I please God to bless our souls
this evening as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 53 and we'll read verse six. Prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 53
and reading verse six. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his
own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. These words occur in the midst
of the description of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is clearly the purpose
of the Holy Spirit to direct us in the midst of these solemn
and yet glorious verses to our own condition. The gracious application
of these words to our own souls to recognise what it means that
all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his
own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. So clearly it is shown to us
here that there is that sinfulness, there is that iniquity found
in all the Church of God, because all is clearly referring to the
Church of God. And none of us are exempt from
this sad situation. And what a blessing it is when
the Holy Spirit shows to us how we fail in our Christian life,
and what a debt we owe to this great and glorious Saviour. who has done so much for us,
and the great cost of our salvation. Well, here we have then, these
words which speak to us, all we like sheep have gone astray. And I believe it is, again, a
clear indication of the Spirit's work. If you and I know something
of being, or rather going astray, That means turning out of the
right way, the narrow way, wandering off, leaving the shepherd, leaving
our heavenly shepherd, and what have we done? We've gone our
own way, foolishly, ignorantly, and yet how we prove left to
ourselves how easily we turn aside. And how we come and have
to prove, what a blessing it is to prove it, on other occasions
that we are kept by the power of God. There may be those times
of temptation and yet God arises and God keeps us, perhaps against
our will, perhaps situations develop that that do not allow
us to follow the course that we would like to. The course,
perhaps, which we planned. Wonderful, isn't it, to know
we have such a kind and gracious God. But nevertheless, there
are those times and there are those occasions when sadly, as
it were, we turn our back on the Lord. We turn our back upon
the Word of God. And why is that? Because we may
view the way the narrow way, and we may think, well, this
is very difficult. Really, I don't think I'll do
this. And we'll scratch around trying
to find justification for walking the way which is pleasing to
our flesh. Sometimes we think that we found
a suitable word that enables us to do what we want to do. But the truth is that we're walking
contrary to the Word of God. The Word of God is very clear. The Word of God directs us in
the path that we should go. There's no way that is not clear
in the Word of God. But many of the ways which the
Lord's people, the true Christian, are called to walk is not an
easy path. But if it's the right way, surely
we should desire the Lord will continue to lead us on because
we know that God's way is the best way and God's way leads
to eternal glory whereas every other way leads to everlasting
destruction and therefore such a word as this is solemnly true
we like sheep have gone astray and it's good if the Spirit of
God enables us to search those occasions and those situations
when we've pleased ourselves rather than please God. And we
may have worked out a nice little plan, we may have thought we
can justify just what we're doing, But the great truth is that we
have to stand before Almighty God, who has an all-seeing eye,
and that eye penetrates right into our heart and shows us the
cunningness of the devil in turning us to listen to his deceitful
advances. Now, the devil has always been
a deceiver. And my friends, he's been so
successful. And we should never listen to
him, but we should turn to the Word of God. And we should be
concerned, therefore, to not be found going astray The devil
won't tell you you're going astray. He'll pretend you're going in
the right way and anyway you've got scripture to back you up
and there's every reason why you should do this and go that
way and therefore carry on. And therefore, what are we found
doing? Going astray. Going astray. Leaving the narrow way. Well how sad it is, isn't it? when you and I are left from
that right way, that way which God has led us in, and that way
which God directs us in. We have examples in the Word
of God about that. We only have to look at the life
of David, a godly man, and see how he was led astray. Yes, he went astray from the
narrow way. He gave in to the lust of the
flesh. Oh what trouble it brought, what
trouble it brought. How blessed it is if God gives
us grace to turn away and grace to observe when we are being
tempted by the devil and grace to walk in the right way. It's a rugged way, there's obstacles,
There's things to tax us, but in the narrow way, in that right
way, the great blessing is that we have the answer of a good
conscience. We don't have to walk with a
nagging conscience. I wonder if you know what a nagging
conscience is, when you're walking in a wrong way, and yet you're
pretending it's the right way. And yet if you're really honest
before God, when God shines powerfully into your heart, you'll have
to recognise and acknowledge, in fact, I haven't been honest
with myself. No, I've done that which my flesh
wanted to do. And what has it done? It's brought
me not into a wealthy place, brought me into a barren place
because the broad way is where God is not. God is with his people in a narrow
way. He's with his people and he helps
them in that narrow way and he strengthens them and he blesses
them. And so how important it is that
you and I today are not left to continue to go astray. Just let us think that this is
directed to the Church of God. How kind the Lord is to give
us words like this, to take to ourselves, take to our own heart
and to see whether we are numbered amongst those described here.
Without any doubt we will have been and perhaps without doubt
we may be. Let us consider today. Let us
consider today whether we have gone astray. You see, the description
of that going astray is so clear. We have turned everyone to his
own way. To his own way, not God's way.
Sometimes we may say, well, I've got a way and I want God to work
for me in that way. No, my friends, that's wrong.
God has a way and you and I are to walk in that way that God
directs us in and not to disagree with it and not to say, well,
I think it's just too difficult. I think it's just too unfair.
I think it's just wrong. that I should have to walk such
a path. If God before us, who can be
against us? But you see, if you're walking
contrary to God, be sure of this, in one way or another, he'll
walk contrary to you. And you see that may be a very
sad path. What reason there will be then
to regret such a path, reason to regret such a way that we've
gone, a reason to regret that we've gone astray because we
followed our own way. The great blessing of the Church
of God is to come and speak with those beautiful words that our
Savior sets before us when he said, Nevertheless, not my will,
but thine be done." It's good, isn't it, to come and to test
the way that we fancy going in, or to test the way that we are
perhaps going in, whether it's God's way, and whether we are
truly submitting to his will. And if you want any encouragement,
you may think, well, if I went that way, it's a very difficult
path. Yes, it may be. The path of a
Christian is a difficult path. The life of the Saviour was a
very difficult life, was it not? Should we expect an easy life? I suppose we look for it, don't
we? I suppose we keep on trying to make excuses why we should
try and produce an easy life, an easy path for us. But we have
that glorious and blessed example of the Saviour. He didn't count
the cost, did he? He knew what he would have to
face. How willing was Jesus to die. Oh, what a Saviour we have. So when you and I are faced with
making a decision, coming to a view as to what is the right
way, to consider Him, consider the Lord Jesus Christ, and not
to be left to our own understanding. Let us not be left to the path
that the devil directs us in. Be sure of this. He'll try and
point you to an easy way. Well, it might be like this. The flesh dislikes the way. but faith approves it well. And that means the answer of
a good conscience. And that means to be walking
in God's way and not following our way. Now, the Church of God
have been called to take up our cross daily and to follow him. And that cross is different in
all of our lives. But there is a cross to be taken
up and we're not to lay it down. We're to take it up and we're
to follow the great and blessed example of our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Remember, the prize at the end
of the road. You know, we don't want to hear
those solemn words, do we? Depart from me, I never knew
you. We want to hear those words,
come in, now blessed are the Lord. Come in now, faithful servant. And all the Church of God are
servants. What a blessing it is. when we
are found being faithful to our God. That's who we're responsible
to. That's who we should desire to
have set before us and to be found then not wandering away,
not going astray. And all we like sheep have gone
astray. We have turned everyone to his
own way. Now it's a a great blessing to
know that if we are God's sheep, we do have a great and a glorious
heavenly shepherd. And that shepherd, you see, does
guide his sheep in the right way. He's with them, he leads
them, he directs them, and they are brought into those piles
of green pastures. You know, David Notwithstanding
all his faults and sins, he spoke those beautiful words, and when
he was able to declare, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
And when the Spirit of God directs us to the greatness of God, as
he gives us that faith to believe, and to be able to say, I shall
not want. Now then, be careful, analyze
that carefully, We shall not fail to receive anything that
we want which is necessary for our spiritual and perhaps our
natural life. It won't be the things that we
think we want, but it will be the things that the Lord knows
that we have need of. And God supplies to his people
those things that they have need of. And so then, Not only does
he supply their want, he makes us to lie down in green pastures. So he leads us in that way of
green pastures. We may think, well, this is the
way that I'm going in, just like these words describe here, turn
everyone to his own way. That's not the way that leads
to green pastures. That's not the way that leads
to eternal blessing. That's not the way that feeds
our soul. That's the path that brings us into barrenness. That's
the path that brings us into hardness of heart. That's the
path that takes us away from God. Never try and justify your
path if it's contrary to the Word of God. And so here we have these gracious
words. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures He leadeth me beside the still waters, and then He
restoreth my soul. It may be that we've gone astray. Yes, we've gone astray into those
wrong paths, going astray. And yet to think that we have
a God who comes and restores us. How gracious. How merciful. He restoreth my
soul. David knew, by personal experience,
the blessing of this. You know, if you and I analyse
our lives, what's the most important thing? The most important thing is to
have a healthy soul. You see, so often, We put our
natural needs, our bodily needs, before the needs of our soul. Oh what a blessing it is to have God come alongside us
and to bring us, lead us in the paths of righteousness for his
name's sake. The blessing of that is that
if you and I walk in the God-given path that he leads us in, what
will that do? It will bring honour and glory
to his great and holy name. It's always a good test to put
our life and our way to as to whether what we're doing is bringing
honour and glory to God. Now you and I need grace to do
that, we need to have an open heart, we need to have a submissive
spirit, but it's a wonderful blessing to come down just like
the Apostle Paul did, who had been walking so contrary to God,
but he thought he was doing God's service. God came and he spoke
to him and what was the effect? The Apostle said, Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do? He didn't say, well, I've got
to do this, and I think it would be better to do this, and if
I go that way it's very hard. No. He fell down, he bowed down,
he came and said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? God
led the Apostle in the right way. It wasn't an easy path,
but it was. the right way. And what did it
