Isaiah 53:3 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.

Here we are at the beginning of a new year. A chance to start over, to do things differently, better and hopefully to a happier end. So why speak now about sorrows? How else could you see the need for change if not for the sorrows? Jesus is that man of sorrows and this is about why.

“This is a thing we ought to be much affected with; it is to be wondered at, and greatly lamented, and ministers may go to God and complain of it to him, as the prophet here. What a pity is it that such rich grace should be received in vain, that precious souls should perish at the pool’s side, because they will not step in and be healed!” Matthew Henry’s commentary on Isaiah 53:3

Christ at the cross took away the sins of the world with His death. He became sin, that knew no sin. All sin, every man’s sin, for all time, was loaded upon Him in death. I have often thought that the lamentations of the knowledge of this burden was the reason for His sorrows. I was wrong, it was that man rejects the release from the pain and penalty of those sins because they reject the free offer of salvation thru faith.

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

The healing pool of Bethesda was a place where those who needed healing placed their faith. It was always something with this man for thirty-eight years. It was for the lack of someone to help him or the insistent behavior of others that pushed him aside and kept him from being healed.

Your salvation is not dependent on others and no one stands in your way. Place your faith in Christ, the one who grieves for you and beckons “come to me”.