Friday 16 May 2014

Read: Isaiah 53:1-12

This week we have seen God's judgment poured out on sinful and broken humanity. We have seen God's judgment in the flood, fire from heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah, His wrath carried out against the people of Canaan and His anger against the Ninevites. But in each of these cases we have also seen how God graciously provides a way of salvation and rescue for His people. God is both the just judge of sin and the gracious Saviour of sinners.

Witness Moment

Colossians 4:5-6 tell us to make the most of every opportunity. You do this by speaking out and living out the cross with everyone you interact with. Do that today.

Nowhere in scripture are these two attributes more clearly seen side by side than in Jesus Christ crucified for the sins of the world. Here at the cross both God's justice and grace are shown in all their splendour. Isaiah writes about this hundreds of years beforehand in Isaiah 53. Let's see this incredible event from two perspectives.

Judgment

At the cross Jesus willingly suffered the full wrath and judgment of God for all of our sins against Him. Isaiah talks about this clearly in verse 5: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."

This isn't the only mention of this in this passage. Verse 6 says that the Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. Verse 10 tells us that the Lord crushed Him and made him suffer so that He would be a guilt offering for us. Verse 12 tells us that He bore the sins of many. Jesus suffered to pay the price for our sin and rebellion against God. The punishment that Jesus suffered was not merely physical, it was the wrath of God against sinful mankind being poured out on Him. God's righteous judgment of sinful people is poured out on Jesus at the cross. He suffers it all... Does God judge and punish sinners? Yes.

Grace

Which brings us to the grace of the cross. The full measure of God's judgment is clearly poured out on Jesus. God would have been totally justified and right to pour that judgment out on us. We were the ones who deserved judgment. Just like the flood we would have been washed away by the sheer weight of our sin. Just like Sodom and Gomorrah we should have burned for all that we did. Like the Canaanites we should have been slaughtered without mercy.

But God shows us incredible grace and mercy through Christ. He willingly chooses to take on Himself the punishment that we deserve. He provides a substitute who can take the wrath that we deserve. These same passages about God's judgment on Jesus reveal our only source of hope and salvation. All of our sin has been taken by Him and we stand before God righteous in Him. God has provided a way of salvation.

Let us fall before our just, righteous and gracious God and give Him all praise and glory for what He has done! Hallelujah!

Discussion Questions for families and groups

1. Explain in non-church language how judgment and grace meet at the cross.
2. How is God's justice fulfilled at the cross?
3. How can a just God justify sinners by the cross?

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Praise God for the grace He showed us at the cross. Thank Him that He provided a sacrifice in Christ Jesus and that through Him our sins have been paid for forever.
• Pray for the youth group as they gather tonight at ChristLife. Pray that God would grow them in their love for Him and their desire to serve Him. Pray that they might be witnesses of Him to the world around them.

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