Sermon #62 Series: Isaiah

Title: Stayed Upon Jehovah!

Text: Isaiah 26:1-4

Subject: Peace, the Fruit Of Faith

Date: Tuesday Evening - November 20, 1990

Tape #

Introduction:

One of the most delightful, useful, soul-cheering aspects of public worship is singing, the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. In the Old Testament singers were appointed in the temple to lead the way in worship. When Jehoshaphat went out to battle, “he appointed singers unto the Lord…that should praise the beauty of his holiness as they went out before the army.” These singers led the army of Judah into battle, singing, “Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever” (II Chron. 20:21). And in the church of God that which leads the way and scatters the enemies of earthly care, making a way for the word of God, is the singing of God’s praise.

· Special Music: Some of you are gifted musicians. God has given you melodious voices. You ought to use them for the benefit of God’s church. Some of you have special talents in playing musical instruments. You ought to play them in the house of God for the praise of God.

· Congregational Singing: We all ought to lift our voices together in congregational praise (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Lindsay and Wes carefully select hymns that are both doctrinally accurate and honoring to God. (We do not sing what we do not believe and would never preach!) But I have noticed that some of you never join us in song. And some of you are like Milly Vanilly - you only pretend to sing. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Have you no reason to praise God? Let me give you a reason.

Turn to Isaiah 26. In chapter 25, Isaiah spoke of the coming of Christ and the accomplishment of salvation by him. Here, in chapter 26, he gives us a song of joy, gratitude and praise to God for that salvation which he has accomplished for us, bestowed upon us and wrought in us by his grace. (Read verses 1-4). This is an example of the kind of songs we ought to sing. It is…

· An Experimental Song - “We have.”

· A Doctrinal, Instructive Song - “Salvation will God appoint.”

· A Comforting Song - “Peace.”

· A Challenging Song - “Open ye the gates” - “Trust ye in the Lord.”

· A God Honoring, Christ Exalting Song - Everything in the song turns our hearts and minds to the Lord our God. Notice that there is nothing here of sentimentalism and emotionalism. The purpose of the song is not to work up a whoopee, foot-stompin’, hand-clappin’, good time. The purpose is to lift the hearts of redeemed sinners in the worship of God.

Tonight, I want us to look at the first four verses of this song. “In that day” - In the day of God’s grace and salvation, in this gospel age, “shall this song be sung.” Matthew Henry said, “There shall be persons to sing it, and cause to sing it, and hearts to sing it.” This song is to be sung “in the land of Judah.” As I have shown you before, the hand of Judah symbolically represented the gospel church, for whom the gospel covenant was made - (Ps. 149:1; Heb. 8:8). In this song glorious things are spoken of the church and people of God.

Proposition: We have great reason to trust the Lord our God and sing praises unto him.

Application: There are four things in this text that I want to show you.

1. A Place Of Safety (v. 1).

2. A Work Of Mercy (v. 2).

3. A Promise Of Grace (v. 3).

4. An Encouragement For Faith (v. 4).

I. The first verse of this song describes A PLACE OF SAFETY.

“We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.”

The city spoken of here is the church of God. It is a city which God has prepared and built upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. And it is a strong one. As the Lord prepared it, so he defends it. As he built it, so he keeps it. The strength of this city, the church of God is…

· The Presence of God. The Lord God is a wall of fire about us.

· The Word of God. His word is a fire to warm, a hammer to build and a sword to protect his church.

· The Saints of God. The saints of God, united to Christ and to one another in him, are themselves the strength of the church (Zech. 12:5). Our unity is our strength.

Illus: Spurgeon - “To what do you attribute your

success as a preacher?” “My

people pray for me.”

The saints of God, having been born into his church and kingdom are perfectly safe and secure. Our song declares, “Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.” That simply means, what walls and bulwarks are to a fortress, salvation is to God’s church and people. Our safety and security is God’s salvation.

Note: The safety and security of the believer is not his will,

his works, his worth, or even his faith, but rather God’s

salvation.

Note: We believe in the security of the believer, the sure perseverance and preservation of the saints, because we know that salvation is God’s work (Eccles. 3:14).

A. Salvation is the work of God the Father; therefore every saved sinner is eternally secure in Christ.

1. The cause of salvation is the love of God, which is unchangeable.

2. The foundation of salvation is the purpose and will of God, which is unalterable.

3. The source of salvation is the election of grace, which stands not upon the works of men, but upon the will of God.

4. The grounds of salvation is the covenant of grace, which is ordered in all things and sure.

5. The security of salvation is the power of God, by which we are kept unto eternal life.

This is what I am saying, child of God, you have reason to sing praises to God, because not one of God’s elect can ever perish until the love of God is destroyed, the purpose of God is altered, the will of God is changed, the covenant of God’s grace is nullified and the power of God is defeated. These are the walls and bulwarks that protect God’s church.

B. Because salvation is the work of Christ, God’s dear Son, every believer is secure in him - (John 10:27-30).

1. His blood is a bulwark against the damming power of sin.

2. His righteousness is a wall to enclose us.

3. His mediation is our protection.

4. His power is our defense,

Shall we not sing praise to him? We cannot be lost, until his blood can be made useless, his righteousness can be destroyed, his mediation can be despised of God, and his power can be overcome! We are safe in the arms of Christ.

C. And we are secure in Christ because salvation is the work of God the Holy Spirit - “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profitteth nothing” (John 6:63).

