Iliff and Saltillo UM Churches
5th Sunday of Lent
March 28, 2004
“When Spring Bursts Forth”
Isaiah 43:16-21
INTRODUCTION: The faith and hope of God’s people was at such a low point during their Babylonian captivity that they constantly needed assurance that things would eventually turn around for them. Throughout the book of Isaiah these assurances are often repeated over and over again using different word pictures to describe God’s love for them. Going back to the beginning of the chapter, the Lord spoke to His people by saying, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned...for I am the Lord, YOUR God” (verses 1,2). In many ways he assures them that He will find a way to break the power of the oppressors over them. They had a hard time believing it.
In today’s section of scripture he uses different word pictures to reassure them that changes are about to take place.
On this fifth Sunday of Lent, let’s see what we can get out of this scripture that will help us move forward in our walk with the Lord.
` 1. Looking to the Past: Isaiah reminds the people of the great things God did for their forefathers when He brought them out of Egypt. He is saying, “He will make it His business to do it again for you.” He is the Holy One of Israel and He is able to do it. Although this generation was in a different situation, the Lord could make a way in the wildernesses well as a way through the Red Sea. The same power of God that can make a way through the sea can make a way in our wilderness as well. Sometimes we are able to believe that God can do SOME things but that He CAN’T or WON’T do other things in our lives. We think, “I don’t see how he can possibly do this because it is a problem of long standing. I can’t SEE HOW it can work out. It is important for us to look to the past to see that God was able in similar circumstances to handle the big problems as well as the small ones. To realize that He can handle the impossible situations as well as the easy ones. His Word is true and he knows how to handle your troubles. Take a look at some of the previous problems you faced in your life. You thought you would never get out of your “Egypt,” or your “Babylon”--but God made a way. He has all authority to make good on His promises. You can see that He kept His promises to you.
STORY: A man was taking a drive in the country when his car suddenly stopped running. He had coasted to the side of the road and lifted the hood when an old horse came trotting by. The horse never slowed down. Looking at the man he said, “Better check the gasoline.”
The man was shocked by this and ran to the nearest farmhouse and knocked on the door. When the farmer opened the door the man frantically explained what had happened.
“Was this a horse with a floppy ear?” asked the farmer.
“Yes, yes, that’s the one.”
“Oh, well,” the farmer drawled, “don’t believe everything he says; he doesn’t know the first thing about cars.”
When God speaks we can believe it.
2. Forgetting the Past: Sometimes we forget things so easily while at other times we hang on to things far too long.
STORY: You will forget it
An elderly couple was having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrived at the doctor’s, they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory.
After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanked the doctor and left.
Later that night while watching TV, the old man got up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?"
He replies, "To the kitchen."
She asks, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"
He replies, "Sure."
She then asks him, "Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?"
He says, "No, I can remember that."
She then says, "Well, I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you’ll forget that."
He says, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."
She replies, "Well, I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."
With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don’t need to write that down, I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen.
After about 20 minutes he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs.
She stares at the plate for a moment and says, "You forgot my toast."
On one hand Isaiah is telling the people, “Look back to how the Lord has helped you in the past, but don’t DWELL on the past.
`Have you known people who are living their present lives in the past? They talk about the “good old days” or some people talk as if they are still living at the time when they were in the Vietnam War. These days--whether good or bad--are very vivid in their minds. If you are “STUCK” in a particular time period of your past, you have difficulty seeing the new things that God is wanting to “spring forth” today. It is better just to forget some things that are hindering your life from “springing forth” with new things.
There comes a time when you have to stop dwelling on the past. Look ahead for new miracles that will overshadow the old ones. In verse 18 Isaiah tells them, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! NOW it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
What he is saying is don’t FORGET the former things both good and bad ones. They are there not only to show you how God brought you out of your Egypt and your Babylon, but also to help you to make better decisions in the future. You learn what works and what doesn’t work. He is saying, “Do not DWELL on the past to such a degree that you can’t think of anything else. You are fretting and stewing over things you can’t do anything about. You cannot see how God is wanting to work in the present. Recalling the past answers to prayer gives you hope for your future. Dwelling on the past problems and difficulty doesn’t necessarily solve anything. It just creates a hindrance to what God is wanting to do in the present.
STORY: Back when electricity was first being introduced in a little Scottish village almost everybody in a particular church switched from propane lanterns to electricity just as soon as it could be hooked up. However, the oldest couple in the congregation couldn’t get their electricity because they were waiting for the poles to go up and the wires to be strung. They continued using the propane lanterns.
The day finally arrived for them to bring electricity to their home. Everyone came for the festive event. The man waited for it get extra dark and then told his wife to go turn on the switch. When she did, the light filled the room and everyone rejoiced.
The man grinned from ear to ear, picked up the propane lamp and said, “It sure makes lighting my lamps easier.” And with that he lit a lamp and his wife turned off the electricity.
Are you still hanging on to the past when you could be living in the present? What “former” things from your past do you have difficulty forgetting? It could be things that people have said to you that hurt your feelings. It could be things that happened to you on the job, in your family or even at church. These things have kept you living in captivity. Your captivity could stem from habits and addictions that you have had a difficult time letting go of and freeing yourself from. God is saying to you today, “I am wanting to do a new thing in your life. I am wanting it to SPRING FORTH now.”
What we identify as impossible barriers in our lives are no problem for the Lord. He had the same power to deal with rivers, mountains, or the barren desert. Why do you think that He can’t handle your problems?
3. Moving On to New Things: V. 19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah brings the people to realize that spring is ready to burst forth in their lives. The hard winter is finally over for them. He is saying to them that “God IS doing a new thing right now. It IS springing up right now.”
A few verses earlier in Isaiah 42:9 he says, “the former things have taken place and new things I DECLARE before they spring into being. I announce them to you.” Now he is saying, “it IS time. It IS springing up right now.”
God wants us to look ahead to new miracles in our life that will overshadow the old ones. It’s time to DECLARE that spring is here. Answers to prayer are BEGINNING to happen. Many of you have prayed for a long time about things and you haven’t seen any answers yet to your prayers. You might be tempted to be discouraged and be ready to give up hope. The people in Isaiah’s time probably felt this way too.
Mark 4:26-28 gives us a picture of how things grow in the natural realm. It gives an image of the SILENT but CERTAIN gradual growth of events in God’s timing. The parable of the growing seed tells us that the seed is planted--it sprouts and grows though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel...” Our prayers are like this accomplishing their work even when we can’t see anything happening.
Isaiah goes on to say the new thing that God is doing shall “Spring forth” giving an indication of its RAPIDITY. Once God begins to answer our prayers, it can happen very quickly. The Lord will do a new thing and it will not be inferior in any way to the things of old.
The spring of the year brings the rebirth of nature--new beginnings. The crocus breaks through the ground with purple blooms, the bright yellow daffodils open up in a blast of color after the drabness of winter. The dogwoods and redbuds bloom and birds begin to sing. Our spiritual life is renewed very much the same way.
“Do you not perceive it,” asks Isaiah? Begin to be more open and perceptive to God’s work in your life. Be on the lookout for indications of spring. Don’t dwell on the past. Begin to thank Him IN ADVANCE for doing a “new thing” in your life. EXPECT new miracles to “spring forth and burst out” at this season.
Let us pray:
