The Suffering Servant Triumphs

We like to choose winners. [NCAA Tournament (March Madness) – all those teams want to be victorious. Each year people look for the Cinderella Story, the team from a small school that goes against the big universities. The team that is not expected to win, but battles adversity and wins it all]. Jesus is like one of those teams. Humanly speaking He came from obscurity to become the victor of life itself. As we look at , there are 3 enemies that He triumphed over.

700 years before Jesus

“1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Isaiah 53:1 NASB95

1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

The future Jews of the tribulation look back and speak. The prophets spoke their message throughout the ages. The apostles spoke the message of Jesus. It is the message that belongs to the people of Israel. Who believed it? “We as a nation didn’t even believe it ourselves!”

Jesus said “I am the way the truth and life no man comes to the Father but by me.”

Matthew 26:63–64 NASB95

63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

matt 26

Their response? “We will not have this man reign over us”

“We will not have this man reign over us”

Isaiah 53:2 NASB95

2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

The words “tender plant” literally mean “a little bush” such as would spring from a low branch. In other words, Christ was not a great tree, but a humble bush. [1]

Isaiah 53:3 NASB95

3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

For Adolph Hitler and the Nazis, the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games were expected to be a German showcase and a statement for Aryan supremacy. Most notably, Hitler lambasted America for including black athletes on its Olympic roster.

But it was the African-American participants who helped cement America's success at the Olympic Games. In all, the United States won 11 gold medals, six of them by black athletes. Jesse Owens was easily the most dominant athlete to compete. He captured four gold medals (the 100 meter, the long jump, the 200 meter and the 400-meter relay), and broke two Olympic records along the way. Owens record for the world broad jump would last 25 years until being broken by Olympian Irvin Roberson in 1960. After Owens won the 100-meter event, a furious Hitler stormed out of the stadium, though some reports indicate that Hitler later congratulated the athlete on his success.

While Owens helped the U.S. triumph at the games, his return home was not met with the kind of fanfare one might expect. President Franklin D. Roosevelt failed to meet with Owens and congratulate him, as was typical for champions. The athlete wouldn't be properly recognized until 1976, when President Gerald Ford awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

What do you think of Jesus? Do you esteem or value Him? How much would you place on Him? Is He just some poor man that got killed because He upset the wrong people and was at the wrong place at the wrong time?

Here is how the Apostle Paul estimates His worth,

Ephesians 1:18–22 NASB95

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

Because of His resurrection Jesus triumphed over the world’s rejection of Him.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:4 NASB95

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.

Two ideas are interwoven here: the prophet suffering for his people as Moses did () or was prepared to do (); and the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement bringing forgiveness to the community by bearing “all their iniquities upon him to a solitary land” ().[2]

griefs and sorrows of the Jews.

What are your griefs (sicknesses or outward effects of sin) and sorrows (inward pains of sin)? Get past the superficial pains of not having “things” that are as nice as other people’s things. Get to the pains caused by physical weakness, emotional distress and that thing inside you that causes you to make a mess of your life and hurt the ones you say that you love. Do you know that sickness? Do you know that pain?

bore=Jesus lifted it up [superhero lifting up a giant boulder]

carried=Jesus carried away [used of pregnancy, ie. carrying a child]

They thought Jesus was a blasphemer. They thought that because he hung on a cross, Jesus was cursed by God for His sins.

bore=Jesus lifted it up [superhero lifting up a giant boulder]

carried=Jesus carried away [used of pregnancy, ie. carrying a child]

is

Isaiah 53:5 NASB95

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

What are your griefs (sicknesses) and sorrows (pains)? Get past the superficial pains of not having “things” that are as nice as other people’s things. Get to the pains caused by physical weakness, emotional distress and that thing inside you that causes you to make a mess of your life and hurt the ones you say that you love. Do you know that sickness? Do you know that pain?

Transgression=Willfully crossing over lines that we should not have crossed. Rebellion against the rules and the ruler.

iniquities=wickeness and perversions. Literally double twisting.

Isaiah 53:6 NASB95

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

What are your griefs (sicknesses) and sorrows (pains)? Get past the superficial pains of not having “things” that are as nice as other people’s things. Get to the pains caused by physical weakness, emotional distress and that thing inside you that causes you to make a mess of your life and hurt the ones you say that you love. Do you know that sickness? Do you know that pain?

Sheep do what they do by instinct. They are by nature sheep and that is why they wander away. By nature they go their own way without a shepherd to lead them.

