Hard Questions

Isaiah 53:1-2

Hard questions coming from someone you respect or maybe you fear, because they first know the answer, and second they may have authority over you.  Think about your childhood, mother or dad asked a question, it went something like this in my home, “Bobby, have you been playing with the matches under the house again?”  My answer, “Matches?” as if it was the first time I had heard the word.  My mom asks, “Bobby do you have homework?” and the answer is no or not much, that is until it is time for bed and I confess one small fact, I have homework that is due in the morning.  What about work and the boss asks if your expense report is up to date, like he does not know you are three months behind.  In fact, it may be your wife who asks; “Honey, did you pick up the items I need to cook dinner?”  Now we all know she has ask that question more than once and should know the answer; you heard the request that morning but that was 6:45 and it is now 6:00 pm and many fires had to be put out between that time.

The prophet Isaiah has some hard questions for each of us, do not fool yourself into believing it was only for the community he was living in.  Here is the question: “Who has believed what they have heard?  This question has rung in the ears of mankind, that question holds the hope or condemnation of all mankind.  The Suffering Servant, the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the answer to Isaiah’s second question: “And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to?”  The Suffering Servant revealed the victorious power to us!

The people of God need to awaken, we put our hope in things, we put value in looks and charm, even in skin color, but not in integrity.  Our politicians lie and we do not hold them accountable, we put value in our currency and it is no more than a house of cards built on paper, and only has the value of paper.  Our culture is newer and we think smarter than the culture of Isaiah’s time, but are we?  Do we not place value on the same things they did; a person’s appearance, not the character, morality, and integrity.  Isaiah has shown how people will perceive Jesus, a young plant growing up in dry ground, if you live in the Texas hills you understand dry ground, the plants wither for lack of water.  This is the image of the man of suffering, much like a plant that withers and is pulled up, so will man reject the Suffering Servant.  Listen, read, and reread verse 3, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hid their faces, he was despised and we esteemed Him not.” 

The apostle John gives this insight; “The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him.  He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.  But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.  The Word became flesh and took up residence among us.  We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:9-14)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice