30 Days With Jesus - Jesus Foretold

Today we will begin a series of posts called 30 Days With Jesus. It will follow a daily reading plan as given by Zondervan Publishers.

Isaiah the Prophet

Isaiah 53 is a passage of Scripture that foretells the coming of the Messiah -- Jesus Christ. It is a well-known and well-loved passage by many. And for those who have studied this passage they have discovered that Jesus Christ was not necessarily the kingly looking Messiah for whom men sought. Isaiah says:

..he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. (53:2)

Isaiah was quite exact in describing this Messiah who would come to save his people. Continue reading this account and this is what you will find:

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. (53:3-4)

Although this Messiah was the One who was foretold, people did not recognize him as such. Rather, they looked at him and they despised and rejected him. To despise someone is to disdain them, to reject them, to loathe. It was not just the fact that Jesus Christ claimed his Messiahship, it was the fact that the people who heard him were disgusted with him. And, besides being disgusted with him, they had no respect for him - ...we esteemed him not. With this idea of disgust the people eventually rejected him as the Messiah of whom they were waiting. Although the Messiah has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, Isaiah continues to tell us that even though he gave his life and carried our sorrows, the people still rejected him saying that God had smitten and afflicted him. In other words, God has done this to him because of who he said he was.

But notice how Isaiah reassures his readers that he has borne our griefs and sorrows. Here the prophet is telling us the good news of the Messiah. Even though people rejected him and were disgusted with him, the fact still remained that the Messiah had borne our griefs and sorrows. And what are these griefs and sorrows? But the very sin that resides in each of us. Read how Isaiah continues to tell us this good news of the Messiah -- of Jesus Christ:

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (53:5-6)

Not only has he borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, but the Messiah was also wounded for our transgressions. This wounding resulted in his death. Isaiah tells us that he bore our griefs and sorrows and tells us what those griefs and sorrows were -- our transgressions. It is the sin that ever resides in each of us. It is what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans:

As it is written, "None is righteous, no, not one...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10, 23)

All of us have transgressed against God. There is none who is able to reach God because of this sin. And it was this Messiah of whom Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53. What have we done about this Messiah coming to save us? Read what Isaiah says: because none of us is righteous, because all of us have fallen short of the glory of God, the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. This Messiah has taken the very wrath of God upon himself so that we would be freed from this wrath. Even though we have turned to our own way, God loved us enough that he would lay this burden on this Messiah -- on Jesus Christ. The Messiah's attitude was such that he was willing to take on the iniquity of us all. Read what else Isaiah says:

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 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. (53:10-11)

Why was the Messiah's attitude that he was willing to take on the iniquity of us all? Because out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied. Jesus Christ was satisfied with his payment and God the Father was satisfied with the willingness and the dying of Jesus Christ for the transgressors -- for us -- for the ones who went their own way and transgressed against him. And it was also for the satisfaction that the Messiah would make many to be accounted righteous. This righteousness would come directly from himself for he lived a perfectly sinless life so that we might have life. His righteousness has been imputed on those who have trusted him in salvation.

This Messiah, Jesus Christ, was foretold by Isaiah. He was foretold to have borne our iniquities and he willingly did this. This Messiah -- this Jesus Christ -- is worthy of all praise!

He's Here!

It was no doubt a great day for John the Baptist. He had been baptizing in the Jordan River when he first saw him. But he was not surprised by him. John expected to see him at some time - he just didn't know when. In fact, I'm pretty sure that his mother Elizabeth spoke of him often. She knew that he was the expected one - that he was coming to cleanse her and her son of their sin. He was John's cousin.

But what would he look like? John had been in the wilderness for so long. It was most likely that he had not seen Jesus for quite a long time. Would he recognize him?

As John the Baptist was baptizing followers, he saw Jesus coming towards him. His response was simple and succinct:

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." What an incredible declaration! The "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world?" And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-34)

John bore witness of who Jesus Christ is. He proclaimed that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He didn't mince words and he certainly didn't waste words. He simply had been waiting for years to see this one opportunity come to fruition...and it did!

But notice how John the Baptist began to wonder if he was right or not:

"The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (John 1:35-37)

He knew who Jesus was at this time. He knew that this was he was the One who would come after him. However, you can sense some hesitation in John's voice at this time. And although there was hesitation, his disciples followed after Jesus. That in itself is amazing to think that they heard what John said and they all of a sudden followed after Jesus. Was there doubt in their minds? Could it be that John had been in the wilderness too long and he just didn't know what he was speaking? No, these two disciples chose to follow Jesus and to learn from him. See what happens next:

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying and they stayed with him that day for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). (John 1:38-42)

They followed him and they called others to come to him. Jesus had a profound impact on them. But what about John? He pointed these men to Jesus Christ as the Messiah - the long-expected One. Was he still hesitant? Did he still wonder about who Jesus is? Read what John said:

"You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:28-30)

Not an iota of doubt was in the Baptizer. He knew of whom he was speaking. He knew that Jesus was truly the Messiah - the Anointed One - the Savior - the King - the Lord - God Himself.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, make sure to point people to Jesus Christ. He's here! Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

Going...

