1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,280 Please turn with me in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 58. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:11,000 You can find Isaiah 58 on page 617 in the chair Bibles. 3 00:00:21,390 --> 00:00:26,390 In this chapter, Isaiah gives a rebuke to the House of Jacob for 4 00:00:26,390 --> 00:00:32,110 their sinful fasts and broken Sabbaths, for their hypocrisy in 5 00:00:32,110 --> 00:00:35,390 seeking God while hating their neighbor. 6 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,880 We'll start in verse one. Cry aloud. 7 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:45,720 Do not hold back. Lift up your voice like a 8 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:47,880 trumpet. Declare to my people their 9 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,080 transgression to the House of Jacob, their sins. 10 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,000 Yet they seek Me daily and delight to know my ways, as if 11 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,840 they were a nation that did righteousness and did not 12 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:00,680 forsake the judgment of their God. 13 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,280 They ask of me righteous judgments. 14 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,480 They delight to draw near to God. 15 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,160 Why have we fasted, and you see it not? 16 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,400 Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it? 17 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,400 Behold, in the day of your fast, you seek your own pleasure, and 18 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,880 oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to 19 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,080 quarrel, and to fight, and to hit with a wicked fist. 20 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,720 Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard 21 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,000 on high. Is such the fast that I choose a 22 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:32,760 day for a person to humble himself? 23 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,640 Is it to bow down his head like a Reed, and to spread sackcloth 24 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,240 and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a 25 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,560 day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:49,080 choose to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps 27 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,560 of the yolk, to let the oppressed go free, and to break 28 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,560 every yolk? Is it not to share your bread 29 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,920 with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house? 30 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,120 When you see the naked to cover him, and not to hide yourself 31 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,720 from your own flesh? Then shall your light break 32 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,440 forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up 33 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,680 speedily. Your righteousness shall go 34 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,280 before you. The glory of the Lord shall be 35 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,400 your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the 36 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,480 Lord will answer. You shall cry, and he will say, 37 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,600 Here I am. If you take away the yoke from 38 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,040 your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, 39 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,920 if you pour yourself out for the hungry, and satisfy the desire 40 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:35,880 of the afflicted, then shall your right light rise in the 41 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,080 darkness, and your gloom be as the noonday. 42 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,000 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your 43 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,880 desire in scorched places, and make your bones strong. 44 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,640 And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, 45 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:55,680 whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be 46 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,040 rebuilt, and you shall raise up the foundations of many 47 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,760 generations. You shall be called the repairer 48 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,320 of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. 49 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,880 If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your 50 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,720 pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and 51 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,600 the holy day of the Lord honorable. 52 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,480 If you honor it, not going your own ways or seeking your own 53 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,600 pleasure, or taking or talking idly, then you shall take 54 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:27,040 delight in the Lord. And I will make you ride on the 55 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,320 heights of the earth. I will feed you with the 56 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,440 heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has 57 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,760 spoken. Let's pray. 58 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,080 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word from Isaiah 58 and 59 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:47,920 I pray that as we consider this rebuke, that we would consider 60 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,040 our own hearts, our own lives, ways that we need to turn from 61 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,680 our sin, and that we would turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, the 62 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,320 righteous one in whom there is all hope. 63 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:01,880 So we pray this in Jesus name, Amen. 64 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,480 Church heard. A lot of people these days are 65 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,200 talking about church heard and spiritual abuse, and I think 66 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,040 it's how people realize how common it actually is. 67 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,120 I've been surprised at how many people in this church have 68 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,040 church hurt in their past. And as you hear different 69 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,520 people's stories and as you read about many high profile 70 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,160 spiritual abuse cases from famous pastors and well known 71 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,240 churches, you often see some similar patterns. 72 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:37,440 Often times there's a charismatic leader, someone 73 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,680 who's highly gifted, passionate, zealous, full of big emotions 74 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,920 for God and, and for doing God's will. 75 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,720 These people appear to have an intense and strong relationship 76 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,160 with God. Maybe they're fervent in worship 77 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,680 and in prayer and in fasting. They, they attract a lot of 78 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,440 followers and people assume because this leader is so 79 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,480 zealous, so fervent in seeking God, so committed to their 80 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:10,080 spiritual movement that that they are spiritually mature. 81 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,360 But tragically, they're often wrong. 82 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,800 These charismatic leaders who express strong emotion for God 83 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,680 also end up showing strong emotion towards those who get in 84 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,240 their way. For those who aren't getting 85 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,960 with the program, they spiritually abuse those under 86 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,680 them in the in the name of protecting the vision and 87 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,200 mission of the church. They hurt people under the guise 88 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,880 of loving God. This is the kind of hypocrisy 89 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,440 that Isaiah rebukes Israel for here in Isaiah 58. 90 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:50,520 Seeking God zealously while hating your neighbor. 91 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,760 That's something that God hates very much and will not tolerate. 92 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,560 True humility toward God is expressed in humility toward 93 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,560 others. Love for God is never meant to 94 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,520 be void of love for neighbor. Our vertical relationship always 95 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,800 has an essential horizontal expression. 96 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,240 So as we study Isaiah's 58th chapter, we'll consider 5 97 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,520 things. The rebuke, the requirements, 98 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,840 the reward, the righteous one. And then we'll ask, So what? 99 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:26,080 And and consider how we can apply this prophecy to our 100 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:30,000 lives. All right, first, the rebuke. 101 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,360 Let's look at the first 5 verses. 102 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,240 In verse one, we hear God's call to Isaiah to confront Israel for 103 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,760 their sin. Cry aloud. 104 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,440 Do not hold back. Lift up your voice like a 105 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,600 trumpet. Declare to my people their 106 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,840 transgression to the House of Jacob. 107 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:51,520 Their sins is often in the job description of God's prophets. 108 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,520 To do The Dirty work of calling people out for their sin and 109 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,280 pointing out people's sins has never been popular. 110 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,440 It's a major faux pas in American culture, but it should 111 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,680 be important to us Christians. Wise and mature Christians know 112 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,240 how dangerous their sins are, and they want other Christians 113 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:15,760 to help them see their sin. The fool hates rebuke, while the 114 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,080 wise person welcomes it as sharpening and helpful. 115 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,040 Proverbs 9 verse 8 says do not reprove A scoffer or he will 116 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,400 hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will 117 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:32,240 love you. Isaiah's rebuke in this chapter 118 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,240 probably wasn't originally received very warmly. 119 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,320 But how will you receive it today? 120 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:40,920 This rebuke wasn't just for Israel. 121 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:42,880 It's for all who hear God's Word. 122 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,760 So Are you ready and willing for God's Word to show you your sin 123 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:54,160 and to point you to a Savior? In verse 2, we read about the 124 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,600 religious zeal of Israel. Verse 2. 125 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,280 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways as if 126 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,000 they were a nation that did righteousness and did not 127 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,160 forsake the judgments of their God. 128 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,760 They ask of me righteous judgments. 129 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,120 They delight to draw near to God. 130 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,880 Here we see begin to see Israel's sin, the sin of 131 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,200 hypocrisy. On the outside, it looks as if 132 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,000 they're zealous for following God. 133 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,800 They seek God daily, they delight to know His ways, they 134 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,480 pray to God, and they even delight to draw near to God. 135 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:36,120 Just because someone has strong emotions for seeking God doesn't 136 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,679 guarantee that they're the real deal. 137 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,640 We must also see how they treat other people. 138 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,080 Look now, verse 3. Here Israel speaks as if they're 139 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,240 shocked that God hasn't noticed how humble they are. 140 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,600 Verse 3, why have we fasted and you see it not? 141 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,040 Why have we humbled ourselves and you take no knowledge of it? 142 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,040 Here we see Israel's heart problem. 143 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,360 They're fasting for all the wrong reasons. 144 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,640 They're fasting in order to be seen by God and merit His favor. 145 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,320 This is the heart of the legalist, the one who believes 146 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,000 they can please God through their external obedience to 147 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,560 God's law. If they check the right boxes, 148 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:22,920 if they say the right stuff, if they're they could be at the 149 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,320 right places, do the right thing, then they'll be on God's 150 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:32,920 good side. Jesus shared a parable of this 151 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,960 kind of person in Luke 18, the parable of the tax collector and 152 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:39,040 Pharisee. It's one of my favorite 153 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,520 parables. Jesus shares of two men who go 154 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,680 go to the temple. The 1st is a Pharisee who stands 155 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:50,480 and he prays confidently. God, I thank you that I'm not 156 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:55,640 like other men, extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even like 157 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:59,000 this tax collector. I fast twice a week. 158 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:06,040 I give tithes of all that I get. This Pharisee trusted in himself 159 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,800 that he was righteous and he had contempt for others who were 160 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:15,240 worse people than what he was. He believed he was in a 161 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,920 different camp than sinners because he didn't do the really 162 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,720 bad stuff that they did. And he was faithful in his 163 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,560 fasting and so generous with his money. 