Before the Lord's Day

I am sitting here, putting the "finishing touches" on my sermon on Isaiah 53 for tomorrow. This is a little later than last week. I try to have things wrapped up by Thursday so I can concentrate on delivering the sermon, spending time with my family and preparing spiritually, mentally and yes, even physically for the Lord's Day.

To be honest, I am in awe of this passage on the Suffering Servant. There is so much I could say tomorrow. We could spend weeks and months on this one passage. What a journey it has been so far. What is it that we need to hear from this passage? We need to hear that Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant, paid the price and no more punishment is required. Do you realize the depth of these words? no more punishment is required! Those who have confessed with their mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead, those that live their lives according to this confession, those people, God's sons and daughters can rely solely on the atoning work of the Suffering Servant. That is the message of Isaiah 53. He bore the inquity of us all! Amen!

I recently had the chance to offer assistance to one of our college students with a debate he is having with an online friend. This friend said that he could not believe in a God who would damn some to hell and save others. It just didn't seem fair. But we need to look at it from another point of view...God's. What isn't fair in our human justice is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. Yet God's perfect holiness is displayed through it and his mercy is displayed through his saving of anyone at all. God's justice is always perfect.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's sermon. I am looking forward to it, because it is another opportunity to preach the Word of God. Please pray that I would be filtered out completely and that God's Word would go forth. See you on the Lord's Day!