Forgiveness, Isaiah 53

A couple of verses from the prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 53, Isaiah in chapter 53, maybe we'll just note a verse at the end of 52 and then a few verses from 53. Thank you very much for coming, we are happy to have you, trust that the Word of God will be a blessing to you. Isaiah chapter 53 and notice verse 14 says, as many were astonished at thee, his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.

Come down into chapter 53 which speaks to us still of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, though prophetic, we can appreciate the accuracy of the Word of God. Notice verse 9, Isaiah 53 9, it says, he made his grave with the wicked or the lawless and the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Let's come to the New Testament where this is fulfilled, we'll read in Luke's Gospel in chapter 23. Luke's Gospel chapter 23, we'll notice verse 32, Luke's Gospel chapter 23 verse 32, it says, and there were also two other malefactors, led with him to be put to death, and when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left, then said, Jesus Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. They departed his raiments and cast lots.

I had a short conversation with a man yesterday, every time he sees me he says, Reverend, how are you doing? I don't say anything against him, I appreciate his openness and willingness to talk to me. You see, he says, how is preaching going? I said, well, we're staying busy. Now, he had a question, he says, you know, in my mind, in my thinking, I'm trying to sort these things out.

He said, how is it that we can ever right all of the wrong things that we have done? How is it that we can ever undo all of those awful things that we have committed? So I tried to tell him very simply this, the fact of the matter is that you and I can never undo the wrongs that we have done. That you and I are utterly helpless to do anything to change the fact that we have sinned against God and we cannot undo those offenses in the eyes of God. Maybe this is very simplistic, but I told him, you know, driving home today, if you get stopped for speeding, you're not going to be able to tell the officer, you know, I've driven for 50 years and always kept the law.

That ought to count for something today. The fact of the matter is, if you violate the law of God, then you are guilty, sorry, the law of the land, you are guilty and you're going to have to pay for that. No matter how many good things you have done, if you are guilty, you pay for what you have done.

I went on to tell him the reality is just as we cannot do anything to take our own sins away, what we need is to have our sins forgiven. To have our sins forgiven, and of course this was yesterday, I said, you know, what is today? What people would call Good Friday. And what happened 1990 years ago? The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, that was a sacrifice that was made that our sin might be forgiven.

It's not about you and I undoing or fixing things with God, making ourselves right in the eyes of God, not balancing the scales with the good and the bad. What it's about a man that came into the world in all of his purity and innocence, the son of God, laying down his life as a sacrifice to satisfy God regarding the things that you and I have done. And now God is offering to us forgiveness, that those sins can be removed and the guilt and the punishment, the consequence of it.

And that's what we have been reading in the book of Isaiah. The Bible says, though he did no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. It says it pleased the Lord to bruise him, to make his soul an offering for sin, a sacrifice to take away our sin, our guilt, to remove that in the eyes of God, that God might bring us back to himself.

You know, this work was not accomplished by a mortal, sinful man. This is not a work that could be accomplished by an angel, but only a work that could be accomplished by the Son of God. And what I'd like to appreciate is this, is the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ were with this end in mind, not just the wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time.

But God's man, the right man at the right place at the right time. And you could find that in the word of God. Well, what I've been considering is this, when we look at the Lord Jesus Christ, what is so wonderful to look at his life? Here is a man that is so good, so kind, so gentle.

And yet the awful death that he knew, the violent death of the cross. It was not an accident and it was not without meaning and purpose. The Lord Jesus is likely the most gentle man that ever lived on the face of earth.

The Apostles spoke of him as one that went about doing good. The Lord Jesus, as he describes himself, says, I am meek and lowly in heart. And yet to consider the violence of his death that he knew, it ought to bring us to wonder why.

Why? There are men in the Bible that are known for their wickedness, their cruelty. You think of a man like the ruler of Egypt so many years ago, the Pharaoh, as a nation of Israel has come to that place because of their physical need. And the Bible says they were there and prospered and grew.

And another Pharaoh arose that did not know anything about Joseph or the things that Joseph had done. And he began to oppress the children of Israel. And there was, speak about leaving and going free and worshipping God.

He would harden his heart and he would say, I will not. And the Bible says he went to increase their burdens and their bondage in the bitterness of their life. And the Bible tells us he even pronounced sentence against their children that would be born that they were to be killed.

What a cruel, vile, wicked man. You come over to the New Testament, the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus. And there's a man named Herod the Great.

