We can turn back to where we read in Isaiah chapter 55.
! We're going to look at the beginning of this chapter.
! Isaiah 55, reading at verse 1.
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
And he who has no money, come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price, and so on.
When you sit at a meal, maybe it's at home or if you're eating out,
one of the things that often takes place is you examine what's on the table.
If you're eating at home, you'll make sure that everything that was prepared is out on the table.
It's amazing how often it happens where after the meal is done,
you find a dish in the oven that had been completely forgotten about.
Or if you're eating out for a meal, a waiter will come round and ask you,
have you got everything that you need?
They make sure that everything that you've got is there to hand.
Well, in a few weeks' time, on the weekend of the 15th of February,
we'll be coming to sit at a meal here in the church.
And a table will be prepared, and everything that we need will be ready at the table.
And yet, when you look at this meal as we come to the Lord's Supper,
you think to yourself, well, is that it?
It looks so little, just wine and bread on a table.
It doesn't look enough for us to live by,
and yet there is everything that we need there.
The table is prepared.
There's no need for anybody to come round,
and do you need anything else?
It's all there prepared for us.
It's the symbols that we see that matter.
The wine and what it represents.
The blood of Jesus Christ shed at the cross.
And the bread showing us the body that was given for us.
It is all there.
And yet, maybe we think so little of it.
We don't think about it, maybe, as we should.
What do these things mean?
What does it matter?
Or there can be a fear about it.
We think of ourselves and maybe our unworthiness to come
and sit at the Lord's table,
that I'm not good enough to be there.
But what we have to look at is not ourselves,
but to the Lord and to what he has done for us.
Because the Lord's Supper is a remembrance.
When we gather for a meal at home or in a restaurant,
we often talk about maybe a variety of different things.
There is chat going on.
We can cover a lot of different subjects.
But the Lord's Supper is only about one thing.
And it's often in silence.
We do it in remembrance of him.
Where our focus is on what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us at the cross.
How he came to give his life.
How what we see promised throughout the scriptures is fulfilled in him.
And so we are invited.
We are invited to this meal.
And that's what we're going to think about as we look at Isaiah chapter 55.
There is this great invitation that we are given at the beginning of this chapter.
An invitation to a meal, to a feast.
And we're going to look at it and look at it just in light of where we find it in the book of Isaiah.
As you look at Isaiah 55,
all you have to do is just step back two chapters to Isaiah 53.
And we see how there Isaiah is talking about the very reason why our meal is going to take place.
It's a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he would suffer on the cross.
In Isaiah 53, verse 5, for example, there we read,
But he was wounded for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.
And with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray.
We have turned everyone to his own way.
And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
So there Isaiah was prophesying the word of God of what was going to take place at the cross.
How he was wounded.
How he was bruised.
How he was crushed.
The chastisement that brought us peace was upon him.
He did all of this.
We have gone astray.
We have all turned to our own way.
And yet when you come into chapter 54 and chapter 55,
What you see is the Lord's gracious way towards his people.
Invitations.
Assurances in chapter 54 of the Lord's eternal covenant of peace.
That he is one who seeks to bring that peace to his people.
A peace that brought peace in verse 5 there of Isaiah 53.
And then in Isaiah 55 there is this great invitation.
Ho, it says in other translations,
Listen, come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
So there is this great invitation.
The question is, will you come?
Will you come?
And so we are going to look at this passage under three headings.
The first thing we see is the setting.
The kind of setting these words speak about.
Then we see the offer that is given.
And then we see finally the price that is mentioned.
These are three things that when we are thinking of having a meal together,
We often think about where are we going to go?
What setting?
What place are we going to go to?
The offer.
What are we going to have?
And what is often the case is, well, how much is it going to cost?
That's what Isaiah is speaking about here.
So the first thing we see is the setting.
Isaiah's role as a prophet,
As with every prophet we read of in the Old Testament,
Was never an easy role.
The prophet was often met with opposition.
He was bringing God's word to the people,
But the people were so often rejecting it and rejecting God.
And we see it again and again.
And Isaiah is no different.
When you read from the beginning of Isaiah through to chapter 40,
What you find is the prophet giving warning.
You think everything is okay, he's saying,
But disaster is coming upon us.
Invasion is coming upon us.
Captivity is coming our way, but they were not listening.
But then from Isaiah 40 onwards,
You see that that has come upon them.
But yet there is still God speaking to them.
God calling a people back to himself.
But this call, as you see, is in the midst of other calls.
Many other calls going on.
And that's what the setting of Isaiah is here.
The imagery of Isaiah 55,
When we're seeing this,
This ho, as it says in other translations,
Or come, and come is often repeated.
