Suffering Servant
Immanuel: God is With us • Sermon • Submitted
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1. The Bible is God’s perfect and inerrant Word ….. and it is the only book in the world and starts earlier than any other history book; and goes later than any other history book.
-The Bible is the only book in the world that tells us about the future, before it happens.
- The Bible contains Prophecy and Prophecy is history, it is written by God before it happens.
àbecause of that, its worth reading/listening to.
Do you remember these questions:
àHow many predictions are in the bible = 735 (25% of the bible – huge)
àHow many have already happened? = 596 (81%)
-In the OT are over 300 prophecies about Jesus.
-they tell us about the Messiah
-the prophets also prophecy about a future age of perfection, characterized by universal peace and recognition of God https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/the-jewish-concept-of-messiah-and-the-jewish-response-to-christian-claims/
2. In this series “Immanuel: God is with Us!”
à we’ve looked at four prophecies from the prophet, Isaiah.
Week 1
- We learned that even when his back was against the wall, Judah’s King Ahaz did not trust God and believe in His promises
- King Ahaz came across as righteous and holy King, but instead was an evil king ….. he trusted in himself.
- God tried telling the king that He was with him ….. but the king did not believe
- So – God said through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 7 verse 14:
- Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
- Immanuel means “God is with us”
- So who are you going to trust…. yourself, someone else, are you gonna trust the evil one – or – are you going to trust God? Remember: God is with you
Week 2
– we learned from Isaiah chapter 9 and looked at who Immanuel is
– which is plainly seen if verses 6 and 7
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
- we learned the child to be born – baby Jesus – will be and is the Wonderful Counselor – He is the embodiment of wisdom – He knows the right thing to do without fail every single time; He knows what is best for you and we should listen to His perfect counsel.
- we learned the helpless little baby born in the manger is Mighty God; He is all powerful – nothing is beyond Him
- we learned the baby born of the virgin is Everlasting Father – He is our Father that reigns forever; He is our Father if you are His child and He loves you
- we learned the humble baby is the Prince of Peace; He is the one that brings perfect and complete justice and righteousness to the world. This child, this son will be a one-world ruler who will bring peace.
- we learned that one day there will be a new eternal world government with Jesus as king in a new heaven and a new earth and a new Jerusalem
Last week we looked at another prophecy in the book of Isaiah from chapter 11.
-a prophecy, about a one-world government - a New World Order - a glimpse into the plan God has for this world.
- a prophecy that talks about Immanuel’s character, His governance, and His kingdom.
o God’s kingdom has begun, in all who live under the Lordship of Christ.
o One day, God’s kingdom will come in all its fullness – a new heaven and a new earth and a new Jerusalem
o The Messiah will come as a conquering king, to establish His World Order.
4. But before Jesus comes as a conquering King, He must first come as a suffering servant ….. and that’s what we’ll look at today….. We’ll do so from Isaiah chapter 52 starting in verse 13 and all of chapter 53.
- Many theologians describe Isaiah chapter 53 as the crown jewel of Isaiah’s theology – some have described it as the Mount Everest of messianic prophecy….. the pinnacle message of the Bible ….. the apex message to the world….
- Spurgeon described it as the Bible in miniature and the Gospel in essence
- What we’ll read today is a gruesome, and at the same time lovely and glorious prophecy that was written 700 years before anyone had ever thought of crucifixion on a cross…..
- keeping in mind this glorious yet gruesome reality was ordained by God before the creation of world…it was His plan
- We’ll read verses today that vividly describe the brutal wrath of God; God’s perfect justice for sin …. and we’ll also see the overwhelming beauty of the love of God and displays of His great and perfect mercy
- There are times when you are left speechless by His wrath and other times when you’ll be softened by His love …. and left wondering which is it ….. is it wrath or is it love
o how can God appear to be so vengeful about administering justice on the sinner and punishing sin …. about things we downplay and think “awe, its ok …. what will it hurt if I indulge in this a little … no one will be hurt by it” …about things that we dismiss or try little to rid from our lives that God hates and wants to destroy
o while at the same time how can a perfect and Holy God love me so much that He came here as a humble babe, and eventually took my place for the punishment I deserve as a suffering servant…..
o how can God be so wrathful and be so loving at the same time
o how can God be with me and for me when I do things that are against Him
- All of this comes to a head in our Isaiah passages today
- Let’s open our Bibles to Isaiah chapter 52 starting in verse 12 and we’ll read through all of chapter 53.
13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
53 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 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.
