Wounded For Me
Introduction
Isaiah 53 has been referred to as the gospel of the Old Testament evangelist. Another said it was the Mt. Everest of the Old Testament prophecy on the gospel in its essence. It looks as if it was written below the Cross.
I desire to preach a “life changing” sermon today, on Easter especially, however I can’t preach a life changing sermon if the “Life Changer” is not at the center of the sermon.
The text we are studying today presents the Hero of the Story and the Hero of the Bible. The Bible is a finely woven story of Redemption. Throughout its 66 books there is a scarlet thread that presents Christ and His story of Redemption. Redemption speaks of a price being paid as an act of saving people from sin and evil.
Redemption is the story of what Jesus Christ did for you.
C. S. Lewis, the great Christian apologist said, “When Christ died He did not die for societies or states, not for the impersonal masses of humanity, not even for men, but for each man and woman individually.” Lewis wrote, that if we alone were the only being created, He would have done no less. Once you understand that His death was for you and me individually, then watching the stripes inflicted upon His back and seeing the nails driven through His flesh places some serious demands on us.”
Bill Bright of Campus Crusade For Christ,
“We must individually receive Christ as our Lord and Savior.”
I. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT
Isaiah 52:13-15
“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men;
So shall He sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see,
And what they had not heard they shall consider.”
A. The Commencement
Begins with the end.
“Behold”- don’t miss this; an attention getter.
“My Servant”- God’s Servant, God’s Son
“shall deal prudently” – shall prosper; should succeed.
It is as though our Lord wishes to give us encouragement before we begin.
He describes 3 things with 3 words:
The Resurrection.
The Ascension.
The Exaltation of the Suffering Servant.
Matthew 20:28
“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
B. The Continuance 14
“marred” – disfigured; appearance hardly known
Inhuman cruelty; people will be shocked; appalled
C. Contrast 15
“sprinkle”- startles, why, because of the contrast between suffering and resurrection; something unbelievable occurs. Horrible suffering would bring awesome triumph that would startle nations, kings and give us a story to tell the world.
Paul’s response in the 1st Century
Romans 15:20-21: “And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation, but as it is written:
"’To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand."
II. THE PROBLEM WITH THE CRUCIFIXION
Isaiah 53:1-3
It led to misjudgment of the Suffering Servant.
1. He appeared to be Insignificant not Important.
2. He appeared to be a Nobody not a Somebody.
3. He appeared to be a Loser not a Winner.
Romans 10:16: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "’Lord, who has believed our report?’"
1. “who has believed our report” – (our);
very few; speaks of human responsibility.
2. “and to whom has the arms of the Lord been revealed.” – not many, Divine Sovereignty
John 1:10-11:“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
1. Unnoticed by the multitude 1
2. Unattractive to the masses. 2
3. Unwanted by the majority. 3
Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
The world wanted a conqueror, not a carpenter
The world wanted a sovereign, not a servant.
The world wanted one to lay down the law, He laid down His life.
The world wanted a prince, He was a pauper.
III. THE PASSION (SUFFERING) OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT
Isaiah 53:4-6
He does not suffer for Himself.
In versus 4-6 the writer uses: our, we, us
10 times. His suffering was not on His behalf but on our behalf; vicarious (on behalf of others); suffering as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another. Hear from a benefactor:
1 Peter 2:24-25: “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
This is the heart of the gospel. We sinned and as a result were separated from a relationship with God. Christ died on our behalf so we could be forgiven and brought back into relationship with God.
Oswald Chambers:
“The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God’s judgment on sin. Never tolerate the idea of martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in time or eternity than when Jesus Christ died on the Cross; He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God. The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merges with a crash and the way of life is opened, but the crash is on the heart of God.”
V4 “He bore” – He took up.
“stricken” – bearing as it was our disease.
“smitten by God” – it was a result of the judgment of God. He received on our behalf.
John 10:17-18: "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
V5 “wounded” – pierced through.
“bruised” – crushed
“stripes” –blows that cut in.
V6 Lord has caused to land on Him.
“Lord has laid on Him”
This is penal substitution – He died in your place and when He died He paid the price (penalty) for your sin and my sin.
1 John 2:2: “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
About His Death For You!
John 12:27-28: "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’"
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "’I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’"
Oswald Chambers:
“The cross did not happen to Jesus. He came on purpose for it. The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son bearing sin.
The Cross is not the Cross of a man but the Cross of God. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God.”
Conclusion
Jesus suffered for us personally, intentionally, and voluntarily.
What must our response be?
John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”