1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,120
Would invite you to take your 
Bibles and turn with me to the 

2
00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:07,080
Old Testament book of Isaiah. 
Isaiah chapter 55. 

3
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,760
Isaiah chapter 55. 
If you're looking in the red 

4
00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,480
Bibles, you can find the page 
reference in the bulletin. 

5
00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,920
Isaiah 55 is probably one of the
better known passages chapters 

6
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:29,760
in Isaiah, certainly also one of
the most loved passages in 

7
00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,200
Isaiah. 
It also forms the end of a 

8
00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,120
section that we've been looking 
at, chapters 40 through 55, 

9
00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:43,360
which means that next week we'll
begin chapter 56, which 56 to 66

10
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,560
is the final last major section 
of Isaiah that we will be 

11
00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,040
entering into. 
Today we're looking at Isaiah 

12
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,960
55. 
So please follow along as I read

13
00:00:53,960 --> 00:01:01,160
to you God's Word. 
Come, everyone who thirsts, come

14
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,800
to the waters, and he who has no
money, come buy and eat. 

15
00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,680
Come, buy wine and milk without 
money and without price. 

16
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,640
Why do you spend your money for 
that which is not bread, and 

17
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,960
your labor for that which does 
not satisfy? 

18
00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,640
Listen diligently to me and eat 
what is good, and delight 

19
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,880
yourselves in rich food. 
Incline your ear and come to me.

20
00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,880
Hear that your soul may live, 
and I will make with you an 

21
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,760
everlasting covenant. 
My steadfast, sure love for 

22
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,080
David. 
Behold, I made him a witness to 

23
00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,000
the peoples, a leader and 
commander for the peoples. 

24
00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,040
Behold, you shall call a nation 
that you do not know, and a 

25
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,200
nation that did not know you 
shall run to you, because of the

26
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,400
Lord your God and of the Holy 
One of Israel, for He has 

27
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,560
glorified you. 
Seek the Lord while he may be 

28
00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,200
found. 
Call upon him while he is near, 

29
00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,280
Let the wicked forsake his way, 
and the unrighteous man his 

30
00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,040
thoughts. 
Let him return to the Lord, that

31
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,280
he may have compassion on him 
and to our God, for he will 

32
00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,400
abundantly pardon. 
For my thoughts are not your 

33
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:10,280
thoughts, neither are your ways 
my ways, declares the Lord. 

34
00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,640
For as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are my ways 

35
00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,880
higher than your ways, and my 
thoughts than your thoughts. 

36
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,240
For as the rain and the snow 
come down from heaven, and do 

37
00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,920
not return there, but water the 
earth, making it bring forth and

38
00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,960
sprout, giving seed to the sower
and bread to the eater, so shall

39
00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,200
my word be that goes out from my
mouth. 

40
00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,120
It shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that 

41
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,400
which I purpose, and shall 
succeed in the thing for which I

42
00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,840
sent it. 
For you shall go out and joy and

43
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,080
be LED forth in peace. 
The mountains and the hills 

44
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,320
before you shall break forth 
into singing, and all the trees 

45
00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,200
of the field shall clap their 
hands. 

46
00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,200
Instead of the thorn shall come 
up the Cypress. 

47
00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,880
Instead of the briar shall come 
up the Myrtle, and it shall make

48
00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,240
a name for the Lord, an 
everlasting sign that shall not 

49
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,280
be cut off. 
Let's pray together. 

50
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,720
Father, we thank you for Your 
word, and we thank you 

51
00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,880
especially this morning for this
part of your word. 

52
00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,080
We pray that you would prepare 
our hearts and our minds and be 

53
00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,880
at work through the Holy Spirit 
to take Your Word and press it 

54
00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:21,760
into US, form us, shape us into 
the people you desire us to be. 

