Lenten Considerations for Every Year | Jesus Is Our Servant?

Jesus The Suffering Servant – Worthy of Prayer, Wonder & Awe

Last month, I wrote about how "Jesus is Better" based on a song written by Aaron Ivey and Austin Stone Worship. This month, the new worship song I have been returning to again and again is called "Suffering Servant," recently released by Dustin Kensrue. The words of the song are almost directly taken from Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12.

In fact, I used the music and the lyrics of "Suffering Servant" to open our time of prayer earlier this week. At the beginning of the evening, we took the time to reflect in silence on this Suffering Servant together through the words from Isaiah written more than 700 years before Jesus stepped foot on the earth. Then we took the time to respond to this Righteous Servant who chose to suffer for us so we could not only have our prayers heard, but have everything we could ever need answered in Jesus Himself.

Even in listening to the song again as I write this post, I am brought to tears. Who is this Man of Sorrows who would endure all of this for me? And who could this Righteous Servant be, so strong He is able to endure such suffering, while also conquering sin, wickedness, and death itself? I don't deserve for anyone to serve me like this, let alone Someone like this.

The rousing lyrics and melodic crescendo of verses 3 and 4 in particular shake my soul and cause me to wonder. 
 

He offered up His soul to death. 

He poured it out ‘til none was left.

He died but now shall rise and surely see 

The many He has righteous made.

And satisfied, His work surveyed, 

This Man of Sorrows evermore shall be.

On high, exalted, lifted up, 

The Righteous Servant raised above.

His mighty hand shall work the will of God. 

The nations all shall hear and see,

Astonished at His victory. 

The kings of men shall shut their mouths in awe.

Suffering Servant

By Dustin Kensrue

Verse 1

His appearance was so badly marred,

He could not have been recognized;

So disfigured, so beyond all human likeness

That we hid our eyes.

Though He carried all our griefs and bore our sorrows,

We esteemed Him not,

But despised Him and considered Him afflicted

And as one reviled by God.

Chorus

Though all of us have gone astray,

Though all have turned to their own ways,

The Lord has laid our wickedness on Him.

His punishment has brought us peace

And crushed for our iniquities;

He died to save His people from their sin.

Verse 2

He was stricken, and though pierced for our transgressions,

He did not lash out.

But was silent,

Like a lamb led to the slaughter

So He opened not His mouth.

(Chorus Repeat)

Refrain

The might of Yahweh stands revealed,

And by His wounds we are all healed.

Verse 3

He offered up His soul to death.

He poured it out ‘til none was left.

He died but now shall rise and surely see.

The many He has righteous made

And satisfied, His work surveyed.

This Man of Sorrows evermore shall be.

Verse 4

On high, exalted, lifted up,

The Righteous Servant raised above.

His mighty hand shall work the will of God.

The nations all shall hear and see,

Astonished at His victory.

The kings of men shall shut their mouths in awe.

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan

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