164 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,520 He faithfully sought God, unlike these sinners. 165 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,840 The Pharisee in Jesus parable gets at the heart of God's 166 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:42,920 critique of Israel in Isaiah 58. They had external obedience, but 167 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,800 they also had pride and they and they lacked love for others. 168 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,880 We see this in the last half of verse 3 and into verse 4. 169 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,440 Behold in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure and 170 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:00,920 oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel 171 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,000 and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. 172 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,200 Their fasting was really all about themselves and their own 173 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,840 pleasure. And while they rested and 174 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:15,640 fasted, they oppressed their workers, maybe making their 175 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,800 servants work twice as hard so that they could rest and fast 176 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,520 during during their special fast. 177 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,520 Furthermore, as we see in verse 4, their fasts would erupt into 178 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,720 quarrels and fights that things would even get physical. 179 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,800 Maybe they were being physically abusive toward their servants. 180 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:38,240 We talk about hangry. Just imagine these people being 181 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,720 so careful to observe the fast with all the other good Jews, 182 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,240 but then getting so hungry and angry at their Jewish servants 183 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:47,640 that they would just lash out at them. 184 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,720 I could just imagine them putting their heads on their 185 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:55,560 pillow that night, proud of themselves for keeping the fast 186 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,480 and being so faithful to God like all the other good Jews, 187 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,400 while lacking any self reflection on how they have 188 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:08,520 mistreated others. God hates this kind of false, 189 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,800 empty religion. Love for God looks like love for 190 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,920 neighbor. We see this in the 10 191 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,160 commandments. The first four focus on love for 192 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,320 God and then the last 6 focus on love for neighbor. 193 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:25,600 And you cannot divorce a love for God from love for neighbor. 194 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,600 So how does God respond to this kind of hypocritical fasting? 195 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:37,720 Look at the end of verse 4. Fasting like yours this day will 196 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,640 not make your voice to be heard on high. 197 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,880 Wow. God responded to the sinful 198 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,960 fasting by not responding to their prayers. 199 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,840 Because they weren't showing mercy to their neighbors. 200 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,560 They wouldn't be receiving mercy when they called out to God in 201 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:01,480 prayer. That's really serious. 202 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,800 And this isn't the only place in Scripture where we see God say 203 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,320 that He won't listen to the prayers of those who mistreat 204 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,920 others. Here are a few other verses. 205 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:16,400 Proverbs 21, verse 13. Whoever closes his ear to the 206 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,640 poor, to the cry of the poor, will himself call out and not be 207 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:26,040 answered. And Jesus in the beatitude says 208 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:30,880 says this in Matthew 5, verse 7. Blessed are the merciful, for 209 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:36,280 they shall receive mercy. And James 213, which we read 210 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:41,400 earlier, says, For judgment is without mercy to the one who has 211 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:46,200 shown no mercy. And then the apostle Peter, he, 212 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,480 he speaks to, he writes to husbands in first Peter 37, he 213 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,120 says likewise. Husbands, live with your wives 214 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,600 in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker 215 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,160 vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, 216 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,360 so that your prayers may not be hindered. 217 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:09,520 So that your prayers may not be hindered. 218 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,800 The husband's love and honor your wives, because if you 219 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,000 don't, your prayers may go unanswered. 220 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,520 God takes mercy very seriously, and He will not listen to the 221 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,520 cries of mercy from those who are merciless toward their 222 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,640 neighbors. Now, of course, there may be 223 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,400 other reasons why God isn't granting your prayers. 224 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,720 I know so many of you have just really big concerns on your 225 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,360 heart that you're praying so much for, and God has. 226 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,120 God hasn't been saying yes to those things. 227 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,640 There's so many other reasons why God might, might, might say 228 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,280 no or not yet to your prayer request. 229 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,280 But right now we're focusing on what we're seeing just in this 230 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,840 passage here. It's important for us to reflect 231 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,440 on on how merciful we are towards others. 232 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,840 So that's God's rebuke of Israel. 233 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,200 Now let's look at the second part of this passage, the 234 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,520 requirements. What righteous living does God 235 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:13,160 require of his people? What is the fast that pleases 236 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,600 God? And how does God desire to be 237 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:21,160 worshipped on his Sabbath day? Let's look at verse 6 here and 238 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:25,560 then we'll we'll continue down and jump down to verse 13. 239 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:31,960 So verse 6, is not this the fast that I choose to loose the bonds 240 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,440 of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yolk, to let the 241 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,560 oppressed go free, and to break every yolk? 242 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,880 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the 243 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,560 homeless poor into your house when you see the naked to cover 244 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,960 him and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 245 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:57,960 The fast that God delights in is far more about is far more about 246 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:03,520 the ACT is the fast that God delights in is far less than the 247 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:08,960 about the act of not eating food and more about how to love their 248 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:13,400 love your neighbor. During the fast in verse 6, we 249 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:17,280 see that God desires for those who are pressed to be set free 250 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,400 for their heavy yokes to be permanently broken and taken 251 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,320 off, for them to be freed from enslavement to wicked treatment 252 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,120 by those who have power over them. 253 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,360 And verse 7 we see that God desires for his people to to 254 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:34,640 still make food when they fast, but instead of eating it 255 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,560 themselves, they are to give it to the hungry. 256 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,600 They're also to house the homeless and to clothe the 257 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,160 naked. The righteous fast that God 258 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:49,200 requires doesn't find its full expression in not eating, but in 259 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:53,400 taking extra time to devote oneself to the justice of the 260 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,560 oppressed and the provision of the poor. 261 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,520 True religion finds its most mature expression not merely in 262 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:05,480 acts of love to God, but in acts of love towards neighbor. 263 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,319 Look at that the last line of verse 7 again. 264 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,560 And not to hide yourself from your own flesh. 265 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:23,520 Fake holy people hide from their own flesh and blood, from the 266 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,000 poor and weak and oppressed, from the needy dirty people. 267 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,120 They view these kinds of people as as holding them back from 268 00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:36,920 following God. We would do better to view our 269 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,880 holiness not so much in how we are separate and different than 270 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,720 sinful people, but in how we love and help those who are 271 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,440 sinful and weak and poor and oppressed. 272 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:53,360 Holiness moves toward others in love, and that movement toward 273 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:55,800 the lowly is a movement toward God. 274 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:05,680 The Pharisee in pair in Jesus parable viewed His Holiness as 275 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:10,800 separation from sinners, and for that he was unholy. 276 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,200 The tax collector who beat his breast and cried out, God have 277 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,680 mercy on me, a Sinner. He didn't try to compare himself 278 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,600 with other men, he only compared himself with God. 279 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:29,160 And in light of God's holiness, he saw himself as a Sinner and 280 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,280 God as a generous giver of mercy. 281 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,040 And so the tax collector went home. 282 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:45,560 Righteous, holy, justified. What about you? 283 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:52,000 Have you isolated yourself from the poor and the needy, from the 284 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:56,360 homeless, the sick, the mentally ill, the sojourner, the orphan? 285 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,920 I know there's certain seasons in life when you when you need 286 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:02,240 to care for children, for aging parents. 287 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,240 Maybe you need to take care of your own health. 288 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,440 But check yourself for a moment. Is there an openness in your 289 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:14,520 heart to open your home, to open your wallet, to open your 290 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,240 calendar to those in our society who have the greatest needs? 291 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,120 That's the kind of fast that God chooses. 292 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,600 A fast focused on serving others more than on just achieving a 293 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:35,520 personal piety goal. Now look down at verse 13 and 294 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,720 let's see what kind of worship God requires on His Sabbath day. 295 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,240 If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your 296 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,440 pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and 297 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,960 the holy day of the Lord honorable, if you honor it, not 298 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,680 going your own ways or seeking your own pleasure or talking 299 00:19:54,680 --> 00:20:00,760 idly, not not only was Israel fasting the wrong way, they were 300 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,360 also breaking the Sabbath. Just as they had made fasting 301 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:07,920 all about the pursuit of their own pleasures and wants, they 302 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,240 were doing the same thing with the Lord's Day. 303 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:13,640 They didn't delight in the Sabbath. 