WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 –> 00:00:03.920 till then Now, let’s turn to 00:00:08.680 –> 00:00:11.860 this series in Isaiah. Restore 00:00:11.880 –> 00:00:13.980 my soul Nine heart cries for 00:00:13.980 –> 00:00:14.660 revival, a message from a 00:00:14.660 –> 00:00:15.860 passage that was planned for 00:00:15.860 –> 00:00:19.660 earlier and we were unable to 00:00:19.660 –> 00:00:20.459 keep that schedule but I tell 00:00:20.459 –> 00:00:22.559 you, I’m so thankful that it’s 00:00:22.559 –> 00:00:23.900 fallen now this Sunday before 00:00:23.900 –> 00:00:25.959 Thanksgiving and the theme of 00:00:25.959 –> 00:00:28.040 our worship has really carried 00:00:28.040 –> 00:00:29.840 us into the scripture Today, as 00:00:30.780 –> 00:00:32.000 well as, you know especially the 00:00:32.000 –> 00:00:33.840 persecuted. we’re going into 00:00:33.840 –> 00:00:36.220 Thanksgiving week and we want 00:00:36.220 –> 00:00:38.119 to be full of gratitude and 00:00:38.119 –> 00:00:41.320 thankfulness and praise to god 00:00:41.320 –> 00:00:42.660 for all that he has poured into 00:00:42.660 –> 00:00:45.180 our lives but we want to do 00:00:45.180 –> 00:00:49.520 that in a way that is also 00:00:49.520 –> 00:00:51.959 sensitive to the desperate 00:00:51.959 –> 00:00:52.959 desperate needs of other people 00:00:52.959 –> 00:00:55.740 and we’re going to see that in 00:00:55.740 –> 00:00:56.900 Isaiah chapter 58 and 59. So, I 00:00:56.900 –> 00:00:58.759 do hope you’ll open your Bible 00:00:59.279 –> 00:01:02.720 and enjoy this scripture that is 00:01:02.720 –> 00:01:04.559 open before us today. Now, I 00:01:04.559 –> 00:01:06.900 want us to see today the big 00:01:06.900 –> 00:01:08.599 picture of how knowing Jesus 00:01:08.599 –> 00:01:10.599 Christ makes a difference not 00:01:10.599 –> 00:01:12.500 only to your personal life but 00:01:12.500 –> 00:01:12.800 makes a difference to the 00:01:12.800 –> 00:01:15.540 community to the nation and 00:01:15.540 –> 00:01:18.279 even to the world. We’re coming 00:01:18.279 –> 00:01:21.320 to this prayer. Restore my soul. 00:01:21.320 –> 00:01:23.720 We’re crying to god. Many of 00:01:23.720 –> 00:01:26.320 us. I hope all of us lord do a 00:01:26.519 –> 00:01:28.480 preparation. And when there is a 00:01:28.480 –> 00:01:30.120 fresh movement of the Holy 00:01:30.120 –> 00:01:34.019 Spirit in an individual or 00:01:34.019 –> 00:01:35.220 across a church, it begins in 00:01:35.220 –> 00:01:38.559 the heart. It begins as we’ve 00:01:38.559 –> 00:01:42.599 seen with the renewing of faith 00:01:42.599 –> 00:01:45.059 and joy and repentance. A fresh 00:01:45.059 –> 00:01:47.000 movement of the Holy Spirit 00:01:47.000 –> 00:01:48.699 begins in the heart But what I 00:01:48.699 –> 00:01:50.940 want us to see today is it does 00:01:50.940 –> 00:01:53.480 not end in the heart. Begins 00:01:53.480 –> 00:01:56.019 there but it does not end there 00:01:56.900 –> 00:01:58.959 It breaks out into the life and 00:01:58.959 –> 00:02:02.500 into the lives of other people 00:02:02.500 –> 00:02:04.360 and Isaiah gives us a marvelous 00:02:04.360 –> 00:02:06.900 snapshot of this. The 00:02:06.900 –> 00:02:08.259 transforming power of Jesus 00:02:08.259 –> 00:02:10.179 Christ when he moves within his 00:02:10.179 –> 00:02:11.300 people, how it touches the 00:02:11.300 –> 00:02:13.100 community, and how it touches 00:02:13.100 –> 00:02:14.580 the world. And let me just give 00:02:14.580 –> 00:02:16.139 you the three snapshots so you 00:02:16.139 –> 00:02:17.399 know where we’re going because 00:02:17.399 –> 00:02:18.880 we’re trying to cover two whole 00:02:18.880 –> 00:02:20.839 chapters today. First in 00:02:20.839 –> 00:02:22.339 chapter fifty-eight, we’re 00:02:22.339 –> 00:02:24.559 going to see the church and a 00:02:25.000 –> 00:02:28.360 god’s people ignoring justice. 00:02:28.360 –> 00:02:31.699 Just turning a blind eye. to 00:02:31.699 –> 00:02:32.899 the needs of other people. 00:02:32.899 –> 00:02:35.479 That’s the first snapshot God’s 00:02:35.479 –> 00:02:38.479 people ignoring justice. Then 00:02:38.479 –> 00:02:39.339 then secondly, we’re going to 00:02:39.339 –> 00:02:41.080 have a snapshot of a culture 00:02:41.080 –> 00:02:43.240 and I think you’ll recognize it 00:02:43.240 –> 00:02:45.419 very quickly a culture that is 00:02:45.419 –> 00:02:47.880 losing justice and then 00:02:47.880 –> 00:02:49.259 thirdly, we’re going to have a 00:02:49.259 –> 00:02:50.619 marvelous picture of Jesus 00:02:50.619 –> 00:02:53.759 Christ coming to bring justice 00:02:54.100 –> 00:02:55.720 beginning in chapter fifty-nine 00:02:55.720 –> 00:02:56.720 So, that’s where we’re going. 00:02:56.720 –> 00:02:58.660 Hope you have your Bible open. 00:02:58.660 –> 00:02:59.339 Let’s begin then with this 00:02:59.339 –> 00:03:02.059 picture of God’s people and 00:03:02.059 –> 00:03:03.639 calling this the church 00:03:03.639 –> 00:03:06.380 ignoring justice. Now, God says 00:03:06.380 –> 00:03:08.000 to Isaiah. the beginning of 00:03:08.000 –> 00:03:10.000 chapter fifty-eight declared to 00:03:10.000 –> 00:03:12.740 my people, their rebellion and 00:03:12.740 –> 00:03:14.220 to the house of Jacob Their 00:03:14.220 –> 00:03:16.179 sins. So what is in this 00:03:16.179 –> 00:03:17.679 chapter is a word to God’s own 00:03:17.679 –> 00:03:19.919 people. Now, that means 00:03:19.919 –> 00:03:21.119 therefore that I have to apply 00:03:21.559 –> 00:03:24.580 We have to apply it to us. 00:03:24.580 –> 00:03:27.600 Chapter 58. Is god speaking? 00:03:27.600 –> 00:03:29.399 Not to the unbelieving world 00:03:29.399 –> 00:03:31.419 but to the believing people of 00:03:31.419 –> 00:03:32.800 god and that is why I’ve called 00:03:32.800 –> 00:03:35.539 it the church ignoring justice 00:03:35.539 –> 00:03:36.899 Notice what god says about his 00:03:36.899 –> 00:03:38.699 own people and I want you to 00:03:38.699 –> 00:03:41.639 see if you think this might 00:03:41.639 –> 00:03:43.880 appropriately describe the 00:03:43.880 –> 00:03:46.039 church, the evangelical church 00:03:46.039 –> 00:03:49.880 in America. Today 00:03:50.679 –> 00:03:52.679 God’s people in Isaiah’s time 00:03:52.679 –> 00:03:54.220 were very diligent about their 00:03:54.220 –> 00:03:57.520 personal relationship with god 00:03:57.520 –> 00:03:59.160 in particular they were very 00:03:59.160 –> 00:04:01.220 regular in regards to worship 00:04:01.220 –> 00:04:03.919 and Bible study verse two day 00:04:03.919 –> 00:04:05.919 after day. They seek me out God 00:04:05.919 –> 00:04:09.800 says that’s worship. eager to 00:04:09.800 –> 00:04:11.059 know my ways. How do you know 00:04:11.059 –> 00:04:14.039 god’s ways through the word so 00:04:14.039 –> 00:04:16.399 word and worship were a regular 00:04:16.399 –> 00:04:18.279 part of the fabric of these 00:04:19.179 –> 00:04:22.179 people. So with prayer and 00:04:22.179 –> 00:04:24.739 fasting verse two they ask me 00:04:24.739 –> 00:04:25.980 while asking god is prayer 00:04:26.079 –> 00:04:28.239 right. They ask me for just 00:04:28.239 –> 00:04:29.899 decisions and they seem eager 