1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,400 Going to invite you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,440 book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,320 Specifically, we're going to be looking at chapter 49 today, 4 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:15,520 Isaiah chapter 49. You can find the page of where 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,520 that is in the red Bibles in the bulletin. 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,960 I want to thank Elder AC for filling the pulpit for us last 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:23,400 Sunday. So ably. 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,760 Stephanie and I were able to listen to the sermon as we were 9 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,840 coming home from the airports. You heard an excellent 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,400 exposition of Isaiah 48 with some very helpful and good 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,680 applications. And because he covered Isaiah 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,400 48, we're looking at Isaiah 49 today. 13 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,360 Just a quick snapshot of what's coming up over the next six 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:46,800 weeks or so. Next Sunday begins the season of 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,520 Advent, so we'll be taking a break from the book of Isaiah 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,920 for the four Sundays of Advent. We have a guest preacher the 17 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,960 last Sunday of December, and we have a guest preacher the first 18 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,480 Sunday of January, and then our men's retreat speaker is going 19 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,160 to be preaching the second Sunday in January. 20 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,640 At that point, we'll come back and jump back into Isaiah. 21 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,920 But today we're looking at Isaiah chapter 49. 22 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,240 As I've mentioned to you before, it's good as we're looking at 23 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,440 these verses, to be thinking about 3 different time frames. 24 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,880 The 1st is the time frame in which Isaiah ministered. 25 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,760 That was around 7:40 to 700 BC, the people originally hearing 26 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,320 Isaiah's words and prophecy. Secondly, the time frame of the 27 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:37,680 people that Isaiah is addressing in this last section of the 28 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:43,200 book, chapters 40 through 66, those were the people of God who 29 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:49,200 were in exile in Babylon from 586 to around 539 BC. 30 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,560 And then the third time frame is today, God's people today. 31 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,040 So what does Isaiah have to say to us? 32 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,600 What does Isaiah have to say in all three of those time frames? 33 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,200 Let's look and see what God's Word says. 34 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,960 Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from 35 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,760 afar. The Lord called me from the 36 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,360 womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. 37 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,680 He made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand 38 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,960 He hid me. He made me a polished arrow in 39 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:26,600 his quiver. He hid me away. 40 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,680 And he said to me, You are my servant Israel, in whom I will 41 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,240 be glorified. But I said, I have laboured in 42 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,840 vain, I have spent my strength for nothing in vanity, Yet 43 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,280 surely my right is with the Lord, in my recompense with my 44 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,120 God. And now the Lord says he who 45 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,560 formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back 46 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,400 to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him. 47 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,960 For I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become 48 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,600 my strength. He says it is to light a thing 49 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,200 that you should be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, 50 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,040 and to bring back the preserved of Israel. 51 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,240 I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation 52 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:10,840 may reach to the ends of the earth. 53 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,520 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his holy 1 to 1 54 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,880 deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers. 55 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,440 Kings shall see and arise, Princess, and they shall 56 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,840 prostate themselves because of the Lord who is faithful, the 57 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,920 Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you. 58 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,240 Thus says the Lord, in a time of favour I have answered you, in a 59 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:35,960 day of salvation I have helped you. 60 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,560 I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people to 61 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,400 establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying 62 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,320 to the prisoners, Come out to those who are in darkness 63 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,200 appear. They shall feed along the ways, 64 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,840 and all bare heights shall shall be their pasture. 65 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,800 They shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun 66 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,760 shall strike them. For he who has pity on them will 67 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,920 lead them, and by springs of water he will guide them. 68 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,440 And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be 69 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,240 raised up. Behold, these shall come from 70 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,880 afar, and behold these from the north and from the West, and 71 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:18,680 these from the land of Syene. Sing for joy, O heavens, and 72 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,680 exalt, O earth, break forth, O mountains, into singing. 73 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,320 For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion 74 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,240 on his afflicted. But Zion says, the Lord has 75 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:34,040 forsaken me. My Lord has forgotten me. 76 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,720 Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no 77 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:40,440 compassion on the son of her womb? 78 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,280 Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 79 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:49,760 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. 