The Burden Of The Cross Series

Intro: How can we bring Christianity, or being a Christ follower to its most basic components? How can we simplify it to the point that children can understand? We do as the Bible does. In Genesis there is no argument for God merely a statement of truth. “In the beginning God created.” This is not a politically correct statement. The inspired writers of the Bible never considered offending the hearers or readers of this text instead they had a holy fear of offending the one who created them and called them to communicate His plan for saving mankind. Simply there is a God. There is a creator a person who created and has ownership of everything. There is a creation. namely me, you, and every person that has ever drawn breath. According to Romans 3.23 all of us have sinned. Let me unpack that for you. All have thought they knew better than God. All creation is in open rebellion to God’s best. When you hear it like that it takes away the safeness of a word like sin doesn’t it.

So basically there is a God, a creator and controller of the universe. There is a creation a corrupter and resister of God’s will and plan for creation. The great problem of creation is this thing called sin. Sin is rebellion, distrust, dislike, rejection of God’s best for you, me, for everyone.

In the Bible God is revealed as Holy, set apart, different. We are told He will not allow sin in His presence. So how does this perfect God allow imperfect men into His presence? Better yet how does God allow rebellious, disobedient men and women, boys and girls, enjoy the best of His blessing wholeness? It is the Hebrew word Shalom. It was and is used by Jewish and Arab people alike for the well being of the person greeted.

It is in the 4th servant song of Isaiah that we find how we can enjoy the wholeness of God. 700 years before the birth of Jesus this book was written by the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah tells us in chapter 7 verse 14 of the virgin birth. In 9.6,7 he is called the Prince of Peace, the prince of wholeness. It is in this passage Isaiah 53 that we see how we become whole. The suffering servant, the messiah, God in the flesh, Immanuel takes the burden of sin and carries it to judgment on the cross.

What many argue about when it comes to God, Jesus, and sin are not the person and work of Jesus, but debate, text, history, and interpretation. What I want you to come face to face with today is the real and living Jesus. The Jesus of the Bible is not an appealing, attractive person from natural standpoint. What he calls us to is rejection of our way of thinking, and living. This passage is a biography of the king. The entire Bible is about Jesus. We see 700 years before the birth of Jesus the burden of the cross.

Isaiah 11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins. Message

What is the burden that this servant or arm of the Lord carried? It was in the words of Max Lucado, Godless attitudes that led to Godless action. That is the great burden of the cross.

I. The personality of the servant

There were many interpretations of who the servant in this fourth and final song. At the time it could have been king Uzziah, Isaiah, or some other person. Some have thought that the nation of Israel was the personality behind the song. None of these adequately fulfill the personality in this passage.

A) Unattractive

Jesus’ portrait is painted in this passage. It is not a Polaroid of a sovereign Lord, it is the picture of the suffering lamb. It is this average looking carpenters son that is God in the flesh. He is not what you would expect. He is not striking, but there is an apparent depth in his stare.

Isaiah 53.2b There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

God was clearly declaring in Christ that His value system is different. Jesus was not charismatic but compassionate. He was not controlling he was and is kind. The true attraction beauty of Christ was in His humility and obedience to His father’s will. When you are looking for God what and where do you look? Is it in the attractive things of this world? Remember there was nothing about His appearance to attract us to Him. Jesus is attractive to the homeless in Him we are adopted and forever have a place in God’s house, Jesus is attractive to the helpless, lame, blind, and diseased. Jesus is attractive to the hopeless.