A New Beginning: Christ's Arrival and the Dividing Line of History

Reading of the Word

Isaiah 52:13–53:12 NASB 2020

Behold, My Servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were appalled at you, My people, So His appearance was marred beyond that of a man, And His form beyond the sons of mankind. So He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what they had not been told, they will see, And what they had not heard, they will understand. Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of dry ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we would look at Him, Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him. He was despised and abandoned by men, A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; And like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we had no regard for Him. However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, And our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, Struck down by God, and humiliated. But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off from the land of the living For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due? And His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the Lord desired To crush Him, causing Him grief; If He renders Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, For He will bear their wrongdoings. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the plunder with the strong, Because He poured out His life unto death, And was counted with wrongdoers; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the wrongdoers.

Prayer of Illumination

Heavenly Father,

As we gather in this holy season to reflect on the birth of our Savior, we turn to Your Word. We ask that, through Your Holy Spirit, You would open our hearts to the depths of this message. May we see in the child born in Bethlehem the fulfillment of Your great promise, the One who would bear our sins, carry our sorrows, and bring us peace.

Illuminate the Scriptures, Lord, and help us to understand the magnitude of the sacrifice that began in the manger and led to the cross. Teach us to embrace the love and grace that was poured out for us, and may it transform our hearts as we hear Your Word today.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.

Introduction

Imagine trying to remember life before the internet. It feels like a distant memory now! Christ is like the internet for history—once He arrived, everything changed. Our lives, our perspectives, and even the world's timeline shifted. Just like we can’t imagine life without the web, we can’t imagine our world without Christ marking a definitive line between the old and the new.

Just like the internet, Christ’s arrival changed how things would be forever. Christmas defined a pivotal point that would take us from sin to purity, from darkness to light, from death to life.

The long-awaited dawn for the people of God had arrived, bringing a new hope and a tangible presence that made God accessible to everyone.

When History Met Hope: The Impact of Christmas

“Christmas cut history into two ages: the age of promise and the age of fulfillment. So when Peter says in Acts 3:24, ‘All the prophets…proclaimed these days,’ we see that he means ‘these last days’ (Heb. 1:2), in which God has spoken to us in his Son, the days from the first Christmas to the time of consummation yet to come. This is where we live. The already of fulfillment is massive—incarnation, crucifixion, atonement, propitiation, resurrection, ascension, heavenly reign, intercession, outpouring of the Holy Spirit, global missions, ingather of the nations, church, New Testament Scriptures, prayer in Jesus’ name, joy unspeakable, and purchased certainty,” (John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent, 51).

The Age of Promise

The text we read tonight is one of the most important in the Old Testament because it reveals how history would be divided and the profound impact of that division. It gives a promise unlike any other. Isaiah tells us how the Messiah would live, suffer, and die for our salvation.

Prophet after prophet was sent to prepare the way for Christ's arrival, yet time and again, the Israelites turned their backs on God and rejected the promise He had given them. Even so, the promise still remained.

The Age of Fulfillment

Jesus steps onto the scene as the most important person in the history of the world, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah given some 700 years earlier.

The sacrifice will be made, the price will be paid, and the victory will be won. No longer will the Old Testament system for addressing sin be needed—not because it will be abolished, but because it will be perfectly fulfilled in Christ.

Stepping Down to Lift Us Up

1. Servant's Surprising Exaltation

Isaiah 52:13-15

Christ's suffering and exaltation redefined greatness and reshaped our understanding of God’s plan.

He would prosper and overcome the enemy.

God's unlimited strength was revealed through Christ's death.

He would offer deliverance from judgment to those who placed their trust in the Suffering Servant.

This love is powerfully displayed as Christ stretched His arms on the cross for us. It was our sin that placed Him there, but it was His love that kept Him there. It was love—unfathomable and relentless—that held Him on that cross, enduring the weight of our brokenness so that we might be made whole. In that moment, love triumphed over death, and the path to salvation was opened for all who believe.

Because of his sacrifice, he would be high, lifted up, and greatly exalted.

