A Portrait of a Servant
January 11, 2026
If you see any artistic work in this building from before the nesting time, it was probably done by our resident graphic artists Linda and Sara Davis. They have a wonderful ability to take an idea or concept and make it a visual portrait. The prophet Isaiah is also an artist because he wants to paint a portrait for us of God’s holy servant. But instead of pallet of colors, Isaiah uses words.
He did so in a series of word pictures which have become known as the Suffering Servant Songs. And in this the 1st of the servant songs Isaiah says that the kind of leadership we should expect from one called by God is that God’s chosen one does not execute justice by force. So how does this servant act, with tender care toward those who are vulnerable. To be gentle toward ideas still coming into fullness and encouraging for the small efforts of the humble, struggling to plant their roots. These words and images offered over 3000 years ago, provide a startling contrast to modern leadership. The theologian, the Rev. Dr. Roger Nishioka wrote in a commentary text some 15 years ago which contrasted portrait of the servant of God with the rise of the strong man leader who has little regard for the vulnerable and was becoming all too fashionable again. I am sure, Rev. Roger would faint at what is happening in the world today 15 years later. He wrote back then, “can you imagine a politician running on a platform of tenderly caring for the bruised reed or carefully tending to the dimly burning wick? Or that this leader will faithfully bring forth justice, not just for all those who are already favoured, but for those who have been left outside the banquet halls and shop windows?” And even if such a politician were to win on that platform, that they would have to be strong. In the words of Isaiah, “that they will not grow faint or be crushed until that one has established justice in the world.”
Over the quick satisfaction of ‘shock and awe’ God’s servant must consciously choose patience, but never cease to work for justice, and work until the vision takes root and works so that the dim flame of community mindedness can be fanned into strong flames.
Strangely it is not what the suffering servant is to do that theologian‘s debate, rather the central debate is who is Isaiah talking about? Is this a single person or is it the whole nation of Israel? In this text specifically verses 1-4 Isaiah describes a servant that is singular, unknown and solitary in his or her prophetic work. But in verses 6-7 there is a distinct change. Listen to the words again: “I am the Lord, I have called YOU righteous. I have taken YOU by the hand and kept YOU.”
This isn’t just a prophecy for somebody else. This is a call to action and sacrifice, to all who believe. I believe that this image of sacrificial service captured the imagination of Jesus, and I think it ought to capture our imagination as his followers. In the gospel reading, Jesus’s baptism carries this further. For the writer of Matthew Jesus truly begins his ministry at his baptism.
At his baptism, the heavens open up to him, and he saw the spirit descends on him like a dove. In other words, in Matthew, it doesn’t appear that it’s important that anybody else hears this call or sees this vision. What is important is that Jesus hears and see the vision of servanthood. Likewise, there is no clarity about whether the whole crowd or Jesus alone hears the voice from heaven say, “This is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” So, on one hand this call is extraordinarily personal, but it happens and maybe cannot happen without some community’s involvement.
I also notice is that this happens before Jesus literally lifts a finger to do any kind of ministry. Up to this point, he is a carpenter or certainly the carpenter son. He is a member of a synagogue. He is a good son and brother. He is faithful to the ways of compassion, forgiveness, love and grace, and we only know that because if he wasn’t, that would certainly be something that his enemies would have thrown up at him. Just because there was no social media back there doesn’t mean that people didn’t know who you were and what you did in your past. Jesus is called into this servant role but alone. There is always a community present.
As I consider this and the reality that we are moving closer to a place of creating a single congregation, remember the vote on the next step is next week. I wonder what kind portrait of a community is needed to support the individuals within the community to answer the call to servanthood. Well Isaiah tells us. We need to be a place where the bruised reed is not broken. We know something about this because it is a very rare individual that hasn’t been bruised by the world. Because we have all been bruised, we know what we need in those times and we have an opportunity to create a community that rises to that level of care. Secondly the world is tiring and so many find their wicks burning pretty low. Both parents working; new and often bad news overload; rising costs and the tremendous temptation to isolate when we need others.
Whatever else we want a new congregation to be or do we need to paint a portrait of a congregation that will acknowledge the frailty that is so keenly felt in the world and by those who come through those doors every Sunday morning. We want to be in a place where the dim flicker of hope is fanned into a flame and we want to be in a place where everyone finds connection and are known. Each of us are called to be God’s servant but we can not do it alone. We need each other and we need a community where that call can be heard, a blessing conveyed and encouragement can be received. And that will happen at worship but also in service, in fellowship and in shared social and study opportunities. We have an opportunity to paint a portrait may it be worthy of the artist we follow. Amen