Latest / Mount Eaton Church / Love His Way, Live His Ways - Isaiah 55:6-11

Transcript

Love His Way, Live His Ways - Isaiah 55:6-11 · Mount Eaton Church

0:08
All right, turn to Isaiah 55. All right, so we've
0:14
been on the series of our purpose statement,
0:18
love God, love his word, love his ways, love
0:19
his things. And you're like, that's a purpose
0:21
statement. Yes, it is. It literally is why we
0:24
are here. You know, the chief end of man is to
0:29
Glorify God and enjoy him forever. Well, how
0:31
do we do that? How do we glorify God? We glorify
0:34
God by loving God and learning to love God, by
0:38
loving his word, by learning to live his word,
0:41
by living his ways, and then learning to love
0:43
his things by stewarding. All of this is about
0:45
stewardship. Whether you're looking at your relationship
0:48
with Christ, his word, his ways, and his things,
0:50
you have to steward your relationship with Christ.
0:53
You have to steward the word of Christ. You have
0:54
to steward the ways of Christ. And you have to
0:57
steward. The things of Christ. And it's very
0:59
important. Like many churches, you know what
1:03
their motto is. Love God, love others, reach
1:06
the world. Really. I get it. Like I get the greatest
1:10
commandments. But we purpose put first things
1:14
first. And Christ is first in all things. So
1:17
the best way to love God, to love others, is
1:19
to love God. So we're on loving his ways. Love
1:24
his ways, live his ways. Isaiah 55 is where we're
1:27
going to be starting. So I'm going to pray and
1:28
then we'll get started. Father, I want to thank
1:30
you so much for your word. Thank you that you
1:32
are the sovereign king, that you are in control
1:35
of all things. And by your providence, you cause,
1:37
move, and bring about the results of what you
1:42
have set in place by your word so that all things
1:45
bring you glory and that you are honored and
1:48
glorified. And your name is... preached among
1:51
the nations. Lord, we do thank you and praise
1:53
you for your word. Help us to understand the
1:56
importance of living your ways and loving your
1:58
ways. To you be honor and glory forever in Jesus'
2:00
name. Amen. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55. I should have
2:05
turned there first. All right. So we're going
2:09
to notice some very important things. And you're
2:11
going to kind of catch a theme that's going on
2:12
here. And it's really about salvation. The ways
2:16
of God is the way of salvation. And you're going
2:18
to see some very important things I don't think
2:22
many people consider. So when you talk about
2:25
God's ways, do you really understand what it
2:28
means? I think we understand what he commands,
2:31
but do we really understand his ways? Isaiah
2:34
chapter 55, verse 6 through 11. seek the Lord
2:39
seek Yahweh while he may be found call upon him
2:44
while he is near let the wicked forsake his way
2:48
and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him
2:52
return to the Lord that he may have compassion
2:55
on him and to our God for he will abundantly
3:00
pardon for my thoughts are not your thoughts
3:06
Neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord.
3:10
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
3:13
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts
3:17
than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow
3:21
come down from heaven and do not return there
3:24
but water the earth, making it bring forth and
3:30
sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to
3:34
the eater, So shall my word be that goes out
3:39
from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty,
3:43
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
3:47
and shall succeed in the thing in which I sent
3:51
it. So I want you to notice something, what God
3:53
is saying here. You don't think like me. Your
3:58
mind is not even close to be like my mind. And
4:02
you're not even close to doing things the way
4:04
I do them. Your ways are so outside of my ways
4:08
and your thoughts are so outside of my thoughts.
4:10
You have no clue. Be like, well, God, then how
4:14
do we get to know you? It's right here. The scripture
4:17
he's given us is enough for life and godliness.
4:20
There are some things we just don't need to know.
