And if God brings good out of "bad"...was it really bad at all? This sermon on Isaiah 11:1-10 was preached December 13th, 2020, at Illumine, Rock Hill

Today Pastors Nathan, Matt, & Josh dive in to the goodness that is Isaiah 40.

Is it okay to cry out, “God, do something!” Is it possible to lament too much? What should we actually lament, and is there anything we shouldn’t lament? Listen in on 3 pastors discussing these questions & more, in the context of Isaiah 64.

Having a debt is not something anyone wants. Having a debt you can't pay is worse. Being owned by someone else because you can't pay your debt is the worst of all.

But Jesus paid the debt we owe; in fact, he bought us. So now we belong to him, which is the best status we can have.

For that, a new & different sacrifice was necessary. A new replacement. And then one appeared.

But today, judgment itself is the fixer--it takes the bad and makes it good!

Sacrifice is defined: the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else seen as more important or worthy. The people of Israel, throughout most of the 1st half of the Bible, knew this concept most intimately. Daily they made sacrifices, in order to remedy their sins. Sure, they gave up animals, but it was worth it, to have good standing with God. But, these sacrifices could not ultimately take away sin.

For that, a new & different sacrifice was necessary. A new replacement. And then one appeared.

But today, judgment itself is the fixer--it takes the bad and makes it good!

Sorrow can cause despair.

Sorrow can cause us to lose hope.

Sorrow can cause us to say, "Who cares?"

Sorrow can cause us to try to forget about the sorrow -- and say that sorrow itself is a thing to be avoided.

But none of that is godly sorrow.

Tonight we live in good, godly sorrow.

A "Fixer" is someone who makes a situation right. Who takes something bad and makes it good. In our day and age, there's usually a violent, shady, or negative connotation involved with using or being a fixer. And we usually think of judgment with a violent, shady, or negative connotation.

But today, judgment itself is the fixer--it takes the bad and makes it good!

While you probably think of a courtroom and a black robe when you think of judgment, if you can transport your thinking to a county fair or the cooking channel, you might start thinking of someone sitting down to test and rate a dish - a judge of whether or not something is good, tasteful, and of a certain quality. God encourages this - not with food, but as you experience the world, different messages, and even God himself. God urges you to honestly "taste-test" things and determine whether they are good or bad.

The good news? This word is used just as powerfully to remind us that we are unconditionally loved by that judge as it is to show us we're condemned.

Are we using judgment the same way?

One of the most common words in the Hebrew Old Testament for judgment has to do with the law, judge-pronouncing-judgment, and courtroom - which is probably the most common way we talk about judgment today in English, too. The image of a "justice system" working to uphold the laws is powerful, and the idea of God as that kind of neutral, objective, cold/stern/righteous judge is a common idea.

The good news? This word is used just as powerfully to remind us that we are unconditionally loved by that judge as it is to show us we're condemned.

Are we using judgment the same way?

That is the question, isn't it? And an answer is: ";Don't judge." or "Don't judge me." or"Don't be judge-y." But if that's our answer, it is incomplete. Because the Bible says more. Today, we find out what comes after, "Don't judge."