Grow With Pastor Joe

Some things never get old. Each of us has things in our life that are all-time favorites that we don’t grow tired of. For example, you might have a favorite show, sports team to cheer for, favorite movie, book, or restaurant. If you’ve been to Texas Roadhouse and had the endless baskets of fresh rolls with the globs of cinnamon butter, then you understand this concept. You might change what main dish you order from their menu, but you know that no matter what you order on the menu will be a steady supply of rolls. Normally, you’ll be filled up by the rolls before your steak ever gets plopped down in front of you. I’ve never grown tired of the rolls and cinnamon butter. No one has. I’ve never heard one soul say that they don’t like it or that they don’t eat too many of them. If we as restaurant goers don’t grow tired of delicious rolls and butter, then why as Christians do we grow tired of the bread of gospel preaching?

            In a sermon titled, “The Only Atoning Priest” preached by C.H. Spurgeon on February 4, 1872, he deals with this exact issue. Spurgeon says, “I believe if I should preach to you the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ every Sabbath-day and that twice, and nothing else, my ministry would not be unprofitable, perhaps it might be more profitable than it is; so we are coming to the same truth which we handled last Sabbath evening. Many dishes are put upon the table at intervals, but bread and salt are always placed there; and so we will have the atonement again, and again, and again; for this is the bread and salt of the gospel feast.” As a pastor, I believe that those words from 150 years ago still ring true. The preaching of the person and work of Christ, seen most clearly in the gospel is to be the preeminent and sufficient meal for believers. It should be anticipated more than the hot rolls and butter that so many wait for. It is something that is always at the table (or at least should be), yet today, many believers would rather have a fancier greasy appetizer or go to a different restaurant all together. I believe that what we need is an appetite for the gospel as we grow in the Christian life. We should grow hungrier for the word of God and for the manna that the gospel is for our souls. The gospel doesn’t grow old or stale. Believers who grow tired of the gospel being preached will grow stale, but the gospel bread of Heaven is always fresh and warm. We can never be overfilled with the gospel, but rather, we should live a life of faith that is saturated by the gospel. Our life and lips should be dripping with the sweet butter and honey of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

            As we continue our study of the gospel of Isaiah in Isa. 52:13-53:12, we must remember that this is being written around 700 years prior to Christ, yet it is perhaps the clearest declaration of the person and work of Christ. We see Jesus in this passage with 20-20 vision. This passage is Isaiah’s fourth and final “Servant Song” that is predicting, proclaiming, and praising the Messiah-King who is the Servant of God. This is unmistakably the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. Within the passage at hand, we see the eternal biography of Jesus including His revelation, exaltation, humiliation, and today we will see His expiation, and coronation. He is the Servant-King who is the Reigning Redeemer who has accomplished our salvation by His preeminent and sufficient sinless substitutionary sacrifice. Today, we will finish the “overview” of this passage which is contained in Isa. 52:13-15 which says, “¹³ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. ¹⁴ As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: ¹⁵ So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” We will look at the redeeming work (expiation – to make atonement) and reigning work (coronation – Kingship). There is a key word that I believe demonstrates both Christ’s redeeming and reigning work. The word “sprinkle” is the Hebrew word “nāzâ” which means to sprinkle, spurt, or to startle by causing to leap up. I believe that there is a two-fold meaning and application. One, we see the sprinkling deals with the redeeming work of Christ as both the Great High Priest and the very Lamb of God. Two, we see that sprinkling deals with the reigning work of Christ as He will bring the world to a standstill, shut the mouths of the world in startlement and shock at His second coming when He comes again with His redeemed to reign forevermore. Generally speaking, there is division between commentators about interpreting this word and subsequently the verse. I believe that as we see the greater context of this fourth servant song that is proclaiming the person and work of Christ, it is dealing with the full scope of Christ’s work. The suffering servant who redeems us by His own blood also startles the nations upon His return to reign. Both are true and applicable in relation to the context of the passage.

