Choosing Love: The Sacrificial Heart of Christ
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound and sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, as prophesied in Isaiah 53 and fulfilled in Matthew 27. This love is not blind; it sees our flaws, sins, and imperfections, yet chooses to redeem and save us. Isaiah's prophecy, written 700 years before Christ, vividly describes the Messiah's suffering and atonement for humanity. Despite Israel's rebellion and idolatry, God had a plan to redeem them, demonstrating His unwavering love. This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, stood before Pilate, rejected by those who should have recognized Him.
The world often tells us that love is blind, but true love, as exemplified by Jesus, is bold, sacrificial, and victorious. Jesus saw every sin and mistake, yet He still chose the cross. His love is not about convenience but commitment, even when it hurts. He bore the weight of our sins, forgave in the face of betrayal, and endured to the end. Love is not about holding grudges but setting people free. It is about choosing to love despite imperfections and saying, "I see you, and I choose you."
We are challenged to rethink what true love is. It is not about feeling but choosing. It is a decision and a commitment. Jesus' love sets us free, and in Him, we can find true freedom. We must stop rejecting love for what we think it should look like and embrace the love that sees us and still chooses us. This love is relevant to our lives today, and it calls us to walk boldly in the victory of the cross.
Key Takeaways:
1. Prophecy and Fulfillment: Isaiah 53 prophesied the suffering and sacrifice of the Messiah 700 years before Christ. Despite Israel's rebellion, God's plan to redeem them demonstrates His unwavering love. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, who stood before Pilate, rejected by those who should have recognized Him. [32:17]
2. True Love Sees and Chooses: The world tells us love is blind, but true love, as exemplified by Jesus, sees our flaws and still chooses to save us. Jesus saw every sin and mistake, yet He chose the cross, demonstrating bold, sacrificial, and victorious love. [31:19]
3. Commitment Over Convenience: Love is not about convenience but commitment, even when it hurts. Jesus bore the weight of our sins, forgave in the face of betrayal, and endured to the end. Love is about setting people free, not holding grudges. [42:14]
4. Choosing Love Over Misery: We often choose misery over the freedom found in Christ because we are accustomed to it. True freedom in Christ is not about escapism but living outside of ourselves, choosing love over the misery of sin. [39:18]
5. Love as a Decision: Love is not about feeling but choosing. It is a decision and a commitment. Jesus' love sets us free, and in Him, we can find true freedom. We must embrace the love that sees us and still chooses us. [44:44]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [25:52] - Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27
- [29:14] - Opening Prayer
- [29:50] - A Love That Sees and Still Lives
- [32:17] - Prophecy and Fulfillment
- [33:22] - Israel's Rebellion and God's Plan
- [35:18] - Jesus Before Pilate
- [37:13] - Choosing Barabbas Over Jesus
- [39:18] - Misery vs. Freedom
- [41:38] - Jesus' Sacrificial Love
- [44:44] - Love as a Decision
- [46:03] - Love Isn't Blind Series
- [47:19] - Invitation to Christ
- [48:38] - Closing Prayer
- [49:22] - Farewell and Announcements
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Isaiah 53:3-7
- Matthew 27:26-31
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Observation Questions:
1. In Isaiah 53:3-7, what specific sufferings and actions of the Messiah are described, and how do they relate to the concept of atonement? [27:05]
2. According to Matthew 27:26-31, what actions did the soldiers take against Jesus, and how do these actions fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 53? [28:57]
3. How does the sermon describe the world's view of love compared to the love demonstrated by Jesus? [31:19]
4. What was the reaction of the Jewish leaders and the Roman authorities to Jesus, and how does this reflect the prophecy in Isaiah? [35:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 53 challenge the common perception of love as being blind? What does it mean for love to see and still choose? [31:19]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus' love is a commitment rather than a convenience? How does this contrast with societal views on love? [42:14]
3. The sermon mentions that people often choose misery over freedom in Christ. What might be some reasons for this choice, and how can understanding Jesus' love change this perspective? [39:18]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the idea that love is a decision and not just a feeling? What implications does this have for personal relationships? [44:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of love. How does the message of Jesus' sacrificial love in Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27 change your perspective on your worth? [31:19]
