Listen to the LORD! (CC)
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[HE IS DOING SOMETHING HUGE -
HE WILL DISPLAY HIS SPLENDOR]
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SERMON TEXT: ISAIAH 49:1-7
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US BY THE PROPHET
ISAIAH
WHERE WE READ THE FIRST SEVEN
VERSES OF CHAPTER 49:
LISTEN TO ME, YOU ISLANDS;
HEAR THIS YOU DISTANT NATIONS:
BEFORE I WAS BORN THE LORD
CALLED ME; FROM MY [MOTHER'S
WOMB] HE HAS [SPOKEN] MADE
MENTION OF MY NAME.
HE MADE MY MOUTH LIKE A
SHARPENED SWORD,
IN THE SHADOW OF HIS HAND HE
HID ME; HE MADE ME
INTO A POLISHED ARROW AND
CONCEALED ME
IN HIS QUIVER. HE SAID TO ME,
"YOU ARE MY SERVANT, ISRAEL,
IN WHOM I WILL DISPLAY
MY SPLENDOR." BUT I SAID, "I
HAVE LABORED [IN VAIN]
TO NO PURPOSE; I HAVE SPENT
MY STRENGTH IN VAIN
AND FOR NOTHING [AT ALL]. YET
WHAT IS DUE ME IS IN THE
LORD'S HAND, AND MY REWARD IS
WITH MY GOD.
AND NOW THE LORD SAYS --
HE WHO FORMED ME IN THE WOMB
TO BE HIS SERVANT
TO BRING JACOB BACK TO HIM AND
GATHER ISRAEL
TO HIMSELF, FOR I AM HONORED
IN THE EYES OF THE LORD
AND MY GOD HAS BEEN MY
STRENGTH --
HE SAYS: "IT IS TOO SMALL A
THING FOR YOU
TO BE MY SERVANT TO RESTORE
THE TRIBES OF JACOB
AND BRING BACK THOSE OF ISRAEL
I HAVE KEPT.
I WILL ALSO MAKE YOU A LIGHT
FOR
THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY
BRING MY SALVATION
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH."
THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS --
THE REDEEMER AND HOLY ONE OF
ISRAEL --
TO HIM WHO WAS DESPISED AND
ABHORRED
BY THE NATION, TO THE SERVANT
OF RULERS: "KINGS
WILL SEE YOU AND RISE UP,
PRINCES WILL SEE AND BOW DOWN,
BECAUSE OF THE LORD,
WHO IS FAITHFUL, THE HOLY ONE
OF ISRAEL,
WHO HAS CHOSEN YOU." THIS IS
THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND
GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF
MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF
EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE
ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT,
OUR ONLY HOPE OF SOURCE AND
OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND
COMFORT. AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION,
1973, 1978, 1984,
USED BY PERMISSION OF
ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS]
DEAR FOLLOWERS
OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS
CHRIST:
WHEN YOU THINK OF A ... AN
EVENT ...
WHEN YOU THINK OF AN EVENT
THAT IS
A HUGE EVENT,
A BIG EVENT ... WHAT SPRINGS
TO YOUR MIND?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU SEE
AS A LARGE CHILDREN'S PARTY.
MAYBE IT"S
ONE GUEST FOR EACH AGE OF THE
CHILD THAT YOU HAVE,
OR MAYBE THE OTHER EXTREME ...
WHERE YOU'RE GONNA SPEND FIVE,
SIX
THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A SMALL
CARNIVAL THAT YOU PARK
IN YOUR FRONT YARD BECAUSE
YOUR CHILD DESERVES THAT
FOR THEIR BIRTHDAY.
WHAT ABOUT A BIG WEDDING?
HOW'S
A BIG WEDDING?
TWO HUNDRED GUESTS. FIVE
HUNDRED GUESTS.
MAYBE JUST YOUR FAMILY AT SOME
DESTINATION
WEDDING THAT COSTS YOU
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
PER NIGHT IN A HOTEL ROOM ON A
PRIVATE ISLAND?
IS THAT A BIG WEDDING?
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS
HUGE?
ALL SEEMS KIND OF RELATIVE IN
OUR MINDS
AS TO WHAT IS HUGE.
AND YET GOD COMES TO THE
PROPHET ISAIAH
AND HE SAYS TO HIM: I WANT YOU
TO REALIZE
THAT I AM NOT DOING SOME
LITTLE THING HERE.
I WANT YOU TO HEAR. AND I WANT
YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO THE
FACT
THAT I AM DOING SOMETHING
THAT IS HUGE. SOMETHING WHERE
IN WHICH I WILL DISPLAY MY
SPLENDOR FOR ALL TO SEE.
AND WHEN GOD COMES TO US,
AND TELLS US, FIRST OF ALL TO
LISTEN TO HIM,
AND THAT HE IS GOING TO DO
SOMETHING
THAT IS "HUGE", WE REALLY NEED
TO PERK UP AND LISTEN. WE
REALLY NEED
TO PAY ATTENTION. TO PAY
ATTENTION
TO WHAT GOD WAS SAYING.
WHAT GOD WAS TELLING ISAIAH
AND WHAT HE WANTED ISAIAH
TO PROCLAIM AND EVERYONE HEAR.
GOD WANTED
ISAIAH TO KNOW AND REALIZE
THAT HE
HAD CHOSEN, HE HAD SELECTED,
THE MESSIAH. AND THAT HE WAS
GOING TO SEND
THAT SAVIOR INTO THE WORLD.
YOU AND I HAVE THE BLESSING OF
SEEING
THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT; OF
HEARING IT ONCE AGAIN
IN OUR GOSPEL LESSON FOR THIS
MORNING WHERE JOHN REMINDS US
THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST DID NOT
KNOW
WHO THAT SPECIAL PERSON WAS.
THAT ONE THAT WHO WAS GOING TO
COME AFTER HIM
WAS GREATER THAN HIM, BECAUSE
HE WAS
BEFORE HIM. THE MESSIAH
BEING ETERNAL ... THE CHRIST.
THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD. BUT
YET, JOHN THE BAPTIST
MADE US AWARE THAT HE WOULD
KNOW THAT ONE
THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN. KNOW THAT
ONE
WHO WAS TO BE THE MESSIAH.
BECAUSE GOD HAD SAID THE
SPIRIT WAS GOING TO
REST ON HIM. AND LAST WEEK
WE WITNESSED THAT SPIRIT
COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN IN
THE FORM OF A DOVE
AND RESTING ON JESUS CHRIST.
AND THIS WEEK
IN JOHN'S GOSPEL, WE HEAR JOHN
PROCLAIM TO ALL AROUND:
LOOK! THE LAMB OF GOD WHO
TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE
WORLD! I HAVE SEEN HIM.
GOD HAS MADE HIM KNOWN TO ME.
HE HAS
REVEALED HIM TO ME. HE IS THE
CHRIST.
HE IS THE MESSIAH. HE IS GOD'S
CHOSEN ONE. SO LONG
PREDICTED. THE ONE TALKED
ABOUT
IN OUR LESSON FROM ISAIAH
TODAY
THAT GOD WOULD PUT ON HIM HIS
SPIRIT.
THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN HIM
NOT JUST TO SAVE
THE JEWS. NOT JUST TO
SAVE THAT NATION THAT GOD HAD
CHOSEN TO BE
HIS OWN, AND IN SO MANY WAYS
LOVED AND PROTECTED
FROM THE OTHER NATIONS OF THE
WORLD,
BUT GOD WANTED ISAIAH TO KNOW
THAT HE WAS DOING SOMETHING
THAT WAS HUGE: THAT THE CHRIST
... THE MESSIAH, WAS NOT JUST
GOING TO
RESTORE THOSE PEOPLE OF JUDAH
AND ISRAEL.
BUT HE WAS GOING TO BE A LIGHT
FOR THE GENTILES.
HE WAS GOING TO SHINE IN THE
SIN-DARKENED WORLD AND DESTROY
THAT POWER OF SIN. HE HAD COME
TO SAVE EVERYONE. HE HAD COME
TO REMOVE EVERY SIN AND
THE PUNISHMENT OF THAT SIN. HE
HAD COME
TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT ONLY GOD
COULD ACCOMPLISH
ON SUCH EXTENSIVE LIVES.
