Amen. Thank you, Treg.
Let's open up our Bibles again to Isaiah chapter 55.
Isaiah chapter 55. We started this chapter last week with this invitation to come and to feast on the goodness of God.
It was this invitation that was extended to any who would listen and any who would trust in the Word of God.
They could come and find true and lasting satisfaction for their souls.
And this morning we see God make yet another promise here in verses 3 through 5.
So let's open there now. Isaiah chapter 55. We're going to be in verses 3 through 5.
And I know that the words will probably be behind me, but I encourage you to have a physical Bible in your lap open
because we're going to be hopping around a couple different places.
And I want your eyes there on God's Word.
So Isaiah 55, 3 through 5. Follow with me this morning as I read.
Incline your ear and come to me.
Hear that your soul may live.
And I will make with you an everlasting covenant.
My steadfast, sure love for David.
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples.
A leader and commander for the peoples.
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you.
Because of the Lord your God and of the Holy One of Israel.
For he has glorified you.
Would you pray with me once more?
Lord, this is your word.
And we ask that you would speak now in power.
As we open it up, as we seek your face in what you have said.
God, our desire is to learn from you and be transformed by the power of your word.
So we pray, would you do that now as we open up this passage of scripture.
We pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
But it is Sunday, November 13th.
It's the Sunday after election day.
And many of you, I know, went out to the polls Tuesday or sometime before Tuesday to cast your votes and appoint new leadership.
And you did so generally on the basis of campaign promises.
Regardless of how you voted, regardless of who you voted for, what it comes down to is you cast your vote on the premise that you could trust those names on the ballot to fulfill the promises that they made.
What they would do given your vote.
That you can trust their promises.
And so each candidate on the ballot, they ran advertisements, they ran commercials, radio spots, TV appearances, text message assaults.
Offering certain promises to you, the voter, should they be appointed to their desired office.
And I may be cynical.
And I don't think I'm presenting any new information to anybody here this morning.
But history would show that some of those promises will indeed be kept and will be seen through to their desired end.
But many of them will be broken.
In fact, that's the sad reality of dealing with any human leadership.
They are imperfect.
Their words and their promises only go so far.
In fact, you may be aware of this.
There are certain websites that track campaign promises all the way to the end.
These campaign promise trackers.
They track them from the mouth of the politician all the way to see how they have been completed,
if they have been completed, if they were lies to begin with,
or whether we're still waiting to see if they might actually keep their promises.
Last week, in verses 1 through 3 of Isaiah 55,
we saw that God made His people a promise.
He said,
Come to me.
Come to me, all who are thirsty.
Come to the waters.
Come drink.
Come to me.
Come all who are hungry.
Come feast.
Come all who are poor.
Come all who are needy.
Come to me and satisfy your soul in me.
And here's the promise.
And you will have life for your soul.
That's a promise from the mouth of God.
It's a promise to you this morning.
That if you will listen diligently to the Word of God,
and if you will believe and trust the promises of God,
you will find satisfaction for your soul.
You will receive life in the presence of God.
And unlike us, unlike sinful men and women who make promises and don't fulfill,
who say things and don't act,
God is always true to His Word.
Amen?
We can trust that what He has spoken, He will fulfill.
His promises can be trusted completely.
So here in our passage this morning, God makes another incredible promise.
Here in verses 3 through 5, look there with me.
He promises anyone, even you this morning,
if you will incline your ear and listen to the Word of God,
if you will come and feast on the goodness of God,
He says in verse 3,
I will make with you an everlasting covenant.
That is an eternal promise.
And then He tells us what it is.
What is God offering here?
He says, it's my steadfast, sure love for David.
My steadfast, sure love for David.
And that is an incredible promise that God is holding out for us this morning,
if we understand what that means.
And so this morning, what I plan to do,
what I'd like to do with our time together,
is to trace that promise.
All the way from the mouth of God Himself,
to David in the Old Testament,
to Christ,
to us,
and through us to the world.
Okay?
So we're going to trace that promise in three stages this morning.
This will be our outline.
If you're taking notes,
I encourage you to take notes,
to follow along.
We'll track this promise in three stages this morning.
God's love was promised to David.
It was fulfilled in Christ.
And now it is given to the nations.
Three stages of this covenant love of God.
It was promised to David,
fulfilled in Christ,
and given to the nations.
So first,
God's covenant love was promised to David.
Look there again to verse three.
God says,
anyone who inclines their ear and comes to Him,
anyone who hears,
not just hears,
but listens diligently,
and trusts,
and believes the promises of God,
anyone can come into this soul-satisfying feast and live.
And then He says,
hear me,
come to me,
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast,
sure love for David.
What is that?
Now what is He talking about here?
David is dead and gone.
Even by the time Isaiah is writing this prophecy,
David is long gone.
So what does this mean,
that God is promising His steadfast,
sure love for David
to any who would come and hear
and feast on these promises of God?
Well, in order for us to understand
what He's offering here,
we need to turn backwards
to the Old Testament
in 2 Samuel chapter 7.
And so if you have your Bibles open,
please turn there again,
2 Samuel chapter 7.
This is the passage that was read earlier for us.
We need to turn there and lay eyes on this promise.
So King David,
he had a desire to make a house for God.
He wanted to build a temple for the Lord,
a place of worship for the Lord.
But the Lord said,
you're not going to build me a house.
Instead, guess what?
I'm going to build you a house.
And then he made some incredible promises here to David.
Listen to what he promises David here.
2 Samuel chapter 7.
I'm going to start in verse 5.
We'll read it and then we'll break it down.
God says,
Go and tell my servant David,
thus says the Lord,
would you build me a house to dwell in?
I've not lived in a house
since the day I brought up the people Israel
from Egypt to this day,
but I've been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.
In all the places where I have moved
with all the people of Israel,
did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel
whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel,
saying,
why have you not built me a house of cedar?
Now therefore,
thus you shall say to my servant David,
thus says the Lord of hosts,
I took you from the pasture,
from following the sheep,
that you should be a prince over my people Israel.
And I've been with you wherever you went,
and I've cut off all your enemies before you.
Now here's the promise.
Listen here.
And I will make for you a great name,
like the name of the great ones of the earth.
And I will appoint a place for my people Israel
and will plant them so that they may dwell in their own place
and be disturbed no more.
And violent men shall afflict them no more as formerly
from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel.
And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.
And when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers,
I will raise up your offspring after you,
who shall come from your body,
and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name,
and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son.
When he commits iniquity,
I will discipline him with the rod of men,
with the stripes of the son of men.
But my steadfast love will not depart from him,
as I took it from Saul,
whom I put away from before you.
And your house and your kingdom
shall be made sure forever before me.
Your throne shall be established forever.
In accordance with all these words,
and in accordance with all this vision,
Nathan spoke to David.
David.
Now could you imagine?
Place yourself in David's shoes here for a moment.
Could you imagine being David
and hearing these promises from the mouth of God?
David knowing how undeserving he was,
knowing that he was just a shepherd
when God called him,
not even tall or attractive in appearance like his brothers,
but God called him to be king,
knowing how much blood he had shed,
how big of a sin he had committed,
how deep he had fallen into rebellion against God.
Yet God says,
without any condition for David to meet,
I will.
See, this promise was totally undeserved,
totally unmerited,
and God said,
I will do it.
I will be faithful to my word.
So what exactly did God promise David?
We can break it down into four categories here.
Four categories of this promise that God made to David.
First, God promised David he would have a proclaimed name.
He said in verse nine,
I will make for you a great name.
It's a name that would be proclaimed and revered.
God will do it.
He will proclaim the name of David throughout the land.
Second, God promised David a place.
Verse 10,
I will appoint a place for my people Israel
and will plant them so they may dwell in their own place
and be disturbed no more.
So God promised Israel with David as their appointed leader,
their own land.
He promised them a place,
so a proclaimed name and a place,
and within that place,
third, God promised David protection.
Promised David protection.
Verses 10 and 11,
God says,
Israel will be disturbed no more.
Violent men shall afflict them no more as formerly.
Verse 11,
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
So this was a promise,
you see,
of peace and protection.
God's people were no strangers to war.
They were no strangers to attack.
They had enemies on every side.
But here God promises,
I'm going to bring you into a place
and I'm going to protect you from every enemy.
And so far,
if you know your Old Testament,
none of this is new.
And this is all recap.
This is God rehashing old promises
that he's already made to Abraham and to Moses.
He's simply reiterating his promises,
saying,
I have not forgotten about my covenant.
But as you read through the Old Testament,
from Genesis all the way on,
and you see God's plan unfold,
it's like that lens is getting a little more focused.
And so what was blurry at the beginning
is becoming a little more defined,
and we're seeing more and more clearly
how these promises will be fulfilled.
And so here in verse 12,
we get something new.
We get something new.
He promises,
fourth,
a perpetual kingdom.
A perpetual kingdom.
Look there again,
starting in verse 12.
He says to David,
When your days are fulfilled
and you lie down with your fathers,
I will raise up your offspring after you,
who shall come from your body,
and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name,
and get this,
I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
This is a promise of a forever kingdom,
a perpetual kingdom.
David would have offspring to sit on his throne forever.
Now, from the time this promise was made,
every Israelite who knew of this promise
was on the edge of their seat,
just waiting and wondering,
who will it be?
Even as Isaiah spoke these words,
they were waiting to be brought into their own land.
They were waiting to go under the reign of this promised king.
David was long gone.
When will he come?
When will this promised king come?
When will this promise be fulfilled?
When will the king come and reign forever?
Three times he says that word forever.
I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever.
Your throne shall be established forever.
But all these kings keep dying.
All of these sons of David,
they live,
they reign.
David reigned 40 years,
and then he died.
Solomon reigned 40 years,
and then he died.
Is it Rehoboam?
Is it Abijah?
Is it King Asa?
Every king from the line of David
had all eyes on him.
Imagine that pressure.
Will this be the one?
When will the king come?
When will this promise be fulfilled?
And then the pages of the Old Testament close.
The promise is still sitting out there in the air.
There's 400 years of silence.
Did you know that?
400 years of silence between the Old Testament
and the New Testament.
And all the while,
the people of Israel are waiting
and wondering,
who will this king be?
When will he come to reign?
And then the page flips.
In the first verse,
of the first chapter,
of the first book,
of the New Testament,
Matthew 1.1,
goes like this.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
See, this covenant love was promised to David
and it was fulfilled, second,
it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the promised son of David.
And the New Testament writers,
they understood this
and so they wanted to make sure,
they made a big deal about making sure
we understand that Jesus Christ
is the son of David.
Why?
Because they want to be clear
that all of the promises made to Abraham,
all of the promises made to Moses,
all of the promises made to David,
they find their yes and amen
in Jesus Christ.
Church, why do we worship Jesus?
Why is Jesus not just
one religious figure among many?
Why does he receive all of our worship,
all of our devotion?
You may wonder what it is about this man
that we come together
and we sing songs of worship to him
every single week.
We stand up here,
we open up his book,
we read about his glory,
we read his word,
we follow his leadership.
We talk a lot about Jesus.
Why?
It's because Jesus Christ
is the very center
of the fulfillment of the plan of God.
He is the fulfillment
of every promise of God.
If we want to know
whether God is true to his promises,
where do we look?
We look to Jesus.
Think about these promises
that God made to David
with me for a moment.
God promised David a name
that would be proclaimed,
but what is the name of David
compared to the name of Jesus?
God promised David a name
that would be proclaimed
throughout all the world,
but Philippians chapter 2,
it tells us this.
Although God,
although Jesus was in the form
of God himself,
although Jesus was sinless,
he was perfect in every way,
although he deserved no punishment,
look what it says,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the death,
to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore,
God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him what?
The name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow
in heaven
and on earth
and under the earth
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
He's King.
He reigns.
He is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
See,
the name of Jesus Christ
will be proclaimed
throughout the world.
He is Lord.
He is King.
He is God.
