1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,940 Well please open your Bibles at Isaiah and chapter 40 we’re continuing our 2 00:00:04,940 –> 00:00:09,280 Advent series that’s called Waiting on the Lord. We began last week with this 3 00:00:09,280 –> 00:00:14,800 marvelous promise that they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their 4 00:00:14,800 –> 00:00:20,240 strength and it’s not surprising that Isaiah chapter 40 ends with Waiting on 5 00:00:20,240 –> 00:00:25,480 the Lord because the chapter is packed full of anticipations of the birth of 6 00:00:25,660 –> 00:00:30,280 Jesus Christ and so over these next weeks we’re going to look together at 7 00:00:30,280 –> 00:00:37,060 these wonderful prophecies of the coming of our Savior from this chapter. Now I 8 00:00:37,060 –> 00:00:40,619 want you to notice right from the beginning of the chapter that God 9 00:00:40,619 –> 00:00:49,419 himself is speaking. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. So God is speaking 10 00:00:49,980 –> 00:00:56,119 and he is speaking through Isaiah the Prophet who is recording these words but 11 00:00:56,119 –> 00:01:01,540 he is calling on someone else to speak. Comfort, comfort my people. Someone else 12 00:01:01,540 –> 00:01:05,199 is actually to be speaking this word of comfort. So there’s a lot of 13 00:01:05,199 –> 00:01:09,180 voices here. God speaking through Isaiah but someone else who at some time in the 14 00:01:09,180 –> 00:01:13,919 future is to speak. So what’s going on here? Well God had 15 00:01:13,919 –> 00:01:19,400 revealed to Isaiah that in future years God’s people would go through a great 16 00:01:19,400 –> 00:01:25,620 time of trial and in fact the whole first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah 17 00:01:25,620 –> 00:01:32,099 lay this out. It makes grim reading. The first part of the Book of Isaiah is 18 00:01:32,099 –> 00:01:38,459 almost a relentless prophecy of judgment. We get these repeated pictures of enemies 19 00:01:38,459 –> 00:01:43,160 coming to the gates, the city of Jerusalem being plundered, the temple 20 00:01:43,160 –> 00:01:48,620 being destroyed, the people who survived being taken as prisoners of war and 21 00:01:48,660 –> 00:01:53,440 becoming exiles in Babylon and so forth and so on. All of this happened long 22 00:01:53,440 –> 00:01:59,559 after the time of Isaiah but but when it did happen godly people needed to know 23 00:01:59,559 –> 00:02:07,139 what to do and so what you have here is God giving direction through Isaiah for 24 00:02:07,139 –> 00:02:13,059 people who in the future would be speaking the Word of God. Godly people in 25 00:02:13,059 –> 00:02:16,960 the future coming to this time of disaster about which Isaiah had spoken 26 00:02:17,960 –> 00:02:21,940 they would look to the Scriptures and they would be asking of the Scriptures 27 00:02:21,940 –> 00:02:26,419 Now what are we to say? What are we to do? How are we to respond to this especially 28 00:02:26,419 –> 00:02:31,960 difficult situation in which we find ourselves? So can you imagine the 29 00:02:31,960 –> 00:02:39,800 joy of these prisoners of war? These exiles. Some of them have been born as 30 00:02:39,800 –> 00:02:44,580 exiles, they’ve only ever known this captivity in Babylon and they read 31 00:02:44,660 –> 00:02:49,580 through the first 39 chapters of a scroll of Isaiah and they say, oh yeah, all this 32 00:02:49,580 –> 00:02:52,740 destruction, all this judgment, all these terrible things that have happened. That’s 33 00:02:52,740 –> 00:02:57,860 us, that’s us, that’s us. And then finally they come to chapter 40 and they find 34 00:02:57,860 –> 00:03:02,699 that the Scripture is speaking to them directly a word of hope and that what is 35 00:03:02,699 –> 00:03:07,460 needed for these exiles is that they are to be comforted and that those who are 36 00:03:07,460 –> 00:03:12,160 spiritual leaders are to speak comforting words to the people of God in 37 00:03:12,800 –> 00:03:18,960 dire circumstances. And so here’s what God is saying through Isaiah for godly 38 00:03:18,960 –> 00:03:25,039 people, generations in the future, they are to comfort God’s people, they are to 39 00:03:25,039 –> 00:03:31,240 speak comfortably, they are to speak tenderly to Jerusalem. So these are 40 00:03:31,240 –> 00:03:35,880 directions then that are given to those who would later speak the word of God in 41 00:03:35,880 –> 00:03:39,460 times of great difficulty and it follows of course that they are therefore 42 00:03:39,619 –> 00:03:46,660 directions for us. They lay out how we are to speak the Word of God to other 43 00:03:46,660 –> 00:03:51,779 people who are in captivity, who are facing great difficulty, how are we to 44 00:03:51,779 –> 00:03:55,419 bear witness to Jesus Christ. So here we are we’re coming into the Christmas 45 00:03:55,419 –> 00:04:01,240 season and there will be opportunities for you to interact with neighbors and 46 00:04:01,240 –> 00:04:08,740 family members and friends and colleagues and conversations that do not 47 00:04:08,800 –> 00:04:13,080 happen at other times of the year are going to open up and as a Christian 48 00:04:13,080 –> 00:04:17,299 believer if you are a Christian today you are going to have the opportunity of 49 00:04:17,299 –> 