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Lord’s Day Sermon Manuscript · December 21, 2025
Isaiah 42:1–9
The Mediator for the Peoples
(Christmas · Lord’s Supper Service · December 21, 2025)
Text: Isaiah 42:1–9
Speaker: Pastor John Chen
Theme Sentence: We must understand salvation more deeply, so that we may love this Mediator.
Guiding Question: Concerning salvation, what aspects should we understand?
Transition: We need to understand the following aspects.
Keyword: How
Introduction
Today is the Lord’s Day on which we celebrate Christmas. Together we remember the Son of God—Christ—who was born for us in a manger. But what kind of God is this Son? How do we receive salvation? What is the meaning of our remembrance?
Let us look at a passage from the Old Testament so that we may understand more about salvation. This passage is the first of the four “Servant Songs” in the latter half of Isaiah. From Old Testament prophecy, let us come to know this Son.
I. Know the Source of Salvation
1. What is salvation, and why do people need it?
Salvation is the grace by which we are delivered. Why does man need salvation? Because all people are in a condition of ruin and loss. One evidence of this ruin in the present life is the emptiness and vanity of the world.
The Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 28, speaks of the punishments of sin in this life:
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Internal punishments: blindness of mind, a corrupt and perverse heart, erroneous inclinations, hardness of heart, and vile affections.
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External punishments: God’s curse upon the creation for our sake, and all the miseries that come upon our bodies, names, possessions, relationships, and callings—including death itself.
Death is a clear proof of our lost condition. The disorder, chaos, falsehood, sickness, pain, and death in this world all testify that we are in a fallen and evil state.
In truth, everyone needs God’s salvation in order to be delivered from the snare of death—eternal death. This does not mean Christians will not die; rather, it means that after passing through death, we will not fall into eternal judgment like those who do not believe, but will enjoy God’s presence forever.
The background of today’s passage is Isaiah’s prophecy that Israel, because of sin, would be taken captive to Babylon. This captivity becomes a picture of God’s people being bound by sin: Israel needs to return, and God’s people need to be set free from sin.
2. Who can save God’s people?
God’s people need deliverance. But who will deliver them? Can God’s people save themselves? Scripture clearly denies this.
Those in sin are not only unable to save themselves—they do not even want to save themselves. Even though people know the world is full of suffering, they still cling to this world that will be judged.
Nor can saving power be found within the created order. Even the strongest among creatures cannot become our Savior.
Therefore, the Lord of salvation must be the Lord of creation. If one is not the Creator, one cannot be the Redeemer. The power required for redemption is even greater than the power displayed in creation.
This is why salvation must come from the Creator. In verse 5, God is described as the One who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it—showing His authority over all things.
God also created humanity and gave breath and spirit to man. He gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it. This “spirit” refers to humanity’s capacity to know God and respond to Him. The human heart knows there is a God and ought to worship the one true God. Only the Creator possesses true saving power.
3. Salvation is the Triune God’s initiative, and the Mediator is God’s gift
Therefore, salvation is the Triune God’s sovereign initiative. It is not man seeking God; it is God seeking man. This Mediator is given by God, not discovered by man.
And God’s saving way is to give His beloved Son, Jesus Christ—here called the LORD’s Servant—to be the Mediator who accomplishes the Covenant of Grace.
Why is a Mediator necessary? Because the infinitely holy God cannot have direct contact with filthy and corrupt mankind. If such contact were to occur without mediation, sinful man would be utterly destroyed by the holiness of God.
So, in order to save His elect, a Mediator is required—One who can, before God, represent man to satisfy divine justice and appease God’s righteous wrath; and who can, before man, represent God, calling man to live in holiness under God’s rule. Since mankind has sinned against God, this Mediator—this Servant—is absolutely necessary.
4. The Servant is called in righteousness: He bears wrath, and is upheld by God
This Servant is called by God in righteousness. Therefore, all of God’s wrath against sin falls upon Him. He bears the guilt and debt of God’s chosen people and is finally nailed to the cross.
