[Transcripts may not match broadcasted sermon word for word, and may contain extra material that was cut from the broadcast due to time constraints]

        Opening our Bibles or Bible apps, let us turn to Isaiah chapter 52. Isaiah chapter 52. What we want to do is try to unravel the core essence of what is being spoken by the prophet, which we understand was written around the 700s B.C. With that knowledge, what we desire to hold in our focus today is that these words—what is being articulated—is that these words actually speak of events which have already happened in human history. What we are talking about is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. For the skeptics out there, or even Jewish persons who don’t believe in Christ, you are encouraged to read what is said. To really consider it and analyze it. You are counting on one to come to bring you salvation. Yet, what if that person has already come? What if Jesus Christ has already provided that salvation? What if there is forgiveness of sins through him?

       Let us begin with Isaiah 52:13, which says, “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted” (ESV).

No one, Jewish or non-Jewish, seems to disagree that Jesus Christ acted “wisely” in his life. There isn’t much disagreement on that. Most can see that. There also isn’t any disagreement that he was “high and lifted up.” Why, just peering our eyes around the world we can see that. Observation can be made that Christ’s influence has gone far and wide, and there are Christian churches in a vast variety of nooks and crannies of the world. Even in the United States, churches can seemingly be found on every street corner. Jesus has been “exalted” by those who have lived before. He has been raised up due to the quality of his teachings, and really, what we would say is that it is because of who he is. It is who he said he was, and who he actually is. It’s not a thing to be feared. Quite to the contrary, it’s a thing to be particularly happy about.

       The Holy Spirit, whom we believe has written the Bible, including Isaiah, shows us that Jesus Christ acted wisely in his life. Indeed, what Isaiah speaks about are future events from his time of writing. Today, from our vantage point, we recognize they are past events. That’s what’s being shown. They still aren’t future events, but truly past events. Jesus acted wisely in that he followed and obeyed God’s will for his life. He did what was pleasing to the Father, in that he demonstrated and showed God’s love to the world. The chief attribute of God, that of love, was shown first to his people, the Jewish people, and then to the rest of the world. At this point, it is advisable to take an evaluation of our own lives—of what we believe—and ask ourselves if we are being pleasing to God. Does what we believe, internally, actually line up with what the God of the Universe has revealed to be true? Or, on the contrary, are we just believing what we feel comfortable with, believing that which is simply getting us by in life?

       What, might we say, was the end result of Jesus’ obedience to God? Well, as already shown, God highly exalted him, giving him a name that is above every name. The face of the earth clearly demonstrates that. In the unseen realm, in Heaven, we believe he sits at the right hand of God. We believe he is waiting until all his enemies—those who refuse to align with the truth of reality—are made a footstool for his feet. It is true that in the future all who disobey the Gospel, who are disobedient to the truth, who do not wish to believe God, that they will be cast into the outer darkness, away from God’s presence, separated from Him. A terrible thing it is. And this not only, but they will be punished in their own minds for the collection of their untruths they have believed throughout their lifetime. No other way exists than to pay for all the wrongs done life, and this state continues moment to moment with no end in sight. God is holy; nobody disputes that. He is righteous; even Plato thought that. God is also just; he will allow individuals to make their free choice.

       The coolest thing there is perhaps in all of existence, is that, thankfully, we don’t ever have to be separated from God. That’s why Jesus died in our place, shed his blood on a Roman cross, and those who accept his sacrifice of himself for their sin are counted guiltless. Belief resides in us that he rose from the dead, showing life wins over death for all time. It’s a big belief; it’s a big thing. Yet, that’s the Gospel. Heaven is given to those who love God, and those who willingly desire to be pleasing to Him. Really, we receive what we don’t deserve, and God gives graciously and abundantly. Even for the Jew who thinks it ought to be deserved, it will be given if one simply believes what Christ has already accomplished. Together, we can be thankful to God. This world is fickle. Peace can manifest at times—and what we desire at times. However, we know the opposite is also true. Nevertheless, great peace always can be had when we leave this world. A portion of his kingdom will be given to us on the earth, when he establishes this kingdom in the future. He’s still going to do that; he promised that. He hasn’t forgotten what he has promised to his people, namely the Jewish people.

       The next part of the passage states, “As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand” (Isaiah 52:14, 15, ESV).

