Sermon Get Ready For Something New! Series

Sermon Get Ready For Something New!

TEXT: Isaiah 43:18, 19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

“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? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Introduction: The nation of Judah and Jerusalem could not imagine anything beyond their present distress. Because of deep weariness, longing for normal, and a hope that all the problems go away, many leaders were trapped by their circumstance. Rather than leading the people towards what lies ahead, they were trying to bring the past back, to normalize their work, and to recreate what was lost rather than moving ahead into a new future. But the work of leaders is too important to do that. Isaiah sends this message to prepare the nation for the next season of their life. God is doing a new thing!

Isaiah’s message to the children of Israel came at a bleak period of their history. In their captivity, they have lost everything, and they were home sick for the land and the blessing God had promised them. I hope this message will motivate each of us to seek a new vision and a new interest in the things of God. If God wants to do a new thing, How we do embrace it? Isaiah says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” There is a great temptation to look longingly at the past. Our past need not be our future, nor can it be. It might have been wonderful, enjoyable, and rewarding but it is behind us. God has a bright future in store for his children. The only option for his children is to embrace it, accept it and believe there are great things ahead. “I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

There is a desire to see things return to normal like before the pandemic. That’s probably never going to happen. Suppose this new normal is a part of God’s new vision for his people. Maybe God’s church needed some changes. Israel’s homeland would never be the same. The temple would never be the same. Even the priesthood would be different. God has a new plan. We must embrace His plans and make them our plans. You can’t do that if you are always looking to your past instead of to His future. His plans for you are in His promises, and those precious promises can come alive as we seek Him and embrace His promises. He can give us the directions we need and lead us into the future. Jesus is still the way, the road to blessing and salvation. Seeking Him and listening to Him, will be key as we move forward in faith, and faith is the pathway to victory. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: even our faith.” I John 5:4

I found out that one cannot be both a fear filled, and faith filled at the same time. We must choose one or the other. Religious thinking will at times lead us down the road of indecision. Fear, guilt, and a low spiritual self-esteem will keep you in the prison-house of the past. It will keep you looking to the past instead of looking to the future. Being in Christ is being led by his Spirit, walking in faith, and moving towards His future plans for us.

As God’s children, our past is not the future God has planned for you. It is not easy to put on a new mindset, but we must. Judah and Jerusalem were still valuable in God’s eyes. Now they must embrace that fact that Babylon was not their end. Brighter days were ahead. Bondage and hard times can cause people to undervalue themselves. Isaiah calls on God’s people to embrace His Promises and recognize themselves as valuable in His eyes. This is not always easy to forget the past; nor is it easy to embrace the opportunities before us. Walking by faith is different from walking by sight, or walking by feelings, and certainly not trying to walk in the past. Treating yourself as valuable is not pride but true humility before God. To do anything less is disobedience to the God Who has great plans for you and has promised to do great things for you. Walk with Him in the light of His love and mercy. Israel’s difficulty was that they heard the promises of the Prophets before. Now after seventy years of captivity it seemed impossible. Yet Isaiah reminds them, God has not changed His mind. How can we participate? How can we believe? How can we stop looking back? The 1st step to embracing the new thing that God wants to do in your life is to…