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Isaiah 52:13--53:12 · The Suffering and Glory of the Servant
Death Leads to Life
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
Sermon
by Richard Gribble
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Long ago on a high mountaintop three trees were speaking about their future dreams. The first tree said, "I would really like to be made into a cradle so that a newborn baby might rest comfortably and I could support that new life." The second tree looked down at a small stream that was flowing into a big river and said, "I want to be made into a great ship so I can carry useful cargo to all corners of the world." The third tree viewed the valley from its mountaintop and said, "I don't want to be made into anything. I just want to remain here and grow tall so I can remind people to raise their eyes and think of God in heaven who loves them so much." 

Years passed and the trees grew tall and mighty. Then one day three woodcutters climbed the mountain in order to harvest some trees. As they cut down the first tree one of the men said, "We will make this one into a manger." The tree shook its branches in protest; it did not want to become a feed box for animals. It had grander ideas for its beauty. But the woodcutters made it into a manger and sold it to an innkeeper in a small town called Bethlehem. And when the Lord Jesus was born, he was placed in that manger. Suddenly the first tree realized it was cradling the greatest treasure the world had ever seen. As the woodcutters cut down the second tree, they said, "We will make this into a fishing boat." The woodcutters did as they planned and a man named Simon Peter bought it. And when the Lord Jesus needed a place from which to address the crowds that were pressing upon him, he got into the little fishing boat and proclaimed the Good News. And the second tree suddenly realized it was carrying a most precious cargo, the King of heaven and earth. The woodcutters then came to the third tree and said, "The Romans are paying good money these days for wooden beams for their crosses. We will cut this tree into beams for a cross." The tree protested so hard that its leaves began to shake and then fall onto the ground, but it was cut down, nonetheless, and made into beams. 

One Friday morning the third tree was startled when its beams were taken from a woodpile and shoved onto the shoulders of a man. The tree flinched when soldiers nailed the man's hands to the wood; the tree felt shamed and humiliated. But early on Sunday morning, as the dawn appeared, the earth trembled with joy beneath the tree. The tree knew that the Lord of all the earth had been crucified on its cross, but now God's love had changed everything. And the cross from that third tree stands tall to remind people to raise their eyes and think of the God in heaven who loves them. And did you notice, how, in each case, being cut down was the price that was paid for entering into God's glory? 

The three trees all had ideas of what they wanted; they had dreams for their futures. But what they wanted and how it came about did not happen in the way they expected. They did not realize that being cut down was the price for entry into God's glory. They did not understand it, but they needed to be molded and transformed, a process which took a sense of dying to their own wants and desires. On Good Friday we commemorate Jesus' death, his complete sacrifice. Saint Paul summarizes Jesus' action well: "And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8). But Jesus' death was salvific for us. The Lord's supreme, total, and uncompromising sacrifice brought life. We who wish to follow in his footsteps must be willing to sacrifice, to die to self, in order to bring life to ourselves and others in the world. 

Today's familiar lesson is the fourth of the famous Suffering Servant passages presented in Deutero-Isaiah, written during the period of Israel's Babylonian captivity. The Servant dramatically challenges the worldly understanding of power by accomplishing God's purpose not through force, but by gentleness (Isaiah 42:1-4). The Servant is acquainted with suffering and abuse (Isaiah 5:4-7). In fact, it is through the Servant's humiliation and suffering that God accomplishes the redemption of God's people from the bondage of sin. Scholars over the centuries have debated whether the Servant is a prophetic reference to Jesus (as the New Testament writers seem to indicate) or to the voice of the Hebrew nation. Regardless of the interpretation, the message of the passage is clear. 

Today's lesson is a classic example of a paradox. We recall that a paradox is a statement or idea that when first examined appears to be false, but on closer scrutiny is proven to be true. "Meno," a famous dialogue of the great philosopher Plato, presents a classic example of a paradox. In the dialogue Socrates, Plato's protagonist, engages his friend Meno in a conversation and asks, "Is it possible to know that which is not learned?" Meno immediately answers, "No, there is nothing that one knows that is not learned." Socrates, after some reflection, responds that there are many things that people know without learning them, such as how to breathe, the emotions of love and sadness, and the natural instinct to live. Thus, there are things known that are not learned; Socrates' question is a paradox. 

In this Suffering Servant passage we are told that the Servant will prosper but the path to this exaltation is the path of suffering. The Servant will not lose life so much as redefine it along lines that demonstrate light breaking through darkness, forgiveness destroying the bondage of sin, and knowledge that leads to righteousness. The Servant tells us that the highest expression of human dignity is found in the demonstration of solidarity with fellow human beings through a love that acknowledges no bounds because its source is God. We hear today, "See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high ... But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed" (Isaiah 52:13, 53:5). Such a path to life and harmony with others makes no sense on the surface, especially in today's world. Thus, the Servant's message is a great paradox. The actions of the Servant appear to be all loss, but by such deeds the powerful in the world are startled and astonished. Those who follow the way of the Servant will transform the vision of many and place them on the correct path leading to righteousness. 

The surrender of the Servant to the will of God is complete in all ways. We hear today, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). He knows that he must be molded and transformed by God, to go places and do things that he would rather not do, but he is willing to forego his personal needs for the needs of others, even to the point of taking on the sins of the community, though he is innocent. The Servant is totally unselfish; he has no fear for himself, but rather has developed a relationship with God of complete trust. He has absolute certainty that God's will for him will be profitable for the world and thus he is willing to endure whatever God asks of him. 