00:04:22,059 speaking into the lives of other people and the great question is in a world in 50 00:04:22,059 –> 00:04:26,480 which people are facing many pressures many difficulties many have ceased to 51 00:04:26,480 –> 00:04:33,640 believe, how are we as Christian believers to speak? That’s what’s before 52 00:04:33,640 –> 00:04:39,299 us here today. I want really to have two stopping points, the first is simply the 53 00:04:39,299 –> 00:04:43,220 Messenger and we’re going to draw here a number of very important things about 54 00:04:43,220 –> 00:04:48,500 how we as believers are to speak for God, that’s the messengers and then 55 00:04:48,500 –> 00:04:52,899 secondly, we’re going to look at the message, what it is that we have received 56 00:04:52,899 –> 00:04:57,980 from God that takes us to the heart of the Christmas story so these two things 57 00:04:58,260 –> 00:05:08,279 today. First of all then the Messenger, how we are to speak for God, comfort 58 00:05:08,279 –> 00:05:19,519 comfort my people says your God, speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her. 59 00:05:19,519 –> 00:05:25,739 Now here’s God speaking to his own people and he’s telling us how we are to 60 00:05:25,799 –> 00:05:31,839 to minister to others. How as a godly father or a godly mother you to speak 61 00:05:31,839 –> 00:05:38,760 about God in your own home. How was a life group leader or a Bible 62 00:05:38,760 –> 00:05:43,619 study leader or a person simply as a Christian who has the opportunity to 63 00:05:43,619 –> 00:05:49,019 witness. How are you to speak for God. Let me suggest these things that just 64 00:05:49,260 –> 00:05:55,880 come very obviously from the word of God that’s in front of us here today. First 65 00:05:55,880 –> 00:06:01,739 of all speak from the heart and speak to the heart. 66 00:06:01,739 –> 00:06:09,339 Now notice how God says comfort my people, speak tenderly to Jerusalem. 67 00:06:09,339 –> 00:06:13,459 Let’s take that in as we prepare ourselves for Christmas and all the 68 00:06:13,459 –> 00:06:18,320 opportunities of ministry that it involves. Speak tenderly or to translate 69 00:06:18,359 –> 00:06:24,459 that word another way speak lovingly. Literally translated that phrase means 70 00:06:24,459 –> 00:06:32,160 speak to the heart, and so this is God himself speaking to his own folks, to 71 00:06:32,160 –> 00:06:39,679 minister and he says now speak from the heart and speak to the heart. When we 72 00:06:39,679 –> 00:06:43,959 speak in the name of the Lord we are speaking in the name of the God who 73 00:06:43,959 –> 00:06:49,579 loves and we are wanting to press into the minds and hearts of people who are 74 00:06:49,579 –> 00:06:55,480 deeply suspicious of him that there is a great and an eternal and divine love 75 00:06:55,480 –> 00:07:02,239 that beats in the heart of God that reaches out to them. Always remember that 76 00:07:02,239 –> 00:07:06,500 we are living in a time when many people are convinced that if God exists at all 77 00:07:06,500 –> 00:07:11,480 he must somehow be against them. That if God really exists that his main purpose 78 00:07:11,660 –> 00:07:16,160 is to kill all pleasure and joy. That he imposes impossible demands and all 79 00:07:16,160 –> 00:07:20,600 the rest of it and because people are convinced that God has his fist towards 80 00:07:20,600 –> 00:07:26,959 them they therefore respond with their fist towards God. This is the conviction 81 00:07:26,959 –> 00:07:35,019 of a lost person. The sense that God is to be resisted at all costs and that no 82 00:07:35,019 –> 00:07:39,920 good could ever come from getting near to him and alongside that put the 83 00:07:39,940 –> 00:07:46,540 experience of a lost person. Notice verse two refers to her warfare. There’s an 84 00:07:46,540 –> 00:07:53,700 unrelenting battle, there is a constant conflict that runs in the heart of 85 00:07:53,700 –> 00:07:59,380 every person who is resistant to the claims of Jesus Christ of God upon their 86 00:07:59,380 –> 00:08:06,220 life. Remember this every person you meet, every person you ever speak to is in a 87 00:08:06,260 –> 00:08:12,079 battle. Think about the position of these exiles. They’re far from the promised 88 00:08:12,079 –> 00:08:18,040 land. After 70 years a huge number of them have never even seen the promised 89 00:08:18,040 –> 00:08:22,920 land. Everything that God speaks about and everything that God has promised 90 00:08:22,920 –> 00:08:27,559 seems to be at a great distance from them. All they have ever known is this 91 00:08:27,559 –> 00:08:32,580 captivity in Babylon. That’s a kind of picture of the people who are around us 92 00:08:32,580 –> 00:08:41,039 in this world today. And remember this, that when Jesus sees people in that 93 00:08:41,039 –> 00:08:47,280 natural position of alienation from God. Remember what the Gospels tell us. Jesus 94 00:08:47,280 –> 00:08:57,280 looked at them and he had compassion. He had pity. He felt sorry for people 95 00:08:57,280 –> 00:09:04,099 because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Now if we’re to be really 96 00:09:04,099 –> 00:09:10,000 useful to the Lord folks, we have to have that kind of compassion. Let me read to 97 00:09:10,000 –> 00:09:15,479 you a comment that was very striking to me, from Martin