2. The sermon challenges us to choose love over misery. Identify an area in your life where you might be choosing misery. What steps can you take to embrace the freedom found in Christ? [39:18]
3. Consider a relationship in your life where you have been holding a grudge. How can you apply the principle of setting people free through love, as Jesus did? [42:59]
4. Jesus' love is described as a commitment. Think of a commitment you have made that is challenging. How can Jesus' example of enduring love inspire you to remain committed? [42:14]
5. The sermon suggests that love is a decision. Identify a situation where you need to choose love despite imperfections. What practical steps can you take to make that choice? [44:44]
6. Reflect on the idea that true love sees and still chooses. How can you practice this kind of love in your daily interactions with others? [31:19]
7. The sermon mentions that Jesus was rejected by those who should have recognized Him. How can you ensure that you are not missing the presence of Jesus in your life today? [35:39]
Devotional
Day 1: Prophecy Fulfilled in Love
The prophecy in Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Christ, foretold the suffering and sacrifice of the Messiah. Despite Israel's rebellion and idolatry, God's plan to redeem them through Jesus demonstrates His unwavering love. Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, stood before Pilate, rejected by those who should have recognized Him. This fulfillment of prophecy shows that God's love is not deterred by human failure or rejection. It is a love that sees beyond our shortcomings and remains steadfast in its purpose. [32:17]
Isaiah 53:3-5 (ESV): "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. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus fulfilled prophecy by choosing to love and redeem us despite rejection change your perspective on God's love for you today?
Day 2: Love That Sees and Chooses
True love, as exemplified by Jesus, is not blind. It sees our flaws, sins, and imperfections, yet chooses to save us. Jesus saw every sin and mistake, yet He chose the cross, demonstrating bold, sacrificial, and victorious love. This love is not about convenience but commitment, even when it hurts. It is a love that sets people free, not one that holds grudges. Jesus' love challenges us to rethink what true love is and to embrace a love that sees us and still chooses us. [31:19]
1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Reflection: Who in your life do you need to choose to love despite their imperfections? How can you demonstrate this love in a tangible way today?
Day 3: Commitment Over Convenience
Love is not about convenience but commitment, even when it hurts. Jesus bore the weight of our sins, forgave in the face of betrayal, and endured to the end. His love is about setting people free, not holding grudges. This challenges us to reflect on our own relationships and commitments. Are we willing to love others with the same sacrificial love that Jesus showed us? True love requires us to choose commitment over convenience, even when it is difficult. [42:14]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize commitment over convenience in your relationships this week? What steps can you take to demonstrate this commitment?
Day 4: Choosing Love Over Misery
We often choose misery over the freedom found in Christ because we are accustomed to it. True freedom in Christ is not about escapism but living outside of ourselves, choosing love over the misery of sin. Jesus' love sets us free, and in Him, we can find true freedom. We must stop rejecting love for what we think it should look like and embrace the love that sees us and still chooses us. This love calls us to walk boldly in the victory of the cross. [39:18]
Galatians 5:1 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are choosing misery over the freedom found in Christ? How can you begin to choose love and freedom in that area today?
Day 5: Love as a Decision
Love is not about feeling but choosing. It is a decision and a commitment. Jesus' love sets us free, and in Him, we can find true freedom. We must embrace the love that sees us and still chooses us. This love is relevant to our lives today, and it calls us to walk boldly in the victory of the cross. By choosing love, we align ourselves with the heart of God and experience the transformative power of His love in our lives. [44:44]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: What is one practical way you can choose to love someone today, not based on feelings but as a deliberate decision? How can this choice impact your relationship with them?
