WE CAN’T COMPROMISE ON OUR MISSION

Not only Judah, but all mankind is compromised. Turning from words of judgment and hope to Judah (Isaiah 1-12), Isaiah speaks words of judgment (Is 13-23) and hope (Is 24-27) to the nations "out there." And here's what we can't miss: The world “out there” can be “dangerous” and scary, but nothing is scarier than what’s coming to those who don’t know Christ. The reality of this danger teaches us many things. That the good news of the gospel comes with the bad news of judgment. That everyone is accountable to God. That Jesus is not one valid option among many. That there is no neutral way of living in this world. And, most importantly, that we cannot compromise on getting the whole gospel to the whole world.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE FAINT

It's 6 years after Isaiah's call, a new king is on the throne, and the nations that were signaled in Isaiah 5:26 are knocking on Judah's door in the form of an Israel-Syria alliance (7:1-2). It's a dangerous time to be God's people. But in the midst of this danger, God speaks a word of promise (7:14). In this moment, and in our own moments of "danger," we are faced with the options of responding in fearful compromise or courageous faith in the promises of God (8:11-13). The first option takes us down the road of complaining, complacency, and compromise. The latter leads us forward in confident faith that God will keep us, sustain us, and deliver us from every "danger" that comes our way. Why? Because God himself is with us, and this places courage within us (9:6-7). 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

CLEANSED FOR SERVICE

In order to be an uncompromising church, we must be holy as God is holy. Separated from sin and devoted to God's purposes. Yet, all too often, when it comes to holiness, we focus only upon what we shouldn't do. What doesn't belong in the house. But that's only half the story of holiness. As Isaiah 6:8-13 demonstrates, we've not just been cleansed from sin but cleansed for service. In other words, God wants us to really live in his house. He wants us to enjoy life in his presence. To feel at home with holiness. And to have Christian lives not simply marked by the absence of sin, but the fullness of giving ourselves to God’s purposes. Honoring what he honors, loving what he loves, living in glad reception of his good gifts, and eagerly offering ourselves as his instruments to bless and build up our families, our church, and our neighbors, and to be witnesses to the gospel.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

CAST ALL YOUR HOPES AND CARES ON HIM

On Sunday, we were joined by guest preacher Jackson Tran who encouraged us to rest our souls in Christ. As we've been reflecting on in our Isaiah sermon series, we live in a cultural moment where it's harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian. Where can we look to find peace for our troubled times and peace for our troubled souls? Luke 19:28-44 tells us to look no further than Jesus Christ. The humble King who not only announces, but has achieved, true peace. A peace he offers to the weary Christian who is tossed around by the waves of the world and the temptations within. A peace he extends to our neighbors who still remain under the wrath to come.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

HE IS A GOD LIKE NO OTHER

Why does God take our sin so seriously? Because he is uncompromisingly holy. Like no other. Perfect in all of his ways. Never compromising upon what it means for him to be him. But we are filled with compromise and our sin causes us not to belong before him. In Isaiah 6:1-7, we are confronted by the raging fire of his holiness. Which shines forth a light that exposes all that is dark, dirty, and unlike himself within us. And gives off a heat which burns up every impurity that comes into his presence. So how can people like us stand before a God like him? We must be cleansed from sin. Listen to the sermon to learn how we are meant to respond to the holiness of God.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE FUTURE HOPE IN OUR PRESENT MOMENT

We all experience the pressure to be on the “right side of history.” Right now, it’s hard to maintain unpopular convictions. Easier to soften the blow of the “bad news” of the gospel, shy away from taking the good news into the world, and take matters into our own hands to find peace as we look toward an uncertain future. But Isaiah comes to us with a message of hope as we look to the days ahead. A Day is coming, and has already dawned, in which God’s peace will cover the earth, his Law will be the law of the land, and his people will be set free from every trace and stain of sinful compromise - forever. He won’t fail to accomplish everything that he’s promised and sustain us until that Great Day. So let’s live now in light of that hope.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

CHAPTERS 1-66

The book of Isaiah is like a mirror. In it, we see Israel’s compromise as well as our own. Through it, we behold God’s unwavering commitment to his weak and wayward people. But it’s also like a maze. It’s difficult to journey through. Filled with ancient hallways, shadowy corridors, and passages that challenge and, if we’re honest, confuse us. But, if we want to be an uncompromising church and take in all we can of God’s uncompromising faithfulness to us, we need to understand how the story of Isaiah works. How it all fits together from chapters 1-66. This sermon is like a roadmap to guide the rest of our time in Isaiah. Make sure to give it listen to be ready to go where the Lord is taking us.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

A STORY OF WAYWARD PEOPLE AND AN UNWAVERINGLY FAITHFUL SAVIOR

In the days of Isaiah, Judah was a nation on the brink of collapse. We might feel the same way about the state of our culture today. In their day, the prophet speaks to them and says, “The reason for the collapse OUT THERE is because of the compromise IN HERE.” Hypocrisy. Decadence. Empty worship. Misplaced trust in things that were not God to help them get through those troubled times. In our day, what God wants us to hear is: “The best way to respond to the collapse out there, is to address compromise wherever it might be found in here.” The book of Isaiah comes to us here and now, in the challenging world in which we live, to grab us by the shoulders and say, “The way to live faithfully in a collapsing culture is to be an uncompromising church.” 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THAT HE SENT THEM HIS SON - AND US

God has placed us in a neighborhood and called us to be good neighbors. While Jesus commands us to be a neighbor to all, there is a particular way in which the members of Cross of Grace Church, the people of Santa Ana, and especially the neighbors of French Park are THE neighbors we're called to prioritize. If we try to reach all 3.1 million Orange Countians, or even all 350,000 Santa Anans, we might not reach anyone. But, if we aim at the community the Lord has called us to, we can expect to see men and women saved, neighbors being blessed, and our neighborhood being changed as the gospel goes forth from us. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

AT THE CENTER OF OUR ORDINARY LIVES, IS THE GLORIOUS CHRIST

We are an ordinary church. We do the same things ordinary Christians have done since the very beginning. Yet, at the center of all this stands a glorious Savior. While we might be ordinary, we have extraordinary expectations of what he'll do among us. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE