Lesson 4:
The Suffering Servant

Begin with prayer. Today’s lesson speaks of Jesus’ suffering for us, and of our invitation to share in his victory. Pray that the Holy Spirit reveals the heart of the Lord, and ask him to help you understand his great love through today’s lesson.

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Read the primary text. Today’s reading is an ancient prophecy from the book of Isaiah, written more than 7 centuries before Jesus was born. It speaks of One who would suffer to redeem humanity, who would die, and who would restore God’s people to the purpose, meaning, and joy that God intended.

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Discuss the scripture with a trusted guide, using the discussion points below:

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In the previous lessons, we learned how God created humanity with  purpose and meaning, and for relationship with him, walking in joyful fulfillment of that purpose. God gave mankind authority over creation. Our ancestors chose to believe the lies of the enemy and to disobey God, and in so doing, surrendered that authority and subjected creation to death and corruption. 

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Because God had given that authority to man, it had to be man to win it back. It had to be a perfect man. The perfect man. Since mankind had surrendered to sin, God himself chose to enter humanity, living a sinless life, and paying the debt that was owed. In so doing, he defeated death, and earned the right to redeem creation, and to restore humanity back to the joyful purpose for which God intended.

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Todays reading is a prophetic foreshadowing of what he would endure, and of what his suffering would accomplish.

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He suffered for us

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This passage describes significant suffering. For example, consider the following verse:

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“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.53.5.NIV

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• This and other passages describes significant suffering, and what theologians refer to as “substitutionary atonement,” that he suffered and died in our place. How does that make you feel, that he chose to willingly endure these things for you?

• According to this verse, what did his suffering achieve for us? What else in this ancient prophecy ​​discusses what his suffering achieved for us?

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He goes on to Victory

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​This passage clearly describes Jesus as dying (see verse 8 and 9, for example), yet also describes this curious victory after death. He sees what he accomplished:

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“After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.53.11.NIV

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There is also a fascinating detail that he would be killed as a wicked man but buried in a rich man’s tomb (verse 9). This was fulfilled, as a he was killed as a criminal by the Romans, but one of his followers, the wealthy and influential Joseph of Arimethea, took his body down from the cross and buried him in his own tomb (Matthew 27:57).

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He knows sorrows and grief

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Verse 3 describes him as a “man of sorrows” and as “acquainted with grief.” Consider what that might mean for you:

• Where have you experienced sorrow or grief?

• What might it mean for you that Jesus has experienced those things, in even greater measure?

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He invites us into that victory

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He earned the right to bring restoration and redemption to creation and to humanity, to restore us to God and to our purpose in him. He suffered to pay our debt, and he rose to win the victory, Moreover he invites us to walk in that victory with him! It requires 2 things:

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Paul speaks of repentance toward God and faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21).

• Repentance

Repentance simply means a desire to turn away from what was and walk into the newness of what he offers. It refers to regret at those things that have separated us from God, and of our contribution to Jesus’ suffering. A repentant heart desires to move forward in Him, walking in the fullness of who he has called us to be, growing in him.

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• ​Faith

Faith in Jesus means that we put our faith in him and in what he has accomplished, rather than in ourselves. It means we know that we can never be good enough to earn his love, nor his forgiveness, and that we trust that his sacrifice paid the debt. Faith in Jesus allows us to walk forward in freedom, knowing that our debt is paid, and that nothing can separate us from him. 

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“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.10.9.NIV