Quotes
Heavenly Father we come before you today with Open Hearts ready to receive your word we thank you for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ who who saw us in our Brokenness and still chose to redeem us Lord let this message Pierce our hearts transform our minds and draw us closer to you may we not only hear but apply your truth in our daily walk Holy Spirit move in this place and Let Your Presence be known we give you all the glory all the honor and all the praise in Jesus name amen amen our subject today is a love that sees and still lives [00:29:10]
imagine standing on the street corner in the middle of chaos the sirens are blaring people are running and you're stuck paralyzed in fear you don't know where to go and every world looks dangerous but all of a sudden someone grabs you pulls you out of Harm's Way and says I see you I won't let you die here that's what Jesus did for us he saw us drowned in sin surrounded by destruction with no way out and instead of turning away he stepped into the fire knowing the cost nor the pain nor the Betrayal yet still choosing the cross [00:30:04]
all right we live in a world that tells us love is blind that real love doesn't see flaws the love ignores reality but the truth is real love sees everything and still chooses to stay to fight to save that's the love of Jesus Christ he didn't go to the cross with his eyes closed he saw every sin every mistake every moment of rebellion and yet he still went he still love he still saved so today we are diving into a message that would challenge us to rethink what true love really is love isn't blind it is bold it is sacrificial and it is Victorious [00:31:59]
the scriptures of Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27 are really deeply connected they demonstrate the prophecy and fulfillment of Christ suffering and sacrifice Isaiah was written nearly 700 years before Christ yet the prophet vividly describes the messiah's rejection Affliction and atonement for Humanity this passage is often called The Suffering servant prophecy as it outlines how the Messiah would take on the sins of the world bearing our G griefs and Sorrows so that we might be healed just think about that 700 years before the Christ comes it was already prophesied that he was coming [00:32:56]
Israel was rebelling against God the people had turned to idolatry Injustice and unrighteousness rejecting God's laws and everything I but Isaiah prophesied was both a warning and a promise while Israel would face judgment a savior will come to redeem them and restore righteousness so he's writing at this time he's breaking it down to them while they're in Rebellion he's writing but God at the moment while they are rebelling against God while they are sinning in not turning their face against God away from God after God has saved them Time and Time and Time Again [00:33:37]
700 years before the Christ God already had a plan to redeem them he loved them enough so that even while he saw what they were doing even as he saw they weren't doing what he was they were supposed to be doing he saw their imperfections he saw their insecurities he saw the rebelling against them but still chose to actually save them that just shows us God's love that God isn't blind from what we do he sees what we do do and chooses to love us [00:34:48]
they chose Barabas a murderer over the Spotless Son of God and as that might sound crazy we do that that every single day we choose our own sin sinful nature and we tray our sinful nature nature and we want we rather have our sinful nature than the Spotless Son of God we rather be stuck into what we do rather than accept Christ we rather falsely accused Christ then we will be true to ourselves in order for Christ to redeem us we rather point and project rather than look inwardly to see the God in us [00:37:13]
we constantly are pushing our own thoughts and fears onto God rather than accepting him so you don't have to actually throw it on them all you got to do is bring him in you and then he can transform you but they chose what they knew and many times we choose the misery that we're in we have what we call the scapegoat which is the Christ we have the Lamb of God that have already done what he's said he would do but instead of us choosing the love of God we rather choose misery because sometimes misery looks like Freedom [00:38:19]
sometimes it looks like we're free because we have been so accustomed to being in misery that freedom looks like jail and so it looks like God has all of these rules and regulations that you have to live by and so because we have what we think is all these rules and regulations that we have to live by we say we're not going to be in Christ but then we choose CH the misery of abuse we choose the misery of overeating we choose the misery of substance abuse we said we we choose all of these different miseries because it gives us escapism [00:39:18]
but having escapism is not the same as being free if you are living in escapism that means that you are bounded you're dreaming outside of yourself but when you are are free you're always outside of yourself it's not a dream so we look at him they they chose what they wanted right they chose that and we do that all the time Jesus was falsely accused beaten and sentenced his death in a public display of humiliation because we rather have podcast or we rather have conversations about what God hates rather than what God loves [00:40:20]
love isn't about convenience it's about commitment even when it hurts Jesus chose to be hurt he chose his body to be dismantled because he chooses to love us love bears the weight of sin love forgives even in the face of betrayal love endures to the end Jesus had every reason to stop pain reject pain rejection abandonment but love kept him going love is a momentary it is safies love isn't about hold isn't about holding grudges it's about setting people free love is about releasing choosing and not feeling it's about saying I see you and I choose you [00:42:14]
love doesn't seek Perfection from you love bears the weight of your imperfections and says I'm here for you regardless love steps down from his high plac to go to the Low Places to be with you love is inside of you he is not heing he Jesus was betrayed he was denied by Peter and abandoned by his followers and yet he still said father forgive them love is not just keeping you bound love love is setting you free and if you are in a situation where you feel like you are bound if you are in a relationship where you feel like you are not free then you are not in love [00:43:48]
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