Text: Isaiah 53:4-6
Title: How we get right with God
Introduction
In two weeks we celebrate Easter and so all this month we are trying to get a better understanding and appreciation for Easter through a study of Isaiah 53.
Today we want to concentrate on verses 4-6 but before we do lets take a few moments to recall what we saw last week from verses 1-3 where the prophet has set forth in great length Jesus’ humiliation
We do not often think of Jesus when we read these words in verse 2-3
“ He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 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.”
Last week we came to the following conclusions.
- He must really love me to go through what he did.
- He must really identify with how people feel when they too are rejected
- How sinful people we really are.
Beginning in verse 4 Isaiah declares the reason for all that has happened in the previous verses.
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 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. 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.
1. Although we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” (V4) Jesus’ humiliation was not for any sins he himself had committed.
2. Jesus’ humiliation was for our sins. The ones you and I have committed.
“Surely he took up our infirmities and our sorrows (V4)…But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; (V5) 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.”(V6)
Jesus’ humiliation was for our
1. Infirmities
2. Sorrows
3. Transgressions
4. Iniquities
Or another way Isaiah says it is that our infirmities, our sorrows, our transgressions and our iniquities were all laid on Jesus.
It might be helpful for us to remember that anything we have done wrong is covered under infirmities, sorrows, transgressions or iniquities
Definitions
The words “our iniquities” mean our unevenness.
These are the inconsistencies or shortcomings in our lives.
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)
Someone said that they wished that the Ten Commandments were more like a multiple choice exam. Attempt any three.
The word transgressions means “a premeditated crossing of the line of God’s law.”
Transgressions are those things we do despite knowing better.
We have already been warned but we go ahead and do it anyway.
Sorrows = that which we deeply regret doing and that which we deeply regret having done to us.
The bible calls this Godly sorrow. And without Godly sorrow there is never real change.
"Unless the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change we prefer to stay the same."
Dr. Richard Dobbins
Infirmities = illnesses, wounds, sickness. = the consequences of sin
-spiritual
-emotional
-physical
- social (family breakdown)
"God is not mocked. What ever a man sows that will he reap." Galatians 6:7
Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay
Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.
The work of Christ was vicarious = In the place of another.
This teaching is reconfirmed in the New Testament
“To give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”
Romans 3:25
Read also Romans 5:6-8
“You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
“To be a sin offering.” Romans 8:3
Just like back in verses 2-3 where we have some very descriptive words describing what Jesus went through growing up, here in our text for today we have some very descriptive words describing what Jesus went through on the cross.
Jesus was stricken, smitten, afflicted, pierced (by the thorns, by the nails and by the spear.), crushed, punished and wounded
Jesus did all this to save us from the consequences of our sins and to enable us to escape judgement.
Jesus vicarious work on the cross brings us peace and healing. (v5)
“The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (v5b)
1. Peace with God
Peace with God is ours the moment we place our trust in Christ Jesus.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
But what if I have accepted Christ as my savior but I don’t yet feel at peace with God?
Notice that we are justified through faith and not through feelings.
On September 2 1945 World War 2 ended when Japan surrendered. One could also say that peace came to the world that day.
On the cross of Calvary Jesus won our peace with God.
“we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We also have peace with one another.
2. We have healing
The healing is on going.
On September 2 1945 World War 2 ended but it took years to rebuild cities that were destroyed.
God is healing us!God is rebuilding us into the image of Christ
God uses his word, people, and circumstances to rebuild us.
“God’s word provides the truth we need to grow, God’s people provides the support we need to grow, and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness.” Rick Warren
Conclusion
Are you at peace with God? Or are you still gone astray? Are you experiencing healing? Or are you still lost in sin?
Today if you are astray from God you can come back home through faith in Jesus Christ.
Let us pray.