Lloyd Jones. And all 98 00:09:15,479 –> 00:09:22,219 the more striking because he said these words in 1954, 60 years ago. When I read 99 00:09:22,219 –> 00:09:25,960 them to you, you’ll say, really, that was true 60 years ago? Well the world never 100 00:09:26,020 –> 00:09:34,380 changes. Here’s what Lloyd Jones said, quote, I do not agree with those who think 101 00:09:34,380 –> 00:09:42,179 that the modern craze for pleasure and entertainment is to be denounced. Isn’t that 102 00:09:42,179 –> 00:09:46,799 interesting? The modern craze for pleasure and entertainment apparently 103 00:09:46,799 –> 00:09:52,020 was going very strong in 1954 so the world doesn’t change as much as we 104 00:09:52,119 –> 00:09:58,200 sometimes think that it does. And Lloyd Jones says, I do not agree with those who 105 00:09:58,200 –> 00:10:02,280 say that the modern craze for pleasure and entertainment is to be denounced. He 106 00:10:02,280 –> 00:10:05,359 says it’s not the business of the church to be standing up and condemning all the 107 00:10:05,359 –> 00:10:08,479 ways in which people are living. That’s not what we’re here for. I don’t agree 108 00:10:08,479 –> 00:10:13,640 with that, he says and he goes on to explain why. He says, people are living on 109 00:10:13,640 –> 00:10:20,080 pleasure in order to get out of this terrible struggle, if they can, just for 110 00:10:20,119 –> 00:10:25,340 an hour or two. They act as they do because life has defeated them, it has 111 00:10:25,340 –> 00:10:30,099 got them down. They cannot spend an evening at home happily with their own 112 00:10:30,099 –> 00:10:37,380 thoughts. Lloyd Jones says, I can understand him. They find this boredom 113 00:10:37,380 –> 00:10:45,260 unutterable and insupportable. They have nothing to rest on within themselves and 114 00:10:45,440 –> 00:10:52,000 so they must have some pleasure outside of themselves. It is he says a constant 115 00:10:52,000 –> 00:10:58,820 warfare. Now it is very good for Christian people to get off the 116 00:10:58,820 –> 00:11:03,640 self-righteous hobby horses that sometimes we can be duped into riding 117 00:11:03,640 –> 00:11:09,159 and to actually try and put ourselves in the position of what it actually means 118 00:11:09,219 –> 00:11:15,520 to be lost, to be alienated from God, to be under the power of sin, and you start 119 00:11:15,520 –> 00:11:22,200 taking that seriously and you begin to have compassion. You begin instead of 120 00:11:22,200 –> 00:11:27,880 condemning people to start feeling sorry for people. You begin to experience the 121 00:11:27,880 –> 00:11:34,200 divine pity or another word for that is mercy. And you begin to be in a position 122 00:11:34,200 –> 00:11:39,140 instead of talking down to people to be in a position of being able to speak 123 00:11:39,219 –> 00:11:46,179 tenderly, that’s the word that God uses. Speak lovingly, speak tenderly, speak with 124 00:11:46,179 –> 00:11:53,659 compassion, speak from the heart and speak to the heart. Do you feel sorry for 125 00:11:53,659 –> 00:11:59,419 the person who’s on drugs? Do you feel sorry, do you feel pity for the person 126 00:11:59,419 –> 00:12:04,140 who’s moving from one partner to another, one experience to another? Do you feel 127 00:12:04,140 –> 00:12:08,960 sorry for the person who’s caught up in the world of money and the pursuit of it 128 00:12:08,960 –> 00:12:15,859 and everything that can be gained by it? Speak tenderly. Try to display the love 129 00:12:15,859 –> 00:12:21,080 of God that reaches into this broken world in Jesus Christ. People who are 130 00:12:21,080 –> 00:12:28,219 tired of the battle do not need your condemnation nor mine. What they need is 131 00:12:28,239 –> 00:12:33,940 to hear a word of hope. So how are we to speak for God? Speak tenderly, speak from 132 00:12:34,039 –> 00:12:42,539 the heart. Speak to the heart. Second, remember as you bear witness to Jesus 133 00:12:42,539 –> 00:12:50,700 Christ that you are only a voice. You are only a voice. Look at verse 3. A voice 134 00:12:50,700 –> 00:12:59,419 cries. Whose voice? We’re not told. In one sense it doesn’t really matter because 135 00:12:59,419 –> 00:13:03,640 what is being said is important rather than the person who’s saying it. 136 00:13:03,640 –> 00:13:11,539 There’s a voice but there’s no name. And you have the same thing in in verse 6. 137 00:13:11,539 –> 00:13:17,440 Do you see that again? A voice says cry. Which voice? We’re not told. Doesn’t matter. 138 00:13:17,440 –> 00:13:23,140 Verse 9. Go up to a high mountain. Lift up your voice with strength. All these 139 00:13:23,140 –> 00:13:28,020 kind of disembodied voices. Very strange voices everywhere in this passage of 140 00:13:28,020 –> 00:13:33,359 Scripture. Now of course we know from the New Testament that the voice that 141 00:13:33,359 –> 00:13:37,320 was crying out in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord. That that was 142 00:13:37,320 –> 00:13:42,679 wonderfully fulfilled in John the Baptist. And it’s very fascinating when 143 00:13:42,679 –> 00:13:47,700 you read about John the Baptist, his stories in all four gospels, people 144 00:13:47,700 –> 00:13:52,820 wanted to know about who he was, and John’s gospel particularly picks this up. 145 00:13:52,820 –> 00:13:58,460 You can