Thank you.
Right, Taylor?
Okay, that works.
Good morning.
Thank you for your warm welcome.
It is so good to be with you.
You can open your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 41.
And just a couple of things before we look at this text.
When Sean invited me to come to Trinity Cambridge and teach on the Get to Prophecy, which we did yesterday,
and with me are Dan Welch, who's over here.
Dan, raise your hand.
And Rick Orlando right here, who you heard from Rick earlier.
These men have traveled with me to serve you.
I was eager to accept Sean's invitation, mainly so that I could come here and personally thank you for being a part of our denomination,
to be a part of our family of churches known as Sovereign Grace.
And I'm grateful for you in many ways.
This is not just a general appreciation.
I want to communicate to you, the people of Trinity Cambridge, of why you are so valuable to our partnership and the contribution that you're making.
You're actually strengthening our denomination.
And here's how, just some of the ways that I see you doing that.
Your gospel presence right here in East Cambridge and beyond,
a church that is faithful to preach the gospel and to reach out to the gospel and share the gospel with the lost,
that strengthens us.
Because that's really what we're about.
We're just a small family of churches advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That's what he's called us to do.
And you're doing that here with 70 plus other churches that are doing that together,
so that we can reach every tribe and tongue and nation with the good news of Jesus Christ.
So thank you for your gospel faithfulness.
There's been several prophetic words throughout the weekend about this church being a base from which other missions is going to happen globally,
and other church plants, maybe in Massachusetts and throughout the globe.
And I believe the Lord's going to do that here.
Because you are a church that loves Jesus and wants to see the gospel spread.
That strengthens us as a family of churches.
And just one other thing I want to mention, many of you may not know this,
but Sean, while he is planting a church,
serves on a national committee, a standing committee in sovereign grace known as the theology committee.
Now, to be on this committee, you need to be really smart.
We put our bright...
That's why I'm not on it.
The brightest and the best are on that theology committee,
and they have done an incredible amount of work.
And Sean, I want to thank you publicly in front of your church for the amount of work you have put into,
especially updating our statement of faith.
There's nothing new in it.
It's just being strengthened in so many ways.
And that statement of faith hopefully will be approved sometime late this year, early in 2020.
And I can't wait for you to read it.
Because as I read it, I just want to worship God.
It's just such good theology that it directs you to God,
and you just want to worship Him.
So, Sean, thank you for doing that.
But Sean couldn't do that without just the strength of a local church behind him.
So, thank you.
Those are just some of the ways that you are strengthening sovereign grace.
So, thank you.
That's why I wanted to come.
Let me mention one other thing.
This is more spontaneous, but I was hearing this, I believe, from the Lord
during the wonderful singing to Him.
Let me just give you a verse that He brought to mind,
and a word that I kept hearing repeated again as I was worshiping the Lord.
And it's the word favor.
I just believe there's a unique God-given favor upon this church's life.
And it's God's choosing.
It's God's doing.
It's God's choosing.
But it's a wonderful thing.
And because of the favor upon this church,
you're going to have favor with others.
That favor is going to open doors for you,
not only here in the Boston area,
but I believe throughout the world,
so that God will use Trinity Cambridge in exactly the way He wants to use you.
And I believe the Lord wants you to be aware of that.
The verse that He brought to mind was Psalm 84, verse 11.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield.
The Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
And I believe that's a description of you.
People who are following Christ, not perfectly, but uprightly.
And the Lord has chosen to bestow favor upon you.
And He wants you to delight in that.
He wants you to have joy in that.
Because He's going to use that for His purposes and for His plans.
Okay, Isaiah chapter 41, verses 1 through 20.
In these first 20 verses in this chapter,
we encounter some of the most fear-conquering,
hope-giving, faith-building truth
that I believe is found in all of Scripture.
And so if you're here this morning
and you are a person who is fearful right now,
you're anxious about many things,
maybe you're weary and hopeless,
these divinely inspired words are going to be used
not only to comfort you, but to embolden you.
This is essentially what we're going to learn
from this text this morning.
God's activity and presence emboldens the fearful.
Title of my message is Fear Not.