00:04:29.899 –> 00:04:32.079 for god to come near them. So 00:04:32.079 –> 00:04:33.480 there’s prayer and verse three 00:04:33.480 –> 00:04:35.279 they say why have we fasted and 00:04:35.279 –> 00:04:37.339 you have not seen it so to get 00:04:37.339 –> 00:04:39.000 the picture then believers in 00:04:39.000 –> 00:04:40.880 Isaiah is day, it would seem 00:04:40.880 –> 00:04:42.799 more serious about worship 00:04:42.799 –> 00:04:44.899 about the word about prayer and 00:04:44.899 –> 00:04:48.040 even about fasting and yet for 00:04:48.160 –> 00:04:49.799 God his devotion evidently bad 00:04:49.799 –> 00:04:51.260 things were happening to these 00:04:51.260 –> 00:04:53.440 people trouble had come to their 00:04:53.440 –> 00:04:56.000 nation and god isn’t answering 00:04:56.000 –> 00:04:58.260 their prayers. And so what you 00:04:58.260 –> 00:04:59.600 find is that these folks who 00:04:59.600 –> 00:05:01.040 have been worshiping and praying 00:05:01.040 –> 00:05:02.559 and reading the bible and even 00:05:02.559 –> 00:05:04.040 fasting they’re getting 00:05:04.040 –> 00:05:05.859 frustrated with god. I mean, 00:05:05.859 –> 00:05:07.160 we’re doing all these things 00:05:07.160 –> 00:05:08.399 god. And why aren’t you 00:05:08.399 –> 00:05:10.000 answering our prayer and why is 00:05:10.000 –> 00:05:11.440 all this trouble then come upon 00:05:11.440 –> 00:05:14.160 our country? They feel that god 00:05:14.160 –> 00:05:17.140 has let them down And they want 00:05:17.239 –> 00:05:19.059 And they want to know why so in 00:05:19.059 –> 00:05:20.760 verse three, you’ve got a 00:05:20.760 –> 00:05:21.760 complaint that god’s people are 00:05:21.760 –> 00:05:23.839 making against him. Why have we 00:05:23.839 –> 00:05:25.399 fasted? They say, and you’ve not 00:05:25.399 –> 00:05:27.260 seen it. Why have we humbled 00:05:27.260 –> 00:05:29.459 ourselves? And you have not 00:05:29.459 –> 00:05:31.239 noticed, you see what’s 00:05:31.239 –> 00:05:33.540 happening here? God’s people are 00:05:33.540 –> 00:05:34.459 saying, look, we’re doing the 00:05:34.459 –> 00:05:35.440 right things we’re worshiping 00:05:35.440 –> 00:05:36.700 and we’re reading the bible and 00:05:36.700 –> 00:05:37.739 we’re praying and we are even 00:05:37.739 –> 00:05:40.859 fasting and why are you not 00:05:40.859 –> 00:05:42.339 being responsive to us then 00:05:42.339 –> 00:05:43.700 when we’re bringing these 00:05:43.700 –> 00:05:45.399 prayers, they feel that God 00:05:45.920 –> 00:05:47.899 owns them, they feel that God 00:05:47.899 –> 00:05:50.359 is under an obligation to them 00:05:50.399 –> 00:05:51.839 in the light of everything that 00:05:51.839 –> 00:05:54.200 they have been doing for him. 00:05:54.500 –> 00:05:56.100 Hasn’t he seen their devotion 00:05:56.100 –> 00:05:57.700 and all that’s happening in the 00:05:57.700 –> 00:06:02.200 church? Well, yes, God has seen 00:06:02.239 –> 00:06:03.720 all that’s happening among his 00:06:03.720 –> 00:06:05.359 people and he sends the prophet 00:06:05.359 –> 00:06:08.720 Isaiah to tell them that he is 00:06:08.720 –> 00:06:11.040 not particularly impressed. 00:06:12.459 –> 00:06:13.920 Verse three on the day of your 00:06:13.959 –> 00:06:16.059 fasting, you do as you please 00:06:16.739 –> 00:06:18.320 and you exploit all your workers 00:06:18.320 –> 00:06:19.540 and your fasting ends up with 00:06:19.540 –> 00:06:22.140 quarrelling and with strife. 00:06:22.200 –> 00:06:23.480 Now, you see the point here? 00:06:24.640 –> 00:06:28.160 There is a community of believing 00:06:28.160 –> 00:06:29.779 people who are very regular in 00:06:29.779 –> 00:06:31.720 worship and Bible study and 00:06:31.720 –> 00:06:34.359 praying and fasting. But 00:06:34.359 –> 00:06:36.540 actually, in the workplace 00:06:36.579 –> 00:06:38.559 environment and in their 00:06:38.559 –> 00:06:41.260 relationships, they are not 00:06:41.380 –> 00:06:43.200 noticeably different from other 00:06:43.440 –> 00:06:44.559 people who do not believe and do 00:06:44.559 –> 00:06:45.880 not worship and do not read the 00:06:45.880 –> 00:06:47.299 Bible and do not pray and do not 00:06:47.299 –> 00:06:50.160 fast. In other words, the 00:06:50.160 –> 00:06:52.559 character of the faith of these 00:06:52.559 –> 00:06:54.619 people in Isaiah’s day was 00:06:54.619 –> 00:06:58.279 pretty much a private piety 00:06:58.279 –> 00:07:00.480 that left them as self-centered 00:07:00.500 –> 00:07:02.260 as if they had not known God at 00:07:02.260 –> 00:07:05.459 all. The faith of many in 00:07:05.459 –> 00:07:07.480 Isaiah’s day was a kind of 00:07:07.500 –> 00:07:11.980 religious glaze that was painted 00:07:12.000 –> 00:07:14.540 over at fundamentally 00:07:14.540 –> 00:07:18.440 self-centered life. So God says 00:07:18.440 –> 00:07:20.119 the second half of verse four, 00:07:20.399 –> 00:07:23.799 you cannot fast as you do today 00:07:24.480 –> 00:07:27.679 and expect your voice to be 00:07:27.679 –> 00:07:29.480 heard on high. 00:07:31.160 –> 00:07:32.799 So God is evidently looking for 00:07:32.799 –> 00:07:35.000 something different from his 00:07:35.000 –> 00:07:37.000 people. He lays out what it is 00:07:37.000 –> 00:07:38.140 in verse 6 and 7. 00:07:38.179 –> 00:07:39.640 Isn’t this the kind of fast that 00:07:39.640 –> 00:07:41.380 I’ve chosen? He says, is it not 00:07:41.380 –> 00:07:42.299 to loose the chains of 00:07:42.299 –> 00:07:44.700 injustice, to untie the cords of 00:07:44.700 –> 00:07:46.579 the yoke, to set the oppressed 00:07:46.579 –> 00:07:48.980 free and to break every yoke? Is 00:07:48.980 –> 00:07:50.619 it not to share your food with 00:07:50.619 –> 00:07:52.239 those who are hungry and to 00:07:52.239 –> 00:07:53.839 provide the poor wanderer with 00:07:53.839 –> 00:07:56.260 shelter, when you see the naked 00:07:56.260 –> 00:07:58.420 to clothe him and not to turn 00:07:58.420 –> 00:08:01.899 away from your own flesh and 00:08:01.899 –> 00:08:04.399 blood? Now, if you want one 00:08:04.399 –> 00:08:06.160 word to describe what God is 00:08:06.160 –> 00:08:07.600 speaking about here, I think 00:08:07.600 –> 00:08:08.579 that that word would be 00:08:08.579 –> 00:08:09.820 justice because that’s what 00:08:10.619 –> 00:08:12.140 justice is. It’s not only 00:08:12.140 –> 00:08:13.700 integrity and trustworthiness 00:08:13.700 –> 00:08:16.019 and truthfulness, it is doing 00:08:16.019 –> 00:08:18.220 right. It is loving your 00:08:18.220 –> 00:08:20.720 neighbor as yourself. It is 00:08:20.720 –> 00:08:22.260 caring about the plight of 00:08:22.260 –> 00:08:26.480 others as if it were your own. 00:08:27.299 –> 00:08:28.540 Now do you see what God then is 00:08:28.540 –> 00:08:32.059 saying here? You have been to 00:08:32.059 –> 00:08:34.340 worship He is saying, you’ve 00:08:34.340 –> 00:08:36.919 been reading the Bible. You 00:08:36.919 –> 00:08:38.340 have been praying and some of 00:08:38.479 –> 00:08:40.520 you have even been fasting. 