4:22
We don't have to know. And I'm kind of glad because
4:25
when we start to really dig into what God has
4:29
revealed in his word, revealed inspiration through
4:33
his word, Okay, divine inspiration. And then
4:37
we look at his creation, natural inspiration
4:41
that he created. We start to really grasp that
4:44
God is far beyond in his thoughts and ways are
4:48
far beyond ours. As a matter of fact, we are
4:51
in complete contrary in our thoughts and ways
4:55
than his. Total opposites. God's ways are seen,
5:01
heard, and can only be found in the word of God.
5:04
You cannot find any of God's ways outside of
5:08
his word. It's right here. You want to know what
5:11
God's ways are? Right here. Okay? The word gives
5:16
us a clear picture that God's ways are completely
5:19
and vastly different than ours. that our ways
5:23
are wicked and desperately sinful and that God's
5:27
ways are righteous, good, perfect, pure, holy,
5:32
and true. Psalm 1830, this God, his way is perfect.
5:38
So that kind of stops us pretty quickly, doesn't
5:41
it? Because our ways aren't. The word of the
5:44
Lord proves true. He is a shield for all those
5:49
who take refuge in him. So what do we learn?
5:52
God's ways are perfect and his word is true.
5:55
Number two, Psalm 77, 13. Your way, O God, is
6:00
holy. What God is great like our God. In other
6:04
words, your way is not only perfect and true,
6:08
but your way is holy. It's a narrow way. It's
6:13
not a way that man can contrive. It's not a way
6:16
that man has determined. God's way has been determined
6:19
by him and him alone. And it is a very narrow
6:23
way. Psalm 119 verse 132. Turn to me and be gracious
6:30
to me as is your way with those who love your
6:34
name. So those who love God's name, God's way
6:38
for them is grace. and turning. Turn to me, and
6:44
be gracious to me. Why? That is your way for
6:47
me, because I love you. Because if I don't turn
6:51
to God, turn to Christ, I will not experience
6:53
the grace of God, the way he's intended for me
6:56
to experience his grace, and I would not really
6:59
love his name, would I? So, God's way for the
7:03
sinner is beyond our understanding. In John 14,
7:07
5 through 6, Thomas said to him, Lord, we do
7:11
not know where you're going. How can we know
7:14
the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the
7:20
truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except
7:23
through me. And this way is a literal way. It's
7:27
not just he's the doorway. He is the way of living.
7:32
He is the way in every way. He is the way incarnate.
7:37
He is the word incarnate. He has lived out for
7:40
us to see on display the way of life. And the
7:45
only way to get on that way, which is the narrow
7:47
way, is through him because he's the only way
7:49
to get there. Now, Romans 11, 28 through 36.
7:55
As regards the gospel. Now, I want you to notice
7:58
something very important. Is as we go through
8:02
these verses, look at God's way. Because you'll
8:06
be surprised that it's not the way you think.
8:09
Because man thinks one way, we think we're right.
8:13
Well, this has got to be the way that God does
8:15
things because God is love. After all, when we
8:19
read this and we see God's way. of his mercy,
8:24
which is given to us as we experience and actually
8:28
walk in his salvation because of Christ, we really
8:33
understand there is only one way, and it's a
8:35
very narrow way. This is going to shock you.
8:39
As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your
8:43
sake. Who are they? Those who have rejected Christ,
8:47
the Jews. The Jews are enemies for your sake.
8:51
But as regards election, they are beloved for
8:56
the sake of their forefathers. In other words,
9:00
because of election and God bringing salvation
9:04
through the Jews and the forefathers, Abraham,
9:09
Isaac, Jacob, we can have salvation. For the
9:13
gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
9:17
The gift of salvation for the elect is irrevocable.
9:21
You cannot stop it. Every elected person will
9:25
be saved. This is a problem for many others who
9:29
look at some theology differently because they
9:33
really have a hard time dealing with chapter
9:35
11, actually chapter 9, 10, and 11 of Romans.
