HoHum:
Been on Friday the past few months in Isaiah 53. Love this rendition from S.M. Lockridge:
It’s Friday, Jesus is praying, Peter’s a sleeping, Judas is a betraying, But Sunday’s a comin’
It’s Friday, Pilate’s struggling, the council is conspiring, the crowd is vilifying, they don’t even know that Sunday’s comin.' It’s Friday, the disciples are running, like sheep without a shepherd, Mary’s crying, Peter is denying, but they don’t know that Sunday’s a comin. It’s Friday, the Romans beat my Jesus, they robe him in scarlet, they crown him with thorns, but they don’t know that Sunday’s a comin.' It’s Friday, see Jesus walking to Calvary, His blood’s a dripping, his body a stumbling, and his spirit’s a burdened, but you see, it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s a comin. It’s Friday, the soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross, they nail my Savior’s feet to the cross, and then they raise him up next to criminals. It’s Friday, but let me tell you something, Sunday’s a comin.' It’s Friday, the disciples are questioning, what has happened to their King, and the Pharisees are celebrating, that their scheming, has been achieving, but they don’t know, It’s only Friday, Sunday’s a comin.' It’s Friday, He’s hanging on the cross, feeling forsaken by His Father, left alone and dying, can nobody save him? Oh, It’s Friday, but Sunday’s a comin.' It’s Friday, the earth trembles, the sky grows dark, My King yields his spirit, It’s Friday, hope is lost, death has won, sin has conquered, and Satan’s just a laughin’; It’s Friday, Jesus is buried, a solider stands guard, and a rock is rolled into place, But It’s Friday, It is only Friday, Sunday is a comin’. This is not Friday- church today is Sunday
WBTU:
We have many questions on a bad Friday. Few things in life are more difficult than the sudden death of someone we love. The mind wrestles with so many unanswerable questions, chief among them why. Why did things happen the way they did and when they did? Why should a young man just starting out have his life so quickly cut short? Why did Jesus die? Who did this and why? What purpose could be served in crucifying Jesus of Nazareth?
When Isaiah comes to end of this fourth verse of the servant song, he devotes last stanza (Isaiah 53:10-12) to a consideration of what the death of the Servant really means. Since Isaiah wrote 700 years before Calvary, he put his words in the future tense. Do same thing as we consider:
Thesis: Why did Jesus die? Each verse gives part of the answer
For instances:
I. He will be crushed- Isaiah 53:10
Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Jesus Christ? According to the bible, God takes responsibility for the death of his Son. The New King James gives that phrase a slightly different feel: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief.” Both versions say the same thing, but the NKJV emphasizes that it pleased the Lord to “crush” his only Son. As a father of 4 sons, I cannot fathom, cannot imagine doing this to one of my sons. Jesus died because the Father willed that he should die. Some like to call this cosmic child abuse. The angry Father unfairly abuses his Son. Need to understand that God the Son is a member of the Godhead and not an abused child. The Son of God had full discloser of the plan and the Son of God agreed to the plan. “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Revelation 13:8, NIV. Jesus willingly went to the cross. He wasn’t a child, he was an “adult” who made the decision in collaboration with the Father. The more biblical picture is that God the Father sent his only begotten Son, and the Son willingly went to the cross as a sacrifice, and made atonement for the world. “The Lord makes his life a guilt offering”
Isaiah goes on to talk about the great results that will flow from Christ’s suffering:
1. He will see his offspring. My aunt Lynnette wanted to see her grandchild before she died. She saw that grandchild and within a few days she died from ALS. How precious this blessing:
“and may you live to see your children’s children” Psalms 128:6, NIV. What a minute, so Jesus has children and grandchildren? Well, not in the biological sense but definitely in the spiritual sense. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12, 13, NIV. We live and die and maybe see our offspring beyond a generation or two. But Jesus, because he is the eternal Son of God, sees all
2. He will prolong His days- How can that be? It was Friday but now it’s Sunday. Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’r his foe, He arose a victor from the dark domain, now he lives forever with his saints to reign, he arose, he arose, Hallelujah Christ arose! On the isle of Patmos John received this from Christ: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” Revelation 1:18, NIV.
