Behold & Believe
Isaiah 43:18-19
Intro.: Good morning and thank you for the honor I have of being here today and sharing God’s Word. I also want to thank you for your support and cooperation through the Cooperative Program. It’s my joy to serve Louisiana Baptists as the Director of Pastoral Leadership. This gives me the opportunity to meet and encourage our 1550 LB churches and pastors, work with PSCs. Thank you for your faithful and generous support to the Cooperative Program. Louisiana Baptists are doing really well and the gospel is advancing all over the state. Open your Bibles to Isaiah 43.
We all probably know that today is April 23, 2023. But do we know that 108 days have already passed in this year? It seems that just a few weeks ago we were saying HAPPY NEW YEAR. Almost one third of this new year is already over. Time is moving ahead with or without us.
Speaking of new, I read some interesting facts about yearly purchases. According to internet sources there were 1.4 billion new cell phones bought in 2021 in the world; 210 million new televisions; 66 million new automobiles; 195 million refrigerators in the world.
Most of us are fascinated with new things. New electronics, new homes, new hair-do’s, new clothes, new tools, new Bibles, new teeth. Some people are consumed and even obsessed with having the newest and latest design and fashion. Many of us want the fastest, or the shiniest, or the biggest.
Though I am not against having new things and even acquiring good things in life – I have been thinking about this new year in another dynamic. With the zeal and excitement of getting new stuff – the Lord has been challenging me with this thought/question. Is the same zeal and desire for new material things being applied in my life over new spiritual things?
That’s the question I have on my heart today to ask each of you. In other words: > Do you and I get excited as we gather for worship every week believing and expecting that God is going to do something NEW in our lives? In His church? >> When we sit down to read our Bibles during the week is there an “I can’t wait” attitude because we believe that the Holy Spirit is going to show us something NEW in our reading? >>> When we attend our small group Bible study is there an excitement/anticipation that our teacher will share something that is NEW because God’s Word always accomplishes what God desires?
In all respect to the years 2019 – 2022, I believe God is WAITING and WAKING up His people/church so that He can show us all something NEW.
In all respect due to the absence of your Sr. Pastor God can and God want’s and God will do something NEW in 2023 at FB, Hornbeck. That doesn’t mean that previous years in this church were wasted. It just means that ministry moving forward is going to be new and different. READ Isaiah 43:18-21.
I. The PROMISE of The Promise
A. “Look, (Behold) I am about to do something new.”
1. Observe, pay attention – “Be sure to see.”
2. The children of Israel were exiles to the Babylonians.
3. But God was about to set them free.
4. Some theologians refer to this account as a second Exodus for the Israelites. (First was the Egyptian exodus)
5. So once again, the “Great I Am” is about to do something new.
6. By the way there are nine (9) “I AM” references in chapter 43.
7. In other words this is not a promise from an unknow God, this is a promise from the personal Yahweh God.
8. So notice how the Scripture becomes a personal promise.
B. Look back at Isaiah 43:14-18.
1. In these verses God reminds the Israelites of His character:
2. YOUR Redeemer, Holy One of Israel, Creator, King.
3. Then vv.16-17 God brings to short memory how He led the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed Egyptian/army.
4. Isaiah is briefly sharing how God kept His promise by leading and taking care of His people.
5. But watch what happens in v.18, “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old.”
C. Why did the prophet Isaiah do that?
1. We all understand - Promises are only good if they are kept.
2. Listen: Promises are meant to be future tense.
3. When I make a promise to my wife I’m promising that I will do something in the future not in the past.
4. So, why did Isaiah tell the Israelites to forget God’s deliverance from Egypt right before the promise to do something new?
D. I strongly believe God was going to do something new that the Israelites had never experienced before – but it would be a continuation of what He had already started.
1. Listen very carefully: Isaiah is not suggesting that we ignore or dismiss God’s past actions that helped us believe in Him.
2. Those times/moments provide assurance about who God is.
3. Isaiah was reminding his listeners that God was still alive and that he can always be trusted in the present and future.
4. The future therefore that will involve God doing a new creative thing that will surpass anything accomplished in the past.
E. What was God doing with Israel?
1. God was putting His foot down to the enemy once again and declaring that He was about to fulfill another promise of the promise.
2. Even though Israel was in rebellion and disobedience God was still going to keep His promises to them.
3. This passage teaches believers that God is above every circumstance, every situation, and every person.
4. Nothing and no one can stop or prevent Almighty God from fulfilling all His promises.
5. Genesis 3; Genesis 12; Exodus all to Revelation.
6. We serve the God of fulfilled promises.
II. The TIMING of The Promise
A. God is saying to us TODAY I will do something new.
1. I’m grateful that God has promised to do new things in my life but I’m just as grateful He has promised to do it today.
2. My God is the God of yesterday, tomorrow and today.
3. Just as God made a way in the sea the first time, He will now make a new way in the wilderness.
B. As humans we like everything to be fairly predictable.
1. We have our schedules, our routes, our routines, etc.
2. Very seldom do we stray away from them.
3. When that happens though we turn into maniacs and get bent all out of shape. (SUNDAY MORNING – CHURCH PEW)
4. But the God who is promising to do something new is not predictable. He is the Creator God who loves doing things in new ways, every day.
C. BTW: We should be reminded that for God one day is like a thousand years.
1. Minutes, hours, days and years are all relative to God.
2. But don’t miss the bigger point.
3. There should be great comfort in knowing that the God of promise can/will/wants do something new our lives every day.
4. “Even now it is coming.” v.19
III. The APPLICATION of The Promise
A. Word #1 = BEHOLD (Be sure to see)
1. Stop/Look/Pause/BEHOLD the Wonderous Mysteries of God.
2. Behold the babe in the manger, the Redeemer on the cross and behold the empty tomb.
3. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
4. Stop, Look, Pause and BEHOLD something new God is doing.
5. To receive God’s promises we must behold the God of promise.
B. Word #2 = BELIEVE
1. Do you really believe this is God’s inspired and life-changing word of God?
2. Do you really believe that this book is filled with God’s promises? For yesterday, tomorrow and today!
3. God is saying, “Look, I am about to do something new.”
4. The obvious is some time in the future you will have a new pastor. That’s the big picture of the whole puzzle.
5. What new spiritual thing is God wanting to do in your personal life?
6. Will you apply the same zeal and desire for the new spiritual things in your life?
Conclusion: God is watching and waiting to do something new in 2023. Even in the absence of your Pastor God can and God wants to do new and great things in your life and in this church. Will you BEHOLD and will you BELIEVE it all to be so?
