Behold, my servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you, his appearance was so marred beyond human semblance, and
his form beyond that of the children of mankind, so shall he sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they
see, and that which they have not heard they understand.
Who has believed what he has heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire
him.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteem him not.
Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten
by God and afflicted.
God has been blessed by God and afflicted by God.
But he was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
Upon him was chastisement that brought us peace.
And with his wounds we are healed.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray.
We have turned everyone to his own way.
And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.
Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And as for his generation, who considered that he was cut out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich man in his death.
Although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him.
He has put him to grief.
When his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring.
He shall prolong his days.
The will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.
By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong.
Because he poured out his soul to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
Yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Amen.
Thank you so much, Angeline, for bringing that to us.
This is an amazing passage.
I really feel this is a passage you just actually want to read,
and then read, and then read,
and you don't really need a sermon about it,
because it's so powerful.
But let me just pray for us
as we come into God's word.
Father, this is the most remarkable passage,
one of the most remarkable passages in the whole of Scripture.
And Lord, I know that words are not enough
to describe what you have done for us.
Words are not enough to describe and explain
the depth of your love for us.
I pray, Lord, this morning,
that you would just take even the simple,
feeble words that I'll bring,
and Lord, that you would speak.
I pray that you would open our hearts, Lord.
For those of us who find it difficult
to really receive your love,
I pray that you would break through that,
and you would just show us your love.
For those of us who find it difficult
to really hear your word,
I pray that you'd open our ears
to really hear it this morning.
And I pray that you would get exalted
and be honoured and glorified.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Great.
It's great to be speaking to you today.
If you don't know me, my name's Chris.
I'm one of the leaders here at Watermark.
And we've been going through this series
in the book of Isaiah,
looking at songs of the servant.
And we're coming to the climax today.
You know, just this last week,
my son Etienne was going into
the forbidden zone of the kitchen,
where we have told him he knows
that he shouldn't go into there
because it's dangerous.
And you see him kind of lingering
by the sliding door,
and temptation just gets too much for him.
And then he jumped into the kitchen.
And so I had to take him into the corner,
give him some discipline.
And a few minutes later,
when he'd come back out,
I heard my helper saying to him,
Etienne's a good boy, isn't he?
You're a good boy, aren't you?
And it struck me at that moment
that actually that's what we desperately want to hear
over our lives.
We desperately want to hear this verdict
that Chris is a good boy,
that I'm an acceptable boy,
that I'm worthy,
I'm worthy of love,
I'm worthy of respect,
I'm worthy to belong somewhere.
And the problem is
that we want that verdict
from everyone around us,
parents, peers, bosses,
all those other things,
all those other people.
But our lives often don't live up
to that standard.
We're like my son,
who knows what we should do,
but we don't do it.
But we still crave
to have a verdict over us
of you're a good boy
or a good girl.
And we have this nagging suspicion
deep inside of us
that that's not who we are.
Because it's like
outside of my house flat,
there's some rubbish bags
that pile up
day after day after day.
And just like those,
the evidence in our lives
that we're not as good
as we hope we are,
we're not as good as we want to be,
piles up daily.
And none of us can bear
the weight of our sin,
of our shame,
of our guilt by ourselves.
Which is why
we come to alternative strategies.
We pretend it doesn't exist,
we cover up,
we get defensive,
we deny it,
we become workaholics
or we develop
savior complexes
to try and help everybody else out
and do good things
so that we can kind of atone
for our own sense of failings
and hopefully move ourselves
up the good rankings
in our,
at least in our own esteem.
It's why we are always finger pointing,
why we always have to be right,
why we always want to make our problem
somebody else's fault
because we desperately want
somebody else to bear
the weight
of our shame
and our sin.
It's why when someone
criticizes you
or me
for a mistake
or exposes something
which makes us feel humiliated,
humiliated,
we automatically
want to either defend ourselves
or point out somebody else's
previous rubbish in their life.
So someone goes,
why did you do that?
And you go,
well,
you did that last week.
And we've got to deflect
attention
because deep inside
we know we all haven't been
the good boys
and good girls
that Santa
says he's going to come for.
And if Santa's not,
we're not enough for Santa,
well,
what about for God?
And then on top of that
we have false guilt
and shame
that is put on us
by other people
who reject us,
who ignore us,
who compare us,
who neglect us.
They say,
why can't you be like your sister?
Or can't you do anything right?
And that rubbish pile on our backs
just grows heavier
and heavier
and we live
under this weight.
And we're just like Israel
that Isaiah said
in chapter 1
is laden down.
They are burdened,
bent double
under the weight
of their own sin,
their shame,
their guilt,
adultery against God
and others.
And Israel are paying for it.
They've paid for it.
They're now the victim
like an adulteress
beaten black and blue
by their triad lover,
Assyria.
Their wounds are affected.
They're in darkness.
They're in exile.
They're shamed.
They're rejected.
They feel victimized.
But they're not innocent.
But they're still craving
to be told
they're good.
Still craving
that they would hear
God's desire
for blessing them
and loving them
and to be accepted.
And Isaiah's great puzzle
that he's going through
is how can a God
who loves his people
so much
but whose people
refuse to come to him
bridge this irreconcilable gap?
How can rebellious people
ever be freed
from the weight
of their sin
and choices
on their backs?
Well, we've looked
over the last few weeks
at how Isaiah
has like a TV drama
gradually unfolded
God's plan of redemption.
He said there's a servant
who's going to come.
He's going to be one
who's going to bring justice
but he's going to be tender.
He said he's going to be
like a prophet
who's going to call people
not just Israel
but all the nations
back to God.
And he said last week
that he's going to be
a faithful, obedient one
who's going to suffer
but he's going to be vindicated.
And from chapter 50
to chapter 53
there's two chapters
where you see
this promise
of good news.
And God says to the people
get up!
Wake up!
There's liberation
and freedom coming.
He says
get up!
Put on your beautiful garments.
He says
I'm redeeming you.
He says
get up!
There's good news
that's coming.
How beautiful
are the feet of him
who brings good news.
The people who are in shame
he says
there is hope.
There is good news.
And Isaiah
and we as the readers
still have no idea
how this is going to
take place
and then we come to
Isaiah chapter 53.
And I'm going to look
in three things.
I'm going to look at
oh my God
oh his grace
oh what joy.
and that's where
we're going to go today.
So let's just start off
if you've got the passage
in front of you
please look through
it's an incredible passage.
And it starts off
with great hope
for this redemption plan.
It says
behold my servant
shall act wisely.
He shall be high
and lifted up
and shall be exalted.
And that act wisely
it's actually the word
which means
his mission
is going to be accomplished.
he's going to do
what he said
he's going to do.
He shall be high
and lifted up.
You see
what is he doing here?
He's taking
from a passage
that Isaiah
previously said
in chapter 6
where Isaiah
had this vision
of the awesomeness
of God
and he comes
into his temple
and he says
I saw the Lord
high and lifted up
and the hem
of his robe
just the corner
just a little bit
of his robe
was just kind of
dangling in the temple
but it filled
the whole temple.
It filled it.
And there were
these crazy creatures
who in the eyes
and the side
of the glory of God
they shield their eyes
and they just say
holy, holy, holy
is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth
is full of his glory.
And Isaiah
doesn't go
oh that's nice.
He falls down
on his knees
at the awesome God
in majesty
and says
in terror
I'm ruined.
And Isaiah
in chapter 53
is saying
this servant
is going to be
like the holy one
of God.
And we're going
wow
this is going
to be awesome.
This is like
shock and awe
coming.
And then in verse 15
he says
kings
the most powerful people
they're going to
shut their mouths
because of him.
You know
there's this
British term
called god smacked.
This is your gob
and it's like
when you go
like that.
It's like
OMG
this is what they're going
they're going
I would never have
seen this coming.
This is incredible.
You look through
all the literature
look through
all advisors
that you've ever had
look through
all the Netflix series
and you have
never heard
never seen
anything like this
before.
And you go
wow
I can't wait for this
this is better than
Marvel
and all the superheroes.
But then you realise
what they've gobsmacked
by.