Our view of our sin was wrong, our sinful actions were wrong, and our sinful nature was wrong. This is true repentance!

Substitution Atonement — Two ideas are interwoven here: the passover lamb and the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement bringing forgiveness to the community by bearing “all their iniquities upon him to a solitary land” ().[2]

Jesus bore our sin, He carried our sin, He was pierced through for our sin, He was crushed for our sin, he was chastened for our sin, He was scourged for our sin, and our sin fell upon Him.

Read this passage again in a personal way:

1 Peter 2:21–25 NASB95

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Read this passage again in a personal way:

4 Surely He has borne my griefs And carried my sorrows; Yet I esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities; The chastisement for my peace was upon Him, And by His stripes I am healed. 6 I like a sheep have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; And the Lord has laid on Him my iniquity.

How did He do this?

A father and son were traveling down a country road one afternoon in the spring time when suddenly a bee flew in the window. Being deathly allergic to bee stings, the boy began to panic as the bee buzzed all around inside the car. Seeing the horror on his child’s face, the father reached out and caught the bee in his hand. Soon, he opened his hand and the bee began to buzz around once again. Again, the boy began to panic. The father reached over to his son, and opened his hand showing him the stinger still in his palm. “Relax, son,” the father said, “I took the sting, the bee can’t hurt you anymore.” The empty tomb is God’s way of saying to us; “Relax, my child, I took the sting, death can’t hurt you anymore.” -- Steven Kellett

It is our moral weakness or sickness, which the Bible calls sin, that causes us to be fearful of death, but Jesus triumphed over our moral sicknesses and pains through His resurrection. He healed us!

1 Peter 2:21–25 NASB95

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Isaiah 53:7–9 NASB95

7 He was oppressed and He was 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. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? 9 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.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Isaiah 53:10–12 NASB95

10 But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render 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. 11 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, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

10Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

His reward was life. Jesus really died, but these verses give a portrait of a man who is very much alive. He sees his offspring (we are Christ’s spiritual offspring), His days are prolonged (for eternity), He sees His labor, He divides the spoil…

Luke 24:1–7 NASB95

1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

“1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”” (, NKJV)

Let me tell you about Philip; Philip never felt like he belonged. He was pleasant enough but he looked a bit different and sometimes seemed unusual to his eight-year-old classmates. In his Sunday school class several weeks before Easter, Phillip’s teacher introduced a special project. He gave every member a plastic "egg"--the kind pantyhose used to come in. He explained that each child was to go outside, find a symbol for new life and put it into the egg. Enthusiastically, the class responded. Back in the classroom the eggs were opened one at a time with each child explaining the meaning of his symbol. In the first egg was a pretty flower; in the next a beautiful butterfly, while green grass was in a third. The children "oohed" and "aahed". In another was a rock, which prompted loud laughter. Finally the last egg was opened - there was nothing. "That’s stupid," said one child. Another grumbled, ”Someone didn’t do it right! The teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was Phillip, who said, ’That’s mine, and I did do right! It’s empty, ’cause the tomb was empty." There was an unusual, thoughtful silence. And strangely, from that time on, Phillip was accepted as part of the group. Phillip continued to struggle with many physical problems. That summer he picked up an infection which most children would easily have shaken off. But Philip’s weak body couldn’t and a few weeks later, he died. At his funeral nine eight year-olds with their teacher brought their symbol of remembrance and placed it near his coffin. Their unusual gift of love to Phillip wasn’t flowers. It was an empty egg - now a symbol to them of new life and hope. It was Phillip, the "different" child, who had helped his friends see the wonderful hope in the message of Easter. (Preaching Today)

Phillip understood the true meaning of Easter. He chose Jesus the victor of the grave. Because Jesus has triumphed, Phillip has triumphed over rejection, he has triumphed over the sickness of sin, and he has triumphed over death itself. How about you? Will you choose Jesus, the Suffering Servant who has won the victory and now become the Triumphant Savior?

let’s pray

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[2] Sawyer, J. F. A. (1986). Isaiah: Volume 2. The Daily Study Bible Series (146). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

The Suffering Servant Triumphs

I. Triumph Over Our Rejection (1-3)

A. We Rejected His Report

B. We Rejected His Works

C. We Rejected His Appearance

II. Triumph Over Our Sin (4-6)

A. View of Our Sin (4)

B. Actions of Our Sin (5)

C. Nature of our Sin (6)

C. Nature of our Sin (6)

III. Triumph Over Death (7-12)

A. His Willingness to Die (7–9)

B. His Reward for Dying (10–12)