1: The Promised Savior (2)

Over the next 3 weeks we are going to take a tour of sorts - a tour through the Scriptures to see the importance of the Passion of Jesus. Passion comes from the Greek term “paschō” - meaning suffering.

The term is used in Acts 1:3.

Acts 1:3a (NIV) After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

The Greek term translated to Latin becomes passio which in turn becomes our English - passion. So, if you ever wondered what the title “The Passion of the Christ” meant - now you know.

We will talk more about that PASSION - that suffering, NEXT SUNDAY.

In fact, we have already begun to see some of the SUFFERING Jesus had to endure as we study through the Gospel of Matthew - seeing Jesus being mistreated & cornered by His enemies.

But hundreds of years before that wicked event that Jesus suffered, the Hebrew prophets were given the privilege of sketching a portrait of the Promised Savior well before He showed up.

In fact, this is what deeply impacted MY FAITH when I was your age. I grew up in church, my parents didn’t just tell me about Jesus, they showed me Jesus - by the way they lived.

But I met other people who had different beliefs who also seemed very sincere, So I knew sincerity couldn't be the test for truth. And as much as I loved my parents, pastor, & church, I couldn’t believe their claims just because they said so. I had to have a NORTH-POINT - a compass that told me what was true for ALL PEOPLE, ALL PLACES, & ALL TIMES.

And I found out what that was, as you are about to experience.

Let’s begin by reading a small portion of a 2000 year old document penned by the apostle Peter, one of the closest disciples of Jesus. Here’s what he writes his audience, an audience that has some similarities to us.

1 Peter 1:8–9 (NIV) Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Again, think about WHO is writing and who he’s writing TO. Peter knew Jesus. Peter spent several years with Him, seeing all He did and hearing all He said. But Peter’s audience…like you and me…have not seen Jesus. Yet, Peter knew that his recipients LOVED JESUS.

How can you tell when someone really loves another person? They think about the other person, talk about the other person, look forward to spending time with the other person. This is what Peter knew about these people - they were willing to face various kinds of trials for the One they had never seen, and they looked forward Jesus’ return, because…they love Him.

And those believing and loving Jesus - they are…WE are - currently receiving - the salvation of our souls.

Our minds ARE being transformed

Our lives ARE - right now - being restored;

Our thoughts, actions, and words are being made clean, all of which results in inexpressible and glorious joy that find only in our unseen Savior…Who will one day be seen.

Do you LOVE Jesus? What evidence from your life would demonstrate that? If Jesus returned today, do you think He would say that you really do love Him?

PRAY

Alright. Let’s dive in and consider whether our lives are WORTH THE SUFFERING Jesus would go through for us.

1 Peter 1:10–11 (NIV) Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

As a teenager, one of the things that blew me away was what the prophets wrote hundreds of years before the time of Jesus yet predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

In just a few moments, we are going to DIVE DEEP and look at some of the Prophecies of the The Promised Savior, including the predicted sufferings.

But on Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday, we will spend time looking at the glories that would follow.

BUT NOW, let’s look at some of these ancient prophecies pointing to The Promised Savior.

First, we see some glimpses into why we need The Promised Savior in the story of Adam & Eve. As they sin and recognize their nakedness before God, they HIDE from Him - covering up with leaves. God graciously provides a covering for them, made out of animal skins (Gen 3:21). In other words, because they sinned, ANOTHER living creature had to die to cover their sinfulness.

Next we see a really strange story with a weird twist as Abraham is commanded by God to take his son up onto Mount Moriah (current day Jerusalem), and sacrifice his life (Gen 22:2). Isaac didn’t know HE was going to be sacrificed. In fact, he ends up carrying the very wood for the burnt offering - that HE would be sacrificed on (Gen 22:6)!

Before they get to the top Isaac says, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham responded and said, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” (Gen 22:7)

But after Abraham ties his son on top of the wood and lifts the knife to take his son’s life, the angel of Yahweh stops him & points him to a substitute sacrifice within his view…

A ram - a male sheep - caught in the thicket by it’s horns.

Genesis 22:13b–14 (LSB)

Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said this day, “In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.”

Over 400 years later, as the Jewish people have become slaves in Egypt, Yahweh - the One True God - calls Moses from a burning bush, to speak to Pharaoh to let His people go. After 9 plagues on Egypt, giving evidence of Yahweh’s power over all their false gods, Yahweh tells the Hebrew people to prepare to leave Egypt.

Each family was to choose an unblemished 1-year old male lamb, slaughter them just after the sun sets - making sure not to break any bones (Ex 12:46),

and take the blood of the lamb and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes where they eat the lamb that evening (Ex 12:3-7).

Later that night, Yahweh killed all the firstborn in Egypt, people & animals (Ex 12:29-30), BUT…Yahweh would PASSOVER any home with the blood of the lambs on the doorframe (Ex 12:13).

The blood of the lambs did 2 things: 1) protected them from Yahweh’s wrath 2) released them from bondage - as they were set free that next day. Again, notice - an unblemished male animal had to die on behalf of the people.

Later, God commands Moses & the people to offer a sacrificial substitute for their sins against Him. This happened at Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

Let me explain this once again:

God commanded several sacrifices throughout the Hebrew year, and many animals would be slaughtered on the tabernacle/temple grounds and then grilled on the altar. Afterwards, the priests and people were allowed to eat them.

But NOT SO on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) - when NONE of the sacrificed animals were to be eaten. First, 1 bull was sacrificed for the sins of the high priest & his family. The high priest alone, ON THIS ONE DAY ALONE,

would enter into the Most Holy Place and take blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger - seven times on the mercy seat - the place between the 2 angels - the place that represented the throne of Yahweh.

Then, back outside, the 2 goats were brought before the priests where they would cast lots to determine which goat was chosen to be sacrificed for the rest of the Hebrew people. This goat would be slaughtered…

and it’s blood would be taken INTO the Most Holy Place and sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant by the high priest - making atonement for sins of the people (Lev 16:27a).

Then the high priest would take the live goat - lay both his hands on its head, and then “confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. (Lev 16:21-22). This was known as…the scapegoat. The sins of the people were placed on him, and he was sent far off into the wilderness - NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!

Next, instead of offering/grilling the body of the bull or goat on the altar like other sacrifices, the bodies of these sacrificial substitutes were taken away from the tabernacle/temple and OUTSIDE the Hebrew camp to be burned (Lev 16:27b).

Finally, all who touched the sacrifices, the bull or the goats, would take a bath, put on clean clothes and return - a picture of being CLEAN - forgiven!

WHY ALL THIS?

People are Precious, Sin is Serious, & God is Gracious.

You might already see the significance of this, but in case you don’t, we will talk more about in a few minutes & do a DEEP DIVE in the next session, tomorrow morning

And before we jump to the most intriguing Old Testament passages pointing to The Promised Savior, let’s check out a couple of predictions made regarding:

The family tree of the Promised Savior. Written 700 years before Jesus was born.

Isaiah 9:6–7 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

The birthplace of the Promised Savior. Maybe you’ve heard of it - O Little Town Of…Bethlehem. When King Herod asked the religious leaders where the Messiah was supposed to be born, they were quick to point to Bethlehem, citing the prophecy from Micah 5.

Matthew 2:5–6 (NIV)

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” [Micah 5:2]

The ministry of the Promised Savior.

Isaiah 35:4–6 (NIV) say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Note: this is a passage Jesus quotes from when John the Baptist asked if He really was the Messiah they had been awaiting.

I wish I had time to walk through all the prophecies of The Promised Savior, but now let’s turn to the one’s the most blew me away when I was a teenager.

The suffering of the Promised Savior.

Isaiah 53:3–4 (NIV) He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

Whoever this is will be treated like garbage, despised - HATED - by other people. And yet, WHOEVER THIS IS - would take on the suffering of the Jewish people.

Isaiah 53:5–6 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The Promised Savior would be pierced, crushed, wounded - for the sin of others! He would be the substitute sacrifice that the thousands of animal sacrifices had been pointing to all this time! His blood would be spilt and offered before Yahweh God to bring PEACE between God and mankind. And just like the scapegoat, the sin of the people was laid on Him - carried off by Him & NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!

I could keep going, but we will finish with this last part of this passage.

Isaiah 53:7–8 (NIV) He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.

So, he would be mistreated and led like a WHAT? A lamb to the slaughter, YET…He would not open His mouth to defend Himself. And finally, he would be cut off from the land of the living.

What does THAT mean? He would DIE. WHY?

People are Precious, Sin is Serious, & God is Gracious.

So, all these sacrifices actually pointed to the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE of The Promised Savior.

If only we knew WHO fulfilled all those prophecies…too bad we don’t know…HUH?

Of course, you know WHO it is don’t you? This is the Lord Jesus, who GAVE HIS LIFE - to pay for your sin.

WHY?

People are Precious, Sin is Serious, & God is Gracious.

Did you know that YOU are VALUABLE - PRECIOUS to God?

Do you understand that your SIN has separated you from a relationship with God?

And do you see how GRACIOUS God is - to offer - NOT AN ANIMAL - but Jesus - God the Son - FOR YOU!

NEED TO TALK?

PRAY

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Discussion Questions

Have you ever thought about Adam & Eve, Abraham & Isaac, or the Passover lambs as being pictures of what was to come - a SUBSTITUTE the would have to die in our place to cover our sin? Explain your answer.

Why do you think all the sacrifices were so bloody? How does this speak to the SERIOUSNESS of our SIN before God?

What do the sacrifices of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) tell us about God’s graciousness to be willing to forgive? What did you think about the sacrifice of 1 goat, and confessing the sin of the people to send the scapegoat out - never to be seen again? (Leader Note: Be familiar with sacrifices on Yom Kippur - Lev 16)

How does knowing that Jesus fulfills prophecies of 1) being in King David’s family (Is 9:6-7), 2) being born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and 3) doing the miracles of the Promised Savior (Is 35:44-6) give you confidence that JESUS is The Promised Savior? ‌

Which of the prophecies about The Promised Savior in Isaiah 53 stood out to you the most & why (Leaders Note: Be familiar with Isaiah 53)?

Take a moment to discuss how the sacrifice of Jesus shows that: People are Precious, Sin is Serious, & God is Gracious.

Share any ‘aha’ moments in today’s study - what you learned or how you were challenged. What’s God want YOU to do with what we studied today?

How can we pray for you? (Leaders: Share your desire to talk with any individual student who needs time to ask questions or talk further)