(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church on December
29, 2002. This sermon series is based upon a request to preach on Christ in
the Old Testament. All Scripture references used in this sermon are based
upon the NASB®, unless otherwise stated)
| This Sermon was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author. It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite. |
53:2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
11:1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
Introduction: According to a recent Gallup Poll analyses of the Most Admired men and women appearances in the top 10 list from 1948-2002, you find such names as Billy Graham (45 times), Queen Elizabeth II (38 times), Ronald Reagan (29 times), Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (27 times). Pope John Paul II (25 times), Margaret Thatcher (21 times), Richard Nixon (20 times), Mother Teresa (18 times), Jimmy Carter (19 times), and Jesse Jackson made this list 11 times. As we look at just some of these individuals who made this list, we notice that many made this list because of social status, looks, politics, or even because of their work to help mankind. While there might not be anything wrong with making this list for these reasons, we can't help to notice that what the world considers important isn't always so with God. What is missing from this list completely is Jesus Christ, this is because He didn't have the qualities that the world was looking for; He didn't have any social status, nor did He have any political clout. He didn't have a physical appearance of a movie star or a model. And while He was considered a good man and did good deeds, He was politically incorrect in much of His teaching. In fact, as we look at our passages of Scripture this morning, we will note that compared to the world's standards, Christ was a very unlikely Savior.
Transition: He had. . .
I. An Unlikely Appearance (Isa.53:2).
1. His humble and unpromising beginning (v.2a).
A. "For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; "Transition: Not only did Christ have a humble and unpromising beginning, He had an unexceptional appearance. . .1) "tender shoot," ("yowneq" {yo-nake'}); like a young plant, sucker, suckling, sapling.B. The two points that Isaiah is making in this passage.2) "out of parched," ("tsiyah" {tsee-yaw'}); dryness, drought, desert, dry land, barren.
1) Isaiah tells us here basically that Christ's humble beginning seemed unimportant (WGB).A) Who really noticed him as a stripling lad in Nazareth?2) The expression "out of parched ground" paints a picture of a plant struggling in a harsh and dry environment (POC).B) He could be likened to an insignificant "shoot," a bit of vegetation that is scarcely noticed.
- Christ was subject to all the conditions inseparable from a nation that had been given up to the power of the world, and was not only enduring all the consequent misery, but was in utter ignorance as to its cause; in a word, the dry ground is the corrupt character of the age (KD).
2. His unexceptional appearance (v.2b).
A. "He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him."Illustration: The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a world War she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California. During the conversion, her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock they crumbled. Nothing was left of the 3/4-inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away (Robert Wenz, Clifton Park, New York. Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 4).B. Christ did not look like a royal person in beauty and majesty, at least in what the world expected to see of someone who was a king.
1) There is no biblical description of our Lord (WGB).2) We may conclude that our Lord was humble, healthy, wholesome, but not handsome (WGB).
A) He probably did not exude charisma, nor display a flashy and striking life style.B) In His outward appearance there was nothing to attract or delight the senses (KD).
- In fact, Christ was rejected, partially because He looked like a common man (POC).
Application: If the world was honest with themselves, they would realize that they are like these smokestacks on the Queen Mary, while they look good on the outside there is no real substance on the inside. Isaiah makes it clear that there was nothing about Christ's outward appearance that would automatically attract a large following, but what He did have was an inner strength. The people during Jesus' day should have looked towards the Scripture to see if Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies (POC), but instead they only looked at His outside appearance which fell short of their worldly standard. People would not be drawn to Christ by their eyes, but only by their heavenly Father; John 6:44, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." God didn't want to attract men and women to Himself by sending someone who would appeal to their fleshly desires, but He wanted to attract those who were willing to look deeper than just the outside. And this still holds true today.
Transition: Christ also had. . .
