A Light to the Nations
Isaiah 42:1–9
January 13, 2008
University Christian Church, Seattle, WA
Rev. Sandy Messick

• The story is told of a traveler on the road between Spokane and Pullman on a dark winter’s night. Suddenly, the headlights of the traveler’s car went out on a particularly dark stretch of road and she was unable to see where she was going. She managed to make her way to the side of the road, but since she didn’t have a cellphone, she saw no solution other than to turn on her hazard lights and try to limp along the shoulder as best she could until she made it to the next exit. Cars passed, slowed, and then sped up again. But one car, passed, slowed, pulled over to the shoulder and waited for her to catch up. When she got up close, the driver motioned to her to follow, and then using his headlights for guidance, helped her find her way safely to the next exit. Oh what a difference a little light makes.
• In this passage from Isaiah 42 the prophet tells us of a gift God has given: to us, to all people. A covenant to the world, a light to the nations. Isaiah tells of us a of a servant..
• This passage is known as one of the servant song. It was likely written when Israel was in exile in Babylon, 6 th C (BCE). It was a passage written to a people who needed hope, they needed light, they needed a promise. And here, God gives it: A servant will be chosen by God. A servant will have God’s spirit within him. This servant will bring forth justice, not through violence, but through faithfulness.
• But there is great scholarly debate over the identity of this servant: Some saw it to be the prophet himself, others to a prophet not yet known. Many Christians of course read it as a prophecy about Jesus. And still other scholars believe that the servant is no other than Israel herself. The people of God are the promise and servant from God. The truth is, no one knows for sure.
• But I gained insight once from a commentary written by Paul Hansen, professor of OT at Harvard Divinity School. He said that regardless of who Isaiah meant, his hearers and we today would understand that we are under the same call and command. The bottom line is: Regardless of who the original servant was, we too are called to be servants. We too are called to be bringers of light.
• We are the ones called to act as servants to establish justice. We are the ones called to free the prisoners. We are the ones called to give sight to the blind, to those who live in darkness. We are the ones to offer a guiding light to those left alone on dark, wintry roads. A daunting task to say the least.
• But Isaiah reminds us that the source of our light doesn’t come from ourselves. It is instead, a gift from God. We are not lights of our own making, but reflected lights, mirror images of God’s light.
• We are called to be lights. At another church one year during Advent we focused on lights. We talked about flashlights that light our path when it is dark. And porch lights that let us know when we are home. And headlights that point our direction. And lighthouses that show us the way to safety. And we are to be those lights.
• Too often though, we think we’re not strong enough to be lights. We’re not smart enough, or dedicated enough, or wise enough, or faithful enough. We think of people who have been lights: Martin Luther King, Jr., or Mahatma Gandhi, or Desmond Tutu and think, “I could never measure up to their example.” And maybe we couldn’t. But I’m reminded of the words of another great one, Mother Teresa, “I can do no great things. Only small things with great love.” The truth is, God doesn’t call us to offer perfection, only the best that we have. God doesn’t call us to light up the whole world, only to shed a little light on the corner we’re in, and to trust, that if enough people answer that call, the whole world will be a little lighter.
• Let me tell you about some who are proving to be lights in the world. Ordinary people, like you and me.
• First there’s Lauren Latella. She’s from Pennsylvania. A few years ago she felt moved to raise money for breast cancer research in honor of her aunt. She started making ribbon watches and selling them at craft fairs and art shows. So far, she’s made over $15,000. She and her friends organized an annual “Tubing for a Cause” event. It’s like a walk-a-thon where they recruit pledges for every hour they spend tubing on the Delaware River. Talk about combining business with pleasure. And lately she helped organize and run a peer tutoring program for her local middle-school. And she’s only a senior in high school.
• Then there’s William Kofron from South Carolina. When Hurricane Hugo struck he was being treated for Leukemia. He left the hospital and refused to return, instead turning his efforts to getting people to safety. When hurricane Katrina struck, he helped the Red Cross train hundreds of volunteers so they could help respond in disaster areas.
• And then there’s Carla Morales. She lives in Colorado. She uses her gifts to rebuild old computer systems and donate them to nonprofit groups, senior citizen groups, day care centers, low income families, low income college students and churches. Outside of her full-time job, she repairs about 3-4 computers a week. She’s donated an average of 100 systems a year for the last 15 years. In her “spare” time, she volunteers to teach computer workshops and helps maintain computers at local shelters and for low-income people.
• What do these three have in common? All three were daily winners this month from the Points of Light organization. They were nominated by friends or family members, or more likely, people who’d been blessed by their gifts. They’re average ordinary people, using their God-given abilities, passions, and talents to be lights in the world. They’re people like you and me.

• Now maybe you think you don’t have that kind of talent or time, but the truth is, there are plenty of you being lights in your world. There are plenty of you already reflecting God’s light in the world.
• When you reach out to those in your community to offer food or shelter, Christ’s light is reflected in you.
• When you volunteer your time in the local schools, or driving people to doctor appointments or visiting shut-ins, Christ’s light is reflected in you.
• When you offer your voice in support of legislation that promotes justice or addresses injustice, or when you offer your time to causes that bring healing and wholeness to our troubled world, or when you sit with a child and help them make sense of their day, Christ’s light is reflected in you.

You are given as a covenant to the world. You are a light to the nations. May God’s light be reflected in you...and me…and each one of us.