            First, we must see the redeeming work of Christ in Isa. 52:15. The word “sprinkle” is used throughout the Old Testament in describing the priestly work of the Levites who would take a sufficient sacrifice and then sprinkle its blood upon the mercy seat or other instructed places. Please understand that no man was ever saved by keeping the law or because they offered an animal sacrifice. Salvation has always been by faith alone (See Gal. 2:16-3:14). The Bible is also clear that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (See Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:10-12). It was the Lord Jesus who first shed blood to atone for the sins of man and clothe Adam and Eve with the co “coats of skins” in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:21). The pattern for approaching God was then established and followed by faithful Abel who offered animal sacrifice (blood – substitutionary sacrifice) by faith. Faith has always been the key that unlocks the door. When God gave the Levitical Law and mandates for sacrifices for sin offerings, God excluded certain animals and gave very specific instructions for His people. As we look at Isaiah’s passage, it is important for us to remember the difference between the Old Testament (covenant) and the New Testament. The Old Covenant foreshadowed Christ, but the New Covenant is offered by the grace of Jesus. He is the fulfiller of a true and better covenant. Jesus eternally functions as Prophet, Priest, and King. However, He is greater than those offices standing on their own. He is functioning and is the only one to function fully all three. Jesus is the Prophet, but He is also the message. He is the Priest, but He is the substitutionary sacrifice. He is the King, but He is also the servant. As we look in this passage at the redeeming work of Christ in relation to the word “sprinkle,” we can see that Jesus is the true and better Priest and Passover Lamb because He alone is the perfect savior! While there are a multitude of scriptures that we could look at to see this, we will begin by looking at Jesus being the Passover Lamb in Ex. 12. There in Ex. 12, God gives instructions to the Jews who are waiting for the final plague of judgment against Egypt so that they can then proceed with the exodus to the Promised Land. God institutes the Passover which of course also was being celebrated when Jesus was crucified. During the Passover, families would choose a spotless lamb who would then be slain, have its blood sprinkled and spread upon the door posts, and then partaken of to remember God’s judgment passing over them. When we see the work of Christ as the true and better Passover Lamb, He has covered us by His blood and took God’s judgment upon Himself so that God’s wrath would pass us by and we may know His redeeming grace. Those Hebrews in Egypt were foreshadowing the Servant-King who came to redeem Jew and gentile by His own shed blood for the remission of sins. This is seen clearly throughout the Bible, but especially as we remember the focus of Isa. 52:13-53:12. Jesus, like that Passover lamb was spotless, sinless, and was a satisfactory substitute. Another key to seeing Christ’s redeeming work is found in Lev. 16 which describes for us the specific instructions for the Day of Atonement. Read through the description of the Day of Atonement found in Lev. 16. This was the one day of the year where the High Priest would represent the people to God in the Holy of Holies by entering in through the veil and sprinkling blood upon the Mercy Seat. However, that priest had to make sacrifice for his own sin first before he could offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. Furthermore, on that day, there would be one animal slaughtered whose blood would be sprinkled, but another would have the sins of the people “transferred” on it and it would be led out into the wilderness away from the people as a scapegoat. Jesus Christ is both and He is better. Now, go read Heb. 9 and see that Jesus, the Holy Lamb of God and scapegoat, has sprinkled and offered His own sinless blood for the salvation of sinners who repent and believe. Heb. 10 then proceeds to show us that Jesus’ sacrifice alone and work as our Great High Priest is sufficient. Because of the sufficient work of Christ, we are now able to draw near to God because Jesus’ blood has offered God’s mercy to us allowing us to enjoy the presence of God from which we were once separated. Man’s plight of sin has separated us from our Creator since sin entered into humanity in Gen. 3. Now, in and because of Christ, we are reconciled to God by His blood (Rom. 5:1-11). The wonder of this is seen in the New Testament which brings Jew and Gentile together in Christ by His shed blood. Paul quotes our passage in Isaiah in Rom. 15:21 and then the point is further brought home in Rom. 16:25-27 which says, “²⁵ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, ²⁶ But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: ²⁷ To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” All of this is seen in the Heavenly scene in Rev. 5 which demonstrates that Jesus’ blood has sprinkled souls, both Jew and Gentile from every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation to which all of the redeemed sing an eternal, “Hallelujah, What a Savior!”

