(Isa. Isa 1:16-20) "Learn to do well..."
Isaiah addresses a people so very stooped in sin.
God accuses them of bing sick from head to toe.
He warns of coming judgement and wrath.
> He tells them that sudden and sure destruction is heading their way.
But, then God gives them a call to repentance in verses 16-20.
> Let’s reason together...
> Let’s talk this out...
> It doesn’t have to turn out this way...
> There is still time to repent and change your ways.
> "Wash you, make you clean... cease to do evil; Learn to do well..."
By this we understand that there must be effort on our part to live for God.
We are saved by grace without works, but we are saved UNTO GOOD WORKS.
We have an obligation to live the Christian life in a manner pleasing to God.
LEARN TO DO WELL
I. Doing Right Must be Learned.
A. We were not born innocent.
1. We were born with the sin of Adam already upon us.
> "I was shapen in iniquity, in sin did my mother conceive me..."
2. We are sinners by birth!
> "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
> Adam brought sin into the world, and passed it down to all of his descendants.
B. Doing right does not come natural.
1. You will rarely, if ever, see a two or three year old saying:
> "No, please, I insist, you play with the toy..."
2. But it is quite common to hear one saying:
> "Mine, my toy; Give it back!"
3. No one had to teach the child to be selfish.
> No one had to teach the child to be angry and defensive.
> It comes natural! It’s the sin nature!
C. Doing right must be Learned.
1. If it is to be learned, then it must be taught.
> Someone must teach babies what is right and what is wrong.
2. It begins with the parents.
> But, even a good parent will fail if they are not diligent.
> There must be consistence and perseverance.
3. God established the Church (Matt. 28:19-20).
> The Church has a three-fold commission.
4. The three-fold Great Commission.
<1> Preach the gospel.
> Other gospel writers.
<2> Baptizing them...
> Second step., not to be ignored or neglected.
<3> Teaching them to observe al that I have commanded...
> The Church is to INSTRUCT.
> Believers ARE TO LEARN.
> The Christian Walk does not come natural to this body of flesh.
> We must LEARN TO DO WELL!
II. We Should Desire to Know God’s Ways (Psa. 25:4-9) 4 x’s "Teach".
A. The Bible condemns those who hate instruction.
1. (Prov. 1:7) "fools despise wisdom and instruction..."
> (v. 22) "scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?"
> (v. 29) "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:"
2. Many children are Unteachable.
> Because parents refuse to teach responsibility we have raised a generation who is UNTEACHABLE!
3. Many Christians are Unteachable.
> Rabbi = teacher.
> Disciple = Student.
> The height of stupidity would be to call yourself a disciple of Christ, and not be teachable...
> How foolish is the student who refuses to be taught.
4. God calls those who refuse instruction FOOLS.
> Ignorant = I don’t know.
> But, FOOL means, unwilling to learn!
B. I Want To Be Teachable.
1. There are things that I don’t know.
> There are things that I have never learned.
> When I was young I thought I knew it all, but the older I get...
2. Its one thing to be ignorant, and not know something...
> But, its another thing to be a FOOL and refuse to LEARN.
C. Christians are commanded to grow and learn more about Jesus.
1. We are to "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ..."
> This is a command or God.
> We are not to become complacent and LAZY!
2. The results of not growing in Christ...
ONE: You become Liberal:
> One of the direct results of not growing is that you begin fall back.
TWO: You become Legalistic:
> You don’t know how to live by the power of the Holy Spirit, so you live by works.
> STANDARDS ARE A RESULT OF MY LOVE FOR GOD; NOT THE MEANS BY WHICH I LOVE GOD.
> THREE: Liberal/Legalistic: You Leave!.
> Many, who used to call this their church, are not here today, because they ceased to be teachable.
3. It is a direct result of losing interest in the things of God.
> You get Liberal.
> You get Legalistic.
> You LEAVE!
4. But, If you are going to stay with God and walk the Christian life...
> You are going to have to LEARN TO DO WELL!
III. Some Things the Bible Explicitly Commands us to Learn.
A. (Du 4:10; 5:1; 17:18-19; 31:11-13)
1. We are to Learn the FEAR of the Lord.
2. We are to Learn the Word of God.
3. We are to teach our children the Fear of the Lord, and the Word of God.
B. (Matt. 11:28-30) We are to LEARN of Jesus.
1. Pilate said, "I find in Him no fault at all..."
> The Bible describes Jesus as the sinless lamb of God.
> God Himself found in Him no fault at all.
2. The Bible says,
"Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT."
3. Jesus never sinned. He never thought a bad thought, nor committed an evil act.
> And, although the world hated Him, they could find no fault in Him.
> The Bible says of Jesus,
He "knew no sin neither was guile found in His mouth."
4. They sent soldiers to arrest Him, but they came back without Him, and were questioned.
> And, the soldiers responded, "Never a man spake like this man."
> The Bible says, "He went about doing good..."
> He healed a palsied man and the people said, "We’ve never seen it on this fashion."
5. When He died on the cross, one of the soldiers was so moved, that he said:\
> "Surely this was the Son of God."
> He’s the lamb the Abel offered.
> He’s the rainbow that Noah saw.
> He’s the Ram that God provided for Abraham and Isaac.
> He’s Isaac’s well.
> He’s Jacob ladder.
> He’s Gideon’s fleece.
> He’s Samuel’s horn.
> He’s David’s slingshot.
> He’s Moses’ rod.
He’s more wonderful, than my mind can conceive,
He’s more wonderful, than my heart can believe,
He goes beyond my highest hopes, and fondest dreams,
He’s everything that my soul’s ever longed for,
Everything that He’s promised, and so much more,
More than amazing, more than marvelous,
More than miraculous, could ever be,
He’s more than wonderful, That’s what Jesus is, to me!
6. We are to LEARN OF HIM!
> It doesn’t come natural.
> You will have to be diligent.
> Oh, But He is WORTHY of your time!
C. "Learn to be content..." (Phil. 4:11-12).
1. (v. 9) LEARN FROM YOUR PREACHER!
D. "Study to be quiet..." (1Ths 4:11)