00:08:40.520 –> 00:08:42.739 And I’ve seen all that but here 00:08:42.739 –> 00:08:46.880 God says is my question have 00:08:46.880 –> 00:08:48.320 you shared your food with 00:08:48.320 –> 00:08:52.340 someone who’s hungry? Have you 00:08:52.340 –> 00:08:54.619 done something to help a person 00:08:54.619 –> 00:08:58.260 who has no home? What are you 00:08:58.260 –> 00:09:00.299 doing with regards to children 00:09:00.299 –> 00:09:04.859 who need clothing? Now this 00:09:04.859 –> 00:09:06.979 isn’t a sort of isolated shot 00:09:06.979 –> 00:09:08.539 in the middle of an Old 00:09:08.539 –> 00:09:11.179 Testament prophecy. You see it 00:09:11.179 –> 00:09:12.679 all through the scriptures. Let 00:09:12.679 –> 00:09:13.960 me give you some examples from 00:09:13.960 –> 00:09:16.359 the first letter of John one 00:09:16.359 –> 00:09:17.880 John chapter three in verse 00:09:17.880 –> 00:09:20.200 seventeen. John says this if 00:09:20.200 –> 00:09:21.760 anyone has material 00:09:21.760 –> 00:09:24.380 possessions and he sees his 00:09:24.380 –> 00:09:27.539 brother in need but has no pity 00:09:27.539 –> 00:09:30.099 on him how can the love of God 00:09:30.099 –> 00:09:33.760 be in him? You have what it 00:09:33.760 –> 00:09:35.059 takes to meet the need of a 00:09:35.119 –> 00:09:37.940 brother and no pity within your 00:09:37.940 –> 00:09:39.599 own heart. 00:09:39.900 –> 00:09:42.799 Where’s the love of God in that 00:09:43.039 –> 00:09:44.299 Or one John chapter four in 00:09:44.299 –> 00:09:46.099 verse twenty Anyone who does not 00:09:46.099 –> 00:09:47.539 love his brother who he has 00:09:47.539 –> 00:09:50.580 seen cannot love God whom he has 00:09:50.580 –> 00:09:52.859 not seen. Whoever loves God must 00:09:52.919 –> 00:09:56.119 also love his brother. 00:09:56.380 –> 00:09:57.799 And perhaps most devastating of 00:09:57.799 –> 00:09:59.580 all one John chapter three and 00:09:59.580 –> 00:10:01.940 verse ten John lays this out as 00:10:01.940 –> 00:10:03.859 a distinguishing mark of a real 00:10:03.859 –> 00:10:06.119 Christian He says, how do we 00:10:06.119 –> 00:10:08.500 know? Who the children of God 00:10:08.500 –> 00:10:10.599 really are? And how do we 00:10:10.599 –> 00:10:12.299 distinguish the true children of 00:10:12.299 –> 00:10:13.679 God from the children of the 00:10:13.760 –> 00:10:16.700 Devil strong language, He says 00:10:16.700 –> 00:10:18.700 this Well, anyone who does not 00:10:18.700 –> 00:10:20.359 do what is right is not a child 00:10:20.359 –> 00:10:22.140 of God, and nor is anyone who 00:10:22.140 –> 00:10:25.239 does not love his brother. 00:10:25.479 –> 00:10:27.039 In other words, if you do not 00:10:27.099 –> 00:10:29.000 love your brother, if you have 00:10:29.000 –> 00:10:30.679 no compassion within your heart 00:10:30.700 –> 00:10:31.900 for other people who are in 00:10:31.900 –> 00:10:34.080 need, then there is John is 00:10:34.080 –> 00:10:36.780 saying no real reason to believe 00:10:36.780 –> 00:10:38.400 that you actually know the love 00:10:38.400 –> 00:10:40.020 and compassion of Jesus Christ 00:10:40.020 –> 00:10:44.320 in your own heart at all. So you 00:10:44.320 –> 00:10:45.679 see the big picture here. That’s 00:10:45.679 –> 00:10:47.260 what I want us to get. We’re 00:10:47.260 –> 00:10:48.580 crying out to the Lord to 00:10:48.580 –> 00:10:50.919 restore my soul. I want a 00:10:50.919 –> 00:10:53.260 fresher, deeper, walk with you, 00:10:53.260 –> 00:10:54.659 Lord Jesus Christ, I want to 00:10:54.659 –> 00:10:58.000 know more of you in my life. 00:10:58.320 –> 00:11:00.020 And we’re seeing from Isaiah 00:11:00.020 –> 00:11:01.419 that that begins in the heart, 00:11:01.460 –> 00:11:02.780 it begins with faith and joy 00:11:02.780 –> 00:11:05.239 and repentance but it cannot end 00:11:05.239 –> 00:11:08.719 in the heart. It leads us here 00:11:08.719 –> 00:11:12.099 to the cry of our hearts this 00:11:12.099 –> 00:11:13.520 morning, the cry of Isaiah’s 00:11:13.520 –> 00:11:17.159 heart, Lord restore justice. 00:11:17.159 –> 00:11:19.640 Restore this heart among your 00:11:19.640 –> 00:11:21.539 people, this passion that 00:11:21.539 –> 00:11:23.440 regards the plight of others as 00:11:23.440 –> 00:11:27.739 if it were our own. Now notice 00:11:27.739 –> 00:11:28.940 for your encouragement what 00:11:28.940 –> 00:11:30.520 happens when God’s people 00:11:31.039 –> 00:11:33.840 catch a new passion for this 00:11:33.840 –> 00:11:35.739 kind of justice. If you look at 00:11:35.739 –> 00:11:37.619 verse eight and the first half 00:11:37.619 –> 00:11:38.960 of verse nine that we read 00:11:38.960 –> 00:11:42.859 earlier, notice the word then 00:11:42.859 –> 00:11:46.059 comes three times indicating the 00:11:46.059 –> 00:11:50.340 consequence of a new passion for 00:11:50.340 –> 00:11:53.559 justice, a new compassion for 00:11:53.559 –> 00:11:55.700 the needs of others. Verse 00:11:56.080 –> 00:12:00.739 Then your light will break 00:12:00.739 –> 00:12:03.099 forth as the dawn. Your healing 00:12:03.099 –> 00:12:09.419 will quickly appear. When well, 00:12:09.419 –> 00:12:10.580 the when this verse seven that 00:12:10.580 –> 00:12:13.059 comes before, isn’t it When you 00:12:13.059 –> 00:12:14.119 share your food with the 00:12:14.119 –> 00:12:16.659 hungry. The second half of 00:12:16.659 –> 00:12:18.820 verse eight, then your 00:12:18.820 –> 00:12:20.260 righteousness will go before 00:12:20.260 –> 00:12:21.359 you and the glory of the lord 00:12:21.359 –> 00:12:22.659 will be your rear guard. When 00:12:22.659 –> 00:12:25.460 will that happen? Well, verse 00:12:26.419 –> 00:12:28.260 seven, that answer, when you 00:12:28.260 –> 00:12:29.859 provide the wanderer with 00:12:29.859 –> 00:12:32.840 shelter, This will be your 00:12:32.840 –> 00:12:37.400 experience Verse nine. Then, 00:12:37.400 –> 00:12:38.799 you will call upon the lord 00:12:38.799 –> 00:12:40.099 and the lord will answer. You 00:12:40.099 –> 00:12:41.539 will cry out for help and he 00:12:41.539 –> 00:12:43.700 will say, here am I. When will 00:12:43.700 –> 00:12:46.239 that happen? The answer is in 00:12:46.239 –> 00:12:49.039 verse seven. When you see the 00:12:49.039 –> 00:12:51.679 naked, and your clothes him. 00:12:51.679 –> 00:12:53.559 So, here’s the the question, 00:12:53.559 –> 00:12:55.359 the challenge, and the 00:12:55.599 –> 00:12:57.359 right right now, you want 00:12:57.359 –> 00:13:00.799 spiritual renewal, You want a 00:13:00.799 –> 00:13:02.520 deeper felt knowledge of the 00:13:02.520 –> 00:13:04.299 presence of Christ within your 00:13:04.299 –> 00:13:06.760 life. Isaiah says, Here’s what 00:13:06.760 –> 00:13:09.260 to pursue. Reading on verse 00:13:09.260 –> 00:13:11.500 nine. If you do away with the 00:13:11.500 –> 00:13:12.880 yoke of repression with the 00:13:12.880 –> 00:13:14.099 pointing of the finger and with 00:13:14.099 –> 00:13:16.280 malicious talk. If you spend 00:13:16.280 –> 00:13:17.799 yourselves on behalf of the 00:13:17.799 –> 00:13:19.640 hungry and satisfy the needs of 00:13:19.640 –> 00:13:22.440 the oppressed. then, your 00:13:22.440 –> 00:13:23.940 light will rise in the darkness 00:13:23.940 –> 00:13:25.119 and your night will become like 00:13:25.500 –> 00:13:29.280 heaven always and he will 00:13:29.280 –> 00:13:31.880 satisfy your needs as in a sun 00:13:31.880 –> 00:13:37.979 scorched land. These are god’s 00:13:37.979 –> 00:13:39.880 words through Isaiah to a 00:13:39.880 –> 00:13:41.340 community of believing people 00:13:41.340 –> 00:13:42.919 700 years before the time of 00:13:42.919 –> 00:13:46.659 Jesus Christ. My question, 00:13:46.659 –> 00:13:50.159 rhetorical question, do you 00:13:50.760 –> 00:13:55.299 believe that this speaks to 00:13:55.299 –> 00:14:01.200 evangelical Christians in 00:14:01.200 –> 00:14:02.659 America today. Could it be that 00:14:02.659 –> 00:14:05.700 god sees our worship in the 00:14:05.700 –> 00:14:07.059 vast numbers of people 00:14:07.059 –> 00:14:09.359 attending church in this 00:14:09.359 –> 00:14:12.099 country today and our Bible 00:14:12.099 –> 00:14:13.840 studies in our multiplicity of 00:14:13.840 –> 00:14:15.539 programs and our prayer and 00:14:15.539 –> 00:14:17.039 maybe even though it would be 00:14:17.039 –> 00:14:18.979 to a lesser extent, our 00:14:19.719 –> 00:14:21.940 thought but could it be that 00:14:21.940 –> 00:14:24.380 he would ask the question of us. 00:14:24.380 –> 00:14:25.820 What are you doing about the 00:14:25.820 –> 00:14:31.179 poor the hungry the oppressed 00:14:31.179 –> 00:14:33.760 and the stranger Could it be 00:14:33.760 –> 00:14:35.460 that he is asking of his own 00:14:35.460 –> 00:14:38.919 people in the 21st century? Do 00:14:38.919 –> 00:14:43.119 you really care about those who 00:14:43.119 –> 00:14:48.359 are so desperately oppressed I 00:14:49.119 –> 00:14:52.619 think for me sometimes you have 00:14:52.619 –> 00:14:54.000 one of these moments. I was 00:14:54.000 –> 00:14:56.559 speaking to a guy in his early 00:14:56.559 –> 00:14:59.559 20s who had been around church 00:14:59.559 –> 00:15:02.799 world for some while and 00:15:02.799 –> 00:15:04.840 sadly, I hope this was not his 00:15:04.840 –> 00:15:07.580 last decision but he had 00:15:07.580 –> 00:15:11.039 decided to reject Christianity 00:15:11.039 –> 00:15:14.140 and he gave me this reasoning. 00:15:14.140 –> 00:15:17.020 He said, you know, I came to 00:15:17.520 –> 00:15:22.020 that it is just too selfish to 00:15:22.020 –> 00:15:25.260 be true. and when he explained 00:15:25.260 –> 00:15:27.580 what he meant by that, his 00:15:27.580 –> 00:15:29.559 experience had been along these 00:15:29.559 –> 00:15:31.619 lines that the Christians he 00:15:31.619 –> 00:15:34.020 had known and mixed with over a 00:15:34.020 –> 00:15:35.260 number of years had given 00:15:35.260 –> 00:15:37.159 evidence really that their lives 00:15:37.159 –> 00:15:38.599 seem to be essentially about 00:15:38.599 –> 00:15:42.059 themselves. that the church of 00:15:42.059 –> 00:15:44.599 which he was a part had been 00:15:44.599 –> 00:15:46.200 characteristically about us and 00:15:46.400 –> 00:15:48.059 those who are already here, our 00:15:48.059 –> 00:15:50.159 own members. The God that they 00:15:50.159 –> 00:15:51.619 seem to believe in, in that 00:15:51.619 –> 00:15:54.020 church seem to exist to make 00:15:54.119 –> 00:15:55.700 that group of people healthy and 00:15:55.700 –> 00:15:56.900 wealthy, and comfortable, and 00:15:56.900 –> 00:15:58.859 happy, and their salvation that 00:15:58.859 –> 00:16:00.960 was being spoken about seemed to 00:16:00.960 –> 00:16:02.719 amount to, them not suffering in 00:16:02.719 –> 00:16:05.260 hell, but the plight of others 00:16:05.299 –> 00:16:07.099 didn’t seem to be even on their 00:16:07.099 –> 00:16:11.000 radar screen. He said this is 00:16:11.000 –> 00:16:14.859 too selfish to be true. Now, you 00:16:15.380 –> 00:16:17.260 see, I think that’s precisely 00:16:17.260 –> 00:16:18.719 what God is speaking about here. 00:16:20.260 –> 00:16:21.979 That kind of personal piety that 00:16:21.979 –> 00:16:24.280 is just a religious glaze over a 00:16:24.280 –> 00:16:28.380 fundamentally selfish life is 00:16:28.380 –> 00:16:31.059 not the reality of the work of 00:16:31.059 –> 00:16:33.760 the Holy Spirit in the lives of 00:16:33.760 –> 00:16:36.280 God’s people. So, here’s the 00:16:36.280 –> 00:16:37.380 first snapshot. It’s a 00:16:37.380 –> 00:16:39.159 powerfully challenging one. I 00:16:39.159 –> 00:16:40.760 think to my heart and I hope to 00:16:41.380 –> 00:16:46.479 church ignoring justice and I 00:16:46.479 –> 00:16:47.780 think we would want therefore 00:16:47.780 –> 00:16:49.359 to stand with Isaiah and take up 00:16:49.359 –> 00:16:52.460 this cry Lord restore a passion 00:16:52.460 –> 00:16:53.520 for those who are wounded and 00:16:53.520 –> 00:16:55.359 for those who are hurting that 00:16:55.359 –> 00:16:59.080 we may not be those whose 00:16:59.080 –> 00:17:01.359 religion, their faith is a 00:17:01.359 –> 00:17:04.280 glaze over a fundamentally 00:17:04.280 –> 00:17:07.719 self-centered life. That’s the 00:17:07.719 –> 00:17:08.719 first snapshot. Here’s the 00:17:08.719 –> 00:17:10.660 second. It’s a picture of a 00:17:10.760 –> 00:17:12.880 culture. Looking more broadly 00:17:12.880 –> 00:17:15.020 now. We’re looking at a culture 00:17:15.020 –> 00:17:17.180 that is losing justice and I 00:17:17.180 –> 00:17:20.380 think as you look at chapter 59 00:17:20.380 –> 00:17:22.380 in these moments with me you 00:17:22.380 –> 00:17:25.520 will immediately say oh that’s 00:17:25.520 –> 00:17:28.020 us. Look at chapter 59 00:17:28.020 –> 00:17:30.380 and verse 14 the second half of 00:17:30.380 –> 00:17:33.359 the verse. Chapter 59 and the 00:17:33.359 –> 00:17:35.560 second half of verse 14. Here’s 00:17:35.560 –> 00:17:38.060 Isaiah speaking about the 00:17:38.060 –> 00:17:39.760 culture in which he was 00:17:40.060 –> 00:17:43.859 ministering. 700 years before 00:17:43.859 –> 00:17:46.420 the birth of Jesus. And he says 00:17:46.420 –> 00:17:50.459 this truth has stumbled in the 00:17:50.459 –> 00:17:55.079 streets. Honesty cannot enter 00:17:55.079 –> 00:18:01.560 truth is nowhere to be found. 00:18:01.560 –> 00:18:03.819 They say isn’t that exactly 00:18:03.819 –> 00:18:07.660 where we are? In a postmodern 00:18:07.660 –> 00:18:09.380 culture where so many have 00:18:09.540 –> 00:18:14.739 demonstrated there is no such 00:18:14.739 –> 00:18:16.979 thing as objective truth. Only 00:18:16.979 –> 00:18:18.739 opinion only what’s true for 00:18:18.739 –> 00:18:20.479 you are true for me. Only 00:18:20.479 –> 00:18:24.640 truth. the way we see it, but 00:18:24.640 –> 00:18:27.280 not what is ultimately true or 00:18:27.280 –> 00:18:28.300 what is ultimately false. 00:18:28.300 –> 00:18:32.739 Isaiah captures that truth has 00:18:32.739 –> 00:18:37.699 stumbled in the streets. vast 00:18:37.699 –> 00:18:39.280 majority of people in our 00:18:39.859 –> 00:18:41.160 communities have stumbled in 00:18:41.160 –> 00:18:43.359 the streets. What happens when 00:18:43.359 –> 00:18:45.880 people lose their grasp of 00:18:45.880 –> 00:18:47.619 objective truth in a culture, 00:18:47.619 –> 00:18:50.920 Here’s what happens when truth 00:18:50.920 –> 00:18:52.479 Stumbles in the streets. 00:18:52.479 –> 00:18:55.579 Justice falters in the courts. 00:18:55.579 –> 00:18:57.020 The one has to follow the other 00:18:57.020 –> 00:19:00.780 as surely as night follows day. 00:19:00.780 –> 00:19:02.359 Look at what he said about 00:19:02.359 –> 00:19:04.920 justice in verse four. No one 00:19:04.920 –> 00:19:08.479 calls for justice. No one 00:19:08.579 –> 00:19:12.660 disciple walked with integrity. 00:19:12.660 –> 00:19:15.359 They rely on empty arguments 00:19:15.359 –> 00:19:18.180 and speak lies. and following 00:19:18.180 –> 00:19:19.060 that theme through. Look at 00:19:19.060 –> 00:19:21.579 verse nine. Justice is far from 00:19:21.579 –> 00:19:24.479 us. Verse fourteen justice is 00:19:24.479 –> 00:19:27.380 driven back verse fifteen the 00:19:27.380 –> 00:19:28.819 lord looked he’s looking for 00:19:28.819 –> 00:19:30.359 justice and he saw that there 00:19:30.359 –> 00:19:34.760 was no justice A culture that 00:19:34.760 –> 00:19:36.520 is given over to selfishness 00:19:36.839 –> 00:19:38.199 the courts become about 00:19:38.199 –> 00:19:43.219 winning legal cases become less 00:19:43.219 –> 00:19:44.900 about establishing what is true 00:19:44.900 –> 00:19:47.099 but ultimately who can present 00:19:47.099 –> 00:19:50.500 the best story and when that 00:19:50.500 –> 00:19:52.959 happens you find yourself in a 00:19:52.959 –> 00:19:57.099 world of spin where it’s 00:19:57.099 –> 00:19:59.060 incredibly hard for ordinary 00:19:59.060 –> 00:20:01.660 people really to know what is 00:20:01.660 –> 00:20:03.300 true and what is right or even 00:20:03.300 –> 00:20:06.119 for many people to know if such 00:20:06.119 –> 00:20:08.640 things exist at all, now, truth 00:20:08.640 –> 00:20:12.760 justice and when these two go 00:20:12.760 –> 00:20:13.959 theres one other that falls with 00:20:13.959 –> 00:20:17.619 it, life. Look at verse 3, your 00:20:17.619 –> 00:20:20.619 hands are stained with blood, 00:20:20.619 –> 00:20:26.160 your fingers with guilt. I 00:20:26.160 –> 00:20:30.660 cannot read that verse without 00:20:30.660 –> 00:20:34.859 painfully thinking of the loss 00:20:34.859 –> 00:20:40.319 of life taken, taken and lost 00:20:40.319 –> 00:20:43.819 through abortion, in now 30 00:20:43.819 –> 00:20:49.060 years the number up to 2006 do 00:20:49.060 –> 00:20:52.500 you know what that number is? 00:20:52.500 –> 00:21:00.640 48 million 589.993 lives lost in 00:21:01.319 –> 00:21:07.680 this country since 1973 through 00:21:07.680 –> 00:21:13.140 abortion. it’s staggering. Now 00:21:13.140 –> 00:21:16.780 2008 so you might as well say 00:21:16.780 –> 00:21:21.859 50 million in 30 years. 50 00:21:21.859 –> 00:21:27.319 million. in 30 years. Now, you 00:21:27.640 –> 00:21:30.839 can see it. 00:21:31.859 –> 00:21:34.819 but Isaiah is speaking into a 00:21:34.819 –> 00:21:36.859 culture that we recognize. 00:21:36.859 –> 00:21:39.859 Don’t we? Truth’s stumbling in 00:21:39.859 –> 00:21:45.699 the streets courts increasingly 00:21:45.699 –> 00:21:50.540 about how you can spin a story 00:21:50.540 –> 00:21:57.040 anti-massive Human life 00:21:57.839 –> 00:22:01.160 they think that we have to say 00:22:01.160 –> 00:22:03.079 that we identify as we open 00:22:03.079 –> 00:22:04.819 these scriptures with Isaiah’s 00:22:04.819 –> 00:22:06.479 words about a culture that is 00:22:06.479 –> 00:22:09.219 losing justice. losing it in 00:22:09.219 –> 00:22:11.119 other words. losing integrity 00:22:11.119 –> 00:22:12.719 and losing trustworthiness and 00:22:12.719 –> 00:22:14.800 losing truthfulness and losing 00:22:14.800 –> 00:22:16.500 doing right and losing loving 00:22:16.500 –> 00:22:18.699 neighbor as self and losing 00:22:18.699 –> 00:22:19.859 caring about the plight of 00:22:20.280 –> 00:22:23.979 set your own 00:22:24.439 –> 00:22:29.020 the folks. I am no economist. 00:22:29.020 –> 00:22:31.520 but surely you don’t need a 00:22:31.520 –> 00:22:33.260 degree in economics to 00:22:33.260 –> 00:22:35.859 understand that the root of the 00:22:35.859 –> 00:22:38.520 problems that we’re facing 00:22:38.520 –> 00:22:40.160 today. Not only in this country 00:22:40.160 –> 00:22:43.560 but also around the world lie 00:22:43.560 –> 00:22:47.900 in a tide of selfishness. a 00:22:47.900 –> 00:22:49.839 massive failure to look out for 00:22:50.060 –> 00:22:52.579 others as we look out for 00:22:52.579 –> 00:22:55.619 ourselves. And a massive 00:22:55.619 –> 00:22:56.839 indulgence in living 00:22:56.839 –> 00:22:59.760 individually and collectively 00:22:59.760 –> 00:23:02.819 beyond our means And I hope, 00:23:02.819 –> 00:23:04.560 and pray with all my heart, as 00:23:04.560 –> 00:23:07.119 you do, that our leaders can 00:23:07.119 –> 00:23:09.160 deal wisely with the economy 00:23:09.160 –> 00:23:10.459 and that God will grant them 00:23:10.459 –> 00:23:13.939 a success. But I know this and 00:23:13.939 –> 00:23:16.939 you know it too. That no 00:23:16.939 –> 00:23:18.099 leaders in our country or 00:23:18.099 –> 00:23:19.819 anywhere else in the world can 00:23:20.180 –> 00:23:22.359 deal with the root of this 00:23:22.359 –> 00:23:23.699 problem which is the 00:23:23.699 –> 00:23:25.719 fundamental greed and 00:23:25.719 –> 00:23:28.060 selfishness of the human 00:23:28.060 –> 00:23:30.959 heart. Only God can change 00:23:30.959 –> 00:23:34.140 that. That’s what I say is 00:23:34.140 –> 00:23:36.880 talking about here. And they 00:23:36.880 –> 00:23:39.500 say, look, here’s the reality. 00:23:39.500 –> 00:23:41.880 We’ve got a church, he’s 00:23:41.880 –> 00:23:43.579 saying, that is ignoring 00:23:43.579 –> 00:23:45.380 justice and a culture that is 00:23:45.380 –> 00:23:49.359 losing justice. That leads him 00:23:49.920 –> 00:23:52.800 to retreat. As it should lead 00:23:52.800 –> 00:23:54.219 us to confession, I think 00:23:54.219 –> 00:23:55.119 today. Um notice in the 00:23:55.119 –> 00:23:58.739 middle of chapter um fifty 00:23:58.739 –> 00:24:00.099 nine the the address changes 00:24:00.099 –> 00:24:01.900 as he has been speaking as a 00:24:01.900 –> 00:24:03.599 prophet to God’s people. He’s 00:24:03.599 –> 00:24:05.380 been speaking verse eight 00:24:05.380 –> 00:24:06.699 about them. The way of peace 00:24:06.699 –> 00:24:08.819 they do not know. There is no 00:24:08.819 –> 00:24:10.939 justice in their paths. But 00:24:10.939 –> 00:24:12.400 notice in verse nine, it’s as 00:24:12.400 –> 00:24:13.780 if the prophet now comes and 00:24:13.780 –> 00:24:16.780 he stands with the people. 