THE SUFFERING SERVANT

 

March 14, 2024

Isaiah 53:1-6 


Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should 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 as 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 esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But 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 — every one — to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

THE SUFFERING SERVANT

If we were to judge Jesus life by the standards of our culture and world, he would generally be considered a failure. Jesus was poor, rejected, and died a difficult and shameful death. Compare Jesus’ story to the ways that others pursue comfort, power, and recognition, he lived by a completely counter cultural worldview.

Our reading today describes God’s Suffering Servant, it points out that even in his outward appearance, there was no indication whatsoever that he was the creator and sustainer of the universe. It says that He had no beauty or majesty that would have caused others to envy him, even though he was the very source of all beauty. The text goes on to tell us that the servant was utterly rejected and despised, a man of sorrows, to the point that people turned away and hid their faces from him. He was stricken, afflicted, pierced, chastised, crushed, and suffered beyond all comprehension. All this and he was the most innocent and righteous person who ever lived.

Isaiah 53 was understood by New Testament authors as a Messianic passage that pointed directly to Jesus. Read our passage again slowly and you will notice that Jesus went through all these things that are described there. Jesus is the Suffering Servant.

The bible tells us why Jesus went through it all. Are you ready? Jesus went through it all in order that we would never have to. (Repeat that sentence) Jesus, went through it all in order that we would never have to. Jesus experienced sorrow and grief in a way that we ourselves could never have endured. He was punished for sin, though he himself never sinned. Amazing Grace right!!

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross

You laid down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me


The last verse of today’s reading tells us that we are all like sheep, helpless and desiring to go our own way, but the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

LET US PRAY

God, we marvel at the humility and compassion of your Son, Jesus. It is only through his wounds that we are healed. Renew us daily in the joy of your salvation and help us to live in light of even greater things to come. In Jesus Name, Amen.