And we're going to read the first 20 verses of Isaiah 41.
Listen to me in silence, O coastlands.
Let the peoples renew their strength.
Let them approach, let them speak,
let us together draw near for judgment.
Who stirred up one from the east
whom victory meets at every step?
He gives up nations before Him
so that He tramples kings underfoot.
He makes them like dust with His sword,
like driven stubble with His bow.
He pursues them and passes on safely
by paths His feet have not trod.
Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first and with the last,
I am He.
The coastlands have seen and are afraid.
The ends of the earth tremble.
They've drawn near and come.
Everyone helps his neighbor
and says to his brother,
Be strong.
The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith.
He who smooths with the hammer,
him who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering,
It is good.
And they strengthen it with nails
so that it cannot be moved.
But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham,
my friend,
you whom I took from the ends of the earth
and called from its farthest corner,
saying to you,
You are my servant.
I have chosen you and not cast you off.
Fear not,
for I am with you.
Be not dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you
with my righteous right hand.
Behold,
all who are in sense against you
shall be put to shame and confounded.
Those who strive against you
shall be as nothing
and shall perish.
You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them.
Those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand.
It is I who say to you,
Fear not.
I am the one who helps you.
Fear not, you worm Jacob,
you men of Israel.
I am the one who helps you,
declares the Lord,
your Redeemer.
Fear is the Holy One of Israel.
Behold,
I make you a threshing sledge,
new, sharp,
and having teeth.
You shall thresh the mountains
and crush them,
and you shall make the hills like chaff.
You shall winnow them,
and the wind shall carry them away,
and the tempest shall scatter them.
And you shall rejoice in the Lord.
In the Holy One of Israel
you shall glory.
When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I, the Lord,
will answer them.
I, the God of Israel,
will not forsake them.
I will open rivers
on the bare heights
and fountains
in the midst of valleys.
I will make the wilderness
a pool of water
and the dry springs of,
and the dry land springs of water.
I will put in the wilderness
the cedar
and the acacia,
the myrtle,
and the olive.
I will set in the desert
the cypress and plain
and the pine together
that they may see and know.
May consider and understand
together
that the hand of the Lord
has done this.
The Holy One of Israel
has created it.
May God bless the preaching
of His Word.
John Adams,
who would become
the second president
of our nation,
had gained a reputation
of being an effective attorney
right here in the city of Boston
in the mid-1700s.
And it was in December of 1770
that Adams made a risky decision
to defend the British soldiers
who had fired their rifles
into a crowd of Boston citizens
and was in killing five of them
in what's become known
as the Boston Massacre.
The British soldiers
were charged with murder
and John Adams
in his effective
closing argument
that did lead to the acquittal
of the soldiers.
He said this
in a tense courtroom
right here in this city.
This is what he said.
Facts are stubborn things.
And whatever may be our wishes,
our inclinations,
or the dictates of our passion,
they cannot alter
the state of facts
and evidence.
I share that quote
from a courtroom scene
because the context
of Isaiah chapter 41
is that of a courtroom.
We know that from verse 1
where God Himself
has summoned
all the nations of the world
to come and to listen
to Him in silence.
And the language there
tells us that it is a courtroom.
When it says,
let them approach,
like approaching a bench
in a courtroom,
and let them speak
and let us together
draw near
for judgment.
It tells us that
that language tells us
that God has gathered
the nations
into His courtroom
where God will present
His evidence
to all the nations
and ask them
to make a decision
about Him
based on the evidence
He presents.
And we are told
in verse 1
that the reason
that God has gathered
all the nations
into His courtroom
is this,
so that the peoples
can renew their strength.
That's the purpose
of this courtroom scene.
And that language
is very similar
to what you find
at the end of Isaiah
chapter 40
verse 31
where Isaiah writes,
the peoples,
those who wait
upon the Lord
shall renew their strength.
So one way
to renew your strength
is to wait upon the Lord,
but here in Isaiah
chapter 41 verse 1
it is those who
hear God's evidence
and make a decision
about the facts
that He presents,
it is by that means
that people can have
their strength renewed.
But the question is why?
Why?
Why did the peoples
need to have
their strength renewed?