Hear, listen.
Listen, the setting here for Isaiah would be one like a marketplace.
When Isaiah is just one voice shouting out to the people
In the midst of lots of other voices calling for their attention.
Everyone knows what we need.
That's not the reality of the world in which we live in.
That's what a marketplace is like.
Everyone is calling for your attention.
I don't know if you've ever been to a large marketplace.
Remember when I was in college in Glasgow,
My late teens.
Going along, was in the Nautical College,
Which wasn't far from the Barrowlands.
Going along there one Saturday to the market that was the Barrowlands.
And it was something to behold when you're seeing
All of these people just calling for your attention.
All the great bargains they've got.
Everything that you need to make your life better.
They're calling out for your attention.
And it's just one voice after another.
This is the kind of setting that Isaiah is talking about here.
He is just one voice in the midst of many other voices
That are calling out for the people's attention.
That's the setting of our own lives as well.
Everybody knows what we need.
But do you know what you need?
Have you thought about,
What do I really need in life?
What is important?
Where will my peace, my joy ultimately be found?
Is it in all of these voices that are calling for my attention from the world?
Or is it in this voice of God?
A voice that is speaking as we hear it here today.
Calling for our attention.
Who are we listening to?
What are we listening to?
There was a story of a rich businessman
Who was walking down by a harbour one day.
Some fishing boats had come in after being out early fishing
And had landed their catch.
And as this businessman was walking around
He saw one fisherman just sitting lazily on his boat.
And he decided to ask him a few questions.
And he said,
Why aren't you still out fishing?
And the fisherman replied,
Well because I've caught enough for the day.
I was out early.
Caught and landed my catch.
I got enough for the day.
And so the businessman asked him,
Well why don't you catch more fish than you need?
And the fisherman replied by saying,
Well what am I going to do with them?
Well he said,
You could sell them and make more money.
And as you make more money
You could get a better boat.
You could go out further,
Catch more fish.
You could then buy better equipment
That would help you catch even more fish
And make even more money.
And as you make more money
You could buy a fleet of boats.
And then the fisherman asked him and said,
Then what would I do?
Well he said,
Then you could sit down and enjoy life.
To which the fisherman replied,
Well what do you think I'm doing now?
Perspective is so often the key.
What do we need in life?
When the voices are all clamoring in our minds
To say this is what you need.
That's what you need.
This is what you've got to do.
Are we seeking just more and more and more?
Or are we thinking to ourselves,
Am I fulfilled in life right now?
Do I have that peace with God?
Not the peace of just being,
As it were,
Lazily sitting around.
But the peace of knowing
That the Lord is my refuge.
The Lord is my redeemer.
Because the voices of this world
Clamor for us
To seek our rest and our peace
In everything else
Apart from God.
We spend our time
Making money
And all of these things.
And this is what Isaiah
Is speaking about here
In verse 2 you see,
Why do you spend your money
For that which is not bread
And your labor
For that which does not satisfy?
Why are you purchasing
The things that don't matter?
The things that aren't
Really important in this life.
They are not the things
That are going to give you satisfaction.
They are not the things
That are going to give you peace.
Or your pursuits.
Why do you labor?
Why do you work?
For that which does not satisfy.
When you keep going after everything
Thinking this is what is going
To give me peace.
This is what is going to give me satisfaction.
But we are always just chasing
After the wrong thing.
Do you know that God knows
Your heart
Better than you know it yourself.
And that is why God
Speaks to this day.
God didn't abandon his people
In Isaiah's day
And he has not abandoned us today either.
He is still speaking to us.
And he knows exactly
What you need.
But what is your heart saying
To God?
What is your reaction
To God's word?
When you make phone calls
Phoning a big company
For example
When you start the phone call
They will often say
Your calls are monitored
Recorded for training
And monitoring purposes.
I always thought
This was just a nonsense.
Who is going to monitor
All of these calls
That are coming in
Until this week
I had to phone
One of these companies
And explain
That something was wrong
With an agreement
That I had made.
And they said
Well leave it with us
And we will go back
And listen to your call
Which was about
Six weeks ago.
And I thought
There is no way
That they are going
To have this recorded
But I got a phone call
A few days later
Saying
We have listened to the call
We have heard what was said
And you are right
You did not get
What was agreed
And we will amend that
And I thought to myself
How many calls
Do they get?
And they were able
To go back
And find my one call
Listen to it
And change it.