Verse 14
this servant
his appearance
was so marred
beyond human semblance
he is hideously ugly
not even human.
Verse 2
like a young plant
and like a root
out of dry ground
he had no form
or majesty
that we should look at him
no beauty
that we should
desire him.
He's despised
he's like one
from whom men
hide their faces
we don't esteem
him at all.
He's so weak
he's so fragile
he's so feeble
he's not
the manly
superhero
that we expect.
And we know
from what we see
later on in scripture
that this person
they're talking about
is Jesus.
But he's not
the kind of charismatic
blue eyed
Hollywood
kind of Jesus
that you see.
If you brought
this boyfriend
home to your parents
they wouldn't even
let him in the door.
This is the street sleeper
that you walk
faster past
so that you
avoid contamination.
It's the person
you go
I'm not inviting
them into my home.
This isn't awesome
this is awful.
You know
we live in a city
which is all
about appearances.
You've just got to
dress the right way
you've got to look
the right way
you've got to
have the right job
have the right car
have the right flat
go to the right schools
and if you don't
have that
then everyone
writes you off.
Do you know
Jesus would get
written off
in Hong Kong?
Do you know
it's ironic
that we've made
Christmas
all about
expensive presents
and beautiful
decorations
when the Christmas
story
is actually
all a story
of rejection
and tragedy.
You see
it's the time
of Herod
and the Romans
and there's
unjust
paranoid
rulers
who are
control freaks
who oppress
the people
and into
this darkness
comes
an illegitimate
child
born to a
teen mum
in an animal
food trough
who's the subject
of an assassination
plot
by Herod
who grows up
and becomes
a refugee
in Egypt
and then grows
up in Nazareth
which is like
the despised
kind of
shamshopo
of Israel
is kind
of like
in a band
three school
and this
authentic
Christmas
isn't Jesus
rocking around
the Christmas
tree
in his nicely
decorated
manger
it's about
sheltering
from cow
poo
and cold
blooded
murder
the Christmas
story is
really
more brutal
than we
realise
and yet
what it
shows us
is the
high
and lifted
up one
rolling up
his sleeves
and getting
down into
the dirt
and the
reality
and the
messiness
of our
lives
of society
he's there
in the mess
he's there
in the
brokenness
he's there
in the gutter
of life
and when we
want to
sanitise it
with religious
alcohol
wipes
what he
does
is he
comes to
us
and says
I'm removing
all of that
if we want
to know
Jesus
if we want
to know
Jesus
in this
church
we've got
to stop
sanitising
our lives
and trying
to make
them look
nice
and as if
we are
good
by ourselves
God reaches
down
to outcasts
by becoming
an outcast
himself
he reaches
down to
the despised
by becoming
despised
and it's
right in the
place
where we
want to
hide it
away in
shame
that actually
Jesus comes
to us
today
that's
where
you'll
find
the
saviour
coming to
you
coming to
me
coming to
us
as a
community
right in
those places
of brokenness
God is
totally
upside down
in the way
he does
things
that's the
first point
oh my
god
second
point
oh his
grace
do you know
it's completely
possible
for you
to come
to God
today
and he's
seeking to
bring you
freedom
and hope
and life
and it's
possible for
you to
completely
miss him
did you
know that
because he
doesn't look
like what
we'd expect
him to
look like
and because
he comes
not to
just
booster
your
self
esteem
but he
actually
comes to
wreck
your
self
image
which has
been nicely
crafted of
yourself
because we
are nasters
at covering
over our
own sin
and shame
we don't
think we
need him
but do you
know what
verses 4
to 6
are
they're
actually the
aftermath
of a
train wreck
they're the
eye opening
confession
that we
don't get
God
that God
is way
more gracious
way more
merciful
than we
could possibly
imagine
he says
this
all we
like sheep
have gone
astray
