1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,080 You’re listening to a sermon from Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 2 00:00:07,080 –> 00:00:12,680 To contact us, call us at 1-877-OPEN-365. 3 00:00:12,680 –> 00:00:15,240 Or visit our website, OpenTheBible.org. 4 00:00:15,240 –> 00:00:17,719 Let’s get to the message. 5 00:00:17,719 –> 00:00:19,520 Here is Pastor Colin. 6 00:00:19,520 –> 00:00:22,240 Please open your Bible at Isaiah. 7 00:00:22,240 –> 00:00:29,139 In chapter 53, we’re continuing our series, The Gospel according to Isaiah. 8 00:00:29,280 –> 00:00:33,900 We’ve seen that this whole chapter is about the Lord Jesus Christ. 9 00:00:33,900 –> 00:00:36,340 It tells us why we need him. 10 00:00:36,340 –> 00:00:41,919 It tells us what he has accomplished in his birth, in his life, in his death and in his 11 00:00:41,919 –> 00:00:43,340 resurrection. 12 00:00:43,340 –> 00:00:49,200 And it tells us what can be ours in him. 13 00:00:49,200 –> 00:00:53,700 And the first six verses tell us why we need a Savior. 14 00:00:53,700 –> 00:00:58,459 When you see your need of Jesus, then you will come to Him. 15 00:00:58,480 –> 00:01:02,259 And you will receive what he offers. 16 00:01:02,259 –> 00:01:06,059 That’s why Isaiah begins by showing us our need. 17 00:01:06,059 –> 00:01:13,440 And, you know, the first reason that we need a Savior is our own unbelief. 18 00:01:13,440 –> 00:01:19,599 We saw last time that the human heart is actually wired for unbelief. 19 00:01:19,599 –> 00:01:25,419 This is the first and the greatest effect of sin in us. 20 00:01:25,419 –> 00:01:27,879 And you know, it’s helpful to remember that. 21 00:01:27,879 –> 00:01:34,760 If you have loved ones who don’t believe, it is really easy to become frustrated with 22 00:01:34,760 –> 00:01:35,760 them. 23 00:01:35,760 –> 00:01:39,800 For you to say, well, why can’t you just believe? 24 00:01:39,800 –> 00:01:42,019 And here’s what we need to remember. 25 00:01:42,019 –> 00:01:48,720 The natural person, the Scripture says, does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, 26 00:01:48,720 –> 00:01:51,839 for they are folly to him. 27 00:01:51,839 –> 00:01:57,480 And he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 28 00:01:57,480 –> 00:02:04,320 Well, with that being the case, then the obvious question is, well, then what hope is there 29 00:02:04,320 –> 00:02:09,880 for the person who does not believe, the person who cannot understand the things of the Spirit 30 00:02:09,880 –> 00:02:12,639 and actually thinks that they are a folly. 31 00:02:12,639 –> 00:02:15,000 Well, we saw the good news last time. 32 00:02:15,000 –> 00:02:19,479 The good news is that God saves. 33 00:02:20,339 –> 00:02:23,720 By his strong arm, the arm of the Lord. 34 00:02:23,720 –> 00:02:29,440 And we saw that the arm of the Lord is a direct reference to our Lord Jesus Christ. 35 00:02:29,440 –> 00:02:37,720 And the first thing that God saves us from is the power of our own sinful unbelief. 36 00:02:37,720 –> 00:02:43,559 That’s what I say It begins, who has believed what he has heard from us? 37 00:02:43,559 –> 00:02:49,000 And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 38 00:02:49,000 –> 00:02:50,000 Think about it. 39 00:02:50,000 –> 00:02:53,919 God sent his son into the world. 40 00:02:53,919 –> 00:02:58,779 This is the greatest good news that this world has ever had. 41 00:02:58,779 –> 00:03:05,160 And yet across the world, in every culture, the good news of Jesus Christ has been met 42 00:03:05,160 –> 00:03:07,660 with overwhelming unbelief. 43 00:03:07,660 –> 00:03:09,639 Now, why is that? 44 00:03:09,639 –> 00:03:11,559 That’s the question that’s before us. 45 00:03:11,559 –> 00:03:17,720 Why is unbelief the dominant response to the gospel of Jesus Christ? 46 00:03:17,740 –> 00:03:23,860 Why are so many people on the broad road to destruction and so few, Jesus says, on the 47 00:03:23,860 –> 00:03:28,059 narrow way that leads to life? 48 00:03:28,059 –> 00:03:33,899 Well, the answer to that very important question, why is there so much unbelief? 49 00:03:33,899 –> 00:03:39,300 It’s in verse two, which is going to be our focus today. 50 00:03:39,339 –> 00:03:50,399 For He grew up before him like a young plant, and like a roots out of dry ground, He had 51 00:03:50,399 –> 00:04:01,000 no form or majesty that we should look at Him and no beauty that we should desire Him. 52 00:04:01,000 –> 00:04:07,720 Today, we are going to see what lies behind unbelief. 53 00:04:07,720 –> 00:04:14,919 And in seeing what lies behind unbelief we are going to discover what it is that can 54 00:04:14,919 –> 00:04:17,320 lead to faith. 55 00:04:17,320 –> 00:04:21,299 So then what lies behind unbelief? 56 00:04:21,299 –> 00:04:23,480 Three things and here is the first. 57 00:04:23,480 –> 00:04:29,019 We are distracted by the wrong considerations. 58 00:04:29,019 –> 00:04:30,500 Look at what Isaiah says here, 59 00:04:31,339 –> 00:04:48,739 Isaiah tells us that Jesus was like a root out of dry ground. 60 00:04:48,739 –> 00:04:54,920 In other words, there was nothing in the background of Jesus that would lead anyone to expect 61 00:04:54,920 –> 00:04:59,000 anything remarkable from him. 62 00:04:59,059 –> 00:05:01,299 Think for example about Jesus’ home. 63 00:05:01,299 –> 00:05:02,980 Where was it? 64 00:05:02,980 –> 00:05:03,980 Nazareth! 