But when we think
Of God like that
We think well
He knows everything
He knows every thought
Every conversation
Everything that has come to mind
No matter how long ago it was
Maybe you were a child
And you were thinking
I love the Lord
And I just want to come
And profess my faith in Him
But now you are thinking
Oh I have gone so far away
I can't
God knows your heart
And maybe God today
Is speaking to you
In that very situation
And reminding you
That that heart
Is still not so far away
From God
That He cannot speak
That He is speaking
To you
Everything that we do
And say is monitored
By God
He knows
But the key is
He knows your heart today
And as I say
I am speaking to the people
Here
He is speaking to their heart
To see
Where is your heart lying
In all of these voices
That are calling to you
What are you doing
With them
Well the second thing
We see here
Is the offer
The offer that is
Is made
And I say
Here is something
You must have
Come everyone who thirsts
Come to the waters
And he who has no money
Come buy and eat
Come buy wine and milk
Without money
And without price
He is saying
Everything that you need
Is here for you
Come and receive it
Every human
In this world
Has a common need
And that is
A thirst
That needs
To be quenched
It's a physical thirst
So often
That we have
You know what it's like
When you're getting thirsty
You just need
To get a drink
A drink of water
To quench
That thirst
But here I see
I was talking about
A spiritual thirst
A thirst
For the things
Of God
And our thirst
In this world
Is so often
Just like those voices
Calling to us
They are there
To seek to quench
That thirst
But the more
We just listen
To the world
And everything
That's going on
Around us
That thirst
Isn't going
Away
That thirst
Is never
Satisfied
But God
Is saying
Here
Here is something
That can quench
Your thirst
Here is something
That can satisfy
You
Because in the midst
Of everything else
Clamoring
For our attention
When God speaks
He gives us
A different kind
Of thirst
When God works
By his spirit
In our heart
He gives us
A new desire
For something else
Something better
And we realise
That there is
Something missing
There is something
Lacking
In our lives
That nothing
In this world
Can satisfy
All of these voices
That we've been
Listening to
All the time
Are thirst
Is still there
But Isaiah is saying
You've tried
All these things
Come
To the waters
Come
To what can
Truly
Satisfy you
A desire
Grows
Within us
When the Lord
Is working
In our hearts
And we begin
To realise
That it is only
Through him
That this thirst
Can be satisfied
We have this
This movement
As it is called
This quiet revival
That people are
Talking about
Around our nation
Where many people
Are coming back
To church
Many people
Are enquiring
About the Christian
Faith
Why
Because through
Everything
They are not
Getting their
Thirst
Quenched
There is still
Something
Missing
And so
It is the same
With us
When we are
Without Christ
There is always
Going to be
Something
Missing
But here
Is the offer
Here is something
That you must
Hear
Throughout
These verses
A phrase
Is repeated
That is really
Saying the same
Thing
It is about
Listening
Like I said
Earlier
That word
Come
At the very
First word
Of the chapter
It is often
Translated
Ho
It is just
This word
Grabbing
For your
Attention
Seeking
Your attention
And so
Isaiah
Goes on
And he speaks
About
Listen
Diligently
Hear
He uses
All these words
Incline
Your ear
It is all
About
Listen
And what
Are you
Listening
To
You think
About going
Out
Eating
In cities
In our
Own nation
Or in other
Parts of the
World
Very often
There is people
Out on the
Street
They are all
Calling again
For your
Attention
Come
Come to
This restaurant
Come try
This food
Everybody says
They have got
The best
Well here I
Say in the
Midst of all
These other
Voices
They are saying
Come
Come and see
What I have
On offer
Come to
The water
Come without
Money
Come without
Price
Buy wine
And milk
Without money
And without
Price
Do you have
That thirst
In your soul
Today
Have you been
One of these
Ones who has
Been trying
To fulfill
Everything in
This by
Listening to
This world
This is going
To quench
That thirst
Finally I am
Going to have
Peace
And it is
Still not
There
Well the
Lord
Speaks
To us
All
And he
Asks
Well what
Is important
What is
Your priority
He says
Here is
Water
Here is
What
Gives
Life
To us
Here is
Wine
Here is
Milk
Here is
Everything
That we
Need
For life
To the
Full
When you
Think of
These three
Things
Water
And bread
They were
Often just
The staple
Things for
Everybody to
Have
Wine
And milk
They were
Extravagant
But yet
Here he is
Saying you
Can have
All of
These
Things
It is
All there
For you
He offers
Us all
That we
Need
And that
Is true
Today
As well
The offer
Of salvation
In Jesus
Christ
Is like
What we
Have
In the
Offer
Here
Come
To the
Waters
Come
By wine
And milk
Everything
That was
Essential
Water
In the
Scriptures
Is often
Either seen
As the
Life
Giving
Spirit
Of God
Wine
Is seen
As something
That gives
Joy
And milk
Is often
Described as
