Dare to Go Deeper - Part 7 - The Backstory of Jesus: A Study of Isaiah

·44 min·4 clips

What if your best friend rolled their eyes every time you mentioned your past?

The episode begins with an analogy about friendship to illustrate how Christians often neglect the Old Testament, treating it as irrelevant to their faith. The speaker argues that the Old Testament is essential for understanding Jesus, as New Testament writers saw him throughout its pages. He introduces the series 'Dare to Go Deeper' and focuses on the prophets, which make up about one-quarter of the Old Testament. The prophets include major figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and minor ones like Obadiah and Habakkuk. Reasons for struggling with the prophets include their poetic language, strange imagery, and the odd behaviors of some prophets. The core message of the prophets is a two-fold one: warning of judgment due to sin and hope for restoration after exile. This message was directed at specific historical contexts, primarily Israel's kings and priests. The sermon then zooms in on Isaiah, the most quoted prophet in the New Testament. Isaiah's book contains warnings in the first 39 chapters and hope in chapters 42-66. Two key portraits of the coming king in Isaiah are explored: the anointed king (Messiah) and the suffering servant. The anointed king is described in Isaiah 11:1-5 as a shoot from Jesse's stump, filled with the Spirit, who will bring God's kingdom. Jesus later claims this identity in Luke 4 by reading Isaiah 61. The suffering servant is depicted in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as one who bears the sins of others, suffers, and dies, yet lives again. The speaker connects these portraits to Jesus, emphasizing that his kingdom comes through suffering, not worldly power. A story is shared about an Israeli man who converted to Christianity after reading Isaiah 53, highlighting the prophetic text's impact. The sermon concludes by relating Isaiah's themes to modern life, calling for repentance from idolatry, trust in God's king, and hope in the coming kingdom. Practical steps include engaging with Isaiah in life groups and singing a worship song.

As heard by us

Isaiah's stump of Jesse becomes a clear image of hope in a kingdom shaped by humility, sacrifice, and love.

This review frames the sermon as a way into Isaiah's role in the larger story that helps listeners understand Jesus. It begins with the simple idea that people are shaped by the relationships and moments behind them, then turns to Isaiah's chapters of hope, where God's work…

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Why you'd press play

Press play when Isaiah's stump of Jesse needs to feel like a living promise, not a museum label.

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