Sunday 27 December 2015
(Part Two of Christmas Teaching Series)
Speaker: Pastor Austen Ukachi
Two days ago we said, Jesus was born in human flesh like us in order that he might die on the cross to defeat the devil who had power over death and sin. (Hebrews 2:14,15).
The crucifixion of Christ is described in Isaiah 53:3-11, it was prophesied by the prophet seven hundred years before Christ’s birth and fully catalogued in Matthew 26 and 27.
Think of the sacrifice of the Father in sending Jesus.
Think of the sufferings and sacrifices of Jesus in going to die on the cross
THE SUFFERING SERVANT
The Prophecy of Isaiah 53 can be summarised as follows:
Jesus will be rejected (Isaiah 53:1,3, fulfilled in John 12:37,38).
Jesus will be disfigured by sufferings (Isaiah 53:2,fulfilled in Mark 15:17,19).
Jesus will bear our sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4,5, fulfilled in Romans 4:5; 1 Peter 2:24,25).
Jesus will be our substitute (Isaiah 53:6,8, fulfilled in 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus will voluntarily accept our guilt and punishment (Isaiah 53:7,8, fulfilled in John 10:11).
Jesus will be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9, fulfilled in John 19:38-42).
Jesus will save us who believe in him (Isaiah 53:10,11, fulfilled in John 3:16).
Jesus will die on behalf of transgressors or sinners (Isaiah 53:12, fulfilled in Mark 15:27,28).
CHRIST’s SACRIFICE FOR US DOES NOT MAKE HUMAN SENSE
It does not make human sense that God gave us his only Son
It does not make human sense that God took the form of man to come and die for us.
It does not make human sense that Jesus forgave our sins
It does not make human sense the God humbled himself to die on the cross.
But the Father and the Son made all these sacrifices for you and me.
The sufferings of Jesus on the cross brought tremendous benefits to us. We can read about some of these benefits in Colossians 2:14-16 and Ephesians 2:14-18. The cross was a major divide between our past and our present. As we approach the new year, we should have great hope and confidence in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