we have
turned
everyone
to his
own
way
did you
notice
he said
all
he didn't
say
some
of us
he didn't
say
well
there are
some
which are
a little
bit worse
than
others
he said
all
and in
case we
didn't
get it
he also
says
everyone
that means
no one
is excluded
from this
he says
all
without
exception
of us
are straying
sheep
you know
Hong Kong
is not a
great place
for sheep
but in
the UK
I have
seen
a sheep
get through
a hole
in a fence
and wander
onto a
main road
a busy
main road
and then
all the
other sheep
behind
kind of
go
oh that
looks like
a good
idea
and they're
all going
through
and wandering
onto the
main road
together
totally
oblivious
of the
danger
totally
oblivious
of what
awaits
and they
all think
it's
great
you know
that's us
even if I
know
that there
is a
temptation
coming
which could
get me
into trouble
I still
go into
it anyway
anyone like
me
you know
that song
which goes
prone to
wander
lord I
feel it
prone to
leave the
one I
love
that is
true of
you
that is
true of
me
that is
true of
all of
us
but what
often
happens
is
a car
comes
along
and kind
of
narrowly
misses
us
or
clips
us
on the
tail
and we
go
God
why did
you allow
that car
to come
we go
don't you
love me
it's just
not fair
I can't
believe
I'm just
out here
on the
road
and that's
what
happens
to me
and God
is going
hey guys
you guys
wandered off
I'm actually
the offended
party here
but I've
been seeking
to love
you
and you
rejected
my love
that's what
he's been
going to
God's people
that's what
he says
to us
so often
and you
know
in a
kind of
very
polarized
culture
it's really
interesting
how every
one of us
feels like
we're victims
in different
ways
every one
of us
is offended
by other
people
you know
if your
colleague
is mean
to you
you feel
that gives
you license
to be mean
back to
them
right
because they
deserve it
okay
and you
know
we have
this in
culturally
as well
we have
you know
some
really important
issues
of things
like
black
nice
matters
and
me
too
movement
things
which
are
there
are
real
issues
in
society
but
often
all of
these
get
hidden
under
just a
sea
of
blaming
each
other
of
hatred
of
angrily
shaming
others
of excluding
anyone
who
doesn't
agree
exactly
with
what
you
say
because
we
think
that
if
I've
been
a
victim
then
it
gives
me
a
right
to
victimize
other
people
you know
we say
hurt
people
hurt
people
and
it's
true
why
is
it
true
because
someone's
always
got to
pay
for
sin
someone's
always
got to
pay
for
sin
and
we
generally
want to
make
other
people
pay
that's
why
we
go
you
owe
me
an
that's
what
we
say
but
we're
all
bankrupt
in
our
accounts
we're
all
bankrupt
and
so
that
cycle
of
oppression
and
sin
and
guilt
where
we're
just
dumping
guilt
and
shame
on
each
other
carries
on
sometimes
we
say
maybe
I
am
a
sheep
but
I'm
a
light
grey
sheep
I'm
not
a
black
sheep
like
them
over
there
but
we
see
everyone
else's
sin
but
our
own
how
in
our
divided
world
can
we
get
free
of
all
of
the
madness
that
there
is
it's
only
if
someone
steps
in
from
the
outside
someone
who
is
totally
innocent
not
tainted
by
sin
and
shame
at
all
someone
who
sees
our
issues
more
clearly
than
we
see
them
someone
who
has
no
debt
to
pay
at
all
who
owes
no
one
anything
and
that
is
Jesus
and
here's
what
he
says
surely
he
has
borne
our
griefs
and
carried
our
sorrows
yet
we
esteemed
him
stricken
by
God
and
afflicted
but
he
was
crushed
he
was
wounded
for
our
transgressions
he
was
crushed
for
our
iniquities
upon
him
was
the
chastisement
that
brought
us
peace
and
with
his
stripes
we
are
healed
you
see
the
word
grief
sorrow
stricken
they're
all
words
for
suffering
for
sickness
or
being
struck
down
with
a
contagious
disease
like
leprosy
or
covid
Israel
was in
isolation
lonely
wounded
in exile
rejected
because of
their sin
and in
their
suffering
they saw
themselves
as a
victim
but
God
stepped
in
and said
for
everything
that you
have
done
for
everyone
that everyone
else
has done
to you
I'm
going
to
pay
for
it
I'm
going
to
absorb
the
cost
it's
the
man
who
steps
in
front
of
the
convicted
criminal
facing
the
firing
squad
and
takes
the
bullet
for
them
it's
the
language
of
the
day
of
atonement
a
yearly
festival
where
the
high
priest
would
take
two
goats
and
he'd
kill
one
of
them
as
payment
for
the
sins
of
the
people
showing
that
our
debt
is
so
great
that
only
death
can
remove
it
and
the
other
one
is
the
scapegoat
and
what
he'd
do
he'd
lay
his
hands
onto
the
goat's
head
and
he
would
confess
the
sins
of
the
people
over
it
and
then
he'd
let
the
goat
go
and
it
would
be
released
and
wander
into
the
wilderness
excluded
from
the
rest
of
the
people
so
where
all
the
weight
of
their
shame
and
guilt
was
placed
on
that
goat
it
was
gone
and
it
walked
away
and
so
they
were
free
they
were
free
they
didn't
have to
bear it
any
longer
that's
why
he's
saying
payment
has
been
made
not
by
you
not
by
anybody
else
but
by
Jesus
on
the
cross
became
our
sin
bearer
our
shame
bearer
our
guilt
bearer
he's
the
only
truly
white
sheep
the
only
truly
innocent
one
he
had
every
right
to be
offended
at the
way
we
spat
on
him
at the
way
we
blamed
him
for
our
problems
the
way
we
looked
at
him
and
saw
him
as
the
one
rejected
rather
than
us
but
the
only
one
who
had
every
right
to
condemn
us
was
led
like
a
lamb
to
the
slaughter
beaten
without
recognition
nails
hammered
in
by
taunting
soldiers
blood
and
flesh
stripped
off
his
back
the
blood
flowing
down
from
his
whole
body
we
shouted
crucify
him
crucify
him
and
he
responded
without
any
accusation
without
a word
except
forgiveness
except
grace
you see
he was
cancelled
so that
we
wouldn't
have
to
be
he
was
rejected
so
we
could
be
accepted
he
was
wounded
so
our
wounds
could
be
healed
you
see
peace
is now
possible
between
us
and
God
and
us
and
each
other
because
the
weight
of what
we
keep
throwing
on
each
other
and
taking
on
ourselves
and
the
sin
that
we
cannot
bear
by
ourselves
he's
paid
it
he's
paid
it
it's
incredible
isn't
it
and
as
we
looked
at
that
and
every
day
this
week
we
have
done
the
same
thing
we've
been
adding
to
the
pile
we
saw
what
Jesus
has
done
for
us
and
we
went
isn't
that
totally
unfair
you
shouldn't
have
to
take
it
it's
our
bullet
to
take
not
yours
to
take
no
we
didn't
we
didn't
do
that
at
all
because
like
in
all
of
our
conflicts
we
fail
to
we
thought
God
operated
on
the
same
way
that
we
do
but
praise
God
he
doesn't
praise
God
he
doesn't
Jesus
has
taken
on
the
cross
the
weight
of having
to be
right
all the
time
the
weight
of fearing
the
humiliation
of being
exposed
that
you're
not
all
that
you
should
be
the
weight
of
the
false
shame
that
has
been
laid
on
your
back
that
you
don't
need
to
carry
it
any
longer
or
put
it
anybody
else's
back
that
shame
that
comes
to
you
and
keeps
telling
you
about
your
past
that
shame
that
keeps
coming
to
you
with
all
your
mistakes
and
keeps
reminding
you
of
all
that
you've
done
that
you're
not
good
enough
all
those
things
Jesus
says
because
I
have
taken
it
you
can
take
that
bag
of
rubbish
and
you
put
it
on
to
him
because
he's
already
taken
it
for
you
there's
a
place
for
you
to
put
all
of
those
things
which
actually
barriers
in all
of our
relationships
with God
and with
everybody
else
there's
a
place
we
can
put
it
now
and
it's
on
him
isn't
that
amazing
that's
freedom
you see
in most
of my
pastoral
ministry
I
think
the
number
one
thing
that
actually
stops
us
really
enjoying
our
relationship
with
Jesus
and
really
gets
in the
way
of
our
own
relationships
with
each
other
is
our
inability
to see
all the
rubbish
that we're
carrying
to see
our sin
to see
our shame
to see
our guilt
we see
everybody
else's
but we
don't
see
ours
and we
don't
see
our need
for
Jesus
and it
doesn't
matter
whether
you've
been
a
Christian
one
day
or
you're
not
a
Christian
or
you've
been
a
Christian
for
30
years
let me
tell you
I think
it's
the same
thing
for us
every
day
you know
Indian
civil rights
activist
Gandhi
he had
a son
called
Manilal
who was
actually
a wild
kid
and at
one
point
he had
an affair
with a
married
woman
and it
brought
shame
on all
the
family
and all
the
relatives
wanted
to
punish
him
for
it
but Gandhi
did
two
things
he wrote
a letter
and
at the
end
he
signed
it
blessings
from a
father
in
agony
and
then
he
started
a
fast
for
his
son
and
the
son
Manil
saw
the
pain
and
the
sacrifice
that
his
father
was
willing
to
go
through
and
it
broke
him
and
he
confessed
and
as
he
confessed
and
admitted
his
wrong
towards
actually
even
a
father
that
he
didn't
have
a
close
relationship
with
there
was
beginnings
of
forgiveness
and
restoration
and
peace
could
be
restored
between
them
and
the
family
if
that's
what
can
happen
when
we
see
just
on
a
human
level
and
a
level
of
love
and
a
sacrifice
how
much
more
when
Jesus
has
done
everything
for
us
when
you
see
the
love
of
a
father
because
you see
this
passage
the
author
has
finally
seen
it
he's
finally
come
with
confession
why
he's
finally
gone
this
was
us
that
includes
me
why
does
he
do
that
because
he's
finally
seen
the
depth
of
the
love
that
Christ
has
done
and
that's
broken
him
to
see
man
I'm
way
more
in
need
of
grace
than
I
realized
you
know
I
try
and
make
it
my
practice
every
day
to
spend
a
minute
or
two
actually
just
thinking
about
the
cross
it's
something
as
Christians
we can
be so
familiar
with
but
until
you
see
his
wounds
until
you
see
him
kneel
at
the
foot
of
the
cross
again
you'll
never
see
how
serious
your
sin
is
not
just
in
the
past
but
even
right
now
this
last
week
you'll
never
see
your
own
need
for
forgiveness
you'll
never
see
how
much
it
cost
God
to
forgive
you
and
you'll
never
see
the
extent
of
his
love
for
you
right
now
and
you
will
not
see
that
and
that
will
impact
your
relationships
you'll
struggle
to
forgive
others
their
sin
and
to
absorb
the
cost
that
it
is
to
forgive
and
you
may
miss
God
coming
to
you
today
so
lay
down
right
now
the
weight
of
all
that
holds
you
and
find
healing
at
the
cross
find
healing
there
that's
all
grace
what a
God
my
God
oh
what
grace
oh
his
grace
oh
what
joy
this
is the
final
thing
the
passage
goes on
in verse
10
and it
says
it
was
the
will
of
the
Lord
to
crush
him
do
you
know
that
word
will
actually
means
the
delight
the
joy
of
God
to
crush
Jesus
and
you
think
is
God
just
a
sadistic
kind
of
child
abuser
in this
killing
his
own
son
and
no
that's
not
what's
going
on
here
because
Jesus
is
the
holy
one
of
God
the
high
and
lifted
up
one
come
to
us
it
was
the
joy
of
God
for
God
himself
to
pay
everything
necessary
to
lift
our
guilt
and
shame
but
it
doesn't
end
there
in
Jesus
what
was
he
wanting
to
do
and
to
accomplish
he
tells
us
he
shall
see
his
offspring
and
he
shall
prolong
his
days
and
by
his
knowledge
shall
many
be
accounted
righteous
he
shall
bear
their
iniquities
do you
see what
he's
doing
he's
saying
Jesus
died
and
rose
again
his
days
will
prolong
even
though
he's
cut
off
not
just
to
create
a few
individuals
who
come
and feel
a bit
of
forgiveness
for
themselves
but
to
create
a new
family
offspring
a new
community
who
experience
in a
real way
that verdict
which is
better than
just good
boy or
good
girl
it's a
verdict of
declared
righteous
declared
in the
right
accepted
loved
forgiven
healed
by
Christ
and you
belong
in a
world which
is filled
with divisions
where
forgiveness
is so
costly
to us
that we
can never
feel like
we can
really
offer that
to others
because we
have nothing
in our
tank to
give
to people
like you
and me
who often
just keep
dumping stuff
on other
people
judging
other
people
all those
other
things
there is a
place that
we can
come
there is a
community
of people
who are in
confession
forgiveness
and grace
look to
Jesus
and there
is the
resources
