BIBLICAL EVANGELISM STRESSES THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE
ISAIAH 55:1-8
A REAL COMPLAINT ABOUT MODERN INVENTIONS, PARTICULARLY FROM THE LAST CENTURY, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE PLACING A GREATER DEPENDANCY ON THEM AND LESS ON THEIR OWN SKILLS.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY WORKS WELL WHEN IT WORKS, BUT WHEN IT DOESN’T, PEOPLE ARE LEFT OUT IN THE DARK.
I REMEMBER WRITING AN EXAM WHILE ATTENDING ATLANTIC BAPTIST COLLEGE, NOW KNOWN AS CRANDALL UNIVERSITY. SOME OTHER STUDENTS WERE WRITING A MATH EXAM AT THE SAME TIME. THERE WAS A CRASH, AND THERE LYING ON THE FLOOR WAS A MATH STUDENTS CALCULATOR IN PIECES. I HEARD AN “OH NO,” AS SHE PICKED UP THE PIECES.
HER PROFESSOR CAME TO HER, PICKED UP THE PIECES AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CALCULATOR BACK TOGETHER. HE ASSEMBLED THE PARTS, PRAYED OVER IT, AND GAVE IT BACK TO THE STUDENT. THE CALCULATOR WQORKED PERFECTLY.
HERE’S THE POINT. THAT STUDENT WAS TAUGHT, IN CLASS, ALL THE FORMULAS TO WORK OUT THE VARIOUS MATH PROBLEMS SHE WAS DEALING WITH. SHE HAD ALL THE INFORMATION TO COMPLETE THE EXAM, IF NEED BE, DOING THE CALCULATIONS BY PENCIL AND PAPER. YET WHEN HER CALCULATOR FELL AND BROKE SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS FINISHED.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE INSTEAD OF USING ELECTRONIC DEVICES AS AN AID IN OUR WORK, WE ARE NOW DEPENDANT ON THEM TO DO OUR JOB.
WE ACCEPTE AND LOOK FOR THE QUICKER, EASIER WAYS TO DO THINGS, AND HAVE THUS BEEN LULLED INTO AN ATTITUDE OF APATHY AND LETHARGY WHEN IT COMES TO DOING, EVEN THE MOST ELEMENTARY OF TASKS WITHOUT THE AID OF TECHNOLOGY.
PAUL PAINTS A PICTURE OF THIS HAPPENING IN 2 TIMOTHY CHAPTER FOUR.
2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4:
3THE TIME WILL COME WHEN PEOPLE WON’T PUT UP WITH TRUE TEACHING. INSTEAD, THEY WILL TRY TO SATISFY THEIR OWN LONGINGS. THEY WILL GATHER A LARGE NUMBER OF TEACHERS AROUND THEM. THE TEACHERS WILL SAY WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR. 4THE PEOPLE WILL TURN THEIR EARS AWAY FROM THE TRUTH. THEY WILL TURN TO STORIES THAT AREN’T COMPLETELY TRUE.
HE TELLS US HERE THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE ITCHING EARS AND WANT TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF EASY BELIEVISM, AND THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS WHO WILL GIVE THEM JUST THAT.
PEOPLE WILL NOT WANT TO HEAR OF THEIR SIN AND THEIR NEED OF REPENTAND AND SALVATION. PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM BELIEVING IN HEAVEN, AND EQUALLY NO TROUBLE BELIEVING THAT HELL DOES NOT EXIST.
CHRISTIANS TODAY WILL DISPUTE THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE, AND MANY THEOLOGICAL POSITIONS WHICH HAVE LONG BEEN BELIEVED TO BE UNTOUCHABLE.
MOST OF THESE CHANGES HAVE COME AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE SEEKING AN EASY BELIEVING CHRISTIANITY THAT WILL NOT COST ANYTHING TO FOLLOW,. SO, WHEN THE TIME COMES THOUGH FOR A SPIRITUAL DECISION TO BE MADE, THEY HAVE NO FOUNDATION TO WORK THE PROBLEM THROUGH.
THE RESULT OF THIS APATHY IS A LOSS OF THE SENSE OF URGENCY FOR SALVATION AND REPENTANCE. CALL IT WHAT YOU MAY, ONE THING IS CERTAIN. THESE ISSUES ARE AN UNGENT NECESSITY IN YOUR LIVES NOW.
AS ONE PERSON SAID, “IF WE DON’T TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO FOLLOW CHRIST, THE WORLD WILL TEACH THEM NOT TO.”