65 00:05:03,980 –> 00:05:11,260 Well of course Jesus was born in Bethlehem and you remember that soon after Jesus’ birth 66 00:05:11,260 –> 00:05:16,459 he became, as an infant, a refugee. 67 00:05:16,459 –> 00:05:24,940 He had to flee with his parents for his life to another country. 68 00:05:25,079 –> 00:05:29,619 And when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus back, it wasn’t to Jerusalem, where 69 00:05:29,619 –> 00:05:34,160 he could have mixed with the elite and gone to some of the great schools of learning. 70 00:05:34,160 –> 00:05:39,579 No, it was back to their hometown, Nazareth. 71 00:05:39,579 –> 00:05:47,640 An obscure, unfashionable, somewhat backward town in the northern hill country. 72 00:05:47,640 –> 00:05:54,279 Our Lord was known and has been known throughout history as Jesus of Nazareth and that is not 73 00:05:54,339 –> 00:05:56,540 a compliment. 74 00:05:56,540 –> 00:05:59,480 Nazareth was a despised place. 75 00:05:59,480 –> 00:06:06,679 And actually, the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was there was held up as a reason for 76 00:06:06,679 –> 00:06:07,679 unbelief. 77 00:06:07,679 –> 00:06:13,380 You have this in John in Chapter 1, when Philip, one of the first disciples invited his friend 78 00:06:13,380 –> 00:06:15,140 Nathaniel to meet Jesus. 79 00:06:15,140 –> 00:06:18,839 Nathaniel said, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? 80 00:06:19,779 –> 00:06:27,839 You see, Nathaniel dismissed Jesus, because he lived in a run-down, unfashionable place. 81 00:06:27,839 –> 00:06:31,799 Can anything good come out of Nazareth? 82 00:06:31,799 –> 00:06:36,239 He was distracted by the wrong considerations. 83 00:06:36,239 –> 00:06:39,399 He was looking at the wrong things. 84 00:06:39,399 –> 00:06:41,640 And Philip had the right answer for his friend Nathaniel. 85 00:06:41,640 –> 00:06:46,019 He said, Nathaniel, why don’t you just come and see. 86 00:06:46,140 –> 00:06:52,179 Nathaniel, don’t dismiss Jesus Christ so easily. 87 00:06:52,179 –> 00:06:54,279 Come and meet him. 88 00:06:54,279 –> 00:06:58,920 Learn about him for yourself. 89 00:06:58,920 –> 00:07:03,380 Now, at some people dismissed Jesus because of his home. 90 00:07:03,380 –> 00:07:07,299 The Gospels make it very clear that other people dismiss Jesus because of his work. 91 00:07:07,299 –> 00:07:09,820 What was his work? 92 00:07:09,820 –> 00:07:14,859 He’s forever known as Jesus, the carpenter. 93 00:07:14,859 –> 00:07:21,760 The family in which Jesus was raised would have got by on a very, very modest income. 94 00:07:21,760 –> 00:07:28,859 Joseph was a carpenter and Jesus worked in the same trade. 95 00:07:28,859 –> 00:07:37,679 And this too was actually held up as a reason for not believing in Jesus, a reason for unbelief. 96 00:07:37,679 –> 00:07:43,220 The scripture tells us that when Jesus taught in the synagogue of his hometown, in Nazareth, 97 00:07:43,220 –> 00:07:45,119 the people of his hometown were astonished. 98 00:07:45,119 –> 00:07:46,239 And this is what they said. 99 00:07:46,239 –> 00:07:50,179 Is this not the carpenter’s son? 100 00:07:50,179 –> 00:07:53,320 Is not his mother called Mary? 101 00:07:53,320 –> 00:07:57,480 And are not his brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 102 00:07:57,480 –> 00:08:01,380 And are not all his sisters with us? 103 00:08:01,380 –> 00:08:10,179 Where then did this man get all these things, and they took offence at him.” 104 00:08:10,220 –> 00:08:14,859 This man is from an ordinary family, that’s what they’re saying. 105 00:08:14,859 –> 00:08:19,980 We know his brothers, we know his sisters, we know his mother. 106 00:08:19,980 –> 00:08:26,459 He’s the one that works with Joseph in that old carpenter’s shop. 107 00:08:26,459 –> 00:08:29,220 Why do people not believe? 108 00:08:29,220 –> 00:08:33,140 That’s the question that’s before us today from Isaiah in chapter 53. 109 00:08:33,140 –> 00:08:35,340 What lies behind unbelief? 110 00:08:35,340 –> 00:08:36,900 And here’s the first answer. 111 00:08:36,900 –> 00:08:43,539 Many people are distracted by the wrong considerations, they’re looking at the wrong things. 112 00:08:43,539 –> 00:08:47,719 Some people dismiss Jesus because of his home. 113 00:08:47,719 –> 00:08:55,900 Some people dismiss Jesus because of his friends, his work, and some people dismiss Jesus because 114 00:08:55,900 –> 00:08:59,659 of his friends. 115 00:08:59,659 –> 00:09:02,859 Think about the disciples. 116 00:09:02,859 –> 00:09:10,260 The first to follow Jesus were hardly movers and shakers, they were fishermen, and then 117 00:09:10,260 –> 00:09:16,059 they were joined by a despised tax collector. 118 00:09:16,059 –> 00:09:24,340 The enemies of Jesus looked down on him because they said he eats with tax collectors and 119 00:09:24,340 –> 00:09:25,900 sinners. 120 00:09:25,900 –> 00:09:31,859 Look at the people who are drawn to him, we don’t like the company that he keeps. 121 00:09:31,979 –> 00:09:41,219 Now John records a particular example of this prejudice against Jesus on the basis of his 122 00:09:41,219 –> 00:09:43,080 friends. 123 00:09:43,080 –> 00:09:49,940 The Pharisees, we’re told in John chapter 7, sent out officers to arrest Jesus. 