Well, even though
all of the nations
are being gathered
into God's courtroom,
including the Jews
and the Gentiles,
including all Jews
and Gentiles,
we know from the text here
that the bulk
of the evidence
that is presented
in this chapter
is for God's people.
It is for the nation
of Israel.
You see,
at this point,
the nation of Israel
is living in exile
in Babylon.
And as their years
of exile,
as they lingered on
and drew on,
they became fearful
and anxious
and weary
and hopeless.
And so God knew
what they needed.
God knew that they needed
to hear the facts
that, as John Adams said,
are stubborn things
that are immovable
and necessary
in our lives,
especially when
we are being ruled
by the dictates
of our emotions,
as Adam says,
which in this case,
contextually,
is that of fear
and anxiety.
And maybe that's you.
Maybe you're here
this morning
and you would say,
Mark,
I arrive here
this morning
as one that needs
to have my strength
renewed.
Because the troubling
situation that you're
facing at work
or in your extended
family
or even the uncertainty
you presently have
about your future,
it is creating fear
and anxiety
in your life.
And so God
has brought you
here today.
He's calling you
into His courtroom
to hear His evidence
that's found
in this chapter
to make a decision
about Him
and how He works
in your life
for the purpose
of not only comforting
you and renewing
your strength,
but to embolden you
if you are fearful.
And the evidence
that you are about
to hear
in this courtroom scene
is God-centered
and God-saturated evidence.
Because in these 20 verses,
the personal pronoun
I is used 20 times
where God refers
to Himself.
So the phrase is,
I am.
I the Lord.
I who.
I the God of Israel.
They're used approximately
eight times
that reveal
the presence of God
in our lives.
And then phrases
like,
I took,
I will,
I make,
are used approximately
ten times
referring to God's activity
in our lives.
So this God-saturated text
is intended
to renew our strength
by presenting
stubborn facts,
evidence
about the activity
and presence of God
that emboldens
the fearful.
So,
four fear-conquering truths
that we see here
in this text.
Number one,
God's sovereign activity.
Now note,
after verse one,
after He gathers
all the nations
into His courtroom,
note how God
begins presenting
the evidence
that He has
by asking
all of the nations
gathered a question.
Look at that
in verse two.
Here's this question.
Who stirred up
one from the east
whom victory
meets
at every step.
Now,
even though He's not
specifically identified
in this chapter,
we know historically
the one that God
stirs up
from the east
is Cyrus,
the emperor
of Persia.
The text gives us
even more clues
that this is Cyrus
because Cyrus
was known
for his complete
destruction
of his enemies,
which is why
it's described,
his victories
are described
as he tramples
kings underfoot
and he makes them
like dust
in verse two.
Cyrus was also known
as an emperor
and his army
that moved very swiftly
when they defeated
their enemies,
which is why
verse three says,
who passes on safely
by paths
his feet have not trod,
which literally means
that Cyrus
and his army
moved so fast
it's as if their feet
never touched the ground.
The answer
to God's question
is significant
because Isaiah,
again, remember,
is writing to the Jews
who were in exile
in Babylon
in the 6th century B.C.
And as the decades
wore on,
they became fearful
and discouraged
and weary
and hopeless.
However,
we know historically
that Cyrus
did ride swiftly
and triumphantly
from the east
with his Persian army
and he conquered Babylon
in the year 539 B.C.
And when he does that,
he liberates
all the people,
including the Jews,
and he allows them
to return
to their home.
In other words,
in these verses,
God announces
through the prophet Isaiah,
decades before
it would happen,
that he would stir up
one from the east
who would come
and defeat
the Babylonian oppressors
and he would set
his exiled people free.
Did you note
that Cyrus
is not even mentioned
by name in this chapter?
In fact,
Cyrus' name
won't be mentioned
until Isaiah 44,
verse 28,
because Isaiah,
because God
wants us all
to see
that this is
God's activity,
that this is
God's doing.
And that point
of God's activity
is emphasized
when God asks
another question
in verse 4
and then he answers it
with ringing clarity.
Look at verse 4 again.
Who has performed
and done this?