304 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,880 Instead, they probably saw it as a barrier to doing what they 305 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:22,000 wanted to do, worship and resting in God's work and 306 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,760 salvation. That was not a delight to them. 307 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,920 But God requires His people to worship and rest on His holy 308 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:35,080 day, to enjoy the blessing of rest from work, and to enjoy the 309 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,120 blessing of having a right relationship with God and 310 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:40,760 worshipping Him with the people of God. 311 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:48,080 Is the Lord's Day is a Sunday? Is this a burden to you or a 312 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,960 delight? Are you just here to check the 313 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,880 box of what you think God requires of you so you could 314 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:59,160 just stay on God's good side? That's the totally wrong way of 315 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,680 looking at it. Here's an illustration. 316 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:07,440 One of the funniest and most famous interviews of an NFL 317 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,680 player was of Seattle Seahawks former running back Marshawn 318 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,760 Lynch. NFL players are required to take 319 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:20,960 questions from the media and and one time and Marshawn just 320 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,800 absolutely hated those kinds of interviews. 321 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,120 He's a very private person. He just didn't like, he didn't 322 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:30,320 like all the show 1 time he didn't participate and he got 323 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,960 slapped with $100,000 fine by the NFL. 324 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:38,080 So after that, Marshawn found his own ways to participate in 325 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:43,800 as minimal a way as possible. Before Super Bowl 49, Marshawn 326 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,440 sat in front of the media, asked if his time had started and then 327 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,640 asked and then answered every question with I'm just here so I 328 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,680 won't get fined. I'm just here so I won't get 329 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,000 fined. I'm just here so I won't get 330 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,120 fined. He gave that same answer 29 331 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:03,840 times and as soon as his 5 minutes was up, he grabbed his 332 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,680 cell phone and he was out. Hopefully you're not attending 333 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,600 church with the same attitude Marshawn Lynch had with his 334 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:15,280 media interviews. Kids and teens, are you just 335 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:17,680 here at church so that you're you don't get in trouble with 336 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,960 your parents? Hey, you're honest. 337 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,840 It's good to be honest. Adults, are you just, are you 338 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,840 just here to do your religious duty? 339 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,760 Are you just here to stay on God's good side? 340 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,640 If that's your attitude this morning, you don't understand 341 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,720 the Lord's Day and the freedom and rest there is in worshipping 342 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:44,920 God with God's people. On the Lord's Day, we get to 343 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,960 hear the greatest news imaginable from God's Word that 344 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,960 we can be forgiven of our sins, We can have an everlasting 345 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,440 relationship with God and through Jesus. 346 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,280 There's just nothing greater than that. 347 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:01,760 Resting in God's love for you in Christ, gaining wisdom and 348 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,360 guidance for your life from His word, having fellowship with 349 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:10,000 other believers, getting to love and and serve other people, just 350 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,400 getting out of your own self-centered world. 351 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,600 If you can tell me something that's greater than that and 352 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:21,240 let's talk afterwards. So check your heart and take off 353 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,120 your worldly glasses and look at the Lord's Day through heaven's 354 00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:28,120 perspective. The worship God requires of you 355 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:32,200 on the Lord's Day is for your ultimate good, for your own 356 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:42,410 peace and joy and freedom. Those are God's requirements for 357 00:23:42,410 --> 00:23:46,770 fasting and for His Sabbath day. Now let's consider point #3 the 358 00:23:46,850 --> 00:23:51,170 the rewards. The Lord promises, blessing and 359 00:23:51,170 --> 00:23:54,730 reward for living out the requirements of His holy law of 360 00:23:54,730 --> 00:23:58,090 loving neighbor. Fasting, fasting genuinely, and 361 00:23:58,090 --> 00:24:00,090 worshiping God rightly on the Sabbath. 362 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,320 So far, the tone's been pretty negative, but the tone really 363 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,360 changes with the amazing blessings God promises for 364 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:13,000 obedience to His commands. So look with me at verses 8 365 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,960 through 12. Then shall your light break 366 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,880 forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up 367 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,200 speedily. Your righteousness shall go 368 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,360 before you. The glory of the Lord shall be 369 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:27,040 your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the 370 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,960 Lord will answer. You shall cry, and He will say, 371 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,000 Here I am. If you take away the yoke from 372 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,920 your midst, and the pointing of the finger, the speaking and 373 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,960 speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry, and 374 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,360 satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light 375 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:47,840 rise in the darkness, and your gloom be as the noonday. 376 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,440 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your 377 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,080 desire in scorched places and make your bones strong. 378 00:24:55,640 --> 00:25:00,040 And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water 379 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:05,080 whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be 380 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,040 rebuilt. You shall raise up the 381 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:11,160 foundations of many generations. You shall be called the repair 382 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:14,800 of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. 383 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,640 Now let's just jump down to verse 14 for the blessings that 384 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,600 come from observing the Sabbath rightly. 