55
00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,280
Help us to see the Lord Jesus 
Christ today, for we ask it in 

56
00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:34,040
His name. 
Amen. 1914 Just prior to when 

57
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:39,000
World War One would begin, the 
famous British explorer Ernest 

58
00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,120
Shackleton put out an ad. 
He put out an invitation. 

59
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,640
He was recruiting men for an 
Antarctic expedition and the the

60
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,240
ad that the invitation read 
something like this. 

61
00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,160
Men wanted for hazardous 
journey, small wages, bitter 

62
00:03:55,160 --> 00:04:00,520
cold, long months of complete 
darkness, safe return, doubtful 

63
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,280
honor and recognition in case of
success. 

64
00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,320
Thousands of men applied. 
Why? 

65
00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,279
Because the human heart responds
to an opportunity of costly, 

66
00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,480
challenging adventure. 
People are willing to risk their

67
00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,560
lives for excitement and glory 
and honor and recognition, a 

68
00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,400
chance to do something 
historical and great. 

69
00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:32,600
But these words that we've read 
here from Isaiah chapter 55 are 

70
00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,480
a stark contrast to that 
mindset. 

71
00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,240
Through the prophet Isaiah, the 
Lord places his own 

72
00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,840
advertisement. 
He he places his own invitation.

73
00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,920
You've heard it echoed 
throughout the service. 

74
00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,360
And here it is in verse one. 
Come everyone who thirsts come 

75
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,120
to the waters. 
And he who has no money come and

76
00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,640
buy, eat, come, buy wine and 
milk without money and without 

77
00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,200
price. 
That's the invitation of the 

78
00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,600
Lord. 
But this adventure, it won't be 

79
00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,920
bitterly cold, it won't involve 
complete darkness. 

80
00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,240
It won't have uncertainty of 
outcome. 

81
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,440
It won't result in the honour of
those participating. 

82
00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,880
This opportunity will come with 
grace and freedom and life. 

83
00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:26,560
But unlike Shackleton's 
invitation, the invitation from 

84
00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,480
the Lord is often ignored. 
Many are called, but few 

85
00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:36,520
respond. 
People will show up and line up 

86
00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:40,440
for hardship that are hesitant 
and grace. 

87
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,400
People will exhaust and and 
weary themselves pursuing things

88
00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,120
that cannot satisfy, but they 
will resist the free, 

89
00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,440
fulfilling, satisfying grace of 
God. 

90
00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:56,440
Shackleford offered danger and 
uncertainty and possible great 

91
00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:01,960
cost and men rushed to show up. 
The Lord offers grace and 

92
00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:07,040
forgiveness, life and covenant 
love, and people drag their 

93
00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:11,840
feet. 
Isaiah 55 tells us about the 

94
00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:15,800
Lord's great adventure, or 
rather put his His great 

95
00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,280
invitation to the adventure, 
this invitation to a great 

96
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,880
party, the greatest party, the 
the most glorious party, a party

97
00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,320
involving not only all of God's 
people in history, but even the 

98
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,880
creation itself. 
And we can imagine how 

99
00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,320
encouraging it must have been 
for God's people who were 

100
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,960
sitting in exile in Babylon in 
the 6th century BC. 

101
00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,040
The the picture that the Lord 
gives them in Isaiah 55 was 

102
00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,680
meant to fill them with hope and
encouragement and strength. 

103
00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,400
And the same is true for God's 
people today. 

104
00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,560
We're not in exile in the same 
way, but we are pilgrims who are

105
00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,640
living in a foreign land. 
We are sinners who are living in

106
00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,080
a fallen and broken world. 
And we too need to find hope and

107
00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,120
encouragement and strength to 
live and persevere through the 

108
00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:07,400
trials and the troubles of life.
So let's look at this chapter of

109
00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,120
Isaiah and see a few things. 
First of all, let's look at the 

110
00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,360
invitation itself. 
Then we'll look at the basis of 

111
00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,240
the invitation, the response to 
the invitation, the efficacy of 

112
00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,800
the invitation, and the result 
of the invitation. 