Meaning,
who is going to set
the people free, right?
Who has performed
and done this
calling the generations
from the beginning?
Answer,
I,
the Lord,
the first
and with the last,
I am He.
It reveals to us
that it is God
who sovereignly
rules over
all of the world
and He activates
who He wants
to activate,
when He wants
to activate them
to accomplish
His good purposes
in setting
His fearful
people free.
Do you see
how God's
sovereign activity
and presence
emboldens
the fearful?
You see,
God's sovereignty
is not just
this theological
concept,
it is a
stubborn truth
for our lives
that tells you
that the things
that are happening
in your life
right now
that are causing
you fear
and anxiety
and uncertainty.
Those things
are not random
at all,
but they are a part
of God's
sovereign plan,
the sovereign God
who rules over
all of history
in your life.
They're part of a plan
as He works out
His good purposes
and will
in your life.
One of the things
I have a joy doing
as a pastor
at Covenant Fellowship Church
is I lead a
faith and work group
Bible and book study.
It's for men and women
in our church
that work in
different vocations.
We meet on Friday mornings
and we study God's Word
together and we read
good books together.
And there was a man,
there is a man
in my faith and work group
Bible and book study,
his name is
John Musum
and he knew
that I was working
on this sermon
and he sent me this email
and this is what John said.
Mark, I prayed for
your sermon prep
this morning.
I prayed that God
would help you
to remember
that folks like me
need encouragement
in the things
He has called us to do
and to walk through
in a 9-5 work world
that often seems
intent on destruction.
That God would protect us
from fear
and strengthen,
help and support us
in the trials
that a good God
sends our way.
John gets it,
doesn't he?
He recognizes
that the trials
that he is currently
facing at work
are not random
in his life
but they are being sent
by a good God
who will sovereignly
work in his life
and accomplish
his good plans
and it's that
stubborn truth
of God's activity
that will renew
John's strength
as he walks back
into a difficult
work situation
tomorrow morning.
Now,
if you are still
uncertain
that God's
sovereign activity
can actually
conquer your fear,
note how God
describes himself
in verse 4.
Can't miss that.
Second part of verse 4,
the Lord says,
I the Lord,
the first
and with the last,
I am He.
This is one of many
verses in our Bibles
that reveals
the self-existence
of God.
Meaning that
He had no beginning
and He has no end
because He always has
and always will exist.
That theological truth
of the self-existence
of God,
it has many implications
for our lives.
Let me just give you one.
God's self-existence
means that He is not
dependent upon
anyone or anything.
That's what it means.
Michael Horton
makes this observation.
Precisely because
God is not dependent
on anyone
or anything
He has created,
we are assured
that nothing
will keep Him
from fulfilling
His promises
and being there
for us.
So when the trials
you're facing
at work
are being caused
by a difficult boss
or a co-worker,
you can be assured
that those people
will not keep God
from being with you
and accomplishing
His good purposes
and plans for your life.
Or maybe even
when you are suffering
unjustly,
when those who are
opposing you
are using unrighteous
or maybe even evil
means,
you can be assured
that your self-existent God
will not be stopped
by those things,
rather He will fight
for you.
Again, Michael Horton,
evil powers
never have the last word.
God remains
qualitatively distinct
from creation
and this is good news
for those
to whom the future
seems destined
to be controlled
by oppressors.
The people of Israel
thought their future
was destined
to be controlled
by these Babylonian oppressors
and yet God,
distinct from creation,
acted when He wanted to act
to stir up Cyrus
and He quickly conquered
the Babylonians
and God set His people free.
You see,
that same God
that acted then
can act in your life
right now
in whatever unjust,
unrighteous,
unsafe,
or even oppressive situation
that you find yourself in.
Do you see how God's
sovereign activity
and presence,
do you see how it
emboldens the fearful?
Now,
did you know
in this courtroom
how the other nations
responded to the evidence
that was being presented?
We see that in verses 5-7.
Look at those again.
the coastlands
have seen
and are afraid.
The ends of the earth
tremble.
They have drawn near
and come.
Everyone helps his neighbor
and says to his brother,
Be strong.
