Good morning and a blessed Thursday morning to you. 

What is the connection between the 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah, and the missions and ministries of Living Word Lutheran Church?  

Yesterday I was reading Isaiah the 53rd chapter. It's an absolutely amazing, yet heart-wrenching description of the suffering servant of the Lord, the Messiah, the one who would be stricken and afflicted; carrying all of our infirmities, diseases, and sin upon himself.  The prophet Isaiah is prophesying of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God who we know was that God Man who bore all of our sin and transgressions.

As I was reading chapter 53 of the prophet Isaiah, a couple of verses really popped out.

Isaiah 53:5, 10

.5    But he was wounded for our transgressions,

    crushed for our iniquities;

10   Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with affliction.

What we read in verse 10 is that there wasn't a different plan.  It was the will of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, was sent by the Father; His only Son, willingly born into creation for the purpose of redeeming creation, and to restore once again the relationship that God desires to have with mankind.  We read in Ephesians that this was the plan of God before the foundations of the earth. The plan was that the Lord would redeem you from your sin. He would bear the weight and the burden, and the full penalty of our sin upon himself. He would be crushed for our iniquity. He would be crushed with pain. This was the plan of God from before the beginning of creation. 

So what is the connection between these verses and the  ministries and missions of Living Word? We have so many amazing ministries and missions that we partner with. We send our own missionaries to Grapevine, other places in Texas, and the US, and to other countries. We have so many options and opportunities for Mission. The whole purpose and root of all of these missions is to share exactly what is written in Isaiah 53;  That Christ bore our  iniquities. Christ bore our sins upon the cross. We have been so blessed to hear that word, and to know that our sins are forgiven. And we are so blessed to have the opportunity to share that word everywhere we go, and with every person that we meet. We get to share that Christ has died for the forgiveness of sins, that he rose triumphantly from the grave, and restored our relationship back with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because of his completed work on our behalf, we, along with the church triumphant, are insured all of eternity in the glorious presence of God. 

So at the root of all our all our missions and ministries at Living Word is this core message that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again… and all to the glory of his good name.

In Romans chapter 5:8 we read…

8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

This is the good news with which we are sent into the world. This is the good news that we are sent with every mission that we we take apart in. This is the good news that is rooted at the core and foundation of every ministry; whether it is the music ministry, the youth ministry, the worship ministry, the care ministry, and media ministry, the preschool…. everything is to share the good news of salvation through Christ alone.

So, I hope that you take the time to go back and read Isaiah 53. Read of the goodness of God; that He sent His Son to take all of our iniquity, all of our infirmities, all of our diseases, all of our darkness willingly, because he loves you. He loved you while you were still a sinner. And he loves that he will spend eternity with you, made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Lord, we thank you so much that your plan from beginning of time was to suffer in our place to release us from the burden of our sin. Lord, we thank you so much for sending your Son into creation, to use his perfect life to atone for our sin, and to give us the gift of righteousness that we don't deserve, and could never earn, but so gratefully receive. Lord, we ask that we would keep this good news that Christ has died, and Christ has risen upon our lips everywhere we go, and certainly at the heart of all ministry and mission that we are called to do, through your Holy Name. Lord, we thank you and we praise you for calling us as your own children, and for trusting us with your Word of life, peace, hope, and joy.  Lord, we thank and praise you, and we lift all of this to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Have an amazing rest of your week, and I will look forward to worshiping with you once again on Sunday. God bless!

Pastor Malinak