113
00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,480
We'll finish by reflecting on 
what all this means for us 

114
00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,680
today. 
So first of all, the the 

115
00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:28,920
invitation itself. 
You can see that in the first 

116
00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:33,800
couple of verses, 4 times in the
first 3 verses the Lord says 

117
00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:38,480
come, and in verse 2 he says, 
listen diligently to me. 

118
00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,320
And in verse three, he says, 
incline your ear and come to me.

119
00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,680
This is the invitation. 
The invitation from the Lord is 

120
00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,840
to come to him to listen to him 
and incline your ear and come to

121
00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,520
the Lord. 
And notice here we're told that 

122
00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,880
the invitation it, it comes 
without any cost. 

123
00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:04,160
Verse 1, he who has no money, 
come, buy and eat. 

124
00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,600
The invitation is given without 
money, without price, without 

125
00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,760
cost. 
The Lord's invitation is free. 

126
00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,120
You can't buy it, you can't earn
it, and you can't work for it. 

127
00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,760
It's free and it is to be 
received without cost. 

128
00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,240
The great party of the Lord is 
free. 

129
00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,000
You only have to receive the 
invitation and come to the Lord.

130
00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:32,039
And notice we're even given some
some thoughts about what the 

131
00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:34,600
goods are at the party in verses
1 and 2. 

132
00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,640
Water and bread indicating the 
basic necessities of life are 

133
00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,080
provided. 
But but notice also it's not 

134
00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:47,160
just water and bread. 
It's also wine and and and milk 

135
00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:52,800
and rich food luxuries. 
Heaven is not just a place where

136
00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,040
our bare necessities will be 
provided for us. 

137
00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,160
It is a place of great luxuries 
that will be enjoyed. 

138
00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,560
There is an alternative if you 
don't want to go to the party. 

139
00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,760
You can see the alternative to 
coming to the Lord, answering 

140
00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,280
the invitation and going to the 
party. 

141
00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,960
The beginning of verse 2. 
You end up with that that 

142
00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:20,640
doesn't satisfy. 
You end up with that which is 

143
00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,040
not satisfy, satisfying. 
It is empty, it is unfulfilled. 

144
00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:28,440
This is the invitation to the 
Lord's party. 

145
00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,120
Come to the Lord. 
He says His party provides 

146
00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:36,000
everything that we need and more
and the alternative is not being

147
00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,440
satisfied or fulfilled. 
Well, what's the basis for the 

148
00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,240
invitation? 
We see that in verses 3 through 

149
00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,920
5. 
Verse 3, the basis or the reason

150
00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,000
for the invitation is the 
everlasting covenant that God 

151
00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,000
has with his people. 
That's what he says, the 

152
00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,200
covenant that is based on his 
steadfast sure love. 

153
00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,640
Some of you probably know that 
the word that is used there for 

154
00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:03,120
love is the Hebrew word has said
that's a special word in the Old

155
00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,800
Testament. 
It's it indicates God's special 

156
00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,160
covenant based love for his 
people. 

157
00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,520
This is why the Lord invites his
people to the party, because He 

158
00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,520
has loved them from before the 
foundation of the world. 

159
00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,920
And He has demonstrated His love
for His people first in the Old 

160
00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,360
Testament by establishing a 
covenant relationship with them,

161
00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,200
giving them a covenant promise 
that he would be their God and 

162
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,600
they would be His people. 
A covenant promise that He would

163
00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,920
provide a Redeemer to save His 
people from his sins. 

164
00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,680
And He has demonstrated his love
in the New Testament with the 

165
00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:40,480
arrival of that Redeemer, Jesus 
Christ. 

166
00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:48,080
Jesus demonstrated the extent of
his love by living the life that

167
00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,920
we were supposed to live but 
don't, and then dying the death 

168
00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,680
that we deserve to die by being 
crucified on the cross, by 

169
00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:58,440
taking the wrath of God upon 
himself and paying for our sins 

170
00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,040
in full and crediting us with 
his righteousness. 