God promised David
and Israel
a place,
a promised land,
but guess what?
Jesus has also promised
a place to reign.
What is it?
All of heaven and earth
is under his reign.
His reign is not limited
to one people,
one place,
one time.
He reigns over all.
Universally.
He is Lord of lords
and King of kings.
You see,
this promised land
is not just one patch
of dirt on the earth.
It is all of heaven
and earth,
renewed,
recreated,
restored under his reign.
We don't see that
in full right now,
do we?
We don't see it
as it is,
but one day
we will.
One day,
all of heaven and earth
will be totally
under the reign
of Christ.
This is what we're
waiting for.
It has been promised.
It has been purchased
and one day,
church,
it will finally
come to pass.
So until then,
what do we do?
We pray,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth,
as what?
Help me.
As it is in heaven.
What does that mean?
That means totally,
totally and completely.
As Peter says,
according to his promises,
we are waiting,
waiting for new heavens
and new earth
where righteousness dwells.
In that place,
under his reign,
there is protection.
God promised David protection.
God promised Israel protection.
Church,
we are safe
in the hands
of our king.
One day,
we'll be totally free
from sickness
and death
and suffering.
One day,
we're not there yet.
One day,
that will come,
but even now,
you can know victory
over every greatest enemy,
every spiritual enemy.
Those who are in Christ
are protected
totally
from all of our
greatest adversaries.
Here's what that means.
Christian,
if you belong to Jesus,
you are protected
from the wrath of God
against your sin.
Amen?
Friend,
there is no greater enemy
to you
if you are outside of Christ,
if you do not belong
to the kingdom of Christ.
God is your enemy.
your sin is your enemy.
But our king has come,
and he has lived
in our place.
He has stood
in our place.
He lived perfectly
where you and I
could never live perfectly,
so that all of our enemies
of guilt
and condemnation
are wiped away forever.
Our king has died
in our place.
Friends,
so that the wrath of God
that was against us
because of our sin
is wiped away forever.
Church,
Christ,
our king,
came to crush
the power
of sin,
death,
and the devil.
Every spiritual enemy
is defeated
by this reigning king.
If you belong
to his kingdom,
you are protected.
Why do we worship Jesus?
It's because
in him alone,
we're brought
into the kingdom
of God.
In him alone,
we know
the blessing
of this invitation
to come
and live
and have your soul
satisfied
and live forever
with the goodness
of God.
Do you want freedom
from your sin?
Do you want freedom
from the curse
of death?
Would you come
to Christ
and live?
Do you want freedom
from the guilt
that you have earned
for your sin?
Would you come
and listen diligently
and feast
on the goodness
of God,
listen and trust
his promises
offered to you
this moment
in Christ,
given freely
to any who would come
and submit themselves
to this reigning king
and you will live.
And unlike David
and Solomon
and every other king
who came
and lived
and died
and then poof,
it was over,
King Jesus lives
and reigns forever.
Jesus rose
from the grave.
Why do we worship Jesus?
He is risen.
He reigns forever.
He cannot die.
His reign cannot end.
Jesus is king forever.
Jesus inherits
a perpetual kingdom.
He is the forever king.
I know it's not Christmas.
Everybody keeps telling me that.
Is the hallelujah chorus
not ringing in your ears?
King of kings
and Lord of lords.
King of kings,
Lord of lords.
King of kings,
Lord of lords.
And he shall reign
forever
and ever
and ever.
This is what Gabriel
told Mary,
isn't it?
Do not be afraid,
Mary,
for you have found
favor with God.
And behold,
you will conceive
in your womb
and bear a son
and you shall call
his name Jesus.
He will be great.
It's an understatement.
And will be called
the son of the most high.
And the Lord God
will give to him
the throne
of his father,
David.
And he will reign
over the house
of Jacob
forever.
And of his kingdom,
there will be
no end.
exactly as God
had promised
to David.
But listen to this.
Christ came
and lived
and died
and rose
to share
that love
of God
with the nations.
to scatter
abroad
the love
of God
to any
who would come,
any who would hear,
any who would trust
in these promises
that God makes.
