In this compelling episode of International Gospel Hour, we delve into the prophetic words of Isaiah 53 and the profound sufferings of Christ. Explore a Bible-based lesson that not only reflects the pain and rejection Christ faced but also provides insights into finding solace during personal tough times. We are reminded of the human tendency to reject and scorn what we don’t understand, a reminder to strengthen our faith and turn towards healing through Christ. Throughout this lesson, listeners are guided to see that no pain or sorrow is too great for Him to bear, offering a path to
Are you having a tough time in life, friends? Well, Jesus knows not only how tough things can be, but He is the answer for our tough times. Keep listening, please. This study is just ahead on the International Gospel Hour.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. For 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, starting now.
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I am bound for the promised land.
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Well, greetings, everyone. Great to have you with us once again for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. And we bid a special thank you to our J-Web for his kind words, and you’ll hear from Jay throughout our broadcast. Today we have information ahead about our website, our YouTube channel, and study material that is available just for you, and all of this is absolutely free. We’re under the oversight of the elders of the West Fayetteville, Tennessee Church of Christ. You can write us at P.O. Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. please pay a visit to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. And we recently revamped our website. It’s very accessible for previous programs, further information, any way you want to reach out to us. Also, you can contact us through our toll-free number at 855-444-6988. Yes, that’s 855-IGH-6988. But 855-444-6988. And we would appreciate hearing from you. From time to time, we appreciate the simple call. I’m listening to you on whatever station. So if you have a moment, you can give us a quick call and tell us where you’re listening to our broadcast. We like to check on those things, file those things, and keep a record therein. And that helps us with decisions of broadcast opportunities down the road. Thank you always, friends. And in a previous broadcast, we’ve considered the beautiful text of Isaiah chapter 53. We began with verses 1 and 2 and noted a message to lead from the Messiah to believe as the Christ is one who is eternal, he’s timely, and he came to earth in a very simple fashion. We now consider Isaiah 53, verses 3 and 4, that reads, He is despised and rejected of man, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Dear friends, today we want to think about the sufferings of Christ and the suffering of man, and to consider the subject when times are tough. Friends, we face some tough times in our lives. It could be a number of things. We may get word that our long-time position where we work is being eliminated. We get tragic news of a medical decision for our families. Sometimes we get word of a sudden death due to an accident. Friends, times are tough. I’ve often said that either we are dealing with a tough moment… We are about to enter into a tough moment, or we have come out of a tough moment. Now, life deals some pretty good hands to us. But then again, sometimes things are tough. And we hope this broadcast will help you today. Before we do so, I want to defer to our J-Web, who has a little bit more details about our website and also how you can hear previous broadcasts from International Gospel Hour. Then we’ll come back and we will deal with when times are tough.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hello, friends. Please know that any previous broadcasts from the International Gospel Hour are available at our website, internationalgospelhour.com, and also available on several podcast platforms. Maybe we’re on your favorite podcast site. Just search for International Gospel Hour and you can find previous broadcasts. They’re always there 24-7 for you to listen or even to download. And now, let’s continue our study.
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When times are tough, number one, let’s see the life of Jesus Christ. I take us back to verse 3 of Isaiah 53, the prophecy of the Christ where he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Now let’s break this down a little bit. When we look at mankind or men despising Christ, which is mentioned twice in this book, in this verse rather, this leads one to reject the Christ. In other words, for rejection would be to be vacant or ceasing or avoiding Jesus Christ. So, friends, from the outset, we very well could be facing hard times because we’ve never turned to Jesus Christ, nor to God, nor have anything to do with God. And it’s all falling on us. Let’s look at scripture of those that rejected Christ and let’s think about how things ended for them. How about a disciple who rejected Christ, that being Judas, prophesied that it would happen from Zechariah 11 and verse 12, and fulfilled as we read in Matthew 26 verses 14 through 16, where one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priest and said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him, or came to an agreement, for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. As far as an agreement, a contract they gave unto him, the thirty pieces of silver. How about where the enemies rejected Christ? Now, that would make sense. That is true. Because in Psalm 22, in verse 8… He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. Then what do we read in Matthew 27, beginning with verse 39, as Jesus was on the cross? They passed by, they reviled him, wagging their heads and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests, mocking him with the scribes and elders, said he saved others. Himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the Son of God. Well, friends, we would understand the enemies rejecting Christ, and it was a tragic thing that Judas rejected him. How about another group, the faithful, as in those who should know the law of Moses? In Matthew 26, verse 59, the chief priests and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death. Now, these were individuals who should have known the law of Moses and how it would speak of the Christ. We read further in Matthew 26, beginning with verse 65, The high priest tore his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said, He is deserving of death. And they spat in his face and beat him. Others struck him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, who is the one who struck you? Now, friends, when you see these that rejected Jesus Christ, do you find yourself just shaking your head and puzzled at these individuals? And when you read further about them, how did things turn out? We know Judas took his life, as affirmed in Acts 1 and 2. We also know that the enemies, there were many of those, and the faithful, if you will, and I put faithful in quotes there, that learned what they did on the day of Pentecost. Friends, there is no end, nothing good that will end well, nothing good or well, if we don’t pause and look at Christ when our times are tough. I mean the disciple that would turn away today. Peter warns us in 2 Peter 2, verses 20 and following, it would have been good not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known him and turned from him. Yes, friends, people can turn away from Jesus Christ. How about a world that will reject him altogether? The world that rejects His word as we’re warned in John 12, 48. When we think about Jesus being despised and rejected or a life that would make Christ vacant. A life that would cease Christ within it. A life that would make Christ destitute. That one amazes me, friends. How there are people that will go through problems but they will not turn to Christ. He is the first thing we must do. Because, you see, He can grant us all things that pertain to life and godliness, 2 Peter 1 verse 3. And when times are tough, we need to see the life of Christ, see those that rejected Him, and follow not their example. We’re going to continue this study a little bit more, but I want to pause here for our J-Web to tell you a little bit about our YouTube channel.
