Grow With Pastor Joe

There are five stanzas in this fourth and final “Servant Song” of Isaiah. We have been studying Isaiah 52:13-53:12 which is perhaps the greatest chapter in the Old Testament. It has been said that if all God gave to us in our Bible was Isaiah that we would still have a whole Bible. We have made our way through the first two stanzas as we have gone ahead to the past as the future generation of national Israel laments and repents upon the second coming of Christ. This gospel of Isaiah is spoken by the repentant remnant of Israel as they look to the past and first coming of Christ where He came to lay down His life and pick it up again for sinners. Isaiah is writing 700 years prior to the first coming (incarnation) of Christ. As Isaiah writes this, we see the heart of God and the heart of the gospel. Throughout the entirety of this song of repentance, we see a key foundational focus which also serves as the heart of redemptive history. What is described in Isa. 53:4-6, which will be our study today (and probably the next few weeks) shows clearly the heart of God and the gospel, which is the vicarious penal substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. That may be a mouthful for you and I to say, but when we think of the cross, we must think of these doctrines. When we say that we are saved or that Jesus died for us, we stand upon this critical truth. From the Garden of Eden to the glories of eternity, we see penal substitutionary atonement as the heartbeat of redemptive history. If we don’t get this right, then we don’t get anything else right in the practical life of faith. Because the “just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17) we must grow in our faith through the careful study, contemplation, exposition, and application of the riches found in God’s brightest diamond, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

            At Victory Way Baptist Church, our mission is, “To know Christ and make Him known.” Ultimately, this encompasses all that we are and do as a local church. It begins in our hearts and homes then sends us out into our communities with the saving truth of Jesus Christ. The way that we seek to accomplish this on a practical level is through genuine worship, discipleship, fellowship, and outreach. All of these core pillars that make up the ministry and life of a local church are rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We don’t outgrow it, but rather we continue to grow up and into it. Our worship goes higher as we see more of the brilliant gleams of glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our discipleship goes deeper as we affirm and apply the wonders of His person and work. Our fellowship goes closer and closer as we see the eternal union that that cross has produced for us. Our outreach goes wider as we are moved by the gospel and for the gospel into our community and beyond to the nations. I believe though that the reason that we don’t see these things happening as a weekly reality is because we either have settled for a bare minimum understanding and application of the gospel or because we are trusting in our own righteousness plus a little bit of Jesus to give us the boost we need. We are consumed by consumerism when we should be consumed by the gospel that should cause us to sing boldly, “hallelujah, what a savior!” The more that we grow to understand the doctrines of Christ the more we will delight in Him. Truth transforms us, our hearts and minds.

            Frankly, to try to attempt to preach these three verses in fullness is borderline insane. We are going to take the next few weeks to keep digging in this grace rich ground to pull out more riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ for our hearts to behold. Our passage at hand is Isa. 53:4-6 which says, “⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with 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 hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Everything in the greater passage of the Servant Song is either building to this or built upon this. Here we see the gospel of Isaiah, the gospel of God in full. All of redemptive history is packed in these verses. The infinite person and work of Christ is packed in these words. These words show us our sin and salvation. Today, we will focus on understanding our sin, so that in the next few weeks as we go back for more gospel gold from these three verses, we will better understand our salvation and the work of the cross of Christ. Throughout the passage we see the Servant of God, the Lord Jesus Christ suffering and here we see that He suffers for our sin. When sin entered the world through our first federal head, Adam, separation from God and suffering became the default for all of humanity. Now, Christ, our federal head through faith, has suffered and sacrificed Himself upon the cross for us. My sin brought me suffering and separation from God. My sin then caused His suffering as we have seen in the previous stanza (Isa. 53:1-3). His suffering and His sacrifice now secure my salvation. Here in these verses, we see the greatest description of the gospel and clearest depiction of what Christ did upon the cross. As the future repentant remnant of Israel confesses Christ at His second coming, we see that they cry out “surely.” The word is used oftentimes as an exclamation indicating a sudden recognition of something that was previously unknown or unexpected. This word is also used the same way when Jacob awakes at Bethel upon seeing God and receiving the covenant promises in Gen. 28:16 and when Moses’ fears after slaying the Egyptian believing that it was surely known in Ex. 2:14. The word as well not only gives us this exclamation of a realization, but it indicates a certainty. One day, Israel will not only realize the truth, but repent, turning in certainty to Christ their King. When we study the gospel of Isaiah found in these verses we too can say “surely” about the horrors of our sin and the cross, but as well we can be certain about the willing, loving, and saving work of Jesus Christ. Today we will better understand our salvation and Savior by first better understanding our sin through observing the consequences and confession of sin in these verses.

