IN THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

In this final sermon of Isaiah, we looked forward to the future that awaits all those who’ve trusted in Christ. That day when his reign - which is presently expanding across the earth - will be perfectly realized in a new heavens and new earth. We come to the end of the story in which the city of that began in ruins (1:7-8), is now completely restored and filled with rejoicing forevermore (65:17-18). We arrive at that Great Day when all our compromise will be no more. When the struggle with sin will be over. When we’ll live in the fullness of all that Christ died and rose again to bring us into. It will be a time when it's no longer harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian. But instead, it will be better than ever to be God's people, and every one of them will be glorious. Joy will abound. Sin and sadness will be no more. Peace will reign supreme. And we’ll do nothing but live in God's world, God's way. To his eternal glory and our everlasting good. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

CLICK HERE TO READ 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEW CREATION

THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR

What do you think of the times we’re living in? As we lookout on the landscape of a cultural moment where it feels harder than ever to be an ordinary Christian. Crushing inflation. Hurricanes sweeping the nation. Wars abroad. Another polarizing and divisive election season here at home. It’s not difficult to point out what’s broken all around us. Even more, it’s impossible to run away from or deny what’s broken within us. Are things going from bad to worse? Is the future not so bright? Contrary to how things might appear, Isaiah 61 comes to us to declare it’s actually a good time. Because in these moments where everything seems to be moving toward decline, the grace of God is never in decline. At bottom, the truest, realest, most fundamental thing about the year 2024 is that it is “the year of the Lord’s favor.” The time of God’s salvation spreading across the earth! Giving fresh starts to those captive to sin, growing his Kingdom through the mission of the Church, and cultivating his people into something beautiful.

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TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD

On Sunday, we were joined by guest preacher, Eric Turbedsky from Sovereign Grace Church of Orange. He came to us with a story about how delicious bread is. Through the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6:1-15, we learned how hunger teaches us about what it’s like to be satisfied in Christ. We fervently try to stuff our souls and to fill that vacuum with anything that will make us feel full. But Jesus alone fulfills our deepest longing. If you don’t have him, you’ll starve. But if you do, you’ll feast upon the bread of abundant life.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

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