BEYOND THE DESIRE TO GIVE UP

Isaiah 40:28-31

In our journey through Isaiah, we'll continue to look at God's amazing prophetic encouragement to His people (Is. 40) as they would find themselves in the pain and questions of exile, certainly tempted to give up on living faithfully for Him. In the past two weeks, we've seen how God gave to them a picture of His unwavering love (vs. 1-11), sovereign power and infinite wisdom (vs. 12-28).

Today we'll see how God offered them (as He continues to offer us) strength to continue moving forward.

When we want to give up, God offers to give strength; the kind of strength that comes from waiting on Him.

What does it mean to wait on God?

We focus on the truth of God's love, power and wisdom as foundational. (vs. 11,28)

We surrender our timelines and outcomes to God's timeline and outcome. (Jer. 29:10-11)

We continue to follow as God leads, asking and trusting for needed strength. (Is. 33:2; Ps. 37:34)

How does God promise to provide strength?

The word strength has the connotation of having the "capacity to act."

Sometimes God gives strength to soar and following is easy. While this is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise, He offers foretastes of this fulfillment now (Is. 25:9).

Sometimes God gives strength to run and we have capacity to do what is before us. In these times, we need to remember to live dependently and continue to draw life from God so we don't grow weary (Is. 33:2; Phil. 4:12-13).

Sometimes God gives us strength to walk one step at a time knowing the needed strength will be provided (2 Cor. 12:9).

In our journey through Isaiah, we'll continue to look at God's amazing prophetic encouragement to His people as they would find themselves in the pain and questions of exile. Last week, we saw God's posture of love, inviting them (and us) to ultimate restoration.

Today, we'll see how verses 12-28 address God's absolute ability to fulfil His promises and His purposes. Where they (and we) could not see a way (v. 27), God would prove Himself absolutely capable of making a way.

When we bump into the limits of our understanding, God invites us to...

Look at Creation (12-14, 21-22, 26)

God's creation reveals unparalleled wisdom and power that brought this world into existence and faithfully sustains it day by day. Creation is thus a constant reminder of God's greatness.

Look at History (15-17, 23-24)

Nations have continually risen only to fall. Kingdoms in the height of their power make great claims, yet do not last. As we look at the fickleness of human power, we are reminded of God's infinite power. He is King, not only of one nation, but over all.

Look at the Futility of Idols (16-20)

By trying to regain control, humans create idols and they look to these creations for life and deliverance. We still do this by looking to things other than God for security and meaning, but our idols can't ultimately deliver.

Look in Trust to His Wisdom (27-28, 31)

On this first Sunday of the new year, we return to our journey through Isaiah. We'll move ahead to the latter section of the book that speaks to hope, beginning with today's passage that prophetically addresses those who would find themselves in exile, lamenting their failure and wondering if their guilt had placed them beyond the restoration of God. (Lam. 1:2; 5:20-22)

On this last Sunday of 2020, we will take time to look back on the past year and ahead to the new year, considering how God may be asking us to focus our attention as we move forward. A number of our pastoral staff will share a word or concept that God has impressed on their hearts as they enter 2021.

The Race Car:

https://i.redd.it/skkeozks22e31.jpg

Merry Christmas from McKernan Baptist Church

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we will return to Isaiah's prophecy about Christ's coming and focus on what it means to see Jesus as Prince of Peace. When we look at the state of the world and often the state of our own troubled souls, we can be left thinking that this peace is entirely elusive.

The kind of peace Christ's promised coming offers is represented in Hebrew using the word "Shalom," which has been defined as "the webbing together of God, humans and all creation in justice, fulfillment and delight." (C. Plantinga)

In Isaiah 9:3-5, we get a picture of what this peace will look like. While ultimate fulfillment will come at Christ's second coming, His first coming means the reality of peace has broken in now.

Isaiah 9:3

On this third Sunday of Advent, we will return to Isaiah's prophecy about Christ's coming and focus on a verse we typically overlook (Is. 9:3), which speaks to the joy that Christ's coming will ultimately make available. This joy is about an inner sense of "buoyancy" or soul satisfaction (Psalm 19:8, Prov. 15:30) that comes from God (Ps. 86:4, Neh. 8:10,12, Gal. 5:22).

On this second Sunday of Advent, we will look at how the prophesied name of Jesus, "Everlasting Father" (Is. 9:6), is a powerful declaration of God's love for us.

On this first Sunday of Advent, we will explore how Isaiah prophesied the coming of hope into a world that was in deep distress and hopelessness. We often look at this familiar prophecy, "For unto us a Child is born..." without seeing the darkness of its context.

Pastor Mike and the worship band lead us through a blue Christmas service. Just a heads-up, the volume will be much louder for the music, and quieter when Pastor Mike is speaking.