Please read this passage before reading this homily.
Not all refugees are rapists and murderers; some may be, but not all. Not all white people in the United States are ideal citizens and some are rapist and murderers, but we do not blame the whole country for the actions of the few.
Not all Jewish people in the time of Jesus wanted to kill him; most were loyal to God and lived according to the law of God. Likewise, in the days of the prophet Isaiah, not all Israelites had turned away from God. The servant of the Lord proclaims his faithfulness to God. He speaks well. He proclaims God’s word. Day in, day out he makes God’s word an important part of his life.
We must be careful how we think and speak about other people. It does no good to use hate-filled words to describe other people’s actions and intent. We cannot bully people with whom we disagree. Calling people names is a way of bullying. Sometimes the bully sees something in the other that reminds the bully of what he himself has done or deeply wants to do. Destroying the bullied person can be a way for the bully to live with the evil inside himself.
Israel in this servant song is not bullied and the servant has an honest appraisal of himself. He has not rebelled; he has spoken God’s word; some have rebelled against him. He would take them to court, but his confidence is in the help that God gives. He is able to speak the word that will rouse them.
The plot against the servant, however, has thickened. The opponents are in his face, plucking his beard and spitting at him. The servant suffers rejection and humiliation, but he does not lose confidence in God. He becomes a model for the suffering and death of Jesus who, despite having been bullied, gives his life as ransom for the many.
We all have sinned and tried to bully God. God, however, has proactively send the Son s God’s faithful servant to rescue us from our foolish sins. God has sent his servants and his Son to call us back from sin into following the Lord. Despite what we ha e done and often still do to God’s prophets and servants, God remains faithful to us and rescues us from ourselves.