To pave the way for Jesus

One who reads the prophets encounters not an impassible, distant deity but an actual Person, a God as passionate as any person you have met. God feels delight, and frustration, and anger. He weeps and moans with pain.

-Philip Yancey, The Bible Jesus Read

Preaching—Here is the word from the Lord

Prediction—Here is what will happen if we do not heed the word from the Lord.

Isaiah—The LORD [Yahweh] saves

Idolatry—a nation begins to worship created things as opposed to the Creator.

Sexual dysfunction—a nation embraces forms that do not lead to life, but instead lead to death.

Child Sacrifice—a nation, in order to appease their idolatry, will literally hand their children over to things of death and destruction. A more general description might be, the devaluing of life.

Repent

Isaiah 55:7

Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously

Isaiah 53:2-11

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. . . But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. . . Unjustly condemned, he was led away. . . he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.  He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life ismade an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. . . my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 

Suffering Servant

Isaiah 53:5

. . .by his wounds we are healed

• The most important person in the whole wide world is you and you hardly even know you.
• The most important person in the whole wide world is you come on we’ll show you.
• It’s all about the things you feel and do, because you’re the most important person in the world to you.

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become therighteousness of God. 

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

John 14:6

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on.

Deuteronomy 30:19

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

Jeremiah 6:16

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 

Which road am I on? 

I don’t think it will keep us from being with Jesus but it may keep us from being like Jesus.