The craftsman
strengthens the goldsmith
and he who smooths
with the hammer,
him who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering,
It is good.
And they strengthen it
with nails
so that it cannot
be moved.
So that the other nations,
they hear what God
is about to do
in stirring up Cyrus
and the text tells us
they are fearful.
They are afraid
and they deal with their fear
not by running
to the self-existent God
who can alleviate
their fear
but they run to false gods
whose very existence
depends upon the work
of human hands.
And then they foolishly
seek to reassure themselves
that their man-made idols,
their man-made gods,
small g,
are good and strong enough
to protect them
from the Persian army.
The irony here
is unmistakable, isn't it?
The irony here,
these texts drip with irony
in fear.
These people turn to the gods
who can't relieve their fear
and they turn away
from the God
who says to them,
Fear not!
It's illogical,
isn't it?
But here's the reality.
We are all prone
to make illogical decisions
and to do illogical things
when we are driven by fear.
That's the reality.
And it's in those moments
I need and you need
stubborn truth.
We need the stubborn truth
of God's sovereign activity
who speaks to our fears.
The stubborn truth
that points us to God
and whatever is causing anxiety
and fear in your life,
God says to you,
Fear not!
I've got this!
And God's sovereign activity
can embolden you.
So let me ask you,
where are you turning
when you are fearful
and anxious?
Turn to the God
that Scripture consistently reveals
as the one who sovereignly
not only rules over all of history
but rules over your life
and whose self-existence
can assure you
that nothing at all
will stop His good purposes
and plans from occurring
in your life.
Second fear,
conquering truth.
Number two,
God's powerful presence.
In verse 8,
God now speaks only to Israel
who He has said
that He's chosen,
who He calls a friend
and twice in verses 8 and 9
calls them His servants.
And then He says to them
in verse 10,
Fear not,
for I am with you.
I mean,
that truth alone,
knowing that God is with us,
God's presence
emboldens the fearful
because we know
that He is with us.
And this fear-conquering truth,
it not only comforts His people,
He goes on to say
how He's going to act
through His presence
on their behalf.
Did you notice that
in verses 10-12?
Fear not,
for I am with you.
Be not dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you
with My righteous right hand.
How is He going to do that?
Behold,
verse 11,
all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame
and confounded.
Those who strive against you
shall be as nothing
and shall perish.
You shall seek those
who contend with you,
but you shall not find them.
And those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
These verses speak of God's
powerful presence
where He acts,
as it says in verse 10,
by upholding us
with His righteous right hand.
What that literally means
is that God is doing
the right thing
in dealing with our enemies.
That's what those verses mean.
And as God powerfully acts,
note the reversal theme
as God does deal
with the enemies of Israel.
Contextually,
remember,
Israel is in exile.
They are the ones
who are dismayed
in their exile.
And yet,
God powerfully acts
in sending Cyrus
so much so
that those who are incensed
against him,
the Babylonians,
will be the ones
who are dismayed
and the ones
who are confounded.
There's reversal there,
isn't there?
Those who strive
against and contend
with Israel
in such a dominant way
that they hold them
in exile,
God says,
shall be as nothing
at all
in verse 12.
There's reversal there,
isn't there?
Why this powerful reversal?
Why does it happen?
Then, verse 13,
answers the question.
For I,
the Lord your God,
hold your right hand.
It is I who say to you,
fear not.
I,
the God of the universe,
am the one
who helps you.
That word for
that connects
his activity
to his powerful presence
there in verse 13
tells us
that his powerful presence,
the one where he upholds us
with his righteous right hand
and deals with our enemies
in a way
that he takes dismayed
and fearful servants
and he turns them
into faith-filled,
courageous people.
That's the reversal
that you see
in those verses.
Now,
these reverses,
they remind us of something.
they remind us
that when we are fearful,
we have this tendency
to make our enemies
bigger than what they really are.
That's what these verses
remind us of.
They remind us
that if we don't live
with an awareness
of God's presence,
our enemies are giants.
But when we live
with an awareness
of God's presence
and a knowledge
that it is he
who upholds us
with his righteous right hand
and that he will deliver us,
what happens
is that your enemies,
they shrink down
to their right proportionality.
