Isaiah 53: Sheeps For Keeps Series

ISAIAH 53 SERIES: SHEEPS FOR KEEPS

ISAIAH 53:6 | #Isaiah53

PERSON IN THE CONGREGATION READS ISAIAH 53

READ ISAIAH 53:1-12 (ESV)

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on a Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My Servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

INTRODUCTION… FAMOUS SHEEP

Our topic today, based on Isaiah 53:6, is related to sheep. Sheep are fluffy domesticated mammals kept as livestock that eat plants and then re-eat the same plants over and over throughout the day. They typically weigh between 99-350 pounds. They live generally 10-12 years unless a wolf munches on them for lunch. A collective term for sheep is flock, fold, or herd. Baby sheep are called cosset, lamb, or lambkin.

I was thinking about sheep and wondered about some famous sheep of which you and I may have heard. Sheep aren’t like lions or bears or sharks that seem to have a lot of celebrities or movie deals, but there are a few famous sheep in history and pop culture. There are a few notable ones:

Dolly the Sheep: Perhaps the most famous sheep of all time, Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned. She was grown in 1996 in Scotland and became a major scientific breakthrough. Dolly lived from July 5, 1996 to February 14, 2003 and died of lung disease… I think because she was a chain smoker, but I couldn’t get confirmation of that.

Shrek the Sheep: Shrek was a merino sheep from New Zealand who became famous for hiding out in a cave for six years to avoid being shorn. When he was finally found in 2004, he had an enormous fleece weighing over 60 pounds. Shrek became a media sensation and a symbol of individuality and freedom. Shrek even went to parliament to meet the NZ prime minister.

Lamb Chop: Created by puppeteer Shari Lewis, Lamb Chop is a hand puppet sheep who became famous on television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. Lamb Chop was known for her charming and mischievous personality, and she became an iconic figure in children's entertainment. Lamb Chop first appeared on Captain Kangaroo in 1956 and now performs with Shari Lewis’ daughter who describes her as “a liberal Jewish democrat.”

Shaun the Sheep: The star of the British animated series Shaun the Sheep, created by Aardman Animations. Shaun is a clever and adventurous sheep who leads a flock of sheep on various escapades. The show, which is a spin-off from the Wallace and Gromit films, is known for its charming stop-motion animation and has won numerous awards. With over 170 episodes, Shaun the Sheep is one of the longest running animated series on British TV.