124 00:09:49,940 –> 00:09:56,080 And when they heard him speak, they decided against it. 125 00:09:56,080 –> 00:09:59,799 And when the officers returned the Pharisees obviously wanted to know, well, why didn’t 126 00:09:59,799 –> 00:10:01,159 you bring him in? 127 00:10:01,159 –> 00:10:10,219 And the officers said this, a remarkable testimony, they said, no one ever spoke like this man. 128 00:10:10,219 –> 00:10:18,580 And then John tells us, the Pharisees answered them, have you also been deceived? 129 00:10:18,580 –> 00:10:24,559 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 130 00:10:24,559 –> 00:10:29,739 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. 131 00:10:30,719 –> 00:10:33,900 Now friends, that is pure prejudice. 132 00:10:33,900 –> 00:10:37,539 You see what they’re saying? 133 00:10:37,539 –> 00:10:40,440 We’re the elite. 134 00:10:40,440 –> 00:10:43,239 Where are the educated people around here? 135 00:10:43,239 –> 00:10:49,099 We’re the ones who know what we’re talking about, and you won’t find any believers among 136 00:10:49,099 –> 00:10:50,260 us. 137 00:10:50,260 –> 00:10:55,739 No, the only people who believe in him, well they’re the wretched crowd out there. 138 00:10:55,739 –> 00:10:58,739 They’re unenlightened people. 139 00:10:58,739 –> 00:11:03,940 They don’t even know what they’re talking about. 140 00:11:03,940 –> 00:11:09,219 Now we’re asking the question, and it’s a very important question, what lies behind 141 00:11:09,219 –> 00:11:12,299 unbelief? 142 00:11:12,299 –> 00:11:19,580 And Isaiah is telling us quite clearly here that people don’t believe because Jesus was 143 00:11:19,580 –> 00:11:24,539 a root out of dry ground. 144 00:11:24,539 –> 00:11:32,380 And the gospels show very clearly that again and again people dismiss Jesus, why? 145 00:11:32,380 –> 00:11:37,940 Because he lived in an unimpressive place, because he did unimpressive work and because 146 00:11:37,940 –> 00:11:44,380 he hung out with unimpressive friends. 147 00:11:44,380 –> 00:11:47,140 Why is it so hard for us to believe? 148 00:11:48,059 –> 00:11:54,700 Well, one reason is because too often we’re distracted by the wrong considerations, we’re 149 00:11:54,700 –> 00:11:57,880 looking at the wrong things! 150 00:11:57,880 –> 00:12:11,059 Scripture says man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart. 151 00:12:11,059 –> 00:12:19,440 So here’s the question, what then should we consider about the Lord Jesus Christ? 152 00:12:19,440 –> 00:12:24,619 And that of course is the focus of the whole of Isaiah 53, that’s why we’re spending 153 00:12:24,619 –> 00:12:28,140 these weeks in this marvellous and very important chapter. 154 00:12:28,140 –> 00:12:35,479 But I want you to notice where Isaiah begins, he begins with how Jesus grew up, look at 155 00:12:35,479 –> 00:12:37,559 verse 2 again. 156 00:12:37,559 –> 00:12:44,719 For He grew up before him like a young plant. 157 00:12:44,719 –> 00:12:52,619 So here Isaiah is describing the early life of Jesus, how He grew up. 158 00:12:52,619 –> 00:12:58,799 He grew up, Isaiah says, like a young plant. 159 00:12:58,799 –> 00:13:01,799 Now how does a young plant grow? 160 00:13:01,960 –> 00:13:05,760 Answer, you hardly notice it. 161 00:13:05,760 –> 00:13:07,840 You put it in a pot. 162 00:13:07,840 –> 00:13:11,000 You put the pot somewhere near the window. 163 00:13:11,000 –> 00:13:13,280 And you leave it there. 164 00:13:13,280 –> 00:13:18,840 And it grows without attracting much attention. 165 00:13:18,840 –> 00:13:22,020 Now we live in a world of celebrity. 166 00:13:22,039 –> 00:13:26,320 And a celebrity, of course, by definition, is simply a person who attracts a great deal 167 00:13:26,320 –> 00:13:28,219 of attention. 168 00:13:28,239 –> 00:13:29,940 But do you see what Isaiah is saying here? 169 00:13:29,940 –> 00:13:35,340 There is nothing whatever like that in Jesus. 170 00:13:35,340 –> 00:13:42,859 With the single exception of an occasion when at the age of 12 he asked questions on a visit 171 00:13:42,859 –> 00:13:44,020 to the temple. 172 00:13:44,020 –> 00:13:49,440 The Bible records nothing remarkable with that single exception about the early life 173 00:13:49,440 –> 00:13:51,820 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 174 00:13:51,820 –> 00:13:55,400 Jesus did not grow up like a shooting star. 175 00:13:55,760 –> 00:14:03,960 Jesus, Isaiah says, grew up like a young plant. 176 00:14:03,960 –> 00:14:11,080 Now I want to speak directly to all of our students today because there’s something very 177 00:14:11,080 –> 00:14:18,099 wonderful, and I believe very liberating, for all of you here. 178 00:14:18,099 –> 00:14:26,419 In a world of celebrity, you live under unrelenting pressure. 179 00:14:26,419 –> 00:14:29,859 How am I going to make a mark? 180 00:14:29,859 –> 00:14:33,780 How are you going to stand out from the crowd? 181 00:14:33,780 –> 00:14:36,419 How are you going to attract some attention? 182 00:14:36,419 –> 00:14:40,619 That pressure is on you all the time. 183 00:14:40,619 –> 00:14:45,179 And I have marvelously good news for you today. 184 00:14:45,179 –> 00:14:49,059 You don’t need to do that. 185 00:14:49,059 –> 00:14:50,059 Think about it. 186 00:14:50,059 –> 00:14:55,320 No one has ever made a greater impact on the world than Jesus Christ, 187 00:14:55,320 –> 00:14:56,739 and how did he grow up? 188 00:14:56,739 –> 00:15:02,039 He grew up like a young plant. 189 00:15:02,039 –> 00:15:10,159 The Bible records very simply that Jesus increased in wisdom and in strength 190 00:15:10,159 –> 00:15:15,419 and in favor with God and with man. 191 00:15:15,419 –> 00:15:20,760 Jesus grew in stature, that means that he grew physically. 