385 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:24,680 Then you shall take delight in the Lord. 386 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,000 And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth. 387 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,280 I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, 388 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,680 for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 389 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,240 Wow, this is amazing, Amazing promises. 390 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,160 So what kind of blessings do we see here? 391 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,520 Promised for obedience to God's requirements. 392 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:50,520 God promises healing, righteousness, the nearness and 393 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,360 protection of God, light and guidance from God. 394 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:57,000 A close intimate relationship with God. 395 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:03,160 Ancient ruins being rebuilt, the heritage of Jacob, these are 396 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,480 just some of the best blessings God could promise. 397 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:11,560 And as you read these blessings, it's, it's, it's almost, it 398 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:16,280 almost reads of what life would be like in Eden with God. 399 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,280 You know, verse 11, there's the promise of life like a watered 400 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:24,080 garden. And verse 9 speaks of having 401 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,160 such a close relationship with God that when you speak to him, 402 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,400 God, he responds saying, here I am because his presence is right 403 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,960 there with you. No gloom and sadness, only light 404 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:43,520 and joy. So these promises, kind of the 405 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:46,600 more you start to think about them, the more they sound like 406 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,360 blessings, the blessings of heaven rather than mere earthly 407 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:56,120 blessings. So why does it sound as if these 408 00:26:56,120 --> 00:27:01,880 heavenly Edenic blessings can be earned by obedience to God's 409 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,840 requirements? You see all these if then 410 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,920 statements, if you do this, then these blessings will come. 411 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:13,440 I think what's happening here in Isaiah 58 is similar to what 412 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:17,200 Jesus says to a rich man in Matthew 19. 413 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:24,920 So please turn your Bibles to Matthew 19 starting in verse 16. 414 00:27:31,530 --> 00:27:35,490 In Matthew 19, a rich man comes to Jesus and asks him the all 415 00:27:35,490 --> 00:27:39,770 important question. Teacher, what good deed must I 416 00:27:39,770 --> 00:27:43,290 do to have eternal life? That's a great question, isn't 417 00:27:43,290 --> 00:27:46,090 it? And so how does Jesus respond? 418 00:27:47,330 --> 00:27:50,410 Does Jesus share the gospel with him? 419 00:27:50,410 --> 00:27:54,520 Does he say repent and believe in the gospel as Jesus often 420 00:27:54,520 --> 00:28:01,440 would preach? No, Jesus gives him the law, not 421 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:04,320 the gospel. Look at verse 17. 422 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,240 And Jesus said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? 423 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,320 There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep 424 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,840 the commandments. He said to him, which ones? 425 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,920 And Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit 426 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,200 adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false 427 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,960 witness, honor your father and mother, and you shall love your 428 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,800 neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him, All 429 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:34,800 these I have kept, what do I still lack? 430 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:41,200 Jesus said to him, If you would be perfect, go sell what you 431 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,360 possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in 432 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,520 heaven. And come follow me. 433 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,880 When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he 434 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:57,440 had great possessions. Why did Jesus give him the law? 435 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:03,840 Why did he give the same demand as Isaiah 58, that the rich man 436 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,920 must give generously to the poor? 437 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:12,120 Jesus wanted to show that the only way to eternal life through 438 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,600 the law is through perfect obedience. 439 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,320 This is what US Reformed theologians call the covenant of 440 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:24,840 works, or the covenant of life. That eternal life with God is 441 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,760 promised on the condition of perfect obedience. 442 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,920 But when we're faced with the law's demands, it convicts us, 443 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,480 and we crumble like the rich man because we know we can never be 444 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:41,360 as loving to God and to our neighbor as is required by God. 445 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:46,160 And so how do we respond to the law's unreachable requirements? 446 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:53,800 Jesus disciples responded in verse 25 by asking who then can 447 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,400 be saved? I think that's the proper 448 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,600 response. Who then can be saved? 449 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:05,280 Jesus response to them saying with man this is impossible, but 450 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,160 with God all things are possible. 451 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:14,360 That's what we must feel when we read the requirements and the 452 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:18,760 rewards of Isaiah 58. That it feels impossible to earn 453 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:22,080 the rewards of heaven. That we could never love the 454 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,840 poor and the needy as well as what God requires. 455 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:28,040 And we can never observe the Sabbath as faithfully as what 456 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,280 God has asked. And when we understand that it's 457 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:36,640 impossible to merit the reward of heaven, we should turn to 458 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,240 Jesus with empty hands and cry out like the tax collector. 459 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:46,480 God have mercy on me, a Sinner with man. 460 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,800 Salvation is impossible, but it isn't impossible with Jesus. 461 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,080 Jesus is the righteous one, the one who never sinned, the one 462 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,280 who fulfills all the requirements of God's law, who 463 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:04,760 fasted perfectly and perfectly loved the poor and needy. 