Stand & Read - Isaiah 61:1-3
?The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; [2] To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.?
"Chang Your Clothes!"
Prayer?
INTRODUCTION:
Sing the song: Garment Of Praise
I want to help us to get moving in the right direction?as we gain for ourselves New Perspectives for this New Year?
-By knowing and walking in the Provisions of the Lord Jesus Christ?
-By partaking in what Jesus has provided for us in His work on the Cross?
What I want to share with you this morning is about CHANGING YOUR CLOTHES!!!
-No more walking around in the ways of this world?
-No more being clothed in the rags that are filthy and nasty?
-Casting off the lower things?and taking on the higher ones?
-Good-bye to the OLD MAN and HELLO to the NEW & IMPROVED!!!
*This change is made possible for you?by Jesus? wonderful and loving work on the Cross!!!
*Can you thank the Lord?!!!
No longer to be clothed with the garments (or schemes, tools of defeat, and weights) of this world?
But ONLY to wear what has been expressly provided through the blood of Jesus!!!
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I want to share with you some?GOOD NEWS FOR ZION (The Church)?this morning!
I want to bring you encouragement and blessing today as God has instructed me to!
I want you to leave this place BLESSED & REFRESHED this morning?ready to carry on with God and be the VICTOR He has predetermined you to be!!!
As the prophet wrote the book of Isaiah?there was a progression in thought that was being built with the previous few chapters?
-Chapter 58?talked of abuses that slowed the recovery of Israel.
-But then?Chapter 59?reminded the reader of the Mighty Hand of the Lord?and how it IS NOT shortened?and IT IS ABLE to help and save!!!
-Next?Chapter 60?chapter 60 gives the reader a picture of Zion?s future glory?that which will be had.
*And we notice a forward progression here in thought?
*But chapter 60 left one thing out, which DID come through in chapter 61 though?
-Chapter 61?brought the profile of the GREAT MESSIANIC KING?the King who would usher in the Glory that Zion was soon to see!!!
*Chapter 61 brought Him on the scene?
*And it introduced Him and His work that He would accomplish!!!
-Jesus Christ?the King of Glory!!!
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Now?here we are on the other side of this prophecy and Jesus has already done all that He needed to, to accomplish this in our lives?
-He already died?
-Was buried?
-And has risen again!!!
Therefore, the works of the enemy are defeated, and WE are victors with Jesus now!!!
ü BUT?we still FEEL like it hasn?t happened?
ü We still ACT like it never took place?
ü We still have a hard time BELIEVING that it can even be any other way?
But WHY!?!?!?!
Because we are still being defeated by the enemy of our souls?the devil!
ü He gets us in an uproar over nothing?
ü He messes with our days, and ruins our hopes of an easy life?
ü He muddies the waters in between our ears, and gets us to think on things that we NEVER should?
ü And by doing so?he gets us without even doing any REAL battle?
But this is not the way that it has to be?Do you believe that???
God has provided a way out for us, and has made a better way?
-Just read Isaiah 61!
-Let?s look again!
Isaiah 61:1-3
?The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; [2] To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.?
What a wonderful thing to focus on!
Better yet?if we would live in it!
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I don?t know about you?but I notice some things here in these verses that are pertinent to know?
POINT ONE: THE CHOSEN ONE!
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon someone?
And someone has been anointed to do some things?
And that SOMEONE is Jesus Christ, from the line of David.
In Luke 4, Jesus was in the synagogue and was given the scroll to read?
-And guess what He was given to read from???
-Isaiah 61:1-3?
Then the Bible says that He rolled the scroll back up, and then sat down?
Then He said to the listeners?
-Verse 21??Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.?
-This involves ALL of the passage, but it also speaks of HIM being the anointed One and the One who would do all these wonderful things?
I am so thankful for Jesus?
Ø The One who is able to wash away all my sins?
Ø To set me free from my vices?
Ø To deliver me from the oppression of the enemy?
Ø And gives great joy to our hearts, and victory to be reveled in?
Thank God for the Anointed One!!!
But we must remember that God does love us?even just the way we are?
However! He still wants to change us!
That is where the next part comes in?
Not only do we notice the Chosen One?but we also get a glimpse of what the Chosen One will bring?
POINT TWO: THE CHANGES
How many know that when Christ comes?there is imminent change that will also come???
-Jesus NEVER left things the way they were?
-When He came on the scene, many things changed?if not all?
-Why???
-Because He has been anointed to bring this change!!!
*None other?but Jesus Christ would have been anointed to do such things?
In fact?there are SIX things, which are listed out here for us in verses 1, 2 & 3 that Jesus would be doing?
-All of which are flowing from?and growing out of?this GENEROUS anointing that has been bestowed upon Him by God the Father.
The SIX are?
v To bring good news to the afflicted?
v To bind up the brokenhearted?
v To proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners?
v To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord?
v The day of vengeance of our God?
v To comfort all who mourn?to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting?
ü And THIS my friends is what Jesus has come to do and accomplish in each and every one of us!!!
ü THIS is how He wants to operate within your life?
ü THIS is what He desires to accomplish within you?
ü THESE are the alternatives to the way you have been living outside of His perfect choice for you?
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The first gracious activity that He is involved in is really the source from which the rest follow?as well as, the sum of them all?
#1 - ?To bring good news to the afflicted (meek)?
Of all the work that the Savior did?none was more important and more all-inclusive than this one?
And this expression also reveals to who this work will be received??the meek or the afflicted.?
-Persons who?s hearts have been rendered receptive by God?s grace.
-Such hearts will HUMBLY accept rebuke and GLADLY embrace God?s pardon?
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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Then?the many forms of grace that is revealed are as follows?in the remainder of the list.
Therefore?we can see the many sides, and the diversity of God?s grace which is shown towards us.
-How great it really is!!!
As mentioned?there follows a great list of afflictions, or ills that man is suspect to?
ALL of which are provided deliverance from through the anointing of Jesus!!!
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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#2 - ?To bind up the broken-hearted?
This can include all that are deeply grieved over their sins?
?as well as, those who have been all but crushed by life?s adversities.
To bind up is to?
-Mend?to encourage?to lift up?and to restore.
Isaiah 42:3, ?A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.?
My friends?it is good to know that God is in the business of restoration to the original state?and not the business of starting over fresh with someone or something else.
Are you broken or bruised up today???
Do you need to be bound up???
-Look to Jesus!
-The author and the finisher of your faith.
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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#3 - ?To proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners.?
Surely in this room this morning there are those who could be considered ?captives or prisoners??
There is someone who is bound by some unhappy thing?
-Well?being proclaimed to you this morning is the thought of deliverance, freedom and liberty!!!
In the background of this thought is?
Leviticus 25:10, which says??You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.?
A time when ALL were loosed and set free!
A time that liberty was know by all people and all things?
A wholesale deliverance, if you will?
-Slaves were released?
-Family members who had to go and work off debts were released?
-Debts were forgiven?
-And definitely, lives were changed!!!
*No doubt?there was liberty and freedom known at this time?every 50th year.
But Spiritually?Jesus has come to declare JUBILEE to you and I!!!
He has come to bring freedom and liberty to any and all who would receive that call this morning!!!
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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#4 - To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
#5 - The day of vengeance of our God.
I will look at these two together, because they work off of one another?
These can be seen one of two ways?
First, in contrast to one another?
-IE?the year of the Lord and the day of vengeance?
-Stressing the ratio?of 365 days to 1 day?
-Stressing that the FAVOR will be SUPER-ABUNDANT in comparison to the VENGEANCE.
In similar fashion that we have seen in other areas of the Word?(Ex. 20:5-6) to stress the abundance of one thing over another.
Secondly, it could be read as the two are similar in form and function?
-Then?the word ?vengeance? would have to be interpreted as a ?restoration of wholeness?.
-But there is no real evidence to lead to that conclusion?
THEREFORE?these two lines, taken together, must be seen as?and taken as?
-A STRONG DECLARATION of grace abounding in both ways?
*Yes?there is a favorable year for you!
*AND?there will be a day of vengeance, as retribution for what you have endured from others.
-God does say that He will repay?and that He will avenge us.
-Take comfort in that knowledge.
And the next lines kind of smoothes things out for us?and helps us to take it better when we hear??To comfort all who mourn?.
-Friends?there will be comfort that will come to you as you have been found in mourning?
-There will be joy again for you!!!
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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#6 - To comfort all who mourn?to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
Still thinking of what Jesus will bring to us through His tremendous anointing is this?
And I think this is so pertinent to us in the church today?in our modern times.
Why??? Because the enemy has been hard at work to remove from us our joy and gladness; as well as, our praise!
-Do you agree?
-We have lost the joy and the praise.
God wants to bring gladness to those who mourn in Zion (Church)?who mourn IN Zion and who mourn OVER Zion.
-Those who are grieved over the condition of the church and the sin that seems to abound.
Yes?for those who are mourning and in great sorrow and travail?
-Stewing ashes on their head and participating in the ?Mourning? process?
-God wants to instead bring a wonderful Headdress to you that will be a symbol of GREAT JOY and happiness in Him?
*Why???
*Because it is only His work that can change the situation?and He wants to deliver you from that condition.
*It is time to change your clothes!!!
à Jesus brings this ?mantle of praise for a spirit of despair.?
-Again?this is NOT what God wants or desires for you!!!
-Get a spirit of Praise on You!!!
Unclothe yourself from that spirit of despair, and no hope?
Get rid of that thing?and begin to praise and lift your voice to God?
ILLUSTRATION:
Paul & Silas in Jail?
-Just began to praise God!
Job in the worst of times?
-Nevertheless, Let God be praised!
SONG: ?Praise The Lord, Praise the Lord?Let all of God?s Children Praise the Lord. Shake off those heavy bands?lift up your holy hands?let all of God?s children praise the Lord!!!?
A spirit of Praise?that is what God wants to bring to you?
-Praise so bestowed upon you that it is over-flowing from your mouth?
-Manifesting in VOCAL praise!!!
This praise only comes from those who have made an exchange in clothing?
They have chose to wear something a bit different!
Are you ready to change your clothes this morning???
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When God makes all these changes in you?He does it so that there is?
POINT THREE: A CELEBRATION!
I love how this section is closed?
The Bible says that all this is accomplished by Jesus so that we will become ?Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, so that HE might be glorified!?
Why does all this take place within us?so that God might be glorified!
-Self-fish???
-No way! Because we reap the benefits of His glorification?we are better for it!
-It is a win-win situation.
I think of Matthew 5:16,
?Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.?
We are to be bringing glory to the Lord!
We should be letting the light of Jesus shine?
-But how can we do that when we are buried in sorrow, pain, misery, and despair???
-You can?t!
-That is why God wants you to get changed?and put on the New Garments that He has prepared for you!
IN CLOSING:
Hebrews 12:1
?Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us??
Friends?throw off those nasty garments?and put on a garment of praise, thanksgiving, and joy!!!
The Bible tells us that He whom the Son set free, is free indeed!!!
He has brought you freedom!!!
-You don?t have to do anything, but walk ye in it!!!
-Partake and enjoy!!!
ALTAR CALL:
Salvation?
Change your garments?
You want to be praising?
SING: Garment Of Praise
