3/8 Life

Silent, yet still Sovereign
(ISAIAH 53:7-9)
 
Pause & Reflect
 
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.

1. [v.7] *Biblical principle – SILENT MOUTH – closed to man yet opened to His Father: What our Father God says to us with our mouths closed is far more important than what we need to say to the face of man with our mouths opened. From unjust trials to the horrors of crucifixion, Jesus closed His mouth from defending Himself against His accusers and instead submitted Himself to His Father’s will. Like a submissive lamb led to the slaughter, like a vulnerable sheep before the shearer, Jesus shows us the power of a silent mouth controlled by God’s tongue. Pilate asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed (MARK 15:4-5). Although the chief priests and crowds urged Pilate to convict Jesus, Pilate concluded, “I find no guilt in this man” (LUKE 23:4). Although knowing it was out of envy that they wanted Jesus crucified, Pilate was persuaded to give them what they desired in order to prevent a riot, compromising justice and saving his political image. The silent mouth of Jesus teaches us to submit to God over compromise with man. Godly silence is not a spiritual discipline in passivity or apathy, but rather of hearing and obeying the LORD.
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – As Jesus hung on the cross dying while the soldiers gambled for His clothing, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (LUKE 23:34). As He continued to suffer on the cross in excruciating pain, Jesus cried out at the ninth hour, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (MATTHEW 27:46). As He breathed His last, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (LUKE 23:46). Instead of lashing out at His oppressors, Jesus opened His mouth to His Father with words of grace, longing for His presence, and submission to His will. In what ways do we need to open our mouth to Father God before speaking to others? How is grace, longing for His presence, and submission to His will being cultivated when our mouths are opened to Father God?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – Jesus was not defiant, as if He was being forced to His death. He didn’t kick and scream His way to the cross with loathsome cries of regret. Instead, He silently and voluntarily went to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. “I lay down my life for the sheep… For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (JOHN 10:15-18). In what ways do we need to close our mouths before the silent mouth of Jesus, quietly going about doing the will of God? How is stillness and quietness before God’s word cultivating a gentle spirit to hear and obey Him sacrificially and joyfully?

 
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?

1. [v.8] *Biblical principle – SILENT LIFE – cut off from the living yet raised up from the dead for His people: A short life of obscurity and quietness abiding in Jesus is far more significant than a well-known accomplished life cut off from Jesus. By wicked oppressors and partial justice, Jesus would be taken away from this life at the height of His life in His thirties. He did not leave a spouse nor generation/progeny behind, for Jesus remained single for His entire life. Besides details about His birth and one event when He was twelve years old as Mary and Joseph unknowingly left Him behind in Jerusalem (LUKE 2:41-51), there is only one verse that describes Jesus’ quiet years of growth from twelve into His thirties, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (LUKE 2:52). No one would have considered then, or now, that God in the flesh who had come to dwell with His people would be cut off from the living so soon and with such suffering. Until the time arrived for His short three-year public ministry, Jesus most likely lived a quiet life, learning the carpentry work from Joseph (MARK 6:3). Over all those years, Jesus lived in obscurity, until it was time to suffer for the transgressions of His people. Live quietly! Be obscure! Abide in Him!
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – Instead of a celebrity life in Hollywood, Jesus chose the obscure life in Nazareth. His life didn’t gain attention until it stirred up opposition from unbelief in His gospel. Then, as quickly as His life appeared some 2000 years ago, quickly it was cut off in His early thirties. Yet this obscure and quiet life was the most significant life ever lived. In what ways is Jesus teaching us to live in His quietness and obscurity? What is He calling us to cut off from “the land of the living” that is hindering us from abiding in His life, death, and new resurrected life?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – We all desire to be accomplished and fulfill the calling that God has for our lives. How does Jesus define an accomplished life? How does Jesus view significance in this life? Is this the way our lives are becoming accomplished and significant?

