Matthew 12:20………..Working

Matthew 12:20………..Working

12:20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,  till he leads justice (judgment-K.J.V. Gospel, Salvation, redemption) to victory.-{ Is. 42:3 LXX} (For Complete Expository See Book) 

Extended Sermon Notes

“Teaches when our faith is flickering and we feel like giving up, Jesus will be there to fan the flames of hope back to life.” ⇒ Just when were about ready to call it quits and give up, Jesus fans the flames of faith and hope back to life. When our faith and our hope is almost gone. Can we hope again. Those who are hanging by a thread, their faith and hope diminished nearly to nothing. Yet, Jesus gently restores their strength and rekindles their faith. While human support can provide comfort, only Jesus can truly heal and restore the soul, providing a deep and abiding hope that stands firm even in the darkest of times.

“Teaches how no one is so bruised by the evils of the world or their own sins that they are beyond repair” ⇒ The worlds influence isn’t so strong that Jesus can’t free them. Sin hasn’t got it’s claws so deeply into a persons heart that Jesus gat forgive them. There is no person who’s weakness is so deep rooted that Jesus can’t fan into a flame of goodness in them. Regardless of how deep the scars or how dark the past, Jesus’ love and grace are sufficient to restore and renew. Those who feel broken, ashamed, or lost can find hope and solace in Him, knowing that He will not reject or abandon them but will gently mend their wounds and rekindle their spirit. Jesus’ unwavering commitment to our redemption is a testament to His boundless mercy and the transformative power of His love.

Additional  Notes & Applications

Encourages how we can bring our weaknesses, our failures, our doubts, our sins, our struggles, etc. to Jesus  knowing that He will not disown us or reject us, but lift our guilt and our fears

Teaches Jesus deals gently and tender with our weaknesses and failures. Never turning His back on us or giving up on us.

Teaches when we are at our lowest and weakest God loves us and will give us the strength and grace we need to get us through another day.

Teaches instead of judging and tossing people away were to have love and compassion for them. In the same way, believers are called to emulate this gentle, restorative approach. Rather than crushing those who are already fragile with harsh words or judgmental attitudes, let us lift others up and help rekindle their faith and hope. Will you pray, Jesus, help us to reflect your heart towards bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. Jesus, may the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks in my life, in my church, and in my community know that you are a gentle, patient, and loving Savior through the way we treat them. They are not useless to you; may they never be useless to us.

Reeds were plants that grow in along ponds, lakes, and marshes. Reeds are tall plants that sway in the wind. They are very fragile because they’re hollow on the inside, they may look thick but they don’t have a lot of substance to them. If you were to put just a little bit of pressure on them they’ll snap, they’ll break

A bruised reed and smolder wick are seen here as those who are struggling, those who are crushed, those who are at a fragile place in their life. Those who are despairing in making anything out of their lives. Jesus is compassionate for those who have been abused and misused.

Some understand this to be in references to the Jewish Religious Leaders. That Jesus would not aggressively destroy their system. They were like “bruised reeds,” barely able to stand upright due to their own spiritual shortcomings and hypocrisy. Jesus, however, did not come to destroy but to heal and give life, offering a new way through grace and forgiveness. Jesus would not break them. The Judaism that they taught was a smoking wick, almost about to be extinguished completely. It had become encumbered with unbiblical rules and regulations; and taught “as doctrines the commandments of men” (v. 9). But Jesus would not snuff it out.

WAYS WE CAN BE SMOLDER WICKS

• We can be struggling with our faith and spiritual life

• We can have the spark of gifts, but struggling to put them into practice

• We can have the spark of zeal for the Lord quenched by distractions, or dissipated by disillusionment

• We can have the spark of