At the same time, this Servant is upheld and kept by God. God gives His Spirit to Him. The Son is filled with the Holy Spirit without measure in order to complete His mission on earth.
This Servant is the Jesus Christ whom we remember today—the One who was born for us in a manger. Only with His coming is there hope of salvation for God’s people. No other person, and no ritual, can accomplish salvation for God’s people; all of them point to the same Christ.
5. The ultimate purpose: God’s glory
God’s fundamental purpose in doing all this is to exalt His own name. As verse 8 says, He will not give His glory to another. God acts for His own glory—this is right, reasonable, and fitting.
II. Understand the Effects of Salvation
1. To bring justice to the nations
“To bring forth justice to the nations” means to proclaim God’s truth: what God is like, how mankind has sinned against God, how God is willing to be reconciled to man, and by what means God reconciles man to Himself. This message is proclaimed to the Gentiles.
From Isaiah’s perspective, the gospel is from the beginning for all nations—not limited to Israel alone.
2. To be a light for the Gentiles
The good news of reconciliation with God is what the Gentiles in darkness need. This Savior is what the peoples have been longing for, because there is no better news than this.
The Gentiles grope in darkness, deceived by Satan, the world, and sinful desires. Only light can reveal the truth about the world. This Mediator is the light to the Gentiles. This light shows where traps are and where blessings are—so that God’s people may avoid the snares and walk on God’s good path. Satan works through darkness.
3. To open the eyes of the blind
But does having light automatically solve the problem? No. A person must also have eyes to see the light. Therefore, God must open our eyes so that we may see.
This reveals our true condition: we are blind in darkness. What a pitiable state. We cannot see, and we live in a world without light, driven entirely by our sinful desires—this is terrifying.
God comes and does two things: He gives us the light, and He opens our eyes to see the light. Both require God’s special grace and blessing.
4. To bring prisoners out of the dungeon
Isaiah then uses another image: we are like prisoners, ruled and bound by sin. We do not have freedom to do good; what we do is evil. We are born in sin and will finally die in sin.
But God releases us from prison, delivering us from sin’s dominion and granting us freedom to obey God’s law. This is described as bringing prisoners out and leading those who sit in darkness out of confinement.
Those under the power of sin are citizens of sin’s kingdom. Jesus Christ redeems us by His blood and frees us from sin’s bondage.
5. To establish justice on the earth
Verse 4 speaks of establishing justice on the earth. The Lord Jesus first accomplishes His justice within the church—governing His people on earth by His righteousness. Ultimately, He will establish a righteous kingdom on earth: the new heavens and new earth, where God dwells with man forever.
This is a perfect kingdom, and the church is its foretaste and beginning. In the church we seriously obey God’s law and taste the goodness of the kingdom. Therefore, the church is a community formed according to the rules of heaven, and we must take this seriously.
III. Understand the Manner of Salvation
1. Not by loudness or coercive power, but by gentleness and humility
“He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street.” Jesus Christ does not accomplish salvation by seizing political power and forcing faith, but by a gentle and humble manner.
Does this mean Christians should not evangelize? Of course not. It means the spread of the gospel is not fundamentally driven by volume, spectacle, or worldly authority. The gospel is carried through love.
2. He cares for the weak
“A bruised reed he will not break.” A bruised reed is a reed that seems useless—yet God cherishes it. He is willing to support, lead, keep, and build up His weak people, making them strong.
“And a faintly burning wick he will not quench.” A dim wick appears of little use—yet God adds oil so that it may continue to burn.
Therefore, in the outworking of salvation, it is not about who is louder or more “successful,” but about love, tenderness toward the weak, help for the poor, and protection for the fragile.
3. He proclaims justice in truth
“He will faithfully bring forth justice.” The manner of Christ—and of the church in evangelism—is the proclamation of truth. We do not need gimmicks or exaggeration; we need only to tell people what is true.
The truth is this: after bodily death, a person does not cease to exist, but will face God’s judgment for what he has done. This is the reality revealed in Scripture, and no one can refute it.
