Isaiah 42:10-43:7
Triumph Over Adversity
At the first communion service, Jesus did not set the example of preaching a sermon, in the usual sense. The order was one of audience participation. It was a social meeting where the disciples expressed themselves individually and collectively. Jesus made it a true communion of brethren with brethren.
WE ARE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE LORD’S SUPPER TODAY WITH AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION AND ALLOW ISAIAH TO EXPRESS HIMSELF THROUGH TODAY’S SCRIPTURE. HERE WE READ OF THE JOYOUS THINGS GOD IS GOING TO DO FOR JUDAH, THAT WILL IMPACT THE WHOLE WORLD
ISAIAH 42:10-43:7
Sing to God a brand-new song,
sing his praises all over the world!
Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
with all the far-flung islands joining in.
Let the desert and its camps raise a tune,
calling the Kedar nomads to join in.
Let the villagers in Sela round up a choir
and perform from the tops of the mountains.
Make God’s glory resound;
echo his praises from coast to coast.
God steps out like he means business.
You can see he’s primed for action.
He shouts, announcing his arrival;
he takes charge and his enemies fall into line:
SING: “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” – HYMN #344
IT MAY SEEM TO THE ISRAELITES THAT GOD HAS KEPT SILENT, NOW WE WILL READ WHERE GOD IS DEPICTED AS A “WARRIOR.”
“I’ve been quiet long enough.
I’ve held back, biting my tongue.
But now I’m letting loose, letting go,
like a woman who’s having a baby—
Stripping the hills bare,
withering the wildflowers,
Drying up the rivers,
turning lakes into mudflats.
But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”
THIS MEANS OUR WORST NIGHTMARES,
OF GOD ABANDONING US OR
THAT HE IS UNWILLING TO HELP US,
ARE GROUNDLESS.
GOD IS OUR “PERSONAL GUIDE” AND
HE WON’T LEAVE US FOR A MINUTE.
But those who invested in the no-gods
are bankrupt—dead broke.
NOTE TO SELF,
TRUSTING IN THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD –
USELESS
You’ve Seen a Lot, but Looked at Nothing
Pay attention! Are you deaf?
Open your eyes! Are you blind?
You’re my servant, and you’re not looking!
You’re my messenger, and you’re not listening!
The very people I depended upon, servants of God,
blind as a bat—willfully blind!
You’ve seen a lot, but looked at nothing.
You’ve heard everything, but listened to nothing.
God intended, out of the goodness of his heart,
to be lavish in his revelation.
But this is a people battered and cowed,
shut up in attics and closets,
Victims licking their wounds,
feeling ignored, abandoned.
But is anyone out there listening?
Is anyone paying attention to what’s coming?
Who do you think turned Jacob over to the thugs,
let loose the robbers on Israel?
Wasn’t it God himself, this God against whom we’ve sinned—
not doing what he commanded,
not listening to what he said?
Isn’t it God’s anger that’s behind all this,
God’s punishing power?
Their whole world collapsed but they still didn’t get it;
their life is in ruins but they don’t take it to heart.
“HELLO!”
GOD IS TRYING TO GET SOMEONE’S ATTENTION.
ARE YOU LISTENING?
GOD WAS ASKING THE ISRAELITES TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHY THEY ARE IN EXILE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WAS IT BECAUSE BABYLON WAS GREATER THAN GOD?
IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THAN GOD CERTAINLY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RESCUE THEM.
OR WAS IT BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN SIN?
ISAIAH WAS LETTING THEM IN ON THE TRUTH. SOMETHING THEY CERTAINLY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT FOR THEMSELVES.
SO NOW WHAT WAS GOD GOING TO DO?
THE ISRAELITES BROUGHT THE DESTRUCTION ONTO THEMSELVES. THEY ARE CLUELESS,
SO WHAT DO THEY DESERVE?
GRACIOUSLY, GOD DOES NOT GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE.
When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place
But now, God’s Message,
But now, God’s Message,
the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
DID YOU NOTICE REDEMPTION?
DID YOU ALSO NOTE THAT THE ISRAELITES DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR TO RECEIVE REDEMPTION?
DIDN’T HAVE TO REPENT –
DIDN’T HAVE TO PROMISE TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS.
GOD SIMPLY DECLARES THAT HE REDEEMS THEM.
FACT. NO DEBATE. BUT WHY?
LOOK BACK AT VERSE ONE – IT WAS BECAUSE GOD CREATED THEM AND HE IS FREE FROM ANY CONSTRAINT HE MAY HAVE CREATED WITHIN THE WORLD.
HE IS ABLE TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS, WHENEVER.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
THAT’S THE KEY, RIGHT THERE!