1. The new birth is the Spirit’s work.

2. Faith in Christ is the Spirit’s gift.

3. Preservation in grace is by the sealing of the Spirit.

How we ought to sing to our God. These are the walls and bulwarks of salvation by which we are surrounded and protected.

· The Purpose of God the Father.

· The Purchase of God the Son.

· The Power of God the Spirit.

II. Now look at verse 2. Here is A WORK OF MERCY.

We are to admonish one another in song. And here our song admonishes us to perform a work of mercy - “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.” I know there is but one door, or gate, by which men and women may enter into the kingdom of God, but it is spoken of as though there are many. Why? To show us that the way of life and salvation is open to all the world, north, south, east and west (Rev. 21:12-13).

A. Christ alone is the door, or gate, to eternal life (John 10:9).

Man by nature is banished from God, banished from life, and banished from the city of God. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by the blood of his cross, has opened to sinners a way of access to God (Heb. 10:19-22).

B. It is the responsibility of God’s preachers to open the gates of life and salvation to men.

God’s servants are angels, messengers of mercy, set by God upon the walls of the city to open the gates to the nations - (Rev. 21:12-13).

Gospel preachers are here admonished in song, by the church of God, to open the gates of life to men.

1. We open the gates by proclaiming the gospel of Christ - “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.”

2. The gates of salvation are opened to all men, without exception.

3. It is our job always to open the gates, never to shut them (Isa. 60:11).

C. We preach the gospel, open the gates, to all men, so that God’s elect, the righteous nation may enter in.

Notice how the people of God, those who are saved by his grace, are described in this verse.

1. They are righteous, not by nature, but by grace - (Isa. 60:21).

· Made righteous by redemption - Imputed Righteousness.

· Made righteous by regeneration - Imparted Righteousness.

2. The saints of God are a holy nation - (I Pet. 2:9).

Illus: The Statue of Liberty - “Out of many one!”

3. Believers are men and women who keep the truth.

· They receive the truth into their hearts by faith.

· They keep it in love with a pure conscience.

· They will not part with it for anything, because we know that it is our salvation (I Cor. 15:1-3).

4. Believers are those men and women who enter into salvation and come to God by faith in Christ (Heb. 7:25).

III. Now, look at verse 3. Here our song declares A PROMISE OF GRACE.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

A. Peace is God’s gift to faith.

As we believe God, we have peace, peace with God, through the blood of Christ. It is peace which Christ accomplished. And it is peace that we receive by faith.

B. The peace promised here is perfect peace.

Let me help you here. Do not let the word perfect here throw you. Our text is not telling us that unless we have peace perfectly we do not have faith and are lost. There is a vast difference between having perfect peace and having peace perfectly.

1. The peace God gives us in Christ is perfect, but it is not perfectly manifested, felt and enjoyed in the soul.

2. The word “perfect” means “true” - The peace that God gives to faith is real and true. It is not false, or imaginary.

3. The word “perfect” also has the idea of “completeness” and “abundance.”

We have peace now. But, oh, what an abundant, complete, blessed peace he will give us in heaven! It will be perfectly enjoyed. And it will last forever (Isa. 9:7; Ps. 72:7).

C. This peace is promised to those whose minds are stayed upon Jehovah.

“Stayed upon Jehovah

Hearts are fully blest

Finding as He promised

Perfect peace and rest.”

To be “stayed” upon Christ is to have your heart fixed upon him, being persuaded of your interest in him, laying the whole weight of your soul upon him. To be stayed upon Christ is to trust him alone as your Savior - (Ps. 112:7-8). To be stayed upon Christ is to trust

1. His Blood.

2. His Righteousness.

3. His Intercession.

4. His Providence.

5. His Power.

This is the promise of grace - “Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.”

IV. Now, let’s look at verse 4. Here our song gives us AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FAITH.

“Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”

A. “Trust ye in the Lord forever.”

This is what I have been driving at - I want us to trust the Lord God, our Savior.

1. Trust him at all times, in every state and condition.

That is what faith is. In time of temptation, affliction and darkness, faith looks to Christ, trusting him.

Illus: Sam’s first litter of kittens.

Trust the Lord. He will deliver you from every trial, support you in every temptation, and cause all things to work together for your good. Though darkness comes upon you, the Lord will again arise as the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon you at the breaking of day.

2. When you can do nothing else, when all other help and comfort is gone, “Trust ye in the Lord forever” - Keep trusting Christ - (Lam. 3:24-26).

B. Here is the reason, the grounds, the basis, the foundation for our faith - “For in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”

1. Jesus Christ is the LORD JEHOVAH, which is, which was, and which is to come.

He is our self-existent, eternal, immutable God. And he is our Strength. He will give us his strength…

· To bear every temptation.

· To endure every trial.

· To withstand every spiritual enemy.

· To exercise every grace.

· To discharge every duty.

“I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheth me” (Phil. 4:13).

2. And Christ, who is our God and our Strength is “the Rock of Ages” (See Margin - Ps. 18:1-3).

1. He is the Rock upon which his church is built, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.

2. He is the Rock upon which we are built; and the soul that is built upon this Rock will withstand the storms of life - (Matt. 7).

3. He who is our Rock is our Refuge and our Strength forever.

Application:

1. I bid you to come into the church, the city and family of God - It is a place of safety.

2. I point you to Christ, the Door, and tell you that the Way is open - Enter in and be saved.

3. I promise you, upon the authority of God’s own Word, real peace, if you will trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. I assure you that faith in Christ is well grounded faith - He is the LORD JEHOVAH - And in him is everlasting strength.