Listen to the LORD! (CC)

[HE IS DOING SOMETHING HUGE - HE WILL DISPLAY HIS SPLENDOR] WWW.ZIONTORRANCE.INFO 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.