This past October,
I had the joy
of leading
the Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference
and a part of my experience there
is we had three pastors
travel from the nation of India
representing churches
who are interested
in forming a partnership
with Sovereign Grace.
And two of the men,
they brought their wives
with them
and I shared lunch
with them
for a little over two hours
during the conference.
These men live
in a region
in the southeast
part of India
and in this particular
part of India
there is
the persecution
of Christians
by Hindu extremists.
They all told stories
that quite frankly
humbled me.
in the way
that they face persecution
all the time
in sharing the gospel.
One of those pastors,
his name is
Shiraj
and this is just
one of the stories
from that lunch.
He was in his city
and on that day
he went to
sort of the town center
and he just publicly
was preaching
and sharing the gospel.
Just trying to reach people
for Christ
and he got done
sharing the gospel
and he went home alone
and he went down
the street
that he thought
was vacant
and as he walked
he heard this noise
behind him
and there was this
crowd of men
that ran after him
and they caught him
and they just began
to beat him mercilessly.
And in that moment
there was just
no one around
and so Shiraj
he just prayed
he cried out aloud
Lord come and help me.
There is no one here.
Come and take these men
off of me.
Send your help.
And he said
Mark you're not going
to believe it.
Out of nowhere
these other men
showed up.
They pulled these other men
off of me
and they chased them away.
And he said
I'm not
I've had experiences
like that
where the Lord
worked on my behalf.
And I'm not afraid
to share the gospel anymore.
Even though I will face
persecution
even though I may be
attacked again
I don't fear that
any longer
because I know
that my God
is with me
and that he fights for me.
See I tell you that story
because Shiraj's God
is your God.
He's your God too
and whatever difficult situation
whatever situation
in your life
that is causing anxiety
and fear
he will act
on your behalf
upholding you
with his righteous
right hand.
And when he does so
your enemies shrink down
to their right proportionality.
So let me ask you a question.
In light of that stubborn truth
in light of God's powerful presence
in your life
do you see your enemies
in their right proportionality?
One other fear conquering picture
that we see in these verses
that's found there
in verses 10 and 13.
In verse 10 God says
I uphold you
with my righteous right hand.
In other words
he has weapons of righteousness
to do what is right
in dealing with our enemies.
And then in verse 13
he says
for I the Lord your God
hold your right hand.
In other words
it's a picture of God
who in his right hand
holds these righteous
these righteous weapons
to fight off your enemies
and in his left hand
he holds your hand.
And if you're a Christian
he holds your hand
as a son
or as a daughter
that he dearly loves.
And with fatherly instinct
he fights for you.
Do you see how God's activity
and powerful loving presence
do you see how it emboldens
the fearful?
Third fear conquering truth.
Number three
God's transforming help.
Now note
as we begin to read
verse 14
how God then addresses
his people.
Verse 14
Fear not
you worm.
Jacob?
Wait a minute
I thought we were friends
right?
What happened to
verses 8 and 9?
I thought we were friends
you chose us
and serve us.
Worms?
Fear not
you worm.
Jacob?
You men of Israel?
I am the one
who helps you
declares the Lord.
Your redeemer
is the holy one
of Israel.
Now God is not
being critical.
God is calling them worms
to make them aware
of their limitations
and weakness
and also to awaken
their need
for their redeemer.
the holy one
of Israel.
And that language
your redeemer
is the holy one
of Israel
would have conjured up
memories of the Jews
who were in exile
when they read
those words
of God's past
saving acts
throughout history.
The exodus
from Egypt
where he delivered them.
They would have
thought about that.
His deliverance
of their enemies
at the Red Sea
as he parted it
and set them free
and then defeated
their enemies.
See in their time
of exile
God is saying
to them
to the people
who are in exile
I'm not only
your past redeemer
I am also
your present
redeemer
the holy one
of Israel
and therefore
fear not.
Now note the nature
of God's help.
He says he's helping them.
Note the nature
of God's help
in verses 15 and 16.
