Isaiah’s Suffering Servant - Part 1

Father we worship you and praise you and declare and recognize that you are The Sovereign ruler of the universe. Nothing happens apart from your knowledge or you would do ordaining that to happen until father God the events that are causing difficulties in our world right now are not a big deal T. You ordained them you control them and so we praise you because you are a great and mighty God we ask you this morning as we come to your forward in this Different contacts that you by your spirit I would do what you have continually done with us over the years. Would you by your spirit to take your word and apply it to our hearts Elvis to understand it and use it to change on us so that we would be more like Jesus. I need it clear and helpful and what you called me to? Lord I pray that our people who are scattered around the city and and really around the world this morning what have a tangible sense of your presence that despite us not being physically together. We would sense The Fellowship of your spirit and know that despite our being geographically apart from one another we are united in you. Because of the great work that he accomplished in his life death and resurrection and because you have brought us into your family. I pray that we would see Jesus. We have a glorious opportunity this morning Father to consider some scriptures that speak to the person and work of your side. Would they have a lasting impact on our lives? We pray this in his precious name, Amen. Well, we're going to get started them first sermon in the storm series called Isaiah's suffering servant as many of you will know I wasn't up to preach funny district superintendent where you was supposed to preach. I was supposed to start the Easter sermon series next week, but we'll get it started this week. And really I'm just entitled this sermon introduction by reading the Servant Song from Isaiah the fourth one which comes from Isaiah 52 verse 13 through 53 verse call. I got to read the whole song and then we will get into our sermon. Behold, my servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up and she'll be exalted. As many were astonished not you who was so marred beyond human semblance and his form beyond that of the children of mankind. So shall he sprinkle many nations shall shut their mouths because of him wear that which is not being told them they see and I wish they have not heard they understand. Who has believed what are Less Than Jake whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed for he grew up. I became like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form Her Majesty that would look at him and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by Men A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief and is one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised and we esteemed him. Not surely. He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet. We esteem him stricken smitten my God and Afflicted. He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the lord has laid on him the iniquity of us. All he was impressed and he was afflicted Yeti opened not his mouth like a land that is led to the slaughter in like sheep that before it sure is a silent. So he opened not his bio Traction in judgment. He was taken away. And as for his generation who consider that he was cut off out of the land of the living stricken for the transgressions of my people and they made his grave with a wicked the rich man in his death Olivia done. No violence, and there is no deceit in his mouth. Yeah, it was a will of the Lord to crush him. He has put him to grief when his soul makes an offering for Guilt. He shall see his offspring you show up for a long is DayZ the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand under the anguish of his soul. He shall see and be satisfied by his knowledge. Shall the righteous one my serving make many to be counted righteous are there and therefore I will divide him a portion with the money and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors and makes intercession intercession for the transgression. Go to this morning go through an introduction to the sermon series first by looking at an introduction to Isaiah in the Bible. Then we'll do an introduction to the servant and the servant songs of Isaiah and then we'll do an introduction to the Fort serve the one we will focus on for this sermon series and then we'll finish off while looking at the first three verses of this Servant Song of Isaiah. That will be Isaiah 52.

introduction to Isaiah we can look at the author in the title to begin with first of all, of course the title of the book as we see it as Isaiah puts the author of the book Isaiah. In fact, the opening words of the book explained that this is a vision of Isaiah the son of Amos very little biographical info is given in scripture about it because the main interest of the Bible in regards to Isaiah's message is the meaning of his name. Yahweh is salvation. The book is focused on Yahweh. Not on the profit. ESV Study Bible says Isaiah's book is a vision and that it reveals through symbols and reason thought a god-centered way of seeing and living it offers everyone that true alternative to the false appearances of this world. And so the central theme of is God himself a guy who does all things for his own sake as we see in 48 verse 11, Isaiah defines everything else by its relation to God whether it is Riley adjusted to him as the Glorious central figure of all reality. Isaiah portrays God is the Holy One of Israel. The one who is high and lifted up but also dwells among a contrite and lowly. The Sovereign over the whole world the god whose wrath is fierce and whose cleansing touch at homes for sale in The God Who salvation flows and less Supply the god whose gospel is good news of Happiness The God Who is moving history towards the blessing of his people The God Who is the only as well as the book of Isaiah Stewart Point suit, I was in Isaiah. We have both servants songs and a servant. We particularly come across this sermon in the servant songs and Isaiah 40 in that Section 8 office on to God's defeated people for world domination and he is consoling these discourage people who are in a saw. Population comes in the form of a message the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. That's Isaiah 40 verse 5 a really nice piece to put Ascension of Isaiah the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. In the aftermath of the Grayson by a tie in the ensuing Exile of the Jewish people Isaiah foresaw servant of the Lord the sin Bearer The Savior of the world.

