SERMON TITLE: Numbered with Transgressors
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 53:12 (ESV)
SPEAKER: Josh Hanson
DATE: 3-29-26
Sermon Discussion Guide
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As always, it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — whether you’re worshiping with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
Today we’re taking a break from our series in the book of James to spend time this week — and next — reflecting on some of the events that took place during the week leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Today and next Sunday, we’ll be looking at the same passage from the Old Testament — Isaiah chapter fifty-three — if you want to open your Bibles, that’s where we’ll be — we’ll be in Isaiah chapter fifty-three today and on Easter Sunday. And — on Thursday — Matt Heft — one of your elders — will take us to another Old Testament passage that connects to this week of Jesus’ life.
The goal of this short series is to show you how the Old Testament predicted — or pointed forward to — the biblical word is prophesied — about Christ and all that he accomplished in his life — including what happened during the final week leading up to his death on a cross and his resurrection three days later. That’s why we’ll be in the Old Testament, because — long before Jesus walked here on earth — God gave news of what Jesus would accomplish through his prophets — individuals who wrote down what God told them would one day happen. And Jesus perfectly fulfilled these prophecies — and we’re talking hundreds and hundreds of prophecies — proving that he is indeed God’s promised Savior of the world.
So — now that you know where we’re headed for the next week or so — let’s turn to Isaiah chapter fifty-three. We’ll begin in verse one. There we read…
Isaiah 53:1–12 ESV
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 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. 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? 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. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
This chapter — if you don’t know — is full of prophecies that are related to Jesus. Writers of the New Testament clearly saw the fulfillment of these verses in Jesus, which is why we find eleven of the twelve verses from Isaiah chapter fifty-three referred to — or quoted — in the New Testament. Some of these verses are even found in multiple places in the New Testament.
For example, verse one — which says…
Isaiah 53:1 ESV
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Is quoted in the gospel of John — where the apostle writes…
John 12:37–38 ESV
37 Though he (Jesus) had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
Or take verse six of our chapter in Isaiah — which says…
Isaiah 53:6 ESV
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Which is referred to by the apostle Peter when he writes…
1 Peter 2:25 ESV
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
The Shepherd and Overseer of our souls is Jesus. Or take verses seven and eight — which state…
Isaiah 53:7–8 ESV
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. 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?
Which was the passage being read by a man whom Philip — a follower of Jesus — was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go and talk to, resulting in this happening.
Acts 8:30–35 ESV
30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
I could take you verse by verse and show you how the New Testament authors saw — in Jesus — the fulfillment of Isaiah chapter fifty-three. But we’re not going to do that. Instead, we’re going to focus on one verse today. Just one verse. One prophecy fulfilled. One way in which Jesus demonstrated that he was God’s promised Messiah — which means Savior — during his last days here on earth.
And the verse we’ll focus on today is verse twelve, which says…
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
In this verse, we find multiple prophecies — or promises — about Jesus. We find the promise that he would die, the promise that he would be identified with transgressors, the promise that he’d bear the sins of many, the promise that he would intercede for sinners, and — finally — the promise that he will share the reward of his victory. We’ll briefly look at each of these promises.
First — a promised death. In our verse, Isaiah says…
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Because he poured out his soul to death…
For the Jewish people of Isaiah’s day, the idea that God’s Messiah would die would’ve been unthinkable. For the Jews, the Promised Messiah was an undefeatable Warrior King who would come and return the Promised Land back to the Jewish people. The Messiah was going to come and defeat all of their enemies that had been oppressing them — for theirs was a history of war and defeat. In fact — not too long in the future — during Isaiah’s lifetime — the nation of Israel would be conquered by the Assyrians. And — in another hundred years or so — Judah would fall to the Babylonians. More defeats that the Jewish people will experience while they waited for the Messiah to come.