       You see, Jesus’ death in paying for our sins was no simple act. This visual picture is portrayed for us from our Catholic brother, the famous director and actor Mel Gibson, in his movie ‘The Passion of the Christ’ (2004). In that film, we see a vivid and explicit picture into what Jesus went through. The offering for our sin—the cost to make us right—was miserable and painful. The long arch enemy of God, the one who started the process of messing up the world, he believed he was doing right in putting Jesus to death. God spared Jesus no mercy in his punishment on the cross. Whether it was the lashings, the nails, the hanging on the cross, and humiliation of it all, whatever you consider, it was grotesque. Yet our Scripture records that Christ opened not his mouth, and he did not utter one complaint against God for allowing it happen, or against others for bringing it to pass. Satan believed he was stopping God’s plan, that he was ruining the physical kingdom that God wanted to bring to the world for the Israelites.

Thus, hanging there on the cross, Jesus gave up his life—literally his spirit. Yes, it was for the Jewish people, for God’s people. That’s what he was actually doing in his love. Yet, as God told Abraham long ago, way back in Genesis chapter 12, in a little phrase back there, we understand that it was also for the Gentile people’s. This is Christ’s ultimate victory since it includes the two people groups of the world. Again, it’s also a beautiful thing because of what it frees us from. We, as humans, no matter who we are, cannot make a payment for our sin to God. Animal sacrifices of old didn’t ‘pay’ for sins, but simply covered them. Christ’s offering of his blood wipes away our sins. That’s the victory. It is the guiltless One who offers himself for those of us who are guilty. Jesus never did anything wrong. He fulfilled the Jewish Law to perfection, never once violating it. Yet, all of us have violated God’s righteousness in many ways.

       The Scripture records that it was an epic event, when Jesus was victorious on the cross. The suggestion is even made by Jesus’ later disciple Luke, that the Sun—the physical Sun of our solar system—actually stopped shinning. That is, the will of the Sun failed for a short time; it was just a rock hanging in space. Trillions upon trillions of flames of combustable energy—gone in a moment (see Luke 23:44, 45). On a smaller scale, there was an earthquake (see Matt. 27:51). Of religious significance, the curtain leading into the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple was torn in two (see Matt. 27:51 & Luke 23:45). Man and God no longer were separated due to man’s sin; Christ was victorious. In the great city of Jerusalem, it is stated that persons rose from the dead and entered the city (see Matt. 27:52, 53). Witnessed by many they were. These were the signs God used to show this event’s importance. They demonstrate how epic and incredibly important this event was in human history.

       Going back to the passage, it states, “As many were astonished at you… Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand” (ESV).

       To dive further into this text, let’s look at a parallel passage from the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 15. He notes the following, starting in verse 18:

“For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand”” (Romans 15:18-21 ESV).

So, Paul quoted this passage we are studying. The Gospel hadn’t been preached in the world before, yet Isaiah prophesied that this mystery of God would in fact be preached. People of the earth, which included rulers, would have the opportunity to understand God’s plan of salvation.

       If we turn or tap to the next chapter over, in Romans chapter 16, within Paul’s prayer there is also reference to this—that of the Gospel being preached. He told the Romans that God “is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith” (Romans 16:25, 26, ESV). So, Jesus as the Christ was the revelation that has been made known. He was the mystery God had hidden from people for ages. It was not only made known through the New Testament, but as Paul stated, it was also made known to everyone beforehand, howbeit more covertly, through the Old Testament—the prophetic writings.

       Our next verse states, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1, ESV).

The unfortunate truth is, is that though the truth has been revealed to so many—there are also so many who have chosen not to believe it. Yes, many have, but many have not, especially among the Jewish people. There’s no question many have had the opportunity. Yet, Christ is often dismissed as not sophisticated enough, not glamorous enough. Too plain; too ordinary. The Gospel has been revealed in power, even though many haven’t believed. Paul told the Corinthians, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25, ESV). We can in fact trust God would due this if we try to understand his love. God’s love is huge. It is far and wide for us.