OUR PASSAGE TODAY OFFERS COMPELLING ARGUMENTS THAT SPEAK OF THE URGENCY OF OUR MESSAGE. ISAIAH NOTES FOUR REASONS FOR THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE IN THIS PASSAGE, AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THE FACT THAT ISAIAH IS SPEAKING ABOUT IT IS A FIFTH.
ISAIAH WROTE THIS BOOK OVER 500 YEARS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. TO SPEAK OF THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE AND SALVATION 500 YEARS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR, SURELY SPEAKS TO ITS URGENCY.
LET’S GO TO THE PASSAGE:
ISAIAH 55:1-5:
“COME, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE THIRSTY. COME AND DRINK THE WATER I OFFER TO YOU. YOU WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY, COME. BUY AND EAT THE GRAIN I GIVE YOU. COME AND BUY WINE AND MILK. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR IT. 2WHY SPEND MONEY ON WHAT IS NOT FOOD? WHY WORK FOR WHAT DOES NOT SATISFY YOU? LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ME. THEN YOU WILL EAT WHAT IS GOOD. YOU WILL ENJOY THE RICHEST FOOD THERE IS. 3LISTEN AND COME TO ME. PAY ATTENTION TO ME. THEN YOU WILL LIVE. I WILL MAKE A COVENANT WITH YOU THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. I WILL GIVE YOU MY FAITHFUL LOVE. I PROMISED IT TO DAVID. 4I MADE HIM A WITNESS TO THE NATIONS. HE BECAME A LEADER AND COMMANDER OVER THEM. 5YOU TOO WILL SEND FOR NATIONS YOU DO NOT KNOW. EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT KNOW YOU, THEY WILL HURRY AND COME TO YOU. THAT IS WHAT I WILL DO. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. I AM THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. I HAVE HONORED YOU.”
ISAIAH IS A BOOK THAT HAS TWO MAIN DIVISIONS BY CHAPTERS. CHAPTERS 1-39 EMPHASIZE THE UPCOMING JUDGMENT, AND 40-66 THE BLESSINGS OF A RENEWED RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST FOLLOWING THE JUDGMENTS.
CHAPTER 55 IS A WONDERFUL INVITATION THAT GOD IS OFFERING TO EVERYONE. THE AMOUNT OF IMPERATIVE OR COMMAND VERBS POINT TO AN URGENCY TO RESPOND TO THE GRACIOUS INVITATION TO “COME.” FIVE TIMES WE ARE TOLD TO “COME”, AND BE REWARDED.
THE FIRST TWO VERSES HERE ARE SPEAKING OF THE REWARDS THAT WE CAN HAVE IN STORE FOR US IN THE NEW JERUSALEM. NOTE THE FACT THAT WE ARE INVITED TO COME AND BUY, YET NO PRICE IS TO BE CHARGED FOR IT.
NOTE ALSO THAT THE INVITATION IS FOR ALL. THE “YOU” IN THIS PASSAGE IS REFERRING TO ALL PEOPLE. GOD IS SAYING THAT BY HIS GRACE HE HAS MADE PROVISION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TO COME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
HE MAKES THE COMPARISON TO THE RELATIONSHIP THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND IN THIS WORLD TO THOSE WHO ARE HAVE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO COME TO THIS FEAST. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO FIND ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS ACCORDING TO THIS WORLD’S STANDARDS.
ISAIAH ASKS THE QUESTION WHY BUY SOMETHING THAT ISN’T FOOD TO EAT, AND THINGS THAT WILL NOT SATISFY.
INSTEAD GOD IS ASKING US TO COME AND BUY, TO COME AND EAT OF THE FULLNESS OF SALVATION WITHOUT ANY COST TO US. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SALVATION WAS GAINED AS A RESULT OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD.
NOTE THAT THERE IS A CONDITION THAT IS PLACED ON THOSE WHO ARE WELCOME. THAT QUALIFICATION IS THAT YOU MUST BE THIRSTY. YOU MUST WANT TO COME TO THE LORD AND HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
THOSE WHO ARE SATISFIED WITH THE WORLD AND ITS ENJOYMENTS, AND DO NOT SEEK FOR THE HAPPINESS OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THOSE WHO LOOK TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR OWN WORKS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, ARE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT THIRST AFTER GOD. THEY HAVE NO SENSE OF THEIR NEED, HAVE NO PAIN OR LONLINESS IN THEIR SOULS, WILL FEEL THEY HAVE NO NEED FOR GOD.