00:24:16.780 –> 00:24:19.219 And uh together the prophet 00:24:20.199 –> 00:24:24.079 is owning their sin. and the 00:24:24.079 –> 00:24:27.380 sin of their nation. So I 00:24:27.380 –> 00:24:28.619 think it would be good for us 00:24:28.619 –> 00:24:30.500 to make these words our own as 00:24:30.500 –> 00:24:33.000 a prayer for ourselves and 00:24:33.000 –> 00:24:34.760 also for our nation today and 00:24:34.760 –> 00:24:36.359 I’m going to suggest that we 00:24:36.359 –> 00:24:37.560 stand at this point in the 00:24:37.560 –> 00:24:38.800 message um before we move to 00:24:38.800 –> 00:24:40.380 the third snapshot. If you 00:24:40.380 –> 00:24:41.380 would stand with me, the words 00:24:41.380 –> 00:24:43.579 I think will be on the screen 00:24:43.579 –> 00:24:45.199 and let me stand with you and 00:24:45.199 –> 00:24:46.979 let us read these before the 00:24:47.900 –> 00:24:52.579 message. Justice is far from us 00:24:52.579 –> 00:24:54.579 and righteousness does not reach 00:24:54.579 –> 00:24:58.319 us. We look for light but all 00:24:58.319 –> 00:25:01.260 is darkness. For brightness but 00:25:01.260 –> 00:25:04.079 we walk in deep shadows. Like 00:25:04.079 –> 00:25:06.359 the blind, we grope along the 00:25:06.359 –> 00:25:09.619 wall. Feeling our way like men 00:25:09.619 –> 00:25:12.920 without eyes. at midday, we 00:25:12.920 –> 00:25:16.359 stumble as if it were 00:25:17.160 –> 00:25:20.959 unclean We are like the dead. 00:25:20.959 –> 00:25:23.839 We all growl like bears. We 00:25:23.839 –> 00:25:26.420 moan mournfully like doves. We 00:25:26.420 –> 00:25:31.380 look for justice but find none 00:25:31.380 –> 00:25:33.780 for deliverance but it is far 00:25:33.780 –> 00:25:37.140 away for our offenses are many 00:25:37.140 –> 00:25:40.260 in your sight. and our sins 00:25:40.260 –> 00:25:43.160 testify against us. Our 00:25:43.160 –> 00:25:46.099 offenses ever with us and we 00:25:46.959 –> 00:25:51.459 rebellion and treachery against 00:25:51.459 –> 00:25:54.099 the lord, turning our backs on 00:25:54.099 –> 00:25:56.339 our god, fomenting oppression 00:25:56.339 –> 00:26:00.680 and revolt, uttering lies our 00:26:00.680 –> 00:26:04.979 hearts have conceived. Please be 00:26:04.979 –> 00:26:08.319 seated. So, where do we look 00:26:08.319 –> 00:26:13.959 for hope? What hope is there 00:26:14.800 –> 00:26:17.199 that should explode justice 00:26:17.199 –> 00:26:21.400 living in a culture that is 00:26:21.400 –> 00:26:24.520 losing justice. Now, the 00:26:24.520 –> 00:26:26.920 obvious answer and all who 00:26:26.920 –> 00:26:28.219 regularly in church say, well, 00:26:28.219 –> 00:26:29.280 we know exactly what he’s 00:26:29.280 –> 00:26:29.880 going to say. He’s going to 00:26:29.880 –> 00:26:33.579 say, god’s the answer. Well, 00:26:33.579 –> 00:26:37.560 yes. That’s a little too 00:26:37.560 –> 00:26:38.560 simple. See, look at chapter 00:26:38.560 –> 00:26:43.319 fifty-nine in verse one. God’s 00:26:44.099 –> 00:26:47.199 the answer. The arm of the 00:26:47.199 –> 00:26:50.619 Lord is not too short to save 00:26:50.619 –> 00:26:52.760 Nor is his ears too dull to 00:26:52.760 –> 00:26:56.199 hear. God’s the answer. But 00:26:56.199 –> 00:26:59.239 here’s the problem. Verse two 00:26:59.939 –> 00:27:02.640 but your iniquities have 00:27:02.640 –> 00:27:06.079 separated you from your god 00:27:06.079 –> 00:27:07.640 Your sins have hidden his face 00:27:07.640 –> 00:27:10.819 from you so that he will not 00:27:11.380 –> 00:27:13.619 that you’ve had enough to say 00:27:13.619 –> 00:27:15.719 well, we need to turn back to 00:27:15.719 –> 00:27:18.219 god because Isaiah says, the 00:27:18.219 –> 00:27:20.560 problem is that when we turn to 00:27:20.560 –> 00:27:25.199 god, he’s not listening because 00:27:25.199 –> 00:27:29.119 there is the issue of our sin 00:27:29.119 –> 00:27:32.560 and our iniquity. That is a 00:27:32.560 –> 00:27:35.939 barrier that separates us from 00:27:35.939 –> 00:27:38.699 him and him from us and we 00:27:39.160 –> 00:27:44.500 sins. So, what hope is that if 00:27:44.500 –> 00:27:46.199 we have no way off breaking 00:27:46.199 –> 00:27:49.160 through to god? 00:27:49.380 –> 00:27:53.400 Our only hope is if god should 00:27:53.400 –> 00:27:57.640 break through to us. and I want 00:27:57.640 –> 00:27:59.219 you to see how that happens 00:27:59.219 –> 00:28:00.339 because it’s the burden of 00:28:00.339 –> 00:28:02.119 Isaiah’s message in the third 00:28:02.119 –> 00:28:03.979 snapshot. See, there’s a big 00:28:03.979 –> 00:28:05.280 difference between saying, oh, 00:28:05.280 –> 00:28:06.719 America must turn back to god 00:28:06.719 –> 00:28:08.619 that doesn’t go far enough that 00:28:08.839 –> 00:28:10.739 assumes that we can ourselves 00:28:10.739 –> 00:28:12.140 get back on his right side, 00:28:12.439 –> 00:28:16.380 misses the whole point What we 00:28:16.380 –> 00:28:19.859 need It’s what only god can 00:28:19.859 –> 00:28:23.199 give us gotta be much more 00:28:23.199 –> 00:28:25.900 humble than that, you see. So, 00:28:25.900 –> 00:28:27.000 I want you to see this third 00:28:27.000 –> 00:28:30.140 snapshot of the christ who is 00:28:30.140 –> 00:28:31.359 bringing justice without the 00:28:31.359 –> 00:28:34.260 christ There’s no other way of 00:28:34.260 –> 00:28:35.540 breaking through this barrier. 00:28:35.900 –> 00:28:37.339 look at verse fifteen of chapter 00:28:37.400 –> 00:28:41.339 thirty-one. chapter fifty-nine 00:28:41.339 –> 00:28:43.140 if you would The lord looked and 00:28:43.140 –> 00:28:45.180 was displeased that there was no 00:28:45.180 –> 00:28:46.599 justice. He saw that there was 00:28:46.599 –> 00:28:48.079 no one by the way god is always 00:28:48.079 –> 00:28:51.079 on the side of justice. always 00:28:51.079 –> 00:28:53.619 looking to see and he sees that 00:28:53.619 –> 00:28:55.040 there’s no one and notice the 00:28:55.040 –> 00:28:58.359 word he is appalled that there 00:28:58.359 –> 00:29:00.420 was no one to intervene. No one 00:29:00.420 –> 00:29:02.479 who could fix the fundamental 00:29:02.479 –> 00:29:04.199 selfishness of the human heart 00:29:04.199 –> 00:29:07.000 and so notice what happened. 00:29:07.760 –> 00:29:12.260 Jesus worked salvation for him 00:29:12.260 –> 00:29:14.900 and his own righteousness. 00:29:14.900 –> 00:29:16.599 sustained him now here we come 00:29:16.599 –> 00:29:19.540 to one of the most incredible 00:29:19.540 –> 00:29:20.939 pictures in all of the Old 00:29:20.939 –> 00:29:22.300 Testament and I want you to see 00:29:22.300 –> 00:29:25.540 its power and its glory because 00:29:25.540 –> 00:29:28.579 Isaiah describes god getting 00:29:28.579 –> 00:29:32.140 ready to fight for our 00:29:32.140 –> 00:29:33.859 salvation. getting ready to 00:29:34.780 –> 00:29:39.219 that is losing justice. and it’s 00:29:39.219 –> 00:29:42.079 ignoring justice coming in as 00:29:42.079 –> 00:29:44.219 our champion to stand with us. 00:29:44.219 –> 00:29:46.359 He comes to deal with the dark 00:29:46.359 –> 00:29:48.719 powers. the evil powers that 00:29:48.719 –> 00:29:49.699 lie behind all human 00:29:49.699 –> 00:29:52.199 selfishness, all human sin. 00:29:52.199 –> 00:29:55.380 Greed and evil. look at verse 00:29:55.380 –> 00:30:01.300 seventeen. This is god he put 00:30:02.060 –> 00:30:05.939 upon his breastplate and the 00:30:05.939 –> 00:30:08.439 helmet of salvation. He put on 00:30:08.439 –> 00:30:10.640 his head. He put on the 00:30:10.640 –> 00:30:12.280 garments of vengeance and he 00:30:12.280 –> 00:30:15.119 wrapped himself in zeal as a 00:30:15.119 –> 00:30:16.880 cloak. You see the picture 00:30:16.880 –> 00:30:18.459 here. god dressing himself as 00:30:18.459 –> 00:30:20.660 it were in armor getting ready 00:30:20.660 –> 00:30:23.979 for battle. God coming as our 00:30:23.979 –> 00:30:28.699 champion into the fight. This 00:30:28.699 –> 00:30:31.099 is why god became man in Jesus 00:30:31.140 –> 00:30:34.140 Christ. He left the barrier to 00:30:34.140 –> 00:30:36.339 us because we could not break 00:30:36.339 –> 00:30:40.140 through the barrier to him. Now, 00:30:40.140 –> 00:30:42.479 um you read this verse, the 00:30:42.479 –> 00:30:44.119 breastplate of righteousness, 00:30:44.119 –> 00:30:45.140 and the helmet of salvation. 