Isaiah gives us for serving songs that describe the service and the suffering and the exaltation of the servant of the Lord the Messiah these servants song show the Messiah to be God's Meek and gentle serving the Messiah to be a royal figure representing Israel and its ideal form. They show the Messiah high priest atoning for the sins of the world clearly indicates that Isaiah's cement is Jesus. Now we see these four servants songs the first being and Isaiah 42:1 through 9 the second Isaiah 49 one through seven the third Isaiah 54 through 9 and 1/4 Isaiah 52 verse 13 through 53 verse 12, and I would encourage all of you to study serving songs of Isaiah over the Easter season the fourth one, which is chapter 52:13 through 5312. Know that the first Servant Song eyes or D2 1 through 9 to fix the Lord's servant establishing Justice the second servant song which is found in Isaiah 49 verse 1 through 7 to fix the Lord sermon on a mitt and return Israel back to the Lord and servant is too glorious to merely serve as a savior to Jacob. He will also be light to the Nations. The three servants song Isaiah 50 Verses 4 through 9 demonstrates the basal nest of the servant to the Lord, even when his faithfulness results and suffering and then finally the forest serving song Isaiah 52:13 through 53 verse 12 reveals that the victory of the servant will be achieved through his substitutionary sacrificial suffering. Let's move on now and take a closer. Look at this fourth Servant Song. One of the great commentators of Isaiah is molar. And he said this he said the Towering Genius of Isaiah was displayed and that he saw so clearly that is truest sense substitution needs a person to take the place of people and I would be the underlying message of this for serving song. It points to the the substitutionary sacrifice of the suffering servant. Standing in the step dying in the place of his people notice for serving song is broken up into five standards. Each stanza is each consisting of three versus the first stanza verses 13 through 15 of Isaiah 52.2 the servants success. The Nest 3 vs chapter 53 1 2 3 going to the servants suffering The next three versus versus four to six of chapter 53 went to the servants significance.

Where's the 7 through 9 which is the fourth stanza again return to the servants suffering. And then versus 12 to 10 where is chapter chapter 23 speak once again of the service success. He was crushed red Victorious.

