A couple of weeks ago while I was preparing the sermon that I was to preach that Sunday, I did something that I do not often do. I wrote the end of the sermon first. I was reflecting on the words of Isaiah in his incredible 53rd chapter:

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But 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. 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. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isa 53:4-10)

I was focusing on the 10th verse and in particular these words, “it was the will of the Lord to crush Him.” In meditating on these words, I began to weep uncontrollably. For those of you who do not know me, that is not me. I don’t often cry uncontrollably, but I did on that day. Like a great weight upon my heart, I realized with stunning clarity the cost that was involved for God to demonstrate His love toward sinners. I was crushed over the crushing of the Son of God. Continue Reading »