Christians are not trying to scare people into believing by talking about hell; we are reporting the truth to all who live on earth, so that they may flee eternal judgment.
At the same time, we tell all who will hear that apart from the blood of Christ, man will fall under judgment and finally endure everlasting punishment. This is the truth. Those moved by the Holy Spirit will receive the gospel, because it is exceedingly good news—it delivers us from eternal punishment.
IV. Know the Hardships and the Hope
1. He will not grow faint or discouraged
We acknowledge that the work of evangelism is difficult and long. Yet this Servant—Jesus Christ—and also His redeemed church, must not grow faint or be discouraged, but must proclaim boldly so that His truth may be widely known.
There will be resistance, rejection, and even those who seek to harm us. But we need not lose heart, for God rules over all things. He is the final authority, and therefore we need not be afraid.
2. The inner and outer struggle
On the one hand, Christians must wage war against the desires within, pursuing sanctification. On the other hand, we must also bear with and receive those who resist the gospel.
This inner and outer struggle is indeed exhausting and can be discouraging. Yet every perseverance in the gospel is meaningful and fruitful. We must strive to endure.
3. The coastlands wait for His law
Our hope is this: “the coastlands wait for his law.” Though some resist and despise the gospel, there will certainly be those who need to hear it—God’s elect, our brothers and sisters.
We simply preach, and God will reward the labor by granting them to hear this precious gospel.
Closing
May God lead us, in this season of celebrating Christmas, to understand the meaning of Christmas and to receive this eternal salvation.
Discussion Questions
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What is the source of the believer’s salvation?
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What are the effects of the believer’s salvation?
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What is the manner by which the believer’s salvation is accomplished?
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What hardships and what hope are present in the process of salvation?
I. Knowing the Source of Salvation Isaiah was born in a time marked by Hezekiah’s revival, followed by a renewed spiritual decline. When Judah encountered trouble, the people sought help from other nations, such as Egypt. Isaiah called the people to return to God (chapters 1–39). However, the … Read more
I. Knowing the Source of Salvation
Isaiah was born in a time marked by Hezekiah’s revival, followed by a renewed spiritual decline. When Judah encountered trouble, the people sought help from other nations, such as Egypt. Isaiah called the people to return to God (chapters 1–39).
However, the outcome of Judah’s exile had already been determined (chapters 40–66). Within this section, Isaiah offers the people of Judah a hope: they would surely return, and God would give them a Mediator who would bring salvation, form a true remnant, and establish the kingdom of God. This is the central message of the four Servant Songs. These four songs point to Jesus Christ.
This passage is the first Servant Song. Through it, Isaiah tells Israel that there is hope—that a Mediator will arise. This song describes how God prepares His Servant. In Isaiah’s understanding, Judah has already gone into Babylonian exile, and he speaks in order to give them hope.
People often ask, “Why do I need salvation?” They may feel that their lives are going quite well. But we must ask ourselves: Do we truly need salvation? In reality, we certainly do. All people are in a state of lostness.
According to the Westminster Larger Catechism, those who live in unbelief are under inward punishments—such as perversity and the corruption of the heart—as well as outward punishments, including being under God’s curse, which may be manifested in nature, in body and mind, or in economic crises. Although people may gain certain things through their own efforts, they cannot escape death.
Everyone lives under the threat of death; everyone fears death. Even a serious illness can terrify a person to the core. Therefore, humanity needs to be delivered from the fear of death and from the fear of the soul facing judgment.
How, Then, Can a Person Receive Salvation?
What must a person do in order to receive salvation? A person who is in sin cannot escape death by anything he does. Nobel Prize winners, billionaires, kings who rule the world, people of great talent, PhDs, or successful entrepreneurs—none of these can save a person.
If we were to rank the heroes of world history, Alexander the Great would surely stand at the top. He was not only a king, but also a philosopher. Yet when he possessed the whole world, he died at the age of thirty-three. It is said that he asked for holes to be cut in his coffin so that people could see that after death, he could take nothing with him.
