstrate their sovereignty over past and future events and we’ll know you are real.

Behold, idols, you are nothing (Isa 41:24). Behold, these idols are make-believe (Isa 41:29). But, people of God, do you want something real? Behold my servant (v1). Jesus is real. Jesus is sovereign. Jesus is God’s servant. Jesus is the one that God the Father delights in. Jesus is a gentle servant (Mt 11:29) who brings God’s justice to the world through His salvation.

Idols won’t be discarded for good, injustice won’t be finally set right, sin won’t be forgiven, lives won’t be changed—apart from the salvation of God found only in Jesus Christ. God, who will not give His glory to another, His praise to carved idols, does give His glory to His Son. Therefore, God the Son is truly and fully God.

Not only does God love Jesus, God also loves all those He has given Jesus to save. By faith in Jesus, you know that you are also God’s servant, in whom He delights.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 96a, 119v

Prayer

Rejoice in the love of God for Jesus—and in Jesus, for you.
Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.