Like to read you a quote from a Puritan preacher named James Dunham the quote comes from Christ crucified the marrow of the Gospel in 72 sermon on Isaiah 53. Now, I know I get to use once in awhile about how long we've been in the Gospel of Luke and how many sermons that will entail but James Dunham did it 72 sermons on Isaiah 53 got the book right here. It is not a small book, but it is intricate and in detail and goes to the servant of Isaiah and 50 are Isaiah says Besides build a whole field of the Sacred and infallibly inspired scriptures is very pleasant and beautiful yet. If we make a pair of some parts thereof with others. Those were in the Treasure Precious Jesus Christ lies most obvious and open are certainly most Pleasant and beautiful and amongst these that's just hold forth his sufferings and himself is crucified most definitely before men's eyes have a peculiar and passing pleasantness and Beauty in them. If so, and surely his 53rd chapter of the Prophecies of Isaiah cannot but be looked at as a transcendently pleasant beautiful sweet smelling and fragrant piece of the Mind scripture where in the Evangelical prophet discourses of the sufferings of Christ as particularly and fully as plainly empathetically even if life as if he he Self. I've been a spectator and eyewitness of them. We have a beautiful passage of scripture to sit over this Easter season. And again as I've already done let me encourage you a promise even daily from now until Easter read the service of Isaiah songs of Isaiah and particularly the fourth one which will begin looking at now as we starting to these first three verses of the fourth serving song of Isaiah, which is found in Isaiah 52 vs 13 through 15. Let me suggest you the main idea of this at least three versus would be something like the see the success of God's servant through suffering to Salvation. In fact, you should be able to tell from that main idea. That's the first three worst really are a summary of the whole servants song. We see in the first three verses of this service song Isaiah 52:13 15 a microcosm of what we see in this entire serving song in the whole serving saw something we will focus on in this Easter sermon series is the vastly any between exaltation and humiliation. We see in it the scenes of success and suffering and suffering and success this particular Revelation this song The Servant Song Isaiah is a Redemptive roller coaster. Is Soros a very great Heights with Declarations of acclimation in regards to the suffering servant but it also plunges down to abysmal depths with the Annunciation of debasement in terms of what this suffering servant goes through. And so we see this in the first three verses of the Servant Song. We have moments of elevated exaltation. And also we have points of depressed humiliation. Starting a birth cert teen the forest service song begins on a note event saltation behold the prophet race. My servants shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted. Robin begins with a command he says behold look at this the commentators in regards to that first word of the servants onset if what does passage says about this man's capacity that is a servant for taking away sin is true. Then by all means we should fix every bit of our attention on him. And so my first point of application this morning would be one of all ready made twice, but let us over this Easter season Behold The Suffering servant. Let us take time to consider him to read about him to think about him to meditate on him and all that. He has accomplished on behalf of his people. The prophet goes on to say my servant and this again is a partial picture of this rollercoaster Revelation. It's Hots about the Messiah who is a servant. This serve in this Messiah the New Testament clearly identifies as Jesus. The New Testament also clearly identifies Jesus as the Son of God who is equal with God who is God himself and yet here he is a servant and so we have this picture of Exile the very God himself who becomes a servant going from that high and exalted place and to that place of humiliate humiliation and humility becoming a human. We see that the servant will act wisely. The what does ACT wisely mean that means more than just acting sruly or even acting intelligently to act wisely is to know exactly what to do in a given situation. So as to bring about the desired results and to do those things That's why and other translation instead of saying he will act wisely as says my servant will prosper my servant will be successful see the servant knows how to accomplish his purpose and will take the necessary steps to do so. That's what it means for the servant to act wisely to prosper to be successful is the opposite of what I experienced this past week. I didn't have the wisdom. I need to accomplish something that I was trying to do the rear windshield on our Ford Escape busted and I thought I would give it everything. So I did a search on YouTube short videos that described and explain how you replace a rear windshield wiper on a Ford Escape and I gave it to go. On my tools got off the broken windshield wiper and got stuck because there was a piece of that wiper, that would not come off the motor. And I tried many different things but was unsuccessful. I didn't have the wisdom required to fix the rear windshield wiper. So we are taking the car into the end. Do you think Lee has the wisdom he acted wisely shut off all of the pieces of the all windshield wiper. We have a new wiper on the servant. Acting wisely he knew what it would take to accomplish his purpose. He knew it would take for him to be successful in the prosper. And he did it.

