Redeemer Church of Oklahoma City

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord’s servant shall “make many to be accounted righteous.”

Boston University Sociologist, Peter Berger, wrote in 1987:

The essence of apostasy is always the same–seeking salvation not in the grace of Christ heard with faith, but rather in what Paul calls the works of the Law.

We often think of apostasy (or at least accuse other people of it) in terms of sinful behavior; yet, the essence of apostasy is mainly about what is believed, ie., who or what justifies us. If we believe we justify ourselves, then we’re unjustified before God, for as Paul teaches us, “By the works of the law no human being shall be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20).

But Isaiah says that by Jesus Christ, his life, death, burial, and resurrection, his being stricken, smitten, and afflicted, his soul being made an offering for sin results in something necessary, gracious, and glorious. That’s the justification of his people. In other words, because of the vicarious suffering and finished work of Christ, we shall be justified in his sight, not from any of our works, but from all of his. This is the gospel. Come hear it preached and enacted in the Supper this Sunday.

Also, Sunday school for children and adults begins next Sunday, March 29. Watch for upcoming details on the Sunday school page.

Isaiah prophesied that “out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.”

Whether it’s the cattle trough of Christ’s birth, the many escapes from people trying to kill him, the rejection, the despising, the slander and gossip, the tears, the garden of Gethsemane, the trials, the horrors of the cross or the tomb, this tells us that Jesus is satisfied. He has no regrets; he’s done all things well, and he’s satisfied with us too. This is the gospel. Come hear it preached and enacted in the Supper this Sunday.

Also, this Sunday is the first of our PotProvidence lunches. All who worship with us are invited. Use the contact page for more information.

Isaiah prophesied that “it was the will of the Lord to crush him.”

What a strange thing to hear! It was the will of the Father to crush the Son. Richard Niebuhr famously commented over 60 years ago that 20th Century modern Christianity preached that:

A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.

But scripture tells us that it was the will of the Lord to crush him and that his soul made an offering for sin. This is the gospel. Come hear it preached and see the offering in the Supper this Sunday.

Isaiah prophesied that Christ was taken away ” by oppression and judgment,” “stricken for the transgression of [his] people.”

We must never grow weary of hearing the substitutionary atonement of Christ preached. Scripture really isn’t about amending our already well-lived lives. It doesn’t offer much practical help on success in this world. It is all about Christ and him crucified. On that Final Day our plea will not be that we followed the steps to financial freedom or that we found purpose in 40 days. Our plea will be that he was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. There’s nothing more practical than that. Come hear it preached and exhibited in the Supper this Sunday.

This Lord’s Day we’ll concentrate on Isaiah’s prophecy: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.“

Martin Luther says,

Our most merciful Father . . . sent his only Son into the world and laid upon him all the sins of all men, saying: “Be thou Peter that denier; Paul that persecutor, blasphemer and cruel oppressor; David that adulterer; that sinner which did eat the apple in Paradise; that thief which hanged upon the cross; and briefly, be thou the person which hath committed the sins of all men; see therefore that thou pay and satisfy for them.”

And we worry that we’re not good enough to merit his blessing. Let’s turn to the gospel! Come hear it preached and exhibited in the Supper this Sunday.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
Amazing Grace

Watch this:

He has borne our griefs;
He has carried our sorrows;
He was wounded for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace;
With his stripes we are healed;
The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Why did he do all that? For us. And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached this Sunday.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Love Divine All Loves Excelling
My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

Continuing on in Isaiah, this week we’ll see that Christ’s birth, life, family, time, hometown, death, and broad unpopularity all point to his being like a root out of dry ground. And thanks be to God that he was a downward social climber so he could associate with us. He was despised and rejected by men that we would never be rejected by the Father. Come, hear it preached, and then have a meal with him. It’s the gospel!

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
More Love to Thee, O Christ
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

As we continue to hear the gospel preached from Isaiah, this week we’ll see that no one can believe unless it is given from heaven to believe. The question is asked in Numbers 11:23, “Has the arm of the Lord been shortened that he is unable to save?” Isaiah shows us that the arm of the Lord is mighty to save, and when he bears that arm, kings’ mouths are shut, the nations are sprinkled, and sinners see, hear, and understand.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
O Worship the King, All Glorious Above
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Great Is Thy Faithfulness

As we continue to hear the gospel preached from Isaiah, this week we’ll see both the prophecy that our Servant will “sprinkle many nations” and how that is fulfilled. This will shut the mouths of kings as the reign of Christ spreads from shore to shore.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, O My Soul (Psalm 146)
O Father, You Are Sovereign
Jesus Shall Reign