O THE WONDERFUL CROSS
Isaiah 53:1-12
INTRODUCTION:
The cross is the most loved, reviled, and misunderstood symbol in the world. It is so common that many do not really know what it is about except maybe a nice piece of Jewelry.
To the Christian the cross means so much more.
Oswald Chambers writes, "In the Cross we may see the dimensions of Divine love. The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the exhibition of the heart of God. At the back of the wall of the world stands God with His arms outstretched, and every man driven there is driven into the arms of God. The Cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God."
Herbert Lockyer says, “ At the old rugged cross we see man at his worst, but God at his best.”
No other scripture in the Bible so graphically and perfectly describes how Jesus served humanity by dying for it. No other scripture describes the life, death and exaltation of Jesus better than does Isaiah 53.
The theme that ties this chapter together is that the innocent Servant died in the place of the guilty. Theologians refer to this as the ‘vicarious atonement.’ What this means is Jesus took the place of guilty sinners and paid the price for their salvation.
This amazing passage of scripture was written some 700 years before Christ. Yet it captures more than any other scripture the reason why Jesus came and why he died on the cross.
The details that the prophet gives concerning the pain and suffering of Jesus could have only come from God. This is one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible and as I have read it over the years it never ceases to touch my heart.
I have always come away after reading it thinking that if one did not know when the prophet Isaiah wrote the book one might believe that he was actually there at the cross where Christ died.
Everything we learn about the cross, its torture, pain and revilement is so contrary to what people think of the cross today.
For Jesus, the cross meant rejection, suffering, and sacrifice.
What makes the cross so wonderful?
I. JESUS REJECTION MEANS MY ACCEPTANCE
The NLT says, He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Eugene Peterson in the Message writes even more graphically, He was looked down on and passed over,a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
There are many names, titles and words in the word of God used to describe Jesus. We all know those which are used most often such as Son of God, Son of Man, Christ, King of kings, King of Israel etc….but only Isaiah uses the words “Man of Sorrows” to describe Jesus.
Who is one person in the twentieth century that you would deem the most reviled?
Adolf Hitler?
Josef stalin?
Serial Killer Ted Bundy?
Osama Bin Ladin?
Our minds turn cold when we think of the horrors these men caused. We would definitely put these men into the category of scum.
Yet, despite all the good Jesus did, the love He displayed he was despised and rejected.
Rejection is one of the most painful experiences that a person can go through. To have those who should believe in us and support us hurts deeply. Most of us know this pain. Yet the rejection we experience pales in comparison to that which Jesus, the man of sorrows, had to deal with.
He was scorned by his family. John 7:5 For even his own brothers did not believe….
He was scorned by his friends. John 1:11 He came unto his own but they received him not.
He was scorned by his followers. John 6:64 Yet there are many of you who do not believe
He was scorned by his enemies. In many passages in the New Testament we read of his enemies mocking him and ridiculing him……especially at the cross.
The Bible says that those whom He came to save not only rejected Him, they despised Him, put a slaves price of thrity pieces of silver on His head, and ‘Looked the other way when he went by (LB)’.
They rejected Him because Jesus did not represent the things that were important to them; Things like wealth ( luke 16:14); social status ( Luke 15:12); and being served by others ( 22:22-27)
Isaiah wrote….we hid our faces from him. Are we hiding our faces from him today ? Rejecting him still ?
The cross is wonderful because Jesus rejection means my acceptance and
II. JESUS SUFFERING MEANS MY HEALING
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,(K) yet we considered him punished by God,(L) stricken by him, and afflicted.(M) 5 But he was pierced(N) for our transgressions,(O) he was crushed(P) for our iniquities; the punishment(Q) that brought us peace(R) was on him, and by his wounds(S) we are healed.(T)
Another translation says that Jesus was acquainted with grief. The word “grief” is often translated as sickness or disease but also anxiety, affliction, evil, calamity.
God the Father inspired Isaiah the prophet to record the words. Though Jesus was God…he was also a man and as a man suffered more than any other human who ever lived.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
Albert Barnes in his commentary notes, He was subjected to all the kinds of trial to which we can be, and he is, therefore, able to sympathize with us and to aid us. He was tempted - in the literal sense; he was persecuted; he was poor; he was despised; he suffered physical pain; he endured the sorrows of a lingering and most cruel death (Albert Barnes)
How is Jesus aquainted with us?
Jesus Was Acquainted With Desire
Though he was God….as a man he suffered the natural needs of mankind. He hungered. He became thirsty. He had a need for a place to stay.
Jesus Was Acquainted With Disease
Jesus not only observed the sufferings of humanity but he experienced it personally. Imagine God in the flesh with a headache…stomach pain…..a fever. How else would the Son of God be able to help us during our times of suffering.
The Bible staes that when the sick were brought to him that he had compassion for them. The word compassion means that his bowels yeaned. When Jesus encountered the sick,he was moved by their pain for he felt their pain. This drove him to help and heal them.