read in John chapter 1 in verse 22 that people are sent to John and 146 00:13:58,460 –> 00:14:06,880 their question is who are you? What do you say about yourself? And John gives 147 00:14:06,880 –> 00:14:13,340 this extraordinary answer. He says I am the voice of one crying in the 148 00:14:13,340 –> 00:14:16,940 wilderness. He’s quoting of course from Isaiah make straight the way of the Lord 149 00:14:17,820 –> 00:14:24,340 of Isaiah said. You see the world never changes. Yes John he’s a little bit 150 00:14:24,340 –> 00:14:28,919 different. You know he’s got the camel hair and clothing and he’s eating the 151 00:14:28,919 –> 00:14:34,000 the locusts and the honey. And everyone wants to know about John. John’s 152 00:14:34,000 –> 00:14:39,059 personality. Now who is John? And does John have to say about himself. And 153 00:14:39,059 –> 00:14:44,419 John says well here’s the only thing you need to know about me. I’m a voice. In 154 00:14:44,500 –> 00:14:50,159 other words it’s not me that matters. What matters is what I’m saying because 155 00:14:50,159 –> 00:14:53,619 what I’m saying is the Word of God. You can check it out for yourself in the 156 00:14:53,619 –> 00:14:57,820 prophet Isaiah. That’s exactly what he says to these folks who ask him. I’m 157 00:14:57,820 –> 00:15:03,219 speaking the Word of God. What matters is not what I say about myself or who I am. 158 00:15:03,219 –> 00:15:07,979 What matters is what I say about Jesus Christ and who he is. That’s what really 159 00:15:07,979 –> 00:15:10,780 matters. What matters is what the scripture says. 160 00:15:10,859 –> 00:15:17,119 It’s not the personality of the person who may speak it to you. It’s a lovely 161 00:15:17,119 –> 00:15:26,000 verse of a hymn that I come back to it again and again and it’s so helpful. 162 00:15:41,400 –> 00:15:48,880 Him. If you feel that ministry has to have your name on it 163 00:15:48,880 –> 00:15:54,099 you haven’t understood what it is to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ very 164 00:15:54,099 –> 00:16:00,340 well. And this folks is of huge importance in our celebrity culture 165 00:16:00,340 –> 00:16:03,659 where people always want to know who you are and what you’re going to say about 166 00:16:03,659 –> 00:16:07,080 yourself remember this you’re only a voice 167 00:16:07,080 –> 00:16:15,919 the name doesn’t matter. What matters is not who we are but it is the message 168 00:16:15,919 –> 00:16:23,479 that we bear. So how are we to speak well for the Lord how are we to bear witness 169 00:16:23,479 –> 00:16:28,239 well? Well you’ve got to speak from the heart you gotta speak to the heart. 170 00:16:28,440 –> 00:16:36,039 You are only a voice the big deal is his name not your name and may they forget 171 00:16:36,039 –> 00:16:41,760 the channel seeing only him we’re to be channels of God’s mercy it’s not about 172 00:16:41,760 –> 00:16:48,440 us. Third, you want to serve God? Well listen to what God says in Scripture 173 00:16:48,440 –> 00:16:57,340 look at this comfort comfort my people says your God if we are to be useful in 174 00:16:57,380 –> 00:17:02,679 speaking into the lives of others we need to have minds and hearts that are 175 00:17:02,679 –> 00:17:09,880 well saturated in what God himself actually says in other words your 176 00:17:09,880 –> 00:17:16,439 ministry your usefulness to God will be an overflow of your own walk with God in 177 00:17:16,439 –> 00:17:22,479 his Word you cannot give to others what you have not received yourself and the 178 00:17:22,479 –> 00:17:25,459 word of God has to come with power to you 179 00:17:25,520 –> 00:17:32,339 before it can come with power through you. It must be in you in order that it 180 00:17:32,339 –> 00:17:38,020 can come from you the Paul speaks about this it happens in all kinds of ways do 181 00:17:38,020 –> 00:17:41,739 you remember in second Corinthians chapter 1 he says now God has comforted 182 00:17:41,739 –> 00:17:48,439 us so that we may be able to comfort others with the comfort with which He 183 00:17:48,439 –> 00:17:53,619 has first comforted us in other words the reality of an experience of the 184 00:17:53,619 –> 00:18:00,000 grace of God and of the truth of God has become earthed in Paul’s own experience 185 00:18:00,000 –> 00:18:06,199 so that out of this he is able to minister effectively to others so here 186 00:18:06,199 –> 00:18:13,359 is a great incentive for being in the Word of God you want to grow in your 187 00:18:13,359 –> 00:18:17,739 walk with God not only for his glory not only for your own good but also 188 00:18:17,780 –> 00:18:25,260 for the good of others because what is the point in being a Christian whose own 189 00:18:25,260 –> 00:18:33,160 experiences so shallow or so far in the past that you’re really have nothing 190 00:18:33,160 –> 00:18:37,500 that is fresh that’s coming to you from God that you would be able to share with 191 00:18:37,500 –> 00:18:43,699 other people great Christian writers said many years ago beware of living on 192 00:18:43,859 –> 00:18:52,000 the stale bread of your past experience of God how much use do you think you’re 193 00:18:52,000 –> 00:18:55,900 going to be this Christmas as a Christian believer with unbelieving 194 00:18:55,900 –> 00:19:00,660 people around you if all that