"God Of Glory - Our Comfort And Assurance"

Cornerstone Church August 6/7, 2011

“God of Glory – Our Comfort and Assurance”

Isaiah 40:1-26

In his book, titled “The Pressure’s Off”, psychologist Larry Crabb tells a story from his childhood to illustrate how God works in our adversity.

One Saturday afternoon, Larry said, when he was three years old he decided that he was a big boy and could use the bathroom without anyone’s help. So he climbed the stairs, closed the bathroom door and locked it behind him. And for the next few minutes he felt very self-sufficient.

Then, it was time to leave. But, to his horror he discovered that he could not unlock the door. He tried with every ounce of his three-year-old strength, but he could not unlock the door.

He panicked. He felt like a very little boy again as the thought went through his mind, “I might spend the rest of my life in this bathroom.”

His parents—and likely the neighbors—heard his desperate scream for help.

“Are you okay?” his Mom shouted through the locked door. “Did you fall? Have you hit your head?”

“I can’t unlock the door!” shouted Larry. “Get me out of here!”

Now Larry was not aware of it right then, but his Dad raced down the stairs, ran to the garage, found the ladder, hauled it off the hooks, and leaned it against the side of the house just beneath the bathroom window.

With adult strength, his Dad pried open the window, then climbed into Larry’s prison, walked past him and with that same strength, turned the lock and opened the bathroom door.

“Thanks, Dad!” Larry said. And then he ran outside to play.”

Quoted by Freddy Fritz in his sermon, The Glory of God is our Comfort, SermonCentral.com

“Get me out of here, I want to play!”

We might not admit it to others, or maybe even admit it to ourselves, but when we find ourselves in difficult situations and hardships don’t we want out immediately?

The Christian life doesn’t always work like that!

We want God to open the door or fix the problem immediately (even if it is a door God Himself has locked or closed)!

We experience problems that are of our own making because of bad decisions or choices that we have made or are the result of sin.

We also experience the same hardships and trials of life that everyone experiences at one time or another in this world.

Adversity and Difficulties

A rebellious child making harmful and dangerous choices

A loved one dies

The loss of a job

Income is fixed or declining yet expenses keep growing

Conflict in your marriage is growing and on the verge of unraveling

Fighting a life threatening terminal disease

Then you are suddenly hit with an even more difficult question or result. You are praying and seeking God for His help and guidance and the problem seems to get worse not better!

“Lord, Get me out of here, I want to play!”

These are the moments that test our faith and trust in God! During times like this hope is almost extinguished!

My hope is in You LORD!

My faith is in You LORD!

Yet, My heart is a tangled web of knots, questions and doubts!

Does God still love me?

Will He keep His promise?

Will He forgive me?

How long will His discipline or correction last?

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Heb. 13:5 b NIV

God loves us with a covenant keeping and commitment type of love!

Last week we looked at Isaiah 6 and observed Isaiah coming face to face with God Who is not just Holy but is: Holy, Holy, Holy!

The “I AM, that I AM!”

Understanding the Holiness of God helped Isaiah to proclaim God’s judgment was looming on the horizon. That ,however, is not the end of the story.

Our Great God because of His love for HIS people seeks to comfort and assure HIS people. His mercies are new every morning – Great is His Faithfulness!

Isaiah Chapter 40 marks a pivotal place in the Book of Isaiah. LORD we ask you to help us glean some precious truths from this magnificent chapter in Isaiah.

Outline:

1) GOD CARES TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE – Isaiah 40:1-9

2) GOD ASSURES HIS PEOPLE HE IS ABLE TO CARE FOR THEM – Isaiah 40:10-26

3) GOD PROMISES STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY – Isaiah 40:27-31

GOD CARES TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE

Isaiah 40:1-9

God had promised Abraham his descendants would become a Great Nation

God delivered the Jews out of Egypt and gave them their own Promised Land

God promised David his: Household, Kingdom and throne would have no end (2 Sam 7:16)

It all started to disintegrate!

The Glorious Kingdom has been divided

The Prophets preached to God’s people the need to repent and turn back to Him