80 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,520 Your walls are continually before me. 81 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,680 Your builders make haste, your destroyers and those who laid 82 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,200 you waste. Go out from you, lift up your 83 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,680 eyes around, and see they all gather. 84 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,360 They come to you as I live, declares the Lord. 85 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,320 You shall put them all on as an ornament, you shall bind them on 86 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,080 as a bride does. Surely your waste and your 87 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,160 desolate places and your devastated land, surely now you 88 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,320 will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who 89 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,120 swallowed you up will be far away. 90 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,360 The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears, The 91 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,080 place is too narrow for me, make room for me to dwell in. 92 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:31,880 Then you will say in your heart, Who has borne me these? 93 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,200 I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away. 94 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,840 But who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone. 95 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,440 From where have these come? Thus says the Lord God, Behold, 96 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,600 I will lift up my hand to the nation's and raise my signal to 97 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,680 the peoples, and they shall bring your sons in your in your 98 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,720 in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on 99 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,320 their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster 100 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,200 fathers, and their Queens your nursing mothers. 101 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,000 With their faces to the ground, they shall bow down to you and 102 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,960 lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the 103 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,560 Lord. Those who wait for me shall not 104 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,520 be put to shame. Can the prey be taken from the 105 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,480 mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? 106 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,640 For thus, says the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall 107 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,480 be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued. 108 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,800 For I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will 109 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,040 save your children. I will make your oppressors eat 110 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,280 their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as 111 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:36,800 with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I 112 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:41,560 am the Lord your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of 113 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,920 Jacob. Let's pray together. 114 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,520 Father, we thank you for the power of your word. 115 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,200 We pray for your Spirit to be at work taking it this morning as 116 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,160 we read it, as we meditate upon it. 117 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,000 And we pray that the Spirit would press it deeply into our 118 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,000 hearts and minds such that we grow in our understanding of who 119 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,960 you are, that we would grow in our love for you, that we would 120 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,000 grow in our desire and our ability to live lives that are 121 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,600 pleasing to you. All this we ask in the name of 122 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,040 our Savior, the Lord Jesus, Amen. 123 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:38,520 Have you ever felt forgotten? Maybe by your friends, maybe by 124 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,440 your family, maybe even by the Lord? 125 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,360 William Carey, considered to be the father of modern missions, 126 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:55,000 lived from 1761 to 1834. He was born in England, and as a 127 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,120 Baptist missionary he went to India in 1793. 128 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:04,720 Now he went expecting and planning for hardship and 129 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,040 difficulty. But what he didn't expect was 130 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,520 silence. Feeling like he had been 131 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:15,400 forgotten, he ministered for seven long, hard years. 132 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,400 He preached the Word. He translated the Bible into 133 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,960 various languages. He learned the languages of the 134 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,160 people. He served among the people. 135 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,440 And there was no response to the gospel. 136 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,640 No revivals, no converts, no letters from home. 137 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,520 Even his own mission board rarely contacted him. 138 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,080 He wrote in his journal at one point. 139 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:43,120 I feel as if I am forgotten by the world and perhaps even by 140 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,760 God. He said he felt that the Lord 141 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,560 had hidden his face from him. His wife suffered a mental 142 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:55,480 breakdown, he had a child die from disease and his financial 143 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,600 support dried up. He said he often felt like he 144 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,040 was burying himself alive. Where was the Lord? 145 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:08,680 Had the Lord forsaken William Carey and the work in India? 146 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:16,240 Had the Lord forgotten him? After seven years, Kerry 147 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,120 witnessed his first convert to Christianity. 148 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,600 Krishna. Paul came to faith in Christ and 149 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,680 was baptized in the Ganges River. 