So the Messiah's death was unimaginable to them — he’s a victorious conqueror, not someone who will die. Yet — Jesus experienced death. For as the apostle Peter writes…
1 Peter 3:18 ESV
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
If you’ve been around Gateway for some time, you’ve heard me talk about Bible journaling before. This is a practice where I read slowly through the Bible — maybe a verse a day — and write down my personal reflections on each verse.
I wrote this in my journal as I reflected on the verse we just read by Peter. I wrote, “Physical suffering and death, yet spiritual victory. The Spirit of God applied God the Father’s pleasure with his Son in raising him from the dead in a victorious new life. A new life that’s promised to all who believe in Jesus, trusting in his perfect life and death for the payment of their sins and the fulfillment of their joy and hope.”
The first prophecy of our verse is that of a promised death, which Jesus fulfilled.
Next — a mistaken identity. Again, Isaiah says…
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors…
The phrase “numbered with the transgressors” is the mistaken identity I’m referring to. This prophecy is saying that the Messiah — for some reason — will be numbered with — or mistaken as — a transgressor — or someone who’s sinned and broken God’s law.
Throughout Jesus’ life and ministry — time and time again — false accusations and mistaken identities were thrown his way. Religious leaders accused him of breaking God’s law — even though he never did — not even once. At one point, they were so angry with Jesus that they accused him of working for Satan. Talk about a mistaken identity: The Son of God was accused of working for the Devil!
Yet, our focus is on the last week and the final moments of Jesus’ life. And when we turn to Matthew’s gospel — and how he records the crucifixion of Jesus — we read this.
Matthew 27:35–44 NIV
35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
This is even more than a mistaken identity — it’s a false identity given to Jesus. He’s crucified with rebels as if he’s a rebel himself. The people mocked him — while he was dying on the cross — with words like, “Come down from the cross, if you really are the Son of God! Then we’ll believe in you.” They heaped insults on him. They had no clue who they were in the presence of — who they were murdering — all because of a mistaken identity they’d put on Jesus.
Now the verse from First Peter — that I read earlier — alludes to how this mistaken identity was fulfilled in a different way.
1 Peter 3:18 ESV
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
In my journal, about this verse, I wrote, “Christ was both sinless and our sin substitute on the cross. He who never sinned became sin for us so that we might be made right with God — that’s a quote from the apostle Paul. This loving substitution is more than enough motivation to live a loving, obedient life in return. God, help my life and my love for what Jesus has done become more pure, holy, and devoted. Amen.”
Jesus was mistaken for a sinner — he was falsely called a rebel — he was numbered with the transgressors as he was crucified between two thieves.
Third — promised sins to bear. Again — Isaiah says…
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Yet he bore the sin of many…
To bear sins means to carry them. When I was in the military, there was a moment on a combat mission when two of my soldiers experienced heat exhaustion. We were in the middle of nowhere in Afghanistan — an hour or more helicopter ride from the nearest base. My medic got an IV in both guys, but we had to move — it wasn’t safe to stay where we were.
The problem was that the two soldiers could barely move, much less move with all of the gear they’d been carrying. We were each easily carrying a hundred or so pounds of gear. So I started to divide up their gear among the rest of my soldiers so we could get moving. And as I started dividing up gear from the first soldier’s rucksack, my platoon sergeant came over — hooked a metal clip onto the other soldier’s rucksack — attached it to his rucksack — and — to this day, did one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed — he got the two rucksacks up on his back and said, “Let’s go.”
My platoon sergeant bore the soldier’s rucksack by himself.
Isaiah tells us that the Messiah would bear the sins of many. To which the author of Hebrews — in looking back at what Jesus accomplished — writes…
Hebrews 9:26–28 ESV
26 But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Now, you may be taken aback by the phrase “of many.” That sounds quite exclusive — which is the point God makes throughout his Word to us. Jesus bore the sins — carried the sins — paid for the sins — of many people. Not for all people — only for those who turn to him in faith. You see, Scripture tells us that either Jesus paid for your sins or you will pay for your sins. Either way, your sins will be paid for.
