“ASTONISHED!” Isaiah 52:13-15 Understanding the PASSION of the Christ

Isaiah 52:13-15 “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished at you, so His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; for what had not been told them, they will see, and what they had not heard, they will understand.”

Luke 23:33,34 “And when they came to the place called ‘The Skull’, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.’”

AN INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 53! ISAIAH 53: PART 1: THE SERVANT WHO SUFFERS (53:1-9) PART 2: THE KING WHO TRIUMPHS (53:10-12)

ASTONISHED! AMAZING! ASTOUNDING! ASTONISHING! SHOCKING STUNNING! STARTLING! SPEECHLESS! THE WOW FACTOR OF THE PASSION!

I. ASTONISHED AT WHO HE IS! “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT…” (52:13) (They were expecting a king!) “ebed” Hebrew word for servant’/ ‘slave’ (one who had no will of his own) “I have come to do the will of Him who sent me…” (Jn. 6:38) “…nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.” (Lk. 22:42)

COMPARE PROPHETS: Zechariah 9:9 “Behold, my king” Isaiah 53:13 “Behold, Thy servant” Zechariah 6:42 “Behold the man” Isaiah 40:9 “Behold, your God” GOSPELS: Matthew Christ is a king Mark Christ is a servant Luke Christ is a man John Christ is God

II. ASTONISHED AT HIS SUCCESS! “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WILL PROSPER (ACT WISELY) HE WILL BE HIGH AND LIFTED UP AND GREATLY EXALTED” (Isa. 52:13) (He will not fail in His mission!)

SUCCESS UPON SUCCESS UPON SUCCESS! “HE WILL BE HIGH AND LIFTED UP AND HIGHLY EXALTED!” A TOTAL AND COMPLETE SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING! HIGH! HIGHER! HIGHEST! (RESURRECTION) (ASCENSION) (CORONATION)

III. ASTONISHED AT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SERVANT! “Just as many were astonished at you, so His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” (Isaiah 52:14) THE SERVANT SUFFERS! THE SERVANT EXPERIENCES HUMILIATION! THE SERVANT BECOMES UNRECOGNIZABLE!

THE UNEXPECTED SHOCK! WHAT HAPPENS LOOKS LIKE DEFEAT! WHAT HAPPENS LOOKS LIKE FAILURE! WHAT HAPPENS LOOKS LIKE IT’S OVER!

IV. ASTONISHED AT THE SERVANTS EXALTATION! “Thus, He will sprinkle (startle) many nations, kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard, they will understand.” Isaiah 52:15 HE’S BACK! NOW WHAT? THEY ARE SPEECHLESS!

THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND “WE SPEAK GOD’S HIDDEN WISDOM IN A MYSTERY…WISDOM WHICH NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS AGE UNDERSTOOD FOR IF THEY HAD UNDERSTOOD IT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY.” (1 COR. 2:7-8)

THE INTRODUCTION TO THE PASSION! (700 YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED) HE IS COMING AS THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH! HE IS SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THE FATHER’S WILL! HE IS HUMILIATED AS HE SUFFERS FOR MANS’ SINS (YET TO BE FULFILLED) HE IS EXALTED AS HE RETURNS IN GLORY!

GOD’S ASTONISHING PLAN! GOD’S PLAN IS ASTONISHING BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT MAN WOULD NEVER EXPECT GOD TO DO! GOD’S PLAN IS ASTONISHING BECAUSE IT IS GOOD NEWS FOR MAN’S HELPLESS CONDITION! GOD’S PLAN IS ASTONISHING BECAUSE THE WORLD HASN’T HEARD THE END OF THE STORY!

APPLICATION STEPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS EASTER/PASSION SEASON

THE KEY QUESTION GOD’S PLAN IS SO ASTONISHING THAT THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED: “WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR MESSAGE?” (ISA. 53:1)