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Isaiah 35
When Jesus Came...
I. Empty lives were filled (vv 1 – 2)
A. We “always” have an excuse.
1. Fear of failure keeps us from trying.
2. Fear of success keeps us from doing our best.
3. Procrastination is a learned behavior to give us an excuse.
B. There is always a time for everything except what is worth doing.
1. We are comfortable not doing anything of eternal value.
2. We are comfortable with the stories of the “fish that got away.”
3. We don’t want to live up to what we are capable of.
C. Jesus challenges the excuses.
1. (John 8) The woman caught in adultery:
a. She was caught in sin. The “Law” said she was to die.
b. Jesus forgave her. Forgiveness brings responsibility. Jesus said, “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11c)
2. (Matthew 9) Matthew, the tax collector.
a. Tax collectors were considered traitors. They were hated and probably corrupt (in general)
b. When Matthew decided to follow Jesus, he discovered a purpose for his life. He introduced his friends to Jesus.
*** It is in the context of forgiveness and purpose found in Jesus that empty lives are filled. Lives that are “desert,” “parched,” “wilderness” blossomed when Jesus came.
II. “Weak” people were given strength (v 3)
A. “Weak” behavior is learned.
1. It is a matter of perspective in a “look out for number one” world.
2. We learn to be selfish as we fight for what we think is ours.
B. The world’s version of the Beatitudes:
1. The poor in spirit have nothing. (Jesus: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)
2. Those who mourn are just whiners. (Jesus: will be comforted.)
3. The meek will get trampled by the aggressive. (Jesus: will inherit the earth.)
4. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are dangerous radicals. (Jesus: will be filled.)
5. Those who are merciful can’t turn their backs or they will get hurt. (Jesus: will be shown mercy.)
6. The pure in heart have no fun. (Jesus: will see God.)
7. The peace makers are just cowards. (Jesus: will be called the “sons of God.”)
8. Those persecuted because of righteousness deserve it. After all they are politically incorrect. (Jesus: their’s is the kingdom of heaven.)
The Christian view of “weakness” according to the Bible is, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
*** Strength is not about what you have. It’s about who you have.
III. Fear was lost to the truth (v 4)
A. Definition of “fear.”
1. “1 an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. 2 the likelihood of something unwelcome happening. >verb 1 be afraid of. 2 (fear for) be anxious about. 3 archaic regard (God) with reverence and awe.” (Oxford University Press)
a. Fear is one of the most powerful emotions, it gets our attention immediately.
b. Fear is one of the most captivating emotions, it fills our thoughts and can cause us to “shut down.”
2. However, fear is not completely “negative.”
a. It can move us to action in times of danger.
b. It can warn us of potentially dangerous/stupid action.
B. Jesus taught us the difference between fear and being afraid.
1. Jesus said, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. [5] But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:4 – 5)
a. The real danger is not physical, which is what we tend to focus on.
b. The real danger is spiritual, a literal, physical, eternal hell because of not being in a saving, loving, and right, relationship with Jesus.
c. This is fear that can change our course of action/life for the good.
2. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
a. With the peace Jesus gives, there is no reason to be afraid.
b. There are a couple of marks of having a saving, loving, and right relationship with Jesus such as love and joy. But an important one is peace. If you do not have peace with God, maybe God is trying to tell you something is wrong or missing.
*** Knowing who to fear is a matter of trust. When we trust Jesus then nothing will cause us to be afraid.
IV. Physical needs were met. (vv 5 – 6)
A. Jesus demonstrated who He was by meeting physical needs.
1. When John the Baptist sent messengers to question Jesus, the answer Jesus gave was to point to the physical needs that were being met.
“So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Luke 7:22)
2. Old Testament prophets did not heal the blind... that miracle was reserved for the Messiah.
3. The last sign is dealing with an economic issue. The answer is not wealth, redistribution of wealth, job opportunities, etc... The answer is in the “good news” (acceptance of the “good news” would change everything).
B. Jesus demonstrated who He was by fulfilling prophecy.
1. Matthew describes Jesus actions as fulfilling prophecy.
“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. [17] This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:16 – 17)
2. The way Matthew describes it, Jesus didn’t even “break a sweat” in doing these things.
3. Matthew makes it very clear that this was done deliberately to fulfill a prophecy. (Double miracle: the healing and the filling of prophecy.)
*** One of the most difficult things for modernists to believe is that God intervenes in the natural flow of human existence. Jesus pointed at the breaks in the natural flow as being explainable only by the fact that God was at work intervening and changing that flow because of His love for people.
V. Thirsty souls found living water (v 7)
A. The “woman at the well.” John 4
1. She was a “Samaritan.” Samaritans claimed to be the rightful decedents of Israel. They had an alternative system of worship, including place of worship, priesthood, etc... Jews would not associate with them because of the impression of false worship/god. (John 4:9)
2. She was an outcast (unimportant), even in her own society. She was at the well in the hottest part of the day (rather than the cool morning). (John 4:6)
3. She had an unstable past. Five husbands and currently living together. (John 4:18)
4. Jesus offers her eternal life even though she was of the wrong religion, unimportant, and had poor marital history.
B. The “thief” on the cross. (Luke 23)
1. He must have had a change of heart. Compare Luke’s account with others and you will notice that both criminals had mocked Jesus. The change of heart came when the one said, “Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? [41] We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." (Luke 23:40b – 41)
2. He was being crucified because of his behavior: “we are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.”
3. Beyond the hope of any possibility, the criminal asks Jesus for mercy. (Luke 23:42)
4. Jesus grants the mercy with a promise! (Luke 23:43)
*** Into the most dire and desperate need, Jesus breaks the cycle of what would normally be a dry, depressing, and hopeless existence and brings living water (abundant life) and mercy with a promise.
VI. The captives of sin were ransomed. (v 10)
A. Because of sin, justice demands satisfaction.
1. The Bible says, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- [26] he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25 – 26 NIV)
a. In other words: God demonstrated His justice by paying the penalty for our sins. This was done through Jesus death on the cross.
b. Why? God is just. God said sin would be punished. We cannot pay the price by any amount of good works. It is paid only through the blood of Jesus.
c. This is totally not fair – to God. It’s much more than we deserve. But through Jesus the guilt from our sins is canceled, justice is satisfied, and we are made right with God.
2. The Bible says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
a. In other words: God traded everything Jesus had for everything we have.
b. Jesus righteous was exchanged for our sin so that our sin would be exchanged for Jesus righteousness.
c. This is totally not fair – to God. Why should the most important and powerful person in the universe care for those who have badly offended Him? God calls it “love.”
B. Conclusion: Are you empty? Struggling? Afraid? Suffering? Thirsty? Captive to sin? When Jesus came He offered solutions to all these things and more. Since He’s alive and the Holy Spirit is with us, these are things that are still available to us today. The basic need for humanity is not money, power, pleasure, or popularity. It is Jesus and all He has to offer.