However, Isaiah points out that God’s power has not been recognized due to the hardness of people’s hearts. The hardness of people’s hearts. Back in Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote in chapter 3: “For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:9-12, ESV). The truth of the matter is that, no matter who we are, we’ve all done wrong at one point or another. None of us can stand before others, or stand before God, and say, “I am perfect, and have always been perfect.” Yes, God made us perfect, but that perfection has been messed up by sin. It doesn’t seem reasonable that anyone would disagree that we’ve all done wrong. Yet, to be holy like God, we have to start acting holy for one, but we also need those past mess-ups atoned for as well. That’s accomplished for us through Christ’s blood.

       Continuing in the passage, speaking of Jesus now, it says, “For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:2, 3, ESV).

       When Jesus arrived onto the scene of this world he found himself in a humble state. Familiarity resides in our minds with the story of Jesus being born in a barn for animals, lying in a manger. It is so interesting how God works—arguably quite comical. Nothing could be farther from what his people were expecting, and really, nothing could show his love and understanding towards people in a greater way. Jesus in born with animals and is laid down in a trough, which became his makeshift crib. He deserved the best, to be born in the best place possible, but that was not what God had in mind. God confuses everyone by becoming the servant of all, for Jesus, as God himself (yes, indeed), is lowly and gentle in heart. Jesus grows up in a typical first-century Jewish family, not one of great wealth but one that is average. The only thing we know about his boyhood is the story about him at the Passover Feast, when he was twelve years old, which is found in Luke chapter 2. He ended up staying behind in Jerusalem to learn from the Temple teachers. And his parents, both Mary and Joseph, had to come back to Jerusalem to get him, after they had left.

       So, it is true that Jesus would have “no form or majesty” in his days. The people did not see him as a stand out character because of his looks or even oratory skills. Matthew tells us, in chapter 7 of his Gospel, that the crowd was astonished at his teachings, as he had taught them as a person with authority, and not like the scribes who showed no such authority from God in their teaching style. Despite that, Jesus was “was despised and rejected by men.” His fellow Jewish brothers and sisters didn’t believe what he said was true. Certainly, not everyone rejected him initially, for he had his twelve disciples, and then his other followers. Nevertheless, at his arrest, some three and a half years or so after he began his teachings, everyone deserted him. Even his closest disciples. The religious leaders at the time, the Scribes and the Pharisees, the Sadducees, actually despised and hated Jesus.

       At the height of the leaders’ rejection, John records for us—in John chapter 8—one of the things that they spoke against him, seemingly to try to hurt his feelings. John recorded: “They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God”” (John 8:41, ESV). So, they tried to hurt him by saying that he was an illegitimate child, for they believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had become pregnant due to an immoral relationship, for they of course didn’t believe in the virgin birth of Jesus because they didn’t believe in him. So, they tried to hurt him that way. They also tried to claim God as ‘their’ Father, in effect stating that Jesus belonged to the wrong side, that Satan was in fact his father. John records again, “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48, ESV). But that wasn’t enough. Shortly thereafter, they added, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (John 10:20, 21, ESV). Some believed, some believed, and individuals have that choice today to believe.

Understanding is present among us that a lot of the Israelites, including the Scribes and Pharisees, were expecting the Messiah to come, to be the Savior of Israel. It’s just that they—certainly the leaders—thought he would come as a Glorious King in fine robes, with much pomp and riches. The belief had been present that he would be high and lifted up in the realm of higher society. The leaders thought he would be as they were. Jesus had come to the earth to be king—but he couldn’t be. He had come to die for sins—to reconcile persons with God. To put it in Jesus’ Words, he stated, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (John 10:45, ESV). The righteous, of course, were those who were seemingly righteous, but truly weren’t. Jesus would say, on another occasion, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27, 28, ESV). He knew their hearts; he knew their hearts. And he knows there are individuals like that today. But no one has to be like them anymore—to continue to follow in those old leaders steps.

       So, Isaiah calls Jesus a “man of sorrows.” This is painted for us by the Gospel writers in a variety of ways. On one occasion, when visiting his hometown, it is written, “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:5, 6, ESV). When he heard his cousin, an important spiritual leader among the people, had died, and how he died, the Scripture records, “he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself” (Matthew 14:13, ESV). Or, if we consider his own, earthly family, John records for us, “For not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5, ESV). After all, he had this great secret that he carried with him that we was God. No one else knew the secret, at least for awhile. His disciples knew he was the Christ, but did they understand he was God? We could go all the way to the cross, and consider what he said there after being treated so cruelly by the Roman soldiers, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34, ESV). Though he was a man of sorrows, he did not let that sorrow keep him down.

