← ArchiveIsaiahThe Gospel in HDDateNovember 10, 2019SpeakerDr Josh BurnhamTextIsaiahPassages in this sermonIsaiah 531:10John 17:09Isaiah 917:50Isaiah 51:919:26TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00We'll be right back. Okay, y'all doing okay? Doing well?0:30My name's Josh, lead pastor here at Bethel. And just on behalf of our faith family, it's great to see you. We're going to continue our sermon series in the book of Isaiah, Yahweh Saves, and we've called it Yahweh Saves because Isaiah's name means you won't forget that ever in your life. If you don't have a Bible with you, we encourage you to take the Pew Bible and use that as you follow along. It's actually page 650, 650 in the Pew Bible.0:55If you don't have a Bible, that is our gift to you. Take it home, treasure that, and let the Lord use His Word to transform your life. So what we find today in Isaiah 53, is where we'll be this morning, is the fourth and final stanza of the servant songs, the suffering servant songs. There's four total, and this is the final of those in chapter 53.1:22Now, what you also might notice is that there is unique language here, particularly unique compared to other Hebrew in the Old Testament. A lot of unique words, a lot of phraseology. I believe Isaiah is simply trying to describe in a unique way the mystery of the Messiah. It's as if Isaiah is finding difficult words to use to describe something that is radically uncommon.1:48This one who is to come that will redeem all of humanity. In fact, Isaiah is so unique in his understanding of the gospel that St. Jerome, living in the 4th century A.D., calls Isaiah the fifth gospel. And so what I believe we're going to see today is what we call, what I would call, the gospel in high definition. The gospel in high definition.2:18I have just two desires for our church this morning. The first is this. If you are a Christ follower, that you leave here saying, wow, how deep the love of Christ for me. That's my first hope. If you know Jesus Christ and you have wandered in here, that you have a unique, high definition picture of what God has done for you through his son, Jesus Christ. If you do not know Jesus Christ, my hope is as we read the word of God,2:46as we unfold that together, that you will, by the end of this time, say yes to Jesus Christ. You will see everything that God has done for you and that you will say, yes, I want that. I need what Jesus has done for me. By faith, I will believe. So either you will say, wow, or you will say, yes, that is our prayer for you as a church today. Let's read Isaiah 53, beginning in verse 1 together. Isaiah says,3:18Isaiah says, Who has believed what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He, that's the suffering servant. This servant has grown up before him like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He did not have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone that people turned away from.3:49He was despised and we did not value him. Yet, he himself bore our sickness and he carried our pains. But we, in turn, regard him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment for our peace was on him.4:16We are healed by his wounds. We all, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned to our own way. And the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted. And he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth.4:44Let's pray, Father. As we see what your Son has done for us, may we not sit or listen with idle ears or unaffected hearts. Lord, may our hearts stir with the affections of our Lord and Savior to see the depths, to see the high definition,5:14the clarity of what Jesus has done so that we might have eternal life. As we've already heard so that we might be brought in to this new adopted family. That is your love towards us and how lavish the love is that you have poured out on those who know you by faith. Lord, let us say wow to the gospel today. And for those that might not know you, may they finally say yes to the call of Jesus on their life through faith.5:43Lord, this is our prayer. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. So first we see the personal nature of the gospel. Look in verse 1. It starts with a unique phrase, a unique question. I would even say an odd question. Isaiah says, who has believed and what have we heard and to whom has the arm of the Lord appeared.6:12Now there are reasons for Isaiah asking this exclamatory question or this statement. Now I believe in as he unfolds this beautiful psalm of what Jesus has done for us, this is an odd way to begin. But what is Isaiah asking? I think he's preparing us that the Messiah would come into the world in a radically unique and common way. And what we find through Isaiah 536:41is that really there's nothing about Jesus that you would say, ooh, he looks awesome. I want to follow that guy. Or, wow, he was born in the palace. Surely he is nobility. Quite the opposite. Jesus was born in a stall, in a place that has no room in the end. So uncommon, so common was the birth of Christ that even one of his first disciples, Nathanael in John 1, says,7:11says, can anything good come from Nazareth? Even one of his first disciples says, can really, can we follow this guy? And so Isaiah is preparing us that man will reject and find it difficult to follow Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Isaiah says, to whom has the Lord been revealed? To who will believe our report? But this arm will be revealed.7:41And this is what Isaiah is preparing our hearts and our minds to hear this morning. The good news