Thursday, February 13, 2020

Verse of the Day 2/13

Verse of the Day 2/13


Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced because of our transgressions,

crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on Him,

and we are healed by His wounds.  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

  

Occasionally while driving I have the opportunity to listen to Dave Ramsey's radio program on finances.  I never tire of hearing his response when asked the question "how are you doing?", to which his response is always "better than I deserve".  Today's verse in Isaiah 53 immediately reminds us of "what we deserve", but fortunately for us God is love and gives us grace, much better than we deserve, He gives us grace that is greater than all our sins.

J.C. Ryle in today's "Grace Gems" expanded upon this great exchangel

Was Jesus scourged? 

It was that "through His stripes we might be healed." 


Was Jesus condemned, though innocent? 

It was that we might be acquitted, though guilty. 


Did Jesus wear a crown of thorns? 

It was that we might wear the crown of glory. 


Was Jesus stripped of His clothing? 

It was that we might be clothed in His everlasting righteousness. 


Was Jesus mocked and reviled? 

It was that we might be honored and blessed. 


Was Jesus reckoned a malefactor, and numbered among transgressors? 

It was that we might be reckoned innocent, and justified from all sin. 


Was Jesus declared unable to save Himself? 

It was that He might be able to save others to the uttermost. 


Did Jesus die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful of deaths? 

It was that we might live for evermore, and be exalted to the highest glory!  J.C. Ryle


Charlses Stanley also tells of what we have received that we don't deserve, "He created us in His image (Gen. 1:26). He sent His only Son to die in our place, and He forgives us of our sin debt (1 Cor. 15:3). John 15:15 tells us that Christ calls us His friends—and what's more, when we trust in Jesus, God adopts us and considers us His children (Rom. 8:15). He even blesses us with an Intercessor and Helper—the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The Word is clear: God loves us passionately.."

I'll close with the words of the Stuart Townsend hymn "How Deep the Faither's Love For Us

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
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.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

How am i doing today?  Better than I deserve.

Blessings, 

Mike 



Follow the verse of the day at mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Isaiah 53 English Standard Version (ESV)

53 Who has believed what he has heard from us?[a]
    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[b] by men,
    a man of sorrows[c] and acquainted with[d] grief;[e]
and as one from whom men hide their faces[f]
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—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 off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;[g]
when his soul makes[h] an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see[i] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,[j]
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,[k]





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.


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