SERIES: The Gospel in Isaiah
TEXT: Isaiah 50:4-10
MESSAGE: “Understanding the Cost”
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“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” — Philippians 2:5-8
“The gospel is not ‘God loves us,’ but ‘God loves us at the cost of his Son.’” — Derek Thomas
TEXT: Isaiah 50:4-10
What do we learn about Jesus and who He is? We learn: 1. What’s inside of him 2. What happened to him 3. What it means for us
- What’s inside of him (v. 4-5)
“The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.”
“…he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” — Matthew 4:4
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” — Luke 2:52
“And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” — Mark 10:20-22
“If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” — Augustine
2. What happened to him (v. 6-7)
“I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.”
3. What it means for us (v. 8-10)
“He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. 10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.”
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” — Romans 5:10
“There are two sorts of people: the one sort has no light but obeys the word of the Lord’s Servant by facing the darkness with trust and reliance. The others seek to conquer the darkness by fires of their own making…hues as he lived in obedience, trust and reliance, so do those who model themselves on him.”— Alec Moyter
TAKEAWAYS:
- What comes out of you is a sign of what’s sustaining you
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” — Proverbs 4:18-19
“The darkness represents increasing self deception. We say, ‘I’m not proud, just confident. I’m not abrasive, just direct. I’m not proud, just confident. I’m not greedy, just sharp in business.’ The more we follow the path of self, the more we live in denial until, when life breaks down, we don not know what makes us stumble…On the other hand, those growing in grace take the path shining even brighter. They see more about God and themselves that they were denying. Why? The gospel so assures us of God’s love that we are finally capable of admitting the worst about ourselves.” — Timothy Keller
- Where you look for help is a sign of where you’re finding security
v. 7 — “…the Lord God helps me; therefore…I have not been disgraced…”
“The most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the gospel.” — Charles Spurgeon
“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” — Luke 23:34