Morning, Isaiah chapter 66, almost in the middle of your Bibles.
So, Isaiah chapter 66, and we're going to read the first six verses.
This is God's Word.
This is what the Lord says.
Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things?
And so they came into being, declares the Lord.
These are the ones I look on with favor, those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.
But whoever sacrifices a bull is like a person who kills.
Whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog's neck.
Whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood.
And whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways.
And they delight in their abominations.
So I also will choose harsh treatment for them, and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered.
When I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight, and chose what displeases me.
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word.
Your own people who hate you and exclude you because of my name, and have said,
Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.
Yet they will be put to shame.
Hear that uproar from the city.
Hear the noise from the temple.
It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.
Psalm, thank you.
Good morning, everybody.
Why don't we start by turning to God in prayer.
Father, we need your spirit's help this morning.
To humbly receive what you have to say to us from your word.
Lord, to submit our lives to it.
To put it into practice.
Lord, we pray that we here in Cargilline this morning
will be those whom you look on favor.
Because we are humble and contrite before you.
In Jesus' name we ask.
Amen.
Well, today's text deals with a question
that has been asked in every culture,
in every time.
Who does God look on with favor?
How can I be made right with the divine?
And the text is found, of course,
in the last chapter of Isaiah.
And one of the main themes in this book
is God's righteous judgment on sin.
Isaiah reveals a God
holy beyond our understanding
who cannot simply ignore sin.
He must act in judgment upon everyone's rebellion,
regardless of race or religion.
But hope is the second major theme
as we read about a coming Savior
who would be crushed for our sin,
yet whose rule would never end.
And right at the end of the book,
just as Isaiah is pulling together
all these different strands,
we have this incredible revelation from God
in chapter 66, verse 2,
as he declares this,
these are the ones I look on with favor.
What is he going to say next?
Is it those who work the hardest to earn it?
Well, as a primary teacher,
I often hear my students engage in lively debate
as to who is the teacher's pet.
Now, what they're really asking is this.
Who does Mr. Ross favor?
On whom does his special approval rest?
Who gets the preferential treatment?
Now, let's face it,
we all probably know that Johnny
was probably the teacher's pet
back when he was in primary school.
I'm imagining he got 10 out of 10
in every spelling test.
Probably had beautifully neat handwriting
and never, ever caused even an ounce of grief
for his adoring teachers.
Who thinks the same?
I won't ask for a show of hands.
The bottom line is,
from the earliest stages in life,
we're all hardwired to believe
that our performance earns us approval, right?
From school teachers to sports coaches
to our bosses and work,
we understand that
where we get to in life
is 99% performance-based.
And so, quite naturally,
we translate that
to our relationship with God.
And deep down,
our reflex position
is to believe that my performance
earns me God's favor,
his forgiveness,
and salvation.
But God's answer to that question
is not what the world expects.
Read with me in verse 2.
These are the ones I look on with favor.
Those who are humble
and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.
Well, it's not by proudly claiming
that we've earned his favor,
rather by humbly admitting
our brokenness,
running to God for mercy,
and submitting our lives to his word.
That's how God can look on us with favor.
And to make this crystal clear,
God paints two contrasting portraits
for us in this text.
The proud person
and the humble person.
Let's start with the proud person.
And just to warn you,
this won't be easy to hear.
Because it's going to be like
looking in the mirror,
and you won't like what you see.
But we so need to,
in some way,
grasp how much our sin of pride
offends God,
and the eternal consequences of it.
So I challenge you,
heed the warning of scripture today
against pride.
And,
hold on
for the hope of the humble
later in the sermon.
So,
the first thing we learn
about the proud person
in verse 1 and 2
is that
they have a proud heart
that boasts
in their own efforts.
In verse 1,
it's obvious
that God's people
thought they had earned
his favor
by building him a temple.
How they lived their lives
after that
was inconsequential
because
they thought
they had God's favor
in the bag.
Now,
God's response
just
shatters
that theory.
Read along in verse 1.
verse 1.
He says,
Heaven is my throne
and the earth
is my footstool.
