Palm Sunday Series A Sermon: Self-Sacrificing Savior

Preached on Isaiah 50:4–9
The Sunday of the Passion
With Responsive Prayer 2 and Scripture Readings
5 April AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Self-Sacrificing Savior. Sermon begins at the 11:25 mark, following the Opening Versicles from Lutheran Service Book 285, Psalm, Scriptures, Kyrie, Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Versicles. Service concludes with the Prayer of the Church, Morning Prayer, and Blessing.

Summary: Today’s text is the third of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs.” In them, the Lord addresses His Servant and the Servant also speaks of Himself and His saving vocation. As the songs point toward the life and work of the coming Messiah, they grow progressively more intense, emphasizing ever more the coming suffering and death of the One who would redeem sinners.

Now that we know the story of the Christ, it becomes easy to see in these songs the suffering and death of our Savior. How could anyone familiar with Jesus’ arrest and trial not realize that here in Isaiah 50, the Servant speaks of His own ill treatment at the hands of the Jewish leaders and the Romans?

The Gospels record the fulfillment of the prophecies that the Servant would faithfully carry out God’s will. Jesus would continue onward to the end of His tasks. He allowed His back to be beaten, His beard pulled, His face spat upon.

And though the world looks at what happens as disgraceful and shameful, Jesus accepts His wounds as badges of glory bestowed by His Father. They are signs that our adversary Satan cannot accuse us. Death can’t claim us as guilty sinners and and the grave can’t keep us for all eternity. God won’t listen to the Accuser as he tries to point out our sins. God instead listens to His Son who calls us His own and presents us to His Father in our robes of righteousness that He won in His Passion and granted in our baptisms.

Text: The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.

Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Isaiah 50:4–9

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Self-Sacrificing Savior. Sermon begins at the 11:25 mark.

Other Readings: John 12:12–19 (Palm Sunday Procession); Psalm 118:19–29 or Psalm 31:9–16; Philippians 2:5–11; John 12:20–43 or Matthew 26:1–27:66 or Matthew 27:11–66