“The Five-Wounds Cross” Isaiah 53:4-5
Pastor Thomas Kock 3rd Sunday in Lent March 15, 2009
What do you think about when you hear the word “sweet”? What comes to your mind? Do you perhaps picture hard candy? Or chocolate chip cookies? How about a bowl of ice cream? Maybe a box of chocolates, or candy bars or gummy bears? How about honey, or maple syrup? How about apple pie? (Have I managed to distract us all by now? J )
In one of our Lenten hymns, Jesus’ wounds are described as “sweet injuries.” Did any of us think of “injuries” when you thought of the word “sweet”? And think about that combination of words: sweet … injuries. Wow – what a combination! Have you ever thought of injuries as “sweet”? I can’t say that I generally think of injuries in that fashion. In fact, I’m not sure that I EVER have thought of injuries as “sweet.”
And yet the injuries of Jesus are described as “sweet” by the hymnist. Perhaps it’s because of thoughts like those in the text in front of us this morning, from the book of Isaiah. Listen to what God prophesies about the coming Savior. It’s Isaiah 53, verses 4-5.
"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. {5} But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
The Hebrew of this segment is sort of graphic. The word which is translated “pierced” has the idea of driving a spear all the way through, in order to cause a fatal wound. The NIV does a nice job of translating the word “crushed.” The whole verse has a feel of harsh violence to it.
And it wants to feel that way. Why so? Because that’s what sin has done to us humans. Sin has crushed us, has driven it’s fatal lance deep into our heart and soul. Indeed, the blow is fatal, for the wages of sin is death. We deserve to be stricken by God, smitten by Him, afflicted by Him.
Perhaps we can think of it through the wounds of Jesus. First, Jesus was wounded on the head. For what have we used our head? We’ve allowed sinful thoughts and desires to linger there. We’ve harbored bitterness, anger, covetousness. Our heads have sinfully questioned God’s guidance of our lives, have focused on evil thoughts rather than thinking on the good and the noble. We’ve focused our thoughts on the things of this earth rather than on eternal things.
Jesus was wounded on the hands. For what have we used our hands? Have we used our hands to bring help to those who need it? Have we used our hands to “pat our fellow human on the back,” or to “smack them across the face?” Have we used our hands to lift others up, or to push them down?
Jesus was wounded on the feet. Where have our feet taken us? God has urged us to flee temptation; have we? Or have we walked right into temptations, choosing to stand around and contemplate the temptation? Have we run to do the work of God, or run to chase after our own desires? Have we walked side-by-side with our fellow human beings to encourage them and to build them up, or have we run away from opportunities to help, to serve?
Finally, Jesus was wounded in the heart. And that’s where the problem for us really lies, doesn’t it? God says that the heart is deceitful beyond cure. My heart is full of love for myself, my heart is full of selfishness. My heart tells me that God’s way is wrong, that my way is right. My sinful heart lies to me, tries to pull me away from God and His Word.
So I’ve used my head, my hands, my feet, and my heart in rebellion against God. And again, the problem is, each of those wounds pierce us, indeed, each of those wounds is fatal to my soul. Each time I sin I earn for myself an eternity in hell, an eternity separated from God and His love, an eternity of suffering. These wounds are terrible! Horrible! Indeed, fatal!
And in amazing grace, Jesus comes to this earth and lives just the opposite of the way we’d lived. Again, let’s think it through the 5 wounds.
Jesus used His head perfectly, always focused on His saving work, always thinking on the things which are proper. Jesus used His hands to heal, to help. Jesus used His feet to take the good-news of salvation to thousands and thousands, walked willingly in His Father’s ways, walked willingly the road to Jerusalem. And Jesus’ heart? Always filled with compassion for us humans. In short, in all the area where we failed, Jesus succeeded, and did so in our place. Amazing grace.
But in even more amazing grace, HE was pierced for our transgressions, HE was crushed for our iniquities. Jesus’ head was crowned with thorns. Jesus’ hands and feet were nailed through. Jesus’ side was pierced. All that we should have experienced, Jesus experienced. All that we deserved, Jesus took.
And because Jesus took what we deserve, we … have … been … healed. The Hebrew word which is used in for “healing” is in a form which means that something is absolutely certain. It is absolutely certain, absolutely factual, absolutely real that you have been healed! It is not under discussion, it’s not up for debate. The reality is that you have been healed! It is for sure!
And you know that it’s for sure as you look at those injuries of Jesus. Yes, His head was really crowned, yes, His hands and feet were really nailed through, yes, His side was really pierced. And those injuries brought you and me what we needed: they brought us healing.
And so I guess we’d agree with the hymn writer. Indeed these are “sweet injuries.” Yes, that’s a funny way to think about injuries, but what could be more sweet for you and for me than to know that we’ve been spiritually healed, to know that we’re on our way to eternal life with our Savior in heaven? Is there anything which could be more sweet than that? Nothing could be more sweet than that! And that sweet healing is yours, because of those sweet injuries on the body of our loving Savior. Indeed, how sweet it is! Amen.