We won’t turn to it again — but that verse from First Peter also mentions that Christ suffered once for sins. And — something we’ll reflect on in a few days — when we come together to celebrate Maundy Thursday — the night when we remember the Last Supper of Christ — as he was sitting around the table with his disciples…
Matthew 26:27–28 ESV
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Even Jesus himself said that his sacrifice on the cross would be for many, not for all. This is why the invitation to believe is so important — for when the invitation to believe is extended, people will respond. Not everyone will respond, but many will. And — when they do — when you respond to the news of what Jesus has done — and believe in him — your sins are forgiven, which means your sins are not yours to bear any longer, but were sins carried by Christ — paid for in full — on the cross.
We’re to our fourth promise — intercession for sinners. Isaiah prophesies that this individual, who would die, have a mistaken identity, and bear the sins of many, would also intercede for sinners. Here’s how Isaiah says it.
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Intercession is a priestly role. It’s the role of an intermediary. Where the priest stands between the people and God and intercedes on their behalf — asking God to forgive their sins — to answer their prayers — to heal them, and so on. And Isaiah says that the Messiah will intercede for the transgressors. To which the author of Hebrews writes…
Hebrews 7:25 ESV
25 Consequently (because Jesus is our permanent High Priest), he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
And as the apostle Paul tells us…
Romans 8:34–39 NIV
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus — the Savior and Lord of his people — is also their Intercessor. He mediates between our Father who is perfect in Heaven and us. He stands between us — not because he’s warding off an angry Father — but because of the holiness and justice of our God. Jesus intercedes on our behalf — protecting those who are his own — who he bore the sins of — who he so identified with that he’s guaranteed to us that his Father — when he looks at us transgressors — will see his beloved Son standing in our place.
Finally — a shared reward. Back to our verse one last time.
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong…
As if all that we’ve encountered isn’t enough beauty and grace for us — as if it’s not been an overabundance of goodness and mercy — now we discover that the Messiah will divide the reward that he earned by living faithfully for God — a reward that came at the cost of his life — a reward that’s both eternal and infinite in value — this Promised One will divide his rightfully earned reward with the people he gave his life for.
And this is cause for rejoicing. This is reason for us to praise God. This is why we’re to join the apostle Peter who said…
1 Peter 1:3–5 NLT
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
Those who believe in Jesus are recipients of an inheritance that’s priceless and pure — undefiled and beyond the reach of change and decay. For God is protecting those who believe in his Son, by his almighty power. And he’ll do so until the last day — when our salvation is complete — and our inheritance received.
This is the hope of the Christian faith — a hope that Jesus secured during the final week leading up to his death and resurrection. This hope is why he came to earth. This hope is what Isaiah prophesied about hundreds of years before Jesus was born. And this hope can be yours — if you turn to Jesus in faith. Believing that he died in your place — bearing your sins on the cross. Believing that he’s interceding for you — right at this very moment — telling his Father, “This one too. This one is mine. I gave my life for him — for her.” And believing that all that Jesus earned — his eternal inheritance — he’s promised will be yours. Including eternal life, eternal victory, and his loving presence with you forever and ever. Let’s pray.
Father, thank you for speaking to us through your prophets. Individuals you called to write down your words of promise to your people, including us today.
Holy Spirit, may you open up spiritually blind eyes, spiritually deaf ears, and give life to spiritually dead hearts, so that many respond to the news they’ve heard today. You are the Giver of life — I’m just sharing the Good News that you use to give people the faith to believe.
And, Jesus, that faith is in you and all that you did in your life, death, and resurrection on behalf of your people — the many — who will believe. Those who’ve been promised your inheritance. Those who’ve been promised that you will intercede for them. Those who’ve been promised that you’ve paid for their sins in full. Those who’ve been promised a new identity. Those who believe that you died and have risen from the grave for their eternal hope.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may many respond to what they’ve heard and receive the hope you’re offering to them today. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
May you respond to Jesus’ love for you and the hope he’s offering to you. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.
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