Where is the house
that you will build
for me?
Where will my
resting place be?
You know,
it's like God is saying,
yes,
you built me a temple
like I asked you
and thank you for that,
but
do you honestly think
you can fit my glory
inside there?
the universe
can't even contain me.
How much less
a building?
And just to further
drive home his point,
he goes on in verse 2.
Has not my hand
made all these things
and so they came
into being?
Don't forget
who gave you
the stone,
timber and gold,
God says,
let alone
the skillful hands
and the brilliant minds
to build it.
What grounds
do you have
people of Judah
to boast
that you earned
my favor
by building
the temple?
None.
You see,
maybe you're like me
and in those
occasional moments
of success
in life,
you can start
to boast about
what you did,
the family
you raised,
the kindness
you showed,
the money
you donated,
the ministry
you served in
and somehow
God begins
to fade
into the background,
doesn't get a mention.
But in this text,
God shows up
every reason
to boast
by magnifying
his glory
and telling us
that everything
we have
is ultimately
a gift
from his hand.
See,
the proud heart
doesn't want
to acknowledge
the sustaining,
providing grace
of God.
Rather,
they say,
look at what
my hands
have achieved.
Watch out.
God does not
look with favor
on such
self-reliant
people.
Secondly,
we learn
that the proud
person has
an unrepentant
spirit.
Read with me
the last two
lines of
verse 3.
They have
chosen
their own
ways
and they
delight
in their
abominations.
Now,
that verse
made me
stop in
my tracks
as I was
preparing this
because right
away,
this timeline
of events
replayed
through my
mind
of times
when I
knew
what I
was doing
was wrong
but I
delighted
in choosing
it anyway.
I refused
to repent
of it
at the time
and if
anyone had
dared
to confront
me on it,
I had a
pre-prepared
list of
reasons
to justify
my behavior.
That's
ugly
pride.
And we
live in a
world now
where everything
goes and
depending on
what the
popular belief
at the time,
you can't
question anybody
else's morality,
right?
This is the
brazen
unrepentance
of a proud
heart who
can't bring
themselves to
admit they
are wrong.
Watch out.
this pride
ends in
destruction.
And this
relates very,
very closely
to the
third point.
The proud
person
doesn't want
to hear
God's word.
Doesn't want
to know about
what God
has to say.
Read with
me in verse
four.
God says,
for when I
called,
no one
answered.
When I
spoke,
no one
listened.
They did
evil in
my sight
and chose
what displeases
me.
Now for some
people,
this is a very
obvious refusal
to accept the
Bible as
God's truth.
think of
Richard Dawkins
and those
sorts of
people.
But for
others,
you know
what,
it's more
subtle.
Church goers
are often
quite skilled
at appearing
to respect
and listen
to God's
word,
when often
times the
reality is
quite different.
My time,
personally,
for reading
God's word
is first
thing in the
morning.
Now if I'm
being totally
honest with
you,
at 6am
in the
morning,
I'd rather
read the
sports news
than read
what God
wants to
say to
me.
Now I
know that
sounds silly.
I mean,
how could
you possibly
put reading
about the
Lions rugby
game in
front of the
life-giving
words of
God?
But I
actually face
that battle
every day.
And often
God's word
only gets
the leftovers
of my time,
not my very
best attention,
when it
should be the
other way
around.
Can you
relate to
that?
God
calls us
shameless
pride.
When we
habitually
choose
Instagram,
Netflix,
or whatever
your favorite
thing to do
is,
over the
Bible,
in front
of it,
what our
actions are
actually showing
is this.
I don't
need
God's
wisdom and
truth today.
I'm doing
just fine
on my
own.
God
says,
watch out.
Such a
person is
under my
judgment.
And that
is the
fourth thing
that God
tells us
about the
crowd,
their
coming
judgment.
Because
starting in
verse 3,
God uses
this series
of jarring,
unsettling
images to
wake us
up to
just how
repulsive
our pride
is to
him.
This is
not easy
reading.
Look at
verse 3.