What we need
To sustain
Is often
Described as
The word
Of God
So here
We are
Saying that
Everything
That we
Need
Is found
Here
The Lord
Has given
Us
His
Spirit
He has
Given us
That joy
That is
Found in
Him
He has
Given us
His word
He has
Given us
Everything
That we
Need
So that
As we
Look at
The table
Of the
Lord's
Set
The bread
And the
Wine
It may
Look
Very
Little
But it
Is
Everything
It is
Everything
That we
Need
He offers
It
To us
So the
Offer
Is there
For us
It is
There for
You
Today
The final
Thing we
See here
Is
What is
The price
And this
Is often
The thing
That when
We go
Out to
Eat
Especially
We go
Along
Maybe a
Street
And we
Are looking
At the
Menu
We don't
Look at
What the
Food
Is
Very often
We look
At what
The price
Is
How much
Is this
Going to
Cost
Well that's
The obvious
Question that
They would
Have in
Isaiah's
Day as
Well
What's
All this
Going to
Cost
How much
Well
What does
He say
Here
Come
Everyone who
Thirst
Come
To the
Waters
And he
Who has
No money
Come
Buy
And eat
How
How can
You possibly
Come and
Buy and
Eat
Without
Money
It
Wouldn't
Wash
If you're
Going out
To a
Restaurant
I don't
Have
Money
That's
Okay
Just
Come in
And
Eat
Well I'm
Sorry you
Wouldn't
Get in
If you
Don't
Have
Money
And yet
Here
It is
All about
Coming
No price
No money
Doesn't
Matter
It's all
Taken
Care
Of
The world
Makes you
Pay
For everything
And yet
What is on
Offer for
Us
Here
Today
Is without
Money
Without
Price
It is
Free
For us
God
Doesn't
Require
Money
Of us
He doesn't
Require
Ourselves
To be
Good
And
Righteous
Of
Ourselves
He doesn't
Require
Our good
Works
Or any
Other
Resource
To
Come
He says
Come
Without
Any
Of
These
Things
So how
Can he
Make such
An
Offer
How can
Make such
An
Offer
To
Us
Surely
There
Is a
Price
That
Was
Paid
Well of
Course
There
Is
Because
That's
What the
Lord's
Supper
Is all
About
It's
Do
This
In
Remembrance
Of me
all. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
Jesus paid it all. The price has been paid. Is the Lord working in your heart? In all the voices
that are going on around us, is his voice being heard in your heart? He is saying, come.
He is saying, come. Will you? There was a mission going on many years ago on New Year's Day,
1886. The mission was to take place in a hall. Before the mission was to start, they were
out on the streets, a group singing some psalms and hymns and a message being given. And after
they had finished singing the last song and a message had been given, they started to make
their way back to the hall. Some people had been listening in the passing, but one young
woman had listened to the man speak the gospel. And as they were walking back, this woman came
up behind the man and called out to him. And she said, I heard you addressing the open
air meeting just now. And this is what she said, do you think, sir, that Jesus could save
a sinner like me? Is that your question today? Do you think Jesus could save a sinner like me?
Well, the answer is, of course he can. And that's what this invitation is for. It's not for the perfect.
It's not for those who have everything sorted. It is for sinners such as we are, that we might
come and see a Savior who has paid the price. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Will you come?
Let us pray.
Lord, our gracious God, we do thank you that in Christ Jesus we have one who has done all for his
people. Nothing is left short. There is nothing that we can give that would make any difference,
but just to see the price is paid and the offer is there before us. So, Lord, may your word bless our
hearts today. May it speak to us. May it challenge us. May it direct us to the one who came to save
sinners such as we are. And as we even think now of preparing for another communion season, as we think
of preparing to come to do this in remembrance of him, may our hearts be stirred up not to look at
ourselves, but to look on him who was pierced for our transgressions. Hear our prayers and go before us.
We ask all in his precious name. Amen.
We'll conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 67. Sing Psalm's version. Psalm 67.
We'll sing the whole of this Psalm. Page 84 of the Psalm books.
God be merciful and bless us. Shine upon us with your face, that the earth may know your actions and all
lands your saving grace. We'll stand to sing the whole of this Psalm to God's praise.
God be merciful and bless us. Shine upon us with your face, that the earth may know your actions and all
and all lands your saving grace. O God, may the peoples praise you. May all peoples sing your praise.
For you judge the nations justly, ruling over every race. May they sing with joy and gladness. May they all
rejoice as one. O God, may the peoples praise you. As they all unite in song. Then the land will yield its harvest.
God will pour his gifts abroad. God, our God, will surely bless us. All the earth will fear our God.
After the benediction, I'll go to the main door. We'll close with the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.
Amen.
Thank you.