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You can now not only hear the International Gospel Hour, but you can also see the International Gospel Hour on our YouTube channel. Go to YouTube, put International Gospel Hour in the search engine, and subscribe to the channel. Then click on the bell and you’ll be notified each time a program is uploaded. It is free. Subscribe to YouTube today. It’s the number one streaming service for television and the International Gospel Hour channel is there.
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Friends, when times are tough, not only see the life of Christ, but let’s see your life with Christ. Now, before we consider verse 4, let’s note again from verse 3 that there are sorrows and grief upon this one, the Christ. Yes, he was acquainted, knew it, and lived with it. That’s a simple example from John 11, 35 with the death of Lazarus. But listen to these texts that allow us to see him a bit further and what he can provide for us. They’re all from the book of Hebrews that shows the superiority of the Christ. We’ll go to Hebrews 2, verses 15 through 18. Aha, that’s us. Therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 2, 15-18. Now did you catch that? He is able to aid. See your life with Christ. We now move to Hebrews 4, 15-16. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Again, that’s Hebrews 4, 15-16. Friends, are we living a life that allows us to come to the throne of grace? How about Hebrews 5, verses 7 through 9? Speaking of Christ, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to him, who was able to save him from death, and was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Being or having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Again, Hebrews 5, 7 through 9. He is able to aid. We’re able to come to him. But friends, we must obey him. I have talked to individuals. And have reasoned with them. This is where you need to begin to help your circumstances. Is a relationship with Christ. And they just could not come to that point. It is a mistake. Let’s see why. We go back to Isaiah 53 and verse 4. And we note the verse again. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. So let’s notice some things. First of all, let’s see how our sorrows are addressed, how our griefs are dealt with, and how our sorrows are tended to. Here we go. Our sorrows are addressed. He has borne us. Now the word born there, B-O-R-N-E, is a powerful word. As a matter of fact, when you look at Genesis 7, verse 17, the Bible speaks of the flood was 40 days upon the earth, the waters increased, and bear up the ark. Now that word bear there is the same word as born. which means it has the great power. Think of the power of water, and how the deeps, how things, if you will, exploded from underneath. The rain, the strength, had the power to lift that ark. He can bear, or He has borne our griefs, the power to lift them, and we want to bear them. How about another phrase, or another scripture, John 12, 32 says, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, see, will draw all men unto me. The power that lifted man. Friends, see your life with Christ. He is able to bear us up. How about our griefs? Well, he can lift those. And somebody says, well, nobody knows how I feel. Oh, really? Well, let’s look at Jesus. He walked where we walked, Philippians 2, verses 7 and 8, and Hebrews 4, 15. Mark 8 and verse 12 said he sighed deeply in his spirit over the persistent, noncommittal questions of the Pharisees. When he came near Jerusalem, Luke records in Luke 19, 41 that he beheld the city and wept over it. When he saw those weeping over Lazarus in John 11, verse 33 especially, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And in John 12, verse 27, Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Yes, friends, Jesus knows how we feel. Why not turn to one who’s been there? You see, he can lift our griefs. How about our sorrows? And perhaps the proper difference between this word and the word translated grief is that this part, the sorrows, refers to the pains of the mind, that of the body. Thus, an anguish or anxiety or a trouble of the soul. Along with bodily infirmity and disease. It’s more of the emotional dealing of things within. When we look at the idea of pain, 11 of the 16 times this word is translated as a mental suffering. Or the mental suffering is translated as pain. Now here… Isaiah is referring to the general subject of human ills, to sicknesses, sorrows, pains, and trials of life. And he evidently means, in accordance with Isaiah, that Jesus took them on himself. He was afflicted for them and understood the work or also undertook the work of removing them. So get this, friends, don’t miss it. He lifts our griefs from us and carries the sorrows or the reason for our griefs. Not only will our Father above and Jesus Christ help our situation in life, our troubles and despairs, He also addresses the reason for our troubles. And that is sin, friends. He removes the sin and the source. He gets to the root of the matter. How beautiful that is. Hebrews 9, 28 says, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9, 28. He removes the sin and the source. Also, in 1 Peter 2 and verse 21, or rather verse 24 says, who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. He removed the sin and the source. He has lifted our griefs and he was stricken for us. Now, we noted that word stricken in verse 4 of Isaiah 53. And this word has some interesting power within it itself. It’s in conjunction with the guilty deserving punishment. And it’s like as if with the force of leprosy. It was all upon Christ and nobody wanted to have anything to do with him. Now, friends, that indicates the terrible and unlawful punishments, even his death that was before him. And