Let us pray.
Our Lord, guard our hearts and minds. We look at Your word and see that we live in a world of turmoil. We see warnings against departing from the faith. We see a picture of the world which scares us. We see our sin and our failure. Yes, Lord, guard our hearts. Let us also see in your word the fulfillment of all the Law, Jesus Christ. Let us see you in your glory. Let us see your majesty. Let us hear your call to us. Comfort our hearts and make us walk in your ways. This we pray through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Experience tells us that our lives will have their share of troubles. Actually, most of us think that our own lives have more than their share of troubles. We'd rather some of the troubles went to someone else once in a while. The Scripture also tells us that our lives will have trials of various types. We live in a world full of struggles. Unemployment, economic difficulties, illness, marital strife, the difficult co-worker, that teacher who doesn't give you a break, times of uncertainty, pastors leaving, wondering if your house will sell, wondering if you can find a place to live, there are lots of possibilities. And in some parts of our world there are more serious struggles as well. Maybe you know of someone who is in a country where being a Christian is illegal. Maybe you know of someone who faces persecution for his faith, where Christians don't live very long, or where they routinely end up unemployed, discredited, stripped of their property and family. Yes, there are places where it's downright dangerous to be a believer.
This fallen world is chock-full of trouble. And that kind of trouble is not at all foreign to the Scriptures. During the time of the prophet Isaiah, though the people of Israel were living in a prosperous time, they still had enemies around them. They still had uncertainty. Every year they had to wonder if their harvest would be sufficient to bring them through the hungry gap. Every month they wondered if there would be enough rainfall to keep adequate water supplies. Who knows what plagues of locusts, what marauders from the north or south, what kind of drought or flood might hit them. And Isaiah wasn't always being very comforting, either. He'd call the people to repentance. He'd tell them about God's coming judgment on unbelief. He'd point out that they were all guilty. He'd talk about the hardships the people faced every day and remind them that they were only doing as well as they were because of God's mercy.
It sounds strikingly similar to what we see today. Many of us know the threat of a layoff all too well. We wonder what might be happening when the boss calls us into the office. We look at the newspaper wondering if we'll see that we no longer have a job. We hesitate to go to the doctor for fear of what he might notice. We wonder what happened to our children when they don't show up at home on time. We fear what might come in the mail. The phone rings and we wonder whether it would be a good idea to pick it up.
How did this happen? It sounds very much like we've had the Law preached at us until we are all gun shy. It sounds like we understand that we are in a precarious position. It sounds like we are fully expecting the doom and gloom prophecies to come true. So what are we to do? How can we dig our way out of this situation? What will we do?
I come to you today bringing very good news. That good news is that we cannot do anything at all. What? Do you mean we're stuck like this? Woe and misery and agony on me! There's nothing I can do about my situation? And you call that good news? Yes, indeed, I do call it good news, in fact, the very best news we could ever hear. We are utterly powerless to stop the evil that assaults us. We are utterly powerless to change the health of our sick relatives. We are utterly helpless to keep the economy from tanking and leaving us without jobs. We are utterly helpless to sell our house. We are utterly helpless to avoid a drought, a famine, a plague. No matter how hard we try, we will become old and die. No matter how hard we try, other people will sin against us. We can't do a thing to prevent it. This is a fallen world. It's beyond us to change the world that much.
That doesn't sound much like good news? Well, here's the actual good part. We read it in our passage from Isaiah 66. We can't change it. But the Lord, who is utterly able to change the world, has already planned it. He already knows our situation. He is gathering all nations and tongues, and he is doing it in the person of Jesus Christ. When the time was fulfilled, he says in Galatians, Jesus came. He came according to divine plan. He came to atone for our sin. He came to reconcile the world to God. He came to show the glory of the Father. He came to bring grace and truth. And he accomplished just what he came for. He has revealed the glory of God. He serves as a sign to the world, just like we read in our passage today.
What is Jesus continuing to do as he fulfills this prophecy? He has taken his people and sent them around the world. He has revealed himself to people who have not heard of him, who have not seen his glory. He has declared his glory through his faithful servants. Jesus Christ has drawn people to himself. As he said, if he is lifted up on the cross he will draw all men to himself. And this he has done, as he has given his people grace upon grace, as he has created belief in the hearts of his followers. He has taken us and made us living sacrifices, acceptable and pleasing offerings to our Lord.
He has taken some and set them apart as his special servants, the priests and Levites in the Christian Church being those people who enable the rest of the believers in worship. He has gathered his people in worship before his throne. In Christ we have full access to the Father. We have been brought in to worship before our Lord. This is our great good news.
So before we despair, let us remember, one and all, that our future is not in our hands. Our future is not something we can manage. It is in the hands of our Lord and Savior, who has already managed our future by purchasing our salvation, by cleansing us from sin, by forgiving us and preparing us a heavenly home. No, we should never despair. Our Lord is gathering us from all nations and tongues. We are perfectly safe in his hands. Blessed be the name of the Lord our deliverer.
Let us rise and pray.
Our Lord, thank you for working out your will, the salvation of your people, in your perfect life, your death on our behalf, and in your resurrection as the firstfruits of the resurrection. Grant us a confidence that you are able to accomplish your will in all things, through Christ Jesus. Amen.