9:40
Look at what it says. For just as you were at
9:43
one time disobedient to God, but now have received
9:47
mercy because of their disobedience. Think about
9:51
that. Because of their rejection, you, being
9:55
disobedient, have received the mercy of God.
9:58
Because of their disobedience and the rejection
10:00
of Christ, you received mercy of God because
10:03
you were disobedient. That's what he means here.
10:06
So they too. have now been disobedient in order
10:10
that by the mercy shown to you, they also may
10:15
now receive mercy. Isn't that interesting? So
10:19
this is what happens. So I'm being disobedient
10:22
and because of my disobedience, God can now show
10:24
me mercy. Because why would he have to show mercy
10:27
to someone who's obedient? There's no need for
10:29
mercy when you're being obedient. You need mercy
10:32
when you're being disobedient, right? So I'm
10:35
being disobedient. And the disobedience of someone
10:38
else brings mercy to me because of my disobedience.
10:42
And then he turns around and says, so they too
10:45
have now been disobedient in an order that by
10:48
the mercy shown to you, you may also now receive
10:51
mercy. Wow. So the disobedience of one is now
10:56
giving me an opportunity for God's mercy? Yes.
10:59
Now look at this, verse 32. This is an interesting
11:03
verse. Look, for God has consigned all to disobedience.
11:10
This word consigned means to be shut up on all
11:14
sides. So those wonderful little babies, God's
11:18
consigned them to disobedience. God has shut
11:21
them in, in all sides, so that one may save them.
11:27
God has shut us all in to disobedience. God uses
11:33
my disobedience, my sinfulness to redeem me.
11:38
Isn't that? And now that should shock you. You
11:41
know why? Because God's thoughts aren't our thoughts.
11:44
Here's the point. If I was never disobedient,
11:47
would I ever understand God's mercy? Would we
11:50
really understand God's mercy and what it means
11:54
to have mercy upon us? and the greatness and
11:58
the grandness of God's grace and mercy if we
12:01
weren't disobedient. What's the point? That's
12:03
important to understand. So I thank God that
12:07
he has consigned me to my sinful nature so that
12:11
I can experience the grace and the mercy of God,
12:14
not because I love my sin, because I do, so that
12:17
his mercy would be great upon me. That's the
12:20
point. Like, wow. Now, who would even think?
12:26
of that. I mean, God could have fixed it, right?
12:29
I mean, God could have removed all this. We don't
12:31
have to suffer, but we do because if we don't
12:34
understand the depth of our sin, we don't understand
12:36
the depth of the mercy of God because where sin
12:39
increases, grace increases all the more. So what
12:43
do we do? Continue sinning so that grace may
12:45
increase? By no means. We died to sin. How can
12:48
we live in it any longer? We don't continue sinning
12:51
because God gives us grace. God gives us grace
12:55
because he gives us the power to be obedient.
12:58
Isn't that amazing? Now, when we look at this,
13:02
look what it says at the end of verse 32. For
13:06
God has consigned, for God has shut up all of
13:09
us on all sides to disobedience that he may have
13:17
mercy on all. Oh, look at this beautiful statement.
13:24
Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and
13:28
knowledge of God. Oh, the depth of the riches
13:32
of God's thoughts who are higher than your thoughts
13:37
and my ways higher than your ways. You have no
13:43
clue what God has planned for those who he has
13:47
adopted and redeemed. It's beyond your imagination.
13:50
You can't even think and fathom because your
13:53
thoughts don't even compare. Oh, the depth of
13:57
the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
14:00
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable
14:04
his ways. God's way of mercy is through God.
14:11
disobedience. For who has known the mind of the
14:16
Lord? And who has been his counselor? Can you
14:20
tell him? I mean, Job tried, right? Cursed the
14:24
day I was born. He said, where were you, Job,
14:27
when I set the foundations of the earth and drew
14:30
a line in it? Where were you when I told the
14:32
waters to stop here? Were you there? No. That's
14:36
because God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts
14:38
and his ways are higher than our ways. We can't
14:40
even imagine. Verse 35 of Romans 11. Or who has
14:45
given a gift to him that he might be repaid?
14:48
Could you even repay him for what he has done?
14:52
The very thought of God accomplishes whatever
14:55
he plans. For from him and through him and to
14:59
him are all things. To him be glory forever and
15:03
ever. Do you hear that? From him. Through him
15:06
and to him are all things. That's called sovereignty.
15:11
So for all those who may hear this message, who
15:14
don't want to hear about the sovereignty of God,
15:18
deal with that. That's a way that is far beyond
15:22
my, I can't even comprehend. I do all things
15:25
through me, for me, and to me. Why? Because there's
15:30
one place that we can understand God's ways.
15:32
God's ways have been given to you in a way for
15:36
you to live rightly. God's ways are found only
15:40
in one place. One place, his word. You can't
15:44
get his ways anywhere else. There's no other
15:46
place. In all of creation besides his word. You
15:50
can't find it in the Quran. You can't find it
15:53
in the Hare Krishnas. You can't find it in Jehovah's
15:55
Witnesses. You can't find it in the Mormons.
15:57
Their ways will kill you. It's not God's ways.
16:00
God's ways are clear. It's consistent. He doesn't
16:03
shift and he doesn't change. His ways are made
16:05
very clear for us to obey. Psalm 25, four through
16:10
five. Make me to know your ways, O Lord. Teach
16:14
me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach
16:18
me for you are the God of my salvation. For you,
16:22
I wait all the day long. Your ways, your paths,
16:28
your truth, your salvation. Do you see it? Do
16:32
you see who, where's the way? Christ is the way.
16:35
2 Peter 1. 3 through 11. The very first verse
16:40
we're going to read here is the declaration statement
16:42
for this particular chapter, to be honest with
16:45
you. His divine power has granted to us all things
16:51
that pertain to life and godliness. His divine
16:55
power has granted us all things, the way to life
17:01
and godliness. Through the knowledge of him who
17:04
called us to his own glory and excellence. Now,
17:08
verse 4. By which he has granted to us his precious
17:14
and very great promises. He has granted those
17:17
promises, the word, to us. And they are not only
17:21
precious, but they are very great. So that through
17:25
them, through what? Through the word, you may
17:29
become partakers of the divine nature. Through
17:32
the word. Faith comes by hearing the word. Hearing
17:35
the word of Christ. It's the word of Christ that
17:39
we become partakers of the divine nature. What
17:42
great promise, the promise of Messiah. What great
17:45
promise that we will be with him forever. What
17:47
great promise that he has a people that is not
17:49
of this world. And if that's true, what way should
17:53
his people live? Look at this. So that through
17:58
them, you may become partakers of the divine
18:01
nature, having escaped from. The corruption that
18:06
is in the world because of sinful desires. We
18:10
are escaping corruption. That's an amazing thought.
18:14
We escape. John has escaped corruption. So when
18:21
he's laying in the bed next to his wife and he
18:24
looks over to her and says, why am I still here?
18:28
I want my escape. What an amazing thing. That's
18:31
celebration. We're still here. Escaping, right?
18:36
Well, we have in Christ already escaped, but
18:39
now for this very reason, because of the truth
18:43
that God in his divine power has granted us all
18:47
things for life and Godliness, he has given us
18:49
a way and the way because of his knowledge and
18:53
has granted us these precious and great promises
18:57
and that we have, we can now. We now have become
19:01
partakers of the divine nature and escaping the
19:03
corruption. How should you live the way? For
19:07
this very reason, verse 5, make every effort
19:11
to supplement your faith. What's a supplement?
19:15
I'll give you an example. How many guys like
19:18
to go out in the sun? I know. But then the doctors
19:22
go, you know, you really can't go out in the
19:23
sun because, you know, the ozone layer is thinning
19:27
and you're going to get skin cancer. But they
19:30
don't tell you that when you don't go out in
19:31
the sun and get vitamin D3, you get other cancers.
19:35
Because vitamin D3 is absolute necessity for
19:39
your immune system. Why? So I supplement. I need
19:44
to supplement. The idea is I need to, in addition
19:47
to my faith, add something. So add to my faith
19:54
virtue and virtue knowledge. And knowledge self
19:59
-control. And self -control steadfastness. And
20:03
steadfastness with godliness. And godliness with
20:07
brotherly affection. And brotherly affection
20:10
with love. So timely. So timely. So important.
20:16
For if these qualities are yours. And are increasing.
20:22
They keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful
20:26
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. What's
20:30
the point? Ephesians, we are to grow into mature
20:33
manhood, into the knowledge and the stature of
20:36
Christ, to know his ways and let him reveal to
20:42
us his thoughts because our thoughts don't, in
20:45
our ways, they just, it's oil and water. For
20:48
whoever lacks these qualities, is so nearsighted
20:53
that he is blind. That is the blind leading the
20:56
blind. They fall into a pit. Having forgotten,
21:01
it continues, having forgotten that he was cleansed
21:05
from his former sins. In other words, he didn't
21:08
clean himself. Christ cleanses us. It's Christ,
21:13
the way. Therefore, brothers, Be all the more
21:18
diligent to confirm your calling and election.
21:21
In other words, if you want to make sure that
21:24
everyone knows you're a believer, live this way.
21:28
Confirm it. Prove it. Don't want to hear no talk.
21:33
Prove it's what he's saying here. For if you
21:36
practice, you see that? These qualities, you
21:40
will never fall. Doesn't mean you're not going
21:43
to make mistakes. It means that you will not
21:45
fall away. Your salvation is sure because you
21:50
are, by the power of the Spirit, continuing to
21:53
add to your faith these things, these supplements,
21:59
these spiritual supplements. That's the way that
22:03
God has given for you. For in this way, there
22:07
will be... Richly provided for you an entrance
22:11
into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior
22:13
Jesus Christ. The grand entrance. There's going
22:17
to be a grand entrance or it's going to be, what
22:21
do you call those little party doodads that you
22:23
wear a little patent and it gets wet and no longer
22:27
does it anymore. It's like, what kind of entrance
22:30
are you going to have? You know, you pull the
22:39
string and a little thing goes poof. Or is it
22:42
going to be fireworks? I don't know. I don't
22:45
know what that's going to be like, but I want
22:47
a grand entrance because that's what he says.
22:48
For in this way, there will be richly provided
22:51
for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom
22:53
of God. I'm wanting to know what that looks like.
22:55
So in the Psalms, there are a lot of scriptures
22:59
that talk about the way. And I'm going to give
23:02
you a few of them today. In Psalm 18, verse 21.
23:07
For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have
23:11
not wickedly departed from them. What are the
23:14
ways? The word of God. God's commands. That's
23:17
his way. You want to know what God's way is?
23:19
Be obedient to his word. That's his way. That's
23:22
what he's saying here. All of this points to
23:24
his way. And his ways are way different. So he
23:28
has a way for you. His way is obedience. He has
23:32
a way for you to come through Christ. by which
23:36
he consigned our disobedience to experience his
23:40
mercy and grace. He has a way, his faith, which
23:46
he deposits in you and causes to grow in you.
23:49
And as a result of his creation of faith within
23:51
you, you come to the saving knowledge of Christ.
23:54
That's his way. He's the way. There is no other
23:57
way. For I've kept the ways of the Lord and have
24:01
not... wickedly departed from my God. Psalm 25
24:04
.4, make me know your ways, O Lord, teach me
24:10
your paths. Make me know your ways. Why? Because
24:13
if I don't know your ways, I will fail you. And
24:17
God says that if we practice these things, we
24:21
will not fail him. We will not fall, I mean.
