Hope in the Wilderness

[0:00] Good morning and Happy New Year, everyone. My name is Lauwom. I'm Associate Pastor here at Brahma Baptist Church. Since today is the first week of the month, even the first week of the year, we'll be doing communion later.

[0:17] I would like you to get ready some water or juice, a piece of bread or cracker ready for the communion. It is such a privilege to be with you this morning virtually.

[0:32] I believe due to the COVID, by now many of you would be already well equipped with the skill in using electronic devices. We have suddenly come to the point where social media platforms or new ways of communication play a vital role in our society as we maintain the relationship with families and friends.

[0:57] Depending on your employment or your lifestyle, some of you may have to spend a substantial amount of time on the screen for the necessary use.

[1:09] Here again, we have to use the electronic device to do worshipping together as a community. I believe many of you would agree that 2020 has been a challenging year.

[1:25] We start 2020 without knowing what COVID-19 really was and without expecting if COVID-19 would become a major subject in every sector of our lives.

[1:38] We know that many have lost their loved ones. Many are still in ICU. Thousands of people are affected daily. Many become unemployed and unstable.

[1:53] Basically, the effects of this pandemic are very significant, not just locally, but also globally. One effect that become a new normal is wearing mugs and following social distancing in public area.

[2:14] We are now in the new year of 2021. We don't know what this new year of 2021 will bring to us.

[2:25] I'm sure you would have something in your mind. But nobody knows for sure what will bring us in the new year.

[2:38] Isaiah 43 verses 16 to 21 came to me in my mind as I was contemplating hopeful and promising for this new year. I give this sermon titled as Hope in the Awareness.

[2:51] I will be reading the whole passage of Isaiah 43 verses 46 to 21, but I would like to make three points from this scripture.

[3:07] First, the first two verses, verses 16 to 17 simply remind the people of Israel that the Lord is the one who actually saved their forefathers from the hand of Egyptians.

[3:30] It said, We all know that this is an Exodus story God knew that there was no way.

[4:23] The people of Israel can be faster than the army of Egyptians with chariots and horses. While this situation was hopeless for the people of Israel, God made a way to the sea, a path to the mighty water.

[4:44] Imagine this scenario. Even though the people of Israel were journeyed with God's plan, they are still facing a hopeless situation.

[4:58] If you read the whole story of Exodus, the people of Israel were facing countless hopeless situations. In this particular scenario, God in due time brought hope or refuge for the people of Israel.

[5:18] He made a way to the sea, a path to the mighty waters. The Bible said, The people of Israel crossed the sea on a dry land.

[5:31] We all know and believe that God is the creator of the universe. The earlier verses of this passage, verses 15, even said, I am the Lord, your holy one, Israel's creator, your king.

[5:54] But when we hear the story like this one, we have a hard time to believe it. How would this be possible, making a way through the mighty waters?

[6:10] We all just celebrated the birth of Jesus a week ago. Again, we all know that God is the creator of all things. But we have a hard time to believe about the conception of Jesus Christ in Mary wombs.

[6:30] It may not make any sense for us, but God did it anyway for us. I'm sure you would have some personal story in terms of how God had made you a way out from your situation that appeared to have no ends.

[6:52] Even if you don't have one, you may have some in the past from your parents, from your grandparents, or from your friends in terms of how God had saved them miraculously in timely manner.

[7:13] This passage is truly reminding not only to the people of Israel, but also to us personally that the Lord is the one who made a way out from our hopeless situation miraculously at one point of our life in the past.

[7:40] Second, the next three verses, verses 18 to 20, discuss about the promise, which is apparently new and greater than he had done in the past.

[7:58] Chapter verses 18 or verses 18 said, Forget the formal thing. Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.

[8:08] Now it's spring of, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wetness and stream in the wasteland. The white animal honor me and the juggles and the owls, because I provide water in the wetness and stream in the wasteland to give drink to my people and my chosen.

[8:35] Verse 18 is, Forget the formal thing. Do not dwell on the past. NLD version said, Forget all that.

[8:48] It is nothing compared to what I am going to do. Basically, what the Lord is promising here is that He will do greater things, greater miracles for His people than He has done in the past.

[9:12] This passage is encouraging us to believe in a new thing that God is about to do in our lives.

