The Suffering Servant: Reflections on Isaiah 53

Introduction to the Message

Today, we're going to the book of Isaiah for the message. We're going to be in Isaiah chapter 53. As Wayne shared, we've been reading through the Bible, taking basically a book at a time. We started with Genesis, and now we're in Isaiah. Each week, we read on our own.

The Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

The best teacher, by the way, is not a pastor. It's not a Sunday school teacher. The best teacher is the Holy Spirit. So, if you really want to get taught about the word of God, as you get in the word of God and study and spend time in the word, the Holy Spirit will teach you. Several people at our church are reading through the Bible right now, and it’s a blessing when you get into God's word.

Blessings of Being in God's Word

I'll say this, like I've just seen it for Crystal and me. As we started this through-the-Bible study in the past, she used to maybe do her devotion in the morning, and I’d do my own study every morning. Now we're reading God's word together. There's so many blessings that happen as God's people get in God's word. For one, as you get in God's word, God directs you. You know, there’s always decisions to be made, amen? In this life, and as you're in the word of God, you get direction. As you're in the word of God, you get peace. As you're in the word of God, you're growing closer to the Lord. You're helped and more equipped to live for the Lord. When you're in the word, you're helped to not give into sin and to live more for Jesus.

Encouragement to Engage with Scripture

As I share all that, I just say this: perhaps you're here today, and you know you want to be in the word of God more. That's something a lot of Christians struggle with. If it is, one opportunity you got is to jump in where we're at. If you want to jump in where we're at, we've been in Isaiah. Some of the books that are longer, like Psalms and Isaiah, we've been taking two weeks on. Last week, we were in the first 39 chapters of Isaiah. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah kind of mirror, to some degree, the Old Testament. And then the last 27 chapters of Isaiah somewhat mirror the New Testament, which is also 27 books. So, last week we were in the first part of Isaiah, the first 39 chapters. Like Wayne shared, this week we're reading chapters 40-66. On Wednesday night, that's what we'll be talking about. After Wednesday night, we go to the next book, Jeremiah.

The Power of Community in Bible Study

If you're here today and you want to grow in the word of God, jump in where we're at. Part of what I hope happens from us being in the word is that we help each other be more accountable because sometimes a reason a Christian gets out of the word of God is they're trying to do it all on their own, and they don't have an accountability partner. But it helps to have brothers or sisters in Christ encourage you to stay in the word, doesn't it? Anybody ever seen that? So, when we come together on Wednesday night and we go to Isaiah, even if you didn't read Isaiah, still come to church, okay? You'll still get to hear the word of God. But I would tell you, if God's dealing with you about fellowship and about growing in the word of God, one opportunity you've got: jump in where we're at.

Focusing on Isaiah 53

When I was reading through Isaiah this week, God took me to Isaiah 53, chapter 53. So, that's where we're going to read from to preach the message that God's put on my heart. If you got your Bibles, open up there, the book of Isaiah, chapter 53. I'm going to begin reading there in verse three. I do invite you, if you would like and if you're able, to stand with me in honor of the reading of the word of God.

The Scripture Reading

This is a beautiful chapter in the word of God. Isaiah chapter 53, beginning in verse three, the word of God says: "He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes 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. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."

Prayer of Gratitude

Lord Jesus, thank you for what you did for us. Lord Jesus, thank you how you came and you suffered for us. We're not worthy, but you laid down your life for us so that a sinner like me and sinners like all of us, that we could have a way to be forgiven and a way to spend eternity in heaven. And God, we give you the praise for that. And God, today, as we have read the word, as we've worshiped, and as we continue to worship, God, I do pray that your word just opens up the hearts, and as believers, that you use it to mold us, to shape us more and more into your image, to be a people more and more living for you. And God, if there's one today, or more, that are in need of salvation, I pray in this place today would be the time that person, those people, come to a saving faith and relationship with you. God, we love you. It's in Jesus’ name we pray. All God's people said, Amen.

The Beauty of Isaiah 53

This is a beautiful chapter in the word of God, Isaiah 53. Beautiful. God really had me hone in on verse six, and I want to start there today, but we're going to go to many of the other parts of this passage. Verse six, I kind of, we're going to springboard from there into the message God's put on my heart.

All Have Gone Astray

It says there in verse six: "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." We have all gone astray, amen? Every single one of us. We have all gone astray, amen. We have all sinned. We have all fallen short of the glory of God.

The Sheep Analogy

Here, when we read that about we have all gone astray, the Bible kind of says we've all been like sheep. You're like, "What are you talking about? I've been like sheep. All we like sheep have gone astray." A sheep, just like a sheep might wander from the flock, all of us too have gone astray. Except we're not wandering in a pasture or we're not wandering from a shepherd that's watching sheep, but rather we have all wandered from God. We have all strayed from God and all strayed from the chief shepherd. We have all gone astray.

The Danger of Straying

It's dangerous to go astray. Did you know that it can be very dangerous when we go astray? A sheep, when a sheep would go astray, it was dangerous because what could happen when a sheep gets away from the shepherd and a sheep gets away from the flock, you know what happens? A ravenous wolf is just lurking there, waiting to devour that sheep. And just like it's dangerous for a sheep to go astray, you better believe it's dangerous when we stray from God. You better believe it's dangerous when we go astray and we wander away from God. It might not be a wolf. Rather, we've got the enemy. The enemy loves it when we go astray. Because when we go astray and we're far from God and we're wandering from God, we're more vulnerable. And the enemy wants to devour us. We got to be on guard.

Personal Reflection on Straying

But there's no question, like the Bible says here, all we like sheep have gone astray. Do you ever remember times in your life where you've gone astray? Do you remember times in your life where you've wandered from God? Maybe times in your life when you've been like the prodigal son, wandering astray. Maybe you're there now. Today, I wonder it. Are you here? And maybe you're going astray, and you know you're wandering from God. We have all gone astray. It says we've all gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way. You see, when we sin and when we go astray, what we're ultimately doing is turning to our own way. We're turning from God's way to the way we think we want. We've all gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way. Do you remember times doing that? You remember times going to things that were what you wanted, but you knew they weren't what God wanted?

Personal Testimony of Straying

I believe every one of us, if we're honest, knows of times, and maybe it's now, but certainly times in the past where we've gone astray. I certainly have. Anybody else gone astray before? I remember, for one, before I was a believer, boy, did I go astray. I think about college and shortly after college, I was just living for myself. Living, all we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way. I was turning to my own way. I just wanted to live for fleshly things, for ungodly things, living for the party. Have you ever been like that, where you've just gone astray, and you're living for yourself?

The Emptiness of a Straying Life

I remember doing that. But you know what? Ultimately what it came down to is kind of what kept coming to me was, I don't have peace with this life. Yeah, I would say, "It's the weekend. I'm going to have fun. I'm going to go party." And I'd think I was going to have fun, but I'd wake up, I'm like, I'm not having fun. This is not giving me fulfillment. Anybody ever been there? Or maybe you're trying to live the fast life and live in sin, and everybody around you acts like it's so much fun, but deep down inside, you're just not fulfilled. Listen, living for the world and living in sin and living the fast life, getting drunk and being caught up in drugs and being high and all this other stuff, whatever it might be, sexual immorality, ungodliness, fleshliness, that's not going to give you joy. That's not going to give you peace. The way we're going to get true peace and truly be fulfilled is not by living for the world. It's not going to bring it. The way we're going to have true peace is by living for the Lord.

Straying as a Believer

We have all gone astray before we were believers, but I'd be willing to bet that every one of you as believers have gone astray, too. And that's not who we're meant to be. You're a child of God. You're not meant to stay living astray as a child of God. As a believer that's born again, we've probably all had times, not just when we were lost. Hey, when somebody goes astray and stays astray as a lost person, it's not good. But let's face it, a lost person doesn't have the same conviction of sin as a saved person, amen.

Conviction of Sin

When I was at NC State, living up the party, I knew some things were wrong, but I did not have the same conviction of sin. I was kind of fine with doing certain things that I would not be fine with. Wow. See, when we get saved, something happens. We're changed. When we truly have a moment of giving our life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes inside of us. And there's many names for the Holy Spirit, but one way you'll hear the Holy Spirit be referred to is, the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin. So, if we're going astray as a believer, and we're truly a believer, we're going to have conviction about it. We're going to know that's not who I am. I've been made new. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. Old things, they've passed away. All things have become new.