THE WAY OF HOPE,
THE WAY OUT OF JUDGEMENT,
COMES WITH A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. CHECK OUT ALL OF THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS GOD USES IN THIS SECTION, “I” AND “YOU.”
“I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME” – “YOU’RE MINE” – “I’LL BE THERE WITH YOU”- “YOUR PERSONAL GOD”
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
“So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES.
GOD WILL RECOVER HIS PEOPLE.
IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS, IT MAY HAVE SEEMED THAT THE ISRAELITES WERE DOOMED TO MIX WITH THE HERITAGE OF THE BABYLONIANS. BUT GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR MESS UPS AND WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES. EVEN IF THOSE WHO WERE EXILED DIED BEFORE RETURNING, THEIR “SONS” AND “DAUGHTERS” WOULD RETURN.
ISAIAH PROCLAIMED THE FACT THAT GOD RULES HISTORY. TODAY WE MAY BE WITHOUT AN INSPIRED PROPHET, BUT WE STILL HAVE GOD’S WORD. AND THE OLD TESTAMENT COMBINED WITH THE NEW TESTAMENT
REVEALS THAT GOD HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE, IN CONTROL.
THAT REVELATION IS THIS –
GOD DOES WHAT HE DOES OUT OF CONCERN FOR OUR WELL BEING. HIS WORD DEMONSTRATES THAT HE DOES THIS BECAUSE HE VALUES US, HE LOVES US.
IN THE END, IT WASN’T THE KINGDOMS OF EGYPT, SHEBA AND CUSH THAT HE GAVE IN EXCHANGE FOR US, BUT IT WAS HIS OWNSELF, IN THE PERSON, JESUS CHRIST.
WHICH IS WHAT WE WILL CELEBRATE TODAY WITH THE LORD’S SUPPER. WOULD THE DEACONS PLEASE JOIN ME IN DISTRIBUTING THE ELEMENTS.
IN ORDER FOR US SINNERS TO HAVE THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP GOD DESIRES TO HAVE WITH US, WE NEEDED THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF A PERFECT LAMB. JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD, BECAME THAT SACRIFICE, FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT.
(PASS OUT THE JUICE)
THE IDEA THAT GOD WOULD COME IN THE FLESH, IN ORDER TO ALLOW US TO BE WITH HIM, IS NOT JUST A NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT. THIS IS AN OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN EXISTENCE.
THINK ABOUT IT,
THE GOD WHO WALKED WITH ADAM AND EVE,
ADMONISHED CAIN,
ATE SUPPER WITH ABRAHAM,
WRESTLED WITH JACOB,
SPOKE “MOUTH TO MOUTH” WITH MOSES,
CALLED SAMUEL BY NAME,
OFFERED A HOUSE TO DAVID,
SHOUTED, WEEPT AND SANG THROUGH THE PROPHETS,
WAS DEFINITELY A GOD WHO HAD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
(PASS OUT THE BREAD)
WHAT IS SO SIGNIFICANT TODAY, ABOUT ISAIAH’S WORDS AND THE ELEMENTS OF WHICH WE JUST PARTOOK?
AS CHRISTIANS, LET US NOT BRUSH OFF THE IDEA OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AS MORE OF A THEORY, THAN A FACT. DON’T BE SOMEONE WHO THINKS OF THE PASSION FOR GOD AS MORE OF AN IDEA RATHER THAN REALITY. HOW SAD FOR THOSE WHO SEE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AS A SYSTEM OF BELIEFS, MORE OR LESS COHERENT OR AT PERHAPS A SET OF HABITS MORE OR LESS TO FOLLOW. BEING OBEDIENT NEVER PRODUCES DELIVERANCE, BUT GRACIOUS DELIVERANCE SHOULD BRING ABOUT WILLING OBEDIENCE.
THE QUESTION THAT COMMUNION LEAVES US WITH TODAY IS –
DO WE RELATE TO GOD ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, IN THE CONTEXT OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP?
IF NOT, WHY?
GOD WANTS US TO.
WE ARE HIS SPECIAL TREASURE AND TO BE ALL THAT HE HAS MADE US TO BE, WE SHOULD BE:
READING THE BIBLE;
PRAYING; AND PAYING ATTENTION FOR HIS VOICE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
DON’T JUST ACCEPT SALVATION FOR THE SAKE OF BEING SAVED. IF YOU DO, YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON THE BEST PART, THE PART WHERE YOU GET TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT HE WANTS.
LET’S CLOSE OUR SERVICE TODAY WITH SINGING TOGETHER A CAPPELA – HYMN # 186 THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
