Sermon #141 Series: Isaiah
Title: Blessed,
Free and Sovereign Grace!
Text: Isaiah
48:1-22
Subject: Grace Exemplified in the Deliverance of Israel From
Babylon
Date: Sunday
Evening- February 21, 1993
Introduction:
When I started to write out this message the thought occurred to me that
I have preached well over 2000 messages to this congregation. And some of you
have heard almost all of them! You have heard everything I knew! Yet, I am
delighted once more to stand before you in the name of the Triune God to preach
what I have determined to preach to you from the beginning. My text tonight is
Isaiah 48:1-22. The title of my message is Blessed, Free, and Sovereign
Grace! And, as Paul said to the
Philippians, I say to you, “ To declare the same things to you, to me indeed is
not grievous, but for you it is safe.”
The subject of this chapter is the
promised deliverance of Israel out of Babylon by the power of God. The
deliverer as you know, was to be Cyrus. But, as Isaiah penned these words, it
is clear that that the prophet has a far more glorious deliverance in his mind.
The deliverance of Israel out of Babylon was only a prefiguring of the far
greater deliverance of God’s elect from the thralldom of sin and satan by the
blood of Christ and the power of his grace.
Proposition:
This
whole chapter, indeed all the rest of Isaiah’s prophesy, is a prophetic,
symbolic picture of the blessed free and sovereign grace of God in Christ, by
which we are saved.
We will look at these verses in more
detail later; but tonight I want us to go through this chapter and take note of
seven things that are set before us in these twenty-two verses.
I.
First, in verses 1-8 the Lord God describes The People He Has Chosen To Save.
God’s description of Judah and Israel
was never very flattering, but here he tells us that these men and women were…
So in the opening words of this
chapter the Lord God teaches us two things that are most offensive to our proud
flesh.
A.
The grace of God is not only undeserved and unconditional, it is freely
bestowed upon sinful men and women who fully deserve his wrath!
Illus: Hosea and Gomer.
(See I Cor. 1:26-31; 6:9-11; I John
4:10-11; Rom. 5:6-8).
1.
We are sin, nothing but sin, fully deserving the wrath of God!
2.
But, where sin abounded grace did much more abound!
Again and again, God says, “I knew
you, I knew what you would be, what you would do.” Yet, his grace he did not withdraw! How I thank God for unconditional, immutable, indestructible
grace!
B.
Learn this two – The only difference between those who are saved and
those who are lost is the difference that grace has made! (I Cor. 4:7; 15:10).
Babylon did nothing that Israel did
not do. Israel was not one bit better
than Babylon. But God saved Israel and
destroyed Babylon in the process. Even
so, the only thing that distinguishes you who are saved from the multitudes who
are damned is the grace of God.
II.
Secondly, in verses 9-11 the Lord shows us The Cause of His Grace.
Here the Lord tells Israel two
reasons for his grace toward them.
A.
The Praise, Honor and Glory of His Name (vv. 9, 11).
Long before these men and women were
born God made a covenant on their behalf and attached the honor of his name to
the fulfillment of that covenant – That is why he saves us (Eph. 1:3-14).
B.
The Immutability of His Elective Purpose (v. 10).
“I have chosen thee!” He chose us to be refined, and chose to
refine us in the furnace of affliction, but he chose us! Therefore he is gracious to us.
III.
Thirdly, the Lord gives The Promise of A Savior (vv. 12-15).
I know that the text speaks of Cyrus;
but if you see no one greater than Cyrus in these verses you see nothing of
value to your soul in these verses.
A.
The Promise is made to God’s Called Ones – “My Called.”
B.
The Promise is made by the Eternal, Almighty God – (12-12).
C.
The Promise is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Cyrus was only a
Type- (vv. 14-15).
IV.
Fourthly, in verses 16-17 we are assured of the success of his work by a
description of The Character of Our Great God and Savior.
A. The Triune God is here- “The Lord God – His Spirit – Thy Redeemer!”
B. He is the God who has openly pledged himself, from the beginning, to save his people.
C. He is the Holy One of Israel.
D. He is our
Teacher – “which teacheth thee profitable things!” The Gospel!
V. Fifthly, the Lord tells us The Great Cost of Unbelief And Disobedience (vv. 18-19).
By their sin, unbelief, and disobedience Israel forfeited everything. So do you who hear, but refuses to obey the gospel.
· You might have had Peace!
· You might have had Righteousness!
· You might have been numbered among the Saved!
“Of all the sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these – ‘It might have been!’”
VI. Sixthly, here is The Call of God to All Who Will Hear His Voice (vv. 20-21).
· A Call for Separation – “Go ye forth!”
· A Call for Celebration – “With a Voice of Singing.”
· A Call for Confession – “Declare ye, tell this, utter it to the ends of earth, say ye.”
· A Call From A Faithful God – (v. 21). The Lord will provide all that his people need!
Illus: The Widow’s Barrel of Meal and Cruise of Oil!
VII. In verse 22, the Lord proclaims A Solemn Warning To The Wicked – “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”
· No Peace with God!
· No Peace in Life!
· No Peace in Death!
· No Peace in Judgment!
· No Peace in Eternity!
Application: II Corinthians 5: 18-21.