2: The Suffering Servant (Camp Cherokee 2024)

CHANGE THESE

Dad Jokes.

The rotation of earth really makes my day.

Tonya told me I had to stop standing like a Flamingo. So, I had to put my foot down!

A couple of nights ago, Tonya asked me if I'd seen the dog bowl. I said, "I didn't even know she could."

Lance isn’t a common name these days, but in medieval times, people were named Lance a lot.

And, I know what you’re thinking – that joke right there is a sign that it’s really going to be a good KNIGHT.

Turn to someone and tell them - “I love Dad jokes” & “You are valuable, made in the image of God.”

Last night we started talking about what it means to be KINGdom Citizens, and first we recognized that every KINGdom must have a KING. Anyone who claims to be a part of the KINGdom without recognizing the KING is just plain DOM.

We noted that Jesus is KING of the KINGdom, the Cornerstone of the that the whole structure is built on.

But this KING is different from all others because He is also a SAVIOR.

So, last night we took a tour of the Old Testament prophets who sketched a portrait of the Promised Savior hundreds of years before He showed up.

Today we will see how The Promised Savior also took on the role of…

The Suffering Servant

We’re going to pick up where we left off, fill in some of the gaps, and then look at some more OT prophecies that the Suffering Servant - The Promised Savior - fulfilled.

As mentioned last night,

Jesus WAS born into the family of King David,

in the town of Bethlehem,

and performed all the miracles mentioned by Isaiah’s prophecy.

No one taught like Jesus. No one healed like Jesus. And no one made the claims that Jesus made, with the evidence to back it up.

Jesus didn’t just claim to be a good man, Jesus claimed to be the GOD-MAN. And for that, he was arrested and handed over to the Romans for crucifixion.

Way before that, at the beginning of his ministry, we see John the Baptist use some really strange language to talk about Jesus. As Jesus approaches where John is baptizing, John points to Jesus and says to his own disciples,

John 1:29 (NIV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

This is sacrificial language!

Not only were lambs sacrificed during Passover, but every morning and every evening of every day a lamb was sacrificed - an unblemished, 1 year old, male lamb (Num 28:3-4).

This prophet of God knew that JESUS was The Promised Savior, Who had come sacrifice himself and pay for our sin!

Jesus begins to come into conflict with religious leaders who don’t appreciate the fact that so many people are following Him, some even believing He was the Messiah - The Promised Savior.

Jesus makes all kinds of crazy claims, like this one.

John 8:51–53 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

Just a bit later Jesus says THIS!

John 8:56–59 (NIV) Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I AM!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

What’s THAT all about? Jesus claims to be I AM - the God who long before spoke to Moses from the burning bush!

Exodus 3:14 (NIV) God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Jesus has claimed to be GOD! Blasphemy! For that, the Old Testament gives the death penalty.

These kinds of runins start becoming pretty common. Here’s another time,

John 10:30–33 (NIV)

I and the Father are one.” Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

So, when the right time came, Jesus was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin and they asked,

Matthew 26:63–64 (NIV) But Jesus remained silent [Is 53:7 like a lamb led to the slaughter - so he didn’t open His mouth]. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Matthew 26:65–68 (NIV) Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

After they get done with Jesus they eventually take him to Pilate - the Roman governor of the area. They want Pilate to crucify Him, but Pilate is reluctant.

So, Pilate decides to give him a good flogging.

Pilate brings Jesus back out, hoping that would satisfy his enemies. It does not, so Pilate sends Jesus to be crucified.

But before that happens, the Roman soldiers decide to have some fun.

The Scriptures say…

Matthew 27:27–31 (NIV)

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Remember the story of Abraham getting ready to offer up his son - Isaac?

Remember this happened on Mt. Moriah (current day Jerusalem).

Remember that the son carried the very wood he was to be sacrificed on?

Do you remember how the bodies of the sacrifices on Yom Kippur would be taken OUTSIDE the walls of the Jewish community?

In an incredibly similar way, Jesus would be sacrificed just outside the walls of Jerusalem, in the same area of Mt. Moriah - carrying the wood He would be sacrificed on, at least a little ways. Jesus had been beaten so badly He could carry it no longer, so the Romans grabbed another man to do it. But their would be no sacrificial substitute…because HE WAS IT!