171
00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,360
This is the reason for our 
invitation. 

172
00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:09,760
God's everlasting covenant, his 
sure, his certain love for his 

173
00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,240
people. 
And notice here in verses four 

174
00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,760
and five this, this everlasting 
covenant, it's not just for 

175
00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,680
Israel. 
He says the nations will come. 

176
00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,760
Nations will come to be a part 
of God's people. 

177
00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,160
They will, they will come to be 
part of the party. 

178
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,040
Not only is this an everlasting 
covenant, it is a global 

179
00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:31,680
covenant. 
This party, it will have people 

180
00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:35,280
from every nation and tribe and 
ethnicity and language. 

181
00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:42,600
Lord is clear as we look at 
verses 6 through 9, there must 

182
00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:48,160
be a response to the invitation.
You can't earn it, you can't buy

183
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:49,240
it. 
It's free. 

184
00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,600
It comes to us without cost, but
it has to be responded to. 

185
00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:56,960
And notice in verse 6, there's 
an urgency. 

186
00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,560
Seek the Lord while he can be 
found. 

187
00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,200
Come to the Lord while he is 
still near this invitation. 

188
00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,880
It doesn't last forever. 
There will come a time when the 

189
00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,280
invitation is no longer 
available, when the Lord won't 

190
00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,640
be near, He won't be found. 
And so we have here a reminder 

191
00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,880
and a warning to those who have 
not yet accepted the invitation,

192
00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,480
who have not yet come to the 
Lord. 

193
00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,280
A day is coming when you will 
die or when the Lord will 

194
00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,880
return. 
And that day could be today, it 

195
00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,080
could be tomorrow, we don't 
know. 

196
00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,520
But when that moment arrives, 
it's too late to accept the 

197
00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:43,280
invitation. 
So the Lord says, seek the Lord 

198
00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:47,120
while he can be found, call on 
him, and come to him while he is

199
00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,680
near. 
Notice the proper response to 

200
00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:53,360
the invitation, the beginning of
verse 7. 

201
00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,680
Let the wicked forsake his way 
and the unrighteous man his 

202
00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:02,200
thoughts. 
Let him return to the Lord, 

203
00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:06,680
accepting the invitation, coming
to the Lord. 

204
00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:10,280
It involves a change in our ways
and our thoughts. 

205
00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,520
When, when, when the when we 
accept the invitation, we are 

206
00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:18,320
not to stay the same. 
Our ways, our thoughts that he 

207
00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,680
says in verses 8 and 9 are not 
like God's ways. 

208
00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,960
Our ways and our thoughts are to
become more and more like his 

209
00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,880
ways and thoughts. 
This is what repentance is all 

210
00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,360
about, that we we turn away from
our ways and our thoughts that 

211
00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,000
are not according to what God 
wants and we and we turn to the 

212
00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,960
Lord. 
We return to the Lord forsaking 

213
00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:46,440
our wrong ways and thoughts and 
following his ways and thoughts.

214
00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,080
And notice here the good news 
is, is that when we do that, the

215
00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,720
end of verse 7, let him return 
to the Lord, that he may have 

216
00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,480
compassion on him and to our 
God, for He will abundantly 

217
00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,520
pardon when we return to the 
Lord. 

218
00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:06,000
He has compassion on us and he 
abundantly, abundantly pardons, 

219
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,160
not partially pardons, not 
halfway pardons. 

220
00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,840
No, He abundantly pardons his 
people. 

221
00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,080
He treats His people with 
compassionate forgiveness. 

222
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,160
This is the proper response to 
the Lord's invitation. 

223
00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,080
Come to him, listen to him, 
incline your ears to him, and 

224
00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,680
come to Him. 
And do so while the invitation 

225
00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,440
is available. 
Do so. 

