Opening the Door to Hope: Crucifixion, Isaiah 53:1-6, 04/06/14

Sermon 4-6-14   Crucifixion - consider the suffering  Isaiah 53:1-6

The old testament prophet Isaiah told of a suffering servant

He was well known by Jews, but they did not expect their messiah to be the suffering servant.

They wanted a political deliverer

After the suffering and death of Jesus, believers looked to these verses to see and verify that Jesus is the suffering servant and his suffering and death leads not to political victory but to a spiritual one for all who call upon his name.

 ¹ Who has believed our message    and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? ² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,   and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,   nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by mankind,  a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

 ⁴ Surely he took up our pain   and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,  stricken by him, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him   the iniquity of us all.

Consider the suffering of Jesus Christ

Today we share the story of Christendom

This story unites us, bringing us together

          No room for Paul and Apollos

There is a mysterious power of this story
it must be retold, lest we forget

Lets talk for a moment about The nature of suffering. 

The role of it in our thinking

We honor the degree of pain and loss that someone goes to for our sake

Heb 12 - let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

There is a value of sacrifice.

Its not that we are to feel guilty or depressed by this.

God is showing his deep love for us.

Begins not in the garden but when He left heaven
Socioeconomic downturn
Born impoverished, like becoming a bird

Reviled in life as illegitimate
the story of Joseph and mary was scandalous in his day

It stayed with him in life

We know who our father is John 8 “we are not illegitimate”

Anticipation

We think about things that will come

Jesus thinking….

I have seen this happen to others.  It is not good

I wonder what it will feel like

I worry about my friends and family

How long will it take to die

What is it like to die?

In the garden
Bleeding in prayer
Highly emotional state, hemorrhage in sweat glands
Betrayal- left by his friends

Annas- former high priest Caiphas home w political sanhedren Temple w religious sanhedren Pilate Herod Pilate again

Embarrassment of trials Annas
High priest 1am, spit upon, struck in the face Caiaphas home [holes]

w political Sanhedrin
Full Sanhedrin in morn, Pilate 10am Temple w religious Sanhedrin
Rejected for Barabbas Pilate
Herod
Pilate again

Flogging

Cross beam Nails Crown of thorns

Robe, crown of thorns, beaten again

Carrying the cross
mortise and tennon joint

Place of crucifixion
Nails, 5-7 inches

Breathing on the cross

Loss of voluntary exhalation

Push up to exhale

Death occurred from weakened state, dehydration, blood loss, shock asphyxia
Jesus cried out, bowed his head and died
Cataclysmic aneurysm/heart failure

Soldiers break his legs

Centurion- surely this man was the son of God

Spear

Worst pain…excruciating…from the cross
Not method of execution, method of torture

Why did this happen like this?
Why did he have to die for us?

It doesn’t make sense to the human mind…its too simple 1 cor 1:18
The preaching of the cross is to them that are perishing…foolishness, but unto we who are being saved it is the power of God

We know that God was showing his love for us
Romans 5:6-8
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For occasionally for a righteous man will one die, yet possibly for a good man some would dare to die, but God has shown his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

The love or the suffering

Each of you may focus on one aspect or another

Tremendous sacrifice

Tremendous love

Intro to prayer…….
If you have never asked Jesus to be your savior, today can be your day. If your heart has grown cold towards him, you can make a new commitment today. Just pray along with me in your heart.

Dear Jesus, I understand that you suffered for me. Please let your sacrifice cover my sin. Fill me with your holy spirit and lead me day by day. In Jesus name. Amen