This love
was promised
to David.
It was fulfilled
in Christ.
And third,
it is now
given
freely
to the nations.
Look there
with me
again
back to our passage.
Isaiah 55
verses 4 and 5.
Verses 4 and 5.
Behold,
I made him
a witness
to the peoples,
a leader
and commander
that is not just
for the Jews,
not just for one race,
not just for one people,
but for the peoples.
Behold,
you shall call
a nation
that you did not know
and a nation
that did not know you
shall run to you.
Why?
Because of the Lord
your God
and of the Holy One
of Israel
for he
has glorified
you.
You know,
this was a
stumbling block
for the Jews.
This Jewish
Messiah,
this fulfillment
for a promise
made to a Jewish
king
on behalf
of Jewish people,
he's going to come
and he's going to reign
on behalf
of the Jews,
right?
He's creating
a forever kingdom
for the Jews,
right?
Absolutely,
yes,
if they listen
and trust
the promises
of God
fulfilled in
Jesus Christ,
but Christ
did not just
come for the Jews.
Praise God,
right?
He was made
a witness
to the peoples.
He was a leader
and a commander
for the peoples.
Gentiles.
Most of us
in the room
are not ethnically
Jewish.
We are Gentiles.
We are the nation
that did not know
God.
We are the peoples
that were outside
of this covenant
love of God
that have now
been brought in
by the sheer love
and sheer grace
of God,
the sheer mercy
of God,
has brought us
as outsiders
into the family
of God
where we do
not belong.
Now here's where
with the time
we have left
I want to make
some application.
Okay?
First,
do you realize
how loved you are
in Christ?
Do you realize
how loved
you are
by God
in Christ?
I cannot think
of a more
powerful statement
of God's love
than this.
God demonstrates
His love for us
in that while
we were still
what?
Sinners.
Christ died
for us.
For us.
Who had
no claim
to Him
whatsoever.
We do not
belong
in this covenant.
We do not
belong
in this
love of God
for David
and for His
people.
We have no
claim to it
whatsoever.
But God
sent His
own Son
to die
to bring us
into His
love
if we would
but listen
and find
soul satisfaction
in Him.
Do you know
how loved
you are
in Christ?
And how
totally
outside of
you
that love
is?
it's not
based on
you at
all.
It's not
based on
me at
all.
It's not
dependent
on us
at all.
And because
He has
brought you
in
and united
you to
His Son
by faith,
His love
for us,
His love
for you
is as sure
as His love
for Christ
Himself.
God can
no sooner
abandon
you,
believer,
than He
could abandon
His own
Son.
His love
for you
is steadfast.
It is
sure.
And we have
all of
eternity
to feast
our souls
on the
depth
of that
love.
Second,
second
application.
when we
grasp this,
when we
grasp that
unmerited,
undeserved
love of
God,
how freely
God has
opened up
His arms
and called
the nations
to Himself
including
little old
us,
how could
we resist
the privilege
of joining
Him in
His mission
to make
worshipers
out of all
the peoples
of the
earth?
God
is
we spoke
last
Sunday
morning
and then
again
last Sunday
evening
about the
privilege
and the
task
of
evangelism,
sharing
the gospel,
sharing
the good
news,
extending
this invitation
to all
who don't
know the
goodness
of God.
And we
talked about
several reasons
why maybe
we hesitate
to share
the gospel,
maybe we
don't share
the gospel
at all.
Several
reasons
were mentioned.
I see
two here
in this
passage.
One,
we don't
grasp God's
love for
us.
We don't
grasp it,
how free,
how undeserving,
how satisfying
His love
is for
sinners.
And two,
we don't
share God's
love for
others.
We don't
share God's
love for
others.
Why don't
we share
the gospel?
Because we
have not
synced up
our heart
with God's.
God intends
to make
worshipers out
of all
the peoples
of the
earth,
and He
will do
it.
And He
will maximize
the fame
of Christ,
His glory
among the
nations.
And how
is He
going to
do it,
church?
Through
us.