And he hears those men that had come from the East seeking the king that had been born. Where is he that is born? The king of the Jews. An inquiry is made.

What of this king and where is he to be born? And of course in Bethlehem and those men go and seek him to fall down and to worship him. But Herod said, let me know that I might also go and worship him. But that was not his heart.

And of course the men returning another way mocked the king. And the Bible tells us that the king gave an order to slaughter all the male children of two years of age and younger. Can you imagine the cruelty of a man's heart to go into the homes of the village of Bethlehem and indiscriminately kill one after another after another? All the weeping of the mothers as their children are slain.

A violent, wicked man like Herod who suspected his own family and so many of his own family were slaughtered because of his suspicions. Cruel man. Even a man like Pontius Pilate that you read about.

Luke chapter 13. There were men that had come from Galilee to offer sacrifices. I take it in Jerusalem.

And the Bible says that Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of their sacrifices. Can you imagine? Going to offer sacrifice to God and Pilate has him killed and the blood of the animals and their blood is mingled together. What a cruel, vile man.

Even these men that were crucified with the Lord Jesus, you know what is said of them. There were two other malefactors. The Lord Jesus is not included in that as being an evildoer, as being a wicked person and yet he is counted among them.

Three men going out to be crucified. What does the Bible tell us of the other two? It tells us that they were malefactors. Maybe not a word that we use today but if you look it up you'll find that these were very violent men as well.

Like what you read about is it in Luke chapter 11 that there was a man that was going from Jerusalem down to Jericho and the Bible says that he fell among thieves like this man because they beat him and they stripped him and they took what he had and they left him half dead by the wayside. That is the character of these men. Not just men that might break into your house at night when nobody is home but these are violent men that would use force to take what they want and they had been tried and condemned to death.

The awful cruel death of the cross and likely there would have been cursing and bitterness and fighting and rebellion and likely that drink, that narcotic that they gave him when they were being crucified was just to control these men though the Lord Jesus would not take of it. We read of the Lord Jesus being crucified with them. Was he a malefactor? Was he cruel? Was he wicked? Was he egotistical? The gentlest men to ever live who went about doing good.

The compassion of the heart of the Savior to see those who were in need and move the hands that would touch the leper to give sight to the blind man and all of his misery. To raise those that were dead to give relief to those that were sorry. Had the Lord Jesus ever done anything wrong? Was he a man that was cruel? Was he a man that was wicked? He was all together different.

Yet the death that he would know was the most violent of deaths. We don't have time to read this but he is counted among those transgressors. Counted among men who are wicked and cruel and deserving of death.

You know even before the Lord Jesus is led out to the cross we could read that he would stand before the religious leaders who would beat him with their hands. Likewise even before Pilate in those Romans. You know what the Bible tells us? That they would tear.

They would tear the very hairs from his cheeks. In all of their wicked imaginations they would present a crown. But not a crown of gold or laurel.

But a crown that was woven of thorns to be placed upon the head of this blessed man. Where they would bow down before him in mockery saying hail king of the Jews. Only to rise up and beat him with a reed.

The violence of these men there was it would pummel the face of the Lord Jesus as it was spit upon him. As Roman soldiers would take a whip and they would whip the back of the Lord Jesus and tear the very flesh from his back. And then for them to cry away with him crucify him.

And the Lord Jesus knew what it was to have nails passed through his hands and his feet. To be lifted up on a cross in nakedness and shame. What a wonder it is to consider this one who was pure and perfect and gentle and meek and lowly to be so abused.

Was there a reason for this? Was this all just a big mistake? Was this just a historical event with no impact or value? And I tell you it means everything to those that are guilty before God and would long to have their sin removed. Because the Lord Jesus would suffer this death in all of his purity and innocence. He would give his life as a sacrifice as a payment that our sin and guilt might be removed before the eyes of God.

So when we are speaking about being right with God we can only point to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God makes it so simple that there is a Savior. The one who suffered this awful violent death of the cross of Calvary.

You read so many pictures in the Old Testament that are pointing forward to the Lord Jesus. You could read in the book of Exodus in chapter 12 of a lamb that was going to be taken that the people of Egypt might be freed. The Bible says a young lamb of one year.

And it was to be a good lamb. It was to be without spot. It was not to be sick or broken in any way.

But you notice the instructions that are given to Moses. You shall kill it. You shall kill it.

