We'll be reading from Isaiah 53, verses 7 through 9. These verses speak about Jesus, the suffering servant, and particularly focus on his willingness to suffer for us. Let's hear God's word. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. and they made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you For this passage of your word, we pray that you would open our eyes to understand it, that you would open our eyes to see and to love more the Lord Jesus, who willingly suffered and gave his life for us, for our sins, that sinners might be saved. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. These verses in Isaiah talk about Jesus' suffering and his death, and they focus on two aspects of his sufferings and of his death. First, they speak about his unjust treatment. And secondly, they speak about how he willingly suffered that unjust treatment. Verses seven and eight focus on the unjust treatment that Jesus received. Verse seven says that he was oppressed and he was afflicted. And verse eight speaks about him being taken from prison and from judgment. And this would be better translated that he was taken away by oppression and by judgment. That is, he was taken away to die on the cross. Every aspect of Jesus' trial and of his execution was done in an unjust way. There's a few of the ways that his trial was unjust. First, he was arrested secretly. That was because they were afraid of the people, afraid of doing it in the open. But not only was Jesus arrested secretly, he was tried secretly. And that was also unjust because God's law required that trials were supposed to be public. They were supposed to be in the gates of the city, and yet this was done secretly. Not only was the trial secret, but there weren't even formal charges when he was arrested or witnesses. Not only was that unjust, but when Jesus was silent, and wouldn't testify against himself, he was beaten. He was being treated as though he was already guilty, even though he had not been tried. So the Jewish religious leaders violated so many principles of God's word about how trials were to be done. But not only that, but they were trying to accuse him of anything that they could, and so the charges and the witnesses kept changing throughout the trial. Matthew 26 describes what happened. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last, two false witnesses came forward and said, this fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. So they kept trying to find false witnesses. And those false witnesses kept being discredited, and they couldn't even get them to agree. And so they kept trying to find new witnesses with new charges. And finally, they found two. And on the basis of their testimony, they accused him of blasphemy for trying to claim to be the Son of God. But of course, it wasn't blasphemy because he is the Son of God. But not only did they do that, but when they then took him to Pilate, they changed the charge. Instead of being accused of blasphemy, they accused him of trying to claim to be a king contrary to Caesar and to forbid people from paying taxes. So they even changed the charge. Not only that, but Pilate himself acknowledged that Jesus was innocent, and yet he condemned him to die because he was afraid. And he condemned him to be crucified, which was one of the most painful and shameful deaths imaginable. It was a death that was only given for the worst of criminals. And yet Jesus himself was completely innocent. Verse nine says, he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. He was completely innocent. In fact, he was the only sinless person who has ever lived. And yet, he was condemned to die, the innocent one, to die the death of the worst of criminals. And that was the greatest injustice in human history. Jesus was unjustly treated. But how did he respond to that injustice? He willingly suffered it. That's what verse seven says. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, he opened not his mouth. He suffered silently and willingly because he is the lamb of God. First Peter 2 describes just how Jesus suffered and endured that suffering, and it calls us to have that same attitude. It says, but when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but he committed himself to him who judges righteously." Jesus did not complain or revile. He committed himself to God to judge righteously and he suffered willingly. Even though he was innocent, he chose to suffer and lay down his life. Why? Well, verse eight gives us the answer. It says, for the transgressions of my people, he was stricken. Jesus died to save His people from their sins, for their transgressions. He died for us, for our sins, in our place, and He did it willingly. Hebrews 12 says that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame. Jesus endured the cross, looking forward in joy to being able to welcome his people into glory. That's just how much he loves us. John 15 says, greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. And that is what Jesus did. Romans 5 says, for when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Brothers and sisters, Just think about how much that Jesus loves you, that he would willingly suffer the greatest injustice in human history and endure the most cruel death imaginable. And he suffered not only physically, but he suffered even more suffering was bearing the wrath of God for our sins, dying in our place, and he would willingly endure all of this to save us from our sins. Let's rejoice and give thanks for such a great salvation. And also, let that cause us to hate our own sin and to turn from our own sins more, because it was for our transgressions that Jesus was stricken. Our sins are so evil that the only way they could be paid for, forgiven, was for Jesus to die that death on the cross. And yet, how often we can think lightly of them. Let's learn to think of them more seriously as they ought, and pray to the Lord to show us our errors and to cleanse us from our faults. Is there a sin that you are clinging to today? Forsake it, turn from it, and find the forgiveness and cleansing that Jesus offers in His blood. He died so that sinners who are enemies of God could be forgiven and could be reconciled and could have communion with Him. and that communion we can enjoy at the Lord's table. So if you are repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus today, then come to this table trusting in him as the Lamb of God who was stricken for your transgressions. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the suffering servant, you are the sinless Lamb of God, who suffered willingly, who endured the greatest injustice in human history, who suffered the cursed, humiliating, the horrible death of the cross to save us from our sins. Thank you for loving us so much to give your life. We thank you that you are now exalted to heaven, rain, and you now have spread a table before us where we can enjoy communion with you. We pray that you would help us to come to you in faith, forsaking our sins and enjoying fellowship and communion with you, may you impart your grace and your strength and your peace more and more into our lives. In Jesus' precious name we pray, amen.