Behold I make of you
a threshing sledge
new sharp
and having teeth
you shall thresh
the mountains
and crush them
you shall make
the hills like chaff
you shall winnow them
and the wind
shall carry them away
and the tempest
shall scatter them
and you shall rejoice
in the Lord
in the holy one
of Israel
you shall glory.
In other words
God transforms
weak people
which is why
he calls them worms
and makes them
a powerful
threshing sledge
that is able
to thresh mountains
and crush hills
and winnow
their enemies away
like a strong wind.
All of that
is imagery
intended to convey
this
that whatever
obstacles
face God's people
whether enemies
or false accusations
or oppressors
or even our own sin
that does
that does contend
with us
those obstacles
will be swept away
because God's
transforming help
he helps the weak
and he makes them
strong.
J. Alec Montier
says this
in his commentary
whatever barriers
may confront
the Lord's people
they are not
to be measured
in proportion
to the people's
inherent weakness
but in proportion
to the Lord's promise
to transform.
And certainly
the transforming
work that God
does for his people
as their redeemer
the Holy One of Israel
seen in this text
not only points back
to his past
saving acts
but also points
forward
to the saving work
of Jesus Christ
accomplished
on the cross
as our redeemer
the Holy One
of Israel.
You see
as we read
these verses
on this side
of the cross
brothers and sisters
we must remember
that our biggest
obstacle
was our sin.
It was our sin
that was our biggest
obstacle.
Our sin
as Romans talks about
held us
in captivity
under the dominion
of sin
like Israel
was being held
in exile
as we awaited
the coming judgment
and eternal condemnation.
But at the appointed time
God the Father
he stirs up
like he stirred up Cyrus
he stirs up his son
and he sends his son
Jesus Christ
who steps into
our dark
fallen world
and he comes
as our redeemer
shedding his blood
on the cross
for my sin
and for your sin
taking it captive
so that we are
no longer
slaves to the
dominion of sin
but like Israel
we have been set free
from the dominion
of sin
through the death
and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
See it is the cross
that symbol of weakness
that we see
the most transforming
work of God
that history
will ever know
in the person
and work
of Jesus Christ.
It is the cross
where our redeemer
transforms sinners
and makes them saints
and he calls us
friends.
It is the cross
that transforms
the vile
and makes them
clean.
It is the cross
where our redeemer
transforms the fear
of death
into hope
of eternal life
with him.
And by the way
if you are here
this morning
and you are not
a Christian
and you do fear
death
that is a right fear
to have.
You should fear
death.
There will be
an eternal judgment
that every person
will face
for the sins
that we all
have committed.
And today
you've been brought
here to hear
the good news
of Jesus Christ.
And if you will
turn from your sin
and if you will
place your faith
in Christ
and what he has
done for you
upon the cross
he will save you
from that eternal
judgment.
The Bible says
call upon his name
today
and you will be
saved.
See our redeemer
Jesus Christ
is the only one
that can transform
us
once who were
his enemies
into people
who are now
his friends
knowing that
we have
eternal life
with him.
There's nothing
like that
transforming help
that we will
ever know
in the gospel.
So here is
my point.
Whatever obstacle
that you are facing
in your life
right now
that is causing
fear and anxiety
the gospel
tells you
that you have
hope
because if God
removed the
biggest obstacle
which was
judgment for
your sin
he certainly
has the power
to remove
the obstacles
and the challenges
you are facing
at their sovereignly
appointed time.
See God is saying
to you today
through this text
your redeemer
is not only
your past redeemer
he is your present
redeemer
and he fights
for you.
Fourth fear
conquering truth
that we see in this text.
Number four
God's timely provision.
So in the courtroom
remember we're in the courtroom
God presents evidence
of his sovereign rule
over all of history.
He presents evidence
of his powerful presence
and of his transforming health.
And now he begins
to present evidence
of his timely provision
that only he can provide
as the creator
of the universe.
We see that in verses
17 through 20.
When the poor
and needy
seek water
and there is none
and their tongue
is parched with thirst
I the Lord
will answer them.
I the God of Israel
will not forsake them.
I will open up rivers
on the bare heights
and fountains
in the midst of valleys.
I will make the wilderness
a pool of water
and the dry land
springs of water.
