Sermon
# 186 Series: Isaiah
Title: A Gift, A Promise, and An
Exhortation
Text: Isaiah 55:4-6
Subject: The Gift, Promise, and
Exhortation of God’s Grace
Date:
Sunday Evening – July 31, 1994
Introduction:
Why
are we here? Why have you come to this
place of worship? What is the purpose
of our gathering in the house of God?
Surely, you have not come here merely to hear a man talk for an hour so
that you can go away and talk about his talk!
I hope not! This is a place of
urgent business, a place where something real and vital is to be done. I hope we have come here
tonight with the business of heaven in our hearts.
It is my prayer that some of you may this hour
receive from God the gifts of life, and faith, and salvation in Jesus Christ
the Lord. Oh, may God be pleased
tonight to do for you what you cannot and will not do for yourselves. May it please him this very hour to give you
his Son!
We ought to be earnest about
these things. Time is fleeing! Death is near! Eternity is at hand! Yet, some of you are not saved. You are hovering over hell, hanging by less
than a spider’s web, hanging by a breath over the pit of eternal ruin. Yet you trifle! I
have come here tonight to do what I can to press upon you the necessity of an
immediate decision. The title of my message is A Gift, A Promise, and An Exhortation you will find my text in
Isaiah 55:4-6.
Proposition: Because God has given his Son and promised to save a
people by him, he exhorts sinners to seek him and call upon him, that they
might be saved.
I. First, look at verse 4. Here is A Divine Gift.
The
gospel and all that it reveals and brings to sinners must be regarded as a
gift. Men rightly say, “There is
nothing freer than a gift.” And, truly,
there is nothing freer than the gift of God.
A. God the Father Has Given Us
His Son (John
3:16).
B. God the Son Agreed to Be Given
and Has Given Us Himself.
C. God the Holy Spirit Has Given
Christ to Every Believer In the New Birth.
D. The Lord Jesus Christ has,
according to our text, been given to us for three purposes.
1. To Be A Witness – (John 1:14, 18).
2. To Be A Leader – (John 13:15; I Pet. 2:22-25).
3. To be a Commander.
E. Now notice also the people to
whom Christ is given – “the people!”
II. Secondly, verse 5 reveals A Divine Promise.
There are some people spoken of in this text and spoken of throughout the word of God who shall be saved, who must be saved, because God Almighty purposed to save them.
Let
me direct your attention to four things in this fifth verse, with regard to
this divine promise.
A. First, The Father promises
that the Son shall call a people whom he does not know.
Certainly,
The Lord Jesus knows his people from eternity, with the special knowledge of
everlasting love. But before they are saved…
B. Secondly, it is promised that
nations who do not know Christ shall run unto him.
People who do not know anything about Christ and do not want to know anything about him suddenly hear of him and run unto him.
Note: When such people come to
Christ, they usually run!
C. Thirdly, take not of the fact
that this is asserted to be a matter of absolute certainty – “They Shall,” God says!
Someone
may say, “But does man not have a will?”
Yes, man has a will. But God
also has a will. And when the will of
man meets the will of God, the will of God always prevails!
D. Fourthly, that which secures
the salvation of these chosen ones is the glorified Christ – “For He hath glorified
thee!” The glorified
Christ is…
1. Our Assurance of Redemption (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 10:10-14).
III. Thirdly, verse 6 furnishes us with A Divine Exhortation.
Be
sure you do not miss the connection between verses 5 and 6. “Nations that knew thee not shall turn unto thee.”
That is the absolute, unconditional promise of God the Father to God the
Son as the covenant Surety of his people.
Then, the next verse says, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be
found.” That is a free, unlimited
exhortation to men. Three things are
clearly established by this verse.
A. First, there is no
inconsistency at all between the doctrine of God’s absolute sovereignty in
grace and the free offer of the gospel, the offer of salvation to all who will
believe.
1. Only God’s elect will be saved (Rom. 9:11-26).
B. Secondly, There is a time
when the Lord maybe found and that time is now, while he is near.
What a blessing! Some may think me hertical for saying so, but I do believe that in this matter of grace and salvation, “The tide must be taken at the flood.” “Jesus of Nazareth passed by.”
Reach out, and touch the Lord
As He passes by.
You’ll find He’s not to busy
To hear your heart’s cry.
He’s passing by this moment,
Your needs to supply,
Reach out and touch the Lord
As He goes by!
C. But, thirdly, there is a solemn warning in this verse,
for there is a time when the Lord may not be found!
You may find him while he is near. But when he is gone, he cannot be found!
· Proverbs 1:23-33
· Proverbs 29:1
Illus: Dixie – “My God, preacher, I can’t repent.”
Harold Martin’s Brother – “It’s too late for me. I’ve lived like hell. Now I’ll die like
Hell.
Application:
1. Here is the Gift of God to Sinful Men – (v. 4).
2. Here is God’s Promise to His Son, our Covenant Surety – (v. 5).
3. Here is the Exhortation of God’s Servant to you – (v. 6).