Our Suffering Servant 2

Our Sorrowful & Wounded Servant

Text: Isaiah 53:1-3

Introduction

The chapter we are exploring today is right in the middle of the twenty-seven chapters that make of up this book. Each verse is a golden nugget of truth. This is the chapter that pictures Christ, our suffering Servant and Redeemer.

This chapter is the most profound Old Testament prophecy, far-reaching, and detailed Old Testament prophecy of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the behalf of sinners like you and me.

In many Jewish synagogues, this chapter is skipped in their reading of the Old Testament scriptures. Those who do read it, simply see this as a tribute to the suffering of Israel and God paying them a tribute in scripture as they bless the world.

However, it’s main purpose is to inform Israel that they will one day look back and see the gospel for what it is and who provided it and these words will be there lament.

Isreal is the only nation of which the Bible speaks about that will one day in the future turn in faith toward the Messiah Jesus Christ. That was God’s promise to them.

This chapter is written in the past tense even though it is telling of a future suffering of Jesus. This gives you the understanding that it is written from the vantage point of Israel laments and repents of their long rejection of Jesus Christ and sings this song.

This chapter is so replenished with the unsearchable riches of Christ that it may be called rather the gospel of the evangelist Isaiah than the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1182.

This is all about the spiritual deliverance which is far better than physical deliverance. That is exactly why we preach the gospel and why you need it.

THREE SECTIONS

God gives the introduction

Israel laments and repents

God gives the conclusion

1) The Sorrow Of Jesus

A. Looking for faith (vs 1)

Deuteronomy 18:18–19 “18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

The prophets (Isaiah being one of them) were the most unpopular men in their day, for they dealt with the moral and religious conditions of the hour. Generally conditions were bad.

Prophets were sent when the nation was out of step with God. The Prophets would rebuke and exhort the people. They seldom were popular with the sinner.

Right out the gate in this book, Isaiah cries, “He is coming.”

Something interesting to keep in mind is that Isaiah’s role a prophets was during the founding and early years of Rome, Sparta, and Athen in Greece. This set the stage of all kinds of potential paganism and hardness of hearts to be adopted by God’s people.

What we read in these first three verses is the very reasons why the Jews rejected their Messiah………

“Who hath believed our report”

The Apostle John quoted this very verse when dealing with the Jewish leaders.

John 12:38 “38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

They “would not” calloused into “could not” — John 12:39 “39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,”

Finally the “could not” hardened into “should not.” — John 12:40–41 “40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.”

Romans 10:16–17 “16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

The cry of Isaiah is for his audience to combine their faith with the message of the future coming Messiah.

“to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

This speaks to the awesome power of God through the incarnate Son of God.

You might say, “I don’t think being rejected by your own people, falsely accused, beaten beyond human resemblance, crucified, and put in a tomb that is not even your own as very powerful.”

You must look past His seemingly frail response to the suffering He experienced.

What Jesus accomplished through His suffering was the mark of the greatest and most powerful thing this world has ever witnessed.

He took on the sin of the entire world (past, present, and future).

There is this three-fold rejection: His words, works, and person.

John 12:37 “37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:”

By rebelling against the light they had, they forfeited the grace of God.

Illustration — Like the lame man at the pool of Siloam. Some are just sitting at the water’s edge and will never step into the saving water’s of God’s grace.

To this day, of the many that profess to believe this report, there are few that cordially embrace it and submit to the power of it. (Matthew Henry)

Q — Have you believed the message of Jesus being the Messiah?

B. Look at the Savior (vs 2)

“tender plant” (first thoughts)

Meaning “little bush.”

What what spring up from a low branch.

He was not a great tree, but a humble bush.

Isaiah 11:1 “1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

When He appeared, the nation was barren and dry spiritually. They had a form of religion, but they had no life, and because He brought life, they rejected Him. (Warren Wiersbe)

They rejected Him because His stature and character did not measure up to what they aspired their Messiah to be.

They aspired Jesus to come in kingly fashion due to being the “son of David.”

Instead, all of their expectations was reduced to that of a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, poor, and most of His relations were fishermen.

Mark 6:1–3 “1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

“tender plant” (Second thoughts)

Let’s consider this description in light of the plant world...

There are three types of hardiness when it comes to plants: Hardy, half-hardy, and tender.

Hardy — One native to the area. It like the soil, satisfied with the local environment, sinks down its roots in the soil and makes it home there. Need very little to no help growing.

Half-hardy — Not native to the area, however it does come from a place similar. It too will have no problems growing there. It can be planted in a new bed and will soon flourish.

Tender plant — Is not native to the environment, it does not like the soil not the weather. It will require special attention, special nutrients, protected from the weather, and guarded against disease.

Jesus was a tender plant:

Not native to the sinful environment of the world.

His nature is not like ours.

We feel at home here while He never did.

The social and spiritual climate was completely foreign to Him.

He was completely innocent of any sin.

His character demonstrated nothing short of absolute holiness and goodness.

This world was not His home.

“root out of dry ground”

Nothing satisfied his soul other than the scriptures. He was the master of the truth.

He sprung up among the world’s greatest religions and philosophers.

(v2) Jesus was very much human (appearance)

Quote: “He was gloriously human. He was God, but He was God manifest in warm, vibrant human flesh, perfectly adjusted and down-to-earth.” (John Phillips)

Jesus was seen simply as an ordinary man—one who wore homespun clothes and spoke the native Aramaic with a thick north-country accent. The sophisticated Jerusalem Jews dismissed Him as a peasant. They saw no beauty in Him at all. Their Messiah? Him? Not on your life! He was a Galilean and a native of ill-odored Nazareth! They wrote Him off. They had their own ideas as to how a true Messiah should look, speak, and behave. They despised Him. (John Phillips)

C. Look at His sorrow (vs 3)

“A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”

Sometimes this is read and the question comes up, “If Jesus was so acquainted with grief, why does he not get involved with the pains I am going through?”

First off, this world was originally created without any trace of sin and darkness.

Secondly, after man gave birth to sin and death, the creator Himself interjected Himself into His own creation to redeem it back to former perfection.

We witness Jesus beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a splintery cross, hanging in torment, ridiculed, and scorned.

Darkness descended and out from it came the cry, Matthew 27:46 “46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” ONLY SILENCE FROM HEAVEN!

So, where was Christ when you were going through your darkest time of pain and sorrow, He was at Calvary, at the most darkest day in history providing you a way to be delivered from this place that is cursed by the evils that touch your life every day.

Hebrews 4:15 “15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Quote: “For He is coming back to get involved again in a different way, in pomp and power and glory. The cross will give way to the crown. The world will be His then, not only by right of Calvary but also by right of conquest. And the pristine order and splendor of things will be obvious to all.” (John Phillips)

Conclusion

Isaiah is describing a Savior who had you in mind! He has provided eternal pardon of even the most wicked of deed in your life. Will you surrender a trusting faith to Christ today?