THAT JESUS CHRIST,
THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, DIED
FOR "ALL" SINS, OF "ALL"
PEOPLE,
OF "ALL" TIME!
HIS LOVE IS LAVISH.
HIS LOVE IS EXTENSIVE
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LEAVE
ANY PERSON OUT.
THAT LOVE OF GOD IS HUGE IN
THAT
SACRIFICIAL DEATH "FOR ALL
PEOPLE"!
AND HOW HUGE THAT IS
IN OUR HEARING. HOW AMAZING
THAT IS
TO OUR HUMAN MIND. BECAUSE YOU
AND I KNOW
HOW HARD IT IS TO LOVE THE
PEOPLE THAT WE
COME IN CONTACT WITH EACH AND
EVERY DAY.
LET ALONE LOVE THOSE PEOPLE
THAT WE HAVE NEVER MET.
WHO CAME BEFORE US. WHO ARE
GOING TO COME AFTER US.
OUR LOVE IS SO SMALL
IN COMPARISON TO THE LOVE OF
GOD.
BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD HAS
COVERED
OVER ALL SINS
REMOVING THEM BY THE SACRIFICE
OF JESUS CHRIST.
WHAT TREMENDOUS NEWS THAT IS.
THAT TREMENDOUS NEWS THAT HAS
COME TO US.
THAT WE HAVE HEARD THAT. THAT
FIRST AND FOREMOST
OF NEWS THAT "ALL" OF MY SINS
HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
THAT JESUS CHRIST TOOK ALL OF
THEM TO THE CROSS
OF CALVARY AND DESTROYED THEM.
THAT I KNOW THAT I NOW LIVE IN
HIS HOLINESS
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A
REDEEMED CHILD OF GOD.
WHAT STRENGTH THERE IS IN
LIVING. WHAT POWER
THERE IS FOR US TO KNOW
THAT NO ONE CAN ACCUSE US.
NO ONE CAN ACCUSE US BECAUSE
THE SINS HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY
JESUS CHRIST
AND WE ARE THE SAINTS OF GOD.
THE SAINTS OF GOD WHO LIVE
IN THAT KNOWLEDGE.
WHO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE.
WHO REMIND OURSELVES
NOT TO BE DRAGGED DOWN IN
THOUGHT THAT SOMEHOW
GOD HASN'T FORGIVEN ALL OF OUR
SINS.
OR IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO
MAKE UP FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE,
GOD IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE
TO LOVE US
IN THE FUTURE IN THE SAME WAY.
IT IS A REMINDER TO US OF THE
FULL EXTENT OF CHRIST'S
FORGIVENESS
FOR US. AND WE LIVE
IN THAT STRENGTH. WE SHARE
THAT STRENGTH.
WE TELL OTHERS OF THAT
STRENGTH. WE ARE
JUST LIKE THE PROPHET ISAIAH.
WE ARE JUST LIKE
JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO KEPT
POINTING PEOPLE
TO THE CHRIST. WHO KEPT
POINTING PEOPLE
TO CHRIST AND SAYING: THERE IS
THE LAMB OF GOD.
HE'S THE ONE WHO TAKES AWAY
THE SIN OF THE WORLD.
PETER, AND SIMON
AND ANDREW. SIMON PETER AND
ANDREW
FOLLOWED HIM ... TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT HIM BECAUSE JOHN THE
BAPTIST
POINTED THEM TO THEIR SAVIOR.
WHAT A REMINDER TO US TO BE
ABLE
TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE
HAVE
WITH PEOPLE WHO DO NOT YET
KNOW
THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THEIR
LORD AND SAVIOR. THAT HE HAS
FORGIVEN ALL OF THEIR SINS.
THAT IT IS IN CHRIST THAT WE
STAND HOLY
BEFORE GOD THROUGH HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
DISPLAYING NOT "OUR" SPLENDOR,
BUT GOD'S SPLENDOR!
BECAUSE HOW EASY IT CAN BE
EVEN FOR US AS THE SAINTS
OF GOD TO SOMEHOW THINK THAT
WE HAVE ENOUGH
SPLENDOR IN US TO ATTRACT
GOD'S ATTENTION.
THAT THERE IS SOMEHOW ENOUGH
GOOD
IN US THAT GOD WANTS TO
COME TO US. THAT GOD WANTS US
TO BE HIS OWN
BECAUSE OF WHO AND WHAT WE
ARE.
INSTEAD OF REALIZING IT IS
GOD'S SPLENDOR.
DISPLAYED IN THE FORGIVENESS
THAT HE GIVES TO SINNERS.
FORGIVENESS THAT HE GAVE TO
YOU
AND TO ME.
AND THAT HE IS THE ONE
WHO SELECTED US TO BE HIS OWN.
TO SHOWER HIS LOVE ON. TO GIVE
THAT KNOWLEDGE
TO FILL US AS THE APOSTLE PAUL
REMINDS THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL
GIFT. BASK IN THAT
WONDERFULNESS OF GOD.
AND HOW HUGE HE DOES THINGS.
YOU AND I HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE
OF KNOWING THAT WE
DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL
GIFTS THAT WE NEED.
WHAT A BLESSING THAT IS FOR US
TO THEN TAKE THOSE SPIRITUAL
GIFTS THAT ARE OURS
AND TO USE THEM TO THE GLORY
OF GOD.
TO DISPLAY HIS SPLENDOR. TO
TELL OTHERS
OF HIS LOVE. TO TAKE WHAT GOD
HAS GIVEN US AND TO RETURN IT
TO HIM
IN THANKS BY LIVING A LIFE OF
FAITH.
BY LIVING A LIFE THAT
CONTINUALLY POINTS
OTHERS TO CHRIST, INSTEAD OF
SAYING: LOOK AT HOW GOOD I AM.
AND YES, OUR HUMAN EGOS ALWAYS
THINK
THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE
CREDIT WE DESERVE.
SATAN GETS IN OUR HEAD AND
THINKS
THAT NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT
WE ARE DOING.
NOBODY WANTS TO EVEN THANK ME
FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT I DO
AT ZION.
YOU KNOW, IF I WASN'T DOING
IT,
NOBODY ELSE WOULD DO IT. THOSE
ARE THOUGHTS THAT WE GET.
THEN WE REALIZE THAT WE'RE
FOCUSED
ON OURSELVES INSTEAD OF
ON CHRIST.
WHY DO WE DO THE WORK THAT WE
DO?
IS IT TO BE PRAISED BY EACH
OTHER?
IS IT TO FEEL GOOD? OR IS IT
TO SHARE
THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT GOD HAS
DONE?
TO BRING GOD TO THE MASSES OF
PEOPLE
THAT ARE DYING IN SIN.
THAT NEED FORGIVENESS. THAT
NEED
TO SEE THAT AMAZING LOVE OF
GOD
AND HIS SPLENDOR.
IT TRULY IS NOT ABOUT ME AND
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU
BUT TOGETHER ... WE NEED TO
STAY FOCUSED ON CHRIST!
WE HAVE HEARD THIS WONDERFUL
NEWS.
WE HAVE HEARD THAT ALL OF OUR
SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
WE HAVE HEARD THIS MORNING
THAT WE LACK NO SPIRITUAL
GIFTS. HEAR THAT!
UNDERSTAND ... HOW MUCH GOD
LOVES YOU! AND ALL THAT HE HAS
DONE FOR YOU!
AND THEN TAKE SOME TIME TO SIT
BACK AND
TAKE STOCK OF WHAT
YOU ARE DOING TO SHOW THAT
LOVE TO OTHERS.
WHAT GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
TO BE USED IN HIS MINISTRY.
AND THEN TO FIND WAYS TO USE
THEM.
TO TEACH OTHERS. TO SUPPORT
OTHERS.
TO PRAY FOR OTHERS. TO
ENCOURAGE OTHERS.
TO DO THE WORK THAT GOD HAS
PLACED BEFORE US.
IT'S WONDERFUL ...
WHEN WE REALIZE WHAT GOD HAS
DONE FOR US.
AND IT IS NATURAL,
FOR US AS HIS CHILDREN,
TO DO THE WORK THAT HE WOULD
HAVE US DO.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD
WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING
KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR
MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR
LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH
UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.