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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?

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