A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers  

Isaiah 53:4, “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.” A woman was doing her last-minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall. She was tired of fighting the crowds. She was tired of standing in the long lines. Her feet were swollen. Her back was aching. The stress of the day had resulted in a severe migraine headache. She became exhausted after fighting her way down long aisles looking for a gift that had been sold out the day before. Her arms were full of bulky packages when an elevator door opened. It was full. The occupants of the elevator grudgingly tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load. As the doors closed, she blurted out, “Whoever is responsible for this whole Christmas thing out to be arrested, strung up, and shot!” A few in the elevator nodded their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from back in the crowd, a single voice replied: “Don’t worry, ma’am. They already crucified Him.” In Isaiah’s prolific Messianic prophesy, a portion of which is reflected in our Scripture lesson today, he paints a most solemn picture of Messiah as One who would bear all of the transgressions and iniquities of all mankind. Then, God the Father, would judge Him, and mete out upon Him God’s fullest wrath, to forever satisfy the penalty for sin, for all of humanity. The imagery Isaiah paints throughout his 53rd chapter is nothing less than horrific. But verse 11 resounds the outcome: “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” This season of the year, never forget, that our blessed Lord was born two millennia ago to die. He died on the cross, becoming the very embodiment of sin, and received the recompensing wrath of God, so that we may have our sin put away and we be forever justified before God. Recognition of His sacrifice for us, will transform, not just Christmas Day, but every day, into a glorious new day.