Who hath believed our report?

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 3 APRIL 2022 pm

ISAIAH 53 VERSES 1 – 6

“Who hath believed our report?”  A question that could just be asked of any person of any age.  Isaiah is summing up his whole ministry and adds in the word “our”.  Jeremiah had a wonderful expression in chapter 7 verse 13 “I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking but ye heard not and  I called you but ye answered not.”  For Isaiah it is as if he is holding up his hands in despair yet he says “who hath believed our report?”  Souls are hanging in the balance tonight over this very question.  What have you done with this question?  “Who has believed the report” God has for them. 

 

This report speaks of a person – he points to a person in each verse time and time again.  He is coming back to a person.  He wants the people to focus and believe on the Lord himself.  Isaiah is saying “hearing is one thing but believing is another”.  Jesus as he addressed the disciples before he left them gave them a commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16 verse 16) These are the words from the lips of Christ.  As we hear the gospel of saving grace Jesus says “If you believe it you will be saved, if not you will be damned.”  John 3 verse 18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned.”  If you are in this meeting and you are saved, trusting in Christ for salvation you are not condemned, you have believed the report God has for you.  What about those who do not believe.  “He that believeth not is condemned already.”  Why – because you haven’t believed the gospel of saving grace.  People ask “is it not until you go to the other side and are condemned” – no you are condemned already.  The ostrich hides its head in the sand, he thinks he is in no danger.  So do sinners.  They close their eyes to the judgment of God here and now. The one who Isaiah speaks of in this passage has taken your judgment on the cross of Calvary, has suffered, bled and died that he might atone for your soul.  “The soul that sinneth shall die”. (Ezekiel 18 verse 20)  Jesus took that punishment of that one sinner and died – that one sinner is you and I.  How many times have you heard that report and not believed it?  The person is Jesus.

 

The punishment – “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.”  He was offered for us.  The shepherds outside Bethlehem believed the report the angels gave – “unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.”  They went and found the baby lying in a manger.  The wise men believed the report and came to worship the king.  Have you believed that report?  Think of the 2 on the road to Emmaus, making their way home from Jerusalem on the day of resurrection.  All that had taken place was on their minds.  They had watched him being crucified, then taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb.  On the third day he rose again.  They couldn’t comprehend it all.  Jesus drew near and he walked with them.  When he heard what was concerning them he said “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and entered into his glory?”  Time and time again he took them back to his sufferings and death.  Do we believe on the person?  On the punishment?  The Son of God, the sinless Son of God was being punished for our deeds.  He took the penalty due to us when he died on the cross.  “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.”  We could speak of the teachings of Christ.  That was true for Nicodemus but they will never save your soul.  We could speak of the miracles of Jesus – just like Nicodemus himself said “no man can do these miracles except he be from Christ.”  What miracles they were – the lame walking again, the blind able to see, the dead being raised but none of them would save your soul.  What you need is to hear how Jesus suffered and died, how he took your sins on his body.  Remember the eunuch in Acts 8.  Philip saw him coming up from Jerusalem, sitting in his chariot reading the word of God from the same passage we read tonight.  Perhaps he had seen something in Jerusalem, witnessed something in that city.  He was reading this portion in his chariot, pondering on the suffering of this man in this passage.  The religious leaders would have taught him who this one was referring to.  Perhaps it was referring to Isaiah or Jeremiah.  The eunuch asked Philip “of whom speaketh he, of himself or another?”  Philip opened the scriptures and spoke of Jesus.  This is the suffering servant who died on the cross.  Isaiah paints this picture some 700 years before Jesus’ birth.  Do you see the person of Christ tonight?  Do you see the punishment he is bearing?

 

The purpose – “he was wounded for our transgressions.”  We are seeing here a substitute.  The eunuch could see someone who was standing in to be punished but he didn’t understand who it was.  Jesus stepped in and took our place  He stood in for you and I.  Whenever heavens door is open to us that is the only thing that will stand for eternity – that we trusted in the person of Jesus.  Pilate said of Jesus “I find no fault in this man.”  Judas when he had the coins in his hand said “I have denied the innocent blood of Jesus.”  God was preparing the eunuch’s heart.  The Holy Spirit was moving in his heart.  He was in an inquisitive mood.  It didn’t satisfy him.  He wanted more.  God was opening up his mind to the great truths, speaking to him, showing him his great need.  He is ready to open his heart and life when Philip came to him in his chariot.  Are you saved tonight for all eternity?

 

The pardon – the iniquity of us all was laid on him.  “He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities.”  Jesus was mending the relationship I have with God.  Reconciled to God.  The relationship has been broken by sin.  In Acts 16 the jailer came before Paul and Silas and asked “what must I do to be saved.”  He realised something – he had to be saved. There was nothing he could do.  There is nothing you and I can do to be saved.  That man simply took Christ as Saviour.  Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life tonight?  That is the question you must answer.  An important question.  “Who hath believed our report?”  Have you believed in the person, the punishment and the pardon?  Are you saved by God’s grace?