is good news because it's good. And it's so good that many of us are going to say it's too good to be true. And so Isaiah is reminding us that without divine revelation, without God's initiative, none of you, none of I would believe. So get off our high horses. Isaiah is saying,8:12none of us would believe in Jesus if it wasn't for God's initiative. Listen, think about the word picture that Isaiah is giving us this morning. It's almost as if Isaiah is saying, God stuck his arm from heaven to pull you back to him. God didn't love you because you're Baptist. God doesn't love you because you're Israel. He's loved you because it's his divine grace. It's by faith. The covenant was not because of the law. The covenant was because of God's grace.8:42You see, law always follows grace. So Isaiah is saying, if it wasn't for God, none of you would believe Israel. Be thankful for what God has given you. And it's one thing for when someone falls on the side of the ship and they're drowning, it's one thing for us to say, you're drowning. Swim harder. You can do it. Keep going. But it's another thing9:11for you to put your arm down into the water and pull that someone to life. And this is exactly the picture that Isaiah gives us. You see, salvation in the Lord is personal. It's so personal that God extended his arm. It's so personal that God sent his only son. This is not some God who's so high and lifted up that he lets us to our own devices. God is not content with you living outside of relationship.9:41This is personal for God. And he extended his arm towards each and every one of us that we might believe by faith. What a beautiful picture of the gospel. But it continues in verse 2. His arm has been revealed. It is personal. But the personal nature of God, his salvation does not come with pomp and circumstance. It comes in humility. Verse 2. He grew up before him like a young plant,10:08like a tender shoot out of dry grass. You see, what Isaiah has reminded us, this word shoot or sapling is as if it's a sapling of a crape myrtle that many of you would cut off and discard. That's what we do in the fall and the spring. There's all these offshoots and the sucklings drain the life of the larger plant and so we just cut them off and discard them. And in the same way, Isaiah is telling us10:37that one day the Messiah will come and many people will discard him like a sapling as irrelevant, as if he had no value. See, Jesus comes in humility and majesty. The word majesty here, he says that he did not have majesty that we should look at him. The word majesty means the adornment of a king so that you would look at someone and say, wow, look at what he wears. Wow, look at his outward appearance.11:07I want that. And in turn, the Messiah is the opposite. So why would Jesus come with lack of outward appearance? Why would Jesus come as a sapling or a young plant or a root out of dry ground? Because it is not by our might. It is not by human strength that we believe. It's by faith. It's by faith.11:36Isaiah says that throughout this scripture. He tells us that we should desire him not because of what he looks like but because he is the true king. And here's what we see about the humility of Jesus Christ. It's the humility. It's the young, tender root out of dry ground that ultimately shatters our pride and arrogance. It's that humble humble beginning12:05humble beginning that shatters the pride and the strength that we live by. You see, this is countercultural. We want to follow Christ because he can do something for us. He can make us better. He can make us strong and proud and bold and victorious. And Isaiah is saying, look at the Messiah. There's nothing about him physically that you would run to. There's nothing about his birth that you would say12:34this is the man but it's by faith. The power is not by what you see but it's by faith. That's the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So I was praying over the scripture. I ran across this quote. One commentator says, where has God's power ever been but here in his son? You see, Jesus reigns in humility and strength.13:04and strength. Church, here's the caution for us as we read this. How often are we tempted to try to make Jesus more palatable for others so that they'll believe? If we just make Jesus relevant then other people believe. If we just make him cultural he'll believe. If he's just our homeboy or if Jesus is just more attractive then people13:33then people will follow him. And what does Isaiah tell us? No, it's not the outward appearance that gives us true power. It is the Messiah himself. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? He doesn't need our help. He comes in humbleness not pomp and circumstance. That's the clarity we have in this suffering servant. But Isaiah continues, not only is the gospel personal not only is it humble but it says this14:03this in verse 3 he was despised and rejected by men. A man of constant sorrow who knew what suffering was. He was like someone who people turned away from and he was despised and we did not value him. You see the suffering servant demonstrates the healing gospel in our lives. Think about how Isaiah pictures Jesus Christ. He is sick. He is despised.14:32despised. He is rejected. for our sake Jesus knew suffering and sickness. The reminder that Jesus dealt with every aspect of our needs is as if he identifies with all of our blight and all of our sickness. That's the suffering servant. That's the love of God for us. Despised, rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.15:01was. You have a God who does not