Sermon # 136 Series: Isaiah

Title: The Life Look

Text: Isaiah 45:22

Subject: What Does It Mean to Look to Christ

Date: Sunday Evening – November 1, 1992

Introduction:

I want to pick up tonight right where I left off this morning. I know that some of you are yet under the wrath of God. It may be that many of you who have long been religious have never yet been converted. I want, by the Spirit of God, to press you into the kingdom. I want to persuade you to close with Christ.

My text is Isaiah 45:22- “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” I want to set forth in clear terms what it is to savingly look to Christ. I want to show you, in unmistakable terms what it means to savingly look to Christ. I want to talk to you tonight about The Life Look!

You know and I know that natural men have been, for many, many centuries, looking everywhere for salvation but to Christ. I am not being bigoted, prejudiced, or radical when I say that. You know that it is true.

• Millions around the world look to idols of wood, stone, brass, silver and gold. I have seen these idols with my own eyes. And I have watched men and women bow before them by the thousands.
• Millions look to idols taken from the Holy Scriptures! They are slaves to ceremonies, rituals, holydays and sabbath days. They make gods of the apostles, good luck charms of cresses, angels and gestures, and sacraments of the ordinances of God. They worship and serve the creature more than the Creator!
• Millions look to the law, morality, and good works.

The Rich Young Ruler- “All these things have I kept!”

The Pharisees- “God I thank thee that I am not as…”

Romans 10:1-3- “Brethren, my prayer and hear’s desire for Israel is that they might be saved- For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.

• Millions look to their own religious experience, decision, and feelings. They have a commitment of a sort. They have a refuge. But it is a refuge of lies (Isa. 28:15).
• Millions look to philosophy, their own thoughts and opinions. Their doctrine is, “It seems to me!” But God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways.”

Illus: Dialogue Preaching

The word of God clearly declares that “Salvation is of the Lord!” “It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!” “The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord!”

God speaks plainly and so must his servants. “They have no knowledge” that set up gods of their own imaginations, that pray to a god who cannot save! God says, “There is no God beside me, a just God and a Savior, there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else!”

Salvation is God’s work and this salvation is in his Son Jesus Christ. God has determined to save some of Adam’s fallen race, but only through the Person and work of his beloved Son!

1. John 3:16- “For God so loved”
2. Galatians 4:4-5- “In the fulness of time God sent forth”
3. I Timothy 1:15- “This is a faithful saying and worthy of”
4. II Corinthians 5:19- “God was in Christ, reconciling”
5. II Corinthians 5:21- “God hath made Christ to be sin for us”
6. John 14:6- “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man”

Anyone who would know God, anyone who would be saved must look to Christ.

I really do not know anything to say to my generation other than what Christ and the Apostles said in their day- “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43). “Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:39-40).

Yet, for the glory of God and the good of those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, I say one more time- “Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God and there is none else.”

Proposition: Salvation is obtained by looking to Christ- “There’s life for a look at the crucified One!”- I want to answer four questions.

I. What does it mean to Look to God in Christ?

Actually, I do not need to answer that question. The Lord Jesus has answered it for us- (John 3:14-16).

A. To look to Christ is to Admit His Reality- (Heb. 11:6). Christ is not a myth, a religious symbol, or idea. He is the Lord from heaven- (John 1:14, 18). He is God manifest in the flesh!

B. To look to Christ is to Acknowledge that Salvation Can Come From and Through Him Alone- (Acts 4:12; I John 5:11-12).

• “It pleased God that in him should all fulness dwell!”
• “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners; even so, by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
• “Without the shedding of blood is no remission!”

1. There is a God to be reconciled- Only Christ could do it!
2. There is a Law to be honored- Only Christ could do it (Gal. 3:13).
3. There is Justice to be satisfied- Only Christ could do it (Rom. 3:22).
4. There is an Atonement to be made- Only Christ could make it (Rom. 5:11).

C. To look to Christ is to address myself to Him, to call upon him as a sinner in need of mercy (Rom. 10:9-13). “He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life!” Read through the Scriptures and note the experience of those who found mercy. They came to Him. The called upon Him. They were blessed of Him!

• Bartimaeus
• The Publican
• The Thief
• The Canaanite Woman
• Jairus
• The Leper
• The Centurion.

D. To look to Christ is to Abide in Him (I John 2:28).

To abide in him is to continue looking to him all the days of my life.

• “To whom coming.” ( I Peter 2:4)
• “If ye continue in the faith” (Col. 1:23).

(Hebrews 3: 6, 14; 10: 38; II Peter 2: 20, 21).

II. For What Part of Salvation Are We To Look To Christ?

Be sure you understand this- we must look to Christ for everything, from beginning to end. “Christ is All!” (I Cor. 1: 30).

The puritan, John Flavel made these five observations. They are worth remembering.

1. Everything God has for sinners is in Christ.
2. These blessings of grace are ours by a vital union with Christ.
3. That vital union with Christ is a union of faith.
4. Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
5. The Word of God is made effectual to our hearts by the Spirit of God.

Now, when the word of God is made effectual to our hearts, so that we look to Christ, we look to him for everything!

1. For Forgiveness (Col. 1:14).
2. For Righteousness (Rom. 5:19).
3. For Cleansing (I John 1:7).
4. For Strength (II Cor. 12:9).
5. For Sanctification (Heb. 10:10, 14).
6. For Keeping (Jude 24:25).
7. For Resurrection (I Thess. 4:13-18).

III. What Encouragement Do We Have To Look To Christ?

Maybe you are thinking, “Don, all that you have said is well and good; but I’m a guilty sinner, a man of flesh, a guilty sinner, deserving of God’s wrath. “Your soul cries,

“Depth of mercy, can there be,

Mercy still reserved for me?

Can my God His wrath forbear,

Me the chief of sinners spare?”

“And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior’s blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain,

For me’ who Him to death pursued!”

On what authority dares a sinner, fully deserving of God’s wrath, look to Christ?

A. On the Authority of His Word! (Isa. 45:22).

“Come now, let us reason together”- (Isa. 1:18).

“Come unto me, all ye that”- (Matt. 11:28).

“If any man thirst”- (John 7:37-38).

B. On the Authority of His Promises!

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out”- (John 6:37).

C. On the Authority of His Mission as the Christ of God!

“The Son of Man is come to seek and to save” (Lk. 19: 10).

“Call his name, Jesus”- (Matt. 1:21).

“To save sinners of whom I am chief” (I Tim. 1:15).

D. On the Authority of His Character!”

“A just God and a Savior!”

“God is love!”

“He delighteth in mercy!”

E. On the Authority of His Record.

To through the word, Never once was there a sinner who looked to Christ and was not saved!

• A Poor Leper!
• A Broken Woman!
• A Samaritan Harlot!
• A Woman of Reputation- Mary!
• A Proud Publican!
• Even a Persecuting Pharisee!
• Even Me!

IV. When Is The Best Time To Look To Christ?

There is only one answer to that question- Now! “Behold, today is the day of salvation; Now is the accepted time!”

1. The time of our need is Now!
2. This present time is ours!

• The Past is Gone!
• The Future is Uncertain!

3. Your time will soon be gone!

“It is appointed unto men once to die!”

“The time is short!”

4. The invitation is extended now!

God speaks to you now. Will you hear him? He may never speak to you again!

Application: Proverbs 1:23-24