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Bible Study: Sunday, July 28, 2013

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NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.

This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies for Life curriculum.

Bible Passage: Isaiah 53:2-12

Discussion Questions: What could help you speak with greater confidence about Jesus as the promised Messiah?

Food for Thought:

This lesson continues our quarter-long investigation of “God’s Story” of redemption. So far, we have seen His hand at work from creation to His choosing a people through Abraham, to delivering His people from slavery, to guiding and dwelling among them and to restoring His people from exile.

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This lesson brings into sharp focus God’s promise to send His Messiah. The previous lessons in this study foreshadow and point to Jesus. Ben Garner writes: “He is the One who dealt the fatal blow to the serpent. He is the seed of Abraham through whom all nations are blessed. Jesus is our Passover lamb and deliverer, and He established a new covenant by the shedding of His blood. He is our tabernacle and the Son of David who established a Kingdom that will last forever.”

We must realize that Jesus was not an afterthought or God’s plan B because plan A didn’t work out. The Bible teaches that God the Son’s role in this amazing redemptive story was always God’s only plan.

The picture Isaiah paints of the Messiah is one that is vastly different from any savior human beings might imagine. The prophet pictures one who does not stand out in any way. He isn’t glamorous. No one would look at him and say, “That’s our guy!” In fact, people would do the opposite. They would reject Him.

In the passage we see the self-sacrificing nature of Christ. In our culture, we can identify with sacrificing for those we love and those who are like us, who love the same things we love. But Jesus gave Himself for His enemies, those who despised Him. We are part of that crowd.

As we consider Jesus’ role in God’s story, we are left with the sobering thought that only He is our hope of salvation. Only God Himself could provide the sacrifice required to pay for our sins. Christ is the central focus of “God’s Story” to redeem all of creation.

Bible Studies for Life

Bible Studies for Life is a family of Bible study curriculum for every member of the family. Beginning this fall, Bible Studies for Life relaunches with a number of improvements for leaders and group members. To learn more about the new enhancements, visit www.biblestudiesforlife.com [3].

Other ongoing Bible study options offered by LifeWay for all ages can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool [4].
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