150 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,360 Within a decade, the Bible had been translated into several 151 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,360 Indian languages. Schools for children and 152 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,560 theological schools have been established and a foundation was 153 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:41,920 laid for generations of gospel ministry in the country of 154 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,360 India. And years later, Kerry wrote 155 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,240 that he could see at that point God had been at work all along 156 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:53,320 and had not forgotten him, that God had been faithful. 157 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,600 God's people that Isaiah is addressing in this chapter. 158 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,560 We're living in exile in Babylon. 159 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,840 They were away from the promised land. 160 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,640 They were away from the temple. They were away from the 161 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,000 sacrificial system. They no doubt had been separated 162 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,840 from friends and loved ones. They were living in a foreign 163 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:18,040 land under a Pagan king, foreign language, a land full of idols 164 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,360 and Pagan gods. It's no wonder that they said, 165 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:26,520 as we read in verse 14, the Lord has forsaken us, The Lord has 166 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,560 forgotten us. They felt forgotten. 167 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:32,160 They felt forsaken. They felt abandoned and 168 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:37,080 disowned, like the Lord was hiding his face from his people. 169 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:42,160 And the Lord spoke to his people then, and he speaks to his 170 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,280 people today. I have not forgotten you. 171 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,120 I have not forsaken you or abandoned you. 172 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,520 Rather, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. 173 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:59,920 And in fact, I am sending my servant to you to rescue and 174 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:03,200 redeem you. I am the Lord, your Savior and 175 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,440 your Redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob, he said. 176 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,520 I am faithful to my covenant promises. 177 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:14,200 I am faithful to you, my people, ever and always. 178 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,480 That's still true for God's people today. 179 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,480 So let's look at this passage and see if we can be filled with 180 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,160 encouragement and hope and motivation for loving and 181 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:29,120 obeying the Lord today. As we read these words, let's 182 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,680 look and see the the call of the Lord's Servant, the mission of 183 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:37,280 the Servant, the success of the Servant, and then let's ask, So 184 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,280 what? So first of all, the calling of 185 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,160 the Servant. You can see this in the 1st 4 186 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,440 verses of chapter 49. Now the first thing to notice is 187 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,760 that this is the second of what is referred to often as the 188 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,920 Servant songs of Isaiah. The first one was back in 189 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:58,080 chapter 42. The most well known ones are 190 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,560 ones that are coming up in a little while in chapters 52 and 191 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,680 53 and as we read about the servants. 192 00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:10,360 In Isaiah's words, the servant is serving a dual purpose. 193 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:14,280 The Lord spoke about His servant, referring at times to 194 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:18,000 the prophet Isaiah specifically. Even here Isaiah is being 195 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,480 referenced. Isaiah is speaking. 196 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,920 He also called Cyrus his Servant, the one who would 197 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,360 release His people, Israel to return home. 198 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:30,240 But even though there were often specific human people that were 199 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,120 being referred to as the servant of the Lord, more importantly 200 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:38,440 the the servant of the Lord and here in chapter 49 pointed 201 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,440 forward to a greater and ultimate servant who would come, 202 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,320 one who would come to redeem God's people from their sins and 203 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,360 bring reconciliation between God and His people. 204 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,680 The the servant spoken of in these chapters points us 205 00:12:54,680 --> 00:12:58,440 ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest servant of 206 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,960 all. So we have a servant in these 207 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,920 chapters that has a human earthly connotation, but also a 208 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,720 divine and supernational supernatural connotation. 209 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,880 And as we look at the 1st 4 verses of chapter 49, we we read 210 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:16,560 about the call of the Lord's servant, Isaiah. 211 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,120 We're told that Isaiah was called he that Isaiah called out 212 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,800 to the coastlands and to the peoples from afar. 213 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:27,600 He was, he was calling on the whole world to listen to him. 214 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,680 And what did he say? Well, he announces that the Lord 215 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:36,440 has called him from the womb. He says while he was still in 216 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,960 his mother's womb, the Lord named his name. 217 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,560 That is personal, that is intimate language. 218 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,720 And the Lord prepared Isaiah. See, he says that his he had his 219 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:54,480 mouth made like a sharp sword. The Lord hid him in the shadow 220 00:13:54,480 --> 00:14:00,160 of the Lord's hand, and the Lord declared him to be the Lord's 221 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,560 servant. He named him Israel here in 222 00:14:03,560 --> 00:14:07,240 these verses because what the nation of Israel failed to do 223 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:12,280 and being faithful to the Lord. This servants would fulfil 224 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,880 living faithfully for the Lord God Almighty. 225 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:19,880 And did you notice here as well in these verses in verse 4 in 226 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,240 particular, as the as is the case with many who are called to 227 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,200 serve the Lord. Isaiah doubted his 228 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,760 effectiveness. He he didn't see much fruit. 