What He Did for Us

Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

This familiar passage in Isaiah 53 is the same portion of Scripture that we read about in Acts 8. Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading this portion of Isaiah. We know this passage in Isaiah 53 is talking about the Lord Jesus because Philip “opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” (Acts 8:35) This Old Testament scripture pointed to what Christ would do, and now for us points back to what He has done.

Notice the repetition in this chapter of Christ suffering for us. Words like sorrows, transgressions, iniquities, stripes, and chastisement remind us of the great price the Lord Jesus paid.

Peter once reminded the Lord of all he and the disciples had given up. In essence, Peter said, “We’ve left everything . . . what will we get out of it?” Before you are too hard on Peter, can’t we feel the same way? But when we remember what Christ did for us, it puts into perspective anything we may do for Him. God’s immeasurable gift of salvation keeps giving once we are saved. Romans 8 reminds us that if God “spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (verse 32) If God would give us His Son, don’t you think He can and will give you whatever else you need?

Remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us should make us humble. In light of Christ, what we have done for Him is really what we owe. A servant is not spectacular if he simply does his duty. I hope your life is not a drudgery with what you “have to do,” but it would do us all well to remember anything we do for Christ is simply what we owe.

Christ’s work on our behalf should also make us hopeful. This life now is nothing more than mercy. Talk about “not fair”-even on the worst of days, we do not get what we deserve! A preacher friend always answers the question, “How are you doing?” with the same response: “Better than I deserve!” When you see your life in the right perspective, you will find hope in today. Not only is this life mercy, but think about the fact that eternity will be grace!

Last of all, remembering what Christ did for us should make us happy and thankful. I was just reminiscing with some friends about missionaries we know in foreign countries. I can fret about the high cost of gas and health care, but some (or most) of the people in the world don’t have cars. My missionary friends live in places where people cannot get along with each other and where basic hygiene and health are uncommon. I am thankful for where I live and what I have, but I realized that missionaries are thankful, too, for what they have. They are taking the good news of Isaiah 53 to people who need it, and God is meeting their needs!

Remembering what Christ has done gives a whole new outlook on life-