The paradoxical nature of today's famous passage from the Prophet Isaiah can be directly applied to our Good Friday commemoration. On the surface Jesus' ignominious death on the cross seems to make no sense. We remember, however, what Saint Paul (1 Corinthians 1:18) said about this apparent contradiction in our faith, "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who have been saved it is the power of God." 

The cross and its guarantee of pain are the greatest of all paradoxes. Jesus expresses this clearly in the Gospels. "Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Again Jesus tells us, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, will save it" (Luke 9:24). The cross is not an option for those who wish to be disciples. The Lord makes this expressly clear as well, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Thus, we know from scripture that there is one and only one way to enter into the eternal life promised us by God and that is by dying to self, as did Jesus, so as to rise renewed in Christ. Our sights must be set on the goal as Paul presents it, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 1:9). 

Contemporary society stands in complete rebellion against any idea that one must surrender oneself in any way. Years back there was a television commercial which proudly boasted, "Who says you can't have it all!" That attitude remains pervasive in our world, especially the prosperous American society in which we live. Society celebrates achievement and winners; losers and non-achievers are cast aside as unproductive, unimportant, and certainly not worthy of our time or attention. It makes no sense at all to people today to suffer intentionally, especially when for most there is absolutely no need. Besides we know that the world of hard knocks will come our way; why would we want to invite it to arrive early? 

In every human way Jesus' life and mission appeared to be a failure. His master plan seemed to all to end on Good Friday when he was nailed to the cross and all but a select few of his faithful followers abandoned him. Yet, as we recall from Saint John's passion narrative, Jesus' death was his greatest victory. The thorns he wore were his crown and the cross upon which he died was his throne. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, like all the actions of his life, contradicted the prevailing culture and societal norms. He challenged rules of all sorts. He freely associated with women, even some like Mary Magdalen who were considered indecent; he reached out to the ritually unclean such as lepers; he broke the sabbath laws, choosing in the process to establish a higher order of behavior. Jesus never feared people in positions of power and authority, such as the Pharisees, scribes, and elders, but rather challenged them to see another perspective on life. He never cowed to their threats, but rather steadfastly and courageously practiced his ministry to all who were willing to walk with or listen to him. Jesus proceeded forward unconcerned about what others thought; he knew his Father's will and did what was necessary at the appropriate times to carry it out. 

Discipleship necessitates that we follow Jesus in every aspect of our lives. We know that this common call of the baptized manifests itself in service to God through our assistance of our brothers and sisters in need. It also means that we must preach and proclaim God's word to others. This need not be done on a street corner or in the door-to-door sale of religion, but it must be, and probably is most profoundly accomplished, through the everyday lives we lead. Every word and every action is an opportunity to tell others about our faith and what we proclaim about Jesus of Nazareth. 

Discipleship also means, however, that we must follow Jesus to the cross; we must die to ourselves so others may live. In many ways this might be the greatest challenge to contemporary discipleship. People today are rather comfortable participating in some sort of service to others. It has become in vogue and is even popular in many circles individually or in groups, to assist at soup kitchens, visit the sick and elderly in nursing homes, or collect food, clothing, and other daily necessities and distribute them to the poor. Preaching by our actions is another thing we have been trained to do in contemporary life and our level of comfort with this Christian calling is fairly high. But to die to oneself, to deny what we have and even at times who we are is beyond the comprehension of most today. The denial of our self-autonomy, to sacrifice totally for others, something that loving parents are often called to do, is very difficult for most people. Lowering and humbling ourselves in order to raise up others does not make sense. It is a paradox as assuredly as Jesus' self-sacrifice on the cross was paradoxical for the salvation of the world. If we trust God, however, then we will be able to die to self and in the process raise up not only others but ourselves as well. Such ideas are difficult, but the difficult in life is many times the best option. This is the narrow road of which Jesus spoke when he addressed his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-14). It is the road less traveled, but the only path that leads to life eternal. 

The cross is a paradox and thus it doesn't make sense, but it truly is the only hope for Christian salvation. We need not suffer and die in a physical way as did Jesus, as we recall the great events of Good Friday, but our spiritual martyrdom, like that suffered by Mary of Nazareth, to a lesser or greater degree, is required. Mary, the Sorrowful Mother, who kept vigil beneath the cross of her Son, can be a great model for us. She unhesitatingly said yes when invited by God, through the words of the Angel Gabriel, to become the mother of Jesus. Her great fiat would over the course of Jesus' life bring her much pain and suffering and many situations that she probably never fully understood. Yet, she was willing to endure the pain and walk the road with Jesus. We too must walk the Via Dolorosa and be willing to be the Suffering Servant who lays down his life for others. 

Life throws all sorts of possibilities, people, events, circumstances, joys, and sorrows our way. Like all of us, the trees on the mountaintop had plans for their future; they, again like all of us, at the outset, were unwilling to allow their hopes to proceed in any way other than what they had planned. Yet in the end, they learned the lesson that if they were willing to die to self in their needs and wants, God through his master plan would bring to fruition their needs and would most importantly bring them home. We must learn the same lesson. The crosses of life will not be pleasant; we will suffer. But, as paradoxical as it seems and is in reality, the cross must be our only hope. Let us today fully enter into Christ's suffering. Let us humble ourselves and die to self, at least to some extent, so that others might benefit. It is the Lord we follow; it is Christ we seek to emulate; it is Jesus who brings us today through death to everlasting life.

CSS Publishing Company, Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter, by Richard Gribble