April 6, 2008
Morning Worship
Text: Isaiah 54:1-5
Subject: God’s Promise of Blessing
Title: Time to Get Ready
I want to pick up this week with where I left off last week. How many of you remember what I preached about last week? NO PRESSURE! Last week I preached about having a radical type of faith that enables you to live a radical kind of life. I want to take you back to a verse that I closed with last week to remind you what radical faith does. John 15:7-8, If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
I have taught you before about the two words translated as “word” in the NT. One is Logos, which refers to the Bible, the written revelation of God to His people, or to Jesus, God’s living and eternal revelation of Himself to the world. The other word is “Rhema”. This refers to a word that God speaks to individuals in their spirit man. The “Rhema” always lines up with the “Logos”.
The word Jesus used in John 15:7 is “Rhema”. So if you are hearing the “Rhema” of God in your spirit to do something or the word is telling you something you can believe it. And if you believe it, then you should act on it. That action is the thing that brings glory to the Father. It is when you act on the word – whether it is LOGOS or RHEMA – that you produce fruit, and it is fruit producers who are known to be God’s disciples.
Now, having said that I want to remind you of the “Rhema” that has come to this congregation many times in the form of prophecy or interpretation. God is ready to fill this place with His Spirit and with people. Keeping that in mind I want you to see that now God is calling the church to act like He is already doing it, because He is. He is waiting for you to do your part.
Open your bibles to Isaiah 54. I want to show you through the Word of God today that even though you don’t see the physical manifestation of a promise doesn’t mean that it is not happening. It could be that the manifestation will not come until you are willing to step out in faith and act upon the word. Open your hearts today to receive everything God wants you to have today.
I. REJOICING IN THE PROMISE. 1“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. You understand don’t you that Isaiah was writing this with the Hebrew culture in mind. As the Holy Spirit gave him these words he would understand that a woman without a child was considered cursed by God. The context of this is with Israel in mind. Now, I believe that the general promises given to Israel are also intended for the church, especially in this age when the church in America seems to be in a devastating downward cycle leading to destruction. I also believe that in line with the “Rhema” Word of God given to this congregation, this scripture speaks specifically to Palmyra First Assembly of God. 1“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; I know that there are some of you who have never personally led another to Christ. I’m not condemning anyone. I know how difficult it is for some of you to talk to people you don’t know much less try to share the gospel with them. But Isaiah says that this is what you should be doing; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; I want you to see this. This is faith in action. You know that the word says you should witness to others. You haven’t been very consistent at it, but you’re going to do it. You haven’t led anyone to Christ but you’re willing to try. So begin by thanking God right now for the children He is giving you. Boy, it’s so hard to thank God for something when you don’t see it. But isn’t that what faith is? Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV) Everybody say, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen… You see in our refusal to rejoice in God’s promises and to just believe that what He said He would do will come to pass we are limiting Him. You will never see the manifestations of the promise until you act on the promise. You will never see someone come to Jesus until you tell them about Jesus. Romans 10:14, How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Once you begin to praise God for the promise do you see what happens? More are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. Thanks God for the children you are about to bear and then watch it happen. Romans 4:16-17, 16Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed… Verse 17, in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; Now here is the difference between you and God. God calls something out of nothing. Through your faith you call the manifestations of what God has already promised into being. They are already there. You’re just believing God. So rejoice. The birth pains are here and baby Christians are on the way right now.
II. RESPONDING TO THE PROMISE I have to tell you, when I read this I got excited. 2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. In ancient Israel many of the people lived in tents. As the family grew they didn’t put the old one at the market at Century 21 and go buy a new one. They sewed more material onto the sides, pulled up the old tent stakes, stretched out the sides and made the tent bigger. Now Isaiah is saying this by the Holy Spirit. Even though you aren’t seeing any children being birthed right now, stretch out your tent flaps and get ready because it’s coming. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. How frustrating has it been for us as a church to watch over the years as people from Palmyra have gone to Hannibal or Quincy to attend a church that has greater entertainment value than what we have here? But that is turning around. Now people have begun to come from those places to see what God is doing here in Palmyra. Go back to verse 2. “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. I believe that, to a person, this church thinks that revival is right here. It is ready to break open. Could it be that the Lord is waiting for us to respond by opening our tent flaps before it comes to pass? Could it be that He is saying, get your Sunday school teachers lined up; get your Royal Ranger and Missionette leaders prepared. Get your youth workers trained. Could it be that He is saying, that parking lot that you are talking about – why are you waiting to see if you get a grant. I am the God who provides. Why are you waiting for the Northern Missouri District to come through for you? Could it be that He is saying, “You expect revival to impact lives? Why aren’t you out knocking on every door in Palmyra to tell people about Jesus and invite them to revival services?” One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I’ll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can’t see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that’s all that matters." That is what the Lord is saying to this church right now. Trust Me. I can see what is coming and my hand is upon you to guide you and protect you.
III. REMEMBERING THE GOD OF THE PROMISE. 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. What if we spent all the time and effort to set ministries in order and nothing happened? Wouldn’t we look stupid? What will people think? “Yeah, look at them. I knew that church would never go anywhere. They’re just a bunch of Holy Rollers. I can’t believe that anyone would think like that but let me assure you that if you do you need to get a new picture in your mind of who God is. He told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (literally – I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.) IAM is ready and able to respond to every act of faith that stems from trusting His word. Hebrews 10:23, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. The only way for us to maintain the faith we need to receive the promises of God is to remember the God who promises. 5 For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. Pastor Mike, how could we ever afford to just go ahead and do all the projects that need to be done in the church? We don’t have that kind of money. Well we do, but what if an emergency came up and the money we have set aside for emergencies wasn’t there? What would happen then? I suppose that we would get to see if God is who HE says He is. Philippians 4:19, And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Genesis 22, 9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” 13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. Jehovah-Jireh.
Rejoicing in the promise.
Lift your hands right now if you believe that God is able. Lift your hands to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Worship Him who is able.
Responding to the promise.
Lord, I’m going to do what ever it takes to expand the tent flaps of this church. I’m going to believe Your promises. I’m going to stand on Your promises. I’m going to act on Your promises. I will not let the enemy discourage me. Lord Right now we are opening the doors wide to receive everyone that You bring in. You have called them. Now I’m going to do my part.
Remembering the God of the promise.
Lord there is no other that we can trust to be true to his word. You are the only true God. Lord if you call us to something that makes no sense to us we will trust You and You alone.