I will put
in the wilderness
the cedar
and the acacia
the myrtle
and the olive.
I will set in the desert
the cypress
the plain
and the pine together
that they may see
and know
may consider
and understand together
that the hand
of the Lord
has done this.
The Holy One
of Israel
has created it.
the imagery there
is clear
in this text
that the wilderness
and the desert
probably which
Israel would pass
after exile
as they headed back home
where they would have
encountered dryness
and a lack of shade
where there's no easy
access to water
where there's no
trees to sit under
to rest yourself
it is there
that the Lord
will provide rivers
and fountains
and pools of water
to quench our thirst
and did you note
seven different
kinds of trees
that you can stop
and rest under
in the shade.
See the point
of the text
is that
only God
can refresh
the poor
and needy
especially when
they are fearful
and anxious
by providing
for us
in only ways
that He
can provide.
You see we've got to remember
we've got to keep in mind
verse 1
we've got to remember
the purpose of this
courtroom scene
it's so that the peoples
can renew
their strength.
God is speaking
to His people
who are in Babylonian exile
they've been there
for decades
it's a long time
they were fearful
they were anxious
they were hopeless
and as a result
they were weary
they'd had it
they were exhausted
and yet God
speaks right into
their need
as the Creator
the Holy One
of Israel
and He says
I'm going to bring you
timely provision
that will strengthen you.
Many of you
can relate to that
maybe you're walking
through a prolonged
trial right now
maybe you've
walked through
prolonged trials
and challenges
they create
a fear
and anxiety
in our lives
that are physically
and mentally
and emotionally
exhausting.
Trials and challenges
they tap us
like nothing else
do.
Maybe that's you
you're here this morning
you're saying
Mark my soul
feels like that
that desert
that's being described
there.
It's just dry.
And if that's you
don't miss
what you're supposed
to do.
The text says
when the poor
and needy
seek water
you've got to
seek it
I the Lord
will answer them.
Verse 17
That language
is very similar
to what
Jesus spoke
to those
who were exhausted
and of dry soul
when He says
to them
in John chapter 7
verses 37
and 37
and 38
If anyone thirsts
let him come
to me and drink.
Whoever believes
in me
as the scripture
has said
out of his heart
will flow
rivers of living water
today
if your soul
is dry
if it's like
a desert
if life has drained
you
seek Jesus
come to Jesus
with your need
and let His
living water
through the work
of the Spirit
refresh you
to the tired
and exhausted
Jesus also says
in Matthew chapter 11
verse 28
come to me
He invites you
to come
all who labor
and are heavy laden
and I will give you rest
today if you are burdened
and if you are weary
seek Him
come near to Jesus
and He will give you rest
Do you know why
we as Christians
are to do that
when we are in need?
verse 20 answers
the question
that they may
see and know
may consider
and understand
together
that the hand
of the Lord
has done this
the Holy One
of Israel
has created it
you see
as Christians
we are not to be
these
perfect specimens
who walk through
life never fearful
because that's not true
we are fearful
and anxious
at times
we are not to be
people who walk
through the trials
of this fallen world
pretending that we
aren't hopeless
and exhausted
at times
because if we were
honest with one another
we are
hopeless
and exhausted
at times
rather we're to be
what this text
tells us to be
we're to be
servants
and friends
of God
and worms
yes
worms
those who
at times
are poor
and needy
but also
people who have
stood in God's
courtroom today
we've stood
in God's
courtroom
and we've seen
the evidence
that he's
presented
and based
on the stubborn
truth that we
have heard
we are people
who fear
no evil
we fear
no evil
because God
is with us
we fear
no evil
because he's
powerfully
working on
our behalf
we fear
no evil
because even
when we are
exhausted by
our trials
we know
that he has
us by his
hand
and he will
never let us
go
so that
as we walk
through trials
and challenges
with peace
and with hope
and with a
lack of
fear
people around
us may
see and
know
that this
is God's
doing
in our
lives
and therefore
he alone
receives all
the glory
let's pray
but we thank
you for your
word and
its clarity
and for its
present help
I pray for
anyone here
truth
believe in
1
comes Hy
it's
25
wwww
and
what I