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
–Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus Christ, prior to his ascension, spoke these words to His disciples. This command is an interesting one because preacher after preacher has always tried to spurn his people into action. What action? Reaching out to a lost and dying world. But what has happened to the church today?

First, I think that society itself has infiltrated the church of our day. That is not to say that we ought not have people from our world in our church. On the contrary! We should be reaching out to our society with the Good News of Jesus Christ—the Gospel! But it seems that the whole idea of “tolerance” is pervading the church today as is the case with our society. In other words, we shouldn't’t be so intolerant of thinking that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. Others believe strongly in their religion and they all teach about going to heaven or paradise or bliss. So what makes us think that we have the market on the Good News? Well, because Jesus Christ said we do! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life is what Jesus Christ said.

Secondly, I think that fear has infiltrated the church of our day. People in the church today seem to be frightened of what others will think of them if they share their faith in the Good News of Jesus Christ. Quite frankly, I suspect that there are people just waiting for you and I to share the Good News of Jesus Christ!



I remember hearing of a story from a pastor friend of mine who traveled to South Africa on a mission trip. A ninety year old woman told him that she had waited for nearly thirty years for his arrival. She had never known who the Savior was until he arrived. But prior to his coming—thirty years prior– she saw in a vision someone who would bring her Good News of the Savior. People are waiting for us to tell them about Jesus Christ!

Third, I think that we have become too lax in our faith. What I mean by this is that there seems to be too many of us that are quite comfortable with the knowledge that we have. We sit and glory in what we know but do we really know it? If we know that the Good News is that Jesus Christ died according to the Scriptures, he was buried and he rose again according to the Scriptures and then we don’t tell others, do we really know it to be true? If it is true for you then it has be true for everyone else. Relativism is alive and well in the church today and it ought to be killed! It’s not what I think or what you think but what God thinks!

So how do we apply these verses to our church today? First, we need to “stick to the stuff” as my friend Ed Ethridge says. Stick to what the Bible says and live it out and tell it to others. Second, we trusted Jesus Christ for salvation so we can trust him to take care of our fear of sharing the Good News. Finally, we need to simply live out what it is that we believe! That means going and making disciples. It is an action that is continual.

We Want To Be Like Other Nations!

"Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." - 1 Samuel 8:5


Does this cry sound familiar? Have you ever heard a people cry out for a new king so they could look like all of the other nations? This was Israel's plight in Samuel the Prophet's day. It was not unlike the Israelites to turn away from their God and turn to their own desires. If you recall, they did this quite often.

While wandering through the wilderness for 40 years, they kept telling Moses and Aaron that they wanted to return to Egypt because they were tired of being out there. What is interesting about the story in Exodus is that while they were out wandering in the wilderness, God was ever providing for them. They had shoes that would not wear out. They had clothes that would not wear out. They had bread from heaven that did not run out. When they wanted something other than this bread from heaven they wanted meat. So what did God do? He provided quail for them.

In today's Church we find the same sense -- or might I say nonsense! We want more of this or more of that. We want to have our desires, our pleasures met. When we don't get our way, then we just want to do whatever comes to mind neverminding what it is that God desires.

As the story goes in 1 Samuel 8, the people were demanding a king. Samuel's sons were to take over the family business of judging Israel. Now understand, this was not a judgmental type of judging -- the kind that people today talk about -- the kind that puts down and tears down rather than encouraging and building up. They were to take care of judging Israel; in other words, they were supposed to keep Israel on the right track! The people were tired of Samuel's sons. His sons "turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice" (1 Samuel 8:3). Who wouldn't be tired of this? But they also thought that Samuel was too old to lead the nation (1 Samuel 8:1).

So the people cried out, Samuel was frustrated with his sons and with the people. But the Lord had a different plan (as He usually does; remember Isaiah 55:8-9). God told Samuel to let the people have what they want! Can you believe it?!? Really?!? Give them what they want?!? But in giving the people what they wanted God still lovingly told them what the ramifications of their desire would be (1 Samuel 8:9). It was not going to be a pretty sight. In fact, God was very plain spoken about what their king would do and how he would mistreat his people.

Now why would I go through all of this? It's because the people then are no different than we are today. It's like water: Water is water in 500 BC as water is in 2010 and human nature is to war against God! We want it our way and not His way. But how can we correct this? It is a matter of making the moral choice to give up our rights and to follow God...period! To surrender our rights is to give ourselves completely to Him; and, quite frankly, it is a day-to-day surrendering and even a moment-by-moment surrendering to Him.