you’re doing is living on a past experience and 195 00:19:00,660 –> 00:19:05,260 there’s no living way in which the Word of God is really filtering into your 196 00:19:05,260 –> 00:19:13,199 life and nourishing your soul you want to be useful be in the place where 197 00:19:13,199 –> 00:19:17,800 you’re listening to what God says in Scripture and here’s the fourth thing 198 00:19:17,800 –> 00:19:24,719 want to be useful to the Lord speak for him usefully ask God to fill you with 199 00:19:24,719 –> 00:19:31,800 his spirit I take this directly from verse 1 and the link to John’s gospel 200 00:19:31,800 –> 00:19:40,040 comfort comfort my people says your God you asked the question well how in the 201 00:19:40,119 –> 00:19:45,400 world can I comfort God’s people how can I bring hope how can I bring 202 00:19:45,400 –> 00:19:50,540 help to others you read that very striking word comfort and surely your 203 00:19:50,540 –> 00:19:57,959 mind goes to who is the comforter and remember how Jesus said it’s translated 204 00:19:57,959 –> 00:20:02,800 in different ways in different versions but Jesus said about the Holy Spirit I 205 00:20:02,800 –> 00:20:08,959 will ask the Father and he will give to you another comforter John chapter 14 206 00:20:09,040 –> 00:20:15,640 and verse 16 ask God to make you a Christian who is filled with his word 207 00:20:15,640 –> 00:20:24,520 and is filled with his spirit you know to me one of the most tragic pictures 208 00:20:24,520 –> 00:20:33,000 in all of the Bible is the picture of Jonah when he was asleep you remember in 209 00:20:33,099 –> 00:20:39,479 the bottom of the ship in the middle of a life-threatening storm and here are 210 00:20:39,479 –> 00:20:46,359 all the ship’s crew and not one of them knows God not one of them and they’re in 211 00:20:46,359 –> 00:20:52,880 an absolute panic for the life and there’s one man in the ship who knows 212 00:20:52,880 –> 00:20:59,880 God and he has absolutely nothing to say because he’s pathetically caught up in 213 00:21:00,020 –> 00:21:05,880 the trivia of his own altercation with God and his own resistance to the will 214 00:21:05,880 –> 00:21:11,640 of God. What’s the use of the man of faith in that situation? You do not want 215 00:21:11,640 –> 00:21:15,959 to be that man. You do not want to go into this Christmas as a believer with a 216 00:21:15,959 –> 00:21:20,699 kind of beef with God your own altercation your own fight no you 217 00:21:20,699 –> 00:21:27,439 want to be in the place where by the mercy of God you have come to be freshly 218 00:21:28,219 –> 00:21:34,540 with his word and freshly filled with his spirit so that in this world where 219 00:21:34,540 –> 00:21:38,800 so many people are desperately lost and know nothing of the God who has laid 220 00:21:38,800 –> 00:21:44,760 hold of your life that you may be of some use some value that there may be 221 00:21:44,760 –> 00:21:53,079 some readiness to make a difference. So ask God to fill you with your spirit. How 222 00:21:53,079 –> 00:21:57,380 can you really pray for others if you are not even praying for yourself? 223 00:21:58,300 –> 00:22:01,900 How can you bring God’s Word into the lives of others if you are not daily 224 00:22:01,900 –> 00:22:05,800 bringing it into your own life? How can there be any comfort from the 225 00:22:05,800 –> 00:22:09,780 Spirit that emanates from you if you are not experiencing the comfort of the 226 00:22:09,780 –> 00:22:16,859 Spirit for yourself? Ministry to others is always the overflow of what God is 227 00:22:16,859 –> 00:22:24,300 doing in your life. So live in the Word of God. Be filled with the Spirit of God 228 00:22:24,339 –> 00:22:31,040 Learn to speak tenderly and remember when all is done, you’re only a voice, 229 00:22:31,040 –> 00:22:39,579 you’re not a name, so that the one name that matters will get all of the glory. 230 00:22:39,579 –> 00:22:45,439 Can you imagine the impact of an entire church in four campuses being alive in 231 00:22:45,599 –> 00:22:53,900 the way that Isaiah is describing here? Who knows what God will do? 232 00:22:53,900 –> 00:23:05,260 The Messenger. That’s us. It’s what we’re being called to as God places us 233 00:23:05,260 –> 00:23:12,760 strategically in His own purposes for these next days and for these coming years. 234 00:23:12,780 –> 00:23:21,839 The Messenger. How we are to speak for God. More briefly, the message, what we have received 235 00:23:21,839 –> 00:23:28,859 from God. And as we seek to prepare ourselves to really be useful to the Lord over this Christmas 236 00:23:28,859 –> 00:23:36,040 season especially how marvelous that all that we have received from God in Jesus Christ is 237 00:23:36,280 –> 00:23:41,180 Wonderfully anticipated right here in this scripture 238 00:23:41,680 –> 00:23:47,079 perhaps you’ve come to church today, and you’re not yet in a position of being a committed Christian and 239 00:23:48,040 –> 00:23:52,040 In your mind you’re saying well, I understand about all the birth of Jesus and so forth 240 00:23:52,040 –> 00:23:56,880 But what really is the point what really comes of all of this? What’s it really all about? 