00:30:45.140 –> 00:30:45.780 We’ve heard about that 00:30:45.780 –> 00:30:47.060 somewhere before, haven’t we? 00:30:47.060 –> 00:30:50.219 What have we heard about that 00:30:50.219 –> 00:30:52.359 Ephesians and chapter six, Paul 00:30:52.359 –> 00:30:53.660 talks about us wearing the 00:30:53.660 –> 00:30:55.300 breastplate of righteousness in 00:30:55.300 –> 00:30:56.859 the helmet of salvation. Well, 00:30:56.859 –> 00:30:58.959 here’s where he got it from. He 00:30:59.280 –> 00:31:01.119 nailed it to Isaiah and think 00:31:01.119 –> 00:31:04.540 about this. Isaiah tells us 00:31:04.540 –> 00:31:05.520 that Christ wore this armor 00:31:05.520 –> 00:31:07.439 when he went into battle for 00:31:07.439 –> 00:31:08.839 us. So, when you go into 00:31:08.839 –> 00:31:10.939 spiritual warfare, you are 00:31:10.939 –> 00:31:12.520 putting on the very armor that 00:31:12.520 –> 00:31:14.300 Christ has already worn in the 00:31:14.300 –> 00:31:16.280 decisive battle in which he 00:31:16.280 –> 00:31:18.180 triumphed on the cross on through 00:31:18.180 –> 00:31:20.020 behalf. Put it this way, 00:31:20.020 –> 00:31:22.640 Christians wear second-hand 00:31:22.640 –> 00:31:25.479 armor. I love that Christ’s 00:31:25.479 –> 00:31:28.560 armor becomes yours. Philip 00:31:28.640 –> 00:31:31.219 Raikan II love the way he puts 00:31:31.219 –> 00:31:35.800 it. He says, Believers wear the 00:31:35.800 –> 00:31:39.459 hand-me-downs of Christ’s 00:31:39.459 –> 00:31:40.640 victory over Satan on the 00:31:40.640 –> 00:31:43.400 cross. I love that the 00:31:43.400 –> 00:31:46.579 hand-me-downs of Christ as I 00:31:46.579 –> 00:31:48.380 tried to reflect on what this 00:31:48.380 –> 00:31:50.040 meant for Christ to bring 00:31:50.040 –> 00:31:51.739 justice. Would you just look at 00:31:51.739 –> 00:31:53.540 verse seventeen is iiI read 00:31:53.540 –> 00:31:55.119 these words that were just my 00:31:56.119 –> 00:31:59.680 self on that verse. He put on 00:31:59.680 –> 00:32:00.560 the breastplate of 00:32:00.560 –> 00:32:03.359 righteousness to give me a 00:32:03.359 –> 00:32:06.420 righteousness I do not possess 00:32:06.420 –> 00:32:08.400 He put on the helmet of 00:32:08.400 –> 00:32:11.219 salvation to rescue me when I 00:32:11.219 –> 00:32:14.560 could not save myself. he put 00:32:14.560 –> 00:32:16.140 on garments of vengeance to 00:32:16.140 –> 00:32:17.800 defeat the dark powers that 00:32:17.800 –> 00:32:21.280 oppress all of us and give them 00:32:21.280 –> 00:32:24.000 what they deserve. He wrapped 00:32:24.619 –> 00:32:27.160 salvation to show me to enter 00:32:27.160 –> 00:32:29.099 this fight that we could not 00:32:29.099 –> 00:32:33.660 win and triumph so that in 00:32:33.660 –> 00:32:35.920 Christ, we could not lose 00:32:35.920 –> 00:32:37.260 amazing, amazing salvation of 00:32:37.260 –> 00:32:39.619 God in Christ. See, not enough 00:32:39.619 –> 00:32:41.020 to say America needs to turn 00:32:41.020 –> 00:32:42.400 back to god. That’s way too 00:32:42.400 –> 00:32:44.819 general and it misses the 00:32:44.819 –> 00:32:48.359 gospel It’s in Christ who has 00:32:48.359 –> 00:32:53.560 come to us. that our hope is 00:32:53.760 –> 00:32:57.160 It comes to us when we could 00:32:57.160 –> 00:32:59.660 not of ourselves have any hope 00:32:59.660 –> 00:33:02.780 of reaching god. 00:33:10.459 –> 00:33:11.420 answer that question in many 00:33:11.420 –> 00:33:14.079 ways but Romans chapter eight, 00:33:14.079 –> 00:33:15.660 I think makes this answer very 00:33:15.660 –> 00:33:18.319 plain. The Christ purpose in 00:33:18.319 –> 00:33:20.280 coming was to create a people 00:33:20.280 –> 00:33:22.020 like himself that he would be 00:33:22.439 –> 00:33:25.579 likened among many brothers 00:33:25.579 –> 00:33:27.119 that the character of Jesus 00:33:27.119 –> 00:33:29.079 would be multiplied among us. 00:33:29.079 –> 00:33:30.619 This is why the lord Jesus 00:33:30.619 –> 00:33:31.719 Christ came into the world. 00:33:31.719 –> 00:33:33.760 That is why he put on this 00:33:33.760 –> 00:33:37.260 armor to become our savior. 00:33:37.260 –> 00:33:38.219 Now, If the purpose of the 00:33:38.219 –> 00:33:39.660 coming of this lord Jesus into 00:33:39.660 –> 00:33:41.619 a world that is losing justice 00:33:41.619 –> 00:33:43.520 and ignoring justice is that we 00:33:43.520 –> 00:33:45.579 should become like him, I want 00:33:45.579 –> 00:33:48.079 you to think about the 00:33:48.079 –> 00:33:49.920 challenge of what it means to 00:33:50.319 –> 00:33:51.579 dogmas and philosophies. 00:33:51.579 –> 00:33:54.920 Because he became poor that 00:33:54.920 –> 00:33:56.880 others might inherit the world. 00:33:56.880 –> 00:33:59.979 He became homeless that others 00:33:59.979 –> 00:34:01.579 might have a everlasting home. 00:34:01.579 –> 00:34:04.459 He was hungry so that other 00:34:04.459 –> 00:34:06.180 s might have the bread of 00:34:06.180 –> 00:34:06.459 life. 00:34:06.459 –> 00:34:08.419 He was bound so that others 00:34:08.419 –> 00:34:09.179 may be set free. 00:34:09.179 –> 00:34:10.879 He was stripped of his 00:34:10.879 –> 00:34:13.260 clothing so that others may be 00:34:13.260 –> 00:34:14.159 clothed in his righteousness 00:34:14.159 –> 00:34:16.580 and he suffered in justice so 00:34:16.580 –> 00:34:18.179 that others might be justified 00:34:18.179 –> 00:34:18.919 before God. 00:34:19.659 –> 00:34:21.120 That character, which is what 00:34:21.120 –> 00:34:23.159 is it is saying of the one who 00:34:23.159 –> 00:34:24.820 accounts the good of others even 00:34:24.820 –> 00:34:27.320 above his or her own good. 00:34:27.320 –> 00:34:29.320 Is the very character of Jesus? 00:34:30.419 –> 00:34:31.860 That he seeks to reproduce 00:34:31.860 –> 00:34:33.199 within us. 00:34:33.199 –> 00:34:34.919 So when we asked the Holy 00:34:34.919 –> 00:34:37.419 Spirit restore my soul we’re 00:34:37.419 –> 00:34:38.760 saying Lord make me more like 00:34:38.760 –> 00:34:39.620 Jesus. 00:34:41.120 –> 00:34:42.919 And the distinguishing mark of 00:34:42.919 –> 00:34:44.600 the presence of this Jesus in 00:34:44.600 –> 00:34:46.320 your life and in mine will be 00:34:46.320 –> 00:34:47.919 that increasingly we care more 00:34:47.919 –> 00:34:51.020 about others than we care about 00:34:51.020 –> 00:34:51.800 ourselves. 00:34:53.560 –> 00:34:55.260 So I’ll tell you I have a long 00:34:55.260 –> 00:34:56.800 long list of things for which I 00:34:56.800 –> 00:34:58.760 want to thank God with regards 00:34:58.760 –> 00:35:01.459 to the life of our church but 00:35:01.459 –> 00:35:03.199 I’ll put these very very high on 00:35:03.199 –> 00:35:03.899 the list. 00:35:05.100 –> 00:35:06.760 The families that foster a 00:35:06.760 –> 00:35:08.300 child in need. 00:35:09.760 –> 00:35:11.699 The folks that visit prison 00:35:12.020 –> 00:35:13.899 every week to bring hope to 00:35:13.899 –> 00:35:15.719 those who are there. 