He does
it through
the church.
those who
have known
this
steadfast love
of God
will share
it with
others so
that all
the peoples
of the
world will
join in
worship.
We will
be satisfied,
He will
be glorified.
That's the
mission of
the church.
That's what
we're here to
do.
Did you know
that?
We're here to
be satisfied
in Him and
to share
that soul
satisfying feast
with any
who would
come.
And here,
our mission
is to fill
the earth
with worship.
And Isaiah
says,
as Christ
through us
opens up
His word,
extends this
invitation to
come,
to turn from
your idols,
to come,
to turn to
me,
to listen to
me,
to come
that your
soul might
live,
come,
be satisfied
in me.
He says,
the nations
will run
with urgency
and joy
to their
king.
Church,
this is why
we go
to the
uttermost
ends of
the world.
This is a
promise for
all
peoples.
Do you
desire for
the name
of Christ
to be
known?
Where it
has not
been named
before?
Do you
desire for
God to be
glorified where
He is not
worshipped as
He deserves?
Do you
desire for
those who
are perishing
throughout the
world to
hear the
good news
of Christ
and to
believe
that they
can know
God and
live?
Do you
see the
world with
that vision?
I remember
when I bought
my first pair
of polarized
sunglasses
and before
that I was
just using
whatever cheap
pair of
glasses I
could find
at the
store.
It
didn't
matter
too much
to me.
But then
I bought
a real
pair of
polarized
lenses
polarized
glasses
with
tinted
shade
lenses
and they
came and
I put
them on
and let
me tell
you it
was a
game changer.
Details that
I hadn't
noticed before
were brought
to life
is like I
saw the
world in a
whole new
way.
You know
that's how
it is when
we come
into the
kingdom.
we begin
to see
the world
with kingdom
tinted
shades.
This is
what Paul
says in
2 Corinthians
he says
this
from now
on
therefore
we regard
no one
according to
the flesh
that's what
we used
to do
even though
we once
regarded
Christ
according to
the flesh
we regard
him thus
no longer
therefore
if anyone
is in
Christ
he is a
new
creation
the old
that's
passed away
behold
the new
has come
all this
is from
God
who
through
Christ
reconciled
us
to himself
and gave
us
the ministry
of
reconciliation
that is
in Christ
God
was reconciling
the world
to himself
not counting
their trespasses
against them
and entrusting
to
us
church
the ministry
of
reconciliation
therefore
we are
ambassadors
for
Christ
God
making
his
appeal
through
us
calling
the
nations
through
us
we
implore
you
on
behalf
of
Christ
be
reconciled
to
God
you see
when we
come into
the kingdom
of God
we begin
to see
the world
differently
it's not
about
us
it is a
mission field
for the glory
of God
we see
our identity
and our
citizenship
differently
we're not
primarily
American
citizens
did you
know that
we're
citizens
of the
kingdom
of God
who has
placed us
providentially
here
in America
our
priorities
are no
longer
of this
world
the day
to day
concerns
of life
the things
that mess
us all
up
and stress
us out
our
priorities
and our
concerns
are
kingdom
concerns
how can
I
bring
glory
to God
today
our
mission
is no
longer
about
self
church
it is
to make
disciples
to bring
fame
to the
name
of
Jesus
so let
me close
with a
story that
I heard
last week
and this
is a
story
about
people
who see
the world
through
kingdom
tinted
lenses
there are
ordinary
people like
you and
me
I don't
know
them
Amanda
showed
me a
video
of their
work
last
week
they live
as
missionaries
in
Papua
New
Guinea
but their
aim
is not
to reach
Papua
New
Guinea
generally
it is
focused
in
on
one
specific
people
group
unreached
people
group
there
in
Papua
New
Guinea
called
the
Maliali
people
God
said
all
the
peoples
of
the
earth
will
know
me
that
includes
the
Maliali
people
so
they
went
believing
the
promise
of
God
believing
that
promise
offering
it
to
this
people
here's
what
they
said
in
the
video
they
said
this
the
Maliali
