Man Of Sorows Series

MAN OF SORROWS - LOVE

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had an extensive collection including many works from famous painters. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. The son went off to war and one day the father received a letter saying that the son had died saving the life of a fellow soldier.

A few years latter the soldier whom the son had saved came to visit the father. The soldier was an amateur painter and had done a portrait of the son a few days before he had died. The painting was not done well but the father loved it and placed it in a position of prominence in the house. When the father died there was to be a great auction of his paintings and a great many influential people gathered, hoping for an opportunity to purchase one of the great masters for their collections. The auction opened with a painting of the rich man’s son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the man’s son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200? The son! The son! Who’ll take the "SON?" Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I’ll give $10 for the painting." "We have $10, who will bid $20?" The crowd was becoming impatient. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10." A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let’s get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I’m sorry, the auction is over. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. Whoever receives the son gets everything!" It’s all about the son.

Today we are concluding our series Christmas Through the Eyes of Isaiah. We have looked at Isaiah 7 which reminds us the Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. We have looked at Isaiah 9 which reminded us that Jesus is the light of the world, He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Today we remember that the reason that Jesus was born was to die and give His life for ours. Jesus was born to suffer.

Isa 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus came to the earth to reveal God to us. He lived and did many miracles, but that is not why he came. Jesus came to die for us, he came to give His life as a sacrifice so that we could live. We see this truth from the very beginning of His life.

Matt 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.