Power for Evangelism
Isaiah 55:1-13
Church researcher George Barna tells us from much research why most Christians do not evangelize:
One dominant reason underlying the increasing reluctance of Christians to share their faith with non-Christians pertains to the faith sharing experience itself. In asking Christians about their witnessing activities, we have found that nine out of ten individuals who attempt to explain their beliefs and theology to other people come away from those experiences feeling as if they have failed . . . The reality of human behavior is that most people avoid those activities in which they perceive themselves to be failures. As creatures seeking pleasure and comfort, we emphasize those dimensions and activities in which we are most capable and secure. Thus, despite the divine command to spread the Word, many Christians redirect their energies into areas of spiritual activity that are more satisfying and in which they are more likely to achieve success.
People do not spread God’s Word because they are afraid of being failures. Isaiah chapter 55 contains a message to those of us who are afraid of being failures. It contains a two-part message. The first part of Isaiah chapter 55, which is verses 1-7, speaks to us a message of preparation that is required prior to evangelism. The second part, verses 8-13, gives us assurance that we will not fail, because what results from our efforts is not up to us, but God.
Part 1: Preparation of One’s Heart
Everyone who thirsts, come (vv. 1-2)
When Isaiah made this statement, the time was around 721 B.C. Part of God’s church, Judah, had gone astray and had become allies with an evil nation. Isaiah was preaching to the captives of Assyria. They had no money and not much food. God was speaking to the captives through Isaiah, and he was asking them a spiritual question: “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?” He then told them, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters!”
Isaiah knew well the history of Israel. He was aware that the people would look back upon the words of David, and recall that David knew a special truth about God. David said in Psalm 42:1-2a: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” He also said in Psalm 63:1, “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
What is this water that David was referring to? In John 4:13-14 Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman, and revealed to her something of spiritual significance. Jesus said, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Isaiah was trying to bring the people to an awareness that true life is found in God. It is found through the living water of God’s Word, and God’s law.
Now, let’s say that our church has gone astray from God by becoming an ally with Satan. We have left the truths of God’s Word behind to follow a lie. Maybe we don’t uphold a Christian example when we are around non-Christians. Do we join non-Christians in their actions, profanity, etc.? If this is the way we act, God is going to call for us to return to him. He’s going to offer us life, which comes through the knowledge of eternal life, as found in his Word.
The sure mercies of the Messiah (vv. 3-4).
What we have here is a reference to the one to come, the Messiah. The Messiah who was predicted would be a ruler and Savior with qualities of a great ruler like David. We just saw from verses 1-2 that Isaiah knew that the people would look back upon David, and remember his example and his sayings about Water. Well, the Messiah would be able to provide the Water they needed.
Verse 4 says that David was given as a witness to the people. The Messiah to come would be a witness to the people also. He would set the ultimate example of God’s love for us, but he was to offer us “living water,” something to satisfy our spiritual thirst.
Isaiah was pleading to the captives to seek the water from God, and to look to the Messiah for deliverance so that their “souls shall live.” God is calling us to return to him from where we have gone astray. If we return to God, and dedicate our lives to him, then he has a promise for us. This promise is in the verse to follow.
He has glorified you (v. 5)
God told the captives of Assyria that if they would return to the Lord, then they would be an example to all other nations. They would be blessed by God and be prosperous, and all nations would turn to them for help, and look to them with respect.
The same holds true for us. If we are faithful to God, and seek him in his Word, and have a close relationship with him, then he will bless us. We are given a commission by God to go and proclaim his mercies to other nations. God says here that if we seek him closely, that other nations will come to us. Jesus tells us in John 12:32, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” If we exalt Jesus as our Lord and Savior, he will draw all people to himself.
Let him return to the Lord (vv. 6-7)
What we see here is a cry to return to God. This statement means that the people of Judah were once close to God and they had gone astray. This verse speaks to us by telling us that if we aren’t where we should be in our relationship with God then we should return to him. If we return then God will abundantly pardon us for our sins.
Part 2: Assurance for the Evangelist
Your ways are not my ways (v. 8)
God is giving us a word of wisdom and assurance. After we have made ourselves right with God, we are preparing to be a witness for the Lord. God is telling us that we are going to encounter things that are unexpected in our ministry. We are not always going to see victory, or reap the harvest of our labors. Jesus tells us in John 4:37-38, “For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” Do not be discouraged if you sow by telling people of Christ, and you do not see the victory of reaping the harvest. God tells us why we should not be discouraged in the following verses.
Power of the Word (vv. 10-11)
The Lord tells us, “Do not be discouraged if you do not reap the harvest.” He says that his Word will not return unto him void, but that it will accomplish what he pleases. Luke 1:37 says, “For no Word from God shall be void of power,” verifying what Isaiah said. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Lord knows what he’s doing. Truly his thoughts are not our thoughts. This assurance should give us comfort, as we will see in the verse to follow.
Our assurance (v. 12)
We were just shown that we do not have to be discontent if we do not reap the harvest. All God requires of us is that we be faithful in proclaiming his Word. God is going to work what he pleases in the hearts of people, and it is not up to us to persuade hearts. Our duty is to get the Word out.
If we are faithful in proclaiming God’s Word, we can have peace in knowing that we are being faithful to the Lord. The apostle Paul put it like this in 2 Corinthians 1:12, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world . . .” Paul said that he rejoiced because his conscience was clear. He knew that he had done what was required of him, which was to proclaim the Word of God with sincerity.
The fruit of our labor (v. 13)
God said back in verses 10-11 that if we preach the Word, he will make it work where he pleases, and it is not up to us. In Matthew 13:22-23 Jesus tells us, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choked the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
If we preach the word faithfully, there will no longer be thorns to choke the Word. God will guide those who receive his Word, and speak to their hearts. If God wills, then whomever he speaks to will be as the seed on good ground that hears the Word and understands it. Those people will then bear fruit themselves. Once they bear fruit, others will spread God’s Word, and the drawing of people to God will be an everlasting sign that will be recognized, and not be cut off.
Time of Reflection
We see that there must be preparation prior to evangelism. We must repent of our sins and return to the Lord our God. When we go forth to proclaim God’s Word, we must not be discouraged about the results of our efforts, because the Lord will work what he wills in the hearts of those we speak to. Our duty is to proclaim God’s Word faithfully, and to live in the joy of knowing that we are doing God’s will.