II. An Unlikely Beginning (Isa.11:1).
1. He was from the fallen house of David (v.1a).
A. "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, "Application: During the six centuries following the fall of Jerusalem and the deposing of King Zedekiah, the Davidic dynasty lost its access to the throne. The lifestyle of the royal family was reduced to that of a common peasant. Joseph was a poor carpenter, and at Jesus' presentation, the family offered doves, which was the offering of the poor (Luke 2:22-24). The Davidic dynasty was like a tree that had been chopped down but that had a live root awaiting an opportunity to send up a new shoot. While the world thought that they had ended these kingdoms, God preserved them and would revive them once again when His timing was right to send the Messiah.B. In Chapter 10:33-34, Isaiah tells Judah that the Lord will use the Assyrian and Babylonian armies to bring down their kingdom, like forests and mighty trees that have been cut down and only the stumps remain.
- But the good news is the line of David would not end, but it would have a new beginning through the coming Messiah, according to God's promise in 2 Samuel 7:16, "And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.".
Transition: And since Christ had such an unlikely beginning, from a fallen kingdom. . .
2. He bore no recognizable resemblance to a king (v.1b).
A. "And a branch from his roots will bear fruit."Application: Kings of our world are raised up in great wealth and given the best education that money can buy. They are pampered and courted by Governments, politicians, and the wealthy businessmen of the world. All the world seems to look up to them in awe. Just look how everyone viewed Princess Dianna, and see how her sons have been raised and how the world chases after them in the news. This is the way of man, but God's ways are very seldom the world's ways; Isaiah 55:8-9, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'" God raised up His Son, Jesus with a very unlikely beginning for the king of kings, and the Lord of lords. From His lowly beginning, most of the world overlooked Him. The Roman's crucified Him like a common thief, the Jewish leaders rejected and framed Him as a common troublemaker. The rest of the nation just stood by and watched as He was put to death, not wanting to get involved, after all wasn't this the son of that carpenter Joseph? Because, God didn't bring Christ into this world with the pomp and ceremony of a king, most of the world took little notice of Him, even though He demonstrated His power and authority of His kingship everywhere He went. While you and I will never be the Savior of the world, we should never forget that in God's sight we too have great potential if we will allow Him to lift us up; James 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."B. In Christ's humble beginning there lies a power which will carry it up to a great height by a steady and certain process (KD).
1) Ezekiel 17:22-23, "Thus says the Lord God, 'I shall also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I shall pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I shall plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the high mountain of Israel I shall plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches.'"2) The twig which is shooting up on the ground will become a tree, and this tree will have a crown laden with fruit.
3) Christ would bear no resemblance to a king at His first coming, but instead came as the servant of God, but His coming would bear fruit, that is, prosper and benefit others.
Transition: Christ had. . .
III. An Unlikely Ability (Isa.11:2).
1. Spirit-filled (v.2a).
A. The Messiah was to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.Transition: Not only was the Messiah to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but He would also be. . .1) "And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,"A) "Spirit" ("ruwach" {roo'-akh}); wind, breath, mind, spirit (used here of the Holy Spirit).2) The Holy Spirit did not normally indwell Old Testament believers, but would rather come and go upon certain individuals as God saw fit, but with Christ this was different.B) "rest on," ("nuwach" {noo'-akh}); to rest, settle down and remain.
B. This prophecy was fulfilled at Jesus' baptism.- Matthew 3:16-17, "And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'"
2. Spirit-empowered (v.2b).
A. spirit of wisdom.Application: Because of Christ's wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge He is the Wonderful Counselor; Isaiah 9:6, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." To fear God is to respond to Him in awe, trust, obedience, and worship (BKC). Christ set the example not only for the people in His day, but for believers today. While the world looked at Jesus as a very unlikely Savior because of His appearance and His upbringing and rejected Him, His heavenly Father empowered Him to demonstrate to the world that He was all that He claimed to be; John 10:37-38, "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." Likewise, when a believer seeks God's will for their lives, they too are empowered to overcome the things of this world; 1 John 4:4b, ". . .Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."1) "wisdom," ("chokmah" {khok-maw'}); wisdom, skill, shrewdness.B. sprit of understanding.2) The ability to discern the nature of things (WGB).