 
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

1. [v.9] *Biblical principle – SILENCED GRAVE – dwelled among the guilty yet declared innocent by the rich: The grave is powerless to speak of death any longer because Jesus was laid in the grave of sinners, raising the wicked to righteousness and the rich to be poor in spirit. For three days, the grave of Jesus dwelled with the wicked. There was no funeral nor royal procession. Just like any sinner who dies today, Jesus took upon Himself the fullness of our death. He didn’t skip the grave and go straight to being raised to resurrected life. Rather, His redemption was a three-day account. His grave among the wicked proves that He made a way for the wicked through death as the only sinless God-man could do – a way back to a right relationship with Father God. His burial was prepared by two rich men who followed Jesus in secret – Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Now, through their extravagant sacrifice, the burial of Jesus was honored with spices, linen, and a new tomb. Like the two rich men, alongside all sinful men and women, our eyes have been opened to the power of a silenced grave on Saturday, where Jesus laid in the tomb. He is with us even in the grave! He will raise us from it!
   1. *FOCUS QUESTION #1 – From the point of our birth, we are dying. Every passing birthday is a reminder that we are one more year closer to the grave. Some live in ignorance of this, only looking to what is optimistic, in denial and without preparing for what is to come. Others live hopelessly, wasting away their lives because it will all inevitably end at the grave no matter what good could be made of it. Either case, the grave speaks to everyone. What is it saying to you? For those in Christ, how is the grave silenced? Instead of the grave speaking, who can we hear speaking, who was laid in our grave? What is He saying?
   2. *FOCUS QUESTION #2 – Two rich men (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) had their lives changed from secret followers to public disciples of Jesus, as they extravagantly sacrificed their wealth to purchase the spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial, alongside give Him a tomb to lay in, while most crucified bodies were usually left for the wild animals to consume. In the death of Jesus and with His body before them, their eyes were opened to the Scriptures about the prophetic words fulfilled, including this verse nine! They were the rich men in His death, preparing His burial in the grave. Is fulfilled prophecy transforming you? Is the fact that God foretold exactly the manner of His Son’s death hundreds of years before it happened a blessed assurance of faith? Like these two men, is now the grave silenced of condemnation and death, and the Word spoken righteousness and life?

 
The central truth of this word was –
In the silence, remember He’s still sovereign! Be still, and know that He is God (PSALM 46:10). Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him (PSALM 37:7). Learn from the silent mouth of Jesus, who did not speak back at His accusers, but submitted Himself to death like a lamb led to the slaughter, even death on a cross! Learn from the silent life of Jesus, who spent His days quietly preparing for His ministry in the obscurity of Nazareth, all to have His short life cut off from the living for the sins of His people. Learn from the silenced grave of Jesus, where His body lay among all who die, so that they might never die but pass through death into life with Him. Aspire the silence and quietness of Jesus in your spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight (1 PETER 3:4). In the silence, no one can take anything from you, for Jesus has already given His life all for you (JOHN 10:18). In the silence, all does not need to make sense, for life is not measured by our length or accomplishments – all those are to be cut off one day – but by Jesus whom we abide in forever. In the silence, know the grave is just a temporary station before the train of resurrection sweeps us into immortality with Jesus! Be still and know Him!

– *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this?
 

Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer
Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another.
 
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18)
 
…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7)
 
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5)
 
For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27)
 
- Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda)
- Lee’s (Sam, Heidi)
- Deborah Ko
- Kristen Lee
- Patrick Liu
- Brian Pak
- Samuel Park
- Trey Reynolds
- Tyler Lee
- Edward Jeon
- Jeff Park
- Eunice Kim (UT Austin)
- Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana)
- Philip Oh
- Soo Nam (Dallas Police)
- Hana Lee
- Rachel Ko (preschool assistant)
- Hanna Kang
- Johann Lee
- Eugene Hong
- JR Reynolds
- Brian Joo
- Doug Kang
- James Han
- Winnie Kim
- Stacy Hong
- David An
- Daniel An
- Alice Jeon
- Ashley Min (UTD)
- Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin)
- Eric Lee (UTD)
- Lisa Jeon
- Brian Yoon
- Jennifer Chung (UTA)
- June Kim (TWU)
- Hannah Kim (UT Austin)
- Hogan Lee (TCU)
- Steven Kwon (A&M)
- Benny Son (UT Austin)
- Esther Ko (UT Austin)
- Daniel Lee (UT Austin)
- Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry)
- Matthew Ahn (UT Austin)
- Yura Ahn (UT Austin)
- Katie Han (New York)
- Emily Han (Austin)
- Jae Jung (Boston, MA)
- Hanbit Kang (Austin)