"COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER,"
A CALL TO CHRISTIAN SERVICE
By modest estimate, more than a quarter of the entire population of the Australia have professed an evangelical conversion experience.
William Iverson wryly observes that "A pound of meat would surely be affected by a quarter pound of salt.
If this is real Christianity, the ’salt of the earth,’ where is the effect of which Jesus spoke?"
What is real Christianity?
The Webster Comprehensive Dictionary states that a Christian is one
adj.
1. Professing or following the religion of Christ.
2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or his doctrine.
3. Manifesting the spirit of Christ or of his teaching.
4. Characteristic of Christianity or Christendom.
5. Colloquially: Human; civilised; decent
—noun
1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on his teachings; a member of the Christian church
2. A disciple of Jesus of Nazareth; one whose profession and life conform to the example and teaching of Jesus.
Christian: One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbour.
What is the purpose of this message from the Lord?
What is the real thing? What does one whom professes to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour look like?
Scripture Text:
Isaiah 1:10-18 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: [11] "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. [12] "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? [13] Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. [14] Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. [15] When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. [16] "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, [17] Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. [18] "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
IN VERSES 1-10 THE LORD DECLARES ISRAEL’S CONDITION
IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING GOD IS CALLING FOR REPENTANCE AND COMMITMENT.
Listen to this message from the Lord.
This is his word to us this morning? V.11
What is the purpose of your sacrifices unto me says the Lord?
What is the purpose of what we are doing in the church?
What does a real Christian look like?
1. Is being a real Christian making sacrifice?
The Lord says to stop bringing those "futile sacrifices" into his house. Sacrifices alone are not the answer to this question.
2. Is being a real Christian coming to God’s house/Temple? The Lord says the calling of assemblies and solemn meetings are useless to me. They are meaningless to you and to me.
3. Is being a real Christian Keeping all the holidays, communion, and Baptisms? The Lord says the new moons and feasts trouble him because they are meaningless to you and to him.
4. Is being a real Christian Praying aloud and lifting up our hands? The Lord says that when we make many prayers he won’t hear, because our hands are full of blood. Our prayers have no meaning to us or to God.
REPENTANCE AND COMMITMENT TO REAL CHRISTIANITY IS THE ANSWER
A pastor was talking to a fellow about coming to church and he began to explain to the Pastor that he had broken down on a Sunday Morning within sight of a Church and the people on their way to God passed him by to go on into the house of the Lord.
THE LORD SAYS THAT WE HAVE MISSED HIM ON OUR WAY TO CHURCH. OUR CHURCH AND OUR SERVICES AND OUR PRAYERS HAVE BECOME OUR GOD.
OUR LIVES AND OUR LOVES ARE UNAFFECTED BY THE LORD WHO WE SAY WE WORSHIP. HAVE WE PASSED UP GOD TO GO TO THE CHURCH?
Here is the message of the Lord to his people who have ears to hear.
Listen to Him.
This is real Christianity?
Hear the word of the Lord…
God is inviting you and I to reason with Him
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
First we need to answer the Call for cleansing from the Lord…REPENTANCE
It is useless pleading with God in prayer and trying to do things for God if we have not repented and turned away from sin in our life.
Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
When we repent we not only acknowledging that we have sinned but we are also choosing to go in the opposite direction.
In our sin we are going away from God in repentance we are turning away from sin and coming towards God by the death and resurrection of Jesus washed by His Blood.
Rev. 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
We need the Lord. We need to come to him and join with him.
People need the Lord but do People want the Lord.
In our passage of Scripture we see that God rebukes His people the Nation of Israel
Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:
He equates them as being equal with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah
Are we any different here in Australia?
In fact I believe we are worse Sodom and Gomorrah are tame compared to some of the things that are going on in our country and around the World today.
Many countries are only following the heritage they have grown up with but here in Australia we profess to have a Christian heratige. Are we showing the world real Christianity.
We can’t blame others and say it is just the enviroment that I have grown up in. The Bible says that we will all have to give an account for our obedience or disobedience to God’s Word.
We all need to repent and turn back to God and His ways.
This is joining ourselves to God.
Secondly we need to answer the Call for Service
But our service must go from service to the Lord to the people in need.
Joining with God in His work of reaching out to others in the community who are the poor, the oppressed, the fatherless, the widow.
Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
This is the call that God laid on my heart
This is real Christianity.
ILLUSTRATION:
During a Billy Graham crusade in Australia, a Melbourne daily paper received this letter:
"I have heard Dr. Billy Graham on the air, viewed him on television, and seen reports and letters concerning his mission. I am heartily sick of the type of religion that insists my soul and everyone else’s needs saving, whatever that means. I have never felt that I was lost nor do I feel that I daily wallow in the mire of sin, although repetitious preaching insists that I do.
Give me a practical religion that: teaches gentleness and tolerance, that acknowledges no barriers of color or creed, that remembers the aged and teaches children goodness and not sin If in order to save my soul I must accept such a philosophy as I have recently heard preached, I prefer to remain forever damned." (Galatians: Liberated For Life Rev. John F. Mac Arthur Pg. 135)
IN TALKING WITH OTHER PASTORS WE HAVE ALL HAD PEOPLE THAT WANT POSITIONS IN THE CHURCH BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THINGS THAT COUNT THEY ARE NEVER AROUND. THEY WANT TO GET OUT THE FRONT BUT THEY NEVER WANT TO GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY DOING FOR OTHERS.
Our Christianity must be more than a name or a title, Christianity is an action.
Verbs are action words. For there to be a revival in a person, a church, or a nation, there needs to be action!
LOOK AT ALL THE VERBS IN OUR PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE
If the many action words are followed in this passage there will be revival!
Consider the:
VERBS OF PROPITIATION Vs. 16
Wash, make yourselves clean, Put away, Cease
VERBS OF PERFORMANCE Vs. 17
Learn, Seek, Rebuke, Defend, Plead
VERBS OF PARTICIPATION Vs. 18
Come, reason
VERBS OF PURPOSE Vss. 19-20
We will be "willing and obedient" or we will "refuse and rebel".
One set of verbs or the other reveals the purpose of my life!
How about you this morning?
Are you willing to obey God’s call on your life are you willing to be obedient?
Or are you going to be like so many in the world who "refuse and rebel"?
IN CONCLUSION
God has a call on you this morning and He also has a call on this Church but both can only come to fruition if you as an indervidual are willing to be obedient to that call.
God says in His Word
Isaiah 1:19-20 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; [20] But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
AND AGAIN IN
Deut. 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
Are you ready to answer God’s call for Cleansing and for Service.
This is what being a real Christian is all about.
Are you a real Christian or are you one who goes through the motions without having or knowing the real thing?
God invites you this morning to "COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER,"
If we are to see revival in this place it will take all of us pulling together in action. There is no place for inactivity in God’s kingdom.