192 00:15:20,760 –> 00:15:23,059 He became strong. 193 00:15:23,059 –> 00:15:27,919 He grew in wisdom, that means he gave himself to learning 194 00:15:27,919 –> 00:15:31,799 and he grew and developed intellectually. 195 00:15:31,799 –> 00:15:35,960 He grew in favor with men, that means that he made friends 196 00:15:36,020 –> 00:15:38,380 and he grew socially. 197 00:15:38,380 –> 00:15:41,080 He grew in favor with God. 198 00:15:41,080 –> 00:15:45,619 He walked with God and he grew spiritually. 199 00:15:45,619 –> 00:15:48,820 Now, do you see here that the Lord Jesus Christ 200 00:15:48,820 –> 00:15:52,280 is the model for growing up? 201 00:15:53,179 –> 00:15:56,619 He grew up like a young plant. 202 00:15:58,520 –> 00:16:03,020 Here’s what you should pursue as you are growing up. 203 00:16:03,979 –> 00:16:09,080 Eat healthy food and get plenty of exercise. 204 00:16:09,380 –> 00:16:12,320 Growing in stature, in physical strength. 205 00:16:14,280 –> 00:16:20,320 Develop the capacity of your mind by studying hard. 206 00:16:21,780 –> 00:16:26,659 Make good friends and do it by being a good friend 207 00:16:26,659 –> 00:16:28,179 to other people. 208 00:16:29,080 –> 00:16:34,320 And get to know God and pursue what honors Him. 209 00:16:35,080 –> 00:16:38,880 That’s what Jesus did. 210 00:16:38,880 –> 00:16:42,539 He grew physically, He grew intellectually, 211 00:16:42,539 –> 00:16:45,719 He grew socially, He grew spiritually. 212 00:16:45,719 –> 00:16:49,820 He grew up like a young plant. 213 00:16:51,140 –> 00:16:56,140 And that is precisely what God calls you to do. 214 00:16:58,539 –> 00:16:59,979 And then I want you to notice this. 215 00:16:59,979 –> 00:17:04,160 That Isaiah says that the Lord Jesus Christ 216 00:17:04,160 –> 00:17:08,579 grew up before Him, that is before God. 217 00:17:08,579 –> 00:17:10,839 In other words, we’re being told here 218 00:17:10,839 –> 00:17:14,680 that Jesus grew up with a profound awareness 219 00:17:14,680 –> 00:17:18,900 that the eye of Almighty God was on Him 220 00:17:18,900 –> 00:17:22,579 in everything that He said and in everything that He did. 221 00:17:23,459 –> 00:17:26,079 Before a Word is on my tongue, 222 00:17:26,119 –> 00:17:26,959 Eliezer Thezames says, 223 00:17:26,959 –> 00:17:31,040 you, O lord, know it completely. 224 00:17:32,219 –> 00:17:35,079 And so the very first thing to consider 225 00:17:35,079 –> 00:17:39,760 as you are growing up is that the eye of God 226 00:17:40,660 –> 00:17:44,640 is on you, God knows everything about you, 227 00:17:46,079 –> 00:17:49,439 he knows everything you say, 228 00:17:49,439 –> 00:17:50,959 even what you say in secret, 229 00:17:52,119 –> 00:17:53,900 he knows everything you think, 230 00:17:54,859 –> 00:17:56,359 he knows everything you post, 231 00:17:56,359 –> 00:17:58,260 every comment you ever make, 232 00:18:00,359 –> 00:18:03,260 he knows everything you have ever done. 233 00:18:04,640 –> 00:18:07,719 Hagar in the Old Testament said of God, 234 00:18:07,719 –> 00:18:11,819 you are the God who sees me, 235 00:18:13,099 –> 00:18:15,739 God sees you as no one else sees you. 236 00:18:18,099 –> 00:18:21,020 Now, people don’t believe 237 00:18:21,859 –> 00:18:26,540 because they are distracted by the wrong considerations. 238 00:18:27,619 –> 00:18:30,020 And I’m saying today, 239 00:18:30,020 –> 00:18:31,839 that if you give weight 240 00:18:31,839 –> 00:18:35,979 to the fact that you’re growing up before God, 241 00:18:37,040 –> 00:18:39,959 that God sees everything that you think, 242 00:18:39,959 –> 00:18:41,579 that you say, that you do. 243 00:18:41,579 –> 00:18:43,420 If you give weight to that, 244 00:18:43,420 –> 00:18:47,119 you will soon see that you are a sinner 245 00:18:47,859 –> 00:18:51,920 who really does need a Savior. 246 00:18:52,939 –> 00:18:54,739 And when you see that, 247 00:18:54,739 –> 00:18:58,219 you will be well on your way to faith 248 00:18:59,400 –> 00:19:01,000 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 249 00:19:02,920 –> 00:19:06,339 What lies behind unbelief? 250 00:19:06,339 –> 00:19:07,760 Well, Isaiah’s telling us 251 00:19:07,760 –> 00:19:09,160 the first thing is, 252 00:19:09,160 –> 00:19:14,160 that we are distracted by the wrong considerations. 253 00:19:14,239 –> 00:19:18,239 Second, what lies behind unbelief 254 00:19:18,239 –> 00:19:23,239 is that we are drawn to the wrong priorities. 255 00:19:23,359 –> 00:19:25,359 Look at what he says again in verse two. 256 00:19:25,359 –> 00:19:27,920 He had, he’s speaking of Jesus, 257 00:19:27,920 –> 00:19:32,920 no form or majesty that we should look at him. 258 00:19:37,739 –> 00:19:42,739 Now, I was fascinated to look this week 259 00:19:42,819 –> 00:19:47,819 at a list of the most popular hobbies and interests 260 00:19:48,959 –> 00:19:50,680 in the United States of America. 261 00:19:50,680 –> 00:19:52,099 Based on a recent survey, 262 00:19:52,099 –> 00:19:55,739 here is the list in an ascending order. 263 00:19:55,739 –> 00:19:58,540 I’ll give you the top seven. 264 00:19:58,540 –> 00:20:00,540 Coming in at number seven, 265 00:20:00,540 –> 00:20:04,859 seventh most popular interest and hobby in America, 266 00:20:04,859 –> 00:20:07,380 health and fitness, 267 00:20:07,380 –> 00:20:11,939 with 29% of respondents to this particular survey. 