THE SCRIPTURES TELL US THAT WHERE GOD GIVES GRACE HE GIVES A THIRSTING FOR IT.
MATTHEW 11:28-29:
28“COME TO ME, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE TIRED AND ARE CARRYING HEAVY LOADS. I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 29BECOME MY SERVANTS AND LEARN FROM ME. I AM GENTLE AND FREE OF PRIDE. YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30SERVING ME IS EASY, AND MY LOAD IS LIGHT.”
MATTHEW HENRY WRITES:
“NEVER DID ANY TRADESMAN COURT CUSTOMERS THAT HE HOPED TO GET BY AS CHRIST COURTS US TO THAT WHICH WE ARE ONLY TO BE GAINERS BY. COME AND BUY, AND WE CAN ASSURE YOU YOU SHALL HAVE A GOOD BARGAIN, WHICH YOU WILL NEVER REPENT OF NOR LOSE BY.”
GOD THEN PROMISES IN VERSE THREE THAT HE WILL MAKE AN ETERNAL COVENANT WITH THE PEOPLE. THIS IS A COVENANT THAT IS EXPRESSED IN CHAPTER 54 AS A “COVENANT OF PEACE” IN 54:10
ISAIAH 54:10: 10THE MOUNTAINS MIGHT SHAKE. THE HILLS MIGHT BE REMOVED. BUT MY FAITHFUL LOVE FOR YOU WILL NEVER BE SHAKEN. AND MY COVENANT THAT PROMISES PEACE TO YOU WILL NEVER BE BROKEN,” SAYS THE LORD. HE SHOWS YOU HIS LOVING CONCERN.
THIS COVENANTREMINDS US OF THE COVENANT AGREEMENT IN GENESIS AND IS A COVENANT THAT PROMISES TO BRING GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE AND COMPASSION.
GENESIS 15:9-21:
9SO THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “BRING ME A YOUNG COW. ALSO BRING A GOAT AND A RAM. ALL OF THEM MUST BE THREE YEARS OLD. BRING A DOVE AND A YOUNG PIGEON ALONG WITH THEM.” 10ABRAM BROUGHT ALL OF THEM TO THE LORD. ABRAM CUT THEM IN TWO. HE PLACED THE HALVES OPPOSITE EACH OTHER. BUT HE DIDN’T CUT THE BIRDS IN HALF. 11THEN LARGE BIRDS CAME DOWN TO EAT THE DEAD BODIES OF THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS. BUT ABRAM CHASED THE LARGE BIRDS AWAY. 12AS THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN, ABRAM FELL INTO A DEEP SLEEP. A THICK AND TERRIBLE DARKNESS COVERED HIM. 13THEN THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “YOU CAN BE SURE OF WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU. YOUR CHILDREN WHO LIVE AFTER YOU WILL BE STRANGERS IN A COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THEM. THEY WILL BECOME SLAVES. THEY WILL BE TREATED BADLY FOR 400 YEARS. 14BUT I WILL PUNISH THE NATION THAT MAKES THEM SLAVES. AFTER THAT, THEY WILL LEAVE WITH ALL KINDS OF VALUABLE THINGS. 15“BUT YOU WILL DIE IN PEACE. YOU WILL JOIN THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY WHO HAVE ALREADY DIED. YOU WILL BE BURIED WHEN YOU ARE VERY OLD. 16“YOUR CHILDREN’S GRANDCHILDREN WILL COME BACK HERE. THAT IS BECAUSE THE SIN OF THE AMORITES HAS NOT YET REACHED THE POINT WHERE I MUST JUDGE THEM.” 17THE SUN SET AND DARKNESS FELL. THEN A BURNING TORCH AND A FIRE POT FILLED WITH SMOKE APPEARED. THEY PASSED BETWEEN THE PIECES OF THE ANIMALS.
SO THE CONTEXT COMING INTO VERSE FIVE IS AN INVITATION FROM GOD TO COME AND TASTE OF THE WATER OF LIFE AND SALVATION. THEY ARE TO COME TO IT FREELY, BUT THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL COME ARE THOSE WHO HAVE A THIRST.
GOD PROMISES THAT THIS WILL BE PART OF A COVENANT HE WILL HAVE WITH MEN. IT IS A FUTURE COVENANT THAT WILL BE FULFILLED WHEN WE ARE IN HEAVEN.
NOW CONSIDER THE URGENCY OF VERSES 6-7.