464 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,520 He was perfectly merciful to all. 465 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:11,520 He delighted in the Sabbath. He showed mercy to the needy on 466 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:15,640 the Sabbath. This Jesus is the righteous one, 467 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,240 the only one who deserves the promised blessings of God. 468 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:26,120 If we just read Isaiah 58 and just isolate it from the rest of 469 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:30,680 Isaiah's message as if there's there's no perfect savior 470 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:32,800 coming, there's no suffering servant. 471 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:39,640 If we do that, then if all we have Isaiah 58, then all we'd be 472 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:43,480 left with is a legal moral teaching with no hope outside of 473 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,960 ourselves. All we'd be left with is a 474 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:51,280 feeling that we just got to love the poor better, We just got to 475 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,160 observe the Sabbath better in order to merit God's favor. 476 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,200 And eventually we'd be just either blinded by our own pride 477 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,040 because we think we're doing good, or we'd be just honest 478 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:07,440 with ourselves and despair. But the message of Isaiah, the 479 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,200 whole message of the whole book is one of hope in a coming 480 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,720 Savior. Isaiah 58 promises that there 481 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,360 will be no more gloom and there will be light for those who meet 482 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,280 God's requirements. But do you remember what God 483 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,600 promised way back in Isaiah Chapter 9? 484 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:29,360 Isaiah Chapter 9 verse one says, But there will be no gloom for 485 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:33,600 her, her who is in anguish. Verse 2 the people who walked in 486 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,240 darkness have seen a great light. 487 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:41,040 Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light 488 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,080 shone. And then verse 6 For to us a 489 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:48,720 child is born. Light was coming for those who 490 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,120 lived in darkness and gloom, and it would not come because of 491 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,160 their obedience to God's law, but because Jesus is God's free 492 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:01,480 gift to sinners. Jesus is the light of the world 493 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:04,920 that has come and has shown in this Dark World. 494 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:10,240 He has brought truth and hope to a world without direction and a 495 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:15,920 world without a drop of hope. And in Isaiah 61, we'll see this 496 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:19,040 in a few weeks. Jesus has promised to come and 497 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:23,120 usher in a Kingdom where the oppressed captives are free and 498 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:27,320 the poor are no more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon 499 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:30,920 me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the 500 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,400 poor. He has sent me to bind up the 501 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,960 broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the 502 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,640 opening of the prison to those who are bound. 503 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:46,920 And do you remember how we read in Isaiah 58, verse 12, how God 504 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:51,360 promised to rebuild the ancient ruins, To rebuild the ancient 505 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:57,560 ruins if they would obey Him? Well, in Isaiah 61, verse 4, God 506 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:02,240 promises that the ancient ruins will be built up with the coming 507 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:04,280 of the Kingdom that Jesus will establish. 508 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,120 They shall build up the ancient ruins. 509 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,760 They shall raise up the former devastations. 510 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,840 They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many 511 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,760 generations. Jesus the righteous 1. 512 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,960 He will bring to his people all the promised blessings of Isaiah 513 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,520 58, not because of their obedience to the law, but 514 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:29,400 because of his obedience to the law, and because of his grace 515 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:32,400 and mercy and kindness and generosity. 516 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:37,000 So don't put your hope and your obedience to God's law. 517 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:42,800 Let God's law humble you and put your faith and trust in Jesus 518 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:47,920 the righteous, 1 the one who is bringing a Kingdom of prosperity 519 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:53,920 and peace. So what? 520 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:59,480 How are we to live in light of Isaiah 58 and really in light of 521 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,680 the whole message, the whole gospel message of Isaiah? 522 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,960 So three things. First, live in right 523 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,360 relationships with others around you. 524 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:14,040 Consider how Jesus has had mercy on you, and then share that 525 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,960 mercy with others. It's really that simple. 526 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:24,200 You'll never be able to be holy enough on your own, so don't try 527 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,080 to earn God's favor by loving the poor and the needy around 528 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:30,120 you. Rest in the gospel of Jesus 529 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,520 Christ that God loves you because you are in Jesus. 530 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:38,040 You're his adopted child. Think how generous God's been to 531 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,240 you in Christ and how you don't deserve His blessings at all, 532 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,800 and then share what you have with others. 