through which
we can
then become
the people
who look
like the
righteous one
the servant
because when
you are
righteous
you are
declared
righteous
with a
verdict
over us
but then
that enables
us to
live
righteously
with one
another
and it's
the exiled
outcast
people
who then
get to
be included
in the
family
you know
I
spoke
to
somebody
who
said
I
know
Jesus
accepts
me
but
I
don't
really
want
to
open
up
I
don't
really
want
to
be
real
because
I
don't
want
to be
rejected
by
others
you see
what
Christ
is doing
and what
Christmas
is about
Christmas
is about
Easter
do you know
that
Christmas
is the
launch pad
of what
God
was doing
through
Easter
to create
a people
for himself
you know
the angels
sang
in the
town
of Bethlehem
that
good news
of great
joy
a saviour
has been
born
there is
peace
on earth
for us
it's come
and outcast
shepherds
who probably
had a
well earned
reputation
of being
thieves
came
and then
pagan
non-Jewish
excluded
from the
community
wise men
come
and they
worship
and bow
down
at the
animal
feeding
trough
in which
this
little
pooing
messy
baby
is held
they
fall
down
and they
worship
him
you see
what's
happening
there's
the beginning
of offspring
the beginning
of people
who never
normally would
come together
can come
together
because of
Christ
because of
his grace
and it's
their grace
that grace
that then
enables us
as we look
to the cross
to extend
that to
others that
we would
normally
exclude
you know
chapter 54
tells us
it starts off
in the light
of what Jesus
has done
it says
sing
and then it
says
fear not
and those two
go together
because joy
is often
stolen
by our
fear
but actually
the joy
of the
Lord
he says
fear not
for you
will not
be ashamed
in my
people
this is
not a
place of
shame
for your
maker
is your
husband
the holy
one of
Israel
is your
redeemer
so what
that means
is for
those of
us
who are
afraid of
being
honest
and afraid
of being
real
come to
Jesus
this morning
and come
into a
community
where all
of us
need to
begin to
be honest
and we
can only
do that
as we
see that
we have
a husband
that we
have a
redeemer
who welcomes
and accepts
us
some of
us
have real
wounds
we have
real guilt
real shame
and stuff
from other
people that
they've dumped
on us
over our
years
and we
feel weighed
down
by the
pressure
by the
expectations
by everything
that we
should be
we feel
like
it's not
fair
there's
criticism
that's come
to us
maybe we've
been angry
at other
people
and Jesus
says come
don't try
and make
others pay
for it
don't try
and pay
for it
yourself
with self
condemnation
lay it
down at
my feet
fear not
because here
you'll find
healing for
your soul
and you can
keep putting
that on me
because every
day you're
going to get
different things
happen
every day
is going to
come different
accusations
there's
going to
be different
relational
tensions
different times
where we're
tempted to
just take
all that
on ourselves
put it
on other
people
judge other
people
exclude other
people
and as a
community
we've got to
keep coming
back to see
it was my
sin that held
him there
until it was
accomplished
his dying
breath has
brought me
life
I know
that it is
finished
see this
if this is
the kind
of community
that we're
all doing
then that's
the kind
of community
that's
open for
people who
are wounded
and broken
to come
into
it's open
for those
who are
outcasts in
our society
to feel
accepted and
welcomed
for us to
open people
we even
disagree with
because when
we come
not as
people
who've got
a whole load
of baggage
to throw
on others
but as
people who
are free
we're going
to come to
communion
and do you
know what
communion is
a meal for
sheep
communion is
a meal
for shame
guilty
born
weighed down
by life
weighed down
by our own
struggles
our own sin
our own shame
and everything
else
it's a place
to come
and to see
Jesus again
I want you
to gaze
on Jesus
imagine yourself