Philippians 2:9–11 NASB 2020

For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

But first, He needed to take on the role of the Suffering Servant.

He would shed His blood to become the sacrifice sufficient for the sin all of human history.

This sacrifice wouldn’t just cover sin; it would eliminate sin and purify the heart.

He would leave kings in awe of His grace, marveling at how He endured such suffering.

King Herod - He didn’t issue judgment on Jesus but sent him back to Pilate.

Pontius Pilate - He left the decision to the people who would condemn Him and washed His hands of it.

2. Servant’s Humble Appearance

Isaiah 53:1-3

He didn’t come as a King with a crown; He came to earth as the Suffering Servant, crowned with nothing but His sacrifice.

He laid it all aside to come to earth—the Creator becoming the creation—so that we could have a relationship with God and receive eternal life.

The values of the world were about to be turned upside down through the cry of a baby born in Bethlehem, not in a palace, but in a manger.

His birth and its circumstances show us the life of humbleness he would live.

His goal was not to merely change things - He would make all things new.

The goal of newness is to renew, purify, and transform.

History would be defined by one pivotal event: His death.

The old was laid upon Christ’s shoulders so that the new could become reality.

He came to reach the lost, not mingle with the kings and those with power.

This could only be accomplished by taking on their form—becoming the relatable God. He appeared as an ordinary human, unremarkable and often overlooked. Most Jews dismissed Him as just another teacher or prophet, failing to recognize Him as the Messiah and Savior of humanity.

3. Servant's Sacrifice for Us

Isaiah 53:4-6

He took on the role of a servant, the lowest of positions, in order to serve God and fulfill the calling His Father entrusted to Him.

As he laid in the manger, the cross overshadowed the babe.

He lived to die. It was his mission and focus.

He took on our sickness

He endured physical and emotional suffering, but His primary focus was addressing the greatest disease of all—sin.

He carried our pains.

He understands physical pain.

He experienced emotional pain.

His heart broke as we lived apart from God, pursuing our own desires and living for ourselves.

He was pierced for our offenses.

This led to immense suffering. He endured it for you and me. Rather than abandoning the cross, He embraced it, knowing it was the only way for us to be reconciled with God. He was obedient to the Father’s will.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible Chapter 53

Our sins were the thorns in Christ’s head, the nails in his hands and feet, the spear in his side

He was crushed and laid our wrongdoings upon himself.

He did this for us, not for personal gain. He came to bear our punishment.

He gave it all so we could have it all!

He shed His Blood to defeat sin, Satan, death, and hell once and for all.

Christ used death, once a tool of the enemy, to defeat death itself. What was meant to be the final weapon of darkness became the very means by which He triumphed over it.

Through His death on the cross, He transformed the power of death into a pathway to eternal life, conquering the enemy’s greatest weapon and offering victory to all who believe.

What was intended to end everything became the beginning of new hope and redemption for humanity.

The Blood of Jesus will never lose its power, and that power is meant to split the history of your soul. His sacrifice on the cross marks a defining moment—where everything changes. He desires to erase the old from your life and bring in the new, offering you the very best. By shedding His blood, He made this transformation possible. Your past can be reshaped into something beyond your imagination, if you simply allow Christ to work in your life.

4. He came to heal our wounds.

Satan seeks to wound us physically, emotionally, and spiritually, but Christ brings healing to every area of our lives.

Imagine a prisoner who sits in his cell, shackled and hopeless, each day blending into the next. The weight of his guilt and shame is unbearable. Now, picture one day hearing the cell door creak open, and a figure steps in—it's the King, who has come to pay his debt and set him free. That prisoner is us before Christ. The Christmas story is about that King entering our lives to release us from the bondage of sin, bringing the hope of freedom and a relationship with God.

Healing brings peace. The Prince of Peace brought peace to our souls at the cross through his wounds. He came to bring spiritual peace between God and man. The peace that is beyond comprehension.

His passion and death make for us a foundation for us to rest our soul upon. Christ’s suffering was not merely an event but the cornerstone of God’s redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation.