do? It brought health to his soul. You read his experiences. You read how the Lord was with
him. You read how he lived near to the Lord. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth
me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And then
he's able to say, Thou walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
Sometimes the Lord leads us into these valleys. But you see, if
God is with us, if God be for us, who can be against us? The Lord leads us into these
places to prove his faithfulness. He doesn't leave us. Thou walk through the valley
of the shadow of death. As we're walking through it,
we don't fall, we don't stop, we walk through it. I will fear
no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me. What a mercy it is to have a
God with us in the pathway of life, in our natural life and
also in our spiritual life. Now prepare us a table before
me. In the presence of mine enemies, you see, no one can stop the
Lord preparing a table. In the presence of my enemies,
thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Isn't that amazing? See, when
God blesses, you see, there's no limit with God's blessing. And how can we expect the blessing
from God, if we are doing that contrary to his will, turned
to our own way, how can we expect God's blessing? What a mercy
then if we'd be made willing in the day of his power. That's
what it is, isn't it? And so he says, I will fear no
evil for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, thy compasses
may comfort me, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup runneth over. And then he concludes with these
confident words. He'd experienced the goodness
of God. And therefore he was able to
say, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life. And I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever. Well, what a blessing if you
and I have like confidence. Are we able to say that? Yes,
surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. But
we won't be able to say it, will we? If we're walking in this
path in our own way. And if we've gone astray, or
we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his
own way. Well, what will perhaps direct
us back? What will bring us back into
the narrow way? Words like this, and the Lord
has laid on him the iniquity of us all. What will we do? We'll see something of that iniquity,
something of that going astray, The psalmist in the 119th Psalm
and the last verse, 176, he says, I have gone astray like a lost
sheep. And it's a blessing to come and
confess when we make mistakes. We do make mistakes. It's a blessing
to come. Here was the psalmist confessing. He'd gone astray like a lost
sheep. And was he content? No, he says,
seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments. Yes, the Lord had brought to
his attention the truth of God, the commandments of God, and
therefore he says, seek thy servant. Well, if perhaps we've been found
going astray, we have a merciful God. God does not deal with us
as our sins deserve, but a God who deals with us in love and
mercy. And the Apostle Peter knew what
it was, didn't he? To go astray so very simply and
so very easily, and yet you see the Lord was gracious to him.
The Lord was indeed mindful of him and directed him. We read
in the first epistle of Peter and the second chapter, the last
verse tells us, for ye were a sheep going astray. What a blessing
if that's history in your life and my life. For we were as sheep
going astray. And now there's been a change.
And what's that change? But are now returned under the
shepherd and Bishop of your souls. And what will cause us to return? The Lord himself. What will cause
us to return as we view the Lord himself in this position that
we have here in this sixth verse? And the Lord hath laid on him
the iniquity of us all. We read together that 16th chapter
in Leviticus, and what a very simple and beautiful picture
it was of that goat that was taken into the wilderness, yes,
right away, but not before the sins of Israel had been placed
upon its head. And we read together those words,
and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto
a land not inhabited, the Lord Jesus Christ bears all our iniquities
on himself. Those iniquities which we've
committed by going astray. And Aaron shall come into the
tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments
which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall
leave them there. And he shall wash his flesh with
water in the holy place and put on his holy garments and come
forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the
people and make an atonement for himself and for the people."
Well, what a blessing it is to realise that there is this wonderful
favour. We have this picture of the scapegoat
in the Word of God and to think that the Lord Jesus Christ, he
took our sins, all our sins. That's why we have this expression
here. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. It's really impossible, isn't
it, for you and me to realise the weight of those sins. Perhaps sometimes the Lord gives
us just a little view of the terribleness and the weight and
the awfulness of our sins. They seem like a mountain. And they're perhaps a burden
to us to think then the Lord Jesus Christ, he carried the
burden, he carried the weight of the entire Church of God. He took our sins They were placed
upon him. The Lord had laid on him the
iniquity of us all. And then you see, as it were,
to give us a picture of what that really meant. Laying our
sins upon him. That's why we have these verses
either side where we're told that he was despised, he was
rejected of men, man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and
we hid, as it were, our faces from him, he was despised, and
we esteemed him not. Now, let us not forget, when
we take up our cross and follow the Saviour, it's following this
path. Surely he hath borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten
of God and afflicted, but he was wounded. Why? For our transgressions. He was bruised. Why? For our
iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. The holy, harmless
Son of God. Having those stripes put upon
him, And they were there so that you and I might be healed from
all our transgressions. And then he was oppressed. He
was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a sheep before a shearer's dumb. So he opened
not his mouth. What a great and glorious example. What a wonderful picture we have.
of the Lord Jesus Christ. All we like sheep have gone astray.
