Series: Jesus’ Blood for Me
“From Jesus’ Back”
Isaiah 53:4-6
A sermon for 3/16/25 – Second Sunday of Lent
Pastor John Bright
Laurel Hill Global Methodist Church
Isaiah 53 “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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
A chicken and a pig were talking about how people don’t truly appreciate what goes into making a breakfast of eggs and ham. The chicken spoke first: “Folks don’t appreciate me and all the hard work it takes to lay an egg. It really hurts!” The pig replied, “That’s the difference between you and me. It takes commitment to lay an egg, but it takes sacrifice to supply the ham.” 😊
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Let’s review the First Key Principle for Redemption: Blood must be shed, and blood must be applied.
Jesus was the sacrifice – the source of the shed blood. We need commitment to apply that blood to all the parts of our lives.
Today, we turn to Isaiah 53:4-6. This scripture points to transgressions. Those are the wrongs we do willingly. This scripture also points to iniquities – the inner pain that drives us to make wrong choices. This whole passage speaks to the central place of the Cross of Calvary in the redemptive work of God.
The desire of God to redeem sinful humanity was revealed to the Prophets of the Old Testament. When the time was right, God sent His son, Jesus, to live and die so that God could purchase redemption for all our sins, transgressions, and iniquities. Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” Part of the “fullness of time” is that Jesus would be condemned to die, and it would include being bruised and bleeding. It would include a whipping so we can know “by His stripes we are healed.” That can also be translated as “we are being healed.” It is ongoing.
Roman short whip - flagrum
Last week, I showed you this nail. This week, I want to show you the Roman short whip, also called a flagrum. It was made of two or three leather (ox-hide) thongs or ropes connected to a handle. The leather thongs were knotted with several small pieces of metal, usually zinc and iron, attached at various intervals. Scourging would quickly remove the skin. According to history, the punishment of a slave was particularly violent and often ended in death. https://bible-history.com/past/flagrum
In both Mark 15:15 and Matthew 27:26, there is a mention of Jesus being scourged. That word means being beaten with a whip like the one I have here. The process began with the victim being tied to a post. The garments are removed to expose the skin on the back. Then, it was usually two soldiers repeatedly striking the victim until the back looked like hamburger. The goal was pain and blood loss. It was meant to severely weaken the person being crucified.
From His back – for our bodies
In the redemption process we are discovering during Lent, the back represents no defense, like when we are weak and sick. Isaiah 53:5 “by His stripes we are healed.” This promise is repeated in the New Testament: 1 Peter 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Listen to Hebrews 10:19-23 “19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” You really should have that one marked in your Bible! It starts with the blood of Jesus and ends with the faithfulness of God. You see, God does not change. It was God, back in Leviticus 17:11, who declared that life is in the blood.
Divine healing can be a touchy subject in the Church. Most will agree that it’s God’s intention or desire for His children to walk in health and wholeness. Do you agree? Also, we live in a fallen world. Do you agree? So, our bodies are caught in the middle. Why aren’t we talking more about how to stay healthy? I believe we need to claim the blood of Jesus for health and wholeness BEFORE we get sick.
We need forgiveness and redemption for the sins we have committed against our bodies. There is a basic principle of stewardship: Everything we have is a gift from God. What about your body? Your body and my body are temples of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “9 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The SAD diet
Have you heard about the SAD diet? “By definition, the Standard American Diet consists of ultra-processed foods, added sugar, fat, and sodium. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein is greatly lacking in this diet. This is a list of the types of foods most commonly consumed as part of the Standard American diet: Fried foods, Grain-based desserts, High-fat dairy, Processed foods, Processed meats (e.g., bacon and deli meats), Red meat, Refined grains (e.g., white pasta, white flour, etc.), and Sugar-sweetened beverages.” https://fullscript.com/blog/standard-american-diet
In 2 Corinthians 7:1, we read “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” Your body is part of the flesh. Perhaps we should include in the sins, transgressions, and iniquities our overeating, eating things that hurt us, and eating too much fast food and processed foods. Did you know that folks make fun of our 300-pound preachers?
We also need to include addictions: smoking, drinking, and illegal/prescription drugs. In our country, more folks overdose on opioids than die in car crashes or of breast cancer. It all takes a toll on our bodies – the temple of the Holy Spirit. Consider this: suppose I have a smoker who gets sick and wants to pray, “God, heal my lungs.” Then, that person keeps on smoking. Would you be surprised if that person gets sick again? I won’t be.
We can be healed!
Our sins, transgressions, and iniquities can manifest in our physical bodies. In Matthew 9:2, Jesus tells a paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven. Take up your bed and go.” He got up! In 30+ years of ministry, I have seen plenty of folks receive healing from physical problems caused by the sin of unforgiveness. Let me share one example: One church I was serving decided to have weekly prayer meetings. We would sing a little and I would do a short teaching on God’s desire to heal. Then, we would pray for folks at the altar. One night, a woman who lived next door to the church came for prayer. She had visited the church and attended some Bible Studies. That night, she was one of the first ones to the altar. I went over and asked her what I could pray for her. Her answer was all over the place. That’s when I received a word from God for her: “You need to forgive your mother.” What I saw in her face was a sudden flash of red-hot anger. I waited for it to pass and then taught her the words to speak when we want to forgive others: “Lord, I choose to forgive __(name)__ for __(what he/she did to me)__ and the way it made me feel __(angry, sad, etc.)__. Amen.” As soon as she put her mother’s name in that prayer, the tears began to flow. She stayed at that altar while others came and went. Then, all of a sudden, she started praising God for the weight that was lifted off her. We all started praising God – it was amazing! Then came the real miracle – she stood up and walked right out of her shoes. For many years, she had suffered from swelling in her feet and ankles and always had her shoelaces out as far as the shoe would go. That night, while God was taking away the heavy weight of unforgiveness from her, there was a healing! Her feet and ankles went back to normal. With her new found health, she went back to riding horses, something she had missed for a few years.