So where is the answer?
The answer is found only in the Bible.
“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 on it
and spirit to those who walk in it.”
(Isaiah 42:5)
Only the God who stretches out the heavens and creates the skies can be our Savior, because He is the Creator. Only the Lord who created the heavens and gave humanity spiritual life can also be the Redeemer. Any salvation apart from the Creator is a deception.
The source of salvation comes from the love and mercy of the Triune God toward us. Only when the second person of the Trinity took on human flesh and came into the world could salvation be accomplished. This is the reason the angels praise God. Otherwise, all creation would perish under judgment.
Only because Jesus took on human nature, was born in a manger, and identified Himself with us, can we be saved. And today, the reason we are sitting here listening to the gospel is because the Holy Spirit is willing to regenerate us, to lead us—only then can we receive salvation.
II. Understanding the Effects of Salvation
God will bring justice to the nations. Through salvation, people come to understand how humanity has offended God, how God reconciles sinners to Himself through Christ, how salvation is accomplished in a fallen world, and how the Holy Spirit applies these truths in our hearts. This understanding itself is one of the marks of salvation.
When we find ourselves having an interest in spiritual pursuit, committing ourselves to the church, loving Scripture, and desiring to hear God’s Word, these are signs that salvation has truly come to us.
1. A Light for the Nations
Jesus Christ came into this world like the rising of the sun. His coming is like drawing back the curtains in a dark room—suddenly, light floods in. Those who do not believe in Jesus are walking in darkness, and they are in desperate need of light.
Some people say, “There is light all around me—how can you say I am walking in darkness?” But consider this example: twenty-five years ago, no one knew housing prices would rise as they did. When prices peaked, some people bought at the highest point. Later, when prices fell, others failed to sell in time. Human beings cannot predict the future.
In life, we are constantly making choices. For example, many women choose a spouse according to society’s values. In the 1970s, handsome soldiers were highly desired. After economic reforms, soldiers were no longer popular, and some people wanted to marry wealthy older men. Later, even the wealthy lost their money, and new standards emerged. Looking back, human choices are often mistaken.
You may have bought property at the peak of the market. You may have spent enormous amounts of money sending your children abroad to study, only to find they cannot secure a job afterward. Without Christ, people make decisions in darkness.
2. Not Only in Darkness, but Blind
Not only is the world dark—human beings are also blind. The world offers countless deceptions. Humanity lives in double darkness: darkness in the world, and blindness in the heart. To walk in the light, there must be light, and we must be able to see.
When salvation comes to us, our eyes are finally opened. We begin to see the true nature of the world, and we are able to live under God’s protection, discerning the traps and illusions that surround us.
3. Bringing Prisoners Out of the Dungeon
Christ comes “to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” This world is like a prison, and humanity is sinking together with it. Whether in the East or the West, wherever there is no light of the gospel, societies are descending into ruin.
When the West abandons faith and moral restraint, it inevitably loses true freedom, including economic freedom, and falls under various forms of bondage—because it has turned away from God. In the prison, blind people fight one another, leading only to destruction.
Jesus comes to lead us out of the prison. He restores our relationship with the living God, enables us to do good, and allows us to receive the blessing that comes from doing good.
The Purpose of Salvation
The purpose of salvation is this: to establish justice on the earth. God is building an eternal kingdom, which is already present in this age as the church. When we live according to God’s law and walk in His statutes, we begin—even now—to establish a foretaste and visible pattern of the kingdom of heaven on earth.
III. Understanding the Means of Salvation
Only the way in which the Father gives the Son can truly bear the guilt of human sin. Jesus took on human nature; the divine and human natures are united in one person.
The reason people die is because this world is sinful. Sin must be dealt with. And the way sin is dealt with is through sacrifice. A lamb must be offered in our place, bearing our guilt, so that we may be made holy. The Father had to put Jesus Christ to death in order for sin to be fully judged and dealt with. Jesus had to be put to death in the prime of His life so that God’s justice might be completely satisfied.