268 00:20:11,959 –> 00:20:15,079 Number six, travel. 269 00:20:15,079 –> 00:20:19,680 Number five, video games. 270 00:20:19,680 –> 00:20:22,699 Number four, pets. 271 00:20:22,699 –> 00:20:26,540 Number three, reading and writing. 272 00:20:27,719 –> 00:20:30,939 Number two, food. 273 00:20:30,939 –> 00:20:34,599 And wait for it, number one the most popular hobby 274 00:20:34,599 –> 00:20:36,900 or interest in the United States of America, 275 00:20:36,900 –> 00:20:40,619 according to this particular survey, music. 276 00:20:40,619 –> 00:20:44,500 52% of people responding to the survey identified that. 277 00:20:44,500 –> 00:20:48,199 I have to say I was absolutely amazed 278 00:20:48,199 –> 00:20:50,920 that sports came further down in the list, 279 00:20:50,920 –> 00:20:52,839 though I suspect that that was because 280 00:20:52,839 –> 00:20:54,959 there was more than one question about it. 281 00:20:54,959 –> 00:20:58,180 If you put together the rankings for watching sports 282 00:20:58,180 –> 00:21:00,599 and playing sports, it would have come in 283 00:21:00,599 –> 00:21:04,680 at number three on the list, with 45%. 284 00:21:04,680 –> 00:21:06,880 But here you are, here’s a range of the things 285 00:21:06,880 –> 00:21:08,800 that get our attention. 286 00:21:09,660 –> 00:21:12,939 The priorities to which we give, 287 00:21:12,939 –> 00:21:15,219 focus, time and affection, 288 00:21:15,219 –> 00:21:17,380 things that we actually choose. 289 00:21:17,380 –> 00:21:19,979 We have to sleep, we have to work, 290 00:21:19,979 –> 00:21:22,180 but here are the things that we choose to do, 291 00:21:22,180 –> 00:21:25,219 here are the things that we are drawn to. 292 00:21:26,640 –> 00:21:31,780 Now, Isaiah is telling us why unbelief 293 00:21:31,780 –> 00:21:38,119 is the overwhelming response of the world to Jesus Christ, 294 00:21:38,239 –> 00:21:42,819 and here he tells us that one reason for this unbelief 295 00:21:42,819 –> 00:21:47,819 is that people do not take the time to look at Jesus, 296 00:21:48,719 –> 00:21:51,680 He had no form or majesty 297 00:21:51,680 –> 00:21:55,800 that we should look at Him. 298 00:21:55,800 –> 00:21:59,079 So a great deal of our time and our attention 299 00:21:59,079 –> 00:22:02,780 and even our affection gets spent on music 300 00:22:02,780 –> 00:22:07,079 and food and pets and travel and sports 301 00:22:07,099 –> 00:22:09,219 and all of these are good things. 302 00:22:11,119 –> 00:22:13,780 But if you are going to believe, 303 00:22:15,079 –> 00:22:20,079 you will have to take time to look at the Lord Jesus Christ. 304 00:22:21,680 –> 00:22:24,900 You won’t come to faith simply by some vague 305 00:22:24,900 –> 00:22:26,479 or casual impression. 306 00:22:28,099 –> 00:22:32,560 So why is it that people don’t spend time looking at Jesus? 307 00:22:32,560 –> 00:22:35,719 Well, Isaiah tells us, there was nothing about him 308 00:22:35,719 –> 00:22:38,920 to particularly attract our attention. 309 00:22:40,359 –> 00:22:41,880 We’re drawn to food. 310 00:22:43,239 –> 00:22:45,939 We’re drawn to pets. 311 00:22:45,939 –> 00:22:50,939 We’re drawn to video games but not to Jesus Christ. 312 00:22:52,839 –> 00:22:55,719 He had no form 313 00:22:55,719 –> 00:22:56,939 or majesty 314 00:22:58,239 –> 00:23:01,719 that we should look at him. 315 00:23:02,280 –> 00:23:07,280 Now, here I’d like to speak directly 316 00:23:09,920 –> 00:23:13,959 to the person who does not yet believe. 317 00:23:14,839 –> 00:23:16,300 This whole series 318 00:23:16,300 –> 00:23:19,199 is an invitation for you 319 00:23:19,199 –> 00:23:23,560 to take a serious look at Jesus Christ. 320 00:23:23,560 –> 00:23:24,959 Now I really hope with all my heart 321 00:23:24,959 –> 00:23:27,199 that you will do this. 322 00:23:27,199 –> 00:23:30,160 But let’s answer this question, 323 00:23:30,760 –> 00:23:35,560 why should you as a thoughtful person 324 00:23:35,560 –> 00:23:40,560 take a serious look at the Lord Jesus Christ? 325 00:23:40,920 –> 00:23:42,420 I have to answer that question. 326 00:23:43,339 –> 00:23:46,119 Let me do it by way of this personal illustration. 327 00:23:47,640 –> 00:23:50,859 It’s more than 40 years now 328 00:23:50,859 –> 00:23:55,859 since I met and fell in love with my lovely wife, Karin. 329 00:23:56,380 –> 00:24:00,260 We were both students in London at the time. 330 00:24:01,140 –> 00:24:03,859 And Karin’s father was a musician. 331 00:24:03,859 –> 00:24:05,060 He played the violin 332 00:24:05,060 –> 00:24:09,060 for the Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields. 333 00:24:09,060 –> 00:24:13,219 And that meant that he came through London quite often 334 00:24:13,219 –> 00:24:17,459 after touring in various countries abroad. 335 00:24:17,459 –> 00:24:21,459 And some time after we had begun dating Karin 336 00:24:21,459 –> 00:24:25,020 told me that her father was returning from a tour 337 00:24:25,020 –> 00:24:26,459 and that we could meet him 338 00:24:26,459 –> 00:24:28,719 when he got off the plane in London 339 00:24:28,719 –> 00:24:31,579 before he returned home. 340 00:24:31,579 –> 00:24:36,579 Now, everyone in my wife’s family would agree 341 00:24:36,939 –> 00:24:41,939 that my father-in-law was a force to be reckoned with. 342 00:24:42,739 –> 00:24:47,739 And so I really wanted to make a good first impression. 