Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham notes from Isaiah 53:6-7
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
FACTS:
Verse 6a: All of us have gone astray, turned his own way.
Verse 6b: The LORD caused the sin of us all to fall on Him.
Verse 7: He was oppressed, afflicted yet did not open His mouth.
Verse 7b: Like a lamb before shearers.
Verse 7c: He did not open His mouth.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
LESSONS:
Verse 6a: Romans 3:23. We are all sinners, we all fall short of God’s holy standard. We are all separated from the God we were created to walk with, know and need. We all do what we want, it is not in us to please God, it is in us to please ourselves.
Verse 6b: There is a HUGE gap called sin that is separating us from the God we were created to walk with, know and need. So GOD, not trusting His hand made creation to another, came Himself, to bridge that GAP, Himself. God is serious about us knowing Him… and went to all lengths to show us. Oh that we would have eyes to see what He has done!
Verse 7a: God came Himself, to fix the GAP between Him and His handmade creation. Someone has to pay the price to fix that Gap… forgiveness is not cheap… so God, Himself, chose to be afflicted and oppressed for my sin and your sin… whatever the cost, He would pay. We like to complain when things are unjust, and we are being “unjustly” accused, yet God Himself, unjustly accused, took the shame that was due me and you.
Verse 7b: Jesus, God with skin on, went forth… went towards the cross, towards the shame, towards the pain, without a fight, without regret. That fateful night in the Garden of Gethesemene, Jesus spoke up…. “I Am He”….. Jesus made a stand, when I run and hide. He stands for me and for you, walking down the Via Dolorosa… for us, so we would have the opportunity to know Him.
Verse 7c: Jesus could have spoken and killed everyone on command. IN the Garden, He said, “I AM He” and the soldiers in John, fell to the ground…. their gracious pause… to consider that which they were doing. Jesus could have slayed them with a word, and upon His return, He will, in Revelation, slay the armies of the world with a word. Here, now in Isaiah 53, Jesus must press in, to take the punishment for sin, or you and I are as a people without hope. Oh the deep deep love of Jesus, that He kept His mouth shut as He went through six trials and pronounced seven times that He is worthy to be scourged and then worthy to be slain as the perfect Lamb of Passover for our sin.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
Verse 6a: Do you realize you have sinned before God? Do you realize you were created to walk with God, know God and need God, but that your sin separated you from this loving God who did everything to fix that gap?
Verse 6b: Do you realize that God Himself didn’t trust your soul to anyone else, but Himself, so He came with skin on, His name was Jesus? Do you know that Jesus came specifically to pay the price that your sin had on your head?
Verse 7a: Have you spent time this Easter season to thank Jesus for coming to pay that debt for you? Do you realize the debt that had to be paid for you?
Verse 7b: Do you know that Jesus didn’t complain about it, but went forth out of love for you to the cross?
Verse 7c: Would you ever be able to keep my mouth shut while unjustly accused? How many times during the day, week or month do you speak up just to “set the record straight” about yourself? How often do you feel the need to respond to false testimony about yourself? Do you realize Jesus took on false testimony about Himself in order to pay for your testimony of sin?
LIVE IT OUT!
Hold yourself accountable to LIVE OUT in your daily life that which God impresses upon your heart. Write it out, sign it, date it and claim the transforming power of God’s Word and His presence in your life.
Spend time today realizing the love and total strength that it took Jesus to “go forth” on your behalf.
Homework: Isaiah 53:3-4
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!