229 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,880 He says in verse 4 I have labored in vain. 230 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,200 I have spent my strength for nothing in vanity, he says. 231 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:42,320 But notice, even as he looks out, and he believes that he is 232 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,440 laboured in vain, he reminds himself of what is true. 233 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,960 The end of verse 4. Yet surely my right is with the 234 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,280 Lord, and my recompense with my God. 235 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,920 He recognizes. I look out and I feel like I 236 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,520 have laboured in vain, but I know in my heart of hearts my 237 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:05,280 reward is with the Lord, so I will walk faithfully with him. 238 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,760 The Lord called His servant Isaiah and set him apart for 239 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,320 work to be done. So what was the mission that He 240 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,280 was given? What we see that in verses 5 241 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,000 through 7. It was a 2 fold mission. 242 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,280 The first part of it is in verse 5. 243 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,720 And now the Lord says he who formed me from the womb to be 244 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,880 His servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be 245 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:31,160 gathered to him. The first part of the mission 246 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:35,440 that the servant Isaiah was given was to bring Jacob, to 247 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,960 bring Israel back to the Lord to to gather God's people back to 248 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,720 him. That through God's word that was 249 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:48,640 proclaimed by Isaiah, God's people to a lesser degree then 250 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,480 and hopefully to a much greater degree today, would know the 251 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:56,120 Lord, would know the Lord's character in his works and 252 00:15:56,120 --> 00:16:00,000 understand and believe the gospel and learn of God's grace 253 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,440 and be motivated and empowered to faithfully follow the Lord 254 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,520 all of their days. That was the first part of 255 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,440 Isaiah's mission. But but notice as we come to 256 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,240 verse 6, the Lord said something amazing. 257 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,800 He says in verse 6 that although that was part of the mission for 258 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,000 Isaiah's words to be used to release the people of God, that 259 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:23,880 they might come back out of exile. 260 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:29,400 The Lord says that that's too light of a mission, that's too 261 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,000 small of a mission. There there's something bigger 262 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,000 happening. What does he say the second part 263 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,360 of the mission is? He says the second part of the 264 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,240 of the of the mission in verses 6 and seven is he will bring 265 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,920 light of God's word and the truth and the grace of God's 266 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,640 word to the nations. He would proclaim the Lord's 267 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,400 salvations to the very ends of the earth. 268 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,280 Yes, he says the beginning of verse 7, Isaiah will be deeply 269 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,760 despised and abhorred by the nations, but God will be at work 270 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,280 through him such that at the end of verse 7, kings and Princess 271 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,319 and leaders of the world will see and to rise and prostate 272 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:12,240 themselves before the Lord. They will bow before the Holy 273 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,680 One of Israel and worship Him for His faithfulness. 274 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,560 This is the mission of the servant of the Lord. 275 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:25,400 The last part of the chapter from verse 8 through verse 26, 276 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:29,640 details the success that the servant will have in his 277 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,400 mission. We see first in verses 8 through 278 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,200 8 through 13 that indeed the Exiles will return. 279 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,920 The the language that we read here in verses 8 through 13 it 280 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:44,280 it is language that is very similar to what we read in 281 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:48,800 Leviticus chapter 25 and in Leviticus chapter 25. 282 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,440 What is described there is what's called the year of 283 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,360 Jubilee. It was a time when the prisoners 284 00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:59,840 would be set free, inheritances would be restored and land would 285 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:01,720 be re established for the people. 286 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,480 It's a language that's being used here about the Exiles 287 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:10,200 returning from their exile. Their their, their coming out of 288 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,160 exile will be like the year of Jubilee. 289 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,600 God will re establish and bless and fill his people. 290 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,360 But it's not just the language of the year of jubilee that we 291 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:23,640 hear there, hear, hear. It's the language of these 292 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,400 verses takes us back to God leading His people out of Egypt 293 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,120 in the Exodus. Look at what He says here in 294 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:32,000 these verses and verses 8 through 13. 295 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,320 The Lord will lead His people back home. 296 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,680 He will provide for them along the way. 297 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,840 They will not hunger, they will not thirst. 298 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,960 No scorching wind or sun will harm them. 299 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,920 The Lord will have pity on them, and He will guide them through 300 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:51,720 springs of water and provide a safe, safe highway for His. 301 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:58,680 For their return. the Exiles would return, the servants would 302 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,760 be successful. And of and of course, the 303 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:05,600 appropriate and right response to this incredible news is what 304 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:10,880 verse 13 Sing for joy, O heavens and exalt, O earth, Break forth, 305 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,160 O mountains into singing. For the Lord has comforted his 306 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,640 people and will have compassion on his afflicted. 