Sermon Extras... Holy Week Prep

 

The Word of God is powerful. The author of Hebrews was absolutely right. It cuts deep. It cuts right to the bottom of my pride and self-righteousness. The Spirit soothes my soul with the Word too. He always knows when to wound, and when to mend. The Almighty truly is the great physician!

 

Case in point:

 

I’ve been preparing for Holy Week; dividing my preparation time between Palm Sunday and Good Friday.  Palm Sunday’s sermon is all about expectations. I’m going to be preaching from Zechariah 9. Good Friday is all about forgiveness. I’m going to be speaking from Exodus 12 and the Suffering Servant Song from Isaiah 52 & 53.

 

As I’ve been thinking about Isaiah 52 & 53, I asked the Lord to work on my heart. Sometimes I’m so used to hearing a certain passage like Isaiah’s Suffering Servant Song that I don’t take the time to really think about what is being said.

 

So, on my short walk to my office this morning, I was going over the passage in my head. And all of sudden I said the very first line out loud. “Behold, my servant shall act wisely”.

 

What an amazing thought! There it was hundreds of years before Jesus showed up; the amazing truth that when the messiah came, he would act wisely. There would never be a moment in Jesus’ life where he did something foolishly. He would never act out of an evil heart. He would never have an evil heart. Every thought and action would be characterized as wise! He would be wise in the way he chooses what to say and what to reveal to people. He would be wise in his choosing of the disciples, including Judas! He would act out of wisdom every time he chose to heal, or not to. Jesus acted wisely. All the time.

 

I do not.

 

This is why I need Jesus. This is why we all need a savior. A servant of God that always acts wisely.

 

Oh praise the infinitely wise Jesus!