Our Lord, guard our hearts and minds. We look at Your word and see that we live in a world of turmoil. We see warnings against departing from the faith. We see a picture of the world which scares us. We see our sin and our failure. Yes, Lord, guard our hearts. Let us also see in your word the fulfillment of all the Law, Jesus Christ. Let us see you in your glory. Let us see your majesty. Let us hear your call to us. Comfort our hearts and make us walk in your ways. This we pray through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Experience tells us that our lives will have their share of troubles. Actually, most of us think that our own lives have more than their share of troubles. We'd rather some of the troubles went to someone else once in a while. The Scripture also tells us that our lives will have trials of various types. We live in a world full of struggles. Unemployment, economic difficulties, illness, marital strife, the difficult co-worker, that teacher who doesn't give you a break, times of uncertainty, pastors leaving, wondering if your house will sell, wondering if you can find a place to live, there are lots of possibilities. And in some parts of our world there are more serious struggles as well. Maybe you know of someone who is in a country where being a Christian is illegal. Maybe you know of someone who faces persecution for his faith, where Christians don't live very long, or where they routinely end up unemployed, discredited, stripped of their property and family. Yes, there are places where it's downright dangerous to be a believer.
This fallen world is chock-full of trouble. And that kind of trouble is not at all foreign to the Scriptures. During the time of the prophet Isaiah, though the people of Israel were living in a prosperous time, they still had enemies around them. They still had uncertainty. Every year they had to wonder if their harvest would be sufficient to bring them through the hungry gap. Every month they wondered if there would be enough rainfall to keep adequate water supplies. Who knows what plagues of locusts, what marauders from the north or south, what kind of drought or flood might hit them. And Isaiah wasn't always being very comforting, either. He'd call the people to repentance. He'd tell them about God's coming judgment on unbelief. He'd point out that they were all guilty. He'd talk about the hardships the people faced every day and remind them that they were only doing as well as they were because of God's mercy.
It sounds strikingly similar to what we see today. Many of us know the threat of a layoff all too well. We wonder what might be happening when the boss calls us into the office. We look at the newspaper wondering if we'll see that we no longer have a job. We hesitate to go to the doctor for fear of what he might notice. We wonder what happened to our children when they don't show up at home on time. We fear what might come in the mail. The phone rings and we wonder whether it would be a good idea to pick it up.
How did this happen? It sounds very much like we've had the Law preached at us until we are all gun shy. It sounds like we understand that we are in a precarious position. It sounds like we are fully expecting the doom and gloom prophecies to come true. So what are we to do? How can we dig our way out of this situation? What will we do?
I come to you today bringing very good news. That good news is that we cannot do anything at all. What? Do you mean we're stuck like this? Woe and misery and agony on me! There's nothing I can do about my situation? And you call that good news? Yes, indeed, I do call it good news, in fact, the very best news we could ever hear. We are utterly powerless to stop the evil that assaults us. We are utterly powerless to change the health of our sick relatives. We are utterly helpless to keep the economy from tanking and leaving us without jobs. We are utterly helpless to sell our house. We are utterly helpless to avoid a drought, a famine, a plague. No matter how hard we try, we will become old and die. No matter how hard we try, other people will sin against us. We can't do a thing to prevent it. This is a fallen world. It's beyond us to change the world that much.
That doesn't sound much like good news? Well, here's the actual good part. We read it in our passage from Isaiah 66. We can't change it. But the Lord, who is utterly able to change the world, has already planned it. He already knows our situation. He is gathering all nations and tongues, and he is doing it in the person of Jesus Christ. When the time was fulfilled, he says in Galatians, Jesus came. He came according to divine plan. He came to atone for our sin. He came to reconcile the world to God. He came to show the glory of the Father. He came to bring grace and truth. And he accomplished just what he came for. He has revealed the glory of God. He serves as a sign to the world, just like we read in our passage today.
What is Jesus continuing to do as he fulfills this prophecy? He has taken his people and sent them around the world. He has revealed himself to people who have not heard of him, who have not seen his glory. He has declared his glory through his faithful servants. Jesus Christ has drawn people to himself. As he said, if he is lifted up on the cross he will draw all men to himself. And this he has done, as he has given his people grace upon grace, as he has created belief in the hearts of his followers. He has taken us and made us living sacrifices, acceptable and pleasing offerings to our Lord.
He has taken some and set them apart as his special servants, the priests and Levites in the Christian Church being those people who enable the rest of the believers in worship. He has gathered his people in worship before his throne. In Christ we have full access to the Father. We have been brought in to worship before our Lord. This is our great good news.
So before we despair, let us remember, one and all, that our future is not in our hands. Our future is not something we can manage. It is in the hands of our Lord and Savior, who has already managed our future by purchasing our salvation, by cleansing us from sin, by forgiving us and preparing us a heavenly home. No, we should never despair. Our Lord is gathering us from all nations and tongues. We are perfectly safe in his hands. Blessed be the name of the Lord our deliverer.
Let us rise and pray.
Our Lord, thank you for working out your will, the salvation of your people, in your perfect life, your death on our behalf, and in your resurrection as the firstfruits of the resurrection. Grant us a confidence that you are able to accomplish your will in all things, through Christ Jesus. Amen.
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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com
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