            First, we must see the consequences of sin. Without sin, there would be no sickness, sorrow, or separation from God. All would be at peace in creation with perfect union with its Creator. Sin has brought chaos and destruction into the world in large, but as well in our lives. We are born into sin by sinful parents who live in a sinful world with sinful flesh. From our very conception in our mother’s womb, we are surrounded by sin. We see the awful consequences of sin in a million different manifestations that were promised in embryo in Gen. 3:14-24. Previously and presently in this passage, Isaiah uses griefs and sorrows as outward consequences and illustration of the greater problem with man, which is sin. The word “griefs” is the word “choli” which was previously used. Its meaning is wide in range, including ailments, pains, sorrows, and sickness. Sin is a deathly disease and all of mankind is born a sinner, diseased; destined and deserving of death. The greatest disease of man is disobedience to God. Now, Jesus who is called the “Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief” certainly sympathizes with our sicknesses and sufferings, but the contextual thought is showing us the root of grief which is sin itself. The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT – used in Jesus’ day and the early church) translates “griefs” as the Greek word “hamartia” which is the word for sin (broad and general related to all inward and outward sins against God). Further context shows that the griefs here are referencing the consequences of sin can be seen in the next verse that references “transgressions” and “iniquities.” Another consequence of sin is the word “sorrows” which is the word “makob” (also previously used). Its usage and meaning covers all sorts of pain and anguish, both inward and outward. Every sin has consequences. There is no sin that does not lead to sickness, sorrow, or separation from God. Sin is a sick heart sneezing. We can’t rightly think of our salvation apart from rightly thinking about our sin. The cross confronts us with our sin. The gospel shines the brilliant light of God’s holiness upon our dark unholiness. There is no such thing as unnoticed sin by God. There is no such thing as insignificant sin or inconsequential sin. Every sinner has the responsibility of consequence for their crimes against God. We have an infinite penalty for sin that must be paid not because we have infinite sin, though we cannot number all of our sins against God. Our sin debt is infinite because it is against an infinite holy God of infinite justice and wrath. What can man do? Nothing. However, we see in this passage and throughout the Bible that God offers salvation to sinners, not by their merit, but His mercy. Isaiah says later in Isa. 59:1-8, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: ² But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. ³ For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. ⁴ None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. ⁵ They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. ⁶ Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. ⁷ Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. ⁸ The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.” Further declaration and evidence of sin and its awful consequences are seen in Rom. 3:9-20 and 6:23. All throughout the Bible we are met with the horrors of sin and the reality of man’s guilt before God. Sin touches every fabric of our being. Nothing in the world or your own life is left untouched by the consequences and effects of sin. The reality of the consequences of sin is here, but gospel doesn’t just show us the depths of our sin, but it shows us the depths of His grace that are displayed in our salvation in Christ. Although the consequences of sin are terrible, our Savior, Jesus Christ connects sinners with God through His supreme and sufficient sacrifice. We will see this in greater detail over the next few weeks as we see that Jesus took the consequences of our sin upon Himself so that the consequences would fall on Him and not us. It is He that “hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”

            Second, we must see the confession of sin. Everyone who does not confess Christ as Lord in repentance and faith will eternally know the consequences of sin as they endure the terrifying wrath of God that will never run out. This passage is contextually a confession of sin of the repentant remnant of Israel when Jesus comes in again in all of His might and majesty. However, this same confession can be, scratch that, MUST be made by sinful man. Man can’t pay for his own sins, but rather we receive the gift of salvation through the repentance of our sin and resting upon the finished work of Christ. Salvation is Him alone. In Isa. 53:4-6, we see their future confession of sin which has three keys. They confess their unbelief, unrighteousness, and unworthiness. There is no salvation without repentance, but there is no genuine repentance apart from confession of personal unbelief, unrighteousness, and unworthiness. This is recorded for us so that we can be certain that our salvation is all by His grace and mercy. Salvation is unearned. It is by His grace for His glory alone. Let’s look at each of these three facets of the confession of sin.