at the foot
of the cross
and see yourself
before him
and see him
taking everything
for you
and I want you
as you see
that to open
your hands
and say
God
let it break
you
let it open
you up
let it open
places of your
wounds
bring your
wounds
to him
bring your
guilt
to him
don't come
away
without a
sense
that you
actually
need
Jesus
so what
we're going
to do
is in a
minute
I'm just
going to
give you
a moment
to reflect
and then
I'm going
to come
back
and we'll
take
some of
the elements
together
so if you
don't have
your
community
let's feel
free to
just grab
them right
now
but come
before him
and see
what he's
done for
you
let's just
spend a
minute
in confession
let his
love for
you
break you
and let
it
remold you
and heal
you
so let's
just pray
and I
just
I want
you to
think how
have you
been
looking at
Jesus
have you
seen him
have you
seen him
in the
midst of
all the
COVID
struggles
and all
the other
things that
have been
wrapping you
up have
you seen
him
I miss
the arguments
you've been
having or
the sense
of downcastness
or weariness
or tiredness
have you
seen him
have you
seen him
have you
seen his
love for
you
have you
seen his
grace
poured out
upon you
have you
seen him
you see
on
on the
night
that
Jesus
was
betrayed
he took
a meal
you see
a meal
is a place
of acceptance
and welcome
it was a
place where
broken
people
can feel
safe
to be
themselves
to feel
safe
not because
of anything
we've done
but because
of Jesus
and at that
meal he
took a
loaf of
bread
and he
went and
broke it
and he
said this
bread
is my
body
which you
are going
to despise
at this
moment
you're not
going to
get what
I'm doing
for you
you're going
to reject
me but I'm
not going
to throw
it back
in your
face I'm
going to
absorb it
all for
you
I'm going
to absorb
it all
for you
that you
might know
the joy
of forgiveness
and freedom
and that we
might you
might be a
community
that is
filled with
this joy
and freedom
the body
of Christ
and then he
took a cup
and he
took a cup
because it
symbolised
blood
like the
blood of
goats
like the
blood of
bulls
like the
blood of
lambs
it symbolised
this is
going to
cost me
everything
and he
took it
and out of
incredible
joy
and anguish
he said
this is my
blood
which is
shed for
you
so that
you may
be forgiven
but also
so that
you may
be someone
who out
of the
forgiveness
and love
you receive
can forgive
others
and show
grace to
others
because this
is what
I'm doing
the blood
of Christ
father let's
just pray
father
forgive us
where we
actually think
we know
the cross
well
forgive us
where we
just kind of
glance at it
as good
Christians
and we
don't
we
don't
we
don't
we
hold on
to
resentment
and grudges
towards other
people
we carry
the guilt
and shame
on ourselves
and we
say I
can deal
with it
I can
handle it
but father
we can't
and we
cause
devastation
around us
but you
came to
bring us
peace
you came
to bring
us
healing
you came
to bring
a great
news
of great
joy
lord
I pray
that today
we would
experience
that great
news
of great
joy
afresh
that today
there is a
savior for us
who is born
there's this
community of
watermark
we are a
community
which are
saved
we're a
community
which don't
have to
prove
ourselves
anymore
we're a
community
which even
when we
wrestle
even when
we struggle
we can
come back
again
and again
to the
foot of
the cross
and we
can know
that even
though we're
a complete
mess
you're the
one who
takes
messes
and you
restore us
you're the
one who
takes
broken
outcast
people
and you
make us
a family
and I
pray that
this
Christmas
that would
not be a
theoretical
abstract
concept in
our minds
but I
pray that
you'd help
that to
become deeper
more real
more rich
more full
and let us
extend that
to the
people around
us
let us
know the
depth of
your love
for us
I pray
break us
heal us
let us
know the
joy of
your salvation
in Jesus
mighty name
Amen