241 00:23:56,880 –> 00:24:03,280 What difference does it actually make 2,000 years ago? What difference does it make from my life today I? 242 00:24:04,199 –> 00:24:11,359 Now one just very simply here in this last part to give you an outline of the Christian message that just falls out of 243 00:24:11,359 –> 00:24:18,859 these verses and it will be easy to remember and so for those who are believers here you can take it you can use it and 244 00:24:19,819 –> 00:24:25,979 It will be an easy way for you to speak perhaps in God’s goodness over these next days about the things 245 00:24:26,479 –> 00:24:28,479 of Jesus Christ 246 00:24:28,579 –> 00:24:30,579 What is the message? 247 00:24:31,579 –> 00:24:35,459 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her cry what? 248 00:24:36,760 –> 00:24:38,880 That her warfare is ended 249 00:24:40,280 –> 00:24:42,780 That her iniquity is pardoned 250 00:24:44,739 –> 00:24:50,400 That she has received from the Lord’s hands double for all her sins 251 00:24:51,739 –> 00:24:57,619 Let me give you it in a sentence here and just break it up into these very simple steps. What is the message? 252 00:24:58,459 –> 00:25:00,579 It begins here Peace 253 00:25:01,619 –> 00:25:03,000 Established 254 00:25:03,000 –> 00:25:09,459 That’s what God has done in Jesus Christ speak tenderly to jerusalem that her warfare is 255 00:25:10,239 –> 00:25:11,699 ended 256 00:25:11,699 –> 00:25:16,420 Now here are these people and for years and years there has been this great conflict with God 257 00:25:16,939 –> 00:25:21,939 They have been the object of his love, but they have lost his blessing their constant 258 00:25:22,199 –> 00:25:24,699 Idolatry has brought them to this desperate place 259 00:25:25,280 –> 00:25:29,939 They have been exiles. They have been prisoners of war life has been grim and 260 00:25:30,459 –> 00:25:35,500 Here God says tell this word her warfare is ended 261 00:25:37,219 –> 00:25:41,800 Here’s a reconciliation that’s taking place with God peace the end of war 262 00:25:42,579 –> 00:25:43,459 and you 263 00:25:43,459 –> 00:25:46,319 Know that that is right at the heart of the Christmas story 264 00:25:46,319 –> 00:25:50,439 Why is Jesus Christ come into the world when he is born the angels say glory? 265 00:25:51,180 –> 00:25:54,680 To God in the highest and on Earth what peace 266 00:25:56,020 –> 00:25:58,020 Goodwill 267 00:25:58,199 –> 00:26:00,479 Towards men on whom God’s favor 268 00:26:01,579 –> 00:26:03,140 rests and 269 00:26:03,140 –> 00:26:10,380 here we have God reaching out to end a war to end conflict a war that’s gone back to the 270 00:26:10,380 –> 00:26:12,380 beginning of time God giving an 271 00:26:12,939 –> 00:26:18,680 Amnesty God seeing to his own enemies here is a time where there can be peace here 272 00:26:18,719 –> 00:26:24,380 Is a time where there can be reconciliation here is a time for the warfare to be ended 273 00:26:25,619 –> 00:26:29,859 And the Lord Jesus Christ has come into the world 274 00:26:30,780 –> 00:26:37,599 To resolve this conflict that lies deeper in every person deeper in you than any other conflict 275 00:26:37,599 –> 00:26:41,599 you will ever experience and that is the conflict between you and God and 276 00:26:42,520 –> 00:26:45,239 And how? How is there to be peace? 277 00:26:46,000 –> 00:26:48,000 Well notice what he says next 278 00:26:48,560 –> 00:26:52,060 Peace established because a pardon is secured 279 00:26:53,180 –> 00:26:55,479 that her iniquity is 280 00:26:56,760 –> 00:26:58,400 pardoned 281 00:26:58,400 –> 00:27:03,739 Here’s this God who lays claim to our lives and we’ve been resisting him 282 00:27:04,119 –> 00:27:07,239 here’s this God against whom we’ve been sinning and 283 00:27:07,560 –> 00:27:12,160 Breaking his commandments and what is he doing? He’s reaching out in love and 284 00:27:12,959 –> 00:27:14,959 He’s reaching out to forgive 285 00:27:15,699 –> 00:27:19,359 He’s not reaching out to impose the condemnation of the law 286 00:27:19,439 –> 00:27:25,400 No, he’s reaching out to embrace you to reconcile you to use the Bible’s word to save you 287 00:27:26,880 –> 00:27:28,880 Peace established 288 00:27:29,680 –> 00:27:31,140 Pardon 289 00:27:31,140 –> 00:27:33,140 secured and 290 00:27:33,140 –> 00:27:37,619 This comes through the Lord Jesus Christ who has authority to forgive sins 291 00:27:37,619 –> 00:27:42,140 he says to a paralyzed man on one occasion your sins are forgiven and 292 00:27:43,660 –> 00:27:46,619 Everyone around is saying it was saying at the time 293 00:27:46,760 –> 00:27:47,459 well now 294 00:27:47,459 –> 00:27:51,739 how can you say this because no one has the authority to forgive sins except God and 295 00:27:52,680 –> 00:27:58,560 And of course here he is God in the flesh and he’s here for this purpose securing a pardon 296 00:27:58,579 –> 00:28:00,579 How does he secure a part? 297 00:28:01,459 –> 00:28:06,920 This pardon where does it come from? How is Jesus able to forgive sins answer? 