Today, if you hear God's voice, do not harden your heart and turn to your own selfish desires or pleasures. Rather, turn to the Lord and acknowledge Him as your King.

Telling What We Have Seen and Heard

But you will be receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8

The Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified just forty days earlier. The disciples were still astonished that what Jesus Christ said to them previously – of His dying according to the Scriptures, His burial and His resurrection according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) – as actually come to pass. When walking with Him and listening to His teaching they didn’t really understand what it was that He was teaching them. Over and over again you read in the Gospels how they did not fully understand Him. After all, who would make such claims? John records that there were just so many things that Jesus Christ did that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). Could it be that the disciples were still just trying to figure out how Jesus Christ did what He did while in His three and half year ministry here on earth?

Dr. Luke is writing a second account of Jesus Christ and His ministry here on earth. You will recall that he also authored the Gospel According to Luke – one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). He is writing to his friend Theophilus and continuing where he left off with Jesus Christ’s resurrection (Luke 24). Jesus Christ had appeared to two disciples that were on their way to Emmaus and they were talking about the current events. They witnessed Jesus Christ die on the cross and they knew that He had been buried. But was it true that some of the disciples snatched His body from the tomb? After all, that was a rumor circulating in the news reports and the city’s gossip columns. Then all of a sudden – as it He came from nowhere, nowhere at all – Jesus Christ started to speak with these two men. Luke records Jesus’ response to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe al that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).

Theophilus had to learn these truths and Dr. Luke had to tell him no doubt out of concern for his salvation. He so wanted Theophilus to know that Jesus Christ really is who He said that He is. That every promise of going to the cross to die and to be raised again was true.

Now in Acts, Luke is wanting to continue his writing on what it is that Jesus Christ continued to do after His resurrection. The Apostle Paul teaches us that there were many witnesses to the fact of His resurrection (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11). When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He just continued to teach the disciples (Acts 1:1-2). In His teaching He gave directions to the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and there the Holy Spirit would come upon them (1:4-5).

But were the disciples concerned about the coming of the Holy Spirit? Well, it appears that they were more concerned still of the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ that would reign here on earth. After Jesus Christ gives them directions, they asked Him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? (1:6). Again, just as He did with Nicodemus, He points their sights to the proper perspective. They were to remain there in Jerusalem because they were to receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon them and they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (1:8). After giving this further instruction to the disciples, the Scriptures tell us that while they were still looking at Jesus, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight (1:9). The amazement never ends with Jesus Christ!

Those who were there were just standing amazed and gazing at the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:10). And then, all of a sudden, two men who were dressed in white garments informs them of Jesus’ future plans. They said to the disciples, This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven (1:11).

But what does all of this mean for you and me today? There is a very simple answer to this question but sometimes we make it so complex. The answer is this: We are to tell others of what it is that we have seen and known of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to reach out to those around us – wherever we are – and tell them of this Jesus Christ. We can’t just sit here thinking that people will come to know Jesus Christ unless we are about the business of witnessing and telling others of this saving grace that He gives to all who believe.

Exalting Jesus!

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.
-John 3:14-15

One of the most inspiring stories in all of Scripture is when Nicodemus meets Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dead of night, most likely because he didn’t want any of the other Pharisees to see him speaking with Jesus. He makes an startling statement when he says, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him (John 3:2). Now although Nicodemus was concerned with the signs that Jesus had done, Jesus cuts right to the chase and answers him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven (3:3). No punches thrown – directly to the heart of the issue.

The issue with Jesus is not that He can perform miracles and signs and wonders; He’s God and God can do those things. The issue with Jesus is that He is able to give eternal life to those who would believe in Him. Nicodemus, no doubt being an intelligent man, thinks that to be born again is not only impossible but it is a ridiculous notion as well. But that doesn’t stop Jesus. Jesus begins to tell Nicodemus what He means. In order for Nicodemus to be born again he must be born of the water and the Spirit (3:5). Now there are two interpretations for this saying. One interpretation says that the water refers to the physical birth and the Spirit refers to the spiritual birth. Another interpretation says that the water is representative of the Word of God – the Scriptures – and the Spirit refers to the working of the Holy Spirit in a man’s life. For argument sake, we will move forward with the second interpretation of these words.

Now Nicodemus must have been perplexed at this point because Jesus says to him in 3:7, Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ He apparently was trying to figure out exactly what it was that Jesus Christ was saying. He then illustrates how the Holy Spirit moves in the hearts and minds of men. Just as the wind blows where it does, so the Spirit moves in the way He does. You may hear the sound of the wind but you can’t see the wind; you only see the effects of the wind. So it is with the Holy Spirit. He moves in the hearts of men and you can’t see Him but you can see the effects of the Spirit moving in the lives of men. When the Holy Spirit brings a dead soul to life in Jesus Christ you can see the effects of said salvation.

