PROPHET #1
April 19, 2009
with Adam Waters
You cannot force someone to love you… have you ever tried? Children… girl/boyfriend… spouse… coworker… parents… others.
Intro Isaiah
• E.PETERSON says that prophets have 2 functions… (#1) They work to get people to accept the worst as God’s judgment (not a religious catastrophe or political disaster). If what seems like the worst is God’s judgment, then it can be embraced for God is good and intends for our salvation. So judgment (though maybe not what we want or anticipated) can never be the worst for it is the work of God to set the world and/or us right. (#2)They work to get people who are beaten down to open themselves up to hope in God’s future. In the wreckage of exile, death, humiliation and sin, the prophet ignited hope, opening lives to the new work of salvation that God is about at all times and everywhere.
• Isaiah chooses to play these 2 things out in relation to God’s holiness. When we enter into God’s holiness (Is. 6), it changes us. We are forced to deal with our darkest parts and cannot help but react. Holiness forces a decision: do we love God and follow or do we turn our backs and run because holiness is too difficult to deal with.
• As we study Isaiah, we will see God’s holiness brings judgment, comfort and hope.
THE Prophet’s VOICE
God’s Heart is Broken ~ Isaiah 1:1-17 (MSG)
• The church had lost focus on listening to God.
• The church had lost focus on sacrifice.
• The church had lost focus on worship.
• The church has lost focus on loving others.
Destruction is Certain ~ Isaiah 5:8-30 (NLT)
1. For those who are dishonest in business.
2. For those who care more about the party than the holiness of the Father.
3. For those who challenge the Father with their sin.
4. For those who twist the truth.
5. For those who think they are smarter than the Father.
6. For those who ignore the standards of the Father.
Hope? (MSG) Isaiah 1:18-20 ~ "Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out." This is God's Message: "If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow-white. If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool. If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings. But if you're willful and stubborn, you'll die like dogs." That's right. God says so.
• You are going to find that Isaiah knows about God’s holiness… and he’s consumed with speaking out God’s voice to us, so that we have to deal with that purity.
• But, he is ridiculously focused on the redemption of God’s people too… and he is constantly weaving the story of Jesus through the Father’s words.
• You must have a relationship with the Father.
• You cannot get there without a relationship with Jesus.
• If you refuse relationship, it all ends in death (Romans 6:23).
• Just because you are forgiven, doesn’t mean you’re in a relationship with God. Just because you know Jesus has ransomed you, doesn’t mean you’ve chosen to obey, listen and repent.
• God has chosen not to force love on us. What have you chosen to do?
2 comments:
Adam,
You're right, in what you've stated (in this blog). And, you know speaking of seeking and practicing God's ways (holiness); I'm sure you've heard plenty of people say something to the effect of: "I'd willingly follow His plan for my life, if I wasn't so miserable." "I mean, if God would work in my life, then I would be grateful to follow His leading." But, you know, this approach is actually backwards. If we would learn to reverse our thinking, and go forth and "Pursue 'holiness,' instead of 'happiness;'" we'd find that we'd receive the joy that our heart desires. Yes, "happiness" is a by-product of "living holy" (The "Beattitudes" teach this, Matthew 5).
We find this same kind of backwards thinking when, we seek "'leisure,' instead of 'learning.'" If we would make it our goal to be a continuous learner, instead of looking for ways to "sit back and take it easy;" we'd probably be joyfully caught off guard. We see it all the time, where we desire "a 'resolution' without any type of 'restriction.'" Yes, all of us (at one time, or another), tend to feel like "we deserve a taste of 'success' without having made the proper 'sacrifice.'" We desire to "receive the 'benefits' without having paid the 'bills.'" We find people who have this kind of mind-set, all the time.
A good case in point can be found in the Gospels, in Matthew 8:28-34 we find an example of this, involving two demon-possessed men. And, we find an account of the exact same incident (except Mark and Luke, tell it involving only one man who was demon-possessed) in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke chapter 8 verses 26-39. I'm sure that you're already familiar with this event that took place during the time Jesus was walking upon this earth.
The parallel between this biblical event and what I have written in this reply is: These Gadarenes were happy that Jesus cast the demon out of this man/these men. Yet, the Srcipture tells us that these Gadarenes were saddened (you might even say, "heart broken") by the fact that the/those demon(s) who ran violently down the hill and drowned in the lake took the herd of swine with them.
You see, Adam, quite often we (and, this includes those of us who are His) want to have our troubles dispersed of, but we want to keep our herd of swine. Yes, at times, we ask Him to: "Solve our problems, yet save our pigs." Does this sound, at all, familiar?
Adam, I really believe that it would do all of us well to remember the "Law of Sacrifice." This leadership law teaches us, that "We need to give up, in order to go up." You'll find, as you search God's Word that anybody who ever went on to do great things for Him, had to give up certain things in his/her life to be able to attain that level of greatness. Yes, we need to be ready to lay aside anything and everything that is holding us back, from going forth and glorifying Him. We need to willingly sacrifice whatever it is that He's calling us to "rid ourselves of," so that we can shine forth for Him - as He intends for us to.
I'll leave you by listing a few examples of some characters found in the Bible who actually did this: Moses, Abraham, Paul, and Steven; to name a few. Yes, there are plenty of others you'll find throughout the Scriptures (as well as, today - in the modern era) who willingly "let go of specific 'things;'" and agreed to "put off a certain 'way of living'" that they once "prized;" in order to follow Him. And, each of these people went on to achieve that all-surpassing greatness that's found only in Him. And, some of these individuals attained this level of excellence during their earthly lives, while others have a gloroius eternity awaiting them. Thanks, Adam!
In Christ,
Brian E. Gyarmati
thanks for the comment!
It's nice to hear both feedback and that someone checks in on the sermonblog every once in awhile
adam
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