#DailyDevotion From What Did Jesus Not Resist?
Isaiah 50:4–7 4The Lord GOD gives Me the speech of the learned, so that I know how to talk to encourage the weary. Morning after morning He wakes Me to hear, so I will listen like a learner. 5The Lord GOD opened My ears, and I didn’t resist or turn away. 6 I gave My back to those who strike it and My cheeks to those who pluck the hair out of My beard. I haven’t turned My face away from those who insult Me and spit on Me. 7The Lord GOD helps Me; this is why I’m not overcome with shame. So I’ve set My face like a flint;
When Jesus was twelve he amazed the teachers in the Temple which his questions and his understanding. When he walked visibly among us he talked and taught in such a way that called out the sinner, tax collectors, prostitutes, the poor, the lepers and the like from their lives and lifted them up as children of God. His words continue to lift us up as well if we would open our ears to hear him. His Father opened his mouth and put his word upon his lips so we would hear what we needed to be brought from death to life. Jesus spent time in prayer and heard from God the Father as he listened like a learner. His ears were opened and heard his Father’s plan for him and he did not resist
What did Jesus hear and listen to which he dis not resist or turn away? He would give his back to the who strike it and his cheeks to those who would pluck the hair out of his beard. Pain and suffering would be his lot among us. He would have the sin of the world laid upon him. Our suffering would become his own. He would bear our illnesses and by his stripes we would be healed. He would be beaten, nailed to a cross and hung to die an excruciating death. Jesus did not resist or turn away for this experience would be your salvation.
Jesus would be spit upon and insulted yet he would not turn his head away from it. His close friend would betray him. Those who should have believed in him mock him. His friends scattered at his arrest. He was mocked by the Roman soldiers and by the crowds who did not believe in him.
Jesus listened like a learner and believed what Isaiah said about him, “The Lord helps me, this is why I’m not overcome with shame.” All that Jesus experienced would be shameful to an innocent man. More than that, it would shameful to a guilty man. He because sin for us on the cross and bore our guilt and our shame. He set his face like a flint and headed towards Jerusalem knowing what awaited him because of his great love for you. He did not want you to experience your guilt and shame before the Father on the Last Day. He did not want you to suffer the punishment for your sins, so he suffered it, in your place, there on the cross. The Father helped him. The Holy Spirit helped him. He was to be raised from the dead on the third day and he would ascend to the right hand of the Father in his glory.
Jesus is going to raise you also from the dead on the Last Day. Even now you are seated with him in the heavenly places but on that day you too will be received into his glory. This is is promise to all who believe in him and what he has done for them.
Heavenly Father, open our ears so we may listen like a learner, not resist the crosses laid upon us trusting in your promise to help us for the sake of Christ and to receive us into your glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.