One, there is the confession of unbelief in Isa. 53:4 which says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Repentance and confession of sin are often defined as a change of one’s mind, thoughts, opinion, or bend toward something. This is seen in the phrase, “yet we did esteem.” The word “esteem” is the word “chasab” (also used in v.3) which means thought or believe in one’s mind. Isa. 53:2-3 show us the reasons that they had previously esteemed Jesus as they did. They rejected Him because when they saw Him, they thought, “This guy is a blasphemer and useless lowly man. He is not our Messiah.” How do you esteem Christ? What you think or believe about God is the most important and eternally impactful thing in your life. All behavior problems are belief problems. The reason that you remain in your sinful unbelief is because you do not esteem your sin and the Savior accurately. This confession of unbelief gives us the reasons that the Jews rejected Jesus because they “did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” They believed that Jesus’ death was just punishment by God for being a blasphemer. Jesus was no blasphemer, but that was the condemnation that was pronounced in Mark 14:53-65 as the Jews call for His crucifixion and begin to “spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands” (Mark 14:65). The word “stricken” is the word “naga” which means to strike causing pain, anguish, or to be stricken with suffering. To be “smitten” is the word “nakah” which is the verb to strike, beat or wound. The word “afflicted” is the word “anah” which means to afflict with or inflict oppression upon another. Those Jews believed as they spit on Jesus, beat Jesus, blasphemed Jesus, and gleefully watched His execution that God was punishing Him for His crimes. What they did not know, but will one day know is that He was stricken, smitten, and afflicted not for His crimes, but theirs. It was the plan and pleasure of God to crush His Son for sinners. He didn’t deserve it, we did. When we see this confession of unbelief, those of us who have believed should be all the more grateful that the Lord took our place and brought us from the darkness of our unbelief.

Two, there is the confession of unrighteousness in Isa. 53:5 which says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” On the coming day when the future remnant of Israel repents, they will confess their unrighteousness for even now they are still under the delusion of their own self-righteousness. Their self-righteousness and self-reliance led to their rejection of Jesus then and now. The same is not only true of the Jewish people, but every sinner. Until you come to the place where you realize that you are without any righteousness before God and cannot offer any of your own, then you will remain a slave to your own idol of self-righteousness. Many today believe that they are just good enough or are even more than good enough so that they don’t need a savior or they just need the extra push across the finish line. Sinful man can’t produce an ounce of righteousness to offer God. We need the righteousness of another, the Lord Jesus Christ. Unrighteous man cannot be friends with the infinite God of all righteousness, goodness, and holiness. We see the unrighteousness confessed in the two key words for sin, “transgressions” and “iniquities.” The word “transgressions” is the word “pesha” which means the willful revolt or rebellion against authority thus incurring guilt. In other words, you willfully do the crime, then you can do the time. The word “iniquities” is the word “`avon” meaning to twist or distort. Sin twists and distorts all of life from the inside out. It twists and distorts our thoughts about God, others, and ourselves. The idea of iniquities also includes perverseness which spans our inward attitude and affections and our outward actions. Our unrighteousness demands a penalty, price, and punishment for our infinite guilt against God. What we see though in this verse is that Jesus dies on His cross for our crimes. He was “wounded” (meaning to pierce or wound) for our “transgressions.” He was “bruised” (meaning to crush, bruise, or beat down) for our “iniquities.” The “chastisement” (chastening and punishment of consequences) was for our “peace” (reconciliation with God). It is by His “stripes” (welts, wounds, scourging) that we are “healed” (made whole or to be healed). Peace with God and healing from sin’s penalty, power, and presence (the believer’s justification, sanctification, and glorification – three-fold salvation) are the blessings that flow from the cross of Christ. Jesus the Righteous died for the unrighteous. Mark 2:16-17 says, “¹⁶ And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? ¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” S. Lewis Johnson writes, “Did you notice it says, ‘With his stripes we are healed.’ NOT with his stripes, PLUS our faith. Not with his stripes PLUS our repentance, with his stripes we are healed. Men are not saved because of their faith. Men are saved because of Jesus Christ and His saving work. It is our Lord Who saves us, not our faith. It is not our repentance that saves us. It is our Lord’s work. That is the saving work that becomes ours through the instrumentality of faith. Becomes ours through the instrumentality of a God produced faith and repentance, but the salvation is of the Lord, it is of the Lord from beginning to end. It is his salvation. “With his stripes we are healed.” Not with our faith, with his stripes.” Sinners must confess their unrighteousness while confessing that Jesus’ righteousness alone can save. As the first stanza of the classic hymn, “My Hope is Built” says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

