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FamilyWorshipGuide–Week30 READ
o Isaiah53:2‐12o ThischapterisperhapsthemostfamousandforthrightpassageintheOldTestamentconcerningthedeathoftheMessiah.
ItnotonlypredictsJesus’deathonthecross,butitalsooffersoneofthemostjaw‐droppingexplanationsoftheevent.ItpiercesseveralpreconceivedideaswesometimesentertainaboutJesusChristandthecross.
o First,thereisatendencytoassumethatJesuswasanattractivehumanbeing.ThisisapopularAmericanassessmentwherebeautyandvaluegohand‐in‐hand.WetendtothinkthatpeoplewerenaturallydrawntoHisappearance.WeassumetheSavioroftheworldwouldbephysicallyattractive.However,thispassagecontradictsthisidea.Itsays,JesusChrist“hadnoformormajestythatweshouldlookathimandnobeautythatweshoulddesirehim”(v.2).Hewasas“onefromwhommenhidetheirfaces”(v.3).
o WhatwefindintheMessiahisGod’spreferencetochooseandtousetheleastlikelycandidates.AllthatGoddoesisdesignedtobringHimthemostglory.Onewaytodothatistocausepeopletofallinlovewithsomeonethattheyarenotnaturallydrawnto.
o AsecondtendencyistothinkthatJesusChristdiedasavictimofareligious‐politicalconspiracyorasthetragicresultofbetrayal.ItmayseemthatthecrosswasaccidentalinGod’spurposesratherthanthecruxofHisredemptiveagenda.However,considerwhatIsaiahwritesinverse10:“ItwasthewilloftheLORDtocrushhim.”JesusdidnotnecessarilydieaccordingtothewillofsinfulpeoplebutaccordingtothewillofHolyGod.God’splancenteredonthecrossofChrist!ThroughJesus’death,manyunrighteouspeopleare“accountedrighteous”becauseHebore“theiriniquities”(v.11).Thecrosswasnotanaccidentbutthedivinelyappointedmeansofsalvation.
o ManypeopleareattractedtocertainthingstheylikeaboutJesus.TheylovethepictureofHimholdingchildrenandheraldingvirtuesofloveandsacrificialservice,buttheyarenotasinterestedinHimhangingonacross.Thecrossrevealsthatwearenotasattractiveaswemightthink.ItexposestheheinousnessofoursinandrevealstheheartofGod’sholiness.
o WearenotnaturallydrawntoanunattractiveJesusnorarewenaturallydrawntoanunattractivecross.Yet,ChristiansarepeoplewhosomehowfindJesusattractivenotonlyinHispersonbutalsoinHisworkonthecross.“Forthewordofthecrossisfollytothosewhoareperishing,buttouswhoarebeingsaveditisthepowerofGod”(1Cor.1:18).TheBottomLine:AChristianissomeonewhofallsinlove,notwithanAmericanassumptionaboutJesus,butwiththecounter‐intuitive,yetdivinelyrevealedtruthofJesus–atruththatcausespeopletobestillandknowthattheLORDisGod(Ps.46:10).
Questions:HowdoesthispictureofChristunderminehowweassessbeautyandvalue?Whatdoesthecrossrevealaboutus?AboutGod?WhatotherAmericanassumptionspreventusfromrecognizingthecounter‐intuitive,yetdivinelyrevealedtruthofJesus?HowdoesitaffectyoutoknowthatGodchosetobecomeanunattractivemananduseanunattractivecrosstosaveunattractivepeople?HowdoesthepictureofChristandHiscrosspresentedinthispassagecauseusto“bestillandknowthattheLORDisGod”(Ps.46:10)?
PRAYo ReadWindowontheWorld,pg.104‐105Lesothoo UsePrayerCard
SINGo Uselyricsheetandmp3downloadof“OSacredHeartNowWounded”o Thelyricsfor“OSacredHeartNowWounded”wereoriginallypennedaround1,000yearsagobyamannamed
BernardofClairvaux.Later,intheearly1600s,musicfromasecularlovesongwasappliedtoClaivaux’spoem.Eventually,thesongwastranslatedfromLatintoGermantoEnglish,andJohannSebastianBacharrangedthemelodywithwhichwearefamiliartoday.Wetraditionallysingonlythreeoftheoriginalelevenversesofthishymn.Thissongistheperfectconclusionfortoday’sdevotional.WeclingtothepleasantimagesofJesusbecausetheyareeasytograsp.WetendtolookforHisbeautyonlyinthesepicturesbecausetheybetterfitourideasofwhatisappealing,andtheydon’tnecessarilyconvictus.Thepurposeofthishymn,though,istohelpusfocusonChrist’sphysicalandspiritualsufferingasHediedonthecross.Itisdifficulttodwellonthispicturebecauseoftheglaring
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spotlightitshinesonoursin.YetthisverysameimagedisplaysthemagnitudeandimmeasurablegracethatreconcilesustoGodwhichHehassomercifullyandlovinglypouredouttousthroughChrist.Thatisthemostbeautifulthingofall.Asyousingthishymn,feeltheweightofyoursin,thesufferingofChrist,andtheamazingredemptionHisdeathandresurrectionaccomplished.Letthesetruthscompelyoutolove,worshipandpraiseourgreatGodandSavior.
MEMORIZEo Isaiah53:5Buthewaswoundedforourtransgressions;hewascrushedforouriniquities;uponhimwasthechastisement
thatbroughtuspeace,andwithhisstripeswearehealed.
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SUGGESTIONS
These suggestionswere created by the age‐groupministry leaders as away to help parents better communicate thebiblical truths discussed in the Family Worship Guide. These activities and questions can replace or serve as asupplementtothequestionsunderthe“Read”sectiononPage1.RememberthatthesesuggestionsareintendedtohelpparentsfacilitateGod‐centereddiscussionswiththeirchildren.Parentsshouldprayerfullyusethesesuggestions,andanyothermeansnecessary,tohelptheirchildrendiscoverthetruthsofGod’swordandworshipHimtogether.
Preschool(Birth‐Kindergarten)o Beforeyoubegin,gatheryourchild’sPictureBibleorsomeotherpicturesofJesus.Youmightprintsomefromthe
web.o ShowyourchildthepicturesandexplainthatthesearejustanideaofwhatJesusmighthavelookedlikewhileHe
washereonEarth.Wedon’tknowwhatHereallylookedlike.Talkaboutsomeofthedifferencesinthepictures.EvenHisdisciplesandthepeoplewhosawHimeverydaydidn’ttellusintheBibleexactlywhatHelookedlike.
o Talkabouthowit’snotimportantto“knowwhatJesuslookedlike.”It’simportanttoknowmoreaboutwhatHedidforus.GodlovedussomuchthatHesentHissontoEarthtohelpusandsaveus!
o Jesuswasdifferentfromeveryoneelse.WhenwefollowJesusandturnawayfromourbadchoicesandsin,wewillbedifferent,too.WecanknowJesusandshowHislovetoothersallovertheworld.
Children(Grades1‐5)
o Beforeyoubegin,gathertogetherseveraldifferentpictureofJesusfromaroundtheworld.Usetheinternetasaresource.
o AskyourchildtodescribewhatJesuslookedlike.Washeattractive?Didhelooklikeus?Whatcolorwerehiseyes,skinandhair?ThenaskyouchildwhytheythinkJesuslookedthewaytheydescribed.
o NextshowthemthephotosthatdepictJesusasothersseeHimaroundtheworld.WhichimagebestreflectswhatHelookedlike?Whatmadeyouchoosethatpicture?RemindyourchildrenthattheBiblesaysverylittleaboutJesus’appearance,andthatIsaiah53evendescribesHimashaving“noformormajestythatweshouldlookathimandnobeautythatweshoulddesirehim”(v.2).Discusswhyyouthinkthatis,andwhatitmeans.IsitimportanttoknowwhatJesuslookedlike?CanyoutellwhatkindofpersonHewasjustbylookingatHim?Whatwashischaracterlike?DoyouthinkthewayJesuslookeddeterminedHisbehaviorandwhetherornotHewasnice?WhydoyouthinktheBibletalksmoreaboutwhatJesuswaslikeasaperson,howHeactedandwhatHedidforusinsteadofHisappearance?
o Jesusmaynothavebeenphysicallyattractive,butHisheartwasbeautiful.Hewasperfectinlove,obedience,kindness,goodnessandmore.BecauseHewasperfectlybeautifulontheinsideandinhowHetreatedothers,Hewasabletotakethepunishmentforoursins.ThatmakesHimworthytobeloved,praised,worshippedandobeyed.
Students(Grades6‐12)
o Beginyourfamilyworshiptimeexploringhowwe,asAmericans,viewJesus.Thiscanbedoneinacoupleofways.Oneideaistogiveeveryoneapieceofpaperandpens,crayons,ormarkersandchallengeeachpersontodrawChristastheypicturehim.AnotherideawouldbetodoafamilyGooglesearch.SearchforimagesofJesustoseehowheisoftendepicted.(Note:Youmaywanttodothisaheadoftimeandprintsomeoftheimagesavailabletosharewithyourfamily.)
o ThenreadthroughIsaiah53:2‐12andcontrastthedescriptiongivenwiththepictures.o Discussthefollowingquestionstogether:
o Whydoyouthinkweoftenhavesucha“pretty”pictureofJesusinourminds?HowdoestheBiblicalphysicalpictureofJesusaffectyourthoughtsaboutHim?
o DoyouthinkofJesuslookinglikeanAmerican?WhydoweoftenthinkofJesuslookinglikeus?Whatarethegoodthingsandbadthingsaboutthatconcept?
o WhataresomeofthetruthsaboutChristthatopposetheimagewemayhaveofHim?o HowshouldthesetruthsaffecthowweliveasChrist‐followers?
Pra
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Publ
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Due
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ly
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Cop
yrig
ht ©
2010
The
Chu
rch
at B
rook
Hill
s
