MEMORY VERSE:
“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.” Isaiah 53:5
Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 6 are wonderful reminders of the power Jesus Christ has in our lives. Through His suffering we find forgiveness and healing.
I think it’s important to remember the message from both verses of this chapter so I’m breaking them down into two weeks. This week we’ll learn verse five and next week verse six.
Life has a way of breaking us down. We start out filled with good intentions. We plan to do the right thing and lead a good life, but eventually we run full speed into a construction zone. Here we’re forced to navigate life’s unfinished roads; complete with pot holes left behind from rain the storms dumped along the way.
The results aren’t pretty. We may find ourselves compromising our values, making questionable choices, and leading secret lives we never intended.
The crashes in life test our faith, cause us to doubt God’s goodness and prevailing power, and sometimes even lead us away from Him.
We find ourselves spiraling out of control, screaming in terror for someone to stop the ride of life so we can get off before we get sick!
I know we’ve all been there…the onset of depression, the loss of a child to addiction, the cancer diagnosis, the affair that slithered into your life, an abusive relationship. The circumstances may vary but we’ve all been there.
We’re left with feelings of remorse, guilt, anger, and shattered self-esteem. Complex emotions rage within and we’re at a loss to know where to turn or how to cope. We long for the super hero in our favourite movie to swoop down and save us.
Enter Jesus…stage right. He’s quiet and unassuming. He doesn’t wear Lycra tights. He doesn’t change in a phone booth or wear a cape. He doesn’t morph into a raging, green hulk. He doesn’t lead a double life, crawl up buildings, or have a tingly “spidey” sense.
At first glance He’s pretty boring in the world of super heroes. But take a second look. Jesus defends the weak; He helps the marginalized; He accepts the unaccepted. He loves with a love so deep it’s beyond our comprehension.
He dies on the cross for us; for our screw ups, our failures, and our guilt. He loves us and sacrifices Himself for us. What other super hero does that? That’s the super hero I want in my life. What about you?
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“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.” Isaiah 53:5
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