Who Will Believe Our Report?

“Who Will Believe Our Report?”

Isaiah 53:1

v1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

There is an interesting contrast in my home. My daughter is in college and has to write reports and essays for various classes. When preparing for such an assignment she is often stressed, depressed, and visibly frustrated. When the task is complete and her reports are turned in there is a noticeable difference in her appearance; the relief is written all over her face.

On the other hand, the stress, depression, and visible frustration that precedes my daughter’s school reports usually descends on me after I preach a sermon. Why? Because I possess the greatest news that anyone could ever receive and I am usually very excited to share it with others, but (like Isaiah) there are times when it seems that no one “has believed my report”!

The frustration that I and many other witnesses of the Lord experience is not a new phenomenon. In the Old Testament the people of Israel constantly rejected the messages that God sent them through His prophets. Throughout church history God’s Apostles, pastors, evangelists, and various others messengers have experienced ridicule & rejection when sharing the Gospel with unbelievers.

I am certain that there are many within this assembly who have been faithful to share the Gospel with others. In fact, often seen in a new convert is that natural desire to tell others what Jesus has done for them and to relate the reality that all who come to Jesus in faith can receive forgiveness and eternal life. If we are honest, that desire to share the Gospel begins to wane over time. I believe that one of the primary reasons for this is the frustration that comes from being consistently rejected by others.

Though such rejection is common and may even be understandable, it is no justification for us to neglect our responsibility and forfeit the opportunity to share Jesus with a lost and dying world.

I find great encouragement and inspiration in studying the lives and service of the Old Testament Prophets. Those men endured extreme opposition, physical persecution, and even death as a result of their service to the Lord and their faithfulness to share the messages that He had given them They were persistent even in spite of opposition and rejection.

I am reminded of one occasion when the Lord gave Jeremiah a message for the people; the LORD knew that they would not listen or obey, but He sent them a message through a faithful messenger. The LORD said in Jeremiah 7:27, “Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you”.

Jeremiah's ministry was marked by opposition, imprisonment, and personal struggles. He often faced rejection, persecution, and isolation. Though he is referred to as “the weeping prophet”, Jeremiah was faithful to God’s call on his life.

As Christians we have been tasked with the responsibility to go forth and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the world around us. The sad reality is that far more people will reject your evangelistic efforts than will receive them. Regardless, you are expected to be obedient to the command of the Savior, even when it seems as if no one will “believe your report”.

- I would like for us to examine Isaiah’s question in Isaiah 53:1 and consider the thought, “Who Will Believe Our Report”.

The Old Testament records countless prophecies that God had given to His people, these prophecies contained explicit details concerning the Promised One. Many prophets before Isaiah had declared this “report” concerning the Messiah and several others would follow with this same message.

We do not have to look any further than the preceding verses for a summary of the “report” (or message) that God had sent through His prophets. Isaiah 52:13-15 traces the life of God’s Servant from His humble beginnings on through His earthly ministry. God also puts much emphasis on the suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation of His Servant.

Isaiah 52:13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;

He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

14 Just as many were astonished at you,

So His visage was marred more than any man,

And His form more than the sons of men;

15 So shall He sprinkle many nations.

Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;

For what had not been told them they shall see,

And what they had not heard they shall consider.

God’s Servant (Jesus) dealt prudently throughout His earthly ministry. He discerned and accomplished the will of the Father. As a result He was exalted in resurrection, lifted up in ascension, and glorified. After He ascended Jesus took His rightful place at the right hand of the Father.