It was going to know an awful violent death. Its throat was going to be split. Its blood was going to be spilled.

And that blood was going to be applied to the door of their houses. When it comes to the sacrifice for our sins. Again the Word of God makes it plain.

Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness. What an awesome price was paid. Not just a word that would be spoken by the Creator to make it done.

Not just a hand extended out to meet those who are guilty and needy. But hands that we would be extended on a cross in shame and agony. What the Lord Jesus Christ through the violence of his death.

Our minds can hardly take it in. And that is what he endured at the hands of man. Do you notice what we have read? It says it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

I don't know if our minds can really enter into it. A scene of darkness. A scene of toil.

Of agony. Of suffering. That entered into the very depths of his being.

That the one who knew no sin was made to be sin for us. What an awesome load was placed upon the Savior. I was thinking of that scene from Acts chapter 27.

The Apostle Paul with so many others are on a ship in the middle of a storm. And the ship finally runs aground. The Bible says that the waves with violence beat against the back of the ship until it break apart.

To think of that scene at Calvary. The waves and the billows of God's wrath that would continually pour over his sinless soul. And we enter into the depths that the Lord Jesus knew.

Can we really understand what transpired there? The Bible with such simple terms says the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. But what an awesome load. The entire human race with all their sins and all the ugliness and all the violence that we have committed with blood on our hands and in our hearts.

And here is God's innocent son being punished by the hand of God that the Lord would lay on him the iniquity of us all when we were the ones that like sheep had gone astray. We were the ones that had turned everyone to our own way. And here is the one that was absolutely perfect in every step that he took.

Pleasing God, glorifying God. I have glorified the honor. Nothing that ever the Lord Jesus do that would ever shame or dishonor the name of God.

And yet here he is on an awful shameful cross and the Bible says he was more marred than any man. What an awesome load. What an awesome price that was paid.

Does it not speak to us to the awfulness of sin? What sin deserves? And yet here is one that could satisfy God so fully, so freely by entering into death. The Bible tells us that his precious blood was spilled and Peter tells us that that we have been rescued, we have been redeemed. Not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

How can we know our sins removed, taken away? It's not your doing. It's not mine. There's nothing that we could ever present to God to take away our sins.

What we need is the forgiveness of sins. And that forgiveness is offered on the basis of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. The one who was sinless and spotless and pure would hang on an awful cross and ultimately give his life there.

Does it mean anything to you friend this evening? You know how sad it is that there are those that might only think of the Lord Jesus two days out of the year. But for those of us that discovered our guilt and our sin and our eternal destiny without God, we cannot spend one single day without thinking about the one that loved me, that loved me and gave himself for me. The cross, the suffering, the agony, the shame that he knew, not only from man, but the hand of God as it would lay heavy upon him.

You know that is going to be our theme for all eternity. That there is going to be praise that is raised up to the one that loved us and washed us from our sin in his blood. You see, nothing less could ever take away our sin.

Nothing less could ever make us right in the eyes of God. You could build a church on every corner. You could make every man a priest.

You could give all the money in the world and not one single sin would ever be removed. We would not be one bit better before the eyes of God. Do you know what the Word of God says about the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus? The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses us from all sin.

Is there anyone here that longs to be right in the eyes of God, that longs to know sin forgiven, to have a clear conscience before God, to know that I will never know that awful place of eternal suffering because of my sin? Then look to the cross. Look to this man that died taking some liberty. Nineteen hundred and ninety years ago, there was a body that lay in a tomb.

One that had been so marred the day before. Taken down by righteous hands and given a worthy burial. And then the first day of the week, the Bible tells us that God raised him from among the dead.

And this is something that we appreciate, not just one day of the year. That when we in all of our guilt and need turn to the Lord Jesus, we are turning to one who was dead and is alive. One who could say, I have the keys of hell and of death.

And we are putting our trust in the one who lives. The one who lives in the power of an endless life. The one, as Hebrews 7 tells us, is able to save.

Does it mean anything to you? Is it just a historical fact or event? And I tell you it means everything to us, those that have come to know him as our Savior. What he suffered, what he endured, it was not without cause or reason. He was wounded for our transgression.

He was bruised for our iniquity. Punishment so that we might have peace was laid upon him. And with that stroke of God's judgment that fell upon him, we are healed.

Trust him tonight as your Savior and know your sins forever forgiven.