| Introduction Christ was born to die. That was the plan from the very beginning. That was his mission. He came so that creation could be restored back to what it was created for. The plan was for Jesus to die in order to redeem us from the condemnation of our sin and to restore the image of God that has been marred by it. Our innate bend to love, to hope, to seek glory and peace redeemed and redirected back to what they were created for: love for God, hope in God, and desire for peace and glory in God. I. Preliminary Comments A. We know that this passage before us speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 8:32-33 – The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 1 Pt. 2:21-24 – For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 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. B. Portions of this passage are quoted 6 times in the NT. C. Till the 11th century AD, both Jews and Christians agreed that this was a prophecy describing the Messiah. D. Some has called this passage the bleeding heart of the OT. "The kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world. The kings and nations were astonished at his kingship (53:1-2). He was exalted only after he had been rejected by this world (vv. 3, 4) and had suffered for the sake of others (vv. 4-6). His vicarious suffering was in total obedience to the Father (v. 7). More than that, he died because the Father willed it (v. 10). Through his obedience to the Father, even to death, the Servant obtained power, glory, and dominion. All the blessings of the covenant promises are secure in him (vv. 10-12). Through him, the new community – 'the many' – will be justified and glorified (v. 11)." Willem A. Vangemeren in Interpreting the Prophetic Word E. In order to understand fully the impact of what God the Holy Spirit is saying in chapter 53, we need to go back to verse 13 of chapter 52. 1. Isaiah 52:13 introduces us to the Servant of the Lord. 2. Isaiah tells that God's Servant will deal prudently. a. His work will be wisely done. b. It will be successfully done. c. This means that what the Father appointed him to do, he will do. 3. Because of what the Servant will do, he will be exalted. a. His name will be elevated above every name. b. Every thing will be brought under submission to him. 4. Because of what the Servant will do, the eyes of the nations will be opened to see him, 52:15. 5. So, when we arrive in chapter 53, we are expecting something big, but we only find a servant who suffers for others. II. In Our Place Condemned He Stood. A. Before we go any further, I want you to see that this chapter speaks of Christ's suffering as a substitute for those that have faith in him. "Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood; sealed my pardon with His blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!" Philip Bliss B. Christ's suffering in his life and on the cross is the equivalent of eternity in hell as the just punishment for sin against the infinitely holy God who gave us all things. C. Christ did not need to suffer for himself because he was perfect. D. He suffered for his people and if you belong to him, he suffered so that you did have to suffer. 1. He received what we deserved. b. Carried our sorrows, 4. c. Was wounded for our transgression, 5. d. Was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities, 5. e. Was punished (chastised) with the punishment that was due us, 5. f. All our iniquities were laid upon him, 5. g. He was stricken for the transgressions of God's people, 6. h. He bore our iniquities, 11. i. He bore the sins of many, 12. "When we behold the disfigurement of the Son of God, when we find ourselves appalled by his marred appearance, we need to reckon afresh that it is upon ourselves we gaze, for he stood in our place." John Calvin 2. We received what we did not deserve a. By his stripes we are healed, 5 – he was beat up so that we could be made spiritually whole. b. Because of his righteousness, all those who come to him in faith will be justified, 11. c. Because he satisfied the wrath of God, God is at peace with us, 5. Rom. 5:1 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. E. Do you understand the magnitude, the awesomeness of what Christ did for his people? 1. When God the Father was ready to pour his wrath upon us, Jesus said, "pour it on me instead." 2. He experienced infinite pain, suffering, and punishment, literally hell, for you and for me. 3. And he did that because he wanted to redeem a people to himself. Jn. 13:1 – Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. F. He did all of this most willingly, 7. 1. The Messiah did not resist any of what was done to him. 2. He had the power to do so, but he didn't. Jn. 10:17-18 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father. 3. He chose not to resist any of the evil that was done against him because he knew that if he did otherwise he would not be able to save you and me. Jn. 15:13 – Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. a. If you have trusted in Christ, he calls you his friend and he laid down his life so that you can live. b. If you are here without Christ, run to him. 2) Be surrounded by his love. 3) If you choose to do otherwise, there will be only the wrath of God left for you. 4. Someone might say, "Well, he was God. He knew what was going to happen. That's why he did it. It was easy for him." a. If this thought ever crosses your mind, you must look at Gethsemane and see the Savior crying out to the Father, with drops of blood coming out of his body, "Father, let this cup pass from." b. This was the cup of the wrath of God that he was about to drink on your behalf. c. If you think that being God made his suffering more bearable, walk into the Praetorium and watch the Roman soldiers take layer after layer of skin off of his back. Is. 52:14 (ESV) – As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind…. d. If you think dying for you was easy, climb Calvary with Jesus and listen for his cry, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" e. It was not easy, it was not convenient, but our Lord and Savior did it for us. 1 Pt. 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit…. G. The message of Isaiah 53 is succinctly summarized in 2 Corinthians 5:21. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." H. Not only did the Lord Jesus Christ suffer on our account, but he also was humiliated on our account. 1. God the Son, equal in power and glory with the Father, being of the same essence, became man, 2. a. He became flesh and dwelt among us being humiliated by having to go through the miseries of this life. "He was born a Galilean peasant, living and dying in a little country on the very fringe of civilization, seemed like a frail plant, growing in a parched ground, altogether lacking majesty and beauty." Allan MacRae b. He was despised and rejected by those of earthly importance. c. He was acquainted with pain and sickness. d. This just doesn't seem to be the picture of a conquering king. e. Yet, this is exactly what it is and this king reigns over us today with all power and honor and majesty. 1 Cor. 1:26-29 – For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. f. If you think this message of the gospel is foolish, be careful lest you be found to be a fool in the day of reckoning. 2. He was tried as a criminal and crucified among the wicked, 8-9. a. The Creator of the universe was condemned to die the death of a criminal by the very men that were commissioned by God to uphold his law, the religious leaders of the time. b. But even as he hangs on the cross, thoroughly humiliated, we hear our gracious Savior promising to the repentant thief, "Today you will be with me in paradise." I. This suffering Servant was God's perfect sin offering, 10-11. 1. There is no other sin offering. 2. There is no need for another sin offering. 3. God is satisfied with the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on you behalf – it pleased the Lord to bruise his Son. a. How could it be that the Father was pleased in bruising or crushing his Son? 1) Jesus was his only Son with whom he had eternal fellowship. 2) How could he be pleased with it? b. He wasn't pleased with crushing his Son because of the crushing itself, but because of what it accomplished – restored relationship between God and man. c. The crushing of his Son was the ultimate display of God's love. Jn. 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. J. This suffering Servant came back to life and was exalted by the Father, 12. Phil. 2:9-11 – Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ConclusionWhat do we do then with this information? If you are in Christ rejoice that the price for your soul has been paid in full. There is nothing else you must do. Cling to the cross of Jesus and make that the center of your life. Let everything in your life flow from the cross knowing that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Live righteously knowing that Christ has conquered sin for you. Live happily knowing that God's face shines upon because it frowned upon Christ. If you have not given yourself to Christ, do it, do it now. Embrace him for you salvation. He has promised that he will not turn away any one who comes to him. He will love you and redeem you. This is the message of the Advent! Christ was born to die for his people!
"Guilty, vile, and helpless we; spotless Lamb of God was He; 'Full atonement!' can it be? Hallelujah! What a Savior! Lifted up was He to die; 'It is finished!' was His cry; now in Heav'n exalted high. Hallelujah! What a Savior!"
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