Nicodemus is still not sure as the tenor of Jesus Christ’s words. He asks Jesus in 3:9, How can these things be? Jesus Christ, who apparently has a great sense of humor, says to Nicodemus, Aren’t you a teacher of Israel? You mean to tell me you don’t have a clue? Now the Pharisees prided themselves on knowing what the Scriptures say, but Nicodemus had no idea that what he knows from the Old Testament Scriptures is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus chides Nicodemus knowing that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Remember, Nicodemus was more concerned with the miracles and signs and wonders; Jesus is concerned for His soul.

Now Jesus knows what He’s talking about and it makes it clear to Nicodemus: We speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man (3:11-13). Very clearly stated, Jesus Christ tells Nicodemus who He is. This is the case with all of us who have believed in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ, we can’t know anything about God. Without Jesus Christ, there is no such thing as knowledge of our need for salvation from sin and self.

So what does Jesus Christ say at this point? And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life (3:14-15). There it is! Exaltation of Himself! Jesus Christ declaring that He is the One who can give life that is eternal, abundant and free from the clutches of sin and self. What Nicodemus failed to know and understand was that everything that he knew about the Old Testament Law and Prophets was lifting up the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Savior. But what does all of this mean for you and for me today?

It simply means that we, too, must exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in every area of our various ministries at the First Baptist Church of Leonard. Our purpose is to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and to make Him known to as many as we possibly can. This means that whether it is children’s ministry, music ministry, student ministry or adult ministry the Lord Jesus Christ is to be at the forefront of everything that we teach.

Samuel's Growth

Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. 1 Samuel 2:26

Eli's sons were worthless. They were not serving the people of God as they should because they did not know the Lord. They would take food from those who were cooking. If they did not want to go and get the food themselves they would simply send their servants to steal the food even before the fat of the meat was cut off. These young men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt (1 Samuel 2:17).

But there was this little one who did not do what these two did. His name was Samuel. His mother, Hannah, had prayed and asked the Lord for a child. She was barren and the other wife of her husband had born children and harrassed Hannah for not having any. However, the Scriptures record that her husband loved Hannah more than Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:6). This was no small thing! If a woman was unable to bear children in their day it was to her shame -- she must have done something to cause the Lord to close her womb; she must have sinned against the Lord.

But this was not the case with Hannah. She prayed for a child. She went to the temple and prayed and the priest, Eli, saw her praying. He thought that she must have been drunk because she was praying silently yet her lips were moving. She was lamenting; she was mourning for the lack of children. Once Hannah told Eli for what she was praying, he blessed her and sent her on her way.

The Lord answers prayer! He gave a male child by the name of Samuel to Hannah. Hannah in turn gave the male child back to the Lord that he might be used in ministry by Him. She delivered Samuel to Eli when he was young to minister to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).

Eli, on the other hand, had two boys that were out of control. They would sin against the Lord and against people. They would take forks and take meat from others who were to prepare it properly for the priests but they would eat meat with fat and from every indication, even raw! This was not the case with Samuel: He was ministering before the Lord, as he was clothed in a linen ephod (1 Samuel 2:18).

Eli was now an old man. He knew that his sons were treacherous before the Lord and before the people. But an interesting note is given about Samuel. It is found in 1 Samuel 2:26,

Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

What a great verse! It is a foreshadowing of One who would come after him. Samuel was grew to be a man who's character had grown to be that of a Godly character. He grew in favor with the Lord and with man. He was a blessed man and a man to whom people could turn in the economy of his day. Samuel knew that his calling was to be a servant of the Lord God -- he knew what he was to do in service to the Lord.

So, why would I even write about all of this? Simply put, we too are to grow in stature and favor with God and with men. It is an unsavory thing to see how some Christians act with others. If we are rude then we have not the favor of God. However, if we show kindness toward others then we have favor with God. Why? Because He has shown us kindness. If we are in sin in the midst of a lost and dying world, then we have no stature or favor. Why? Because if we are living in sin then certainly God is not going to show favor toward sin -- He is holy! As far as others go, we will not gain any favor while living in sin because we claim our faith to be in Jesus Christ.

Basically, what I am getting at is that it is time for us not to be hypocritical and try to disguise ourselves with spiritual terms, but let us be honest enough to admit when we have sinned, when we have fallen out of stature and favor with the Lord and with men. When we confess it and repent of it then the stature and favor returns. I'm so grateful for the Lord who loves me enough to teach me that I still have a lot of growing to do.