5. Servant's Silent Submission

Isaiah 53:7-9

He was oppressed and afflicted.

He was accused of being a criminal who committed the worst offense against God (blasphemy).

He was wrongfully convicted before the sham trial was held. The trial was not even held according to the law.

This is injustice at its worst.

He didn’t open up his mouth.

He quietly submitted to his death and God’s will, not opposing even those who mocked him.

6. Servant's Ultimate Victory

Isaiah 53:10-12

He crushed the enemy.

The devil thought the death of Christ was the defeat of Christ. But how wrong he was.

On the third day, death could not hold Jesus. He rose victorious from the grave, sealing Satan's defeat once and for all.

Because of this, Christ’s victory is now our victory.

Eternal redemption

Jesus came into the world that first Christmas to destroy the works of the devil—the one who brought sin into the world. He accomplished this through His sinless life, offering forgiveness and removing the effects of sin for all who believe in Him.

Hope

We have hope in Jesus because He is with us and desires for us to experience His presence in this life. Our hope will one day become a reality when we see Him face to face.

Assurance

We can be confident in God's promises, knowing that what He says, He will do.

We are assured that we will not have to endure sin or its effects forever. In this second Advent, we wait for Him to restore all things to their rightful state and abolish sin once and for all.

Has Christ Divided Your Life?

Christ’s arrival changed history forever, dividing the old from the new. But what about in your life? Has Christ divided your story—has the old sin, shame, and brokenness truly passed away? His coming wasn’t just a global event; it was a personal invitation to transformation.

He came to meet you where you are, to replace fear with faith, guilt with grace, and brokenness with wholeness. The hope Christ brought to the world is deeply personal. When you let Him in, the dividing line of history becomes the dividing line of your life.

Christ came not just to bring change but to bring transformation—to make the old pass away and to usher in something new and everlasting. His arrival is more than a historical milestone; it’s an open door to a renewed life, marked by His love, peace, and purpose. Have you allowed His coming to change you?

To Sum It Up: Before Christ came, we were captives to sin and deserving of God’s punishment, but through His arrival, sacrifice, and victory over sin, we can now be free from guilt and know God personally.

Conclusion

As we close, let us reflect on the profound truth that Christ’s suffering was not only the fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation but also the ultimate demonstration of His love for us. His arrival changed the course of history, offering hope and redemption to a broken world.

As believers, we are invited to embrace our identity as part of His redemptive story—called to live in the light of His sacrifice and to share His message of grace and truth. May this truth inspire us to walk boldly in faith, knowing that we are part of a plan far greater than ourselves, a plan designed to bring glory to God and hope to all who believe.

Prayer Following Message

Heavenly Father,

On this holy night, as we gather to celebrate the birth of our Savior, we remember the profound truth of Isaiah 53. We thank You for the promise fulfilled in the baby born in Bethlehem, the One who would carry our sorrows and bear our griefs. We stand in awe of Your great love that took on flesh, humbled Himself, and endured the suffering of the cross for our salvation.

Lord, we confess that we have often strayed from You, just as Isaiah spoke of the waywardness of Your people. Yet, in Your mercy, You sent Your Son to heal our brokenness, to restore us to Yourself. We thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus—who was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by His wounds, we are healed.

As we reflect on the price that was paid for our redemption, may we never lose sight of the depth of Your love. May our hearts be filled with gratitude and joy, and may we share this hope with the world around us, especially in this season of light and grace.

We pray for Your peace to fill us and guide us. Help us to walk in the footsteps of our Savior, loving others as He has loved us. May the message of Christmas, the fulfillment of Your promise in Jesus, transform our hearts and lives.

In His name, we pray. Amen.

Benediction

May the peace of Christ, born this night, fill your hearts with joy and your lives with hope. May His light guide you through the days ahead, and may His love, revealed in the manger and the cross, inspire you to share His grace with all you meet. As you celebrate the gift of Jesus, may you be filled with His presence and carry His peace into the world.

Go in the joy and the love of Christ, now and always. Amen.