7 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.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
- Several years ago at a life group and once at a lunchtime study group I taught at work, I read this passage of scripture to the group without divulging the name of the book, the chapter or verses and asked the folks in each group whether it came from the New Testament or the Old Testament
· The vast majority of folks answered that it came from the New Testament – they thought that because it is so clearly about Jesus that it must be New Testament …. There is no way that it was Old Testament prophecy because it perfectly gave us a picture of the Gospel ….. there is no way Isaiah could provide a perfect picture of a future even. No way Isaiah could, from 700 years earlier, give such a history lesson.
· But that is exactly what we have before us ….. in the form of a prophetic poem written about a Suffering Servant
- This prophetic poem written by God through the prophet Isaiah is organized in 5 sections of 3 verses.
§ The Suffering Servant is an Appalling Servant in chapter 52 verses 13-15
§ The Suffering Servant is a Despised Servant in Chapter 53 verses 1-3
§ The Suffering Servant is a Punished Servant in verses 4 to 6
§ The Suffering Servant is a Silent Servant in verses 7-9
§ The Suffering Servant is a Satisfied Servant in verses 10-12
- Let’s go ahead a jump into the first section, starting in chapter 52 verse 13. Which really sets the stage for the whole of chapter 53
o Verse 13 starts with the end point of today’s passage…..
o “Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.”
o Please notice the word “servant” here ….. there are times in Isaiah and the Bible where servant refers to Israel…to the Jewish people and at other times it refers to Isaiah and other prophets or kings….. and other times it refers to the God…. Here it refers to Jesus, God the Son
o We are told the servant acts wisely……We know from Isaiah chapter 9 that baby Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor…..the embodiment of God’s wisdom
o We can read from Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1 that God is seated on a high and lifted throne
o And from the Apostle John’s Gospel chapter 12 verse 32 he recorded Jesus stating “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
o And we know Jesus was lifted up on a Cross and crucified as seen in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 27 verse 35.
o And we read in the Gospel of Mark chapter 16 verse 19 “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”
o Jesus was exalted by the Father to the ultimate place of honor…. “at the right hand of God” ….. after obediently fulfilling God’s Will and all the events leading to the Cross were finished.
o In verse 14 we see the picture of the Suffering Servant as an Appalling Servant….
o A Question for you: how many of you, walking down a street or a hallway or somewhere else, seeing someone
approaching…getting ready to pass by, glanced up at them and then quickly turned away or turned your eyes down…looking in another direction? (hands)
§ Did you look away out of embarrassment?
§ Did you look away so you wouldn’t get caught looking?
§ Did you look away because you might fancy them?
§ Was it so you wouldn’t have to talk to them?
§ Or did you look away because you noticed they got hit by the ugly stick?
§ Or noticed they were obese…. Or had an ugly rash …. Or because they had some messed up teeth… or some other unsightly feature?
§ Was it because they were handicapped……?
§ Or did you look away because you noticed a deformity?
§ Or did you notice they were beaten, and bloody, and bruised and you didn’t want to deal with it?
§ So…was it because you judged them harshly …. Because you couldn’t handle the sight of them?
o Jesus was so badly beaten at the hands of the Romans – which was ordained by God - that His appearance was monstrous, it was grisly, He was horrid, He was deformed, He didn’t look human at all ….. don’t kid yourself – God ordained it – He made it happen …. He allowed His Son, Lord Jesus to be beat to a pulp so badly that He didn’t even look human…….
o You would have been appalled and horrified…. and looked away from Jesus if you were passing by Him….. after He took God’s punishment for our sins….. He who was without sin…. on His way to be nailed to a Cross and die a horrible death among those that actually rebelled against …. that sinned against God…..
o you would have looked away in horror at the sight of the Appalling Servant.
o And in verse 15 we see the Servant’s blood being sprinkled on the gentiles and the Jews….. on anyone everywhere that have said with their mouth Jesus is Lord and believe from the heart in His resurrection…..
o If you remember from the Old Testament as seen in , the blood of goats was sprinkled around the alter and was used to cover the sins of the people.
o The blood of the Servant covers the sins of those that believe….. keeping them from having to go through what the Suffering Servant went through at the Cross…keeping them from God’s wrath…. Keeping them from paying the penalty for their sins….
o And at the end of verse 15 we are talking about the gentiles that did not have this prophecy or the anticipation of the things to come…. because the prophecy remained with the Jews until the Apostles went out into the world with the Gospel … and the Apostle Paul quotes from this passage in when he describes how he must go to the nations to preach the gospel so that the gentiles can see what they were not previously told and they can understand what they had not previously seen…so they can believe in the Messiah and be saved through the sprinkling of His blood.
o The disfigured, Appalling Servant suffered for all people in their place….. because of His appearance, He is not to be pitied by you…. He is to be worshipped by you ….. Amen!
