WHAT ARE YOU AFTER IN WORSHIP?

Isaiah 58 is proof positive that the greatest threat to God's people is not what's "out there," but always what's "in here." Chapters 56 and following, envision the people back home from Babylon, and even though their enemies have been defeated and they've returned to the land, the problem remains as close to home as ever. It’s the wayward and hearts beating in their chests. This proneness to wander is revealed in the compromised worship of the people. Isaiah 57 makes it clear that even after the collapse and comforting of Judah, the allure of idolatry remains and the people are going hard after what is false (57:9-10). God speaks to them in Isaiah 58 and says, "If only you were so sincere in true worship!" This brings us to the heart of the matter: we're all worshipers. It's not a question of IF we will worship but WHAT we will worship. Apart from Christ, that worship is ultimately directed at ourselves. But even for those in Christ, we're still prone to go through motions of religiosity, engage in overtly spiritual hypocrisy, and make worship about us (58:1-2). We must be uncompromising in keeping God as the goal and great reward of our worship. Trusting that as we do, it will result in true love toward our brothers, sisters, and neighbors and a proper enjoyment of all the rest of God's good gifts.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

AN UNCOMPROMISINGLY EFFECTIVE WORD

Isaiah 53 foretold the saving work of the Suffering Servant. Isaiah 54 announced God's unbreakable promise of uncompromising love in the New Covenant. Chapter 55 answers the question, “But who’s invited to receive the benefits of the Servant’s death and enter into blessings of the covenant?” In this chapter, God throws the greatest party ever. An abundant banquet and soul-satisfying feast. But what kind of people will he fill the room with? Contrary to what we might expect, he calls the thirsty, broke, tired, and compromised through sin to “come” and enter in! To “buy and eat” “without money and without price.” He welcomes the people of Israel and all the nations of the world to “run to” his Risen and Exalted King - who in his death has paid our cost of entry and satisfied the banquet price. To quit their striving to be the “right kind” of person to earn a seat at the table. To stop spending their money, time, and life laboring after that which will never satisfy. To turn from their sin and turn to Jesus Christ - the One who’s paid the price. The King who extends this uncompromisingly free offer and guarantees it through his uncompromisingly powerful word. Just as the rain falls from the heavens and causes the earth to spring forth with fruit, so his word will accomplish what it was sent forth to do. He will not fail to make good on his promise, to extend forgiveness, and bring the dead to life. As a church, would we trust that God’s word will do the work: to make us more and more like the Glorious Host of that great party, and bring our neighbors into the celebration as well.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE COVENANT OF PEACE

Isaiah 53 takes us into the depths of God’s love - that he’d crush his Son for us. But right on its heels, Isaiah 54 confronts us in the depths of our doubts that this is truly God’s heart. Because we know we don't deserve this love. We see ourselves in the people of Judah, portrayed in this chapter as an estranged wife. Separated and sent away on account of her compromise and unfaithfulness. With no children to show of her union. She’s empty. She’s ashamed. She can produce no reason as to why God should take her back. To one such as this, and to sinners just like us, the prophet declares that God's words of comfort are no empty words, but a sacred and solemn oath he'd never fail to keep. Amazingly, to the very one who'd broken her vows, he makes an unbreakable promise of uncompromising love. What Isaiah calls the "covenant of peace," (54:10) - a new and better covenant that God's people could never break. One that would be sealed by the very blood of the Suffering Servant when he gave his life upon the cross (Mt 26:28; 1 Cor 11:25; Heb 8:6-12). We rest in the good news that God does not love us because we are lovely, but because he is so gloriously loving. We don't deserve it, but it's better this way. Because if we can't earn it, we can't lose it.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE HEART OF ISAIAH

How can a people sick with sin (Is 1:4-6) be restored to the God who is “holy, holy, holy” (6:3)? This is the question we’ve been waiting to be answered throughout all of Isaiah. In 49:1-7, we learned that the Servant of the Lord is God’s champion given to achieve victory over his enemies, establish God’s reign, and bring his people home. But Is 52:13-53:12 comes to us to say that just getting back to the Promised Land wouldn’t be enough. Having an easier go in a time when it’s harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian wouldn’t be enough. Having our circumstances changed just wouldn’t be enough. Even the establishment of this Kingdom wouldn’t be enough, because left to ourselves we don’t belong there anyway! This is because our deepest problem is not the enemies, the culture, or any causes of collapse “out there,” but the enmity toward God, tendency to compromise, and sinfulness that plagues us “in here.” Into this predicament, God sends the Servant who had done everything we were meant to do (49:1-7) to suffer the consequence for everything we’d failed to do and pay the price for our sins (53:4-6). In the death of the Servant, God’s uncompromising holiness and unwavering commitment to his people would perfectly converge. Justice and mercy would embrace. And the answer to the question, “How can we be saved?” would be answered once and for all in the cross of Jesus Christ.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

To a people tempted to believe God had been beaten, a champion is revealed: The Servant of the Lord. One who would come out of Israel in order to fulfill everything that Israel was meant to be. The people as a whole had been called to be God's servant (Is 40:8-10, 42:18-19, 44:1-4, 21, 45:4). Chosen to live in the goodness of his presence, keep his law without compromise, and shine forth his beauty to all the world. But they'd failed in their task and the nations had come to Zion not out of devotion to their God but for the destruction and discipline of his compromised people. Into this failure, there is one from Israel given "to bring Jacob back..and that Israel might be gathered to him" (49:5). Though he is not esteemed in the eyes of men (49:4, 7), he is honored in the sight of God because he trusts unreservedly in him (49:5). This one will be raised up, exalted, and shine forth "as a light to the nations" extending God's saving reign "to the end of the earth" (49:6). 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