They crucified Jesus next to a well traveled road just outside the walls of Jerusalem. The Scriptures tell us of the people hurling insults at Jesus. We are even told that…

Matthew 27:35–37 (NIV) When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

But here’s what’s strange. While on the cross, Jesus says several things that get recorded in the gospels - including this - Jesus cried out…

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt 27:46)

Maybe you’ve heard that before, but did you know Jesus was QUOTING Psalms 22 - written 1000 years before Jesus got crucified? Here’s what it says:

Psalm 22:1 (NIV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?

Psalm 22:6–8a (NIV) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him.”

Psalm 22:16–18 (NIV) Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

This is INCREDIBLE, because King David - who wrote this - didn’t know about crucifixion! It hadn’t been invented by the Persians yet, and certainly not yet perfected by the Romans. And had Jesus been killed by the Jews, they would have stoned Him to death - no pierced His hands and feet!

Further, King David prophecies about clothing being gambled for, and sure enough, this is what the Roman soldiers did, casting lots to determine who got the nice piece of clothing.

John 19:24b (NIV) This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

Further we know that Jesus was crucified between 2 criminals when he died. Remember Isaiah 53? Here’s more from that text written 700 years before Jesus dies on the cross.

Isaiah 53:9 (NIV) He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

He would DIE “with the wicked” - sinners - in this case, CRIMINALS. And a rich man and secret follower of Jesus - name Joseph - buries Jesus in his own brand new family tomb. Jesus is buried “with the rich in his death”.

Further, Isaiah prophesied this:

Isaiah 53:10–11 (NIV)

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my Righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

This isn’t the end. After His suffering He would see the light of life. And sure enough, Jesus did just that - RAISING from the dead!

This Righteous Servant would justify many - making them right with God by trading their sins for His righteousness. Is this incredible or what?

The disciples of Jesus, however, thought it was OVER. Their King had been killed and they were fearful for their own lives.

But then it happened on that Sunday morning. The women went to the tomb and found out, as my boys used to say when they were little - Jesus not only “died on a TROSS”, but “Jesus TAME back alive!”

Jesus first shows Himself to the female disciples who showed up at the tomb, including Mary Magdalene.

When Mary looks in the tomb with the stone rolled away here’s what she sees. She sees 2 angels - 1 at the head & another at the foot of where Jesus’ body had been. (Jn 20:11-12)

Do you SEE IT?

Remember where the priest would offer the blood of the bull and goat on Yom Kippur - on the mercy seat - representing the throne of God - the place between 2 angels?

I used to think that Mary saw an image of the ark of the covenant, but this isn’t a picture of the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of the Covenant was a picture of what

SHE saw that day! The final sacrifice had been put on the mercy seat and IT IS FINISHED - the PERFECT SUBSTITUTE SACRIFICE had completed the task, once and for all!

Once she sees Jesus, the race is on! She can’t wait to tell the men that JESUS IS ALIVE!

The Promised Savior, The Suffering Servant - The KING of the KINGdom - had payed our price and HE IS ALIVE! And that changed the COURSE for the rest of their lives! More on that later this evening.

Let’s conclude with how the Apostle Paul, a former persecutor of Christians who ultimately is confronted by the Risen Jesus; a man who then gives his life to carry the gospel all over the known world before being beheaded for his faith in the Risen Jesus - writes this.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

ARE YOU WORTH THE PRICE?

Jesus thinks so…

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

Luke 15 - 3 stories - more joy in the presence of angels over 1 sinner who repents.

PRAY

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Day 2 Intro

Discussion Questions

Based on last night’s teaching, 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.

How does the sacrifice of Jesus show that: People are Precious, Sin is Serious, & God is Gracious?

Read John 1:29. Why do you think John the Baptist refers to Jesus as “the Lamb of God” and what does He say Jesus came to accomplish?

Read Psalm 22:1. Jesus quotes what was for his time, a 1000 year old Psalm, while on the cross. Take a few moments to read verses and 16-18. What similarities do you see to what happened to Jesus at the crucifixion?

Read 2 Cor 5:21. What is the significance of what Jesus did for us on the cross?