- Now let’s look at the Suffering Servant as the Despised Servant from Chapter 53 verses 1-3
o Verse 1 is a rhetorical question…. The “we” here is Isaiah and the Jewish people…. They knew the prophecies and they had heard the promises of God concerning the Messiah ….. they had the scripture telling of God’s saving power, like that seen
through Moses in Egypt and the others in the Old Testament….. God revealed it all to them through the judges, and kings and prophets and the people….. but they did not recognize the Messiah ….. the did not recognize the Suffering Servant … they instead despised and rejected Him
o Verses 2 and 3 shows us the appropriate image of a Suffering Servant….
o The Messiah doesn’t come onto the pages of history as a mighty, strong, and good-looking dude in appearance…. He doesn’t appeal to the eye ….. He’s not eye candy …. He doesn’t tickle the senses.
o He’s unimpressive….. undesirable ….. not valued…… He’s a like that of a weak root of newly formed plant ….. remember, He comes as a helpless baby, in a stable, in obscurity – and this baby, to the Jews, is supposed to powerfully save them from their enemies - and as a man, He was unimpressive…. giving folks no reason to even look at Him
o He is despised and rejected by people ….. He doesn’t come in the way they thought He would come, so they don’t recognize Him….. the Servant suffers in rejection…. He is a Despised Servant
o Think about how you feel when you are despised by someone or rejected…… not a good feeling is it?
o Yet our Savior knew how it was going to be for Him and He still did the will of the Father…… the Suffering Servant was a Despised Servant
- Now let’s look at the Suffering Servant as the Punished Servant from verses 4 to 6
o We’ll start in the first part of verse 6 … where we learn, as we did in our Judges series, that we go off and do what is right in our own eyes….. we are a bunch of stray sheep doing what we
want without any regard for anything ….. we think our ways are better than God’s ways …. Our thoughts are better than His thoughts….. its all about what we want when and how we want it….. who cares about anything else….. its about me….
o We believe what we want to believe and not what God’s Word says…..
o We tell ourselves and other people: “though I do what I want, I’m still a good person and God knows what’s in my heart…… that is all that matters.”
o That is really the problem …. you’ve placed yourself above God ….. it’s your will that you seek and not God’s will.
o Your heart leads you astray…. sin is conceived in the heart…. So yes, God knows what’s in your heart and that’s the problem. Stray sheep…. sinful, unsaved people are enemies of God … they have no peace……
o So now look at the second part of verse 6, here we see that Father God punished the Suffering Servant, He slaughtered Him for everything we have ever done or will ever do that is against God; for every sin we have ever done or will ever do.
o That’s how serious God takes sin….. your lawbreaking …. your disobedience….. He hates it so much He slaughtered the Son …. and at the same time He loves you so much He slaughtered the Son instead of slaughtering you! He wrathfully punished the Suffering Servant in your place…… so you can be saved – saved from the consequences for your sins – saved from God’s perfect and Holy judgement. If you’ve confessed Jesus is Lord and believe in His resurrection, then you have escaped God’s perfect judgement for sin and enjoy His perfect justice. You have peace with God.
o So …. How did the Punished Servant go about taking our place…. ? Look at verse 4 ….. He took upon Himself our sin …. Our sickness….. every violation of God’s laws…. Every
violation of His commands…. He took upon Himself everything we have ever done or will ever do that is against God.
o And we (we meaning people that have lived in this world) watched Him be punished by the Father for us…. He was crushed on our behalf ….. He was horrifically beaten by Romans and nailed to a Cross to die for us in our place – and God ordained it – He meant for it to happen for us so we can be saved.
o If God had not desired to substitute Himself for us, it would have been each and every one of us that would have taken the punishment……
o I cannot fathom having to take the punishment for my sins, can you? Is it hard to imagine? Being slaughtered by God is hard to imagine.
o But that’s what Jesus did for you…. the Christ-Child came to earth to eventually take your place and take the punishment, to have the full wrath of our perfect and Holy God placed upon Himself…. the Suffering Servant became the Punished Servant so you wouldn’t have to……
- Now let’s look at the Suffering Servant as the Silent Servant from verses 7-9
o Here we see Jesus as oppressed and afflicted… a lamb led to the slaughter….. He was cut off from the land….. He was struck because of our rebellion against God….. although He had done no violence or spoke deceitfully…. In other words, He was without sin and all that was to happen to Him because of us……
o And yet… the Suffering Servant was silent… He did not open His mouth, he kept silent, He did not speak against those that
were persecuting Him, or speaking lies against Him, making acquisitions against Him, belittling Him, mocking Him, treating Him with contempt……
o The little humble baby came here to grow into a man to go through this this for us….. yet … He was silent…. He did God’s will…..
