PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS
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As we continue to explore the encounter between Philip and the man from Ethiopia as found in Acts 8:32-33, we come to the material that this man was reading as he traveled on in his chariot.
The man must have purchased a copy of the writings from the Prophet Isaiah during his time in Jerusalem. This scroll would have been large and cumbersome to use, yet the man had made his way through to the approximate middle of Isaiah’s works.
This man was clearly hungry for the truth and was willing to expend wealth, time, and energy in his search for answers to his questions about the Lord.
Isaiah 53
The man was reading a passage from what we now call Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah chapter 53 is a prophetic message (God gave a word or idea to the Prophet, who then recorded or preached this message to others) concerning the one who was to come and be the salvation of all who turned to the Lord in faith.
Time?
If you have the time, read the twelve verses that make up the whole of this message concerning the one the Lord promised would come and bring salvation:
1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
(Isaiah 53:1-3 NIV11)
- The promised Savior would be born into a faithful family that was not rich, powerful, famous, or considered attractive by the surrounding world.
- Jesus of Nazareth was born into just such a family and situation.
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV11)
- Even though we have all failed to honor God, the Lord has provided the gift of the Messiah to all who will receive his sacrificial love.
- Jesus of Nazareth was pierced, he suffered, and he was wounded in his mission to bear the cost of sin so we might experience the gift of freedom and relationship with God.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
(Isaiah 53:7-9 NIV11)
- The Messiah was killed by those he came to save. He was buried amongst the rich, though he was innocent of wrongdoing.
- The crowds cheered for Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified. No one defended him or took up his case. He died on the cross and was buried in Joseph’s tomb.
10 Yet it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
(Isaiah 53:10 NIV11)
- The suffering and death of the Messiah were not an accident, not a mistake, and not a surprise. It was the plan of God to show his creation the full extent of his love through the life, death, and resurrection of the Immanuel, God with us.
- Jesus Christ knew his mission was to atone for the sins of mankind on the cross. He spoke of this often, but most of these situations were met with confusion by his followers. It was not until he completed his work that they understood.
11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
(Isaiah 53:11-12 NIV11)
- The Messiah would not stay in the grave, he would see the light of life and continue in his mission as Savior.
- Jesus of Nazareth pointed to his resurrection often and taught others to see that it was through his sacrifice that the faithful would find the gift of eternal life.
Question
The man from Ethiopia asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
Answer
The answer was that Isaiah was being used by God to point to the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. The message of grace and mercy, the message of the Gospel, can be clearly heard in the message God provided through the prophet.
Praise God for the gift of our salvation and the full expression of his love for us in Christ Jesus.
In Christ,
Ryan Laden
PASTOR RYAN LADEN
Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
Worked at MTN. CHURCH
Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church
Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at Baylor University
Studied at Texas Tech University
Went to Castle Hills First Baptist
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