it was considered by the people as being the natural result of the sins of Jesus. He blasphemed. He did this. He did that. And how wrong and misguided were the people? I mean, I think about when the man was healed. Or the man was blind before Jesus healed him in John 9. The disciples asked him in verse 2, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he should have been born blind? Well, of course, Jesus answered it was neither. So when we look at him being stricken for us or deserved punishment, he did not. But his punishment was because of our sin. So, friends, when you look at verse 4 of Isaiah 53, Christ was looked upon as if they were his sins, but they were ours. Our griefs, our sorrows, and stricken for our sins, dear friends. When times are tough. We need to see our life with Christ. We need to bring Him in and see what He has done to help us in dealing with the things beforehand. We need to think on these matters, friends. It very well could be that your struggles in life, that you need Christ. Friends, we want to help you in a number of ways. We have referred our listeners, with their permission, to congregations of churches of Christ near their home to help them work through some specific matters. We also offer a Bible study course by mail that a person can begin searching what they need. Friends, we are willing to help where we can. And maybe your circumstances need prayers. We want you to reach out to us. We will pray with you and pray for you, friends. But can we begin by saying, see your life with Christ and let you come to this point. I need to make some changes, you might say. Well, friends, we’ve submitted to you about our website, podcast options, YouTube channel. Let’s go one more. How about if we begin with a free Bible study course available by mail? That’s right. Here is our J-Web with those details. Then we’ll come back and wrap up the broadcast.
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Our well-received Bible study course by mail is available to everyone absolutely free. Would you like to try it? All you do is call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, Home Study. That’s it. That’s all you have to do. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the Contact tab and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. Again, it’s free. Give it a try. And it’s from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
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Dear friends, again, we want to help you as you and I struggle with tough times. We hope that we have placed some seed within your mind and heart to think about your life with Christ. We do want to help you, whether a Bible study course by mail, or if you’d like for us to reach out to a church of Christ in your area. Now, friends, we’re very careful how we do that. First of all, we will speak to you personally. And we will talk with you. Actually, I’ll be the one. And we’ll talk with you and get thorough permission before we do anything. Nobody will show up upon your doorstep unexpectedly. We handle these things very carefully. And where we have done this before with others, they’ve been greatly appreciative how we have handled these matters. So we want to assure you of that. And, of course, our Bible study course by mail is a great way to begin where you can see your life with Christ. We know things can be very tough, friends. We face tough times a lot. And if we can help you through that, and in a better walk with life, we will do so. I want to pause here and grant a quick acknowledgement, a thank you, for an article by Graham Cain called The Man of Sorrows from The Defender, June 1999, page 4. And I’m thankful to share thoughts here on this broadcast that was from that article of my reading and research and preaching Isaiah 53. So I do appreciate research and I love to acknowledge where I find those things within for proper credit. Again, friends, when times are tough, first, let’s see the life of Christ. No other life can help us. And let’s see our lives with Christ and let our life or let His life become ours. Think about our Lord and all that He endured, friends. Well, He is the one with the answers. Don’t reject Him as others did. Don’t resist Him as others do. But let us embrace and learn more about the Christ. And we hope this study today will help. We’re going to continue our thoughts on our next lengthier broadcast, our weekly broadcast, as you are listening, in the book of Isaiah, chapter 53. Again, you can find verses 1 and 2 at our website, internationalgospelhour.com. And you can look under 30-minute podcast, and you’ll be able to find that broadcast. If you need help finding it, please let us know. We’re also grateful for the free materials that we send. Again, we do want to send you the Bible study course by mail. Again, call us at 855-444-6988. Leave us your name, address, and just say Home Study, and we’ll take it from there. We appreciate Churches of Christ helping us with our correspondence courses. It’ll give you an opportunity to be aware of folks in your area as you would like to reach out to them. Again, friends, we’re grateful you have chosen to listen to our broadcast today. Whether you’re listening to us by radio, by podcast, online, whatever it might be, we hope that we have been of help to you today. Again, call us at 855-444-6988 and just tell us where you’re listening to our broadcast. And we’re going to continue these studies together at another time. Thank you always for joining me on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. And friends, I’m Jeff Archie, and as always, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. To listen to it again or our other broadcasts, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com God be with you till we meet again.
