Coming Thirsty
Isaiah 55:1-11
Introduction-
This morning we will begin a message about being thirsty for the things of God and hungry for God to do something in your life.
Many people say that they want God in their life and many say that there hungry for God to make a change in their life.
But what people say they want and what they are willing to do to see it happen are two different things.
We are going to look at the words of the prophet Isaiah, written more than 2500 years ago, recording the words that God had given him to speak to a rebellious nation of Israel.
After hearing about the newscast of the Boston Marathon bombings, there should be no doubt that though 2500 years have passed, people still do tremendously evil things and we still need God to do amazing things in our life.
Isaiah 55:1-11
They refused to obey God and were at the time suffering the consequences.
Isaiah was addressing the rebellious people of Israel, who were exiled from their homeland.
God allowed the Assyrian Army to come and take them captive in Babylon.
They were dragged from their homes, forced to be slaves in a country that paraded their gods that supposedly had defeated Israel’s God Jehovah.
They were strangers in the land. They were depressed because they felt God had abandoned them.
Why is it that people walk away from God, do their own thing, and then blame God?
Accuse Him of abandonment.
They choose to walk into the wilderness and then blame God for a wilderness experience.
They put themselves in a black hole of depression by walking away from God, yet blame God for where they are at.
Sounds like people today, right?
No time for God except to criticize Him for not being there when they decide to cry out to Him.
God gives an invitation to the thirsty- and by thirsty, I mean people who want God to refresh them, to revive them, and give them what they need.
“Come, all who are thirsty”
Those who are satisified with what this world offers, they see no need for Christ.
They do not thirst.
They have no desire to receive or act on His invitation.
To those that are thirsty- The Bible references
Christ as water
As refreshing
Satisfying
Fountain that brings healing
Living water
Psalm 42 writes “As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you O God.”
One unsatisfied, depressed, and not wanting God
One longing for God, wanting him to satisfy his thirst, and relaying on God to satisfy that thirst.
Which one are you? You cannot be both.
One mad at God because they feel abandon, and not acknowledging that they have walked away from God.
One realizing that they need more, unsatisfied, and desiring God to be more in their life and they are thirsting after the things of God.
Rev. 22:17-
“The Spirit and the bride say “Come, and let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
John 7:37-
“On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice “ if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink, whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.”
55:1
“Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have not money, come, buy and eat.”
Did you see what just happened here?
The invitation just included everyone. You who have no money are still invited to receive. You who have no money have no excuse, because it is being offered to you. You who have no money, sit your pride aside and come.
Christ will not disappoint us- He will meet our expectations.
There is no cost, because the cost is already paid.
It is free to you, but the cost paid was much more than any of us could pay.
Accept the gift that satisfies.
The prophet tells the rebellious people of Israel, and he tells each of us today to not only come, but accept God’s offer of salvation, and a life that will satisfy and fill that void that is in our lives.
Write this down! Only Christ satisfies your thirst!
Jesus quenches our thirst!
Dr Jennings, a Hebrew scholar puts it this way, “the invitation is for all who are dissatisfied and deeply feel that they are missing a vital ingredient in their life.”
Some of you know exactly what I am talking about.
Our Bible study, Crazy Love, we see a God who relentlessly is pursuing us and desires to have an intimate relationship with each one of us.
A God who offers an invitation to those that have had enough of doing things their own way, because it is not working.
An invitation to those who have tried to fill that void in their lives and know that only God can fill it.
The question to ask yourself this morning is this-
Are you satisfied with your relationship with God? If you are, you are not forced to do anything.
If you are not satisfied, what are you going to do about it?
He says, that if you come thirsty for the things of God, that he, God, will satisfy that thirst by intervening in your life.
God wants us to be satisfied! But that satisfaction is in Him, not only in our comforts and manmade pleasures. (repeat)
Slogans
Satisfaction guaranteed!- we promise you’ll like it or your money back.
Customer satisfaction- if you are not happy, we will make it right.
You must understand dissatisfaction to appreciate satisfaction!
Until you are dissatisfied where you are at, you cannot appreciate the satisfaction that comes from God.
You must understand where you don’t want to be so you’ll appreciate where you want to be.
You must know emptiness(thirsty) to like fullness (satisfied)
You have to be thirsty to know what quenches thirst! Amen.
This is not about money, and where you are on the economic ladder.
It is not about money, it is about wanting God in your life!
Those that realize that without God they are spiritually bankrupt.
The poor can be unsatisfied because they feel God has abandoned them and they cannot look past their circumstances.
The rich can be unsatisfied because they feel no need for God because they can buy their way out of most circumstances except the emptiness that only God can fill.
King Salomon, who had it all, summed up life without God as meaningless!
There are a lot of people living lives that are meaningless because they will not let God into their lives more than a casual acquaintance.
God, telling us to come to Him is an action word. We must move toward God!
Our body thirst- we can quench it by drinking water.
When we are spiritually thirsty, you have to come to God to satisfy your soul! Amen.
To thirst is common, I understand dry times. I understand on Friday having a mental block for a sermon and Sunday is coming.
Dry times should cause us to seek God all the more realizing that God is the only one to satisfy our souls.
Human effort always fall short-
Listen,
What are you reaching for to quench your thirst?
What are you doing to draw closer to the Lord?
We have to come back to the prophets words-
“Why spend money…and labor on what does not satisfy.”
There are some who are drawn to the light of God and some who choose darkness, but the invitation from God is to come…
To the exiles of Israel, who believed they were doomed and without hope, or a future.
“Give ear and come to me, that you may have life.”
Isaiah spoke of a new beginning.
Isaiah offered hope to those that thought they had no hope.
God is a God of second chances.
He brings hope for us today, and that hope is in Jesus Christ.
Jesus offers a fresh start.
Jesus offers satisfaction
Come is a great invitation from God, in it He offers provisions, and it comes with satisfaction.
Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”
To the women at the well-
“Everyone who drinks this (natural) water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst.”
Matthew Henry- God excludes no one that does not exclude themselves.”
Jesus offers abundant lfie!
Closing,
I’ll wrap this up, You have to decide if you want more- you have to decide if you are thirsty.
This is not about begging someone to the altar, it is really looking at our lives and not being satisfied with “the normal”
There is so much that God offers to us if we would just come hungry and thirsty.
Making a decision that we want more.
If you want more, ask Him for more this morning.
Ask Him to give you more of a hunger for the things of God.
Ask Him to give you more of a desire to serve Him in any capacity that He would need you.
Ask Him to open doors that have been closed so that you might have a deeper relationship with Him.
It is there for the asking!
Amen.
