The Hard Life

"THE HARD LIFE"

ILLUSTRATION: Show overheads or on powerpoint projector, one of a birthday party, the other of a devil w/ a pitch fork, why do other people’s lives always look like a party compared to outs? Talk about how people portray their own lives and how others (we) portray people’s lives…

TEXT: WRITTEN AT LEAST 300 YEARS BEFORE JC’S BIRTH: Ps 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? Ps 22:2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Ps 22:3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. Ps 22:4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. Ps 22:5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. Ps 22:6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. Ps 22:7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: Ps 22:8 “He trusts in the LORD? let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Ps 22:9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. Ps 22:10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Ps 22:11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Ps 22:12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Ps 22:13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. Ps 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. Ps 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Ps 22:16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. Ps 22:17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. Ps 22:18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

NOTE: All of the references, prophecies that we are about to consider, were written at least 400 years before Jesus ever even stepped foot on this planet.

WHAT WAS JESUS’ LIFE GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

#1- He would be born in the Hood:

Mic 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of

Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose

origins are from of old, from ancient times.’” (LUKE 2:7 it happens)

§ Where do you come from and how has that affected you? Fayette county

#2-His mommy would be a “virgin”:

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child

and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Lk. 1:35)

§ What do people say about your mother? He’s just like her!, Limitations…

#3-He would have some rather confusing relationships:

Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See,

your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a

donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Mt. 21:9)

§ How do people react to you? You ever had some say I love ya, I hate ya?

(“crucify Him!”; Mt. 27:22)

#4-He got no love from His neighbors, family, His own:

Isa 53:3 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. (Mt. 26:65, hp Caiphas, tears clothes, blasphemy! In

response to JC’s yes to being the Son of God)

§ You ever been rejected by the people that you needed the most, how did you

§ deal with that? Jesus conquered it with love. (Luke 23:34)

Also..,

ü Is. 53:8 says He was tried and found guilty by a court of jews

ü Is. 50:6 He was beaten and spat upon

#5-He would pay for our mistakes:

Isa 53:5 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. (Mt. 27:35)

Anyone in here ever feel they were wrongly punished for someone else’s

mistakes?

CONCLUSION-AND YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD THE HARD LIFE!

If we know all this to be true, let’s consider ending with this thought…