God CAN and God WILL restore what He redeems. Joel 2:25a “So I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.”
26a-b “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God.”
Then, we need to do our part. What would that look like? 1 Healthy eating 2 Exercise some every day 3 Consistent sleep 4 Develop a rich and deep spiritual life. Anybody can start today and make progress in each of these areas. Look again at the verses from Joel 2. God wants to see our health restored and will empower each of us to get there.
The stripes on Jesus’ back make it possible for Jesus Followers to lay hands on the sick and pray for them to be made well. James 5:14-15 “14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
We need to apply the blood that has been shed, but don’t wait for sickness to come – walk in health and wholeness every day!
Since this is the season of Lent, it’s a good time to repent of the unhealthy habits we have developed over the years. That means we tell God: “You’re right, and I’m wrong.” That’s the beginning of repentance. Then we need to make a plan. There’s an old saying: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Start with little baby steps of removing some processed food from your diet and eating one more fruit of veggie. Take a little walk or get on YouTube and find a video for chair exercises. Try setting a time to go to sleep and stick to it. Get a Bible reading plan and spend 15 minutes a day in God’s Word – then sit still for 2 or 3 minutes and ask God to show you one thing in that reading you need in your life. These are all just suggestions.
Every hospital and nursing home has a “Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.” It lays out what the facility will provide and what the patient will do to access those services. I believe that every Jesus follower has the right to health and wholeness, but as long as we live in this fallen world, our bodies will get sick and old. God has put the choices before us. What will you choose? Amen
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Have you been concerned about your health? Have you done anything to change it?
• In the example of healing, there was a need for the person to forgive. Have you been praying for God to show you anyone that you need to forgive? Have you prayed the forgiveness prayer every day with that person’s name in it?
• Next week: Series: “Jesus’ Blood for Me” Romans 5:12-14, 18-19 “From His Side”
I’m thankful to Dr. Dale M. Sides for his book, “Perfect Redemption: The Purpose of His Passion” 2004. You can find the book through his website: https://lmci.org/
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TEACHING SHEET
Series: Jesus’ Blood for Me
“From Jesus’ Back”
Isaiah 53:4-6
Blood must be shed, and blood must be applied. Jesus was the sacrifice – the source of the shed blood. We need commitment to apply that blood to all the parts of our lives.
Galatians 4:4 Part of the “fullness of time” is that Jesus would be condemned to die, and it would include being bruised and bleeding.
Roman short whip - flagrum
It was made of two or three leather (ox-hide) thongs or ropes connected to a handle. The leather thongs were knotted with several small pieces of metal, usually zinc and iron, attached at various intervals. https://bible-history.com/past/flagrum
Mark 15:15 and Matthew 27:26
From His back – for our bodies
In the redemption process we are discovering during Lent, the back represents no defense, like when we are weak and sick. Isaiah 53:5,1 Peter 2:24, Hebrews 10:19-23 It was God, back in Leviticus 17:11, who declared that life is in the blood.
There is a basic principle of stewardship: Everything we have is a gift from God. What about your body? Your body and my body are temples of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The SAD diet
Have you heard about the SAD diet? “By definition, the Standard American Diet consists of ultra-processed foods, added sugar, fat, and sodium. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein is greatly lacking in this diet. This is a list of the types of foods most commonly consumed as part of the Standard American diet: Fried foods, Grain-based desserts, High-fat dairy, Processed foods, Processed meats (e.g., bacon and deli meats), Red meat, Refined grains (e.g., white pasta, white flour, etc.), and Sugar-sweetened beverages.” https://fullscript.com/blog/standard-american-diet
2 Corinthians 7:1
We can be healed!
Matthew 9:2, Jesus tells a paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven. Take up your bed and go.” He got up!
God CAN and God WILL restore what He redeems. Joel 2:25a “So I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.”
26a-b “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God.”
We need to do our part. What would that look like? 1 Healthy eating 2 Exercise some every day 3 Consistent sleep 4 Develop a rich and deep spiritual life. James 5:14-15 We need to apply the blood that has been shed, but don’t wait for sickness to come – walk in health and wholeness every day!
Every hospital and nursing home has a “Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.” It lays out what the facility will provide and what the patient will do to access those services. I believe that every Jesus follower has the right to health and wholeness, but as long as we live in this fallen world, our bodies will get sick and old. God has put the choices before us. What will you choose? Amen
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Have you been concerned about your health? Have you done anything to change it?
• In the example of healing, there was a need for the person to forgive. Have you been praying for God to show you anyone that you need to forgive? Have you prayed the forgiveness prayer every day with that person’s name in it?
• Next week: Series: “Jesus’ Blood for Me” Romans 5:12-14, 18-19 “From Jesus' Side”
I’m thankful to Dr. Dale M. Sides for his book, “Perfect Redemption: The Purpose of His Passion” 2004. You can find the book through his website: https://lmci.org/