Jesus came to bear sin. If He had not become truly human, sin could not have been removed. To take away sin, He had to take on human nature, in order to deliver His people from the wrath of God. At the same time, Jesus had to live a life of perfect righteousness on earth, so that God’s people might be counted righteous before Him.
The “Servant” here refers to the infant born in a manger—our Lord Jesus Christ.
How Does He Save?
“He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.”
(Isaiah 42:2–3)
These words describe Christ’s mercy toward us—sinners who were destined for destruction. Jesus did not come into the world to become an earthly king (though He already possessed all authority). Instead, for thirty years He lived quietly as the son of a carpenter, without openly revealing His identity.
When Jesus began His ministry, He did not force people through power or coercion. When the Jews nailed Him to the cross, He remained silent. The Creator’s way of saving us was not through intimidation or threats, but through gentleness and love.
Even when we sin, Jesus draws us to Himself with cords of mercy and bonds of love. He does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our transgressions. Instead, He teaches us patiently and gently. This is the way salvation is accomplished.
A Salvation That Astonishes Us
We cannot help but marvel at God’s way of salvation. God could have judged sinners directly—but He did not. Instead, He Himself was born in a manger, saved us in the most humble way, and died on the cross. This is the way God chose to redeem humanity.
For thirty years of Jesus’ life, not a single word is recorded in Scripture. When others opposed Him, He withdrew to the mountains. Only a humble Savior can truly save us.
At last, He establishes justice on the earth and faithfully proclaims the truth. His method is this: Jesus Christ tells us the truth about the world. We are blind. We are imprisoned. After death, all people must face judgment. The only way to escape judgment is through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
When a person truly accepts this reality, he will surely trust in this salvation. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Therefore, we love the Lord Jesus—because He has saved us in such a gentle and gracious way.
IV. Knowing the Hardships and the Hope
“He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.”
(Isaiah 42:4)
From a human perspective, this way of salvation does not seem effective at all. Isaiah had already made it clear that proclaiming the gospel would be difficult. People will ask, “What benefit is there in believing in Jesus?”
Even this afternoon, we may see that many of the people we invited did not come. Brothers and sisters are weak. Ministers are weak. But we must not lose heart.
Why? Because in this world there are certainly people whom God has chosen, and there will certainly be those who respond. What we are called to do is to keep proclaiming, keep loving, and keep persevering—until the day we leave this world.
There is an English saying that captures this truth well:
“You are not a winner because you win once;
you are a winner because you keep going.”
And likewise:
“You are not a failure until you quit.”
In other words, do not call yourself victorious simply because of one success—only continual perseverance reveals true victory. And do not call yourself a failure unless you have completely withdrawn from the race. Therefore, in evangelism and in sanctification, we must never step off the field and never give up.
Those whom God has chosen, He will surely choose to the end.
Our Hope
“Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”
(Isaiah 42:9)
Our hope is this: this salvation is accomplished by the living God, and therefore it will surely bear fruit. Do not fear weakness, because we have hope. Jesus Christ is the eternal Victor.
So when it comes to evangelism, we must not shrink back. Wait ten years. Wait twenty years. It is entirely possible that one day they will come to church—because those whom God has chosen, He will never abandon.
I do not fix my eyes on China’s religious policies, because “the LORD sits enthroned over the flood.” In the midst of overwhelming chaos, God reigns as King. We must have confidence in this eternally sovereign God. The salvation He accomplishes cannot be resisted by anyone.
As Christmas comes, may this Christ—who was born in a manger and nailed to the cross—become our center.
Do not be trapped in fear. Jesus reveals love to us in this way: “While we were still sinners, God’s love was shown to us.” God has always known how broken we are, how weak we are, how incapable we are—and yet He still loves us.
The King of heaven took on human nature. Even in the womb, He was mocked. And yet God still chose to be born in a manger for our sake.
Our weakness and inadequacy are not excuses. Rather, we are called to be strong and courageous once again.
It’s not over until you quit.
So press on. Follow Jesus boldly. And receive the blessings and benefits of the gospel.