307 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,880 Sing for joy, he says, break forth in song, exalt and praise 308 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:22,960 the Lord. Why? 309 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,640 Because He has comforted His people, He has compassion on 310 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:32,760 those who are afflicted. The success of the ministry of 311 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,120 the servant is that the Exiles would be brought home. 312 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:42,000 But then notice in verses 14 through 26 we see here the 313 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,400 secure and unfailing and committed love of God for His 314 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,840 people. Notice the contrast first 315 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,200 between verse 13 and verse 14. Verse 13 is breaking out in 316 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,600 praise because of God's faithfulness to his people, not 317 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,160 forgetting them, not forsaking them, but returning them from 318 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,840 exile. And immediately in verse 14, 319 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:06,920 Israel speaks out, But Zion said the Lord has forsaken me, my 320 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:11,760 Lord has forgotten me. The people of God doubted that 321 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,680 the Lord could forgive them. They feared that they had sinned 322 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,080 too much, that they had forfeited the Lord's blessings 323 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,240 that had been theirs. They assumed that the Lord had 324 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,280 forsaken them and forgotten them. 325 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:26,720 And how did the Lord respond to their fears? 326 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:33,480 What does He say to them? Could a nursing mother forget 327 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:38,960 her own child? Could a mother fail to have 328 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,080 compassion on the her own child from her own womb? 329 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:49,400 And Isaiah says as far fetched as that would seem, I suppose 330 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,880 even that could happen. A fallen sinful mother could 331 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:59,000 even forget her own child. But he says the Lord will never 332 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,960 forget you. In fact, in verse 16, the Lord 333 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,760 says that He has engraved his people on the palms of his hand. 334 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:13,800 What an extraordinary statement. And that ancient culture, 335 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,400 servants often had the name of their master engraved on their 336 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,880 arms or their their hands or other parts of their bodies. 337 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,720 But here the Lord says that he has engraved the names of his 338 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,960 people on the palms of his hands. 339 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,840 And of course, as God's people today, when we hear this 340 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:38,480 language, it's meant to take us to Jesus, who didn't have names 341 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:43,960 engraved on his hands, but had spikes drilled through them, 342 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,760 marks that remain with Him until this very day. 343 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:57,920 Reminders to us of His glorious promise in Isaiah 49 verse 16. 344 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,440 The Lord continues to show His unfailing and committed love for 345 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,840 His people. As we go on in these verses, we 346 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,760 read that as they come back from exile, builders will make haste, 347 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:14,160 destroyers will be sent away. The wasted and desolate places 348 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:18,080 and devastated land, it wouldn't be able to contain all of the 349 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,720 people who would return. Those who are bereaved and 350 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,360 barrens and exile and put away and alone will once again be in 351 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:30,640 a land of milk and honey, a land teeming with abundance, 352 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,400 abundance for God's people and blessing. 353 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,520 Even nations and kings and Queens will bow down to the 354 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:40,520 people of God. He says those who are who 355 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:42,800 oppressed the people would be destroyed. 356 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,360 And the result of it all is the end of verse 26. 357 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:54,160 Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord, your Savior and 358 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,800 your Redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob. 359 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,520 All this language that we're reading here shows us the 360 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,680 success of the servant of the Lord. 361 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:08,520 The promise would be fulfilled. the Exiles would return home. 362 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,120 But the language that is here is bigger than just this one 363 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,840 historical event, the return from exile. 364 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,280 The language here is meant to point us forward to the greater 365 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,720 and ultimate servant, the Lord Jesus, our Savior in Redeemer, 366 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:28,040 His completed and finished work on the cross and through His 367 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:32,720 resurrection from the grave. So what do we do with all of 368 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,800 this? I've got 4 things for us as we 369 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:41,200 finish this morning. The 1st is this. 370 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,760 We need to trust. We must trust the Lord's 371 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:47,760 faithfulness when we feel forgotten. 372 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:52,160 That's really what the Lord was telling His people who were 373 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,960 living in exile. He says to them, you say that 374 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,720 you feel forsaken. You, you say that you feel 375 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,960 forgotten, but I have not and I, I will not, and I cannot forget 376 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,080 you. Trust, the Lord says, trust in 377 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,840 my faithfulness in the moments when you feel forgotten. 