The Servant No One Expected (Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12)
From Pastor Robert
Written 700 years before Jesus was born, this passage is one of the most remarkable in all of Scripture. The prophet Isaiah paints a portrait of a Suffering Servant so precise and detailed that readers across centuries have stopped and asked: who is this?
God Says: "Behold, My Servant"
Before anyone else speaks, God speaks. He announces a Servant who will be "high and lifted up and exalted." This language is used elsewhere in Isaiah 6 for God Himself on His throne. But then we read that this same Servant is so disfigured that people are appalled at the sight of Him. Glory through suffering. Exaltation through humiliation. This is God's way, and it is not the way we would have written the story.
We Said of the Servant: "Not Him"
Isaiah then gives us the crowd's sobering response. The Servant grew up quietly, without an impressive appearance or earthly status. He looked ordinary; not like a movie star. He was "despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." People turned their faces away. They wrote Him off and looked elsewhere. This isn’t the Savior we want.
We also recognize ourselves in that crowd. We often prefer a Savior who meets our expectations. A powerful, triumphant, and visibly impressive Servant Savior. But Jesus came humbly and simply.
We Confess: "Our Wounds, His Cross"
The watching community finally sees and understands the Servant came to suffer in their place, for their sins: "He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
The innocent sinless Servant was not suffering for anything He had done. He was suffering for everything we had done. God loaded upon the Servant our moral guilt, our wandering, our rebellion and "laid on him the iniquity of us all." And like a lamb led quietly to slaughter, the Servant did not resist. His silence was not weakness; it was the willing, loving surrender of God’s own son to be the sacrifice for our sins.
Substitution: God saves us by the innocent One taking the place of the guilty. Our wounds and sorrows and sins carried by Him.
God Gets the Last Word: "It Is Finished"
God Speaks again. The Servant's death was not a tragedy; it was Plan A. The Servant's soul was made a guilt offering for sin, and through that offering, "many are accounted righteous." Yet, the Servant will "see his offspring, prolong his days, and be satisfied". This isthe language of resurrection and reward.
Jesus Himself, hanging on the cross put it this way: "It is finished" (John 19:30). Not a cry of defeat, but of complete victory over sin and death. The work is done. The debt is paid. The substitutionary sacrifice accepted.
Two Ways to Respond This Week
Isaiah 53 meets us right where we are.
1. Read again slowly and personally. Open your Bible to Isaiah 53 and read it aloud, replacing "our" and "we" with your own name. Let the personal pronouns do their work. These are not just words for ancient Israel they are words written about your sin, your healing, and your peace.
2. Offer a simple prayer of thanks to Christ the Suffering Servant Savior. You do not need elaborate words. "Lord, thank you that your Servant bore what I deserved" is a prayer God delights to hear. Rest today in the truth that His finished work is enough and there is nothing you need to add to that finished work of Jesus.
The One the world refused is the Savior we all need. His wounds are our healing. His cross is our peace. His victory is our hope.
Opportunities to Serve
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Volunteering in nursery or children’s ministry is a great way to get to know others at High Pointe and to serve our parents on Sunday mornings and other church gatherings. Reach out to Erin at erin@highpointeaustin.org.
God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents, and at High Pointe, we believe serving is how we use those gifts to bless others and advance His kingdom.
Whether you have 30 minutes a week or several hours, there's a place for you to serve in our children's ministry, as greeters, with the hospitality team, media/tech support, building and grounds, safety, community outreach efforts, and through administrative support. Reach out to find out more today: info@highpointeaustin.org.
Resources of the Week
WHAT TO SAY TO SOMEONE IN GRIEF 5 MINUTE VIDEO
Life at High Pointe
Emerald Crossing Vacation Bible School | May 31-June 3 | 6:00-8:30pm
Online registration is NOW OPEN for VBS! Please register for the area where you are willing to volunteer and/or contribute (snacks and decorating help, for example). You can also register children, students, and adults for VBS classes now. It’s not too early to tell your friends so they can mark their calendars for this year’s VBS!
Spring Life Classes
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. Our spring classes are from January 25th - May 31th. Click here to see which Life Classes are being offered!
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
April 26 | Isaiah 59:14-21 | The Only Feasible Option: Yahweh Himself will Accomplish It | Pastor Robert Cline
May 3 | Luke 17:1-10 | Our Life Together | Pastor Juan Sanchez
May 10 | Luke 17:11-19 | A Thankful Heart | Pastor Juan Sanchez
May 17 | Luke 17:20-37 | When Will the Kingdom Come? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
May 24 | Isaiah 60 | Light and Glory in the Risen City | Pastor Robert Cline
May 31 | Isaiah 61:1-11 | Spirit Filled Servant Brings Jubilee Freedom | Pastor Robert Cline
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: Immanuel Church, Fujairah, UAE
We have the privilege of partnering with pastor Jesse Brannen and Immanuel Church of Fujairah. Jesse and his wife, Delaine, are from the United States and came to Immanuel Church in 2021 along with their four children. Prior to coming to Immanuel, Jesse served as an Assistant Pastor at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where he previously completed a pastoral internship. He holds an MA in Biblical & Theological Studies from Gulf Theological Seminary.
Immanuel Fujairah is A Church Proclaiming and Displaying the Gospel of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ - Immanuel - God with Us. To learn more, visit Immanuel Fujairah online
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
