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 wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NKJV)
Summary of these verses:
He LIFTED WHAT WAS WRONG from us, and CARRIED the ongoing SUFFERING IT HAD CAUSED. It seemed that God was punishing or abusing him, but in reality he was doing it all for us.
We talk a lot about how Jesus dealt with our sin at Calvary. It seems that so many Christians are content to know that they are forgiven. It is wonderful to be forgiven – but this passage in Isaiah tells us that we are not only forgiven – but we are healed.
As I studied today – I began to understand why Paul said, “We preach Christ, and him crucified…” You might wonder why… Don’t we preach Christ, and him resurrected?
We do talk a lot about the resurrection of Christ – and rightly so. His resurrection gives us hope!
But Calvary wasn’t just about death and resurrection, and future hope. In order to deal with sin – all that Jesus had to do was DIE. If all he wanted to do was to forgive my sin, and give me the hope of eternal life, he could have simply taken a bullet to the head. He could have gotten it over quickly.
But he didn’t just get it over with. He died one of the slowest, most painful deaths that could be imagined. Prior to his death, he suffered unspeakably.
Here’s the amazing thing… It seems that God actually miraculously kept him alive so that he could suffer more. The night before, Jesus had experienced such emotional stress that blood had come out through the pores in his skin. He got no sleep. After his captivity, the soldiers had beaten him with rods, plucked his beard, put a crown of thorns on his head. Then there was the Roman scourging, which killed most men. After the scourging, they made him wear a heavy robe. Then they made him carry his own cross a number of miles. How Jesus survived long enough to even make it to the cross is a mystery. They nailed his hands and feet to the cross and left him in the hot sun. They doused his lacerated face with vinegar when he cried out in thirst.
If all Jesus needed to do was die and rise again to deal with the sin problem – then why did he suffer so in the process?
You see – sin did so much more than cause us to die. Sin caused us to suffer. When Adam and Eve sinned – they did not die a quick death. God allowed them to live – so that they would have opportunity to repent. But how it must have grieved him to know that Adam and Even – and all of their descendants – were going to have to live in a world that was no longer in harmony with its creator. A world that was filled with pain, conflict, stress.
You see – Isa 53:4 tells us that he not only lifted the things that were wrong – but he carried the resulting suffering as well. By dying, Jesus purchased my life in eternity. By suffering, Jesus purchased my healing while I’m still here.
• Because he died, I can face yesterday.
• Because he lives, I can face tomorrow.
• But because he suffered – I can face today!
We talk a great deal about how he saved us from sin… About how we have eternal life. But that’s only half the story. That’s only half of what Calvary is about. I want to talk about the other half of the story this morning. I’m not going to talk about why he died – I want to talk about why he didn’t die right away.
At 3:00 in the afternoon, when Jesus said “It is finished” and gave up the ghost – it was all about my sin. But in the 15 hours leading up to that moment – it was all about my healing!
But as I studied Isa 53, I realized that it is more than just a physical healing… His suffering was about giving us healings. Even in Paul’s description, he singles this gift out as plural (1 Cor 12:9, 28)
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Cor 12:28 (NKJV)
Five Healings:
"He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows"
He experienced incredible BURDEN
and released us from STRESS
Jesus carried unbelievable stress in his final hours – so much that He sweat drops of blood. He carried his cross. He carried our sins. Jesus subjected himself to great burden, so that I can be free from stress! I don’t have to carry a big load around on my shoulders, because Jesus carried it!
Some people here are bearing the burden of lost family members. You’re worried about your children. You’re stressing about the job. But Jesus said that his yoke was easy, and his burden was light – that in him we could find rest for our souls. Why? Jesus experienced incredible burden, so that we could be healed of our stress.
"Wounded for our transgressions"
He suffered from OPEN WOUNDS
and he healed our SHAME
Transgression means open rebellion. The open, ghastly sins in your life bring shame. We know those sins are forgiven – what I’m talking about now is healing from the shame. Your reputation, your character, your ministry – all must be healed after the sin is forgiven. Jesus suffered open, ghastly wounds in order to heal you of the shame of your rebellion.
"Bruised for our iniquities"
He suffered INTERNAL INJURY
and he healed our SINFUL NATURE
While transgression is open rebellion, iniquity speaks to our nature of sin. Adam’s problem was not just that he rebelled once. The real problem was that this rebellion opened a floodgate of sin in his life. Now Adam was going to naturally make wrong choices.
Unlike the open wound – a bruise lies beneath the surface. Often it is not visible to the human eye – but it still causes pain. Jesus suffered for both our open sin and our unseen weaknesses – both of which are just as damaging to our lives.
Most of you here know yourselves well… Many of you are hesitating to pursue God’s purpose in your life, because you know that you will blow it. You know that you will make mistakes. But there is no need for you to wallow in fear of failure. Jesus suffered bruising so that your sinful nature could be healed.
"Chastised for our peace"
He felt the humility of REJECTION
and healed our BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
Conflict brings as much or more pain to our lives than does sickness. We do wrong – others do wrong – and relationships are broken.
Jesus suffered misunderstanding, rejection, hatred, and more… He went to Calvary alone – even his best friends had fled his side.
He suffered this chastisement – so that we could have peace from our conflicts. So that relationships could be healed.
"By His stripes we are healed"
He experienced PAIN beyond imagination
and healed our BODIES
And finally – he suffered great pain – and much bloodshed – so that we could be physically healed as well.
Why is it that we can so easily accept His salvation, but not his healing? And yet Calvary is just as much about healing as it is about salvation.
I noticed that nearly every part of Jesus’ body was affected so that you could be healed.
• His heart was broken
• His skin was lacerated
• His muscles were torn and bruised
But there is a noticeable exception. As I considered this, I could not help but notice something that the Bible made very clear. None of His BONES were broken.
Why? Your bones make the shape of your life. The Architect of the Ages knew that no amount of sin, sickness, or conflict could destroy His plan for you. The one thing that would NOT need healing is your SHAPE; your purpose in Him.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Psalms 34:17-20 (NIV)
There is a God-given structure to your life… Sin can destroy many things, and cause much pain. But it will not – it cannot – destroy the substance of your life. In the end – you will be whole. In the end – you will be standing – just like Him! The devil may be able to touch many aspects of your life – but he simply cannot change God’s plan for you.
25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; Job 19:25-26 (NIV)
That’s why Paul could say:
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Cor 4:8-10 (KJV)