We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid
on him the iniquity of us all. This great and glorious scapegoat,
the Lord Jesus Christ, carrying all our sins. He was taken from
prison and from judgment. Who shall declare his generation,
for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression
of my people was he stricken." Well, to think that all our sins
were laid on the Saviour. Every sin. All those that we
perhaps pretended weren't sins. Turned everyone to his
own way. What does that mean? It means
sinfulness, doesn't it? It means choosing our own way,
a sinful way, not a right way, not a God-given way, not a way
that brings honour and glory to our God, but a way that pleases
ourself. Sins. Sins. Oh, what a weight
of sin it is to carry such a situation and to realise the Lord has carried
it for us. all of our sins and he's taken
them away and as we spoke this morning you see all those sins
were indeed washed away eternally they were taken away as we read
in that book of Micah and those last verses and thou would cast
all their sins into the depth of the sea all our sins taken
away our iniquity laid on him. Well, do we not have to say tonight
what a great and glorious saviour we have, what a privilege it
is therefore to be found numbered amongst those for whom he has
taken their iniquity. And if the Lord has taken our
iniquity, you know we shall never be able to repay the price that
was paid for that deliverance, the enormous cost it was to Almighty
God to deliver our souls from the wrath to come. It was His
wonderful love. It was His amazing grace. It
was His great mercy. Do we not stand as we come before
God Perhaps looking at ourselves and realising, yes, I've gone
astray. Do we come and say, oh, seek
thy servant. Oh Lord, come to me. Oh Lord,
strengthen me. Enable me to walk in that right
way, that God-honouring way. Deliver, oh Lord, deliver me
from choosing that way that seems right. to a man but at the end
they're off for the ways of death. You see how cunning the evil
one is. How great are his temptations
and let us never think that you and I can withstand the temptations
of the devil. We only do it by the grace of
God and that's why those words in the Lord's Prayer are so significant.
Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil. We need
to pray that every day, that we may know the wonderful blessing
then of being kept by the power of God. We may then see occasions
where the Lord has appeared and delivered us. He knows how to
deliver the godly out of temptation. Yes, the Lord knows, and He knows
the way. What a mercy it is to have such
a God who is so kind and so gracious and above all, that he has had
our iniquities laid on him. All, all our sins, he carried
them all away. And to think that in his love
to our souls, he was willing to suffer so much, as we read
here in this 53rd chapter of Isaiah, all what cost it was
for our salvation, how we fail How we fail to realise what it
was so often. I'm sure if we had these things
before our eyes so much more, it would bring us so much nearer
to the Lord and make us so much more willing to do His will in
all our life and not to follow our own way. We're thankful then
if the Lord gives us that grace and gives us that encouragement
to do that which is right in His sight. Now you see these
sheep have gone astray. And sometimes it doesn't need
to be a very big gap in the hedge. That which is put around us,
the Lord puts a hedge around us. We may have been rebelling
against it. We may have just tried to find
a little break, a little hole in the hedge that we can escape. You may find a little hold of
an excuse. Ah, that's what I wanted. Now
I can do what I want to do. Well, be very careful. The word of God tells us if we
break through a hedge, a serpent shall bite us. The devil is waiting
for you and me to break through the hedge. Oh my friend, let
us not try to break through the hedge. But let us walk in that
right way, and in that way which is to endure and to be blessed
with the walk and the path that the Apostle Paul desired, to
have fellowship with his sufferings, to be a partaker of that hard
path. And yet, that hard path leads
to eternal glory over our hearts. that our attentions might be
directed more to the prize at the end of the road, and therefore
always be able, as the Apostle said when he wrote to the Hebrews,
consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. What a blessing
it is If the Spirit of God directs us to consider the Saviour in
all His sufferings for us, at the great cost of our salvation,
shedding His blood, dying upon that cross, what a Saviour we
have. Well, tonight as we ponder these
words, all we like sheep have gone astray. Yes, it's true.
We have turned everyone to his own way. Yes, it's true. What
a blessing it is if We can conclude with these last words, and the
Lord has laid on him my iniquity. The Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all, all the Church of God. And my friends, you and
I need to know in that personal way that applies to us. Amen.