226
00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,120
Do so by turning away from our 
our wrong ways and our wrong 

227
00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,880
thoughts. 
And as you do come to the Lord 

228
00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,960
and experience His compassion, 
His abundant part, and His 

229
00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:47,080
compassionate forgiveness, just 
to under score the the truth of 

230
00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:51,120
God's promise to us. 
In verses 10 and 11, He reminds 

231
00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,320
us of the efficacy of the 
invitation that he he reminds us

232
00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,880
of, of the Lord's complete 
ability to accomplish His plan 

233
00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,400
and purposes. 
Look at what he says in verses 

234
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,920
10 and 11. 
As the rain and the snow come 

235
00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,800
down from heaven, and do not 
return there, but water the 

236
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,040
earth, making it bring forth, 
and sprouts giving seed to the 

237
00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:14,240
sower, bread to the eater, so 
shall my word be that goes out 

238
00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,360
from my mouth. 
It shall not return to me empty,

239
00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,480
but it shall accomplish that 
which I purpose and shall 

240
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,280
succeed in the thing for which I
sent it. 

241
00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,760
The Lord's word shall not return
empty. 

242
00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:30,880
It will accomplish what it 
purposes. 

243
00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,680
It shall succeed in its goal. 
He uses this illustration in 

244
00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,240
verse 10 from nature. 
The the idea of rain and and 

245
00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,280
snow coming down and covering 
the earth just like it did 

246
00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:45,800
yesterday. 
It doesn't go back up into the 

247
00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:50,120
sky, but it eventually melts and
waters the earth, enabling 

248
00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,480
things to sprout forth in the 
spring and produce a bounty. 

249
00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,760
So too, with God's Word. 
It is efficacious. 

250
00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,560
It is effective. 
It will accomplish God's 

251
00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:06,120
purposes and produce a bounty. 
There is no worry that God won't

252
00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,120
be able to get all of the 
invitations out. 

253
00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,640
There's no worry that He won't 
be able to provide for the 

254
00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,600
party. 
There's no worry that once an 

255
00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,120
invitation is accepted, the Lord
will reject the one who comes to

256
00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,400
the party. 
The invitation his His word. 

257
00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,640
It is efficacious. 
It accomplishes what He attends.

258
00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,000
It accomplishes what He desires 
and wills. 

259
00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:37,600
Lastly, the result of the 
invitation or a description of 

260
00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:38,880
what the party's going to be 
like. 

261
00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:44,480
Look at verses 12 and 13. 
For you shall go out and joy, 

262
00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:49,440
and be LED forth in peace. 
The mountains and the hills 

263
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,600
before you shall break forth 
into singing. 

264
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,840
And all the trees of the field 
shall clap their hands, Instead 

265
00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:57,680
of the thorn shall come up the 
Cypress. 

266
00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,200
Instead of the briar shall come 
up the Myrtle, and it shall make

267
00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,440
a name for the Lord, an 
everlasting sign that shall not 

268
00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,240
be cut off. 
Look at this wonderful 

269
00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,520
description of the party. 
There will be joy, there will be

270
00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:17,200
peace, there will be singing, 
there'll be clapping of hands. 

271
00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,920
This is a picture of complete 
happiness, of utter contentment 

272
00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:23,880
and satisfaction and 
fulfillment. 

273
00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,079
We know from other places in the
scripture for, for example, 

274
00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:31,160
towards the end of Revelation, 
in Revelation chapter 21, that 

275
00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,120
at the party in heaven there are
no more tears. 

276
00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:43,320
There is no more death, there's 
no more mourning or grieving, no

277
00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:48,400
crying, no more pain, because 
those things will have passed 

278
00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:53,560
away, and in their place will be
joy and peace and singing and 

279
00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,480
happiness and satisfaction and 
unhindered love. 