533 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,800 Loving others is how you how you can live a holy life before God. 534 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:54,280 Don't view others as other people as getting in the way of 535 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:57,360 your spiritual growth, but rather as the very opportunities 536 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,600 God has for you to become more like Him. 537 00:36:03,240 --> 00:36:05,040 There are many other ways. There are many ways that we can 538 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:09,120 be generous to the poor in our community and to give to those 539 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:13,120 who are needy in our own church. Talk with the Mercy Committee 540 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,120 about ways you can help our church body. 541 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,920 Go on a trip to Crow Creek, volunteer with Next Chapter 542 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:25,440 Ministries, Teen Challenge or The Landing, donate to our 543 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:29,040 Community Schools box in the foyer or donate to a local food 544 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:32,120 shelf. You can also get involved with 545 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,520 Together for good. We we heard them present in at 546 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:38,200 the Sunday school today and you can help local families with 547 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:42,480 very tangible needs, or you can meet tangible needs through the 548 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,800 care portal. There's so many ways we can love 549 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,800 those who have needs and share the mercy of God. 550 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,000 So let's live and right relationships with the needy 551 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,920 around us. Let's not ignore them. 552 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:05,160 Second, let's worship God rightly as we fast. 553 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:09,000 Let's fast the right way. John Calvin wrote about how 554 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:14,240 fasting should be auxiliary or supplemental to prayer and other 555 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:16,520 good works that God desires for us to do. 556 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:21,840 So let's fast in order to improve our prayerfulness, to 557 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:25,760 help us focus ourselves on the needs of others. 558 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:30,160 And perhaps to help focus, I'm turning away from some specific 559 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:35,400 sin or fast to increase your longing for the return of Jesus, 560 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:40,600 our bridegroom. Let's also worship God rightly 561 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:45,440 on the Lord's Day. Be faithful to coming to to 562 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:48,640 worship each Sunday and and grow in your delight in the Lord's 563 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:51,200 Day. If you have a bad attitude on 564 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,560 Sundays, or maybe take some time to reflect on how important 565 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:59,680 worship is and how amazing the promises of the gospel are, you 566 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,720 might complain that you don't have friends at church, but 567 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:05,680 worship on Sundays is so much more than just hanging out with 568 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:09,080 friends. You have a church family and you 569 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:12,880 got many opportunities to love others and to grow in wisdom 570 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:17,240 and, and, and to serve others. And you just can't put a value 571 00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:20,920 on that. Some of you need to make Sunday 572 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:25,000 worship a greater priority. Obviously some of you are 573 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,240 employed on Sundays and jobs that show mercy to others, and 574 00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:30,000 that's great. That's wonderful. 575 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:35,440 But maybe you're here and you've been making the Lord's Day your 576 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,520 day, a day for your personal goals and wants and comforts. 577 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,920 So you repent from that and open your eyes to all the good things 578 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:48,120 God has for you here in corporate worship and as you go 579 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:52,400 from here living out the one another's of Scripture with the 580 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:58,640 church. And finally live with the right 581 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,760 hope. The right hope. 582 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,680 Isaiah 58 paints an amazing picture of people giving to the 583 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,160 poor and bringing justice to the oppressed. 584 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:11,400 And we want that so badly for our world, but we need to put 585 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,960 our hope not in any earthly government to make that happen, 586 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:19,240 or any church program to make that happen, or any peer church 587 00:39:19,240 --> 00:39:23,160 ministry to finally do away with all the injustices of this 588 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:26,280 world. The Kingdom of heaven won't come 589 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:30,040 through man, but only through the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. 590 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:36,400 Isaiah 65 says that Jesus will create new heavens and a new 591 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,520 earth, a Kingdom where there will be no more weeping, no more 592 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:44,760 death, no more conflict. The wolf and the lamb shall live 593 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:49,000 together in God's holy mountain. There will be no more poor, no 594 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:54,400 more injustice, no more oppression to put all of your 595 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:58,920 hope in the coming of Jesus Christ and the forever Kingdom 596 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:03,480 He will establish. Yes, we can help the poor and we 597 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:07,760 can fight injustice, but our ultimate hope in the lasting 598 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:11,600 change needs to be in Christ's second coming and His eternal 599 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:16,280 Kingdom. So live with right hope in 600 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:19,640 Christ's coming Kingdom. Let's pray. 601 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:25,240 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this chapter, for this 602 00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:28,960 prophecy. We thank you for showing us our 603 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:32,080 sin, the ways that we have fallen short of your glory. 604 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:36,120 Thank you for pointing us to Jesus the righteous. 1 Thank you 605 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:39,400 that we have hope in him. Thank you that we have life in 606 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:40,920 him. Thank you that he became a curse 607 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:44,400 for us so that we could have the blessings of God. 608 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:49,960 We ask not now Lord, that as we go from here that we would show 609 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:55,160 mercy to others, that we would be humble to our neighbor, that 610 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:58,560 we would meet the needs of those around us because you've been so 611 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:02,520 merciful to us. This we pray in Jesus name, 612 00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:03,240 Amen.