In this lesson, I want to share the importance of reading with faith, reading in a personal way, reading by latching on to the gospel, and clinging to it. Let’s take Isaiah 53 as our text:
“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Isaiah 53:1 (NIV)
There are two thoughts connected in Isaiah 53:1: believing the gospel and experiencing the power of God. Believing "our message" is connected with the revealing of "the arm of the Lord," a reference to God's power. This verse is the Old Testament equivalent of Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."
It also shows the need we have to receive and believe the gospel daily, for it reveals God's "arm" to strike a blow to our enemy and deliver us from captivity to sin.
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4 (NIV)
Here is how I read this passage with faith, believing it is true for me:
Surely, Jesus took up my pain. He carried all the years of my self-gratification, selfish living, hurting others, the sins done by me, and to me. Jesus removed it all from me and carried it to the cross.
Jesus was punished by God for me. The cross had my name on it; the nails should have been mine; the death Jesus died was mine. He was punished so that I could be pardoned; He died so that I might live. Jesus was struck down by God so that I would be lifted out of my life of sin.
Do you see how the Holy Spirit leads us to personalize the Scriptures? He daily leads me to apply the good news to myself and enables me to “believe the message.” He invites you to do this too. And when we believe the gospel personally, we experience the power of God. The arm of the Lord is revealed in the message of the gospel, and His arm is powerful enough to open our prison door and set us free.
Now, it’s your turn. Please read, ask God to give you faith to believe, and then personalize the gospel for yourself:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
Question 6. Please consider how Isaiah 53:5 applies to you and then write it out in a personal manner. Make it specific to you and your situation.
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