280
00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:05,040
And notice the Lord says not 
only God's people will be at 

281
00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:11,760
peace and will rejoice, but he 
says the mountains, the hills 

282
00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,360
will break into singing, the 
trees of the field will clap 

283
00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:18,480
their hands. 
Verse 13, instead of thorns and 

284
00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,000
briars, there will be Cypress 
and Myrtle. 

285
00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:26,160
This is a picture of the curse 
being removed, being removed 

286
00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,800
from God's people, being removed
from all of creation. 

287
00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,800
It reminds us of what Paul said 
in Romans chapter 8. 

288
00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,400
For the creation was subjected, 
subjected to futility, not 

289
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,960
willingly because of him who 
subjected it, not not willingly,

290
00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,400
but because of him who subjected
it, and hope that the creation 

291
00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,800
itself will be set free from its
bondage to corruption, and 

292
00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,680
obtain the freedom of the glory 
of the children of God. 

293
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,520
For we know that the whole 
creation has been groaning 

294
00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,920
together in the pains of 
childbirth. 

295
00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,880
But the Lord reminds His people 
here that when we get to the 

296
00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:04,120
party, the curse will be, have, 
will be, have, will have been 

297
00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:08,880
removed for God's people and for
all of creation. 

298
00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,880
This is the result of accepting 
the invitation, joy, peace, 

299
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,160
singing, clapping for all of 
those at the party and even 

300
00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:24,400
creation itself. 
Well, what do we do with this 

301
00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,480
today? 
Three things. 

302
00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:31,480
The first take away is the 
obvious one. 

303
00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,160
Have you accepted the 
invitation? 

304
00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,560
Have you accepted the invitation
to come to the Lord, to listen 

305
00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:50,120
to Him, to go to the party? 
If not, then remember the 

306
00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,000
urgency and the warning of 
Isaiah 55. 

307
00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,880
The Lord's invitation isn't 
offered forever. 

308
00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,800
There will come a time when it 
won't be available anymore. 

309
00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,680
Hear the call, hear the 
invitation, seek the Lord and 

310
00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,560
call on Him while he can be 
found and he is near. 

311
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,040
Come to the Lord and put your 
hope and trust in Him. 

312
00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,480
Remember that this invitation is
free there. 

313
00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,400
There is nothing that you can do
to earn it or to buy it. 

314
00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,400
You just have to accept it by 
putting your faith in the host 

315
00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,360
of the party, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

316
00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:30,640
It's free for you because Jesus 
already paid for it. 

317
00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,680
He paid for it with his life, 
and by his death, he died so 

318
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,560
that those who believe in him 
and come to Him get life 

319
00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,080
eternal. 
They get the rest that is theirs

320
00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,920
at the party. 
Have you responded to the 

321
00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:50,000
invitation? 
Secondly, the efficacy of God's 

322
00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,480
work, the efficacy of God's 
work. 

323
00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,080
How encouraging it must have 
been for God's people that heard

324
00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,480
Isaiah's words for the first 
time to hear about the efficacy 

325
00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,400
of God's work, of his plan. 
That his word, that his 

326
00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,360
promises, they never return 
empty. 

327
00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:09,280
They always accomplish what He 
is intending to do. 

328
00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,000
That when He said that he would 
rescue and redeem his people 

329
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,920
from exile and bring them back 
to the promised land, He 

330
00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:17,600
fulfilled that because he said 
it. 

331
00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,760
And the efficacy of God's work 
is meant to encourage God's 

332
00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,160
people today as well. 
It's meant to fill us with 

333
00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,880
strength too. 
What has the Lord said in his 

334
00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:30,920
word? 
What has He promised to us? 

335
00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,400
He has promised that Jesus's 
work on the cross is sufficient 

336
00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:42,560
that it actually accomplished 
the redemption and salvation for

337
00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,640
his people. 
Our salvation, our redemption, 

338
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,720
our forgiveness of sins, our 
acceptance with God, our 

339
00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,920
entrance to the party, all of 
those are secured by the very 

340
00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:58,360
word of God. 
So when we have moments of worry

341
00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:03,040
and doubt, how could that 
actually be true for me? 