The Tragedy of Persistent Straying

So, if we're a believer and we're going astray and we're staying astray, that's a sad thing. I believe no believer lives this life perfect, amen. But as a believer, we're meant to walk with God. I wonder today, if you're a believer, are you walking with God, or are you going astray? That might be going astray with your thoughts. That might be going astray with words. That might be going astray with actions.

God's Grace for the Straying

We have all gone astray, whether it be before we got saved or if we're saved. We've all had times of going astray as a believer. But you know something that I think we're reminded of in this text that's so amazing, that's so cool? Even though we've all gone astray, God made a way. Even though we have all sinned, the Bible says we're like filthy rags. Even though we've all done awful things, don't try to pretend like you haven't. You have, right? We've all sinned. We've all been like filthy rags compared to a holy God. And we've all done things we're not proud of. But even though we've all gone astray, isn't it amazing, God made a way. God made a way for you and for you and for you and for me to be forgiven of sins, where he forgets our sins, where they're wiped out. As far as the east is from the west, he wipes them away. He blots them out. God made a way. He didn't have to, but God made a way.

The Sacrifice of Jesus

Even though we've all gone astray, God made a way. It says there, "All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned, every one, to his own way. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity, the sin, the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." God is so full of grace, amen. Even though we've all gone astray, even though we've all sinned, God made a way you and I could be forgiven. God is so full of grace and mercy to save you. God is so full of grace. God made a way by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior, down from heaven to this earth to make a way that you and I could be forgiven.

The Cost of Redemption

When I thought about how God made a way for those of us that have gone astray to be forgiven and to be promised eternity in heaven, I thought about this: God's way, it meant sacrifice for Jesus. God made a way, but it meant sacrifice for our Lord. The Lord had to suffer to make a way for me. The Lord had to suffer to make a way for you. Let's not forget about what the Lord did for you and me. God made a way for those who have gone astray, but it meant Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, God in the flesh, had to suffer.

Jesus as the Suffering Servant

It says in this passage that we read, we're reminded a lot about how the Lord suffered for us. It says in verse three, "He is despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows, acquainted with grief." Verse four says, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." The Lord, he came down in his first coming to this earth as a suffering servant. The reason we have a way to be made right, even though we've all strayed, is because Jesus was willing to suffer. Jesus came down as God in the flesh, the only sinless, perfect sacrifice that can be made. He was putting down his life. It was that perfect sacrifice without blemish.

The Perfect Sacrifice

That sacrifice, the sacrifice of our Lord that was perfect, who was sinless, that was the only way. It says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him." Jesus came down, God in the flesh, Emmanuel, God with us, without sin, and he laid down his life. It was that one and only sacrifice that had no blemish, that was perfect, so that we could be made right. We are all sinners. We have all gone astray. But we can't be made right by anything we do. We can only be made right by what Jesus already did. And it says in 1 Peter 2:24, "Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree." The Lord hung on that cross, bearing the weight of your sins, of my sins, of the sins of all mankind, making the one and only sinless, perfect sacrifice, so fallen mankind could be redeemed and could be saved.

The Suffering of Jesus

God made a way for those of us that have gone astray, and we all have, but it meant sacrifice for Jesus. Watch what it says in verse five: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, not for his, for our, for my sin, for your sin. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities." When I read about that, I can't help but think about how they mocked Jesus. How they arrested him, and then they spat upon him, and they hit him. How they put a crown of thorns on our Lord's head, and they pierced it through his skull. I can't help but think about how they scourged him, 40 stripes minus one. And many times, it's believed that when he was being whipped, it was likely interlaced with bone, with metal. He was beaten so severely that Isaiah says he was marred like nobody's ever been marred. He was beaten unrecognizable. And that wasn't for anything he did. That was for our sin. That was for your sin. That was for my sin.

The Result of His Suffering

It says, "The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." In other words, we're forgiven. Our sins are wiped away. Verse seven says, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." The Lord knew he had to suffer. So, even though he came fully as God and fully human, he could have stopped it. But he knew he had to lay down his life. So he went like a sheep to slaughter. He didn't even open his mouth.

Jesus Understands Our Pain

That's something to think about. Jesus understands pain. He understands grief and hurt, like we experience pain and grief and hurt. He understands that. And when I think about the Lord in the Gospels, you'll read it. Yes, he was human, but he was also God. He knew what was coming. When you read through the Gospels, and he'll talk to his disciples, he knew that he was going to go to Jerusalem and suffer. And the human side of him, nobody wants to endure that kind of suffering. He knew what was coming, but he still went.

