Isaiah, Part 23
God’s Blessings Require Obedience
Isaiah 56:1-8
Dismiss kids for Children’s Church and Nursery
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons – intro – we are so glad you’ve come to worship today
- Last week, Isaiah showed us that the invitation to follow God is:
-- Come to Him, repent of our sin, receive His grace while it’s available!
-- The truth is that it will not always be available (reference Isaiah 55:6 …)
- Today: Seek God’s blessings through obedience (discipleship challenge)
- Read Isaiah 56:1-8 – “What do these words mean today?” PRAY
Point 1 – God’s (Urgent) Pleas to Humanity
- Two pleas given by God; the first is simple: Be just and fair to all (v1)
-- Not only simple, but forceful in its application because of what it implies
- BACK: Isaiah saw Israel return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity
-- Yet, only a few would be ready – why? Because they had become complacent!
-- Had gotten used to living in their new world; they enjoyed what they established
-- So, God is direct: living just and showing righteousness are the only way!
-- God pleads: Observe the Law, Keep the commandments, Obey His ways
- Why? Please given so that they may be ready because salvation is near (“soon”)
-- APP: Keeping His commands was/is the only way to be rescued! Matthew 5:20
- History tells us the people would continue to sin; even after their rescue
-- Prophetic words of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Malachi clearly show us this
-- So God is not being subtle here: He is coming soon: Be ready by living right!
-- How? Live in a way that honors Him - so when He returns we are ready!
- The second plea is a reminder of the Law: Keep the Sabbath! (v2b)
-- Ref: Exodus 20:8; God established this day as a purposeful direction to us
-- We are commanded never forget this day: observe it as Holy; set it apart
• Orig. the Sabbath was Saturday (observed as day God rested from creation)
• Following the resurrection it was observed on Sunday (honors God’s work)
-- VERY IMP: The weekday is NOT the focus, the command to observe it is!
- We are reminded not to defile the day given to honor and remember God
-- It is set aside to focus on Him, to worship Him, to spend time with Him
-- CH: Do we do this faithfully? Or only worship Him when the mood is right?
-- This is why this plea is so deliberate: This day reminds us of His work!
Point 2 – Who does God plead with?
- BIG: This is not only for the Israelites (Jews) … BUT foreigners also! (v3)
-- For those who feel excluded; shut out; feel cut off from “God’s promises”
-- Need us to know this: people are people, we all have needs; all want to belong
- Gentiles were considered outcasts; we were shunned / treated as dogs by Jews
-- This created even more division among humans; led by pride of their “name”
-- APP: People were shunned by the religious: Hello 2025 & our Holy Huddles!
-- CH: Do we shun people away from the church because we think we are better?
? Do we demand that people live the way we want them too vs. God’s way?
? Do we cast people out who don’t look like, talk like, live like, we do?
- God even speaks to the lowest: eunuchs were considered the most outcast people
-- These were those handicapped, could not have children (heritage was imp)
-- But God gives a strong warning to Jews and word of encouragement for them
- The assurance is: IF they come, they WILL have a future - HOPE is available!
-- Yet, in order to have hope they must also live by God’s standards (v4)
-- Might refer to these as “conditions”: Keep the Sabbath and live righteously!
-- SEE: The standards are NO different for those apart from God, either! EQUAL
- If they will come, God provides for them a wonderful promise (v5)
-- They’ll be given a place before God and a name; better than a lineage (imp)
-- AND!! Their name will be everlasting in the eyes of the Lord; they will be His!
- TR: Don’t miss our application here … see: this is why this matters today:
Point 3 – God’s Pleas deliver God’s Promises!
- For those outside of His people (Jews), acceptance by God is also conditional!
-- Watch V6: “I will bless the foreigners who …” (HEB: lavah; abide w/, cleave)
1. Commit themselves to the Lord – He must be our priority
2. Serve Him and love His name – living for Him must be priority of life
3. Worship Him & not desecrate the Sabbath – worship must be life’s purpose
- God is not fooled by false worship; How we live IS an act of worship!
-- God is also not fooled by our pretending to live holy while being dead inside
- …… He is not fooled by our intention to worship counting AS our worship
-- HARD: Deciding to stay at home saying, “I can have church here” … are you?
-- Are you truly spending time in worship; studying and committing to His ways?
- This one verse should wreck our “good intentions” of worship
-- I AM NOT GUILTING HERE – SIMPLY READING GOD’S WORD!
- When we worship and truly live for Him is when we receive His promises! (v7)
• Will be accepted in God’s Holy Mountain – accepted into His presence!
• Will be given JOY in His house: Have no joy? What are you worshiping?
• Will have our worship accepted by God – suggests prior offerings were not!!
o Ref past msgs: Isaiah 1:29 … Isaiah 29:13 What do we worship?
- BIG: (v8) They will be accepted by God just as the Jews are accepted
-- WOW!! Hebrew: l?·niq·ba·?aw … “besides those who are gathered to him”
- SEE: This is an OATH sworn by God! He promises to bring others to Himself!
-- Welcome them in, to give them a residence, to restore to them as His family!
-- RE: Eunuch’s could not have children; shamed them as outcasts (no lineage)
-- APP: God says that even they will have a place in Heaven with Him!!
- What does this mean for you and me as we read this today in 2025?
-- Romans 10:13 - If we receive Him and follow His ways, we will be His also!
- Invitation still stands, as long as we are breathing we have this invitation!
- Pray
