2018.03.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Isaiah 53:1-6

Read Isaiah 53:1-6

Questions for Littles: What two questions do v1 ask? With what word does v2 begin? So, what is this report that is the revelation of God’s saving arm? Like what kind of plant would the Messiah grow (2a)? Out of what kind of ground (2b)? What does v2 assure us would not be true about the Messiah physically? How would men treat Him (v3a)? What would He experience (v3b)? How would we respond to His sorrow and grief? But whose grief and sorrow is He actually carrying (v4)? And who, would men think, was punishing the Messiah? But for whose transgressions was He wounded (5a)? For whose iniquities was He bruised? For whose peace was He chastised? Whom did He heal by His stripes? What had we done (v6)? And who was it that laid our guilt upon the Messiah instead?

This week’s Prayer for Help and Confession of Sin came from Isaiah 53:1-6.

It is easy to see why these verses work so well for both of those purposes.

First, v1 is a perfect verse for a prayer for help in worship. It reminds us that in worship, when God’s Word is announced, His strong arm of salvation is being put on display. But it also reminds us that the ability to believe the Word as it is taught and preached is not something that we automatically have. In fact, God has to supernaturally give us the ability to believe!

Then, vv2-6 are some Scripture verses that perhaps, of the entire Bible, lend themselves most easily to a confession of sin. Look at how great our sin is, in what it cost. Sorrow! Grief! The striking and wounding and bruising of God! Chastisement! Stripes!

But don’t just look at what our salvation from sin cost. Look at Whom it costed those things!! Here is the ugliness of our sin best seen—

And what a rich mercy that we get to see our sin most clearly, precisely in the very picture of the love and salvation of Christ for sinners. For, we may gaze at this picture without minimizing the greatness of our guilt upon the one hand, but also without despairing over that greatness on the other.

The Lord has laid upon Him our iniquity!

When did you last consider your sin in light of the cross?

Suggested songs: ARP22A “My God, My God” or HB194 “O Sacred Head Now Wounded”