One of the most profound and powerful Old Testament prophetic passages on the vicarious sacrifice of Christ is found in Isaiah 53. Here are the words of verses 3-6:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a 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. (4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

The story is told of a man who was deeply troubled by his sins, had a vivid dream in which he saw Jesus being savagely whipped by a soldier. As the cruel scourge came down upon Christ’s back, the dreamer shuddered, for the terrible instrument left ugly, gaping wounds upon the bleeding, swollen body of the Savior. When the soldier raised his arm to strike the Lord again, the dreamer rushed forward, intent on stopping him. As he did so the one who wielded the lash turned, and the startled dreamer recognized himself! He awoke in a cold sweat, realizing that his sin had brought this grievous punishment upon the Savior.

As the man thought of Christ’s scourging and the agony He endured on the cross of Calvary, the Holy Spirit sweetly brought to his remembrance the words of  Isaiah 53:5,  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Suddenly the light broke upon his darkened soul. He realized Jesus had been slain that through His blessed sacrifice sinners like himself might go free. At that moment the troubled dreamer became a new creature by grace.

Perhaps the best hymn to amplify this passage and story is “Wounded For Me.” The five stanzas of this thoughtful hymn cover the whole story of redemption from the Savior’s SUFFERING to His SECOND COMING. When this hymn is sung, all of the verses must be used; none can be deleted. Start softly and slowly and gradually build to a thrilling climax, “O how I praise Him, He’s coming for me!”

Wounded for me, wounded for me, there on the cross He was wounded for me;

Gone my transgressions, and now I am free, all because Jesus was wounded for me.

Dying for me, dying for me, there on the cross He was dying for me;

Now in His death my redemption I see, all because Jesus has risen for me.

Risen for me, risen for me, up from the grave He has risen for me;

Now evermore from death’s sting I am free, all because Jesus has risen for me.

Living for me, living for me, up in the skies He is living for me;

Daily He’s pleading and praying for me, all because Jesus is living for me.

Coming for me, coming for me, one day to earth He is coming for me;

Then with what joy His dear face I shall see; O how I praise Him, He’s coming for me.

May again your heart be enraptured at the cross of Calvary, where our eternal redemption was forever paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ! This week in our Weekly SERMON of the “Seven Words of Christ at Calvary” we will examine the fifth words, the words of SUFFERING, "I Thirst” taken from John 19:28. Again I trust over these weeks leading up to the RESURRECTION, you will slow down and ponder our so great salvation, at the cross of Christ.