Jesus' Resolve

It says, Luke 9:51, Isaiah 50 says, "He set his face like flint." In other words, it had to be hard for our Lord, knowing what was about to happen to him, but he knew he had to go because he knew the only way that people like you, people like me who have gone astray, who are sinners, could be forgiven was by his sacrifice. Luke 9:51 says, "Now it came to pass, when the time had come for him to be received up, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." Nothing would deter him. This was why Jesus came. He was born to suffer. He was born to die.

The Garden of Gethsemane

You remember when the Lord cried out in the garden? He was in agony in the garden because the Lord knew the pain that was coming. But you remember what he said? He said, "Father, if possible, let this cup pass." He knew, I believe, the details. He knew what was coming. He didn't want to endure that. He said, "Father, if possible, let this cup pass." But then we know what he said: "But nevertheless, not my will be done, your will be done."

Jesus' Endurance

And you know, when I think about him being arrested, he didn't fight it as they arrested him. He didn't fight it as they mocked him. When they nailed him to that cross, he endured it. He could have, he's God in the flesh. He could have come off that cross, but he endured it because he loves you. He loves us. And he knew that was the only way. He knew he had to endure that. He knew he had to hang on that cross after being beaten unrecognizable. And he did it for you, and he did it for me. When he was near death, hanging on that cross, he could have set himself free. He's God. But he didn't because he loves us. And he knew that sacrifice had to be made because all of us are sinners. All of us have gone astray. And he knew this was the only way, his sinless, perfect sacrifice, so you and I could have a way.

The Beauty of God's Grace

I think it's a beautiful thing and an amazing thing that even though we've all gone astray, God made a way. And let's not forget that that way came through suffering. Let's not forget that that way meant Jesus, our Lord and our Savior, suffered.

A Challenge to Believers

When I think about what the Lord did for us, I'm just, a challenge I just want to make for you, for me, for us: don't go astray as a believer in Christ. Live for Jesus. If you're born again and if you're saved and you're living in sin, that's not who you're meant to be. Don't keep straying. Run back to Jesus. Live for Jesus.

Ways Believers Stray

There’s all kinds of ways that believers can stray from God. And I know most of the people here today, I believe, are believers. One way is people can stray from church. God left his church here for a reason. The Bible says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching." One way we can easily, if we're not careful, stray off and get distant. And when we do that, the enemy loves it because we're starting to get away from God's people and ultimately get more and more away from God. Don't stray off from church. Be active in the church, serving God heartily.

The Danger of Temptation

Another way we can stray is when the enemy will try to tempt us to sin. And it can start with getting out of fellowship. It can start with getting out of church. It can start with not reading the Bible, not praying, and you're just not as strong. Listen, if we feed worldly things in us, we're going to start to go towards the world. But we've got flesh inside of us, and we've got the Spirit of God inside of us. If we're a believer, we got to feed the God inside of us. Because if we don't, and we stop reading the Bible, we stop praying, we're not serving God, we're not going to church, before you know it, we're going to be more susceptible to stray. We're going to be more, the flesh and the spirit war against each other. We know that, right? And before you know it, we're going to be more susceptible to give in to sin.

The Enemy's Strategy

Man, I tell you what, the enemy loves it when he can get you to give into sin because when you give into sin, and you keep giving into sin, and you keep straying, and you keep getting further away, man, if you're here today and you got habitual sin in your life, and you're a believer, that's not who you're meant to be. You're a child of God. You were made new if you have truly called on Jesus. Don't keep straying. Live for Jesus.

A Call to Return

Today, as we close up today, I would just challenge all of us here today: if you're here today, and you're going astray, come back to Jesus. Remember what God did for you by sending his Son. Remember that even though you're a sinner like all of us, Jesus suffered for you, and he died for you. And with all God did for you, don't you want to live for him? Live for Jesus.

Invitation to Respond

And today, as we just have a time of invitation, I would tell you, for one, if you're a believer and you're going astray, do business with God right now. Take some time to talk with God. I don't know what's going on in your life. I don't know what the struggle is. But take time to do some business with God and cry out to God and call out to the Lord and say, "I know what you did for me. I know you saved me. I'm not going to keep going astray. I want to walk with you, Jesus. Lord, help me walk with you."