298 00:28:07,699 –> 00:28:12,459 Peace is established and a pardon secured because a payment has been made 299 00:28:14,020 –> 00:28:18,020 Notice this marvelous phrase fascinating phrase in verse to 300 00:28:20,099 –> 00:28:27,420 Tell her that she has received from the Lord’s hands double for all her sins 301 00:28:27,540 –> 00:28:29,560 What a marvelous statement 302 00:28:30,540 –> 00:28:34,359 There’s great discussion about exactly how it’s to be understood 303 00:28:35,719 –> 00:28:39,020 Let me point you in this direction. That’s persuaded me 304 00:28:40,239 –> 00:28:45,020 Alec material perhaps the greatest living scholar on isiah in the world 305 00:28:45,680 –> 00:28:51,079 points out that when it says she has received from the Lord’s hand double the 306 00:28:51,560 –> 00:28:55,780 Definite article is in there. It’s literally the double 307 00:28:55,920 –> 00:28:57,920 the double 308 00:28:58,119 –> 00:29:05,000 Tell her that she’s received the double or to put that another way the duplicate the duplicate 309 00:29:06,040 –> 00:29:09,380 Tell her that she has received from God’s hand the mirror image 310 00:29:10,180 –> 00:29:12,180 the carbon copy 311 00:29:12,819 –> 00:29:14,819 the exact 312 00:29:15,180 –> 00:29:16,280 replica 313 00:29:16,280 –> 00:29:21,420 And all of us know that none of us can make payment for our sins 314 00:29:21,500 –> 00:29:27,020 So here is what God has done God took flesh in the person of Jesus Christ 315 00:29:27,020 –> 00:29:30,400 He’s come to us. He’s taken his stand with us 316 00:29:30,420 –> 00:29:35,500 He has come to act for us and here is what God has done in Jesus Christ 317 00:29:36,180 –> 00:29:38,660 Taking our nature to himself 318 00:29:38,660 –> 00:29:44,479 He lived a sinless life and then laid it down as a sacrifice for our sins 319 00:29:44,640 –> 00:29:47,880 He bore our sins in his body on the tree 320 00:29:47,880 –> 00:29:51,160 all that was done by me if I can 321 00:29:51,359 –> 00:29:54,800 personalize this for clarity all that was done by me 322 00:29:55,920 –> 00:30:02,699 was born by him and he paid the price and he took the rap as 323 00:30:04,020 –> 00:30:07,060 Isaiah puts it later. He was wounded for our transgressions 324 00:30:07,079 –> 00:30:12,380 He was bruised for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us. Peace was upon him and 325 00:30:13,020 –> 00:30:15,459 What he bore on my behalf is 326 00:30:17,040 –> 00:30:19,040 exactly 327 00:30:19,140 –> 00:30:20,619 Duplicate 328 00:30:20,619 –> 00:30:22,140 Mirror image 329 00:30:22,140 –> 00:30:25,920 the price of every one of my sins 330 00:30:27,400 –> 00:30:33,060 And what he did for all the people of God if we’re to mass all of them together and the thought of this is 331 00:30:33,819 –> 00:30:36,339 Overwhelming as it was overwhelming to Christ is 332 00:30:37,219 –> 00:30:38,979 He had paid the price 333 00:30:38,979 –> 00:30:40,979 exactly. Duplicate, Replica 334 00:30:41,760 –> 00:30:43,760 Precisely of 335 00:30:44,199 –> 00:30:48,060 Every one of the sins of every one of God’s people 336 00:30:49,439 –> 00:30:53,020 So that if you think about going into a shop that’s not gone high-tech 337 00:30:53,060 –> 00:30:57,900 And they’re still on the old-fashioned way of writing out a bill in 338 00:30:58,319 –> 00:31:05,219 duplicate where you get the white copy and you know the vendor keeps the yellow copy or the pink copy or whatever it is and 339 00:31:05,660 –> 00:31:09,319 And in comes Jesus Christ, and he pays that duplicate 340 00:31:09,319 –> 00:31:13,099 He pays the pink copy and when you find that you cannot pay the white copy 341 00:31:13,260 –> 00:31:20,500 Here’s the good news the bill because there is only one and it’s only paid once has already been paid on your behalf 342 00:31:20,660 –> 00:31:23,660 if you are in Jesus Christ the duplicate tell 343 00:31:24,260 –> 00:31:26,900 Tell God’s people tell them this 344 00:31:27,739 –> 00:31:31,920 that they have received the duplicates from God’s hand and 345 00:31:32,540 –> 00:31:38,839 And it’s the amazing amazing payment that has been made for all of 346 00:31:38,920 –> 00:31:39,760 her sins 347 00:31:39,760 –> 00:31:41,780 That’s why Jesus said when he came into the world 348 00:31:41,800 –> 00:31:47,900 I come to seek and save lost people and to give my life as a ransom for many a purchase 349 00:31:47,900 –> 00:31:49,680 I’ve got to pay a price 350 00:31:49,680 –> 00:31:51,359 That’s why I came into the world 351 00:31:51,359 –> 00:31:56,160 That’s why this baby was born in Bethlehem and laid in the manger 352 00:31:56,319 –> 00:32:00,719 the paying of a price the laying down of that life in which 353 00:32:00,880 –> 00:32:05,920 God became man and took his stand with us and took his stand 354 00:32:06,560 –> 00:32:11,939 For us and that takes me to the very last thing and it’s simply this peace has been established 355 00:32:12,880 –> 00:32:15,739 And pardon has been secured forgiveness 356 00:32:15,839 –> 00:32:22,479 Why because payment has been made and all this has happened through a person 357 00:32:22,719 –> 00:32:24,719 and only one person 358 00:32:24,939 –> 00:32:26,939 Jesus christ our 359 00:32:27,420 –> 00:32:34,719 Savior and our lord which is why isaiah goes on to speak words that are taken up by john the baptist in the wilderness 360 00:32:35,180 –> 00:32:37,180 Prepare the way of 361 00:32:37,500 –> 00:32:39,020 the lord 362 00:32:39,020 –> 00:32:44,540 make a straight way in the desert a highway for our god all the good 363 00:32:45,660 –> 00:32:47,660 that is in the gospel 364 00:32:48,060 –> 00:32:54,060 Comes from this unique and glorious person jesus christ take away jesus 365 00:32:55,020 –> 00:32:57,020 And you don’t have the payment 366 00:32:57,819 –> 00:33:00,619 Take away the payment and you don’t have the pardon 367 00:33:01,579 –> 00:33:07,260 Take away the pardon and you no longer have the peace peace with god 368 00:33:08,060 –> 00:33:14,859 All this good all this comfort comes from this unique person who came into the world at christmas 369 00:33:15,020 –> 00:33:20,619 There was never anyone like him before there has never been anyone born quite like him 370 00:33:21,079 –> 00:33:23,979 since and isaiah says this person will come 371 00:33:25,180 –> 00:33:30,939 And who is this person? Prepare the way of the lord. Four capital letters 372 00:33:31,739 –> 00:33:37,339 God almighty taking flesh and coming into his own creation 373 00:33:37,819 –> 00:33:41,979 It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened lord. Jones says at one point 374 00:33:42,140 –> 00:33:47,520 He says is it not amazing to you that the whole world is not standing and applauding 375 00:33:47,520 –> 00:33:50,319 That god should do this 376 00:33:52,400 –> 00:33:59,760 And what a revelation of our own perversity that when this love and this grace comes to us in jesus christ at such a cost 377 00:34:00,800 –> 00:34:02,800 that we could be so 378 00:34:03,099 –> 00:34:04,719 unresponsive 379 00:34:04,719 –> 00:34:07,319 dead in trespasses and sins 380 00:34:09,199 –> 00:34:12,580 Prepare the way of the lord 381 00:34:14,159 –> 00:34:16,560 because what’s going to happen when he comes is that 382 00:34:18,399 –> 00:34:21,919 Every valley will be exalted every hill will be brought low 383 00:34:23,120 –> 00:34:27,600 And you think about how that happens in the lord. Jesus christ himself. Who is he’s god 384 00:34:28,879 –> 00:34:34,479 and he leaves all this glory and he sets it aside and he’s born as a baby that’s about as 385 00:34:35,580 –> 00:34:40,620 Lowering of the heights as you could imagine. And then then what happens he assumes our humanity 386 00:34:41,580 –> 00:34:47,580 And making himself one with us and becoming our redeemer he lifts our humanity and his ascension 387 00:34:48,699 –> 00:34:50,699 Back into the presence of god. That’s 388 00:34:51,419 –> 00:34:57,659 Liting up of the low places as you could ever ever imagine and it all happens in 389 00:34:58,600 –> 00:35:04,300 Jesus christ, no wonder isaiah says the glory of the lord 390 00:35:05,500 –> 00:35:07,500 will be 391 00:35:07,520 –> 00:35:10,159 Revealed the glory of the lord 392 00:35:10,879 –> 00:35:12,879 will be 393 00:35:13,199 –> 00:35:15,840 Revealed and I end just with these questions 394 00:35:17,439 –> 00:35:19,439 Have you received this comfort 395 00:35:20,800 –> 00:35:27,679 Do you know what it is today to have peace with god because of the pardon based on the payment that came by jesus christ 396 00:35:30,639 –> 00:35:35,439 Do you know if you can’t say yes to that question why would you go home from the service today 397 00:35:35,919 –> 00:35:40,080 Still pushing jesus christ away when he offers himself to you today 398 00:35:40,879 –> 00:35:42,360 why 399 00:35:42,360 –> 00:35:44,360 would you not 400 00:35:44,800 –> 00:35:47,040 Get down off your pride 401 00:35:48,560 –> 00:35:51,199 And get up from your despair 402 00:35:52,479 –> 00:35:59,800 And come honestly before the lord. Jesus christ today and in repentance and in faith say lord 403 00:35:59,800 –> 00:36:02,600 Jesus I see that you are everything that I need 404 00:36:03,320 –> 00:36:04,679 and 405 00:36:04,679 –> 00:36:07,520 Today, I want to give myself as best 406 00:36:07,520 –> 00:36:11,659 I know how to you and I ask that you will be my savior give me that peace 407 00:36:11,659 –> 00:36:14,679 I need you to pay that price for me 408 00:36:14,679 –> 00:36:20,419 I asked for the pardon, and I offer myself into your hands. Why would you not do that today as 409 00:36:21,100 –> 00:36:23,100 This christ in love 410 00:36:23,379 –> 00:36:25,379 offers himself to you and 411 00:36:26,000 –> 00:36:28,000 If you are christ 412 00:36:28,979 –> 00:36:29,919 What are you gonna? 413 00:36:29,919 –> 00:36:35,139 Do over this Christmas season in a broken world where so many people are 414 00:36:35,600 –> 00:36:39,060 cast adrift in an endless inner conflict and 415 00:36:39,820 –> 00:36:43,560 Alienation from God and you like Jonah or the one who knows God 416 00:36:45,040 –> 00:36:49,879 Well over these next days. Why would you not seek with God’s help? 417 00:36:50,840 –> 00:36:54,959 to look for every opportunity to speak tenderly and 418 00:36:55,659 –> 00:36:57,659 And to speak 419 00:36:57,820 –> 00:36:59,820 about the peace and 420 00:37:00,080 –> 00:37:04,639 about the pardon and about the payment that have come through the person of 421 00:37:05,280 –> 00:37:07,280 Your Lord and Your Savior 422 00:37:08,600 –> 00:37:10,080 Jesus Christ 423 00:37:10,080 –> 00:37:11,459 father 424 00:37:11,459 –> 00:37:13,919 Please take your church 425 00:37:15,280 –> 00:37:17,280 And as we are gathered together 426 00:37:17,560 –> 00:37:19,540 Send us out 427 00:37:19,540 –> 00:37:25,300 that we may be lights in the darkness for the sake of the one who loved us and gave himself for us and 428 00:37:25,520 –> 00:37:28,500 These things we ask in Jesus name and everyone said