“SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND” (Outline)
September 26, 2010 -
Pentecost 18 -
ISAIAH 55:6-9
INTRO: What are you looking for? We often are searching for something much of our entire lifetime. Early on we look for the love and approval of our parents. Next we search to grasp the meanings of 1,2,3 and the A,B,C’s. We continue our searching for satisfaction and meaning for our lives. As believers the Lord reminds us that his plans for us include hope and a future. God’s future for the believer is guaranteed by his free forgiveness. Now is our time of grace to grow in the wisdom of our eternal salvation. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (JEREMIAH 29:12,13).
“SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BEFOUND”.
I. Today God’s mercy calls us. II. God’s ways are always best.
I. TODAY GOD’S MERCY CALLS US.
A. Chapter 55 of Isaiah begins with the Lord’s invitation to enjoy the banquet he has prepared.
1. God invites the believer to come and enjoy his grace. Enjoy God’s grace without cost.
2. God’s grace is meant for all. God’s grace is free. (Please read all of ISAIAH 55.)
B. Verse 6. Isaiah reminds believers the importance of God’s gracious invitation. Do not ignore.
1. God’s grace is unlimited, boundless, and free. Man’s time of grace is limited.
2. Today God’s mercy is calling those with ears to hear. Seek and call on the Lord while near.
C. Verse 7. God’s call of mercy is extended to all men. Turn from sins of thought and deed.
1. This is the grace of God that wants all men to repent. Those turning from evil will turn to God.
2. Look at God’s grace: “he will have mercy”, “he will freely pardon”. This is God’s grace.
D. Today God’s mercy calls us. All mankind need God’s mercy. We are reminded of the total depravity of man. This simply means everyone sins. In fact, we are sinners from birth. Our sins make us enemies of God. Very rarely, if ever, do enemies come to any kind of peaceable agreements. Differences continue to keep enemies as enemies. This describes our sinful nature we inherit at birth. This describes the sinful nature that is woven into the very fabric of our souls. "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time" (GENESIS 6:5). The Lord spoke this before the flood. The Lord repeated the same after the flood. Sin still taints our every thought and word and deed. By nature we are enemies of God.
E. Today God’s mercy calls us to turn away from evil. The sin in our hearts and lives can show itself in different ways. Read PSALM 38 to see how David suffered physically because of his sin. He was worn out. His back was sore. People today do try to cover up and deny their sins. After all, no one really takes any pleasure in admitting wrongdoing or shortcomings. Guilt still exists. Guilt can express itself in different ways. At times physical symptoms result from repressed sin and guilt. "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (PROVERBS 28:13).
F. Today God’s mercy calls us to re-discover divine forgiveness. True, we do not like to admit all of our sins before our God (and maybe not even to ourselves). The Lord God Almighty is our loving, gracious, and forgiving heavenly Father. Our loving Father invites us to repent because he delights to show mercy! "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus" (ACTS 3:19,20). Peter spoke these beautiful words of forgiveness to the crowd after showing them they crucified the very Savior. The crowd confessed. Next, the crowd asked, “What must we do?” God’s mercy called them. God’s mercy forgave. Today God’s mercy calls us. Today God’s mercy forgives us.
“SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND”. Today God’s mercy calls us to repent. Today God’s mercy reminds us of the Lord’s forgiveness. We are no longer God’s enemies but his children.
II. GOD’S WAYS ARE ALWAYS BEST.
A. God’s ways and plans are not the ways and plans of sinful man. Man likes to get even, get revenge.
1. God is the very opposite. The loving Lord freely pardons. God keeps no record of wrongs.
2. When the Lord God Almighty forgives he forgets. This is not always true with man.
B. Verse 8. We come back to the very words of God, “declares the LORD”. God doesn’t think like men.
1. So it was that the Lord was speaking through Isaiah. These are not Isaiah’s words, thoughts.
2. Isaiah is not dreaming up something to write down for God’s people. These are God’s words.
C. Verse 9. God uses the boundless wonders of nature to help mankind understand how great his plans.
1. Old and New Testament believers saw the very hand of God in the sky at night.
2. In the vast expanse of darkness was that light of countless stars created by God’s miracle.
3. The heavens were did not meet the earth. The earth did not meet the heavens. God’s ways.
D. Our earthly living is our time of grace. Our time of grace is limited. There is a set time when each of us will be called from this vale of tears. Until that time we are given the blessed privilege to come to know the love of God more and more. The more we learn of God’s great love for each one of us the more we live in awe that our God overflows with love and forgiveness. "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (PSALM 103:11,12). Observe the heavens and see the majesty of God’s creation. Know that the east and the west never meet. So our sins are far removed from our lives.
E. Every day we are thankful and rejoice that God’s ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts. It is almost beyond our human comprehension of how much God loves us. We do have a certain sense of God’s great love as we study the Father’s sacrifice of his Son, Christ, as our Savior. Our gracious God has paid the price of our punishment with the holy, precious, and innocent life and blood of Jesus. Such is the love of our perfect God for his imperfect creatures. "However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit" (1 CORINTHIANS 2:9,10a). None of us know what great things our loving Father still has in store for us here on earth. By faith the Holy Spirit reveals that our future will be at Jesus’ side.
F. God’s ways for those who love him are always best. Now, we might not always feel that way. There are times when we face challenges, troubles, heartaches, sickness, and sorrow. We tend to look at many of these things as bad. Our loving Father has promised that ALL things work together for our good. We might not always understand. We can always believe that God’s word is truth. We will always confess that God’s ways are always best. "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’" (ROMANS 11:33,34). On this side of heaven we only know in part.
CONC: Our lives are lives of searching. We search for knowledge. We like to know and be in the know. Sadly, today all too many know a lot but have little wisdom. The Lord wants us to have not only knowledge of him but also the very wisdom of the ages. God’s truth set us free. "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you" (HOSEA 10:12). “SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND”. Today God’s mercy calls us to repent. God’s ways are always best. God showers his righteousness on us as he freely forgives us. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENT. 18 rdgs:
AMOS 8:4-7;
1 TIMOTHY 2.1-8;
LUKE 16:1-13;
(PSALM 38)
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