378 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:13,520 That's what the Lord says to us today as his people, when we 379 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,200 feel forgotten, forgotten by the people of this world, forgotten 380 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,440 even by the Lord Himself. When we feel that way, the Lord 381 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,400 calls us trust, his faithfulness more than our feelings. 382 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,120 It's even more true for us today because we know about the 383 00:24:30,120 --> 00:24:33,440 engraved Marks and the wrists in the hands of our Lord Jesus 384 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,040 Christ. How could the Lord forget his 385 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,680 people? How could the Lord forsake his 386 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:43,560 people if he went to that extent to make us His own? 387 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,440 Think of all that Jesus went through in this life on this 388 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:54,440 earth, what he endured, what he experienced going through human 389 00:24:54,440 --> 00:25:01,880 frailty, hunger, thirst, abandonment, ridicule, threats, 390 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:07,560 being falsely accused, beaten, mocked, nailed to a cross and 391 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:15,800 crucified, stabbed, killed. And all the while, all through 392 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:20,080 it all, He had your name on his mind. 393 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:30,480 I'm doing this for Andy, doing this for Miriam, doing this for 394 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:36,280 Keith, doing this for Chris, doing this for Martin. 395 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:44,440 I'm doing this for Loreen. He has your name engraved in the 396 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,960 palms of his hand. Trust in the Lord's 397 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,160 faithfulness, especially when you feel forgotten. 398 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:58,800 Secondly, God's faithfulness should move us to praise. 399 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:01,760 That's what happened in verse 13. 400 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,640 As the faithfulness of God is being declared, the faithfulness 401 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:12,280 of God to His promises, to His works, verse 13 breaks out and 402 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:17,120 praise to the Lord. The faithfulness of the Lord 403 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:19,440 must move us to praise and to worship. 404 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:26,760 Is is your worship of the Lord cold and dull, lifeless and 405 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:30,720 monotonous? He calls on you to meditate on 406 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,560 the faithfulness of the Lord, that the faithfulness to his 407 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,440 promises, to his covenant with his people, that he would 408 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,000 provide a Messiah, He would provide redemption for his 409 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:44,080 people. Think of it this way, You are in 410 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,160 a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe, with 411 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,680 the Mighty One of Jacob, with the Holy One of Israel. 412 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:59,400 He is the Lord, He is Yahweh, and He is your Savior, your 413 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,200 Redeemer. He knows your name. 414 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,440 He has known you since before you were in your mother's womb. 415 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,800 He has your name engraved on His hands, and He will never forget 416 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,200 you. And He is faithful to all of His 417 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,800 promises. Those promises include things 418 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,680 like Philippians 1/6 and I'm sure of this, that he who began 419 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,360 a good work and you will bring it to completion at the day of 420 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,440 Jesus Christ. He's faithful to his promises 421 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,800 like the one in Romans 8 chapter 28. 422 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,160 We know that for those who love God, all things work together 423 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,840 for good. For those who are called 424 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,560 according to his purpose. He is faithful to His promises, 425 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,480 like what we read in chapter 8 of Romans, verses 29 and 30. 426 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,720 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed 427 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,640 to the image of His Son, in order that he might be the first 428 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,440 born among many brothers. And those he predestined he also 429 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,920 called, and those he called he also justified, and those he 430 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:06,320 justified he also glorified. God is faithful to His promises, 431 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,200 like the one given to us in Romans 8 verses 38 and 39. 432 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,320 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 433 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:18,240 rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor 434 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:23,680 height, nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation, will be 435 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:27,320 able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our 436 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,760 Lord. Those promises that the Lord has 437 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:35,720 made concerning you, He is faithful to every one of His 438 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,080 promises. Meditate on that truth and that 439 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:44,640 reality and let the faithfulness of God move you to praise and to 440 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:51,960 worship your God. Thirdly, a question, how are you 441 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,160 involved with bringing a light to the nations? 442 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:59,840 Now in verse 6, we're told that that's part of what Isaiah's 443 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,800 call was. None of us is called in the same 444 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,960 way that Isaiah was to take the word of the Lord to, to be a 445 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:10,000 light to the nations. But all of us are called to be a 446 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:11,920 light to the nations in some way. 447 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,240 All of us are called to be ready to to be prepared to tell the 448 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,080 nations about the hope that we have because of the gospel. 449 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,080 So the question that we have to ask is how are you involved with 450 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,760 that mission? How are you being or bringing 451 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,560 the light of God's truth and grace to the nations? 452 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:35,480 But we can use those 3 little overused words because they so 453 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,760 aptly sum up how we can be involved. 