ignore your conditions. Maybe you're here and you have major health concerns. Being here in itself is a major miracle. If that is you, you have a God that does not ignore your pain, that does not look at you with blind eye. Rather, you have a God that entered into your pain. God doesn't say this to Jesus Christ. He doesn't remove our sickness. He entered15:31He entered into that. This is the power of the gospel. Jesus actually says to us boldly, He doesn't say, I'm going to remove your sickness. He says this, give it to me. See that by His wounds that we are healed and the promise for the Christ follower is that we have a miracle working God now and that one day by faith every pain, every hurt, every sickness that we can experience because we live in a broken world will one day be wiped away16:01wiped away because of Jesus Christ. That's the hope that we have. You do not have a God that ignores your pain, ignores your hurt, and so we can cry out to God, God, listen to me, and God will say, I understand. My son experienced that for you. don't worry, don't worry, Josh, I hear your pain, I hear your cry, and one day God will make it all right because of Jesus Christ. That's the16:30That's the power of the suffering servant. This word stricken, when it says in verse three that he was smitten by God, he was stricken in verse four, that he carried our pains. It's a word that's used over 60 times in Leviticus to refer to leprosy, but it doesn't refer to the pain of leprosy, it refers to the rejection, the social and religious stigma of leprosy. It's as if Jesus says, I'll take that rejection16:59that rejection so that you never have to be rejected again. That's the power of the gospel. The healing, miracle-working Lord that we have takes our pain, but there's more. Isaiah even adds more clarity. to our need. Look at verse five. Not only is the gospel personal, not only is the gospel powerful and humble, not only is it healing, but it brings us peace. Verse five,17:29Verse five, he was pierced for our rebellion. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment for our peace was upon him and we are healed by his wounds. Isaiah wants you to know today that the gospel brings peace into your life. That's who Jesus is. He's even called in Isaiah 9 the prince of peace. So peaceful is Jesus Christ that when the angels announce his birth they say don't fear guys, we bring17:59we bring you good tidies of great joy and peace for all nations on whom his favor rests. God is a God of peace and where Jesus reigns peace exists. And so the question Isaiah asked you and I this morning is this if there's not peace in your relationship is Jesus ruling in that relationship? If there's not peace in the home is Christ18:29Christ supreme? If there's not peace at work or peace with your kids or peace at church is Christ truly supreme and sublime in your life? Because where Jesus reigns peace is found. But the reminder is that peace is not free it's costly. Look at verse five again. God says this about peace he says he was pierced18:58pierced because of our rebellion he was crushed because of our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace the punishment that brought us peace was what? Was upon him was upon Jesus Christ. Now there's a lot going on here in this passage but one thing I want to remind you is that the peace that we have is required by his punishment. The word pierce here you can turn back to Isaiah 51 9 is the same word19:28word that God says that he pierced Rahab or he pierced the dragon. It's as if God is saying to us when the side of the Messiah was pierced every dragon that you have in your life was slayed in that moment. All the monsters that torment us were slayed the moment that Christ died for us. All the addictions all the hurts all the19:57all the sins the things that you don't want anyone to know but that God already knows the things that you were hiding from God as if you could hide them those things that you say God they're too ugly for you to see God says Josh don't you know that I pierced those when my son was pierced in his blood flowed those demons those dragons were pierced and peace now reigns if you trust me that is the peace of the gospel20:27gospel and if you're here today and you are still fighting those demons alone know that God has already fought that battle for you and if you come to him he will say Josh I've given you victory over this trust me believe in me this is the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ but it continues not only does he bring us peace but in verse six we all like sheep have gone astray each to his very own way but the Lord has punished him for the iniquity20:57iniquity of us all you see the servant Jesus Christ is the great shepherd and Isaiah reminds us of our inadequacy he doesn't liken us to emus or he likens us to sheep and so together sheep are foolish and when you get them separate individually sheep are foolish and when you get foolish people21:27people together more foolery reigns this is what Isaiah is telling us collectively we are sinful and we are rebellious as a group we are all in this together we are all crazy animals jumping out the cliff but Isaiah does not give us reason to say well everyone's done it man God just forgive us no he says we each we all like sheep all of us we are all sheepish in21:56in our behavior but each one of us have gone astray and so collectively we are guilty for our sins and individually we are also held accountable for our sins and this is the counter cultural nature of the gospel God in his sovereignty said okay this is what