“Hello My Name is…Ish Makaboth”

April 13, 2014

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Sermon Series on “The Names of God”

Sermon 14 of series-

“The Sacred Names of God: Ish Makaboth”

Isaiah 53:7-12 The Message Bible

Isaiah 50:4-9a Complete Jewish Bible

“Hello My Name is…Ish Makaboth”

Let us pray…

Loving and Gracious God, full of compassion and love, You are the giver of all that is good and perfect. We thank you for this day that we can slow ourselves down and bask in Your word. As we sit at Your feet, we ask that You would help us understand the message for us today through the Spirit that You have placed within us. May that Spirit move within us so that we may see the light of your word. May we come away from our encounter with You this morning changed people of God. Speak to us Lord within the darkness of life, we are anxious to hear Your voice within our hearts and see the light of your glory.

Have you ever had so much sorrow over something or someone that it feels as if your heart is actually going to break? Have you ever been to a place like that and it feels as if you will not survive through your pain? When you are in the midst of this suffering and pain, we can feel as if we are all alone. No one can understand the pain and anguish you are feeling. You feel as if you are at the bottom of a dark, deep pit and there is no way out. There is no one who will come with a light to help you find your way out. Who will come and sit with you through this season of your journey and help you find a way out?

Today is Palm Sunday. Today we celebrate Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem with waving Palms. The people knew that Jesus was special. They were sure that Jesus would be the one to save them from the tyranny of the Romans. Jesus was the Messiah that would free them as David would. Or was He?

We are continuing on our journey of learning the Sacred Names of God and praying in that same name. We have learned so many names for God it is very fitting that our Sacred Name of God is Ish Makaboth…Man of Sorrows…as we enter into Holy Week.

Now we have sort of touched on this Name of God…Ish Makaboth…when we talked about the Servant of the Lord. I had read the first part of Isaiah 53 a couple of weeks ago but today, I read the “rest of the story”. The part I read today reminds us of Holy week and what Jesus would suffer by the end of the week. We begin this week with the cry of  Hosannas and end it with shout of “Crucify Him!” As a matter of fact, after Jesus had His triumphal entry, He went away and looked over Jerusalem and cried over it there are two times that we hear about Jesus crying, one was over Lazzareth and the other over Jerusalem… He was full of sorrow because the people just didn’t understand who He was. They were all happy and excited that Jesus was going to be the Messiah but it was a different type of Messiah than they wanted. They wanted one who was full of violence and retribution but what they had was one full of peace and compassion. Matthew 20:26-27 tells us “But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave.” Jesus wept because He knew that the people wanted blood but what they didn’t realize that it would be His blood that would redeem and save them.

But there is something about this whole “Passion Week” that amazes me. It was how He reacted within His suffering. I would like to “unpack” that statement for you by first reading Isaiah 50 verses 4-9a. Now I would like for you listen to the words I am reading and tell me if you could have acted the same as Jesus did…read from the Complete Jewish Bible…

Now I don’t know about you but I don’t think I could have acted the same way. When I am hurt my first reaction is to hurt back…I am only human. I think we all want to see our oppressors  come to some kind of judgment. Remember last week we talked about Shophet…the Righteous Judge…we at times have a hard time waiting for our Judge to drop the hammer down on those who hurt us… But listen to how a servant of God reacts…how they take suffering.

1.     Daily hears God’s voice strengthening them – verse 4 tells us that the servant of the Lord spends time with Him each day. Each day they are taught by God on what to do and they receive strength in the words God has for them. They are able to face each day knowing that God is with them. How much time do we…you and I…spend each day searching out God’s voice? How much time do we spend each day listening for God’s instruction for our lives? How excited are we each day to sit at the foot of the cross and just be…basking in the love and compassion that flows down from it?

2.     Willing accepts suffering – verse 5 tells us that the servant of the Lord “accepts their circumstances” because they know God is with them…that everything that happens is “Father Filtered.” Now this is hard. When we go through “the valley of the shadow of death”, how do we react? Do we trust that God will see us through or do we try to trust on our own strength and might to see us through? Do we run away from adversity or do we meet it head on with and through the strength of God?

3.     Endures suffering patiently – The servant of the Lord knows…is confident…that God will save them from whatever they face, as it says in verse 7, so they sit and wait and take their refuge in Him. Ok…there are times when we are going through a tough time on our faith journey and we just can’t see the “light at the end of the tunnel.” How do we react in these times? Do we turn to God and His Word to remind us of His promises or do we only focus on what is ahead of us trying to think of a way out? Do we look for comfort in the Word of God or in the world in which we live? I don’t know about you…but when I am going through these times of trial…it is hard for me to be patient. I want it over “yesterday”.

4.     Trusts in God to deliver them from suffering – The servant of the Lord takes it all. The insults, the wounds, the innuendo’s…whatever comes their way. They have a “tunnel vision” on God and will not be moved. They know in the end they will triumph as in the second part of verse 7. And the church says REALLY Pastor Ruth… how the heck do you expect us to take whatever people dish out to us. People are mean…humanity is cruel…how can we just sit by. Well…no one said it was going to be easy but with God on our side how can we not win?

I think my favorite part…the part that gets me through those tough times is what the rest of the scripture read this morning reads…My vindicator is close…God is close by ready to help me. Because of this fact, who can condemn me? If God is for us who can be against us…who can stand against us. Can somebody give me a GLORY!

 So…why suffer? Is not the question, because we live in a fallen world where there is suffering and despair. We don’t choose to suffer unless we are paranoid or have a martyr complex. It is not for us to choose. Suffering is a “cross we must bear.”  The true question is how we suffer when it comes as it will come to everyone of us. Are you in a season in your journey where you feel that you are suffering either by your own hand or by someone else’s? Do you feel like you are in the Sahara Desert with nothing but wide spread scorching sand? Are you looking for an oasis that you can come to and rest for a while? Beloved…Jesus our Lord and Savior suffered. He knows what you are going through. But you see Jesus Suffered, died and was buried. But on the third day He rose again and He will help you rise again from your valley of the shadow of death. He is waiting to cause healing rain fall upon your parched soul…the Healing Rain that falls down from the cross of Calvary. Find your rest, peace and hope in the One who has been there before…our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Come and dance in the rain of mercy, peace and redemption. He is always there waiting for you to join in the dance of life with Him

Let us pray… (Pray to Ish Makaboth)

Amen!