January 19, 2024 -- I Peter 2:24-25 -- A passage using the Old Testament so believers know Who Jesus Is

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He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
I Peter 2:24-25 ESV

Sometimes when I am reading a Bible passage, like the one before us today, it is so incredibly obvious how the Old Testament and the New are tied together in Jesus Christ. The two verses before us are filled with Old Testament references. Peter is explaining to the readers (who are spread out through many territories and countries) like the people of Israel who were exiled in the Old Testament. Now as true Israel in Jesus Christ believers are dispersed and spreading out so that many will hear the Name of Jesus and believe.

There is an echo of Deuteronomy 21:23 and Jeremiah 17:5—both these passages point to the fact that Jesus will bear the curses of God on a tree (the cross). He bears them away from us so that we will be healed. Righteousness is a word that fills the Old Testament—generally it is the absolute consistent righteousness of God that is in view. However there are many passages, like Psalm 106:3 which reads “Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times”. The point of pulling these passages together and tying them to Jesus and His accomplished work, believers understand their sinful condition, their need for a personal Savior and then the work of Jesus. Realizing His glorious work is for them, they respond with thankful living: righteousness. The difficult word righteousness means doing what is right according to God’s word—and this with an attitude of joy because we belong to Jesus.

The astute among you will hears the references to Isaiah 53—by His wounds we are healed and we are like sheep who have gone astray. But there are also wonderful references to Psalm 23--Jesus is the Shepherd; and Psalm 119:176, testifies believers are prone to wander away from all the blessings which are ours in Him (and this testimony comes after 175 verses extolling the believer's joy in obedience to the law and ways of God!).

All of these words are written so that you will have deep and abiding assurance that God, our Father, knows the worst about you, your sinfulness, and have the confidence that Jesus truly bore away all of God’s curse against our sin. Now we long to live for God. We are those who hate sin, realizing its siren-song like allure and know sin’s objective which is to crash our life’s boat on the rocky shores of ever greater wrong-doing regardless of it consequences. We know we are wandering sheep. We know we are easily distracted, entertained so that we are lulled into stupor of waywardness therefore we need Jesus to be our Great Shepherd.

Read the Old Testament, knowing it points to Jesus.
Read the Old Testament so that you understand more fully Who Jesus Is, and what He has done for you.
Read the Old Testament so that you know how great a hold sinfulness has one all people, you included.
Read the Old Testament so that you will comprehend the New, and the need you have for Jesus the Savior.

Father in heaven, we bless You and thank You that Jesus became the man of sorrows, despised and rejected, Who was crushed for our iniquities and that by His wounds at the cross and the sword-pierced side proving His death, we are given peace with You, peace with others and peace in our own souls as those who are reconciled to God. We confess how easily we go astray, how readily we forget the gifts of His grace and the cost of our salvation and so turn to our own destructive ways. Spirit of the Living God, renew in us an ardent desire to meditate on Jesus and His wondrous work and rising from such contemplations be prepared, from now on, by Your Power, to live wholeheartedly for Him unto the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.

The prayer is composed with words and phrases from Isaiah 53.

https://youtu.be/MWOvD06hJqM?si=NAwKYZbMe-nYaMLh “Hallelujah! What a Savior”

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