o We read of the Silent Servant in events that took place 700 years after Isaiah wrote these prophetic words from God….
o Look at Matthew chapter 26 verse 62 and the first part of verse 63…. “ 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.….”
o Now look at … “4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.”
o And look at …. “9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.”
o In each instance, the Silent Servant stood before those making false acquisitions, making false charges, giving false
testimony and He was obedient and did the Father’s will and remained quiet.
o As we are all aware…. it’s hard to remain quiet when people speak against you or do things you don’t like? Do you agree?
o I know it’s hard for me. A few months ago a city inspector came to our house, stating they had received complaints about our fence not going up quick enough, because of our pool and the safety of others. If you remember, we lost our fence during the tornado. We put up temporary fencing and yellow police-
type tape above it due to the pool. We offered Andy Harman some money to put up the new fence. Andy had to remove the old posts, dig out old concrete, fill in unused holes, dig new holes, put in new pools, add new concrete and assemble the new fence and gates. Andy also had to help his wife, spend time with his daughter, work his new job, and serve his place of worship….. additionally, I could not always help him…. I worked long hours, served here, Caroline had surgery, spent time with JP, and I ended up having the kidney infection….. a lot of stuff going on…. and the complainers to the city did not know all that….. and the visit from the city and the complaints bothered me…. I wanted to speak out…. I had even mentioned to Pastor Jeff that I wanted to put a sign in my yard that read “If you reported us to the city concerning our fence, be an adult and stop in for a chat so I can forgive you.” For the record…. No sign went up …. But I wanted to speak out…..
o It’s hard to remain quiet….. to be silent…. but that’s what the Suffering Servant did according to God’s will …. He became the Silent Servant
o We see a fulfilled prophecy from verse 9 – where the Suffering Servant is buried in a rich man’s grave. We find it fulfilled and recorded in all 4 of the Gospels… in , , , and : they each describe the rich man Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the council, a secret disciple of Jesus asking for Jesus’ body to bury Him in his personal tomb…..among the bodies of wicked sinners
o Also from these verses, mainly verses 7 and 8, is an event that took place after Jesus’ ascension to God’s right hand….. it comes from Acts chapter 8 verses 26-40. Its about the Ethiopian eunuch and the Apostle Philip….. An angel of the Lord told Philip to go south on a road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. The Holy Spirt had instructed Philip to go to the chariot carrying the eunuch – the eunuch was reading from verses 7 and 8 – Philip asked if he understood what he was reading and the eunuch asked for help – using those verses Philip told the eunuch of the Good News about
Jesus and the eunuch was saved and then baptized by Philip…..
o The reality here…for the eunuch and all of us …. is that the Suffering Servant is also our Savior ….. which leads us to our final section….
- Let’s look at the Suffering Servant as the Satisfied Servant from verses 10-12
o In these 3 verses we see complete satisfaction in the prophetic works of the Cross…. we are satisfied in our salvation, but more importantly…. God is satisfied……
o In verse 10, we see the Father is satisfied in severely crushing the Suffering Servant….. He is satisfied in seeing His will accomplished
o In verse 11, we see that He is satisfied in knowing the Suffering Servant justified sinners by His brutal death…. He is satisfied in knowing the Suffering Servant carries away our crimes against Him….. once and for all …. never to be seen again
o In verse 12, we see He is satisfied knowing that saved sinners will be with Jesus forever because the Suffering Servant was obedient to death…that He became sin for the sinner … and now He intercedes on our behalf……
o It is not the Jews or anyone else that put this plan into place….It is the perfectly just and perfectly Holy and infinitely glorious Father that takes delight and pleasure in orchestrating the events of the Cross….. the plan to save us ….. the plan to deal with sin ….. It is God that put His plan into place ….. it was the will of the Father to crush the Suffering Servant to display the extent of His justice…… all to save us….. all for Himself….
o Does God hate sin? …. Yes, sin demands the full wrath of God …. A wrath we deserve …. God hates sin - look at what happened at the Cross
o Does God love us? Yes, look at what happened at the Cross; He died for all of us……
o The Son was satisfied and the Father was glorified
o At the Cross, because of the Cross, the Suffering Servant is a Satisfied Servant
Knowing all that we talked about here today….. knowing 700 year old prophecy was fulfilled in the Suffering Servant…. Can you answer the following questions …… Is God with you? Is He for you? Yes He is …. Look at the Suffering Servant at the Cross……. Is God with us? …… Yes ….. the baby born in the manger, that grew into an unimpressive looking man…. came here to be slaughtered and die on a Cross… to save us from God’s wrath for our sin…..
So…. Know this …… God. Is. With. Us. !!!!
Amen!
Ask band to come up – pray……