What's another interesting aspect of this servant is not disturbance purpose not a thing that he will attain that he will prosper and that he will be successful I is the Masters. A sermon does is mess your bidding. You did not pursue his own or her own ends. He pursues the goals and the ends of his master. We read Divine Chapter 5 Verse 30 speaking of Jesus where he says I can do as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not my own but the will of him who sent me Jesus came as a stripper Man Who Would accomplish his master's will Well, what are the consequences of the wise action of the servant? What does the accomplishing of the Masters will look like with his it result in Will It result in a three-fold exaltation. He shall be high and lifted up and exalted. Really? Those are three birds that talk about being raised being lifted up and be highly exalted. The servant would act wisely in accomplish the master purpose and as a result, he will raise you will be lifted off. You will be highly insulted and I think it's obvious to see in the words y Cielo gents have considered those three things speaking to Jesus's resurrection in Jesus is Ascension and Jesus's session that is his sitting at the right hand of the father shall be lifted up. He shall Ascend to Heaven you shall be highly exalted. He shall sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Ice comes to bring us to our second point of application this morning as we behold my servant. Let's always keep in mind the exaltation of the serve as well. As we look at the Servant Song we're going to see the terrible suffering of the servile. We're going to see you in detail some of his gruesome of what he went. But let's keep in mind that he was exalted ice came back from the dead Christ ascended into heaven Christ now sits at God the father's right-hand. Let that always be on your mind this Easter season. let's move on now 2 verses 14 through 15 a the Servant Song moves from exaltation and debilitation is start stalking of a servant will be highly exalted who will be lifted up who will be raised who will act wisely and accomplished a couple of his master and it moves Restir, the prophecy thing as many were astonished. You his appearance? So marred beyond human semblance and is formed Beyond died of the children. So shall he sprinkle many nations. We see here humiliation because that word astonished does not mean bedazzled is not people who are looking at this. This is excited rather. It means bewilder. It could also be translated out all shocked even shattered. It is a word describing seeing something that leaves you on. So we had this picture of humiliation introduced. As many were astonished at you. The servant who is exalted who will be exalted is also a servant who leaves people dumbfounded despairing perhaps even disgusted by his appearance as a result of what you went through. And so his appearance is astounding a Nepal into people that is the servant will experience something that will leave him a physical state in which she is marred beyond human semblance beyond the children of meds despair description speaks to his appearance in relation to himself and in relation to others not as he didn't look like himself after he went through what he went there. He wasn't recognizable as Jesus but was more than that. He didn't look like other he wasn't even recognizable as a human. Now certainly there is some hyperbole going on there. But what it is pointing to is a tremendous tremendously ation. Describing what Jesus went through what was the event? What was the experience that would leave the servant looking like this people were called people were shocked people work shatter. They were undone. It was the work of sprinkling the Nations the word sprinkling a testament to describe actions associated with the purification of people and things they were made Holy by sprinkling sprinkling is also how a lever was cleansed in the Old Testament. Finally sprinkling spoke of atonement through sacrifice. It would be this atoning sacrifice. That would leave. Jesus unrecognizable that would leave people up all his disappearance. The action allowed to serve and marred beyond recognition and observers shocked beyond belief was his substitutionary atonement self-sacrifice. It was torture and Death on the cross at the hands of men. In which forgiveness and cleansing from sin is found. Notice that it says as men were astonished so many will be sprinkled. Many were astonished but many will be sprinkled.

Exaltation of the servant is it pain because of the suffering of the servant and this pendulum light experience of exaltation and humiliation are the very core of our Christian faith. The exalted son was humbled when he became a man. Shortly after his exaltation by the crowds as he rode into Jerusalem. He was humiliated by three rounds as they watched and participated in his crucifix following his humiliation through his death on the cross is exaltation occurred in his resurrection and Ascension sitting down at God's right hand. I make another application. Now. Let's be people who understand this is what life looks like life is full of highs and lows life is full of Mountaintop experiences. And it's full of the valley experiences is also the exalted Savior and ferocity is a true example and sure guide as we go through our life. As we saw her and for those of you who are suffering now, we're going through various difficulties and trials and tribulations. And I know there are any of you aware and it made aware of many of them. And I know there's those of you out there who are going through difficulties that I don't know about. Let us look to Jesus in our suffering. Let us see in him. Someone who has suffered even as we do but to a far greater degree, let's look to him as our example, but also as our savior who has been through the humiliation and been through the suffering on our behalf. Gillespie people to who quite honestly expect suffering New Testament clear. We should not be surprised at Ruby delayed.

You know, I was I was with the Convoy that went to the airport to take the team that's going to Peru to the airport. I was speaking with Dave. He was riding beside me and and the Excursion. And I said, you know Dave we're often tempted to pray in such a way for these young people that there would be an easy one, but I have not been praying that there would be easy. I've been praying that your trip would be difficult in all the right ways because that's the reality of things in the cheat would be easy. It's not going to be we shouldn't I don't think pray that they would not be moved by seeing people in Desperate poverty. I think our prayer should be that God would wash with them through that suffering and use those difficult circumstances and ways to make them more like Christ.

