Go Out In Joy And Peace

Isaiah 55 is a poem that starts like a commercial. God appears as a street vender in the marketplace near a river, eager to sell his goods, but with a big difference. What He’s offering is free. His merchandise--wine and milk--represent life’s blessings. Milk is a symbol of nourishment, wine a symbol of happiness. And both are free! The offer is to everyone without exception; come as you are; come at once. Drink the love of God. The invitation is similar to Jesus’ parable where the poor, crippled, and blind are invited to a great feast.

Poverty is no barrier; it’s a prerequisite. The “buyers” can keep their money in their pockets. This is Good News for those who are spiritually bankrupt. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” who are desperate for God, Mt 5. “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I thirst for you, O God,” Psalm 42. To receive what God freely offers, we need to admit we are spiritually parched. The self-sufficient have little desire for spiritual nourishment, but “all who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled.”

The Merchant declares that what He’s offering is “without cost,” at least to us. The transaction is already completed. It’s paid-in-full. The price? Our salvation cost Jesus His own blood on the cross. His sacrifice paid our debt--the Just for the unjust! Eternal life is a gift.

Not everyone wants what the Merchant is offering, so he pleads with them, verse 2: “Why pay for food that does you no good?” Unbelief and apathy indicate a desire to go our own way, to reject divine authority, despite what is offered. People turn from the Bread of Life, preferring the “junk food” of the world. How convenient to live without absolutes, but Isaiah says this kind of life will “not satisfy.” It will ultimately lead to despair. Tim Keller warns that, “We base our lives on some ultimate allegiance, either to God or to some God-substitute.” Accept no substitutes! C.S. Lewis noted that “History is the long, terrible story of people trying to find something other than God to make them happy.”

What do we value in life? Who do we pay attention to? God urges us in vs 3 to incline our ears to Him. We eagerly listen to politicians and celebrities. Are we attuned to God? Jesus asked His disciples if they wanted to leave after hearing Him. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68). Secular voices compete to gain our attention, yet wisdom and abundant life comes from one source: “Only in God is my soul at rest,” Psalm 62. Do we cherish God’s word? The mind grows by what it feeds on. In Psalm 81 God declares, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

Besides wine and milk, the Heavenly Merchant offers us an “everlasting covenant” in verses 3 and 4. A covenant is a relationship that God establishes with us and guarantees by His word.

God wants us to have all He promised King David. God took a shepherd boy and made him a great leader. As God blessed David, He will bless us. God remains faithful, despite our faults. We’re not alone or on our own. We can trust God’s presence and promises. God will give us the same mercy He showed David.

Being followers of Christ, our mission is to “summon nations,” verse 5, to share with others the message of hope we’ve received. We are lifelines of the Gospel to others. We believe in Jesus because someone cared enough to tell us the Good News. Now it’s our turn. Go public with your faith! Share it wherever you have any influence.

Isaiah cries out with urgency in verse 6: “Seek the Lord while He may be found.” God can be known. He has revealed Himself through Creation, conscience, Scripture, and His Son. He meets us where we’re at. When we turn to Him, our thirst for meaning and purpose is satisfied, our sins are forgiven, and we’re set on a new direction with a new destination. The author of Hebrews pleads with us: “Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (4:7). Seek Him without delay, “while He may be found.” This offer has a limited time of opportunity.

Verse 7 is an appeal to turn from sin. To repent is to come to our senses. Repentance is forsaking our past with resolve for the future. We repent or we repeat. Are you stuck in the past? God can get you unstuck. Conversion is throwing out our agenda and living by God’s. In learning to follow Jesus we unlearn following ourselves. We regret our failures, and sorrow can lead to repentance, but repentance is not when we merely weep. It’s more action than emotion. Repentance is when we change our allegiance. We trust and obey. “Sin forsaken is the best evidence of sin forgiven” (J.C. Ryle).