Faint and Failing but not Forgotten

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 26 APRIL 2026 - MR CALVIN STRIPP

ISAIAH 42 VERSES 1 TO 10

Text: "A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." (verse 3)

There are various texts in scripture which we have marked in our bibles and they come with power. They come with comfort in that special way because in certain times in our lives, on our Christian road, they have been given to us by God. We see them and treat them like a precious jewel. You will have them marked already. This is one of those jewels that has come to me with power and blessing. Christ is the promised servant of God. The promised servant of Jehovah in verse 1. "I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Christ is the servant of God. You might even find in your bible the title 'the office of Christ' or 'the servant of God' over this chapter. We are introduced to chapter 42 by Christ the promised servant of God. What about verse 2? Christ does not come in regards to pomp and pride. He comes with humility. He takes upon him our flesh. And then we come to verse 3. We see here that Christ as the servant of Jehovah comes and deals with believers in that preserving and restoring way. He deals with us in sovereign grace. Though we are weak this morning, faint and failing, we are not forgotten. Look at the condition of Christ's people here. Our condition - you and I are in this text. "A bruised reed" and "a smoking flax". Isaiah presents the believer in a realistic spiritual condition. There is no buttering up. The reality in the Christian life. At times we are on the mountain top and then there are times we are in the valley. There are times when we are rejoicing and then there are times when we are low. You have all felt it. Isaiah presents the believer in that realistic condition. There are times when we are a bruised reed and there are times when we are a smoking flax. It reflects the believers condition but yet we are held by his grace. In that condition and through that condition Christ's sustaining grace is there. One of the Puritans Richard Sibbes wrote a famous book titled The Bruised Reed. He said "there is more mercy in Christ than there is sin in us." He went on "a bruised reed is one that has no strength yet Christ will not break it but he will bind it up." Sibbes carefully observes the truth of this text. Christ does not wait for strength before leaving his people. He loves them into strength. That is what he is saying. He doesn't wait for our strength to build up and then leaves us. He loves us into strength. Take heart today. He will love you into strength. Someone also said "when Christ sees the poor soul at his lowest he takes that opportunity to show the most of his grace." When we are at our lowest - no lower point for us - then Christ takes that opportunity to show us the most of his servant to that work. 

The bruised reed - what can we say about it in a spiritual and biblical context? The reed can be used for various things. Usually grown along the Nile. You remember Moses was put into the ark and put amongst the reeds. These reeds are used for various things. Walking aids or canes. Writing instruments. Measuring sticks. All of these things are possible but only when the reed is in the right condition. Not blessed because the reed is fragile. So easily bent and broken. Once it is bent and bruised then it becomes unusable. We cannot use it at all. The image is very powerful when we think of ourselves. At times we feel unusable. How can the Lord use me? Yet we find in scripture he can. If we have a bruised reed we will pluck it out and burn it. Destroy it in some way. it is useless but not God. For he does not break or destroy the bruised reed. He strengthens it. He binds it and provides his sovereign grace in that situation. Though we have the human weakness, the natural frailty yet God comes alongside. Through his word, through the means of the communion table, through encouragement of the saints. We see this wonderful picture that God does not pluck out the reed and have it broken up. It is bound up. It is not destroyed. Richard Sibbes also said "a bruised reed is not broken, it is weakened yet Christ will not break it any further." Christ does not deal with what is already crushed as though it is worthless. Let us use another illustration. If we go to the fruit bowl and see a piece of fruit that is bruised we will lift it out and cast it away. The Lord sees worth in that bruised reed though it is bruised. 

Then we have the smoking flax. What does that teach us? The smoking flax refers to fibre from the flax, stripped off, wound together. Sometimes it is turned into linen cloth. It is twisted together and becomes a wick, put in the oil and wax then the wick comes up with fuel and its lit. The flax draws up the fuel and it burns and gives light. A simple illustration but that is the imagery here. Without fuel the wick is useless. it does not give light. Not just a flax that is put out. It is smouldering. I am sure you have all used scented candles in your home. When you walk into a room and smell them they give a beautiful aroma. At night when you go to blow them out there is an acrid smell of smoke. You and I are designed to carry light. To give forth light to those around us. To our families, to our spouses, to extended family members, those not saved. To those we might not always have an opportunity to witness to but they are watching us. There are times when our light dims and it goes nearly out. It is just smoking. We now become offensive. There is no light in the environment. It needs rekindled. What we really need to do is wet our fingers and then hold it over the candle - then it goes out without smell. That is not what we read about here. "A smoking flax he will not quench." Though it is not inflamed, almost extinguished, almost but not completely. In that condition, though smoking and giving off this erroneous scent. We should be carrying the light but our wick and flax is smoking. It is weak, faint but Christ does not extinguish us. In and by his grace, at the right time God comes to us. Not quite out but so close to being out. Smoking away. Christ will not quench the smoking flax but will blow it into a flame and it will ignite. How do we treat a smoking flax? There is a lesson there. When we see a smoking flax it reminds us of some brother or sister not shining or giving off light as they used to. Maybe at this particular point they are a smoking flax or a bruised reed. Christ will support the light and blow it into a flame. What will we do? What would we do? Many believers confuse weakness with rejection. If we are weak the Lord must reject us. That is the world's idea. They are not strong enough or smart enough, or bold enough. That is not the biblical way.  The smoking flax is not quenched out. Little faith is faith. Remember when the disciples were on the sea of Galilee and a great storm arose. They woke Jesus who was sleeping and asked him "do you not care for us? we are perishing." Have we ever said that to the Lord? The Lord got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and said "O ye of little faith." But it was still faith. The Lord will not reject us because of our little faith, because of our weak faith. He will strengthen it, build it up, reignite it. In Luke 22 we see Peter, always bold and in the Lord's face at times, contradicting the Lord. He spoke against the Lord with oaths and curses. His heart was broken on that third crowing of the cockerel. His conscience was awakened. The scriptures record that Christ looked upon him and his heart broke. In John 21 we find this man who was weak strengthened, reignited, recommissioned. God's children are bruised reeds. God's children are often smoking flaxes. This is where we find ourselves. So often we see our character revealed. It is then we must look to the Lord. He shall not quench, he shall crush that weak faith. He does not cast away the faltering believer. He preserves them by sovereign grace. Someone has said "the lowest spark of grace is precious in his eyes." Yes it is precious because he authored it. he gave us that grace as a free gift. Though it be little, weak at this particular point yet it is treasured by God. What a wonderful truth. To think that though we are weak yet the grace we have is authored by him and given to us. Sometimes we are not exercising that faith. John Owen the Puritan said in relation to the compassion of Christ "not weak affection but a powerful inclination to relieve the tempted. He is never more to believers than when they think him farthest away." When we think Christ is far away, the truth is he has never been nearer. Let that sink in today. When we think he is the farthest away he is the closest because he will not break the bruised reed, he will not quench the smoking flax. Hebrews 7 verse 25. He is interceeding before the Father's right hand side. We have been purchased by a costly price. We have been purchased with that precious blood of Jesus Christ. 

How do we apply this? This truth counteracts things that maybe as Christians we think are not right with in regards to despairing believers. Christians think that if you are despairing then Christ is not interested. Christ is weary of them. I am always despairing, feeling like a bruised reed or a smoking flax. Christ must be despairing of me. Don't let us be hard to the truth that Christ does not break the bruised reed, does not quench the smoking flax. The error we have is that we think Christ is despairing of believers. Another idea is of the proud believer. They are the ones on the mountain top, rejoicing. They should not become proud of that. If you are on the mountaintop you have been blessed in a number of ways. Forget not your brothers who are in the valley. C H Spurgeon was often referred to as 'the prince of preachers'.  As he preached on this text he was often battling with depression. This is what he said "there are times when I feel myself to be nothing but a bruised reed yet Christ will not break me. My hope lies not in my hold on Christ but on Christ's hold of me." His ministry in London became a living commentary on Isaiah 42 verse 3. Thousands of bruised reeds gathered under God's roof as they came to hear him preach. Christ will not break, not extinguish. He will support and finish the work in us. He loves us and keeps us and he will keep us by sovereign grace.