I want to talk about basics today
• We talk about a lot of things from the pulpit but sometimes the most important things get lost in the shuffle
• Things like the Bible
o Haddon Robinson said the Bible in our pulpits “resembles the national anthem played at a football game ‐‐ it gets things started but is not heard again during the afternoon.”
• Things like sin
o Patrick Henry said, “The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable” but that is certainly not what the world and even many churches teach today.
• But so frequently the person that gets lost the most is Jesus
o Most everyone agrees on God, but few agree on Jesus
o He is the single most controversial character in history
o S.M. Lockridge wrote a sermon called “The Seven Way King” or “That’s My King” and I’d like to read part of it to you. And then we’re going to talk some more about Jesus.
Isaiah 53
• Why did Jesus come to earth?
o He came to die. He was God’s perfect sacrifice, a propitiation for our sins
o So today as we talk about basics I want to explore Jesus as the sacrifice, or offering
• There are 5 offerings in the beginning of Leviticus and Isaiah paints a picture of Christ as each of these offerings. The narrative actually begins in the 52nd chapter of Isaiah with verse 13, (READ IS. 52:13‐15)
• Here we see Jesus presented as a burnt offering
o The entirety of the burnt offering is consumed with the exception of the skin
o The offering goes up to God as a sweet savour
o V. 13 says Christ was “raised and lifted up and highly exalted.”
o Jesus asked that the cup pass from Him, but then He finished the thought with “not my will but Yours God.” He was a complete sacrifice so we might be forgiven and accepted.
o V. 14 says, “so will he (Jesus) sprinkle many nations.” Just as the ashes rise from the fire and float to the ground His sacrifice covers “many nations;” His sacrifice covers everyone.
• READ IS. 53:1‐3
• Here we see Jesus presented as a meal offering
o The meal offering involved no blood. Rather it used fine flour, oil and frankincense
o Because there is not blood this offering symbolizes the perfect life of Christ
o V. 2 says, “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He was placed on earth by the Father to be a man, fully divine yet fully human
o His life characterized the meal offering: fine flour, oil and frankincense.
* Just as the fine flour was sifted to be flawless and perfectly even His life was sinless
* Just as the offering is mixed with oil his life was anointed with the presence of the Holy Spirit
* Just as the offering contains the sweet aroma of frankincense so His life was a sweet aroma and savor to His Father.
o And again v. 3 emphasizes he was “a man of sorrows”
• Read IS. 53:4‐6
• Here Jesus is our peace offering
o Every single thing that could steal our peace was taken on by Him
o V. 5 says, “the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him.”
o The peace offering was a shared offering
* The blood, fat and kidneys of the offering were put on the altar for God
* The breast was given to Aaron and his sons
* The right should was given to the offering priest
* God and man fed on the same offering… communion with God!
o Eph. 2:14 says, “For He Himself is our peace.”
o Do you have peace? You should!
* What prevents your peace? What is greater than God?
* V. 5 says, “by His wounds we are healed.” It’s right there! Take it!
* Think you’re too bad? What does v. 6 say? “We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” No one is beyond God’s forgiveness and peace
• READ IS. 53:7‐9
• Here Jesus is our sin offering
o Up to this point we’ve been dealing with voluntary or “sweet savour” offerings.
o The sin offering is the first of two non‐voluntary offerings.
o The sin offering is an offering for our sinful nature and even for our unknown sins
o For this offering the entire bullock (young bull) was burnt on the ground outside the camp. It was consumed completely.
o This offering symbolizes Christ being literally made sin for us
* V. 8 says, “by oppression and judgment he was taken away.”
• That oppression and judgment belonged to us. We completely earned it.
• Jesus, on the other hand, was perfect. V. 9 says, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
• 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
• He was forsaken by His Father and wore our sins. He loves us that much.
• What do you do with a Savior like that?
o You love Him; You worship Him; You serve Him
• READ IS. 53:10‐12
• Finally we see Jesus as our trespass offering
o This is the offering for purposeful sin
o We fell, and someone has to pay for it
o V. 10 says God, “makes his (Jesus) life a guilt offering.”
o Jesus takes the guilt, and what do we get in return?
* V. 10 – “he will see his offspring and prolong his days.” We get life
* V. 11 – “by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many…” We get justification: “Just as if I’d never sinned.” The scales are balanced
* V. 12 – “For he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” We get an intercessor, a perfect high priest, a man familiar with our temptations. We get a friend.
I want to give you one more thing from Isaiah: an invitation. Just a few verses later Isaiah says this:
READ IS. 55:1‐3
Maybe you’d like to come down here today, kneel at the altar and thank God for His provision in Christ. Maybe you need to set some things right. Maybe you need to get your life back to the basics of Jesus. If you want to talk I’ll be sitting here in the front row for a little while, and then we’ll sing a closing song.