As we contemplate Easter and the cost of the cross Isaiah 53 is a powerful place to begin. In this passage Isaiah eerily predicts the death of Christ and it challenges me afresh, how should I respond to the costliness of the gift given?
Isaiah 53 vs. 1-7 – Like A Lamb To The Slaughter
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.
Jesus came to this earth not in majesty but in a manger and was instantly at harm
Herod did not want competition and sought out newborn boys his worry was deep and profound
Divinely warned Mary and Joseph left Bethlehem to Nazareth where all was calm
Jesus grew in stature and wisdom and in favour with God and men, his belief in God was sound
Yet he kept below the radar, a carpenter, an ordinary man who did not swear or say darn
For 30 years he grew in favour with God and his love for him when the Spirit came did resound
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
Jesus knew what he was called to and demonstrated his Father and spoke of his kingdom
People saw him do mighty acts, were amazed by his oratory hoping he would give relief
From their oppression by the Romans, that they would be free and that it was not a whim
On Palm Sunday they thought he was to be a conquering king, Friday he was hung by a thief
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
On the cross he hung weeping for a people lost in sin, he did take their sin and he did it bear
At the end he cried out “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” he was down
He was sad for his Father could not intercede for him, Jesus had to our sins take and bear
In order that victory over Satan could be won Jesus had to die on the Cross and be down
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole.
Jesus endured more than we could imagine, yet he was without sin and died sad within
Separated from his Father, nevertheless he said “ Your will be done”, even though deep in his soul
He wished the cup of death could be taken away, he died a horrible death for our sins
Not because we deserved it, rather that we might from sin be set free and be complete, whole
He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
He loved us so much he sent his Son to free us from sin, so over it us it wouldn’t hold sway
We are not deserving of such love, such grace so amazing demands our love, our all
Yet so often we fail to give to him our worship, we fall and from his love we drift away
Jesus paid the price, he died for us nailed to cross the LORD laid on him the sins of us all
He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb
To the slaughter, and as a sheep is silent before the shearers he did not open his mouth.
He could have done many things to prove his Lordship, his critics did him verbally slam
They mocked and whipped him, they stood around him, much of what they said was uncouth
They will meet him on the day of Judgement and they will bow and worship the holy lamb
Today the choice is yours will you worship the Lord? Will you sing will you open your mouth?
Sing praises to him, at his name every knee will bow, every tongue confess worthy is the lamb
For he has redeemed us and we are free from sin, let us praise him with him all our youth
Mark Maffey, September 2008
(NLT)