¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. ¹⁶ He warned them not to tell others about him. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
²¹     In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Servant

Jesus, you are quiet.  As I run around my busy day, you don’t chase me around.  You don’t tell me what to do by shouting in my ear like a drill sergeant.  I sometimes wish you would be like a coach with a whistle.  I sometimes wish that you would bark out the next thing that I should do so that I wouldn’t mess up.  However, your quiet advice serves me better than anything I would dream up for myself.  You patiently wait for me to finish my folly, and then you ask, “Are you done yet?”  I see you as the humorous type.  I bring the things that I have broken and you show me how they were created to function.

Let us all slow down and listen.  Let us come to you and allow you to serve us.  Your ideas are far above ours.  You insight makes ours look like blindness.  You are so far above us, but you don’t yell, rant, or dominate.  You could, but you don’t.  It reminds me of a game I play which says, “Speak softly, and carry a big gun.”  You speak things into existence and you can speak destruction.  At your name every knee will bow.  It’s better to get with the plan now.

Questions

1. What kind of oppression is Jesus receiving?
2. Why doesn’t he shout out a battle cry and defeat his enemies?
3. How is Jesus a servant?
4. Are you to busy or loud to go to Jesus?
5. How would Jesus lead you by serving you?  How does he model serving God the Father?