ISAIAH 55:6-7:
6 TURN TO THE LORD BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. CALL OUT TO HIM WHILE HE’S STILL READY TO HELP YOU. 7LET THE ONE WHO IS EVIL STOP DOING EVIL THINGS. AND LET HIM QUIT THINKING EVIL THOUGHTS. LET HIM TURN TO THE LORD. THE LORD WILL SHOW HIM HIS TENDER LOVE. LET HIM TURN TO OUR GOD. HE IS ALWAYS READY TO FORGIVE.
IN THESE VERSES ISAIAH WILL OFFER FOUR COMPELLING ARGUMENTS NOT TO DELAY REPENTANCE.
REASON ONE: THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE ARISES FROM THE AVAILABILITY OF GOD.
REPENTANCE IS PROMISED TODAY. GOD IS AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO WILL CALL ON HIM, TO THOSE CONCERNED ENOUGH TO TURN TO HIM.
PSALM 145:18: 18THE LORD IS READY TO HELP ALL THOSE WHO CALL OUT TO HIM. HE HELPS THOSE WHO REALLY MEAN IT WHEN THEY CALL OUT TO HIM.
GOD IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO SINCERELY WANT HIM. YOU MUST BE IN EARNEST IF YOU ARE TO FIND CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR.
JEREMIAH 29:13: WHEN YOU LOOK FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, YOU WILL FIND ME.
I REMEMBER LESLIE AND I LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED FOR OUR HOUSE IN MINTO. IT WAS FAIRLY EARLY IN THE YEAR, AND WE THOUGHT THESE THINGS WOULD COME ON SALE SO WE WAITED. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER WE SAW THEM AGAIN, MARKED DOWN, BUT NOT WHAT WE FELT WAS GOOD ENOUGH, SO WE WAITED. THE THIRD TIME WE WENT BACK TO CHECK ON THE ITEMS, THEY WERE GONE. WE HAD WAITED TOO LONG AND MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE BIBLE IS CLEAR:
2 CORINTHIANS 6:2: 2HE SAYS, “WHEN I SHOWED YOU MY FAVOR, I HEARD YOU. ON THE DAY I SAVED YOU, I HELPED YOU.” (ISAIAH 49:8) I TELL YOU, NOW IS THE TIME GOD SHOWS HIS FAVOR. NOW IS THE DAY HE SAVES.
ANOTHER FACT THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND IS THAT GOD’S AVAILABILITY IS NOT PROMISED FOR TOMORROW. THERE IS A TIME WHEN GOD WILL NOT BE FOUND BY PEOPLE.
THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY THE AVAILABILITY OF GOD IS NOT PROMISED FOR THE FUTURE.
1. THE BLINDING POWER OF SIN: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SAY “NO” TO THE VOICE OF GOD SO OFTEN, THAT IN TIME YOU WILL FAIL TO HEAR HIS CALL OR SEE HIS HAND OF FORGIVENESS EXTENDED.
THE VOICE OF GOD WILL BECOME HARD AND DIFFICULT TO
RECOGNIZE.
HEBREWS 3:13: DO NOT LET AN UNBELIEVING HEART TURN YOU AWAY FROM THE LIVING GOD. 13BUT BUILD ONE ANOTHER UP EVERY DAY. DO IT AS LONG AS THERE IS STILL TIME. THEN NONE OF YOU WILL BECOME STUBBORN. YOU WON’T BE FOOLED BY SIN’S TRICKS.
2. GOD DOES NOT PROMISE TO BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE DEPLETION OF HIS PATIENCE.
GENESIS 6:3: 3THEN THE LORD SAID, “MY SPIRIT WILL NOT STRUGGLE WITH MAN FOREVER. HE WILL DIE. HE WILL HAVE ONLY 120 YEARS TO LIVE UNTIL I JUDGE HIM.”
A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THE DEPLETION OF GOD’S PATIENCE IS RECORDED IN NUMBERS 16. AFTER WARNING THE PEOPLE AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT HIS PATIENCE WAS WEARING THIN AND AFTER CALLING THEM TO REPENTANCE, GOD DREW A DIVINE DEMARCATION LINE AND SAID, “TO STEP BEYOND THIS LINE IS TO DEPLETE MY PATIENCE.” THREE TIMES THIS WARNING WAS IGNORED. DATHAN AND ABIRAM WERE THEN SWALLOWED UP IN AN EARTHQUAKE, 250 LEADERS WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE, AND 14,700 DIED OF A PLAGUE. TO DEPLETE THE PATIENCE OF GOD IS A DANGEROUS THING.