As many were astonished so many will be sprinkled. The sacrificial word sprinkling is followed by the many. Many will be sprinkle. He will sprinkle many and this points is again back to exaltation and success though many were appalled beef nor will be in awe of his salvation. And so we finished with the last three phrases and verse 15 and see that the final note of this first stanza of the Servant Song returns to his exaltation this mirror the entire song which begins with success musu suffering and will turn again to success coming out of the humiliation of the servant is Mardi on recognition King shall shut their mouth because of him for that which has not been told them they see and that which they have not heard they understand. Many who did not seek rice-filled will see his salvation and did not hear Christ. I will understand the significance of his death the Kings and the nations of the forecaster song point to the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ reaching out to all corners of the Earth. You know what Universal need requires a universal remedy? All mankind is in desperate need because of their sin and God provided a remedy which would be sufficient to save anyone who will come for salvation. Let me make an obligation to any who may be listening this morning and watching this morning who wouldn't consider themselves a follower of Christ wouldn't consider themselves a Christian or a Believer understand morning the dish humiliation and exaltation of God. Servant Jesus Christ is your remedy to Christ in Christ alone through his sacrificial death on the cross and threw his coming back to life is the remedy for your sin is the remedy for the sin which separates you from your creator. So remedy for the sin which leaves you under the justice and Judgment of God and judgment which will be eternal.

Christ is your remedy. Let me encourage you this Easter season in this morning particular, but to yourself of God's suffering servant Jesus Christ Avail yourself of his work on the cross and a yourself of the power of his resurrection turn from you because your faith in him. We saw this summer of Sonic and appalled but many more will be in a maze many who are not at this humiliating crucifixion of Christ will never the last receive the benefits of that humiliation their eyes and ears will be open so that they can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus and hear the good news of the Glorious gospel. Those of you who have your face and Christ you are of that number. Finally this morning suffering servant and his saving sacrifice bring us to a place of Silence. his work was shut the mouths of Kinks. The suffering servant brings us to a Silence of humiliation ourselves. We see our sin and we see the price that the he hate to get a phone for it brings us to silence. But the suffering servant also brings us to a Silence of exaltation. We see his victory over sin and death and we wonder quietly as a Grace that saves us. Let me make my final application point this morning was that let us spend some time this Easter season in silence. Let us be brought to a place of Silence in regards to humiliation as we see our sins in the price that was paid for them. Let us be brought to silence as we consider the suffering of the servant then all he did to save us. Let us be brought to silence as we understand truly and it was because of our sins that he suffered be brought to a Silence of exaltation a a silent Wonder bring a silent meditating silent praise. Asher. As we see the progress has been poured out on us in the Forgiveness of our sins. I spray thank you for these first couple of words in the fourth serving soft. And Isaiah is given to any word. I pray father God that you would help us to buy your spirit apply this word to our lives. That we will spend the next few weeks leading up to Easter particularly focusing on. And behold by the suffering servant that we would be hold him in his humiliation. But also in his exaltation that we would as we consider his suffering keep in mind that he rose from the dead and you send it to you and he now sits at your right hand. We are a resurrection people. Let us know that we will suffer in this world and let us look to the one who stopped her Boris and been our place as an example in an encouragement as we drive through difficult times. Let us a x put our hands over our mouths. And be silent before you boys consider are gray. Teeth Grace in the cost the suffering servant so much. I notice also have atoms of Silent exaltation as we consider the Glorious Grace that you have shown Us in the suffering servant or all of this in Jesus name. Amen close with a couple verses from Philippians chapter 2 in which we see Paul speaking about the humiliation and the exalt a nation of God's servant Jesus Christ. Call speaking about Christ Jesus as he himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men and being on human form. He hung himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore highly exalted him and bestowed on him. The name is above every name so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The Lord be with you.