1) "understanding," ("biynah" {bee-naw'}); understanding, discernment.C. spirit of counsel.2) The ability to discern their differences (WGB).
1) "counsel," ("'etsah" {ay-tsaw'}): counsel, advice, purpose.D. spirit of strength.2) The ability to adopt right conclusions (WGB).
1) "strength," ("gebuwrah" {gheb-oo-raw'}); strength, might, mighty deeds, power.E. spirit of knowledge.2) The ability to carry them out (WGB).
1) "knowledge," ("da'ath" {dah'-ath}); knowledge, perception.F. spirit of fear of the Lord.2) The ability to personally know the very essence of the Father himself (WGB).
1) "fear," ("yir'ah" {yir-aw'}); fear, awesome, respect, reverence.2) The ability to always refrain from displeasing him (WGB)
A) John 8:29, "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."B) He is characterized by the fear of the LORD and has delight in it (11:3) just as His people should have (BKC).
Truths To Ponder:
1. God often uses people that don't look like we would expect them
to look.
- We must be careful not to judge people by the way they look.2. God often uses people that don't come from a social status, or educational background that we would expect.
- We must be careful not to judge people by our own standards.3. God empowers those who He chooses to accomplish His will.
- Just as Jesus demonstrated who He was, not just by His words but by His fruits, so to should we as believers today do more than just Christian in name but by our fruits.4. God can take the unlikely of the world, and make them the most likely to be used of Him.
Study References
BKC - Bible Knowledge Commentary,
John Walvoord & Roy Zuck, Victor Books
KD - Commentary on the Old Testament
- Isaiah (vol.7), Keil & Delitzsch, Hendrickson Publishing
POC - Portraits Of Christ In Isaiah,
Arthur B. Walton, Regular Baptist Press
WGB - Willmington's Guide to the Bible,
H.L. Willmington, Tyndale House
Word Studies
Isaiah 11:1-2
V.1
- "shoot," ("choter"
{kho'-ter: n, m, sg}); a branch, twig. (KJV = rod)
- "spring from," ("yatsa"
{yaw-tsaw': Qal pf, 3 per, m, sg}); to come out, go forth with a purpose
or for a result.
(KJV = come forth)
- "stem," ("geza'"
{geh'-zah: prep, n, m, sg}); stem, trunk, stock of trees, stump.
- "Jesse," ("Yishay"
{yee-shah'-ee}); "I possess," the son of Boaz and the father of king David.
- "branch," ("netser"
{nay'-tser: n, m, sg}); sprout, shoot, branch.
- "roots," ("sheresh"
{sheh'-resh: conj, n, m, sg}): root, depths.
- "bear fruit," ("parah"
{paw-raw': Qal impf, 3 per, m, sg}); to bear fruit, branch off, to be fruitful.
(KJV = grow out)
V.2
- "Spirit" ("ruwach"
{roo'-akh: n, f, sg}); wind, breath, mind, spirit (used here of the Holy
Spirit).
- "LORD," ("Yehovah"
{yeh-ho-vaw'}); Jehovah = "the existing One," The proper name of the one
true God.
- "rest on," ("nuwach"
{noo'-akh: Qal pf, 3 per, f, sg}); to rest, settle down and remain. (KJV
= rest upon)
- "wisdom," ("chokmah"
{khok-maw': n, f, sg}); wisdom, skill, shrewdness.
- "understanding," ("biynah"
{bee-naw': conj, n, f, sg}); understanding, discernment.
- "counsel," ("'etsah"
{ay-tsaw': n, f, sg}): counsel, advice, purpose.
- "strength," ("gebuwrah"
{gheb-oo-raw': conj, n, f, sg}); strength, might, mighty deeds, power.
(KJV = might)
- "knowledge," ("da'ath"
{dah'-ath: n, f, sg}); knowledge, perception.
- "fear," ("yir'ah"
{yir-aw': conj, n, f, sg}); fear, awesome, respect, reverence.