He'll Be Holding His Own

INTRO: 1. We are living in very vulnerable times.

a. For the first time in our history we have a branch of government designed to expect the worst, think out the unthinkable, look for enemies walking down our streets… Homeland security.

b. But if our only security is found in what our government provides we are in desperate need for more.

c. I’ve got another ‘Home-Land Security’ that I’ve come to rely upon…that Kingdom of Heaven Jesus talked about.

d. This kingdom’s authority isn’t limited to the sweet by and by, but it’s at work now in the middle of the mess we call life.

2. Through the prophet Isaiah God sent a word for His people.

a. A people living in a time of radical political upheaval and change.

b. They had been blessed in times past, but now they where seeing that an enemy where rising from places they had never seen before… Assyrians.

c. Isaiah prophesied that they would see their world change around them and they would also experience devastation in their own personal lives as they would become captives and taken off to Babylon (modern day Iraq).

3. Although thousands of years separate us from that time, we are not so very far from an identical situation.

a. Facing enemies we’ve never seen before… can’t figure out why they hate us so.

b. Facing political changes as nations and allies seem to shift almost daily.

c. Facing possible personal devastation as our personal lives may be impacted by this changing world.

4. Although thousands of years separate our times and their's... God’s word is eternal.

a. The same promises God made to that generation… He makes for every generation that follows Him.

5. Why should I listen to God?

a. Because He’s the only one who’s already been where we’re about to go.

6. Isaiah is crying out to us that no matter what we face or experience in our times… “He’ll be holding His Own.”

a. It is my desire this morning to bring to you the simple yet unchanging principles of God’s Word to more than meet the challenges of our times.

b. We can live confidently in challenging times.

c. We can live in peace as the world rages in war.

I. WHY GOD HOLDS US.

a. We are commanded twice in this passage to not fear.

b. This was not a plea to drop merely unfounded worry, but to drop the fear of the ‘terror’ we are in reality facing.

c. The devil wants you to fear that he can destroy you at will.

d. God wants His people to realize that He has every reason to hold tight to us.

e. In these fearful and troubling times you might want to write this down and use it in your prayer time with God.

f. It's not because of your ability, but because of your identity.

ILL. Deep within a forest a little turtle began to climb a tree. After hours of effort he reached the top, jumped into the air waving his front legs and crashed to the ground. After recovering, he slowly climbed the tree again, jumped, and fell to the ground. The turtle tried again and again while a couple of birds sitting on a branch watched and laughed at his sad efforts. Finally, the female bird turned to her mate. "That turtle is an idiot to think he can fly!" she chirped, "I think it's time we tell him he's adopted."

g. That’s not the case with us… we’ve been born-again and this time as overcomers.

h. May I remind you who you are in Him and why he holds you so tightly.

A. Because He has redeemed us.

1. For the people in Isaiah’s day it means that God had bought them back from the tyranny of Egypt.

2. But for us it means so much more…we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

3. We would never think to pay more than the true value of a thing in our dealings.

4. Calvary revealed your full value to heaven.

5. He’s invested much in you, He’s not going to sit back and watch the enemy destroy you.

6. Because of what He proved at Calvary, I’m not going under.

B. Because He has personally chosen us.

1. He tells us in verse 1 “I have called thee by thy name.”

2. You didn’t just choose Him, He has chosen you.

3. It is a personal choosing, he called you by name.

4. ILL. Just like Zacchaeus, we didn’t know him, nor had we ever seen Him, but he calls us by name and chooses to go to our house.

C. Because He claims us

1. Not just chosen, but claimed.

2. He declares to his people… “thou art mine.”