343 00:24:49,819 –> 00:24:54,699 “‘My dad loves cricket’ Karin said to me. 344 00:24:54,739 –> 00:24:57,500 And he’ll want to know the score 345 00:24:57,500 –> 00:24:59,859 when he gets off the plane.” 346 00:24:59,859 –> 00:25:04,859 Well, cricket began as an English game. 347 00:25:04,939 –> 00:25:09,939 I’m Scottish, and I had no interest in it whatsoever. 348 00:25:11,560 –> 00:25:14,219 But before we went to meet our father, 349 00:25:14,219 –> 00:25:15,540 I asked someone who would know, 350 00:25:15,540 –> 00:25:17,060 what’s the score in the game. 351 00:25:17,060 –> 00:25:20,199 “‘Oh,’ he said, “‘It’s 200 for four.’” 352 00:25:21,099 –> 00:25:25,260 Well, sure enough, when we met my future father-in-law, 353 00:25:25,260 –> 00:25:27,859 he asked what was happening in the cricket. 354 00:25:27,859 –> 00:25:31,099 And Carden looked at me expectantly, 355 00:25:31,099 –> 00:25:33,920 and with some confidence, I said, 356 00:25:33,920 –> 00:25:38,500 “‘It’s 200 for four.’”, to which he said, 357 00:25:38,500 –> 00:25:41,459 “‘Yes, but who’s batting?’ 358 00:25:41,459 –> 00:25:46,459 I didn’t have that rather vital piece of information, 359 00:25:47,219 –> 00:25:51,280 and it was abundantly clear to my father-in-law 360 00:25:51,280 –> 00:25:56,280 that I didn’t know the first thing about his beloved game. 361 00:25:58,420 –> 00:26:03,420 So I decided that I needed to learn about cricket. 362 00:26:04,560 –> 00:26:07,780 I started to watch cricket highlights. 363 00:26:07,780 –> 00:26:10,920 I asked questions about it of people 364 00:26:10,920 –> 00:26:13,500 who knew a great deal about the game. 365 00:26:14,459 –> 00:26:17,239 A new interest was born. 366 00:26:17,239 –> 00:26:18,800 And you know, it wasn’t too long 367 00:26:18,800 –> 00:26:21,359 before I could honestly say 368 00:26:21,359 –> 00:26:26,359 that I shared my father-in-law’s great passion for cricket. 369 00:26:26,540 –> 00:26:31,040 Now, here’s the question, what changed? 370 00:26:32,839 –> 00:26:36,920 For years, there was nothing whatsoever about cricket 371 00:26:36,920 –> 00:26:39,880 that attracted my attention, nothing at all. 372 00:26:39,880 –> 00:26:41,780 What changed? 373 00:26:41,859 –> 00:26:44,900 The answer was, that when I met Karen, 374 00:26:46,060 –> 00:26:48,040 I had something at stake. 375 00:26:51,180 –> 00:26:55,219 Now, you may have had very little interest 376 00:26:55,219 –> 00:26:56,439 in looking at Jesus. 377 00:26:56,439 –> 00:27:01,280 You may say to Dave, now why should I be interested in him? 378 00:27:03,160 –> 00:27:05,160 And here’s my answer to that question. 379 00:27:06,459 –> 00:27:10,339 You have something at stake here, you really do. 380 00:27:11,160 –> 00:27:16,160 You have a soul that will live forever. 381 00:27:17,800 –> 00:27:21,520 You are accountable to the God who made you. 382 00:27:22,719 –> 00:27:25,180 One day, you will stand before him. 383 00:27:25,180 –> 00:27:27,839 The Bible makes that very clear 384 00:27:27,839 –> 00:27:31,599 and Jesus gives you this promise. 385 00:27:32,439 –> 00:27:35,560 That if you will confess him before men, 386 00:27:35,560 –> 00:27:39,660 he will confess you before his father in heaven. 387 00:27:39,660 –> 00:27:42,079 If you will take your stand with him, 388 00:27:42,079 –> 00:27:44,619 he will take his stand with you. 389 00:27:46,339 –> 00:27:51,339 So there’s room in your life for music and for food 390 00:27:52,780 –> 00:27:55,239 and for reading and for pets and for video games 391 00:27:55,239 –> 00:27:56,579 and for travelling for sport 392 00:27:56,579 –> 00:27:58,180 and for all kinds of other interests 393 00:27:58,180 –> 00:28:00,060 and all kinds of other hobbies 394 00:28:00,060 –> 00:28:02,160 but all of these things are gonna pass away. 395 00:28:02,160 –> 00:28:07,160 You know that but your soul will live forever. 396 00:28:10,540 –> 00:28:15,540 So make room for Jesus Christ and look at him. 397 00:28:18,300 –> 00:28:22,339 That’s what Isaiah 53 is all about. 398 00:28:24,599 –> 00:28:28,060 People don’t believe, why? 399 00:28:28,060 –> 00:28:30,500 Because we’re distracted by the wrong considerations 400 00:28:30,500 –> 00:28:34,920 and because we’re drawn to the wrong priorities. 401 00:28:35,859 –> 00:28:39,780 But if you will look honestly at the Lord Jesus Christ 402 00:28:39,780 –> 00:28:43,560 as he is presented to us in the Scriptures, 403 00:28:43,560 –> 00:28:48,479 you will soon see that he is the saviour that you need. 404 00:28:48,479 –> 00:28:51,780 And when you see that he is the saviour that you need, 405 00:28:51,780 –> 00:28:53,479 you will be well on your way 406 00:28:54,859 –> 00:28:58,819 to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. 407 00:29:00,819 –> 00:29:03,819 So we’re looking at this very important question. 408 00:29:04,920 –> 00:29:08,160 What lies behind unbelief? 409 00:29:08,160 –> 00:29:11,380 Why do so many people not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? 410 00:29:11,380 –> 00:29:14,380 And we’re seeing the answers that Isaiah is giving to us 411 00:29:14,380 –> 00:29:16,060 here in this verse. 412 00:29:16,060 –> 00:29:19,119 We are distracted by the wrong considerations. 413 00:29:19,119 –> 00:29:22,180 We are drawn to the wrong priorities. 414 00:29:22,180 –> 00:29:25,479 And then one more thing that’s very clear in this verse. 415 00:29:27,060 –> 00:29:31,319 We are driven by the wrong desires. 416 00:29:32,380 –> 00:29:34,180 Look at what he says. 417 00:29:34,380 –> 00:29:38,780 He had no form or majesty that we should look at him 418 00:29:39,979 –> 00:29:44,979 and no beauty that we should desire him. 419 00:29:47,219 –> 00:29:50,319 Now, the Bible never gives us a description 420 00:29:50,319 –> 00:29:53,760 of the physical appearance of Jesus. 421 00:29:53,760 –> 00:29:55,380 Of course, artists throughout the years 422 00:29:55,380 –> 00:29:58,359 have tried to make an impression. 423 00:29:58,359 –> 00:30:02,119 But the Bible never gives us a description 424 00:30:02,119 –> 00:30:03,920 of the appearance of Jesus. 425 00:30:03,939 –> 00:30:07,439 When Isaiah says here that he had no beauty, 426 00:30:07,439 –> 00:30:09,280 he is simply telling us 427 00:30:09,280 –> 00:30:13,479 that there was nothing especially outstanding 428 00:30:13,479 –> 00:30:16,140 about the appearance of Jesus. 429 00:30:16,140 –> 00:30:18,319 He looked like any other person. 430 00:30:19,199 –> 00:30:22,239 If you had been walking through the market 431 00:30:22,239 –> 00:30:24,839 and had passed Jesus, 432 00:30:24,839 –> 00:30:28,400 you would not have been attracted to his appearance 433 00:30:28,400 –> 00:30:30,880 more than any other person that you walked past. 434 00:30:30,920 –> 00:30:34,140 There was not some kind of halo around his head. 435 00:30:34,140 –> 00:30:39,140 He really did become like us in every way, 436 00:30:39,900 –> 00:30:43,380 except that He was without sin. 437 00:30:44,699 –> 00:30:47,760 But notice that Isaiah’s point here 438 00:30:47,760 –> 00:30:49,880 is that he had no beauty 439 00:30:49,880 –> 00:30:52,479 that we should desire him. 440 00:30:53,979 –> 00:30:56,079 So he’s bringing in our desires, 441 00:30:56,079 –> 00:30:57,959 he’s now down to the level of the will. 442 00:30:57,959 –> 00:30:59,839 He’s telling us what we want, 443 00:30:59,880 –> 00:31:04,339 what we go after, what drives us. 444 00:31:04,339 –> 00:31:07,319 And he brings in our desires 445 00:31:07,319 –> 00:31:10,939 to explain why there is so much unbelief in the world. 446 00:31:12,079 –> 00:31:14,479 “‘What lies behind unbelief?’ 447 00:31:14,479 –> 00:31:19,040 Answer, we are driven by the wrong desires.” 448 00:31:22,599 –> 00:31:26,760 Now, the relationship between what we desire 449 00:31:26,760 –> 00:31:29,199 and what we believe 450 00:31:29,199 –> 00:31:31,160 is brought out very, very clearly 451 00:31:31,160 –> 00:31:34,439 in some words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John. 452 00:31:35,400 –> 00:31:39,020 Jesus said to the Pharisees who refused to believe in him, 453 00:31:39,959 –> 00:31:42,380 “‘How can you believe 454 00:31:43,479 –> 00:31:47,099 “‘when you receive glory from one another 455 00:31:47,099 –> 00:31:49,660 “‘and do not seek the glory 456 00:31:49,660 –> 00:31:52,479 “‘that comes from the only God?’ 457 00:31:52,479 –> 00:31:54,439 Now, you see what Jesus is saying here. 458 00:31:55,920 –> 00:31:58,079 He knows the heart and he says to them now, 459 00:31:58,079 –> 00:32:01,719 “‘The great passion of your lives 460 00:32:01,719 –> 00:32:03,560 “‘is to be affirmed by each other.’” 461 00:32:03,560 –> 00:32:06,939 That’s the thing you want, that’s what drives you, 462 00:32:07,920 –> 00:32:09,920 but you’re not seeking the praise 463 00:32:09,920 –> 00:32:12,000 or the commendation that comes from God, 464 00:32:12,000 –> 00:32:14,439 and that is why you don’t believe. 465 00:32:15,680 –> 00:32:17,160 And more than that, Jesus says, 466 00:32:17,160 –> 00:32:19,439 and not just why you don’t believe, 467 00:32:19,439 –> 00:32:21,640 as long as you are driven 468 00:32:21,640 –> 00:32:24,199 by the desire to be affirmed by other people, 469 00:32:24,199 –> 00:32:26,180 as long as that’s the most important thing in your life, 470 00:32:26,180 –> 00:32:28,079 you can’t believe. 471 00:32:28,079 –> 00:32:29,719 You can’t. 472 00:32:29,719 –> 00:32:32,920 How can you believe, he says, 473 00:32:32,920 –> 00:32:35,160 when you receive glory from one another? 474 00:32:37,000 –> 00:32:38,660 So someone says here today. 475 00:32:38,660 –> 00:32:41,199 I can’t believe. 476 00:32:42,359 –> 00:32:44,060 And you know, the Lord Jesus Christ then, 477 00:32:44,060 –> 00:32:46,400 from this verse, would say to you, 478 00:32:46,400 –> 00:32:47,219 you’re right. 479 00:32:48,479 –> 00:32:49,319 You can’t. 480 00:32:50,680 –> 00:32:52,160 And here’s why you can’t. 481 00:32:53,160 –> 00:32:57,500 You are driven by a passion 482 00:32:57,500 –> 00:33:00,400 to be affirmed by other people 483 00:33:01,619 –> 00:33:04,939 and you have no great interest in the commendation 484 00:33:04,939 –> 00:33:08,000 that comes from God alone. 485 00:33:10,140 –> 00:33:12,239 Now, do you see what Isaiah’s telling us 486 00:33:12,239 –> 00:33:14,540 in this remarkable verse? 487 00:33:15,380 –> 00:33:18,660 He’s brought before us this extraordinary reality 488 00:33:18,660 –> 00:33:20,680 that the largest part of the world 489 00:33:20,719 –> 00:33:22,920 does not believe the greatest good news 490 00:33:22,920 –> 00:33:24,280 that the world has ever heard 491 00:33:24,280 –> 00:33:25,959 and why is this? 492 00:33:26,900 –> 00:33:29,859 What lies behind unbelief? 493 00:33:31,699 –> 00:33:34,060 And the answer that Isaiah gives to us 494 00:33:34,060 –> 00:33:36,140 in this amazing verse 495 00:33:37,060 –> 00:33:41,160 is that behind unbelief lie these three realities 496 00:33:42,219 –> 00:33:46,839 that we are distracted by the wrong considerations. 