[9:24] We don't know what are new things. NLD used is as something new. This and new things or something new can be varied from each person to person because each person has different situations that appear to have no solution or no end.

[9:50] Financial difficulties may be a situation for some people. Why marital relationship or relationship with others could be a situation for some.

[10:01] The truth is that the situation we are facing right now can be already too big to deal or to face by ourselves.

[10:14] Dear friends, the good news is that the Lord who made a path through the mighty water or brought a home for the people of Israel is already in the process of doing a new thing or bringing a new hope for us.

[10:41] The same power that make our way in the sea can make our way in the wilderness. Apparently, this new hope or new way in the wilderness is promised to be greater than we had in the past.

[11:03] It is also mentioned that the Lord provided water in the wilderness and stream in the wasteland. By looking at this passage, the Lord promised not only to deliver the people of Israel or Egypt but to conduct them safely and provide them their necessary needs.

[11:31] He knows our situation and our needs. He is not a kind of God who provides you what you ask for. He is gracious God.

[11:42] He knows our needs even before we ask Him. Dear friends, I believe the ultimate truth of this passage is much more than what we have been discussing above.

[12:06] The new thing that He is about to do and the way He is making in the wilderness for the people of Israel and for us is much more than waiting solution from God.

[12:22] It is a picture of our Lord Savior Jesus Christ. It is a picture of our Lord Savior Jesus Christ who is our new things at this present time and who proclaims to be Himself as the way, the truth and the life for our salvation.

[12:52] without Him we may all be wandering in the wilderness of sin and death. With Him we find the way, the truth and the life for our salvation.

[13:11] Of course Jesus Christ alone is the author of our hope. lastly, the last verses 21st discusses the original purpose of His creation which is mainly for His own glory.

[13:32] It said the people I form for myself that they may proclaim my praise. I'm sure you all are always reminded that we are created for God and for His glory alone.

[13:53] All He is longing for us from us is praising praise praising Him worshiping Him true worshiping or praising Him is a lifestyle which dedicate to Him alone.

[14:20] The evangelist Charles Spurgeon said keep your eyes simply on Him when we do we don't see obstacle we see God the one who bring hope to us and who make our way clear us dear friend let's keep our eye simply on Him let's pray our Lord Father thank you for bringing us into this new year of 2021 thank you very much for what you have done to us over the last year with your grace we have come to this challenging year

[15:22] Lord we would like to pray this pray for this new year that we keep our eye simply on you and we find hope in you as we enter this new year you're the order of our hope thank you for what you are about to do in the new year we pray in the name of Jesus Christ amen let's enter into the lost table I would like to begin reading the scripture John chapter 6 verses 47 to 58

[16:25] I tell you the truth anyone who believe has eternal life yes I'm the bread of light your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness but they all die anyone who ate the bread from heavens however will never die I'm the living bread that came down from heavens anyone who ate this bread will live forever and this bread which I will offer so the world may live is my flesh and the people argue the people began arguing with each other about what he meant how can this man give us his flesh to eat they asked so Jesus said again I tell you the truth unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you cannot have eternal life within you but anyone who ate my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life and

[17:35] I will raise that person at the last day for my flesh is a true blood true food and my blood is true drink anyone who ate my flesh and drink my blood remain in me and I in him I live because of the living father who sent me in the same way anyone who feeds on me will live because of me I am the true bread that came down from heaven anyone who ate this bread will not die as your ancestor did but we live forever but we live forever let's have bread or crackle together

[18:37] Jesus said this is my body which is for you do this in memory of me let's pray our Lord Jesus as we take this bread let it be a sign of all you did for us and a sign of sign of who you are for us thank you for the bread of life this is the bread of life who give us life who fit our fake who encourage gratitude and who die for us let's have together Jesus also said this cup is a new covenant sealed by my blood whenever you drink it remember me let's pray oh

[19:47] Lord Jesus as we drink this cup let it be a sign of all you did for us and a sign of who you are for us thank you for the new covenants sealed by your blood we are alive in him so be thankful and help together this morning the benediction is from Hebrew chapter 13 verses 20 to 21 now may the God of peace who brought you who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus the great shepherd of the sheep and rectify an eternal covenant with his blood may he equip you with all you need for doing his will may he produce in you through the power of

[20:52] Jesus Christ every good thing that is pleasing to him all glory to him forever and ever amen