            Second, we must see the reigning work of Christ in Isa. 52:15. This particular Hebrew word, “sprinkle,” is not only used in association with the priestly work of offering sacrifices for sin, but it is used in this particular context in the sense to startle or shock. The first coming of Christ demonstrated His redeeming work, but the second coming of Christ will demonstrate His reigning work. He is the Reigning Redeemer! Remember, the word “sprinkle” gives the idea of being startled and jolted. This too makes perfect sense based upon the context of the previous verse and following passage that deals with the astonishment that the world and the Jews have when they see the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will indeed startle the nations upon His return in Rev. 19:11-21. Rev. 1:4-8 as well describes Jesus upon His return to rule and reign over the nations. Every eye will see Him and will be absolutely startled and shocked at Him as He comes in glory with His eyes as a flame of fire and out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword. The nations will be so startled that “the kings shall shut their mouths at him.: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” Psalm 2 describes those very same kings of nations scheming and speaking rebellious things against the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. While the heathens of that Psalm are currently speaking blasphemous things against the Son, the truth is that their reigns will be cut short. Their kingdoms will fall. Even their very hearts are turned by His hand. It is important for us to remember that the phrase “many nations” and the plural use of “kings” reminds us that Jesus is not just the King of the Jews, but He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the King of all nations for the nations are but a drop in the bucket to Him. Isa. 49 serves as the second of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs,” and it shows that Jesus has authority over the Gentile nations as well as a united Israel. All of these wonderful prophecies will be fulfilled upon His second coming to establish His Kingdom. Other passages explain the truth of Isa. 52:15 as well. Zech. 12:9-10 says, “⁹ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. ¹⁰ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Then Zech. 13-14 describes the Lord Jesus in His coming Kingdom. Every king, nation, and living thing will bow before His eternal sovereign reign. Truly, every eye that will see Him (and every eye will see Him – Rev. 1:4-8; 19:11-21) at His second coming will be startled and shocked into silence. The world will stop and be still to know that the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ is God and King. I like how Habakkuk 2:20 puts it, saying, “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” On the day that all the world sees Christ return with His redeemed Bride, there will not be one who will not tremble and will not fall silent before Him. While sinners, kings, and kingdoms seem to go on unchecked, there is coming the great and terrible Day of the Lord when He will judge the nations. He will utterly destroy His enemies and shock them to shame. While the Jews missed Him the first time, they won’t miss Him the second time. What is also startling and shocking is seeing the eternal King of Glory be described in such detail in Isa. 52:13-53:12. The eternal reign of Christ will be focused upon His redeeming work. His redeeming and reigning work go hand in hand.

            The hymn, “Christus Victor (Amen)” (written and published by the Getty’s, with Matt Papa, Matt Boswell and Bryan Fowler) sums up Isa. 52:13-15 beautifully. “O Most High, King of the ages Great I AM, God of wonders By the blood You have redeemed us Led us through mighty waters Our strength, our song, our sure salvation  [Chorus]  Now to the Lamb upon the throne Be blessing, honor, glory, power For the battle You have won  Hallelujah! Amen O Most High, dwelling among us Son of man sent for sinners By Your blood You have redeemed us Spotless Lamb, mighty Savior Who lived, who died, who rose victorious Now to the Lamb upon the throne Be blessing, honor, glory, power For the battle You have won Hallelujah! Amen With every tribe and every tongue We join the anthem of the angels In the triumph of the Son Hallelujah! Amen O Most High, King of the nations Robed in praise, crowned with splendor On that day who will not tremble?  When You stand Christ the Victor Who was, and is, and is forever.” To this, our hearts should say, “AMEN!” I believe that our hearts, homes, and churches would be stronger, faithful, and growing if we were satisfied with the feast of the gospel. My prayer is that gospel preaching, meaning, the preaching of the preeminent and sufficient person and work of Christ would satisfy believers. I pray that you and I have not begun to believe the lie that there is something more palatable or nutritious for our souls than the gospel. My prayer is that as I approach the pulpit every week, God’s flock would cry out in unison, “Give us the gospel!” My heart’s desire is that my heart’s desire would be a daily cry unto the Lord, “Give me the gospel!” It is fresh! It is unending in its beauty and power. It is unmatched in its glories and richness. May we sit at the table and never grow tired of the same wonderful bread of Heaven. Hallelujah, what a Savior! What a gospel!