"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our
iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and
with his wounds we are healed."1
The prophet Isaiah strikingly prophecies of Christ. He had no "stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him."2 He was a tender shoot that sprung forth from the seed of David, "despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."3 I worked with a homeless ministry and this was how they were treated, "like one from whom men hide their face." Christ was sent as a propitiation or atoning sacrifice for our sin and to account many righteous.
"Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities."4
Is there any righteous? no, not one they had all gone astray. How would they be saved? "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die."5 But just at "the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."6 Yes, we are the vessels of His mercy, "for God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."7
"This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him."9
This is love that God sent his Son to die in my place, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."10 Was such a propitiation to satisfy God's wrath or to show His kindness toward us? "in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory" We have the forgiveness of sin, "according to the riches of His grace, that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."11 This forgiveness of sin through His blood is "to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."12
"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."14
"All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him."15 Because of Christ we receive by faith abundant grace and the gift of righteousness. Yes, for my peace he was chastised, for a new covenant in His blood, he died so that a will could be enforced. He says, that one there, his name I have written, I died in his place.
"He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due"16
The stroke was due us, but our iniquity the Father caused to fall on Him. "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted."17 They put a purple robe upon him, a crown of thorns upon His head, and a kingly scepter in his hand, a battalion of soldiers bowed to him, they knelt before him to mock Him, hail King of the Jews, then they spat upon him and struck him.18 "By oppression and judgment He was taken away... For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due."19
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."20
He died in my place. Picture such a thing, being condemned and sentenced to death, but Christ comes and says set him free, I will take his place. There is no greater love, He died in my place because He loved me so.
How He Loves
The prophet Isaiah strikingly prophecies of Christ. He had no "stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him."2 He was a tender shoot that sprung forth from the seed of David, "despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."3 I worked with a homeless ministry and this was how they were treated, "like one from whom men hide their face." Christ was sent as a propitiation or atoning sacrifice for our sin and to account many righteous.
"Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities."4
Is there any righteous? no, not one they had all gone astray. How would they be saved? "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die."5 But just at "the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."6 Yes, we are the vessels of His mercy, "for God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."7
"This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him."9
This is love that God sent his Son to die in my place, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."10 Was such a propitiation to satisfy God's wrath or to show His kindness toward us? "in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory" We have the forgiveness of sin, "according to the riches of His grace, that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."11 This forgiveness of sin through His blood is "to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."12
"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."14
"All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him."15 Because of Christ we receive by faith abundant grace and the gift of righteousness. Yes, for my peace he was chastised, for a new covenant in His blood, he died so that a will could be enforced. He says, that one there, his name I have written, I died in his place.
"He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due"16
The stroke was due us, but our iniquity the Father caused to fall on Him. "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted."17 They put a purple robe upon him, a crown of thorns upon His head, and a kingly scepter in his hand, a battalion of soldiers bowed to him, they knelt before him to mock Him, hail King of the Jews, then they spat upon him and struck him.18 "By oppression and judgment He was taken away... For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due."19
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."20
He died in my place. Picture such a thing, being condemned and sentenced to death, but Christ comes and says set him free, I will take his place. There is no greater love, He died in my place because He loved me so.
How He Loves