REASON TWO: THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE ARISES FROM THE GRAVITY OF SIN.
WHILE SIN IS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN THE WORLD NOW, IT IS STILL TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY GOD.
ROMANS 3:23 TELLS US THAT ALL HAVE SINNED, SO WE ARE ALL SINNERS IN THE EYES OF GOD AND DESERVING OF THE SAME FATE. THE BIBLE TELLS US IN ROMANS 6:23 THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. THIS IS BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL ETERNAL DEATH.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT A NATURAL LAW, OR A LAW THAT WAS WRITTEN BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE LAND. WHEN WE SIN WE OFFEND GOD BY BREAKING HIS LAW. IT WAS THE PRODICAL SON WHO REALIZED THAT HE HAD SINNED NOT AGAINST THE LAND BUT AGAINST HIS FATHER.
LUKE 15:18: I WILL GET UP AND GO BACK TO MY FATHER. I WILL SAY TO HIM, “FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN. AND I HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU.
REPENTANCE OCCURS WHEN A PERSON TURNS FROM THEIR SIN AND TURNS TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. IT IS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THAT YOU ARE SORRY FOR YOUR SIN. YOU MUST HAVE A HEARTFELT DESIRE TO LEAVE YOUR SINFUL PATH.
THERE MUST BE IN US A DETERMINATION NOT TO SIN BECAUSE OF THE COST TO GRANT US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FORGIVENESS WAS SO HIGH.
REASON THREE: THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE ARISES FROM THE BREVITY OF LIFE.
CONSIDER THE WORDS OF JOB:
JOB 14:1-3: THEY HAVE ONLY A FEW DAYS TO LIVE. THEIR LIVES ARE FULL OF TROUBLE. 2 THEY GROW LIKE FLOWERS, AND THEN THEY DRY UP. THEY ARE LIKE SHADOWS THAT QUICKLY DISAPPEAR. 3“GOD, WHY DO YOU KEEP LOOKING AT SOMEONE LIKE ME? ARE YOU PLANNING TO TAKE ME TO COURT?
THE BREVITY OF LIFE MAY CATCH YOU UNPREPARED BECAUSE OF A PRE-OCCUPATION WITH OTHER THINGS. THE RICH FOOL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS.
THIS BRIEF LIFE IS THE ONLY CHANCE AFFORDED. YOU MUST MAKE A DECISION NOW. THE SCRIPTURES ARE CLEAR.
HEBREWS 9:27: 27PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE ONCE. AFTER THAT, GOD WILL JUDGE THEM.
ETERNITY IS A LONG TIME TO BE WRONG. PETER SAYS:
2 PETER 3:8: 8DEAR FRIENDS, HERE IS ONE THING YOU MUST NOT FORGET. WITH THE LORD A DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS. AND A THOUSAND YEARS ARE LIKE A DAY.
LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING. WE ARE ETERNAL BEINGS. WE HAVE A TIME WE ARE BORN, BUT WE WILL NEVER DIE. THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER THERE IS AN AFTERLIFE OR NOT, FOR THEIR IS. THE ISSUE IS WHERE YOU WILL SPEND THAT ETERNITY AND THAT WILL BE DECIDED BY WHAT YOU DO WITH CHRIST IN THIS LIFE.
POINT FOUR: THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE ARISES FROM THE IMMINENCE OF CHRIST’S RETURN.
MATTHEW 24:36: 36“NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT THAT DAY OR HOUR. NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN KNOW. THE SON DOES NOT KNOW. ONLY THE FATHER KNOWS.
CHRIST IS RETURNING TO CLAIM HIS OWN SOMEDAY AND THAT DAY IS NOT KNOWN, EVEN BY CHRIST HIMSELF. JESUS SAID THAT HIS RETURN WOULD BE LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.
CHRIST’S RETURN WILL SEAL FOREVER YOUR DESTINY. CHRIST CAME THE FIRST TIME AS SAVIOR, WHEN HE COMES AGAIN HE WILL COME AS JUDGE. HE NOW ACTS IN MERCY AND GRACE, WHEN HE COMES AGAIN HE WILL ACT IN JUSTICE.
CONCLUSION: THE LAWYER, THE MAN, THE MURDER, THE JUDGE.
THE TIME OF SALVATION IS NOW. MAKE YOUR DECISION TODAY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