Jesus Was Acquainted With Depression
He shed tears as he looked over the inhabitants of Jerusalem…..and at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. In the final hours leading up to the cross….his heart became heavy and his soul exceedingly sorrowful.
Jesus Was Acquainted With Deception
He was tempted at almost every point and turn in his life and yet he never gave into those temptations.
He was tested in practically every manner possible but never became angry with his Father.
From the pinnacle of the temple to the terrors of the cross he was faithful.
Because of the temptation and trials that he endured and all came he is able to come to our aid.
There are some who suggest that this verse does not refer to physical healing, but only to spiritual healing. Yet the Hebrew word means to be made whole, in mind, body, and soul.
His atonement is all encompassing. Jesus suffered to bring us healing., in spirit, in our emotions and our bodies. Hallelujah!
Jesus suffering means by healing and
III. JESUS SACRIFICE MEANS MY SALVATION
He never committed one act of sin but suffered more than any for sin. How ?
He Became Sin
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[a] so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ( 2 Cor 5:21 NLT)
He Became The Sacrifice For Our Sins.
The KJV says, he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; …
Wow….what an amazing God………what unconditional love. The Sovereign God was pleased to bruise him…..oh how he loves you and me.
He became separated for our sins.
Sin separates humanity from God. The Bible says,
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
God chose not to answer the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane…..Jesus said not my will but your will be done. Perhaps the greatest sorrow for the man of sorrows is found in this question from the cross asked by Jesus My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
This is the point, God turned his back on Jesus so he wouldn’t have to turn his back on us
He became the substitute for our sins.
Jesus stepped down……then he stepped in. He took our price.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death
Jesus died in our place. He paid the price for our sin because the wages of sin is death.
Thank God….the Man of Sorrow overcame all his sorrows. He did not remain in the grave !
The Bible says, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead so that we might have eternal life.
The man who was born to die in order for us to live eternally, suffered such rejection in order for those who would believe to be accepted as eternal sons of God. The Apostle John captured the full impact of this tremendous and triumphant transaction when he said,
" See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him..." (I John 3:1)
Through His rejection we are ultimately graciously and lovingly accepted in the beloved of God, " So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[a] 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.. " (Eph. 1:6-7)
The basis of this acceptance is an unconditional, no strings attached, agape love; based solely upon His sacrifice for our sins.
Let me illustrate this truth by leaving you with a story.
"As the early morning sun peeped over the hill, silhouetting the drawbridge spanning the river in the valley below, a father and his young son made their way down the hillside. For months he had promised the lad he would take him to work with him one day. As he watched the young boy scampering up and down with his little lunch box in hand, he could sense his overwhelming excitement. A smile played across his face as he thought of the planned highlight of their day; a picnic lunch on the river bank. Perhaps he could set a line and, if they were lucky, they might catch a good fish. The little fellow could proudly show his Mom as he gave her a glowing report of their day together.
His was no ordinary job. He operated a railroad drawbridge. He had the grave responsibility of raising and lowering the bridge on exact schedule; allowing the rail and river traffic to pass safely to and fro. His task allowed little or no margin of error. He soon settled into his daily routine, glancing occasionally at his young son happily exploring the wonders of nature along the bank of the river below.
It was nearly time for their lunch and the bridge had just been raised to allow a barge tow to pass up river.
As he prepared to push the levers that would lower it again in time to allow a special express holiday train to pass over safely, he heard his son’s first terrified cry. Glancing down quickly, his heart skipped a beat and it seemed his legs turned to jelly. "Oh no," he thought. "I told him to stay away from there!" The little lad’s leg was caught in large cluster of levers and gears in the midst of the moving machinery that raised and lowered the bridge. The cries of his son for help rose to a heart-rending crescendo. From high up he watched his only beloved son struggle and thrash frantically about and his heart sank with the sudden realization that his little boy could not free himself.
What could he do now? No time to signal the train. No time to rush down and try to free his son. He must lower the bridge now or the train with its hundreds of passengers would plunge headlong into the cold river depths below. There could be no survivors. But if he hit the lever his son would be cruelly crushed. In a flash of precognition he visualized his son suffering a slow and agonizing death, all the time crying out for his help.
With a convulsive sob and a great cry of terrible agony, he leapt back to the control board and his hand fell heavily upon the lever. The train rushed safely across the bridge. As the holiday train sped on its merry way, the partying passengers never knew the agony of a father who sacrificed his only son that they might live!"
If there is any one concept that fully presents the full impact and price paid by the Father and Son on that day, it is this fact.
The price has been paid…..and now an invitation is made. What will you do with Jesus? Will you reject him as simply a good teacher, miracle worker. Will you turn your heads in revilement thinking he is a fraud. Or will you choose to accept Him as the Lord , Savior and God who loves you, and offers you true, abundant and eternal life
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Consider what God through his son has done for you. He has felt your rejection, He is moved by your suffering and HE has saved you from your sin.
