Love’s Greatest Portrait

Isaiah 53:1–12 (NLT)

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.

9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

INTRODUCTION:

A- Illustration:

I saw a picture of mother and small child that had been entered into photo contest. At the time, it seemed to be such an amazing portrait. It was a dramatic representation of love.

As amazing as that picture was, it can’t hold a candle to the ultimate picture of love…the greatest portrait of love ever painted.

For love’s greatest portrait was painted by the Lord Himself as He gave his life for us on the cross of Calvary.

The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, recorded that portrait some 700 years before it occurred. In our text, we see a graphic word-picture of God’s amazing love for you and I.

TS: Notice what this Old Testament portrait of God’s love reveals to us:

I- IT IS A LOVE THAT IS REJECTED (Isaiah 53:1-3)

Isaiah 53:1–3 (NLT)

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

A- Rejected by the world. (Isaiah 53:1-2)

Isaiah 53:1–2 (NLT)

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

1- Rejected to pursue and worship nature. (Romans 1:25)

Romans 1:25 (NLT)

25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

2- Rejected to pursue and worship pleasure. (Romans 1:26-32)

Romans 1:26–32 (NLT)

26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.

27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.

30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.

32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

B- Rejected by God’s chosen people. (Isaiah 53:3)

Isaiah 53:3 (NLT)

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

(John 1:11; Romans 2:28-29)

John 1:11 (NLT)

11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

Romans 2:28–29 (NLT)

28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.

29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

1- Choosing to reject a relationship with God in favor of empty religion and ritual.

(2 Timothy 3:1-5)

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (NLT)

1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.

2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.

3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.

5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

a- If Christ’s love reigns, we must relinquish control. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

2 Corinthians 5:14 (NLT)

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

II- IT IS A LOVE THAT IS DEMONSTRATED. (Isaiah 53:4-9)

Isaiah 53:4–9 (NLT)

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.

9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

A- Demonstrated through afflictions. (Isaiah 53:4)

Isaiah 53:4 (NLT)

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

1- The mockery of a fake trial before the High Priest. (John 17)

2- Forsaken by his disciples. (Matthew 26:47-56)

3- His trial, ridicule and beatings at the hands of the Roman officials.

(Isaiah 53:6)

Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

a- The beatings (Luke 23)

b- the crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29)

c- beard torn out (Isaiah 50:6)

Isaiah 50:6 (NLT)

6 I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting.

d- humiliation of being spat upon. (Matthew 27:27-31)

e- Mocked while he hung on the cross. (Matthew 27:39-44)

B- Demonstrated through his death. (Isaiah 53:8-9)

Isaiah 53:8–9 (NLT)

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.

9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

1- The death march to Golgotha. (John 19)

2- The crucifixion (John 19:18)

John 19:18 (NLT)

18 There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.

3- Forsaken by the Father.

a- Bearing our sins (Isaiah 53:5-7)

Isaiah 53:5–7 (NLT)

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

(1) Could have called for deliverance, but did not. (Matthew 26:53-54)

Matthew 26:53–54 (NLT)

53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?

54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

4- His death:

a- His final prayer of forgiveness. (Luke 23:34)

Luke 23:34 (NLT)

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

b- Salvation’s plan was finished. (John 19:30)

John 19:30 (NLT)

30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

III- IT IS A LOVE THAT IS EXTENDED. (Isaiah 53:10-12)

Isaiah 53:10–12 (NLT)

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

A- Bringing justification (Isaiah 53:10-11)

Isaiah 53:10–11 (NLT)

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

Mother who wiped the slate clean

1- Making total peace with God possible!

(Romans 5:1-2)

Romans 5:1–2 (NLT)

1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

B- Extended to “whosoever will.”

(John 3:16)

John 3:16 (NLT)

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

(Romans 10:13)

Romans 10:13 (NLT)

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

(Revelation 22:17)

Revelation 22:17 (NLT)

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

C- Extended for the believer to continually experience.

(Ephesians 3:19)

Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)

19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

(Romans 8:35-39)

Romans 8:35–39 (NLT)

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CONCLUSION:

SONG: “If That Isn’t Love”

He left the splendor of heaven Knowing His destiny Was the lonely hill of Golgotha There to lay down His life for me

And if that isn't love Then the ocean is dry There's no stars in the sky And the little sparrows can't fly Yeah if that isn't love Then heaven's a myth There's no feeling like this If that isn't love

Even in death He remembered The thief hanging by His side Then he spoke of love and compassion And He took him to paradise

And if that isn't love Then the ocean is dry There's no stars in the sky And the little sparrows can't fly Yeah if that isn't love Then heaven's a myth There's no feeling like this If that isn't love It's got to be love

Songwriters: Dottie Rambo