so far
as
we
know
have
not
had
access
to
the
gospel
and
there
is
not
a
single
known
Christian
among
them
our
purpose
there
is
to
see
a
mature
church
planted
among
them
and
we're
going
about
this
work
in
four
ways
let
me
pause
there
unreached
people
group
not
a
no
Christian
among
them
in
the
history
of
their
people
their
goal
is
to
plant
a
mature
church
you
see
that
going
about
that
in
four
ways
first
learn
their
language
and
their
culture
these
are
English
speaking
missionaries
English
speaking
missionaries
who over
the past
few
years
have
gone
and
immersed
themselves
in
the
language
they've
become
fluent
in this
Malayali
language
and the
Malayali
culture
to
second
to develop
an alphabet
in their
unwritten
language
they
they don't
have
a
written
language
they
have
a
spoken
language
they
learned
the
language
through
their
ears
they're
formulating
an alphabet
a
written
language
and they
desire
to teach
them
to read
and to
write
in their
own
language
so these
missionaries
they've
gone
to understand
their
language
with a
purpose
that they
can
write
it
so they
can
communicate
with
these
people
in their
own
language
so they're
teaching
literacy
classes
there
why
so they
can read
so that
they will
one day
be able
to read
God's
word
for
themselves
in their
own
native
tongue
see these
missionaries
won't last
forever
they will
come
they will
die
God's
word
will last
forever
so they've
come
to formulate
a language
formulate
an alphabet
teach them
how to
read
so that
they can
read
and
understand
God's
word
in their
own
native
tongue
so third
they're
working
to
translate
the
Bible
into
the
Malayali
language
and make
an alphabet
translate
the entire
Bible
into
that
language
for
this
one
little
people
group
raise
your
hand
if
you
had
heard
of
the
Malayali
people
before
this
morning
not
me
but now
they can
hold
in their
own
hands
a copy
of
God's
word
and read
it
for
themselves
pass
it down
from
generation
to
generation
that's
how a
healthy
mature
church
is going
to be
established
there
is through
the word
of God
and then
they're not
going to leave
because fourth
they plan
to stay
and teach
the Bible
and make
disciples
as they
preach
and teach
and explain
the word
of God
for as long
as the Lord
would have
them
stay
why
would
they
do
all
that
why
would
anybody
do
that
give
their
life
away
leave
your
home
country
go
live
in the
middle
of a
bush
in
Papua
New
Guinea
go
where
nobody
knows
you
nobody
speaks
your
language
you
might
be
welcomed
you
might
not
the
only
reason
for
anyone
to go
do
something
like
that
is
that
they
believe
the
promises
of
God
that
any
who
call
upon
the
name
of
the
Lord
will
be
saved
they
know
that
love
of
God
personally
and
second
they
share
the
heart
of
God
for
others
that
all
the
peoples
of
the
earth
will
know
him
that
nations
who
do
not
know
him
now
will
run
to
him
when
his
name
is
proclaimed
is
that
your
heart
is
that
the
desire
of
your
heart
church
if
not
I
want
to
invite
you
let's
begin
to
pray
that
God
would
do
that
in
us
that
he
would
change
our
heart
to
represent
and
to
match
his
heart
for
the
nations
and
then
let's
go
out
and
open
our
mouths
and
call
any
who
would
hear
to
come
to
come
to
listen
to
trust
to
feast
on
the
word
of
God
and
receive
the
steadfast
sure
love
of
God
for
you
let's
pray
Lord we
we praise
you for
this
unmerited
love
that you
gave to
David
that he
didn't
he didn't
earn it
he was
nothing
Lord
and yet
you
you showered
your love
upon him
and
in
Christ
that love
is
available
to
any
who
would
turn
and
trust
and
come
to
you
and
we
thank
you
Lord
that
we
now
stand
in
the
place
of
David
as
a
witness
to
your
glory
for
the
nations
to
hear
what a
privilege
Lord would
you use
us
would
you use
this
church
would
you
use
this
body
to
proclaim
the
goodness
of
God
not
just
here
in
all
in
all
but
throughout
the world
my
heart
and
turn
Ah
nothing
I
need
to
be
all
nice
of
time