This is the second message in a recent series called Foundations of the Cross.
This message looks at Jesus Christ, the Arm of the Lord. It continues to look at what Christ accomplished for us on the cross.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD.
Message Outline
INTRODUCTION
Without the cross we are hopeless, with the cross we have full confidence, without the cross, we are helpless, with the cross we have all strength, without the cross we are lost, with the cross we are placed in the family of God, without the cross we are bound for eternal damnation, with the cross we have an eternal place in heaven, without the cross we are sinners, with the cross we are new creations.
Verse - Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
HOW MAN SAW THE SUFFERING MESSIAH
Verse - Isaiah 53:1-3
Isaiah anticipates at least two things here. First, he predicts how extraordinary and contradictory it seems that this suffering Messiah, whose appearance is disfigured beyond being recognizable, is at the same time salvation and cleansing to the nations.
Second, he predicts the rejection of the Messiah, that many would not believe the report.
JESUS IS THE ARM OF THE LORD
The arm of the LORD is a picture of His strength, power, and might. Verses - Psalm 98:1, Deuteronomy 7:18-19 and Acts 13:17
The strength, power, and might of God will be expressed in/through the suffering and seemingly weak King (Saviour).
Verses - 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
God’s wisdom is often in contradiction to our expectations. God’s strength is often found in what we consider weaknesses. Verses Matthew 5:3 and Matthew 5:5
Isaiah is predicting in this passage that the arm of the Lord is a person. Israel had seen God’s arm move and bring them victory, but now that arm of salvation would be through God’s servant – Jesus.
Verse - 1 Corinthians 1:24
You cannot experience the power and wisdom of God without experiencing Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus is the Arm of the Lord.
JESUS IS THE TENDER PLANT
Verse - Luke 2:52
A tender plant is weak and vulnerable - unless it is before God. In God’s presence, that which seems to be weak is strong. God will sustain and preserve it with His presence.
We need to be like a tender plant before God. When we are tender, weak, and vulnerable before God when we surrender and submit to Him, when we surrender to Him and follow His Word, God has a way of taking that and creating in us His strength, ability, and bringing out His fruit. Verse - Psalm 1:1-3
JESUS IS THE ROOT OUT OF DRY GROUND
Jesus grew up in the region of Galilee which was occupied by Rome. If you considered the spiritual, political climates, and Roman rule, it was a time of dry ground.
Out of the dead dry ground, God can bring life. Verse - Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground;
Out of what looks hopeless, God can bring hope. Out of what looks helpless and useless, God can make a way. Jesus is the root, but He is also the water of life.
Verse - John 4:14
Jesus is the root, He is the water of life.
JESUS HAD NO FORM OR MAJESTY
Jesus was not a man of extraordinary beauty or physical appearance.
Thought Of Application: How often in the church do we try to attract people to Jesus by making the Gospel naturally appealing (dress up the gospel) and we use methods that run counter to the nature of Jesus.
JESUS WAS DESPISED AND REJECTED
Verse - Luke 10:21 At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit
He was so familiar with sorrow and grief that He would be called a Man of sorrows. In our lives, most of our sorrow is us feeling sorry for ourselves. Jesus never once felt sorry for Himself. His sorrow was for others, and for the fallen, desperate condition of humanity.
You see the heart of Jesus towards people all through the stories of scripture.
Verses - Mark 6:34, Luke 7:13 and Matthew 20:34
He went through adversities. Verse - Hebrews 4:15
Seek and save. Verse - Luke 19:10
Walking the road to be crucified. Verse - Luke 26:27-28
Why? Verse - 2 Peter 3:9b He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
Application: So often we are so concerned with ourselves (we are so concerned with what makes us happy) that we don’t have time to be sorrowful for others who are lost, who are hurting who are broken.
Verse - 1 Timothy 3 - one of the requirements for leaders in the church is that they are sober-minded.
WE DID NOT ESTEEM JESUS
There was nothing naturally beautiful or charismatic about Jesus. He was rejected because He was not what people were looking for. They wanted a king and they got a humble man of sorrows. He was rejected because He wasn’t politically correct. He is being rejected and hated today because He is not what many people look for or want in a god.
CLOSING
The Arm is revealed (Jesus), but only to those who have ‘believed our report’. Faith is the condition of our response to receiving Jesus.
Verse - 2 Peter 3:9b He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
The arm of the Lord, the salvation of God, Jesus is available to those who turn in repentance to Him and receive Him by faith.
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