Nonetheless, in one pinnacle moment, we see Jesus’ emotions when he goes to Bethany to visit the grave of his friend Lazarus. Remember the shortest verse in the Bible is found here, in John 11, which says, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35, ESV). “Jesus wept.” Was this weeping, though, simply over the fact that his friend Lazarus had died? Jesus knew we was going to raise him from the dead—for he had already hinted this to his disciples. We could hold that the scene of Jesus weeping was more a culmination of feelings that had built up inside of him. Sadness came from the heartbreak that death causes for those who love the person. Sadness perhaps to see the dramatic and life defying elements of sin. Surely, though, this picture we see here at the tomb of Lazarus can give us a ‘big picture’ view into the thoughts of Jesus, into his psychology, a man of sorrows. He was one, who, as Isaiah said, was “acquainted with grief.” He was familiar with these feelings.

       Unfortunately, some individuals hide their faces from the Messiah due to what he represents. People despise him because he represents the reality of God, and they don’t want to be faced with that reality. Jesus showed persons their true colors—he showed people the gruesome and grievous parts of sin, and the nasty effects that sin causes in people’s lives. Many individuals, though, don’t want to face the truth. They don’t want to face the reality that the way they are living their lives in their current state is wrong. They don’t want to change, for they love their sin. It is as John noted, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19, ESV). Or, we could say they love the glory that comes from their peers more than the glory that actually comes from God (see John 12:43). Thus, it is the undeserved that are respected. It is those who aren’t righteous, who don’t know God. Evil is loved, and true love is found to be evil.

       To close things out, let us consider each of us within ourselves, are we one who has rejected the Messiah—who has rejected Jesus? Maybe, though, we are feeling a change of heart. Maybe we don’t want to be on the wrong side anymore. It doesn’t matter if we are Jewish or we aren’t. Perhaps we don’t want to be one of the persons who rejects Christ, who despises him for the sake of loving this current world. If this description matches you, then today let us now examine what is the good news. The good news is that Jesus welcomes you to his side. Indeed, God desires for everyone to freely be on his side, as he wants to freely be on their side. God showed his love for everyone in the world in that he sent Jesus to the earth, who died on the cross for us—for our sins—and rose from the dead so that we can have a new life. Indeed, God freely gives new life, real life, to whoever will trust in him. Every individual who believes becomes a new creation. Our sin debts—the things we have done wrong in our lives—are wiped clean. God has chosen to remember our sins no more.

Today, God is calling those who will believe—the Jewish person, and also the non-Jewish person. He is specifically calling anyone who feels this way. It is as Jesus has told us, that only the truth can set up free. Even a good democracy of this world believes that. God gives rest and real life now, and sets us up for the rest of time. Eternal life can belong to anyone. Great are the promises of God laid out in his plan, laid out in his Book. Great is his power toward those who will choose to trust in him! Wonderful is his love for all his children—for those who trust in Him!

       If you would like to make the decision to come into a personal relationship with the eternal God today, then please follow the lead of this simple prayer:

God, you know I have sinned against you and against others in my life, that I have not followed a right way of living. Today, I choose to change directions and to trust in what you have said in your Word. I do believe that Jesus came to the earth, and that he died on the cross for me, for my sins. I believe he rose from the dead and is now in Heaven with you. I believe I can really receive a new life, and I want to receive your goodness to me. Father, please help me to change, to begin to live righteously, to become like Jesus. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

       Let us pray.

       Holy Father, we thank you today for your goodness toward us. You have demonstrated your gracious and generous heart, toward everyone and especially toward those of us who believe. Your goodness is abundant toward us. We pray for those who have believed in you today, who have accepted Jesus. We pray that they will grow in you, that they will be immersed in your Word, the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, whereby you show your love to us. We pray that they will seek to know you and be pleasing to your sight. We also lift up those who already know you, including ourselves, that we would continue to remain close to you, and that we would be growing, sharpening ourselves to become more like Jesus. Thank you again, Father, for your wonderful love. We beseech you to continue to bring more people to a knowledge of your truth. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

-Daniel Litton