342
00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,880
We come back to this wonderful 
truth, the Lord's work and 

343
00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,920
redemptive history, the Lord's 
work on the cross, the Lord's 

344
00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,040
work in our lives. 
It is efficacious, it is 

345
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,440
effective, it accomplishes all 
that the Lord intends. 

346
00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,040
Can I just say that that this 
truth should be particularly 

347
00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,120
encouraging if you are a parent 
who has a child that's walked 

348
00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:29,080
away from the Lord. 
Those children are not beyond 

349
00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,880
the Lord's reach. 
As long as they are drawing 

350
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,800
breath and the Lord hasn't 
returned, there is always hope 

351
00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,320
that they too will return to the
Lord. 

352
00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,800
The efficacy of the Lord's work 
moves us to persevere in prayer 

353
00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,760
for our loved ones who have 
walked away from the Lord. 

354
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:55,480
Thirdly and lastly, this 
description of the party should 

355
00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,280
fill us with hope. 
The description here in Isaiah 

356
00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,480
55, the description in other 
places of the Scripture, that's 

357
00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,040
meant to fill us with hope. 
It's meant to fill us with 

358
00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,440
strength as we read about the 
future party that we are going 

359
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,440
to. 
It helps us to live in the 

360
00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,240
present. 
This world is filled with evil 

361
00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,040
and wickedness and injustice and
sin and death. 

362
00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,320
We're living in a world that has
been impacted by the fall in 

363
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,760
every aspect of life and dealing
what we have to deal with in 

364
00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:29,520
this world, in this life. 
It can discourage us. 

365
00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:35,880
It can disillusion us. 
It can depress us, and in those 

366
00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,680
moments, we should come back to 
what the scriptures tell us 

367
00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,240
about the future party that we 
are heading to. 

368
00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:46,120
Reflect on it, meditate on those
descriptions and on those 

369
00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:49,880
truths. 
The reality of the future party 

370
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,880
should give us hope and strength
and perseverance in the present,

371
00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:57,680
in the midst of our trials, our 
hardships, our challenges, and 

372
00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:03,920
our difficulties of this world. 
Have you responded to the 

373
00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:08,200
invitation? 
Are you encouraged by the 

374
00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:13,480
efficacy of God's work? 
Hope in the party? 

375
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:23,950
Let's pray together. 
Father, it is easy to get 

376
00:24:23,950 --> 00:24:27,110
discouraged in this life. 
It is easy to feel weary and 

377
00:24:27,110 --> 00:24:32,310
burdened by our own sin and the 
sin of this world, the effects 

378
00:24:32,310 --> 00:24:36,880
of the fall in so many ways. 
We pray, Father, that through 

379
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,520
your word, through the work of 
the Holy Spirit, you would fill 

380
00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:45,680
us with a hope, You would fill 
us with a strength that we might

381
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,000
persevere. 
That we too would remember that 

382
00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,440
great promise that you made to 
your people in the New Testament

383
00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,160
through the apostle Paul. 
That the one who has begun a 

384
00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,520
good work in US is going to 
bring it to completion. 

385
00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,880
When we have moments of doubt 
that that could be true, when we

386
00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,320
have moments of worry and 
anxiety, we pray that you would 

387
00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,040
bring us back to these wonderful
truths. 

388
00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:11,240
That you would remind us about 
the party, That you would remind

389
00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:17,480
us about your efficacious work. 
We thank you for your grace and 

390
00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:20,360
mercy to us and extending an 
invitation to come to the party.

391
00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:24,040
We thank you for enabling us to 
respond to that invitation 

392
00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:27,200
through the work of Your Spirit.
And we pray, Father, that you 

393
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:28,880
would continue to be at work in 
US. 

394
00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,160
Fill us with the hope that we 
need, for we ask it in Jesus 

395
00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:34,440
name, Amen.