God
is like
who
whoever
sacrifices
a bull
is like
one who
kills
a person.
And
whoever
offers a
lamb
is like
one who
breaks
a dog's
neck.
Whoever
makes a
grain offering
is like
one who
presents
pig's
blood.
And
whoever
burns
memorial
incense
is like
one who
worships
an idol.
You see,
under the
Mosaic
law,
the people
were required
to make
offerings of
grain and
sacrifice
bulls and
lambs.
But for
the proud,
their sacrifices
repudiated
God.
They actually
had the
opposite effect.
You see,
they couldn't
paper over
the cracks
by getting
all religious
in public.
And neither
can we.
by showing
up in
church,
putting
money in
the box,
visibly doing
good things
for others.
We might
fool each
other,
but we
can't fool
God,
who sees
every motive
of our
hearts.
Let's
continue in
verse 3.
It says,
they have
chosen their
own ways,
and they
delight in
their
abominations.
so I
will choose
harsh treatment
for them,
and will
bring on
them what
they dread.
Speaking on
the topic of
hell,
Tim Keller
says,
the Bible
tells us
that people
only get
in the
afterlife
what they
have most
wanted,
either to
have God
as saviour
and master,
or to be
their own
saviours
and masters.
Watch out.
If you
live like
you don't
need him,
blocking out
his word
and his
ways,
the horrendous
end result
for you is
being your
own saviour
and master
for eternity,
and that
is hell.
But there
is hope,
hope for
salvation.
There is
hope for
a better
way to
live,
because God
can change
proud hearts
into humble
and contrite
hearts,
who can
receive his
forgiveness
and favour
for eternity.
So what
does the
humble person
look like?
And starting
in verse 2,
we find that
firstly,
they have a
humble heart.
Rather than
having a
proud heart,
that looks
to what
their own
hands have
achieved,
in verse 2,
we see that
the humble
person
acknowledges
that they
are helplessly
dependent on
the grace and
mercy of their
Lord.
They realise that
everything they
have is a gift
from God.
They wake up in
the morning,
thanking God for
the breath in
their lungs to
live another day.
They thank God for
providing their food
and drink every
time they eat.
They recognise
their money is
ultimately a gift
from God and
they generously
give back to
him.
They realise the
house that they
live in is also a
gift from God and
they don't hold it
to themselves but
they open it up to
bless and be
hospitable to
others.
They understand that
God has given
them their talents
and skills and
they use them
for his glory
and the good of
society.
And when it
comes to the
most ultimate
question,
their standing
with God,
the following
hymn,
Rock of Ages,
sums up their
heart.
Nothing in my
hands I bring,
simply to thy
cross I cling.
Naked,
come to thee
for dress.
Helpless,
look to thee
for grace.
Foul I too
the fountain
fly.
Wash me
saviour
or I die.
That right
there is a
litmus test
for humility.
Are you
wholly trusting
in Jesus'
finished work
on the cross
for the
forgiveness of
your sin?
Is that your
heart?
the second
thing that we
learn about
the humble
in verse 2
is that
while the
proud are
unrepentant,
the humble
are contrite
or crippled
in spirit.
Please keep a
finger in
Isaiah and
skip back a
couple books
to Psalm
51.
And here
we're going to
see a real
life example
of a
contrite
heart.
Now after
King David
had committed
adultery
with Bathsheba
and he
ended up
murdering her
husband as
well,
he made a
right mess
of things,
what did
he come to
understand
in the
wake of
his awful
decisions
and his
sin?
Well if
we look in
Psalm 51
chapter 16
and 17
David says
to God
you do
not delight
in sacrifice
or I
will bring
it.
You do
not take
pleasure
in burnt
offerings.
My
sacrifice
oh God
is a
broken
spirit,
a broken
and contrite
heart
you God
will not
despise.
You see
David knew
that God
looks on the
contrite
with favor.
Those who
are genuinely
devastated
by their
sin
and the
offense
it has
caused
and they
daily
cry out
to God
for his
forgiveness
and his
mercy.
Look at
verse 1
in the
same
psalm.
This is
what David
says.
He says
have mercy
on me
oh God
according
to your
unfailing
love
according
to your
great
compassion
blot
out
my
transgressions.
See
the point
is not
that the
humble
are
sinless.
The point
is that
they are
broken
by their
sin
and they
keep
coming
to God
for
forgiveness.
They keep
asking for
his
spirit's
power to
overcome
sin and
live in
a way
that
pleases
him.
Do you
do I
exercise
those
daily
patterns
of
repentance?
Thirdly
we see
that the
humble
tremble
at God's
word.
Where the
proud fail
to listen
and live
under the
authority
of God's
word
the humble
have a
profound
reverence
for it.
They
realize
the
eternal
consequences
of not
listening
to it.
Now
the
ordinary
person
walking
down
Main
Street
in
Cargill
line
may
frown
upon
the
idea
of
fear
and
trembling
before
God
and
his
word.
We
definitely
prefer
to
emphasize
God's
love
and
his
compassion
rather
than
his
overwhelming
judgment
on
our
sin.
But
brothers and
sisters
we
cannot
afford
to
lose
sight
of
both
these
aspects.
Think
about
Isaiah
who
back in
chapter
6
was
overcome
with
anguish
after a
vision
of God
and this
is what
he
cried
Woe
to me
I am
ruined
for I
am a
man of
unclean
lips
and I
live
among a
people of
unclean
lips
and my
eyes
have
seen
the
king
the
Lord
almighty
see
God
isn't
supposed
to be
like
your
best
pal
who
you
mess
around
with
on a
Friday
night
no
he
is
the
holy
God
so
infinitely
higher
than
us
and we
are to
have a
healthy
fear
of him
whilst
also
being
comforted
by that
same
God
who
says
come
to me
all you
who
are
weary
and
burdened
and I
will
give you
rest
take my
yoke
upon you
and learn
from me
for I
am gentle
and humble
and harsh
it helps me
sometimes to
think about a
teacher I had in
secondary school
I think we all
can remember
that one
teacher
in school
that commanded
the respect
and admiration
of all
students
and for me
that teacher's
name was
Pat
and he
was folk
legend
in the
place
and he
taught
leaving
certain
masters
to a
small
group
of us
lads
and I'm
telling you
when he
taught
we listened
there was
no messing
he
he could
get the
whole
room
laughing
but
he knew
where to
draw the
line
you know
that kind
of way
he was
kind
and he
cared
personally
about each
one of
our lives
we respected
him
completely
but I'll
never forget
his stinging
rebuke
one morning
on one of
his top
students
and my
friend
he had
been
disrespectful
to one of
Pat's
colleagues
the day
before
and so
on this
morning
we were
just having
a normal
maths class
but the
next thing
Pat just
stopped
everyone
and he
turned
to face
my friend
and he
confronted
him
on the
wrong he
had done
the day
before
and he
said
listen
he just
communicated
how much
that had
hurt him
personally
and his
colleague
now you
could have
heard a
pin drop
in that
room
we were
left
in awe
gripped
with fear
the right
type of
fear
of a
great
teacher
who was
perfectly
justified
in his
rebuke
we all
knew he
was right
see
our
God
is a
God of
perfect
love
and
perfect
justice
his
instructions
they're no
trivial matter
following
them
is the
difference
between
eternal
life
or
death
the
proud
person
doesn't
make
God's
word
a
priority
they
flip open
the Bible
for a few
minutes
in one
ear
out the
other
that's
that one
ticked off
the list
but the
humble
person
knows
that hearing
God speak
to them
is the
most
essential
thing
they do
each
day
and they
don't
come up
with a
hundred
excuses
to put
it off
instead
they submit
their lies
reverently
to that
word
every day
that's
humility
lastly
what is
the outcome
for the
humble
well we
know from
verse 2
they receive
God's
favour
they receive
his salvation
because
every day
they humbly
accept their
need of
God
repent of
their sin
and submit
their lies
to his
word
that's a
Christian
summed
up
but you
like me
might be
starting to
worry at
this point
because
looking at
the portrait
of the
proud
person
has been
