FIVE LOOKS
Isaiah 45:22
I. THE BACKWARD LOOK.
1. This is to the Seed of the Woman;
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
2. This is to the Seed of David;
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
3. This is to the dying Savior;
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
II. THE UPWARD LOOK.
1. The Christian looks up for answered prayer;
Psalm 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
2. The Christian looks daily to the Author and Finisher of his faith;
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. The Christian looks to the Lord for the assurance of salvation;
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
III. THE INWARD LOOK.
1. This is the look of examination; I Corinthians11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
II John 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2. This helps man to see himself as he is: Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
3. This improves the Christian’s Walk; I John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
IV. THE OUTWARD LOOK.
1. This is to the harvest fields; John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
2. This reveals “the signs of the times”; Matthew 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
3. This causes us to help others; Galatians 6: 1-2 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
V. THE FORWARD LOOK.
1. This is the look of faith; II Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2. This is the look that sees the Works of God; Psalm 66:5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
3. This is the look of expectancy; Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
CONCLUSION: If you wish to be distracted then look around
If you wish to be miserable then look within
If you wish to be happy then look up
If we look around like Moses, we will be afraid.
If We look down like Peter, we will sink.
If we look on others like Miriam, we will be envious.
If we look up to Jesus, we will be transformed.