00:35:16.719 –> 00:35:18.320 Those who care quietly for the 00:35:18.320 –> 00:35:21.280 grieving this at the sick have a 00:35:21.280 –> 00:35:22.959 passion for the persecuted. 00:35:23.840 –> 00:35:25.459 Those who served the homeless 00:35:26.120 –> 00:35:27.820 those who care for an aging 00:35:27.820 –> 00:35:32.239 parent a neighbor a friend the 00:35:32.239 –> 00:35:33.199 passion of the whole 00:35:33.199 –> 00:35:34.959 congregation for the Congo and 00:35:34.959 –> 00:35:36.459 for other parts of the world. 00:35:36.820 –> 00:35:38.719 These are the things that Jesus 00:35:38.719 –> 00:35:39.239 would do. 00:35:39.520 –> 00:35:41.459 They reflect the kind of saviour 00:35:41.459 –> 00:35:45.659 he is and they show that we 00:35:45.659 –> 00:35:47.760 belong to him. 00:35:49.419 –> 00:35:50.540 And the more of the Holy Spirit 00:35:50.540 –> 00:35:52.139 breathes upon us as a church the 00:35:52.139 –> 00:35:53.459 more of these kinds of things 00:35:53.459 –> 00:35:55.739 are going to be multiplied as 00:35:55.739 –> 00:35:57.219 evidences of the likeness of 00:35:57.219 –> 00:35:59.699 Christ among us. 00:36:00.340 –> 00:36:01.500 That’s gospel reality. 00:36:04.360 –> 00:36:05.620 Now in this very last moment. 00:36:05.659 –> 00:36:06.979 Let me just tell you a story 00:36:07.659 –> 00:36:08.540 came back to my mind. 00:36:09.760 –> 00:36:11.040 I think it’s been told since the 00:36:11.040 –> 00:36:12.540 10th or 11th century. 00:36:12.820 –> 00:36:14.860 I regard it simply as a story 00:36:15.320 –> 00:36:16.540 that’s been handed down. 00:36:17.080 –> 00:36:19.100 But it catches something that’s 00:36:19.100 –> 00:36:21.780 at the very core of this theme 00:36:21.780 –> 00:36:22.139 to date. 00:36:22.159 –> 00:36:23.979 It’s a story of a monk and I 00:36:23.979 –> 00:36:25.040 need to picture this man. 00:36:25.060 –> 00:36:27.459 He has devoted his whole life to 00:36:27.459 –> 00:36:29.020 prayer, lives in a monastery, 00:36:29.020 –> 00:36:30.179 given up all comforts in the 00:36:30.179 –> 00:36:30.320 world. 00:36:30.540 –> 00:36:31.820 Lives in the stone cell. 00:36:32.060 –> 00:36:33.280 We’re back in the 10th century 00:36:33.300 –> 00:36:33.659 All right. 00:36:33.979 –> 00:36:35.760 And he has worn out his knees in 00:36:35.760 –> 00:36:36.239 prayer. 00:36:36.459 –> 00:36:38.340 And all his life he has had one 00:36:38.780 –> 00:36:40.020 abiding passion. 00:36:40.020 –> 00:36:42.540 Lord if just once in my life I 00:36:42.540 –> 00:36:45.020 could actually see the Lord Jesus 00:36:45.020 –> 00:36:45.580 Christ. 00:36:46.179 –> 00:36:47.540 And he’s longed for this all his 00:36:47.540 –> 00:36:47.860 life. 00:36:49.060 –> 00:36:51.659 And one day late in his life he 00:36:51.659 –> 00:36:53.159 is now an old man and he’s still 00:36:53.159 –> 00:36:56.860 on his knees in his cell, and 00:36:56.860 –> 00:36:58.379 light fills his cell. 00:36:58.659 –> 00:37:00.260 And he looks up and there he 00:37:00.260 –> 00:37:03.459 sees the presence of the risen 00:37:03.580 –> 00:37:06.020 Lord Jesus Christ right there in 00:37:06.020 –> 00:37:06.739 his tiny cell. 00:37:06.820 –> 00:37:09.459 It is the moment of a lifetime. 00:37:10.860 –> 00:37:13.100 And his mind is filled with a 00:37:13.100 –> 00:37:14.580 thousand questions. 00:37:15.560 –> 00:37:17.179 All he wants to say is that he 00:37:17.179 –> 00:37:18.899 has longed for this all his 00:37:18.899 –> 00:37:19.379 life. 00:37:21.199 –> 00:37:22.020 And he’s right there. 00:37:23.899 –> 00:37:25.300 And at that very moment the 00:37:25.300 –> 00:37:28.419 story goes, the bell of the 00:37:28.419 –> 00:37:29.699 monastery rang. 00:37:31.060 –> 00:37:32.300 Now the monk knew what this 00:37:32.300 –> 00:37:33.419 meant because every day there 00:37:33.419 –> 00:37:34.620 were folks who came out from the 00:37:34.620 –> 00:37:37.520 village, and beggars who would 00:37:37.560 –> 00:37:40.120 come to seek bread from the 00:37:40.120 –> 00:37:40.959 monks. 00:37:41.040 –> 00:37:43.000 And on that day, as it happened, 00:37:43.520 –> 00:37:45.000 he was the monk who was on duty 00:37:45.040 –> 00:37:46.080 to answer the door. 00:37:47.120 –> 00:37:48.520 And, so now, he faces this 00:37:48.719 –> 00:37:50.239 agonising decision. 00:37:51.560 –> 00:37:53.239 Will he stay with the moment of 00:37:53.239 –> 00:37:54.879 a lifetime with the saviour in 00:37:54.879 –> 00:37:56.899 his cell and ignore the beggar? 00:37:56.899 –> 00:37:58.139 Who can come back another day? 00:37:59.919 –> 00:38:02.780 Or will he leave the presence of 00:38:02.780 –> 00:38:06.580 his saviour and give bread to 00:38:06.580 –> 00:38:06.919 the beggar? 00:38:08.020 –> 00:38:11.179 And slowly, he makes his 00:38:11.179 –> 00:38:11.639 decision. 00:38:11.639 –> 00:38:13.840 He leaves the cell, the light 00:38:13.840 –> 00:38:16.959 behind him, and goes to the 00:38:16.959 –> 00:38:17.280 door. 00:38:17.280 –> 00:38:18.979 He takes the bread. 00:38:18.979 –> 00:38:20.179 He gives to the beggar and then 00:38:20.179 –> 00:38:22.179 so slowly trudges his way back 00:38:22.179 –> 00:38:22.879 to the cell. 00:38:24.439 –> 00:38:28.280 I have missed the moment of my 00:38:28.300 –> 00:38:28.620 life. 00:38:31.000 –> 00:38:32.080 And when he gets back to the 00:38:32.080 –> 00:38:34.600 cell, he is absolutely amazed 00:38:34.600 –> 00:38:38.560 because here is Christ himself 00:38:39.739 –> 00:38:44.120 sitting waiting in the cell. 00:38:45.899 –> 00:38:48.260 And he falls to his knees and 00:38:48.260 –> 00:38:49.419 then the story goes, 00:38:49.540 –> 00:38:51.199 the savior said these words, 00:38:53.020 –> 00:38:57.919 if you had not gone, I would 00:38:57.919 –> 00:39:00.139 not have stayed. 00:39:00.159 –> 00:39:05.580 And here we are longing for a 00:39:05.580 –> 00:39:09.080 deeper knowledge of the presence 00:39:09.159 –> 00:39:11.139 of Christ in our lives. 00:39:14.120 –> 00:39:15.479 And Isaiah says you’re looking 00:39:15.479 –> 00:39:15.919 for that. 00:39:16.800 –> 00:39:17.939 Here’s what to pursue. 00:39:19.459 –> 00:39:21.179 Grasp every opportunity you have 00:39:21.199 –> 00:39:22.860 to loose the chains of injustice 00:39:22.860 –> 00:39:25.399 to set the oppressed free, share 00:39:25.399 –> 00:39:26.419 your food with the hungry, 00:39:26.419 –> 00:39:28.179 provide the poor with shelter. 00:39:28.780 –> 00:39:31.320 Then, then, then, then your 00:39:31.320 –> 00:39:32.979 light will break forth like the 00:39:32.979 –> 00:39:35.459 dawn and your righteousness will 00:39:35.459 –> 00:39:37.219 go before you and you will call 00:39:38.459 –> 00:39:39.260 and the Lord will answer. 00:39:41.020 –> 00:39:43.639 Father, work the deep change 00:39:43.639 –> 00:39:46.780 in all of our hearts to make us 00:39:46.780 –> 00:39:50.020 more like Christ in Jesus name. 00:39:51.080 –> 00:39:51.300 Amen.