A Man Acquainted with Grief

Isaiah 53:1-3

INTRODUCTION: Individual Bible words are crucial for our understanding of biblical truths. In fact, I couldn’t help but marvel at God’s use of the word acquainted in Isaiah 53:3. In our present understanding, we assume that the word acquainted suggests a distant or limited knowledge. However, history suggests a somewhat different definition such as, “to gain for oneself personal knowledge of” (see Psalm 139:3).

I. THE EXTENT OF HIS ACQUAINTANCE

A. The Extremes of His Acquaintance

1. The grief of joys lacked (John 2:1-11)
2. The grief of love lost (Luke 7:12-18)

B. The Examples of His Acquaintance

1. A centurion with a servant lying at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented (Matthew 8:5-13)
2. Peter’s wife’s mother lying sick of a fever (Matthew 8:14-15)
3. The disciples fearful in the midst of the storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
4. The devil possessed men among the Gergesenes (Matthew 8:28-34)
5. A man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed (Matthew 9:1-8)
6. Jairus’ daughter, dead on arrival (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26)
7. The woman diseased with an issue of blood twelve years (Matthew 9:20-22)
8. Two blind men seeking mercy (Matthew 9:27-31)
9. A dumb man possessed with a devil (Matthew 9:32-34)
10. A man with a withered hand (Matthew 12:9-13)
11. A man possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb (Matthew 12:22-23)
12. The disciples fearful again in the midst of a storm (Matthew 14:22-33)
13. The diseased in Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34-36)
14. The woman of Canaan whose daughter was grievously vexed with a devil (Matthew 15:21-28)
15. The man with a son who was a lunatick and sore vexed (Matthew 17:14-18)
16. The two blind men sitting by the way side (Matthew 20:29-34)
17. Etc.

II. THE DUAL NATURE OF HIS ACQUAINTANCE

A. His Experience with Others

B. His Experience with His Own

1. The sorrow of His soul in the garden (Matthew 26:36-46)
2. His betrayal at the hands of Judas (Matthew 26:47-50, 55-56)
3. His faulty trial (Matthew 26:59-66)
4. His physical abuse at the trial (Matthew 26:67-68)
5. His rejection in favour of Barabbas (Matthew 27:15-25)
6. His mockery after Barabbas’ release (Matthew 27:26-31)
7. His crucifixion (Matthew 27:32-50)

III. THE PURPOSE OF HIS ACQUAINTANCE

A. The Nature of Mankind (Hebrews 2:14-15)

1. Partakers of flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14)
2. Subject to the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)
3. Bondage due to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15)

B. The Undertaking of Christ (Hebrews 2:14-18)

1. Partaker of man’s nature (Hebrews 2:14)
2. To destroy him that had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)
3. To deliver those in bondage (Hebrews 2:15)
4. That He might be a merciful and faithful high priest (Hebrews 2:17-18)

CONCLUSION: During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus surrounded Himself with grief and heartache. On purpose, He put Himself in the paths of hurting and harmed souls. After this aspect of His ministry had passed, He became acquainted with His own grief. Why? So that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest to those experiencing their own grief.