Introduction

Welcome, beloved family of God, to this sacred gathering where we come together, unified in spirit, to soak in the divine wisdom of God's Word. We are not here by accident, but by divine appointment, brought together by our shared love for Christ and our hunger for His Word. We are here to seek, to learn, to grow, and most importantly, to encounter God in a fresh and transformative way.

Our guide today is the prophet Isaiah, who, through his inspired words, invites us to a grand spectacle of God's divine work. The passage we will be considering comes from Isaiah 43:18-19, which reads, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

These verses are a balm for the weary soul and a beacon for those navigating the storms of life. They remind us that our God is not a God of stagnation but of transformation. He is not a God of the past, but of the present and the future. He is a God who is constantly at work, creating, renewing, and making all things new.

Harnessing Hope for Heavenly Happenings

The words of Isaiah echo in our hearts, stirring a sense of hope that is not of this world. The prophet speaks of forgetting the former things, of not dwelling on the past. This is a call to hope, a call to look forward to the heavenly happenings that God has in store for us.

We often find ourselves trapped in the past, held captive by our mistakes, our failures, our sins. We replay these moments in our minds, allowing them to define us, to shape our identity. But God's word offers us a different perspective. It invites us to let go of the past, to release the chains that bind us, and to embrace the hope of new things.

This hope is not a vague, wishful thinking. It is grounded in the character of God. It's a hope that is anchored in the truth of His word, in the reality of His presence, in the certainty of His love. We are required to participate, to engage, to respond. We are called to perceive the new thing that God is doing, to be aware of His work in our lives, in our world.

This hope is also transformative. It changes us, it shapes us, it molds us into the image of Christ. It moves us from despair to joy, from fear to courage, from doubt to faith. We are called to share, to proclaim, to demonstrate.

The first aspect of this hope is its foundation. Our hope is not based on our circumstances, on our abilities, on our resources. It's based on God, on His character, on His promises. He is the source of our hope, the anchor of our souls. He is the one who is doing a new thing, who is making a way in the wilderness, who is creating streams in the wasteland.

Next, consider its nature. Our hope is not a wishful thinking, a blind optimism, a vague dream. It's a confident expectation, a firm assurance, a steadfast faith. It's a hope that is certain, that is sure, that is unshakeable.

The third aspect of this hope is its power. Our hope is not weak, not feeble, not fragile. It's strong, it's resilient, it's enduring. It's a hope that can withstand the storms of life, that can endure the trials of this world, that can overcome the challenges of this age.

Finally, let’s consider hope’s purpose. Our hope is not self-centered, not self-serving, not self-seeking. It's God-centered, it's God-serving, it's God-seeking. It's a hope that glorifies God, that magnifies His name, that exalts His kingdom.

Heeding God's Heralds of Change

We are drawn to the second part of the verse, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" This is a call to heed God's heralds of change, to be aware of His transformative work in our lives and in the world around us ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO