THE CENTRAL CHARGE: BE AN UNCOMPROMISING CHURCH
We just finished a 21 week journey through the Old Testament Book of Isaiah. A piece of divinely inspired literature that is majestic, challenging, and seemingly bottomless in the depths of the riches it contains. For the past 4 months, we’ve been immersed in the story of the Southern Kingdom of Judah’s sinful compromise which brought about their catastrophic collapse. We heard time and time again that the faithful way to respond to the collapse “out there” is to deal with compromise wherever it’s found “in here.” We were challenged to be an uncompromising church.
A people who hold fast to their convictions in a time when it feels harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian. Who live in God’s world, God’s way. Who refuse to settle for less than God has for us in the gospel by transferring our trust, misplacing our hope, or seeking security in things that are not God to feel okay in this troubled cultural moment. Week in and week out, we were called to see ourselves in Judah’s story and use Isaiah as a mirror to check for any cracks of compromise within our lives that could hinder our joy in Christ, weaken our presence as salt and light in Santa Ana, and threaten the household of God that is Cross of Grace Church.
THE CENTRAL HOPE: BEHOLD AN UNWAVERINGLY FAITHFUL GOD
But most of all, we were called to behold a Savior who will never compromise his commitment to us. Not placing our hopes in how uncompromising we could be, but in the unswerving faithfulness of the God who’s always ready to give us grace. Who meets us right in the thick of our crimson-red compromise and promises to wash our sins as white as snow. Who stands ready to bring back and bind our wandering hearts to him. Who strengthens us when we’re weary and feel like we can’t go on. Who is patiently and powerfully making us into the uncompromising, countercultural, and truly compelling to our neighbors kind of people he’s called us to be. All to his great glory, our ever-increasing joy, and the good of the city he’s placed us in.
REVIEW, RE-LISTEN, AND RESPOND
Below is an overview of the entire series. Review the steps of our journey. Catch up on any sermons you might’ve missed. Continue resting your soul in the Savior Isaiah reveals. Keep on striving to glorify him every step of the way on the uncompromising path that’s before us.
1 - Series introduction. In a time when it’s harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian, we need to be an uncompromising church.
1-66 - How the Story of Isaiah fits together. A summary of the structure and contents of the entire book, complete with 4 key handles for understanding the story of Isaiah. Find the outline here.
2 - To those in troubled times and tempted to compromise, God says, “Stand firm, you’ll be on the right side of eternity.” We have a future hope that’s already begun to break into the present. We should live NOW in light of THEN.
6:1-7 - Why does God take our sin so seriously? Because he is uncompromisingly holy. This means that we must be cleansed from sin.
6:8-13 - We need the full story of holiness. Because we haven’t just been cleansed from sin but cleansed for service. A life where every “no” to sin leads to a much better “yes” of enjoying life in God’s presence and giving ourselves to his purposes.
7-9 - To a people compromised in sin, God promises a Son. He is “Immanuel,” - “God with us,” - and this places courage within us. When the pressure’s on, will we live in fear or with courageous faith in the promises of God?
13-23 - All mankind is compromised. Not just the people of Israel, but all the nations stand accountable before God. Isaiah’s words of judgment show us that the whole world needs the whole gospel. We can’t compromise our witness by shying away from declaring the bad news of the danger our neighbors face as we share the good news of salvation in Christ.
24-27 - Everyone wants to truly live. Everyone has a vision of “heaven.” But how can we truly come into this experience of uncompromising life? Is 24-27 tells us there is a real heaven, but we can’t get it without getting God.
14:12-16 - In a time when it’s harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian, it’s not just the world “out there” that’s stacked against us but the unseen realm as well. The portrayal of Satan in Is 14:12-16 teaches us that behind every collapsing culture is the influence of the Original Compromiser. In a battle that is not against flesh and blood but spiritual powers and principalities, we need more than merely human strategies and solutions.
30-31 - Turning to “Egypt” is never the right decision, but turning to God is always the right decision. When we find ourselves actively caught up in compromise, how do we respond when the consequences began to be felt? Do we give into sin, seek counsel that tells us only what we want to hear, trust in idols of various kinds OR cast ourselves upon the God who is ready and willing to meet us with grace?
35 - The journey of the Christian life is difficult, but we won‘t regret a single step of it. We have a King who will surely bring us home. We won’t be disappointed when we get there. And we can enjoy the journey all along the way.
36-39 - We may or may not be tempted to quit the race altogether, but the danger of complacency is always around the corner. We can be tempted to take a breather from faithfulness or coast through life presuming upon grace. But being an uncompromising church means not settling for bare minimum Christianity.
40 - The comfort after collapse. The worst came for the people of Judah, but God was there on the other side. When we experience moments of “collapse,” and wonder if God is there or even cares, we’re comforted by the good news that even as we grow weary, God never does. He’s never abandoned us and he never will.
41-48 - God vs. Idols. Judah is in captivity in Babylon and God seems defeated and irrelevant. When we’re falling down, we grab for the nearest thing to break our fall. When we’re collapsed on the side of the road, the hand that’s easiest to reach is the most appealing offer of help. The idols in our lives seem more present, tangible, and available than God. But contrary to appearances, God alone is worthy of our trust. Find an outline here.
49:1-7 - Meet God’s Champion: The Servant of the Lord. He’s the only One who can break our fall and pick us up again. We were created to be uncompromising, but we failed. We need someone to be everything we were meant to be and live the uncompromising life we were meant to live. Jesus Christ comes into the world to do this for us.
52:13-53:12 - The Suffering Servant. We don’t just need someone to live the life of faithfulness we were meant to live, but to die for all our unfaithfulness toward God. Jesus Christ is the uncompromising substitute who was crushed in our place to take away our sin and heal our compromising hearts.
54 - The New Covenant. The Servant’s death seals the deal on an unbreakable covenant of everlasting love. God’s people broke the Old Covenant written on tablets of stone, so he establishes a new one, guaranteed by the death of his Son, that would be written on their hearts.
55 - Who does God invite to receive all that the Servant has accomplished? He welcomes the worst (the compromised sinner, who’s thirsty, broke, and poor from seeking life apart from God). Offers them the very best (Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his saving work). And graciously guarantees the result (working by the power of the word that spoke the universe into being to create life in the dead and keep his promise to receive all who’d respond to his call).
58 - Don’t compromise your worship. Even if we’re not bowing down to idols, we can worship the right thing the wrong way. We must turn away from hypocritical, insincere, and self-serving spirituality and seek God as our goal and great reward. We won’t be disappointed when we do.
61 - The ALREADY of Isaiah. Isaiah anticipates the saving reign of the Lord’s Servant being established in the earth. This began 2,000 years ago in the first coming of Christ, and ever since his grace has been going forth. Advancing his Kingdom, jail-breaking those in spiritual captivity, and making his redeemed people a beautiful sight to behold before the eyes of a watching world.
65:17-25 - The NOT YET. We concluded the series looking forward to that day when there will be no more compromise forever. Setting our hopes upon that time when we’ll only be living in God’s world, God’s way and it will be the best day ever - forever. Sin, death, and sadness shall be overcome by joy and peace in the presence of God, together with his people, in the goodness of a perfected creation. Come, Lord Jesus and bring us into our forever home!
