Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

A Servant is Born

Bryan Schneider · December 24, 2022

Isaiah 53

sharonrpc.org/sermons/a-servant-is-born

Summary

Isaiah's servant song reveals that God planned to send his saving servant long before Jesus' birth.
God's powerful arm appears in an unexpected form: the only begotten Son grows like a tender shoot from the apparently dead royal line of David.
Jesus enters an obscure town and poor family without outward beauty, palace, wealth, or charisma that would naturally attract people.
The unremarkable appearance of Jesus displays God's wisdom: salvation comes by God's chosen way rather than human expectations of impressive power.
The servant is despised, rejected, sorrowful, and acquainted with grief, fully sharing human weakness and anguish while remaining without sin.
As true man he bears his people's griefs, sorrows, transgressions, and iniquities; as true God he stills storms, feeds crowds, raises the dead, and saves.
The servant dies as an offering for sin, is buried with the rich, rises, justifies many, and reigns as the God-man who brings his people to glory.

Why does Isaiah present God's mighty saving arm as a tender plant from dry ground?
What human expectations of beauty, wealth, charisma, or power does Christ's coming overturn?
Why did the Savior need to become fully human and share ordinary weakness, sorrow, and grief?
How do Isaiah 53's first three verses prepare for the servant bearing sin in the verses that follow?
Where am I tempted to despise God's work because it does not arrive in an impressive form?
How can Christ's acquaintance with grief comfort someone who feels rejected, bereaved, or physically afflicted?
What makes this ordinary-looking servant an extraordinary and sufficient Savior?

Servant of the Lord: Isaiah's promised figure who suffers, bears sin, justifies many, and is finally exalted, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Incarnation: The eternal Son of God taking a complete human nature while remaining truly God.
God-man: Jesus Christ as one person in two distinct natures, fully divine and fully human.
Humiliation: Christ's lowly birth, ordinary appearance, rejection, suffering, and death undertaken for his people.
Substitution: The sinless servant bearing the griefs, transgressions, and iniquities that belonged to his people.
Justification: God's gracious pardon and acceptance of sinners through Christ's obedience and satisfaction received by faith.