like looking
in the
mirror
and while
maybe you
see aspects
of humility
there too
you realise
how often
you fail
to prioritise
his word
how frequently
you rely
on yourself
and can
often go
days
without
acknowledging
your sin
to God
see the
fact is
none of
us
are truly
humble
not one
you and
I
we are
the proud
in and of
ourselves
we are
outside of
God's favour
under his
righteous
judgement
for our
rejection
of him
is there
any hope
for us
or maybe
if he
tried to
be more
humble
God might
show us
his favour
then
if he
worked
really
really hard
at it
no
Isaiah
shows us
that we
can never
earn it
we can
never
earn
God's
favour
but the
amazing
hope of
Isaiah
is this
someone
was humble
for us
someone
was
contrite
and
obedient
to God
for us
who is
that truly
humble
person
read with
me
in
Philippians
2 verse
5 onwards
it says
in your
relationships
with one
another
have the
same
mindset
as
Christ
Jesus
who
being in
very
nature
God
did not
consider
equality
with God
as something
to be used
to his own
advantage
rather
he made
himself
nothing
by taking
the very
nature
of a
servant
being made
in human
likeness
and being
found in
appearance
as a
man
he humbled
himself
and became
obedient
to death
even
death
on a
cross
Jesus
was humble
for us
the Lord
of the
universe
came to
serve
the
children
he
created
Jesus
was
contrite
for us
he was
broken
and crippled
by our
sin on
the cross
Jesus
trembled
at God's
word
for us
he obeyed
his father
even to the
point of
death
on a
cross
and there
he bore
the full
weight
of God's
judgment
on our
pride
so that we
could have
eternal life
with him
instead
you see
God can
look on us
with favor
because
Jesus
lived the
humble life
that we
could never
live
and took
the righteous
judgment
of God
for our
sin
the humble
are saved
not because
of what
they've
done
but because
they humbly
rely on
what Jesus
has done
they run
to him
for mercy
they submit
their lives
to his
word
can you not
see how
it's impossible
for the
proud
to be
saved
you can't
trust your
own ability
to save
yourself
and trust
in Jesus
to save
you as
well
it's one
or the
other
and if
you've
listened to
God's
word today
and realized
hold on
I am
trusting in
myself
then please
don't let
this day
pass
without
reaching out
for the
grace and
mercy
of Jesus
repent of
your pride
repent of
your striving
to earn
his favor
humbly
acknowledge
your sin
and your
need
for him
turn from
your own
way
and submit
your life
to his
word
and there's
a promise
in scripture
if you do
that you
will pass
over from
God's judgment
to his
eternal life
as you
humble
yourself
and put
your faith
in Jesus
and if
you are
already
found in
Christ
today
you know
you are
trusting in
Jesus
for your
salvation
rejoice
that God
looks on
you
with the
same favor
that he
looks on
his son
and remember
you now
have the
spirit
of Christ
living in
you
who gives
you the
power
to kill
the root
of pride
in your
life
rely on
him
to transform
you
into a
person
who
increasingly
looks like
Jesus
the person
who
daily
repents
of sin
and lives
under the
authority
of the
word
when God
looks at
our church
body here
in
Kerrigline
I pray
that he
would see
hearts
that are
truly
humble
simply
trusting in
Jesus
precious
children
whom he
favors
us
let's
pray
father
we
thank you
for your
word
which
brings us
to our
knees
and holy
reverence
view
lord
your
word
cuts to
the heart
of the
matter
it exposes
our sin
of pride
we thank
you
we thank
you for
that
lord
we ask
you would
humble us
today
lord we
repent of
our sin
of pride
of our
self
reliance
we turn
away from
our
strivings
to earn
your
favor
change
our
proud
hearts
into
humble
ones
that
cling
to
the
cross
for
god's
glory
in our
lives
we pray
amen
and
just to
finish
we're just
going to
meditate on
the words
of that
hymn
rock of
ages
and
we're
going to
stand
as it
plays
and sing
as well
but
I just
challenge