GOD ALONE IS WORTHY OF OUR TRUST

Judah is captive in Babylon; life is out of control. It seems like the gods of the nations have won. Like YHWH, the God of Israel, the True and Living God, is not only far off and hidden, but perhaps even defeated and irrelevant. The idols which represent the gods of Babylon can appear to be more present, tangible, and real to a people longing for comfort and deliverance but growing weary of waiting. In our day, we may not be tempted to trust in man-made statues, images, or carvings to bring us comfort and help. But make no mistake, our hearts are just as prone to cling to and confide in that which is not God. Turning a good thing into an ultimate thing. Making messiahs out of mere men. Trusting in self-care routines or looking to numbing distractions to bring us peace. Drawn to find our most fundamental identity in perceived ethnic or cultural superiority, instead of in the Son of God. Relying on our work, our stuff, our money, or our abilities to deliver us from the difficulties that we face. In these moments where idols of every kind seem more present to us than God, Isaiah grabs us by the shoulders and shouts at the top of his lungs: "God alone is worthy of your trust! Only he can be counted on to meet you in the moments of collapse and bring you out of captivity. Because, he alone is: the Creator of heaven and earth, the Redeemer of all mankind, and Author of all history.” 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

CHECK OUT A DETAILED OUTLINE OF ISAIAH 41-48 HERE

GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL

Just as predicted in Isaiah 39:5-7, the total collapse came. Everything fell apart because of Judah’s unfaithfulness and they find themselves in exile. Despairing, hopeless, and far from home and wondering if God is done with them. Into all this, God speaks a word of comfort. He’s never abandoned his people, and he never will. Judgment won’t have the last word. He stands ready and willing to comfort his people and bring them home again. Isaiah 40 comes to us as the good news of God's unfailing comfort in the midst of our catastrophic experiences of collapse - whatever they may look like. The times when we give up and stop running along the King's path. When we believe we're beyond restoration. When we've lost hope. When we've been crying out on the side of the road but it seems God has hidden his face and forgotten us. In all these moments and more, we take heart that even as we may collapse, the King’s path never does. Even as we grow weary, God never does. Even as we compromise and collapse, God will never compromise on his commitment to his people.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

DON’T STOP RUNNING

After the presentation of the Beautiful and Righteous King who brings his people home (Isaiah 32:1, 33:17, 35), we're caught up in the story of another king in Isaiah 36-39. We're introduced to Hezekiah, who is a relatively good and faithful king of Judah that still suffers from some critical compromises. In his case, first God heals him from sickness (38-39), then God saves Jerusalem from the siege (36-37), and the king STILL responds complacently. He pays a tribute price to broker peace with Assyria (36:1; 2 Kgs 18:13-16), he courts an alliance with Babylon (39:1-4), and he contents himself with his present comfort when he learns of his people's future peril (39:5-8). He’s okay that, “There will be peace and security in my days,” (39:8) even though the total collapse into exile and captivity awaits his people. How disastrous would it be if we thought like this as a church? God’s people should never live complacent lives. We shouldn’t take a breather from faithfulness for any reason. Whether we’re tired from the journey and just want to lie down on the side of the road or we’re so sure we’re going to make it to heaven we just phone things in here on earth. If we want to remain in our city for generations to come, we can’t think like Hezekiah. God’s people should never live complacent lives. Neither the present trouble (36:1) nor the future hope (Is 35) ever justifies our apathy toward living faithfully in God’s world in every way that we can.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

SILAS & ALIA SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES

From July 12th through July 15th, 7 students and 1 parent chaperone joined 9 churches in the Sovereign Grace Church West Region for the West Region Youth Retreat. They gathered together for a time of worship, teaching, games, and lip-sync battles, all to the glory of God!

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

Our youth came back with stories of God’s goodness. This past Sunday, we heard from Silas Houlton & Alia Erkelens, regarding their experience at the retreat. Read Silas’ testimony and come away encouraged by how the Lord met him and other youth on this retreat.

The Youth Camp was a weekend full of games, and God. I liked how they made it really fun while setting the full focus on God. It had the camp experience. The theme of the camp was "Jesus is better." During the camp we had five sessions, all the sessions had announcements, worship, a sermon, and then we split up into small groups. The sermons were preached by three different pastors from three different churches. I think this camp had a big impact on me, because when I got home I found myself worshipping him more and reading the Bible more often. I’m really grateful I got to go to this camp and I’m looking foreword to next year. So if you’re looking for a great way to have the time of your life while drawing closer to God (and win a lip sync battle) consider coming to this camp!

Would this cause you to praise the Lord for how he’s raising up the next generation for his glory!

TAKE HEART ALONG THE WAY

Isaiah 25-27 was a glimpse of heaven. Chapter 35 is the journey to get there. A pilgrimage that begins in the desert and ends in a garden. But on the way to anywhere worth going, we wonder if it’s worth getting there - especially when we're walking through the wilderness! Traveling through the inhospitable desert of our current cultural moment where it's harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian. It would be far easier to abandon Christ and go back to Egypt. To give up on the Promised Land we’re headed toward and live like this life and this world is all there is. To become overcome with doubt whether we'll make it to the destination after all. To become distracted by the troubles that we face and lose sight of where we’re going. Isaiah 35 assures the "anxious heart," stuck in the thick of the wilderness and scurrying about with all these thoughts, that we have a King who will surely bring us home, we won’t be disappointed when we get there, and can enjoy the journey all along the way.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE