Crushed for Our Sins

Isaiah 53:2-6 (NLT)
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    

like a root in dry ground.


There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    

nothing to attract us to him.


3 He was despised and rejected—
    

a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.


We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    

He was despised, and we did not care.

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    

it was our sorrows that weighed him down.


And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    

a punishment for his own sins!


5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    

crushed for our sins.


He was beaten so we could be whole.
    

He was whipped so we could be healed.


6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.


Yet the Lord laid on him
    
Reflection
“It’s got to be Jesus!” This is the answer we often hear back in children’s ministry, a typical church response when kids don’t really know the answer, or they just want to win a prize. While shouting out “Jesus!” isn’t always the answer we are looking for, it’s not necessarily wrong, either. Because eventually, everything points back to Jesus; it really is all about Him! It has always been all about Jesus. The entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, reference a Savior, a Redeemer, a Son of God, whom we know as Jesus.

The prophet, Isaiah, prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth about a man who would redeem mankind from their sins. This man would be known as God’s Servant, but as we read Isiah’s account, we quickly realize this is no ordinary man. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” These verses reference how Jesus was beaten and crucified on the cross, the account of which can be found in all four gospels of the New Testament. This servant whom Isaiah laments over is Jesus!

God laid the punishment we deserve for our sins on His Son Jesus because He is the only One that would qualify; He did no wrong, which makes Him the perfect sacrifice. Jesus did what we could not! He died so that we can live with Him forever. Because of His perfect sacrifice, we can have a relationship with a holy God. This is known as righteousness, or being in right standing with God. Really think about that for a second: I know we say things like this a lot and don’t really think about the implications, but we are in right standing with an awesome God because of the righteousness of Jesus. Our faith in Him seals this promise. His sacrifice allows us the right to speak to the Creator; the all-powerful, all knowing, all loving God about our problems. A real, authentic relationship is ours to have. We can commune with God for hours or days at a time. We can stay in His presence as long as we’d like. Whatever we want, we cannot exhaust God with our prayers. He loves when His children go to Him. So use this privilege Jesus gave us and talk to the Father today!

Action Step
Think about some ways that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has brought you freedom and praise God for His perfect plan!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that I can go to Your throne room and into Your presence whenever I need You. Thank You for Jesus’ sacrifice for the punishment I deserved and for Your grace over my sins. Remind me to always go to You first and show me the areas in my life that I need to submit to Your wisdom. I want to have a heart like You. Amen.