Thursday, 27th March 2025
Andrews Ampomah
TOPIC: A MAN OF SORROWS
THEME SCRIPTURE: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” – Isaiah 53:3
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- What does it mean for Jesus to be a “Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief?”
Sin did not merely corrupt humanity—it invoked the terrifying wrath of a holy God. From Adam’s rebellion till the Messiah was born, man was under a curse, death became inevitable, and mankind was doomed to bear the full weight of divine judgment (Genesis 3:17-19). We became fugitives from God’s presence, slaves to corruption, and recipients of eternal destruction (Romans 2:5 & Romans 6:23). The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4), and no amount of good deeds could undo the condemnation hanging over us. We were not only under the sentence of death but eternity under the unrelenting fire of God's justice in hell (Matthew 25:41). We were helpless and hopeless. The only thing that could appease God was a spotless sacrifice to bear the sins of the world and to wash away our guilt.
Centuries after Adam’s rebellion, Isaiah describes how the life of this perfect and spotless sacrificial lamb would be – a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Throughout human history, champions of humanity have either been born into royalty or have arisen as heroes in one way or another to the admiration of their people.
Isaiah declares an unusual contrast about the Savior of the world: “…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not - Isaiah 53:2-3.”
How come? Why will the Majesty of heaven and the Savior of humanity be described with such unlovely words?
Important to note that this description of the Messiah kicked in right after His birth and not only during what we have themed the Passion Week.
Mathew Henry commenting on this verse has said, “It was not only his last scene that was tragical, but his whole life was so, not only mean, but miserable - but one continued chain of labour, sorrow, and consuming pain.”
The gravity and weight of the sin of humanity and the wrath of God against sin weighed so heavily on Him that it deformed Him and took away every form of majesty. He was a reproach to the men He came to save. There was no laughter or enjoyment about His mission – He was in continual sorrow; grief was His daily friend. The Messiah, the Savior of the world, was despised; people hid their faces from Him, and He was the scorn of the masses. There was no way out for humanity to be restored to God’s presence; the Messiah’s unlovely life and pain were the only means.
Dearly beloved in Christ, this Lenten season is not just about remembering the Messiah’s suffering but living in that consciousness that He did all this willingly to buy you back from Satan’s slave market to God.
The One who was despised, crushed, and torn apart now stands victorious, holding out His nail-scarred hands to you. This moment may be your only God-given opportunity to surrender your life totally to God. It may also be your divine moment to renew your devotion to God. Don’t wait any longer. God loves you.
FURTHER READING – Isaiah 53
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- Should you not be fully committed to God?
CONFESSION
“Man of sorrows what a name, for the Son of God, who came, ruined sinners to reclaim: Hallelujah, what a Savior! Bearing shame and scoffing rudely, in my place, condemned, he stood and sealed my pardon with his blood: Hallelujah, what a Savior! Guilty, helpless, lost were we; blameless Lamb of God was he, sacrificed to set us free: Hallelujah, what a Savior!”– by Philip P. Bliss
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
John 18; Numbers 33; Psalm 86
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