Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Scripture: Isaiah 53
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Observation:
Isaiah 53 is one of the most well-known chapters that foretells about Jesus.
What do the verses predict about Jesus? What kind of person will he be? What will his life be like?
Jesus was physically described as a man with plain looks.
Most people did not like him—he was despised, rejected and mocked.
He willingly gave his life to save ours.
He never did any wrong or deceived anyone.
He was a servant.

Application:
If you lived “back in the day” (hundreds, hundreds and hundreds of years ago), and you heard that a great king, redeemer and son of God was coming, what would you have pictured him to be like?
Would you have imagined him to be like Jesus was, or more “royal,” with a huge palace and tons of servants?
The Bible tells us that we are supposed to be like Jesus. How does your life match up with his?
Do you serve people more than they serve you?
Do you sacrifice your time and energy to reach the lost and hurting people around you?
Are you blameless and without sin?
Even though Jesus is royalty, his life was one of a humble, self-sacrificing servant.

Prayer:
Spend some time meditating on what it means to be like Jesus. Read the New Testament stories of his life and reflect on how well your life actions match (or don’t match his). Thank God for sending his royal son to be a servant, for giving the ultimate sacrifice (his life!) for us! Ask God for the wisdom and encouragement to live like his son.