454 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,720 We can pray, we can give and we can go. 455 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:48,440 We can pray and that means being informed. 456 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:51,840 What are the needs? What what are the prayer 457 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,960 requests of those that we support here as a church family? 458 00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:01,200 In order to know that, you need to become informed, Get on the 459 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,520 newsletters of those that we support. 460 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,000 Correspond with them. Pay attention to the Prayer 461 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:11,360 Journal, which regularly, often weekly, has prayer requests of 462 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,000 our missionaries and ministries that we support. 463 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,480 Go regularly to the bottom of our TPC Connect page, where 464 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,640 updates from all of our the folks that we support are listed 465 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:28,840 for you on a regular basis. We can give you could pick one 466 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,760 of our church's supported missionaries or ministries that 467 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,800 we support and support them as a family or as an individual. 468 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:38,480 If you have kids, you can involve them. 469 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,040 This is a good time to be thinking about that as we're 470 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:46,080 coming to the end of the year, but also as we're thinking about 471 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:49,600 the coming year, we could think about making a plan to support 472 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,640 specifically one of our supported missionaries or 473 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:57,800 ministries. You can go go on a short term 474 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,280 medical missions trip or go visit one of our supported 475 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:03,600 missionaries. You can even pray about the Lord 476 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,000 calling you to go long term to the mission field. 477 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,320 What a blessing and privilege it's been over the 40 plus years 478 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:14,040 of this church as we've seen the Lord raise up a number of people 479 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,640 from within our church family to go and serve the Lord in another 480 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,280 place. Maybe the Lord's calling you to 481 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:25,360 do that. Going could simply also just be 482 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,080 connecting with one of our locally supported ministries, 483 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,440 many of who are ministering to nations right here in our 484 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:34,840 community. Going could be simple, as simple 485 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,440 as just getting to know your neighbors and your neighborhood. 486 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,840 What a unique opportunity we have living in southeastern 487 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,840 Minnesota. The Lord is bringing the nations 488 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:47,360 here. How are you involved with 489 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,040 bringing the light to the nations? 490 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:55,320 Lastly, one final take away in particular for those who are in 491 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,960 some sort of a ministry related position. 492 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:02,040 Faithfulness in ministry is not contingent on success. 493 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,360 For any of you who are involved in ministry either vocationally, 494 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,840 full time or even just as a volunteer in some way part time. 495 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:14,560 Faithfulness in ministry is not contingent on seeing success and 496 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,640 seeing fruit. Isaiah felt that tension. 497 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:19,640 He said, I have laboured in vain. 498 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,360 I have spent my strength for nothing in vanity. 499 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:27,120 And if you're in some sort of ministry position, at some point 500 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:31,240 you'll likely feel that way too. You'll look around and not see 501 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,560 any visible success or fruit or progress or traction. 502 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:40,720 But as Isaiah reminded himself, his right, his recompense, his 503 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:45,360 reward is with the Lord. The Lord calls us to his work. 504 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,840 He calls us to be faithful in what we are called to do. 505 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,720 If you're in ministry in some way, you should work with 506 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:56,000 diligence and purpose and focus and seek to be faithful. 507 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,280 But it is the Lord who accomplishes what He chooses to 508 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,720 accomplish. It is the Lord's work and not 509 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:07,200 ours. It is the Lord who is at work in 510 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,680 and through us to accomplish His purposes. 511 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:14,160 And if it takes 7 hard years like William Carey, or even 512 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:19,600 entire lifetime. Or if you never see fruit, it 513 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,560 should not cause you to despair or to doubt that God is at work. 514 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,920 We are called to be faithful to the work that the Lord gives us 515 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:33,040 to do, to work diligently in that calling, and to leave the 516 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,280 results to the Lord God Almighty. 517 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:48,020 Let's pray together. Father, once again, we come with 518 00:33:48,020 --> 00:33:50,380 thankful hearts for the ministry of Isaiah. 519 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,080 And even though he ministered such a long time ago in a place 520 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:01,880 that is so remote from where we are today to a people that we 521 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,920 often feel are very different from ourselves, we we come as 522 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,800 your people knowing that your word applies to us today. 523 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:14,239 So we do pray for the Holy Spirit to take the word that 524 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:18,960 we've heard, the word that we've reflected on today and use it, 525 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,400 Father, for your glory and for the good of your people, as you 526 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,320 would build us up to send us out to love and to follow and to 527 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,199 serve You well. All this we ask in Jesus name, 528 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:30,159 Amen.