I'm going to do for you crazy sheep who are sinful and rebellious because he is the good shepherd he found the one righteous sheep and he said I'm going to kill the one righteous sheep so that all the guilty sheep will22:26will be made right we live in a world where our kids constantly chant that's not fair you want to know what's not fair salvation it was not fair that God would kill his one and only son for my sin Jesus did not deserve it he was not guilty he lived a sinless life there's no reason that the one lamb the one obedient lamb would die so that the22:56the rebellious flock might be brought back to glory and that is exactly what Jesus did for us we all like sheep have gone astray each to his very own way but God laid upon Jesus iniquity of who us all so the gospel the message that we proclaim church is not you sinners come to Jesus you are going to hell the full message is we23:25we are sinners we deserve hell and it is by the grace of God that we are brought back into relationship and it is oh you sheep who have rebelled come back to the good shepherd come back to the one who loves you come back to this beautiful beautiful loving kind merciful God Isaiah continues not only is God the good shepherd but he says this in verse seven he was23:55he was oppressed and afflicted he did not open his mouth like a lamb led to the slaughter like a sheep silent before his shearers he did not open his mouth you know what Isaiah is saying to us your salvation is no mistake your salvation is not accidents God purposely sent his son this is the intentional plan of Yahweh that his son would die on behalf of rebellious sinners24:25sinners you see he was oppressed and afflicted but he did not open his mouth unless we forget you remember when Simon Peter chopped off the ear of that servant and he said Jesus we're going to go down fighting for you and Jesus takes the ear and I don't know how it worked but that's in my mind it's like he he stuck it back on the servant and then he looks at Peter and says do you remember what he says24:54to Peter Peter don't you know there are 12 legions of angels that I could call in one instant if I needed to if you're a mathematician that's about 60,000 angels and I believe Jesus was being conservative you know what he's saying Peter I'm going to keep my mouth quiet so that those by faith can make a joyful noise Peter this is25:24this is God's plan it is not accident it is not mistake I love those who are in rebellion I love them enough that I will die for them like a sheep that was before the shearers like a lamb to the slaughter he did not open his mouth and he could have do you get that picture he could have Jesus could have said okay that's enough I cannot suffer anymore God give them what they deserve and25:51and by his silence he denounced all the injustice that we should bear by his silence those that could only stand in silence before the throne can now say hallelujah to the risen lamb we can sing in Christ alone because he was silent for our sakes this is26:20is the picture the high definition picture of our savior the suffering servant I don't know about you but I think we only have one response if you know Jesus Christ and to say wow God this was for me I don't deserve it but you did this you are the shepherd you are humble you are the one who gathers us you are the one who suffers quietly that I might have new life and God says yes I did it for you so how do we respond26:50respond look at the last verse in the last servant psalm verse 12 this this this this is how Isaiah says this is how he concludes this psalm he says therefore I will give him Jesus the many as a portion and he will receive the mighty as a spoil because he willingly not accidentally not fell into this he willingly submitted to death and he27:19and he was counted among the rebels that's us yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels who are the many those who believe by faith if you are here today and you call yourself a Christ follower that's you that's you God has given Jesus you because by faith you believe in what he says he has done by faith you believe that Jesus lived a sinless life that he died on the27:49the cross and that he rose again and by faith you repented meaning you turned from yourself and turned to him and if you have never done that I pray that this picture of the gospel would make you weep because of your sins that you would cry out this morning you would say God I don't even know if I believe in you God but this is not fair that one man would do this for other people and I pray that you would hear the voice of God say it's not fair28:19fair but I did it for you my son gave his life and if you do not know Jesus today I pray that you would say yes to Jesus you say I want that I need that I need the shepherd I need peace I need humility I need healing I need everything that God says I can receive by faith I believe I will turn my back on me and28:49and I will turn my face to Jesus you say is it that simple it is alone in Christ alone that we have found forgiveness if you know Jesus Christ I pray that these words have stirred your heart and as we sing a song of response that you would just simply say wow and maybe you take time you just read the psalm that you read Isaiah as we as we sing you go back through this29:19this and you read and say God stir my heart may never take this for granted he did it all for us this is the gospel in high definition this is the love of Jesus for us let's pray← Previous in IsaiahComfort Sweet ComfortNext in Isaiah →He Is Coming; He Is HereMore sermons on Isaiah →
