Sermon Central
-
Woe To Those Who Rely On The World! Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Apr 7, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: God is calling everyone everywhere to repent – to turn to Him completely. Or, said another way: To be faithful to Him and not rest in our own devices. However, in order to do this we must surrender our will to follow His calling!
Isaiah, Part 13
Woe to Those who Rely on the World!
Isaiah 31:1-9
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad you have chosen to be here today!
-- Last week, we looked at the setup of this chapter (Ch 30)
-- Saw God’s displeasure with humanity – bonus: the why was given to us
- Isaiah showed us God’s calling to the rebellious: (30:v15)
• To repent and rest – this is the result of salvation (comfort)
• If not, be called out for resisting – it’s why they are judged (cause/effect)
- Yet, we saw the most common response to God: (30:v16)
• They rejected God’s invitation (“have none of it”), and,
• They trusted the strength of mankind (“get our help from Egypt”)
- Consequence is simple: Complete defeat of all they love (hopeless) (30:v17)
- Today, Isaiah expounds on this for us to understand and apply
• Want you to know something: we must work to focus on God
• To choose Him while the world tells us their way are better / reliable
• Ch 31 is the amplification of what happens when we choose ourselves
- Read Isaiah 31:1-9 / PRAY
Point 1 – Our trust must be placed in God
- Placing our trust, in whatever we can do, is a dangerous path
-- Trust in religion, technology, a machine, or even people … can be disastrous
-- Consider: You need to get to a hospital but someone gives wrong directions
- The Psalmist knew the strength of choosing God: Psalm 20:7, “Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.”
-- Our lesson: We must consider what we trust in before we follow!
-- APP: If we want to succeed, the focus of our trust must be trustworthy!
- For our application, Egypt can be a representation of “the world” (v1)
-- Their strong government, money, traditions, and beliefs are all man-made
-- Which means: the ungodly, unwise, and unscriptural are in their thinking
- Can we trust in people? YES – if they are leading you to the Lord!
• To test this is very simple: Do they live up to God’s Word?
• Not how we ‘feel like’ it reads, but what it says and directs us to do!
• Test Example: God has never said that our sin is ‘ok’! Sin is still sin!
- BIG: This is why the Church must hold firm to the Word of God
-- OUR MISSION (picture): “Love God, Love People, Make Disciples”
• Loving God is our choosing Him first
• Loving People means love them enough to tell them the truth
• Making Disciples is our job, our ministry, and must be our focus!
• If we are not bringing people to Jesus, we would we do something?
- Believers must be certain that the only thing we can trust in IS God
-- However, often we have a gap between knowing and doing (execution is weak)
-- APP: This is precisely what Isaiah drives at in Chapter 31
- SEE: God issues a two-fold indictment against the people of Judah:
• First, they willingly chose to not trust in Him (“woe”)
• Second, they did not seek God’s help when they needed it
- Now, consider – how often do we turn to the Lord second, third, fourth … ?
-- When the challenges arise, why is He not our first call? To run to Him?
-- This is exactly what His people (Judah) have done … hence, Isaiah’s rebuke
- TR: So, take a look at the warning to the people … God is very clear here …
Point 2 – To choose the world is to deny God
- Note the words of verses 2 through 5 … very telling of how people behave
-- But note, God is very clear of the results of choosing our ways over His
-- It is so clear that we have 5 ways to be encouraged (even today)
1. The Lord will prove that His wisdom is better (v2a)
- God warns them that Egypt is not going to rescue them, but will enslave them
-- APP: He tells them exactly what the future looks like by depending on them!
2. The Lord promises to keep His word (v2b)
- Bible says evildoers will be judged; all those who oppose God will answer
-- This same warning was given to the people of Judah through Moses years earlier
-- Homework is: Deuteronomy 28:1-68 (FYI: ONLY first 14 verses are blessings)
3. The Lord will destroy the wicked and their partners (v3)
- RE: These armies are only men – they are human; temporary adversaries
4. The Lord will return to Mt Zion to fight His enemies (v4)
