In Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he writes of two men who, although they looked very similar, and both loved the same young lady, but they were very different in character. Sidney Carton was a man who wasted his life on drink and cynicism, and he lost out on the affections of Lucy Manette to Charles Darnay. But at a crucial time in the story, the debauched Carton takes the place of his rival for Lucy in prison, and goes to the guillotine to die in his place. It’s a sad and poignant ending to Dickens’ book, and yet many people might think it somewhat fitting, that a man who had wasted his own life might die in order to bless some other people, who were better than he was.
What is inconceivable, however, is that One who was infinitely better than any of us, would give HIS life to save ours. And of course, that is the Christian story, isn’t it: that Jesus, the glorious Son of God, took our place on the cross, and died for our sins.
This morning, as we continue our study in Isaiah 53, we are moving to verse 4: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.” Here we find the almost inconceivable truth that the Messiah would take our place in what theologians call the “Substitutionary Atonement,” bearing our griefs, and our sins, in His body on the cross.
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shawnethomas 
Teacher’s Overview: Genesis 11:1-9, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for 1/28/24
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 11:1-9, “Stalled,” for January 28, 2024.
A video version of this lesson is available on YouTube at:
INTRODUCTION
In 2011 NBC Sports began their coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament with what was intended to be an inspirational montage of children saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Only they left out something: they cut words “Under God” from the words of the Pledge! It caused a firestorm of protest from many Christians, as they had left God out of the Pledge of Allegiance.
But there are many times, and many ways, that we can “leave God out” of our lives. This morning in Genesis 11 we see a group of people after the ark who sought to “make a name for themselves” but they left out God in the process, and were judged for it.
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