Monday, March 13, 2023

March 12 Sermon and Announcements

 CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

March 12, 2023


Who Is Jesus? – Part 3

Isaiah 53:7-10


As we continue our look at Who Is Jesus a little review. Two

weeks ago we read how the Messiah would come from what

would seem to be an average home. He would have nothing

special going for him that might attract people to him. Last

week we read how Jesus was rejected by most of the people he

came to minister to. How he would be verbally and mentally

abused by those same people. Yet Jesus would not abandon the

mission before him.


This week we see just how far the son of man will go to fulfill

his calling. In verse 7 we read that he was oppressed and

afflicted yet did not open his mouth, he was led like a lamb to

the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he

did not open his mouth. In Matthew 27:12, we read, “When he

was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no

answer.” Continuing with verse 13, “Pilate asked him, don’t you

hear the testimony they are bringing again you?” Verse 14,


“Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge to the great

amazement of the governor.”


In Isaiah 53:8 we read he was cut off from the land of the living

for the transgressions of my people he was stricken.” Going

back to Matthew 37 we see in verse 27-31 how the soldiers

mocked him and abused him. Jesus was led off to be killed on

the cross. Death that was reserved for only the most evil

criminals of the day. Isaiah 53:9 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. As Jesus

stood before Pilate a short time before the soldiers would mock

and abuse him. Also right before he would be hung on the

cross, Pilate made this pronouncement as we read in Matthew

27:24, “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but

instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his

hands in front of the crowd. I am innocent of this man’s blood

he said, it is your responsibility.” Even as Jesus hung dying on

the cross the abuse and taunting continued. In the final verse,

we read in Isaiah 53 we are told it was the Lord’s will to crush

him and cause him to suffer and though the Lord makes his life

a guilt offering he will see his offspring and prolong his days and

the will of the Lord will prosper his hand.


This morning we are going to focus on the first half of verse 10.

Last week we saw how Jesus cried out to God the Father when


all the sins of the world were placed upon him right before he

died. When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God why hast thou

forsaken me?” Just as it said in verse 10 of Isaiah 53, “It was the

Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.” All the things

mentioned in those first 10 verses of Isaiah 57 were coming

true. In verse 3 we read he would be despised and rejected. In

verse 4 it says he would take our infirmities and carry our

sorrows. Verse 5 says we would be pierced for our

transgressions and crushed for our iniquities and by his wounds

we would be healed. Then what we read once again this

morning he would be oppressed and afflicted, led away like a

lamb to the slaughter, verse 7. Verse 8, cut off from the land of

the living for our transgressions. Verse 9, assigned a grave with

the wicked and in verse 10, “The Father God would make His

life a guilt offering.” And yet in the last half of the 10 th verse, we

see hope is on the way.


We will look at the last two verses of Isaiah 53 next Sunday, but

we see that everything promised to God’s people during

Isaiah’s time came true. It came true exactly as it had been

promised. To mention it yet again, this was given to God’s

people 700 years before it happened. The children of Israel

were looking for the Savior. There had been earlier promises

made so they were hoping he would come during their lifetime.

Yet we see that when the Savior did come to His people they

rejected Him. Jesus did not save them the way they wanted to


be saved. Throughout most of our nation’s history we have

enjoyed greater freedom than virtually any nation in the past

3000 years. Even those who have felt oppressed have enjoyed

greater opportunity than many throughout history.


So I wonder how would I have acted if I had been waiting for

the Messiah and things did not match what some of the leader I

thought I could trust had told me would happen? Would I have

been one who would have taken a step of faith and tried to

follow Jesus? Or would I have been like the Pharisees and

rejected this Messiah who did not measure up to what I was

hoping for? I cannot say it enough how God’s word proves, if

we feel we need proof, that there is a God who is in control. A

God who knows what we need before we know what we need.

A God who loved us enough to come to earth and experience

what we go through and was willing to do what we could never

do for ourselves.


Next Sunday we will finish this most significant chapter of

prophesy in the Bible. We will see just what God’s people

during Isaiah’s time was told would be the result of all that was

predicted. And we will maybe get a better understanding of

what it was to mean to those who actually saw it come true as

well as all who would come after.


May God continue to bless His word and use it to open the eyes

of those living in darkness, those who are outcast, those who

are afflicted, those who need healing, or in other words “all of us”. Amen.

Pastor Larry


Announcements:


Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study


March 28 12:00 Women’s Fellowship luncheon


Mowing sign up list is in the back. Thank you in advance to

those who sign up.


Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you for

your continued giving!


Donation Box: Camp Emmanuel

First Sundays: food donations for food banks


Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362


To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by

clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link) and on facebook

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon,

announcements, & calendar) and on facebook


Keep in Your Prayers


Family of Charlotte Shively; Todd Henricks; Tate Sawyer; Jonah Martina; Jan Bower; Larry

Traxler; Michelle West; Michelle’s mom; Carolyn Hirsch; Eli

Brunner; Nancy Fansler; Joe Waltz; Doug Larrick; Ron &

Kathleen Petersen; Debbie Leibrock; Dorthea Wood; Tina

Wilhelm; Mindy Sawyer; Marlene Schultz; Carl and Wilma

Cable; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Adiline Young; Kim

Lehmann; Doug Fansler; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo &

Darlene Hanaver; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren;

Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus;

healthcare workers and first responders; victims of disasters;

victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Nigerian church; Haitian

Brethren; Ukraine; Hope Welty Library; Florida; Puerto Rico;

Turkey/Syria earthquake

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

District Prayer Calendar: Chicago First Church and the

Intercultural Ministries Office


Church of the Brethren vision statement:

Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately live

and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus

Christ through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To

move us forward, we will develop a culture of calling and

equipping disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.


Our Mission Statement:


Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

No comments:

Post a Comment