"I'm Not A Used Car Salesman!"

Introduction: “I’ve got a deal for you today!”

Every Wednesday night the praise team of Church has a rehearsal time as we go over the music for the coming Sunday morning. Our music director, Dan Iams, is young in the Lord, and I have tried to teach him many of the old hymns and new choruses. When we learned the song, “The Trees of the Field shall Clap their Hands,” Dan made this comment. “This song makes no sense to me,” and then asked, “Who wrote the words to this song?” My response, God did. These words are found in Isaiah 55.

For the next week I meditated on the text and came up with the following outline of thought.

All of us are familiar with the methods of the car salesman. The more I read over this passage, the more I thought about the sales techniques of a car salesman. By the time I finish the message, I hope that I have sold you on a new form of transportation, “Jesus!” Let’s go over one verse at a time in this chapter and see what the Lord has to say to us about accepting the authority of Christ into our lives:

(Isa 55:1 KJV) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Sales pitch number one: “No money down!”

My comment: Please keep in mind that I do not want to be a used

car salesman, and that God is not for sale. I know this. The invitation to come to Christ is that a person can come without money without price!

(Isa 55:2 KJV) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Sales pitch number two: “You will not find a better offer anywhere else in town!”

My comment: Only Jesus satisfies the hungry soul. People are looking everywhere for peace and joy. Without Christ, all is vanity.

(Isa 55:3 KJV) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Sales pitch number three: “Come on down, and check it out!”

My comment: Give God a chance in your life. Encourage people to come to Church with you and listen to what the preacher has to say!

(Isa 55:4 KJV) Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Sales pitch number four: “Listen to what other folks are saying about it!”

My comment: David could testify to the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

(Isa 55:5 KJV) Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Sales pitch number five: “You will be the envy of the neighborhood!”

My comment: During the millennial kingdom of Christ, Jerusalem will become the envy of the world. God wants you to be a city set upon a hill which cannot be hid.

In line with my car salesman lingo, let me ask you this question: “Have you ever owned a new car and felt the eyes of others looking at you with a bit of envy?” I personally have never owned a new car, but I have envied others who have!

(Isa 55:6 KJV) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Sales pitch number six: “This is a limited time offer!”

My comment: We are not to harden our hearts in the day of provocation. You never know when the Lord will ever be knocking at your heart’s door again!

(Isa 55:7 KJV) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Sales pitch number seven: “Got bad credit? No trade-in will be turned away!”

My comment: Notice that this is a trade-in offer. A person must repent of their sin to come to Christ. Before we can put on the righteousness of Christ, we need to lay aside our righteousness of filthy rags!

(Isa 55:8 KJV) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

(Isa 55:9 KJV) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.