April 11, 2010
1. American Idol, The Bachelor, and Dancing with the Stars have all been popular t.v. programs in recent years. What message do these shows send regarding society’s view of physical beauty?
2. Read Isaiah 53:2-3; I Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 31:30 and II Timothy 2:9-10. From reading these portions of Scripture, what value do you think that God places on physical beauty?
3. Read Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15, Psalm 27:4 and I Peter 3:3-4. What is beautiful to God?
4. Please read Isaiah 53 in it’s entirety. How did people respond to the appearance of Jesus the Messiah?
5. Isaiah 53:3 reads: “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” Do you equate with any of these descriptions? Have you ever felt:
Despised?
Forsaken?
Sorrowful, acquainted with grief?
Not esteemed?
6. Hebrews 2:17 says “Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us when we are being tempted.” (NLT)
How does it impact you to know that Jesus Christ suffered and willingly allowed people the choice to despise and forsake Him, esteeming Him not? Can you relate to this kind of love?
7. Truly the people in Jesus’ day struggled with the concept of a suffering Messiah, even though Isaiah 53 clearly indicates that this is how He would come. Why do you think this was true?
They could not relate to this kind of Messiah even though it was written. They did not want this kind of Messiah so they rejected the message. This passage did not fit with their theology so they dismissed it. Other.
8. Matthew Henry, Bible commentator who lived from 1662-1714 said, “The low condition He submitted to, and His appearance in the world, were not agreeable to the ideas the Jews had formed of the Messiah...He had nothing of the glory which one might have thought to meet with Him. His whole life was not only humble as to outward condition, but also sorrowful....Carnal hearts see nothing in the Lord Jesus to desire an interest in Him.”
Why can a Messiah that is humble and sorrowful be such a delight to those who have invited Him into their heart yet be regarded as irrelevant by the rest of the world?
9. Henry goes on to say, “It was for our sins, and in our stead, that our Lord Jesus suffered. We have all sinned, and have come short of the glory of God...Our sins deserve all griefs and sorrows...We are saved from the ruin, to which by sin we become liable, by laying our sins on Christ.”
Why would Jesus, who never committed a sin or did anything wrong, willingly take on Himself all our human wrongdoing - accepting the blame for our most henius acts and harmful motives turned into shocking and shameless actions? What kind of love is that? What kind of Messiah is that? What kind of God?
10. As you consider the significance of this suffering Messiah described in Isaiah 53, what response in your life do you think is appropriate? Is there a decision to be made, a commitment to take, or a change of life direction to embrace?
Henry, Matthew Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible 682-683
Hebrews 2:17 (New Living Translation)
Isaiah 53 (New American Standard)
I Peter 3:3-4 (New American Standard)
Proverbs 31:30 (New American Standard)
Psalm 27:4 (New American Standard)
Romans 10:15 (New American Standard)
I Samuel 16:7 (New American Standard)
II Timothy 2:9-10 (New American Standard)
Walvoord & Zuck The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1107
