December 4, 2019

Redeeming the Lost Sheep

Isaiah 53

Ben Pollard
Wednesday's Devo

December 4, 2019

Wednesday's Devo

December 4, 2019

Central Truth

Lost sheep need the good shepherd! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11, emphasis added.)

Key Verse | Isaiah 53:6

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.

 

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what he has heard from us? 1 53:1 Or Who has believed what we have heard?
    And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected 2 53:3 Or forsaken by men,
    a man of sorrows 3 53:3 Or pains; also verse 4 and acquainted with 4 53:3 Or and knowing grief; 5 53:3 Or sickness; also verse 4
and as one from whom men hide their faces 6 53:3 Or as one who hides his face from us
    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.
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.
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.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10  Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
    he has put him to grief; 7 53:10 Or he has made him sick
when his soul makes 8 53:10 Or when you make his soul an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see 9 53:11 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll he shall see light and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
12  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, 10 53:12 Or with the great
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 11 53:12 Or with the numerous
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Footnotes

[1] 53:1 Or Who has believed what we have heard?
[2] 53:3 Or forsaken
[3] 53:3 Or pains; also verse 4
[4] 53:3 Or and knowing
[5] 53:3 Or sickness; also verse 4
[6] 53:3 Or as one who hides his face from us
[7] 53:10 Or he has made him sick
[8] 53:10 Or when you make his soul
[9] 53:11 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll he shall see light
[10] 53:12 Or with the great
[11] 53:12 Or with the numerous

Dive Deeper | Isaiah 53

Scripture is very clear about the problem that exists between God (Creator) and His greatest creation (mankind). "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way . . . . " (Isaiah 53:6a) We forfeit the green pastures and still waters (Psalm 23:2) for uninhabited salt land (Jeremiah 17:6).  

In Romans 3:10b-12, the apostle Paul quotes Psalm 14 and 53. 

"None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good, not even one."

Really, no one? I don't think I truly understood that. I was sure that I was good—God was pleased with me, and He would bless me. Ultimately, I wanted God's provision, not Him.

Isaiah 53 offers a thorough picture of God's plan for redeeming the "lost sheep" through the picture of a suffering servant, "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3a). For man to be restored to right relationship with a Holy God, a sacrifice was necessary. "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 . . . . ” (Isaiah 53:10a). 

It was Jesus who submitted to the will of His Father (Luke 22:42). In doing so, Jesus became an acceptable sacrifice for the world (1 John 2:2). "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Lost sheep need the good shepherd! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11, emphasis added) That is the shepherd we sing about, leaving the 99 to rescue us (Luke 15:3-7)! I rejoice during this Advent season that He is my shepherd (Psalm 23:1). I am part of His flock!

Discussion Questions

1. Was there a time when you realized you were a lost sheep? Think back on how God pursued you and give Him thanks!

2. Advent is a period of spiritual preparation when Christians should ready themselves for the coming, or birth, of the Lord Jesus Christ. What steps are you taking to celebrate Advent?

3. What can you do during this Holiday season to keep Christ at the center of your celebration?