497 00:33:46,839 –> 00:33:49,780 We are drawn to the wrong priorities 498 00:33:50,739 –> 00:33:55,579 and we are driven by the wrong desires. 499 00:33:57,239 –> 00:34:02,239 No one will be able to say on the last day 500 00:34:02,239 –> 00:34:06,359 it’s God’s fault that I didn’t believe. 501 00:34:07,979 –> 00:34:10,500 No one will be able to say on the last day 502 00:34:10,500 –> 00:34:12,300 I never had a chance. 503 00:34:13,459 –> 00:34:17,800 You can’t claim inability as a defense. 504 00:34:18,719 –> 00:34:23,719 God sees behind that and God knows the reality. 505 00:34:26,379 –> 00:34:28,399 If you wanted the praise 506 00:34:28,399 –> 00:34:31,479 and the commendation that comes from God alone, 507 00:34:31,479 –> 00:34:32,919 you would seek him. 508 00:34:32,919 –> 00:34:36,540 And if you really were to seek him, you would find him. 509 00:34:37,679 –> 00:34:40,820 But you don’t do that, why? 510 00:34:42,439 –> 00:34:47,239 Because you are driven by the wrong desires. 511 00:34:48,639 –> 00:34:50,040 That’s why you don’t believe. 512 00:34:52,840 –> 00:34:56,500 Now we’ve looked then at what lies behind unbelief. 513 00:34:56,500 –> 00:34:59,239 Let’s then draw from that very briefly 514 00:34:59,239 –> 00:35:04,239 in these last moments, what then leads to faith. 515 00:35:04,800 –> 00:35:09,199 And there are two things very clearly that you can do 516 00:35:10,179 –> 00:35:11,679 that will lead to faith. 517 00:35:12,600 –> 00:35:16,439 The first is to take an honest look at yourself. 518 00:35:18,379 –> 00:35:21,500 Ask yourself this question honestly. 519 00:35:21,500 –> 00:35:23,600 Why do I not believe? 520 00:35:25,159 –> 00:35:29,080 Could it be that I’ve been distracted 521 00:35:29,080 –> 00:35:31,320 by the wrong considerations? 522 00:35:32,879 –> 00:35:35,419 Could it be that in my life, 523 00:35:35,419 –> 00:35:39,120 I have been drawn to the wrong priorities? 524 00:35:40,540 –> 00:35:43,520 Could it be that the reason that I do not believe 525 00:35:43,540 –> 00:35:48,219 is that I am driven by the wrong desires? 526 00:35:49,879 –> 00:35:52,679 Take an honest look at yourself. 527 00:35:52,679 –> 00:35:56,800 And if you do, you will soon come to the conclusion 528 00:35:56,800 –> 00:36:00,560 that you are a sinner who needs a savior. 529 00:36:00,560 –> 00:36:01,520 And when you see that, 530 00:36:01,520 –> 00:36:04,560 you’ll be well on your way to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 531 00:36:06,860 –> 00:36:08,659 What can you do that will lead you to faith? 532 00:36:08,659 –> 00:36:11,179 You take an honest look at yourself. 533 00:36:12,139 –> 00:36:14,699 And here’s the second thing you can do. 534 00:36:14,699 –> 00:36:19,419 Take an honest look at Jesus Christ. 535 00:36:19,419 –> 00:36:21,000 Ask yourself this question. 536 00:36:21,899 –> 00:36:22,739 Think about it. 537 00:36:23,699 –> 00:36:28,699 If it is true that Jesus Christ is the Son of God 538 00:36:29,100 –> 00:36:30,540 the Lord of glory, 539 00:36:30,540 –> 00:36:35,300 who has always been at the right hand of the father’s side, 540 00:36:36,580 –> 00:36:40,300 could there then be anything more beautiful 541 00:36:41,600 –> 00:36:42,540 than this? 542 00:36:43,679 –> 00:36:48,679 That he should leave heaven and be born in a stable? 543 00:36:52,239 –> 00:36:53,479 That as a young child, 544 00:36:53,479 –> 00:36:58,120 he should become a refugee fleeing to another country? 545 00:37:00,360 –> 00:37:02,840 That he should grow up like a young plant 546 00:37:04,540 –> 00:37:07,600 without attracting attention to himself? 547 00:37:08,280 –> 00:37:13,280 That he should live in an unfashionable and despised town? 548 00:37:17,179 –> 00:37:20,699 That he should labor in a carpenter shop? 549 00:37:22,100 –> 00:37:24,199 That he should make friends with people 550 00:37:24,199 –> 00:37:27,060 that no one else was drawn to? 551 00:37:28,939 –> 00:37:33,939 That he should become the friend of sinners like us? 552 00:37:34,939 –> 00:37:38,199 And that he should lay down his own life 553 00:37:38,199 –> 00:37:41,959 as a sacrifice for his friends? 554 00:37:43,000 –> 00:37:45,620 Look honestly at yourself. 555 00:37:47,040 –> 00:37:49,979 Look honestly at the Lord Jesus Christ, 556 00:37:49,979 –> 00:37:51,899 and here is what you will see. 557 00:37:52,879 –> 00:37:57,399 You will see that you are a sinner who needs a Savior. 558 00:37:58,860 –> 00:38:01,300 And you will see that Jesus Christ 559 00:38:02,280 –> 00:38:04,239 is the Savior that you need. 560 00:38:05,800 –> 00:38:06,800 Let’s pray together. 561 00:38:10,000 –> 00:38:13,919 Father, by your Holy Spirit, 562 00:38:14,959 –> 00:38:16,399 and through your word, 563 00:38:17,739 –> 00:38:20,540 give us a true knowledge of ourselves. 564 00:38:22,439 –> 00:38:27,439 And grant us faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 565 00:38:29,000 –> 00:38:30,800 For these things we ask, 566 00:38:31,620 –> 00:38:32,719 in his name, 567 00:38:34,379 –> 00:38:35,219 Amen. 568 00:38:37,060 –> 00:38:38,340 You’ve been listening to a sermon 569 00:38:38,340 –> 00:38:40,699 with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 570 00:38:40,699 –> 00:38:45,699 To contact us, call us at 1-877-OPEN365 571 00:38:46,000 –> 00:38:49,540 or visit our website, openthebible.org.