COME LET US REASON TOGETHER
Isaiah 1:18-20
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat of the good of the land. But if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
I want to begin by looking at this open invitation.
Now come and let us reason together saith the Lord.
You know it seems to me as we read the Bible and study God’s Word that we find the Lord is constantly calling and inviting mankind to come to him.
And of all the wonderful things that God is, he is reasonable.
A God who offers a voice of reason, and a call to the sinner and the backslider to return.
Romans 12:1 says, Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.
In Jeremiah 3:22 the Lord says, Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backsliding.
In Malachi 3:7 the Lord said, Return unto me and I will return unto you.
Our text today says, Come now and let us reason together.
This is not a call to trial or a call to judgement. It’s a call to open up your heart and listen to what the Lord might speak to you, that you might hear the voice of reason.
I think of the prodigal son. You know, the Bible says he came to himself, and I believe that suddenly the voice of reason could speak to him.
In Luke 15:17, when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father’s house have bread enough to spare and I perish.
The voice of reason, an inner voice, spoke 2 very important facts to him:
1. I am starving and 2. There is bread enough to spare in my father’s house.
He didn’t know if his father would accept him as a son again or not, but he knew he would not let him starve.
The voice of reason brought him back to his father’s house. His father’s love restored his sonship.
I believe the voice of reason spoke to Saul on the road to Damascus. Jesus reasoned with Saul. Didn’t he?
He asked Saul, Why persecutest thou me?
Then he said, It is hard for you to kick against the pricks.
When God has a plan for your life, and you decide you have a better plan, things are going to be very hard.
Ask brother Jonah.
The road away from God is always a rough, hard road
God reasoned with Abraham over Sodom and Gomorrah.
God reasoned with Moses on the back side of the desert and Moses could not find an excuse that God didn’t have an answer for.
Now God is calling a meeting. What should we say at this meeting?
Should we plead our innocense? Surely not, for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Should we list our excuses? No. This meeting is not to discuss guilt or innocense. That part is already been stated.
Our sins are as scarlet. We can’t hide our sin from God. It sticks out like hunter orange on a new snow.
God is calling a meeting with him, not to establish guilt, but to arrange pardon.
He isn’t asking for compensation or for retribution for your past. Jesus took care of that. He is asking for obedience and repentance.
See how reasonable he is?
As with all invitations there is an appointed time.
Verse 18 says the time for this meeting is NOW.
Now God has already stated his will in this. He said what he would do. He is willing to blot out all our transgressions and make us white and clean.
The price has already been paid.
But, verse 19 & 20 tells us he is going to leave the choice up to us.
Only believe? The devils believe. You can believe in salvation and never be saved. You must act on what you believe.
Verse 19 says, If ye be willing and obedient.
Some are willing to be saved, but not obedient to the instruction.
To be saved or renewed today, we will not only have to be willing, but also obedient.
You aren’t hearing a call in your heart that is for someone else.
God didn’t dial the wrong number.
The Lord says, Come now, let us reason together. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Most people are willing to be blessed, but not willing to live for Jesus.
You can know peace, love, joy, and comfort, if not the world will devour or overcome you.
That is not a threat, it is just the way things are.
Listen to reason today.
Light or darkness. The ark or the dark.
There is bread enough to spare in the Father’s house.
COME LET US REASON TOGETHER, SAITH THE LORD.
