“30 Pictures of Jesus” 30 Day Planਨਮੂਨਾ

Today we see Jesus as the Suffering Servant.

From the beginning, God promised that evil would one day be crushed. In the garden, a serpent whispered lies that led humanity into sin and death. But God promised Eve that her descendant would crush the serpent’s head, even though the serpent would bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15). Victory over evil would come, but it would come at a cost.

Later, God called Israel to be his servant in the world. Israel was chosen to conquer evil not with power but by embodying God’s justice, holiness, and love before the nations. But Israel, too, failed. Instead of defeating evil, they became evil. Instead of healing the world, they mirrored the serpent’s lies and violence.

Isaiah foresaw a Servant who would succeed where Israel failed. This Servant would be holy and innocent, yet live in a land of corruption. His goodness would expose the world’s evil, and the world would respond by despising him. He would be pierced, not for his sins, but because of the iniquities of others. He would be crushed under the weight of humanity’s rebellion. Isaiah pictures the Servant as one who “takes” the sin of the people—absorbing their violence, enduring their mock trial, and bearing their hostility (Isaiah 53:4–6). And yet, in his suffering, he brings healing.

Jesus is this Servant. On the cross, he endured the serpent’s strike—the lies, hatred, and wickedness of the world poured out on him. But by absorbing evil instead of becoming evil, he crushed it. By forgiving instead of retaliating, he conquered it. Jesus shows us that being God’s servant means loving the world enough to suffer for its sins without joining in them. His wounds are the path to our healing.

And this is not just Jesus’ story—it is ours. The apostle Peter says that Jesus’ suffering leaves us an example, “that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). When we are insulted, we don’t insult in return. When we are wronged, we don’t seek revenge. Instead, we entrust ourselves to God, forgive our enemies, and love them. In doing so, we embody the Servant’s mission. We bear the world’s sin without being conformed to it, so that the world might be transformed by love.

This is good news. Evil is not defeated by violence but by suffering love. The serpent’s head has been crushed through Jesus’ wounds. And through us, his Servants, God continues to heal the world.