3. The will of the Lord will prosper in his hands. Tony Evans said this: “Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished.” He said, “It is finished.” He was just getting started.” Jesus’ death was not the end of the story. Jesus was just getting started. “he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.”- Proverbs 28:25
II. He will be satisfied- Isaiah 53:11
First, he suffers, then he sees, then he is satisfied. What could possibly justify the terrible suffering that Jesus endured on the cross? Not just the physical suffering (brutal torture) but also the emotional, relational and spiritual pain. This seems cruel but also amazing. Isaiah 53:11 tells us that after his suffering of his soul, the servant would see “the light of life,” meaning that he would be raised from the dead. And he will be satisfied. If we take this phrase and put it in the words that Jesus might have said, it looks something like this: “I want the joy of seeing my Father’s house filled with his redeemed children. Therefore, I am willing to suffer the pain and shame of a brutal death on the cross. I am fully satisfied with my Father’s plan.” We know this must be the meaning because the last part of vs. 11 explains the source of his satisfaction: “My righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, gave this quote: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.” Mr. Bloomberg may be a billionaire, but he is clueless when it comes to the realities of salvation. He’s only right about one thing, “It’s not even close.” He’s not as good as he thinks he is, and there is no way that he has earned his way. I’m not going to heaven based on my merits. Personal questions: Have you ever been justified? Have you been put in a right standing with the Lord? Have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus?
III. He will be rewarded- Isaiah 53:12
With these words Isaiah comes full circle. He started by declaring that the servant would be exalted in spite of his suffering (Isaiah 52:13-15). Now he declares that the servant will be exalted because of his suffering. Using military terminology, he says that Jesus will divide the spoils with the strong. Like a soldier returning triumphantly from the field of battle, Christ receives the highest glory. Jesus won the victory precisely because he was obedient to the Father’s will and offered himself on the cross. Isaiah says it 4 different ways: “Poured out his life unto death,” “Numbered with the transgressors,” “He bore the sin of many,” and “He made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah says that Jesus will divide the spoil with “the strong.” What is that talking about? He means that since Jesus is the Captain of our Salvation, he will divide the spoils of victory with all those who follow him. The story of David and Goliath helps here. Sang song of (Only a boy named David, only a little sling, only a boy named David but he could pray and sing; Only a boy named David, only a rippling brook, only a boy named David but 5 little stones he took; and one little stone went into the sling and the sling went round and round; one little stone went into the sling and the sling went round and round, and round and round, and round and round, and round and round and round- and one little stone went up in the air and the giant came tumbling down) Why did those 2 soldiers fight a one on one battle? Simple, each man represented his own army. David fought for Israel and Goliath fought for the Philistines. When David won, the whole army won. After Goliath’s death, the Philistines retreated and the men of Israel chased them back to where they came from. Then it says, “When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.” 1 Samuel 17:53, NIV. David won the battle, but the Israelites shared the spoils of victory. Did they deserve the plunder, did they earn it? No way but because they were on the winning side they get a share of the plunder. It’s the same with Jesus and us. When he wins, we win. Christ the Victor has willingly shared his victory with us. The devil could not stop him. The cross could not defeat him. The grave could not hold him. Having subdued all his enemies, he marches in triumph, the Ultimate Victor. No one can stand against him. He has attained the highest place because of his suffering. Think about this. He came to the highest place by taking the lowest position. Isaiah says in his own way what Paul will write over 700 years later. “Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11, NIV.
So what?
Amazing passage of Scripture. Used many times in NT. Tell story of Philip and coming up to the chariot of the Ethiopian Eunuch. The eunuch is reading Isaiah 53.“The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water,... the eunuch went on his way rejoicing.” Acts 8:34-39, NIV.
