God's New Thing! Good Friday Message April 18, 2014

- Isaiah the prophet began to preach around 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

- He preached God's messages to the people of God at a time when they were a broken nation.

- Israel was hurting; they were living in exile, banished far away from the Promised Land because of their many sins.

- Their banishment happened because they refused to turn away from their sins and return to God.

- One of the things we learn about as we read the prophet Isaiah is God says on three separate times to his people. "I'm about to do a new thing."

- And this must have got the people wondering, what is this new thing that God is going to do?

- Well, Isaiah told them. The new thing that God was about to do has to do with God's chosen servant.

- Well, all the people think to themselves, that's us, we are God's chosen servant.

- But God says through Isaiah, no, you're not hearing me, you're not seeing, you don't get it.

- Listen people of Israel, I am your Savior. I am the one who brought you out of Egypt. Listen up Israel, I'm going to do a new thing. Can't you see it?

- First, I'm going to raise up Cyrus and bring Israel back to the promised land, but you ain't seen nothing yet.

- I'm going to tell you new things, hidden things that you know nothing about. Things I planned long ago.

- I am angry about your sins, says God, but I'm not going to take it out on you any more.

- I'm sending my chosen one, my servant who will be a light for the nations and bring my salvation to the end of the earth.

- Let's keep listening to what God had to say in our three verses for today. Isaiah 53:7-9

- "He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.

- "Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared he took it all in silence.

- "Justice miscarried, and he was led off (taken away) – and did anyone really know what was happening?

- "He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.

- "They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true." Isaiah 53:7-9, the Message

- If God is not talking about Israel, his people, then, who is God talking about? Who is this mysterious servant?

- Let me answer that with another story.

- In the eighth chapter of the book of Acts, we read the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.

- At the beginning of this story, Philip is told by an angelic messenger to travel along the southern road out of Jerusalem.

- As Philip was traveling down that road, He notices an Ethiopian eunuch traveling in the same direction.

- This eunuch was the treasurer of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her money and wealth, a high official at the Queen's court.

- We are told that he had been up to Jerusalem to worship God and he was reading in his chariot from the prophet Isaiah, as he returned to Ethiopia.

- So the Holy Spirit told Philip, go over and join this chariot. So Philip ran over and heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and it was the very passage that we read this morning.

- Philip asked him, do you understand what you're reading? And he said, how can I without someone to guide me? And he invited Philip to get into the chariot and sit with him.

- And he asked Philip, who is the prophet talking about, himself, or someone else? Who is this mysterious servant?

- And beginning with this Scripture Philip told him the good news about the Lord Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, Look! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?

- And he commanded the chariot to stop and they both went down to the water and Philip baptized him.

- The eunuch asks the question, who is the prophet talking about? Who is this mysterious servant?

- Isaiah 53 marks the new thing, so long secretly hidden, that God planned to reveal.

- What was this new thing that God planned to get done through this mysterious servant?

-This question continues to puzzle students of the Old Testament to this very day, but there can be only one answer.

- What does the Bible tell us is the answer?

- And beginning with this Scripture Philip told him the good news about Jesus.

- Isaiah gives us 6 points in Is. 53:7-9 which match up with Jesus.

- 1. Jesus was silent before his accusers.

- And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Mark 14:60-61 (ESV)

- 2. Jesus was falsely accused and condemned to death.

- Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Mark 14:55-56 (ESV)

- Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. Mark 14:61-64 (ESV)

- 3. Jesus died a criminal's death on a cross.

- Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? Luke 22:52 (ESV)

- Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Luke 23:32-33 (ESV)

- 4. Jesus died for the sins of the people.

- But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. John 11:49-52 (ESV)

- 5. Jesus was innocent.

- Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” John 19:4-6 (ESV)

- He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:22 (ESV)

- 6. Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb.

- When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Matt 27:57-60 (ESV)

- Who is this servant described by the prophet Isaiah?

- For Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, there can be only one answer: Jesus.

- Only Jesus fits the bill. Only the suffering and death of Jesus fulfills the prophecy described by Isaiah the prophet.

- Isaiah asked the question, "Did anyone really know what was happening, that he died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people?" (v. 8, MSG?) "Who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?" (v. 8, ESV)

- Nobody! No one knew what was happening. No one gave it a second thought.

- While everyone understood that only God can forgive sins. No one understood that God himself would have to pay the price because no one else is good enough for the wages of sin is death.

- What was this new thing that God planned to get done through this mysterious servant?

- Using injustice to secure forgiveness is God's new thing!

- God allowed his unique son to become his chosen servant, to suffer and die unjustly on a cross, so that all sin could be forgiven and everyone have the choice to have a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

- That is God's new thing. Using injustice to secure forgiveness is God's new thing!

- Are we prepared to do the same? Are we prepared to suffer injustice to share God's forgiveness? Are we prepared to submit to the one who suffered and died alone for our sins? Are we prepared to carry our own cross and die to our selfishness as true disciples of Jesus?

- Well-known singer-songwriter, Michael Card wrote in his little book, A Violent Grace, that, "The cross proves that you and I are valued and loved beyond our wildest imaginings..."

- God loves us so much that he allowed his unique son, the Lord Jesus to be betrayed, falsely accused, be beaten and tortured, to suffer and die alone on a cross because he values us and loves us beyond our wildest imaginings.

- Using injustice to secure forgiveness is God's new thing!

- What kind of love is this?