24:24
Here we go. Psalm 25 .8. Good and upright is
24:30
the Lord. Therefore, he instructs his sinners
24:33
in the way. Psalm 37, 23 and 24. The steps of
24:39
a man are established by the Lord when he delights
24:43
in his way. In other words, the only way that
24:46
you're going to be able to have your steps established
24:49
in Christ is to delight in his way. Not by watching
24:54
just preachers on TV. It's not enough of the
24:57
way. The way is the word. It's not by listening
25:00
to these little tiny messages you get from people
25:02
that give you the fluff and it tastes like, what
25:07
am I thinking of? It tastes like a s'more. Tastes
25:11
really good, but it's really bad for you. And
25:14
I love s'mores. That's so bad. His way is different.
25:18
The steps of a man are established by the Lord
25:21
when he delights in his way. Though he fall,
25:25
he shall not. be cast headlong for the Lord upholds
25:30
his hands. Psalm 119 verse 1 through 3. Blessed
25:34
are those whose way is blameless, who walk in
25:39
the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep
25:42
his testimonies, his way, and seek him with their
25:47
whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in
25:52
his ways. Do you see the cycle here? Psalm 119,
25:57
verse 14 and 15. I'm going to read all these.
26:00
They're all Psalm 119. I'll tell you when it
26:02
shifts, okay? So Psalm 119, verse 14 and 15.
26:07
In the way of your testimonies I delight as much
26:11
as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts
26:16
and fix my eyes on your ways. 27, make me understand
26:22
the way of your precepts and I will meditate
26:25
on your wondrous works. I have chosen the way
26:30
of faithfulness. Why? Because God's way is faithfulness.
26:33
I have set your rules before me. 32, I will run
26:38
in the way of your commands when you enlarge
26:41
my heart. In other words, as I continue to run
26:45
in the way of your commands, my heart becomes
26:47
enlarged. And if you're ever a runner, did you
26:50
know runners have bigger hearts than people who
26:52
don't run? Isn't that interesting? That's a real
26:54
physical fact. Or ride bikes. I mean, like big,
26:59
strong muscles. Here we go. Verse 33. Teach me,
27:04
O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will
27:06
keep it to the end. 37. worthless things, and
27:15
give me life in your ways. Psalm 128, verse 1.
27:20
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks
27:24
in his ways. And then Psalm 86, 11. Teach me
27:29
your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth,
27:34
unite my heart to fear your name. Do you see
27:38
the point of what the way is? What is the way?
27:41
God's word. Who's the way? Jesus. How many are
27:47
on the way? Very few. His ways are not burdensome.
27:51
So I want to end with this statement. Therefore,
27:54
brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm
27:57
your calling and election. For if you practice
28:00
these qualities, if you live according to his
28:05
ways, you will never fall. That's what this means.
28:11
Love God. Love his word. Love his ways. Love
28:15
his things. Love God's word, his commands. Love
28:20
his commands. Live out his commands. Do his commands.
28:23
It's there. You're going to do it regardless.
28:26
Christ is the fulfillment of all that. It's not
28:29
an issue of legalism. It's an issue of a clarification
28:32
of the heart. If you love me, you obey these
28:37
commands. Father, I want to thank you so much
28:40
for your goodness and faithfulness. We give you
28:42
praise, honor, and glory. And we thank you that
28:45
you have given us your ways, that we may live
28:48
a life that reflects you as you continue to conform
28:51
us into the image of your Son for your glory,
28:54
that we may be prepared to enter into the kingdom
28:58
in such a way that you are so glorified and we
29:03
praise you and thank you. You have consigned
29:06
us to disobedience to show us mercy. You have
29:09
given us salvation because of mercy and you have
29:12
implanted in us faith, which is the gift that
29:17
we may walk uprightly before you. May we supply
29:22
or supplement faith with all these things for
29:26
your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.