Listen Up! Series

Listen Up!

Isaiah 55

1. At the women’s Bible study this week, the ladies came up with a theory to account for the clues they found. First, they saw that my vehicle and Marylu’s vehicle were parked in the lot. Second, they saw on the marker board in the hall, “Camp Meeting” with an arrow.

2. Their conclusion, Marylu was in the camp meeting. One possible theory to harmonize those facts.

3. But what really happened? Camp meeting Wednesday, van had been in shop. I dropped Marylu off at work, came to the church to work in my office. My van was ready, Yon took me to shop & I drove to church…. picked Marylu up from work…

4. The ladies’ theory was logically valid, just wrong. So it is with Scripture; we can easily formulate a way to harmonize differing bits of information wrongly!

Main Idea: God wants to keep us in the loop; he wants us to get it right and be informed.

I. The Right Purchase at the Right PRICE (1-2)

God is our host, and he freely provides a great banquet for those who turn to him.

The food and drink are God’s provision and our ultimate destiny, heaven… [banquet]

This passage provides several midrashim in the New Testament… key verses

A. An invite to those who are CRAVING God’s righteousness

• Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

• Problem: Sometimes people are ill and lose their appetite… junk or fast food

B. The FREE blessings of God’s Grace

1. Rich men live by MONEY

2. Poor men live by hard WORK

3. God’s grace can satisfy our deepest LONGINGS

• Jesus is taking us out to dinner, and he is treating!

Revelation 3:17-18, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”

• People are busy trying to earn what God has provided and accepting by faith

• Romans 10:9, “Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”

• John 6:27, “ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

• The food and clothing both connect to the idea of the great banquet mentioned within the Book of Isaiah, chapter 25:6-8

Application: Some parents substitute parental attention for money & what money buys; what kids crave is time and interaction; some people try to buy God off, too. He wants a relationship with us; he wants to be our God, not a taskmaster!

II. The Right COVENANT (3-5)

A. Speaking of a covenant that was yet FUTURE form Isaiah’s time

B. One that would last FOREVER

Old covenant by birth, new covenant by the New Birth

Note the inclusion of gentiles in this covenant (happening now)

Romans 15:27, “For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

C. Related to his promise to DAVID

Ps 89:29, I will establish his [David’s] line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Application: God does not pull a “bait and switch.” He keeps his Word, no deception.

III. The Right RESPONSE (6-7)

A. SEEK the Lord

B. CALL on the Lord in REPENTANCE (teshuvah)

C. Recognizing God’s EAGERNESS to accept those who turn to him

Luke 15:7, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Some of you have a really bad past…but you turned to God through Christ

If God has a weakness, it is that he cannot resist repentance…. (Jonah/Nineveh)

IV. The Right REVELATION of God’s Will (8-11)

A. Distinct from human wisdom and LOGIC (8)

B. SUPERIOR to human reasoning (9)

1. Thus to embrace God’s Word, you have to accept your ignorance

2. Human logic and knowledge are forms of control in life…ineffective with God

3. In some situations, being a pastor brings positive influence, others negative…

C. The LIFE-GIVING Word (10)

Have we lost confidence in the power of the Word of God to give life? Yes.

D. The POWER of the Word (11)

Powerful physically, powerful spiritually…

V. The Right DESTINY