Sunday, May 13, 1999   

The words of Isaiah 53 are prophetic words telling of the sufferings of Christ 700 years before they happened. He suffered on the cross yes, but He also suffered in that men rejected His message. The message men rejected and continue to reject is that Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again. Turn and look carefully at some verses in John 12. In verses 23-24, He speaks of His death, burial, and resurrection.

Now look at verses 30-40. Did you see what verse 38 said? Jesus spoke of His death, burial, and resurrection; and the message was rejected. Friends, Isaiah 53:1-12 is a report and that report says that Jesus died for sinners, was buried, and rose again. Isaiah 53 is good news. Good news that is rejected!

I. THE REPORT MADE CLEAR

     A. The report that Isaiah 53 declares is very plain; it is very clear; it is the Gospel.

          1. That Jesus is the sinless substitute, the Lamb of God, is proclaimed in Isaiah 53:7, 10.

               a. John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God.

               b. John 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." Then in John 1:34, John says concerning the Lamb of God: "And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God."

          2. Isaiah preached Christ as the despised and rejected Savior.

                a. Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected of men..."

                b. In Luke 18:31-33, Jesus tells the twelve that he was about to be mocked, spat on, beaten, and put to death.

          3. Jesus the Ransom for many is declared in Isaiah 53.

                a. Isaiah 53: 4-6, 11-12.

                b. Matthew 20:28 says: "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many" (Note also Hebrews 9:28). "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many...."

          4. The buried Christ is set forth in Isaiah 53.

                 a. Isaiah 53:9

                 b. Matthew 27:57-60: "When even was come there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph who also himself was Jesus' disciple."

          5. The resurrection of Christ is reported.

                 a. Isaiah 53:10

                       1). He was raised from the grave "He shall prolong His days."

                       2). He was given a spiritual family "He shall see His seed" His children.

                 b. Luke 24:25-26; John 1:12: "As many as received Him to them gave He power...."

     B. Good News is what this report is.

           1. This is the report that Philip the evangelist in Acts 8:32-38 preached to the eunuch.

           2. This is the report that every God called man of God must proclaim. Paul said in I Corinthians 9:16: "For though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel."

II. THE REPORT REJECTED

     A. Notice that scripture says; "Who hath believed OUR REPORT..."

           1. This report was preached by the prophets of old, the Old Testament preachers like Isaiah preached it.

                 a. Preaching about the Messiah was rejected in Isaiah's day.

                 b. Isaiah was deeply moved by the rejection of the Gospel in his day (Isaiah 49:4).

           2. Through the centuries, gospel preachers have repeated the complaint of Isaiah.

                 a. Romans 10:9-16 tells us about a Savior who died for sinners. It is the message of Christ and His shed blood; it is a plain, yet it is a rejected message (verse 16).

                 b. Although many reject the gospel, it must be preached for Romans 10:17 says: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

                 c. Paul said that: "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness" (I Corinthians 1:18). Then in I Corinthians 2:14 he tells us why: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, For they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

                 d. Jesus preached and did miracles, yet those who heard Him and observed Him rejected His report (John 12:37-38).

     B. What is this report that they have rejected?

           1. The Gospel is God's report; it is the message of good news.

           2. In I John 5:10, John the Apostle calls this message: "The record of His [God's] Son." In I John 5:11, John goes onto say: "And this is the record that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son."

           3. Clearly the message, the report, is how Christ died, was buried, and rose again.

           4. The gospel is a message worthy of acceptance; yet it is rejected (I Timothy 1:15).

III. THE REPORT AND THE ARM OF THE LORD

     A. The arm of the Lord.

           1. The arm of the Lord is an emblem of God's power.

                a. Psalm 77:15, "Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed thy people...."

                b. The Gospel, the message of the preacher, the message of the missionary, "is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth..." (Romans 1:16).

           2. The gospel is a display of power of God. I Corinthians 1:18: "For the preaching of the cross, is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us that are saved it is the power of God...."

     B. The arm of the Lord revealed.

           1. The word revealed is the Hebrew gala meaning "to uncover, to bare."

                 a. J. Vernon McGee said “that ‘bared arm’ means that God rolled up His sleeves, symbolic of a tremendous undertaking."

                 b. God spoke the world into existence, but rolled up his sleeves and bared His arm to redeem the lost.

                 c. No one believes until the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed.

                 d. Salvation is by free sovereign grace because God gave His Son to die upon the cross. Jesus paid it all.

           2. No man can be saved until he see the truth of the gospel. It is sad to say, but sinners are blinded to the very Gospel by which they must see Christ to be saved (II Corinthians 4:3-4).

CONCLUSION: May God give you ears to hear the Gospel for "faith cometh by hearing."