Sermon
# 216 Series: Isaiah
Title:
A RESOLUTION WITH A REASON
Text: Isaiah 61:10
Subject: Reasons for Rejoicing In The
Lord
Date: Sunday Evening – July 9, 1995
Tape
# R-55
Introduction:
Resolutions usually carry no weight. Most people make resolutions and forget them as quickly and thoughtlessly as they made them. But in our text tonight we see the prophet of God making a determined resolution – “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God.” That is his resolution. Then he gives us the reasons for this resolution. – “For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with Jewels.”
The
title of my message tonight is A Resolution With A
Reason. I pray that before you leave
here tonight you will all be compelled by grace to make this resolution and
enabled by grace to abide by it.
Proposition: Grace experienced in the soul inspires joy in the
Lord God.
I
will have just two points to my message.
First, I will talk about The Resolution Isaiah made; and then I want
to show you The Reasons for his resolution.
I. The Resolution – “I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God.”
I
know that we all experience sadness, sorrow, despondency, and ever despair from
time to time. As long as we live in
this world of sorrow, in this body of sin, that will be the case. “Man that is born of woman is of few days,
and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). If our few days in this world are full of
trouble, they must, of necessity, be mingled with sorrow too. But, having said that, I am convinced that
it is altogether inconsistent with and contrary to our professed faith is God for
believers to be despairing, melancholy, downcast people.
… Sins are Forgiven?
… God
Rules the Universe?
…
Advocate Reigns on High?
…
Entrance Into and Possession of Glory is Sure?
It
was in the light of these things that Isaiah resolved to rejoice in the Lord
and be joyful in his God.
A. This is a thoughtful,
deliberate resolution.
The
rejoicing Isaiah is talking about is not a superficial, giddy, pretense of joy,
but real joy in his soul. Laughter is a
reflection of joy. But laughter is not
joy. Joy is something inside you. It is a gift of grace arising
from a –
1. Confident Faith in God – (Phil. 1:25).
· His Being.
* The Father’s Love.
* The Spirit’s Comfort.
* The Son’s Atonement and Righteousness
· His Goodness. (Ps. 29:12).
· His Wisdom.
· His Power.
· His Providence – “All things are of God.”
2. Gratitude for Grace and Mercy in Christ. ( I Cor. 6:9-11).
1. Election
2. Redemption.
3. Calling.
4. Preservation.
3. Contentment with God’s Providence – (Phil. 4:12).
4. Blessed Hope Regarding Eternity – (II Tim. 1:12; 4:6-8).
B. The source and cause of the joy is God
himself, not my circumstances and experiences.
1. Joy in material things is a delusion.
2. Joy in other people must be limited.
3. Joy n myself is both folly and fiction,
4. Joy in the work of God in my soul is fluctuating – It is sometimes questionable whether God has done a work in my soul!
5. But God is Immutable! I will rejoice in him!
Be gone all fears. Jehovah is my God. Be gone all earthly cares. He careth for me. Be gone all thoughts of sin. God has cast my sin behind his back, into the deep, deep sea of deliberate forgetfulness. Be gone all fear of the future. My times are in his hands. Be gone all family concern. My family belongs to my God. Be gone all murmuring thoughts and complaining words. My God, “Thy will be done!”
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God.”
· At All Times!
· In All Circumstances!
· With My Whole Being!
That is the resolution. Now let me try to persuade you to make this resolution yours by showing you.
II. The Reasons – “For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bide adorneth herself with jewels.”
The reasons Isaiah gives for his resolution of Joy are all drawn from what the Lord God had done for him. Let’s look at them one at a time.
A. “He hath clothed me.”
I did not, cloth myself, and I did not assist in clothing myself. My soul was naked before the all-seeing eye of God. Like Adam, I tried to hide. But God sought me out, found me, and stripped away my fig leaves! When I stood utterly naked before him, with all my sin exposed, and not a shred of a rag to cover myself, then I learned the meaning of Isaiah’s words – “He hath clothed me!”
B. “He hath clothed me with the garments of
salvation.”
If you are a child of God tonight, if you have been born
of God, if God has given you faith in his dear Son, you now stand before him
clothed, from head to foot, with the garments of salvation. Wondrous
dress this is!
· Ephesians 6:14-17
1. The girdle of truth to uphold you.
2. The breastplate of righteousness to protect you.
3. The gospel of peace as shoes for your feet to protect your feet as you walk through this world.
4. The shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the devil.
5. The helmet of salvation to keep your head erect and your life preserved.
6. The sword of the Spirit to defence.
7. The crown of lovingkindness to enable and comfort you (Ps. 103:1-4).
C. “He hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness.”
Notice, there is only one robe of righteousness – “The Robe of Righteousness” is Christ’s imputed righteousness.
· Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16
· II Corinthians 5:21
What a glorious covering Christ’s righteousness is! The word “covered” has in it the idea of atonement. As the blood on the mercy seat covered the sins of the people in the Old Testament, so the righteousness of Christ so completely drapes and covers us that when God looks down from heaven upon his people, he sees us only in Christ.
D. He has covered me, “as a bridegroom decketh
himself with ornaments.
1. Notice that the maximal translation makes this the docking of a priest – So it is that Christ has arrayed every believer with the priestly linen garments of complete acceptance before the Lord. (Ex. 28:36-38).
· “A royal priesthood!”
· Priests must never shave the corners of thin beards as those in mourning.
· Priests are God’s servants.
· Priests do business in the holy place.
· Priests offer God’s Sacrifice.
2. But we must not neglect the fact that this
clothing of grace, which the Lord God has put upon us, is the wedding garment
of salvation, which includes all the beautifying ornaments of grace.
· Ezekiel 16:6-14
“As a bride adorneth herself with jewels.” So the Lord God has so adorned us with his grace in Christ that we have become attractive to God himself! Yes, God himself rejoices over us with singing and takes pleasure in his people.
Application:
1. In the light of these things, why shouldn’t I rejoice?
· What is some petty trial or sorrow of time compared to this?
2. You cannot make yourself fit for heaven – But God can!
Illus: A Man Drowning – Rescuer waits until his strength is gone.