Jesus Looking at His Own Cross

A Walk with Isaiah(2)

#isovs Gu Na3i Ir Qa[in

Ysa3ii Tidangivnen

 

Isaiah 53:3-8

 

The second song: The Parable of Sheep Gone Astray (5-6)

But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
             upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
             and with his stripes we are healed.

            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.

 

Each song that Isaiah introduces has in the middle a metaphor, a short parable.

First, Isaiah describes how Christ is going to be wounded for our transgressions. All over the chapter we find this theme: our transgression, our iniquities, our griefs, our sorrows.

Let me describe some of the suffering ----- scenes:

 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and had Him scourged” (John 19:1); “They pierced my hands and my feet” (Ps 22:16); “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water” (John 19:34).

 

The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Again we see the Christ suffering on our behalf.

This suffering that is done for us. But this suffering was healing one. His suffering made us whole.

Let me give you an example. I have a back problem. If someone comes along and says, “I will carry your bags to help you” that will be very nice. What if someone comes along and says, “I will carry your bags and your back will be healed”?

Please notice that His suffering will heal our wounds. WOW.

What kind of wounds do you have this morning that need to be healed?

Anger, revenge, addictions, hatred, abuse, unfairness….. I believe each of us has wounds, many deep wounds that need to be brought to foot of the cross.

 

In the middle of the song there is a short parable (again starting with “like”)which I will call The Parable of Sheep Gone Astray. All these are happening for us (humanity), yet, we are like sheep gone each in its way. You know how sheep are not very intelligent animals.

 

The last song: The Parable of Suffering Lamb of God (7-8)

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
            like a  lamb that is led to the slaughter,
            and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;

 

“Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, ‘Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?’” (Matt 26:67-68).

He did not retaliate to the oppressors.

He did not open his mouth. I wonder why?

My friend pastor Brian Morgan describes the silence of Jesus:

“It was because his silence magnified the horror of his death and the depravity of his executioners. Furthermore, in his silence, Jesus was showing that he was saving his speech for the courts of heaven, when he would stand before the true Judge and Advocate. Silence in the face of unjust charges forces the accuser to think most carefully about his own depravity.”

One more time we see in the middle a parable, the parable of sheep, the lamb.

 

Let us look at these last two parables:

On top song we are the sheep; in this song Jesus is the sheep.

Two pictures, the same animal, yet very different.

Here comes the picture of incarnation.  God became like us, a sheep, yet without sin. God becomes like us so we can understand Him. Not only He becomes like us, but He will also take our sins, our punishment to the cross, so we can have a new chance to return to the Shepherd.

1st Peter is the letter we recently studied. “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)

You know the problem is that we can look at these verses and sings from objective perspective. But how about what’s happening in our lives?

 

What do all these things say to me, to you?

If you think this message is not for you, then there is a problem. I call it problem of pride this can make you blind.

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

 

You have a choice. You can be the sheep that goes stray…..My Way (Frank Sinatra)

Or you can accept the Suffering Servant’s “cross and resurrection” which can heal you completely. Each of us have choice to make.

 

Before we approach the Lord’s Table, we will hear from Handel’s Messiah.

 

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows”

 

“and with his stripes we are healed.”   Isaiah 53:4a, 5b

Let us approach to the table that our Lord prepared.