            Three, there is the confession of unworthiness in Isa. 53:6 which says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” You can’t have a pound worth of salvation if you think you deserve or earn an ounce of it. Those who think they contribute to their salvation in any way, shape, or form offer worthless professions of faith that are just self-righteousness dressed up in church clothes. This third and final confession of sin is the root of the previous two. Because man is naturally unworthy because of his sinful nature, he is therefore unrighteous in his behavior and unbelieving. Sinners are likened to sheep. Sheep are herd animals and all of mankind is in a large flock on the broad way wandering steadily toward eternal destruction. Sheep by nature are naturally selfish, stupid, and short sighted. Thomas Constable writes, “Sheep are notoriously shortsighted; they go after the next clump of grass without regard to where their feet may lead them. They are also self-centered; their only thought is how they can satisfy themselves with no concern for the welfare of other sheep. Consequently, sheep often get lost. Humans are the same.” This is why they need shepherds. Yet, because of their nature, they are prone to wander. As the old hymn goes, “prone to wander Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” Sheep easily wander from the safety of the flock under the careful watch of the shepherd. They get themselves stuck leading to their death. Sheep are not predators but are food for predators. They always find a way to wander, but they don’t have enough sense to find their way back to the shepherd. Our sinful nature causes us to stagger and wander in the wilderness of unbelief and unrighteousness. Because of our very nature, we are unworthy of salvation, yet Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gives His life for the Sheep and allows us to return to the fold (See John 10; 1 Pet. 2:21-25). We see from Isa. 53:6 that God puts the sheep’s sins on Jesus the Good Shepherd, the Suffering Servant who is the Lamb of God. People are good at being sheep, but He is better at being a Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep.

            As we bring today’s study to a close, I ask, have you come to the place where you see your unworthiness, unrighteousness, and unbelief? Have you confessed your sin to Him? Your sin has horrible consequences that Jesus took upon Himself so that you who are guilty can be set free from the bondage and penalty of sin. Repent and trust Christ alone for your salvation. Do not trust in your own hands for they cannot save you. If you have been saved by the blood of the Lamb of God, then will you grow in understanding your salvation and Savior by better understanding your sin? I want to leave you with the following words from the hymn “Not What These Hands Have Done” by Horatius Bonar. “1 Not what these hands have done can save this guilty soul; not what this toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole. Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God; not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load. 2 Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within. Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee, can rid me of the dark unrest, and set my spirit free. 3 Thy grace alone, O God, to me can pardon speak; Thy pow’r alone, O Son of God, can this sore bondage break. I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine; and with unfalt’ring lip and heart, I call this Savior mine.” My hands that are whole can never save me, but His nail pierced hands have saved me and sustain me until one day He brings me home unto Himself. Don’t miss out on the riches of salvation by misunderstanding your sin. Don’t settle in your Christian walk to brush away sin as if it is no big deal. The greater we see our sin to be the greater we will see our Savior is. Hallelujah, what a Savior!