And Then… #2 Growth and Development
Opening Readings
For the Entire Series:
“His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”
(Matthew 25:23 NKJV)
For Today’s Message
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them declared this, and foretold to us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, “It is true.”You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses, says the LORD. I am God, and also henceforth I am He; there is no one who can deliver from my hand; I work and who can hinder it?”
(Isaiah 43:1–13 NRSV)
Last Week’s Recap… New Beginnings
What was happening at this time: Essentially many nations, including the nation of Israel, had fallen to the rapidly expanding Babylonian Empire.
Today’s Illustration
As we are born into a family unit, good bad, or indifferent we are shaped since birth by our familial identities.
1. People/humans have a history since the dawn of time of celebrating traditions of all kinds.
a. Cultural
b. Familial
c. Religious
2. The Traditions which we celebrate, much like the people of Israel have one of two consequences.
a. Reject God
b. Glorify God.
3. Whether or not the traditions glorifies or rejects based upon several factors
a. The root/origin of the tradition
b. The manor in which they are followed
c. The Spirit that
4. Holiness has all too often come face to face in a conflict of tradition/culture.
a. What is acceptable
b. Morality vs. Holiness
Much like the kings of Israel brought the nation to and from the brink of disaster by their apostasy a new believers and Christians are subject to the influences that shape their Christian walk in it’s infancy.
Good bad or indifferent we are speaking of generational implications.
A Cycle that can either glorify God or despise him.
Much like the people of Israel to whom Isaiah was speaking the new Christians faced a significant challenge. Culture vs. Holiness.
In 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter addresses this exact issue when he says,
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.””
(1 Peter 1:13–16 NKJV)
*** Here Peter quotes the words of God himself as spoken to Moses. A message which was spoken to the people of Israel who had lived for generations under Egyptian captivity.
They had become so assimilated to Egyptian culture that they had negated their Hebrew/Holiness heritage.
Much of the challenges has a lot to do with what is referred to as pluralism. – In simple terms the attempt to shove Holiness into the culture and make it fit versus shaping the culture around holiness living.
The Need to know our heritage, or how we belong. (Play Ancestry.com) Commercial.
It is worth noting at this point that ALL human D.N.A. is 99.9% identical.
Our cultural heritage says a lot about the way we “turn out”
The challenge to basing what is acceptable and regular based upon a culture not led by God himself is that it is a moving target.
Several factors have had a significant impact on our culture today.
- Television
- Radio
- Social Media
- Print Media
Slowly, and surely there has been an erosion, and with every step of the erosion, we become desensitized to what is published.
*********** IT IS SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A BATTLE********
A Battle much like the one that Isaiah was sent to fight
Biblical/Holy Heritage should always prevail vs. everything else. EVERYTHING.
The Only way to understand our Holy Heritage and to allow it to be the prevailing factor that shapes us is to understand the attributes of God himself.
The words spoken by God in Isaiah 43 provide us an intricate look into the attributes of God, and how he deals with his people, his children.
By studying and understanding these attributes it is then that we can have assurance as to how WE should be towards God’s other fellow children and towards God himself.
1. God is the creator and the constructor of all things, BIG and small.
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
(Isaiah 43:1 NRSV)
BECAUSE God is the creator, it should be him that we look to for the major decisions in the lives that he created.
2. We also see in verse one that We are redeemed by God.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
(Isaiah 43:1 NRSV)
-God the creator and constructor is also the ONLY redeemer, i.e. the answer to life’s biggest questions. We will find our answers in ONLY him and nothing else including.
- Political parties
- Works
- Opinions
- Human teachings
- Cultural traditions
-
3. Our creator and redeemer has not, and will never abandon nor forsake us.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
(Isaiah 43:2 NRSV)
God made a similar statement to Josh upon his promotion following the death of Moses.
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”
(Joshua 1:5 NKJV)
He is always present in our life through challenges, triumphs, setbacks, etc. with his prevailing hand upon our paths.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
(Isaiah 43:2 NRSV)
4. Our creator who redeems us, and accompanies us also protects us.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””
(Isaiah 43:5–7 NRSV)
Knowledge of protection provides peace, joy, and solace even in life's hardest moments. A knowledge that provides a sense of belonging, purpose, and identity.
Isn’t that so much more satisfying than knowing whether we are wearing the right clothes, eating the right foods, or whatever else that could possibly shape who we are?
-The question becomes, is what kind of traditions are you going to start or perpetuate.
-The question also becomes in what will those traditions be rooted.
The answer to these two questions becomes essential when hearing the words which began today’s message???
“His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”
(Matthew 25:23 NKJV)
