Wanting to focus on the gospel this year and wanting to spend more time in the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah seemed to be a perfect book to cover. Many interpreters in history have called Isaiah an evangelist, more than a prophet, because of how well the book describes Christ. Also, I've been wanting to know how to address the moral decline we are seeing around us. 

For this year, we'll be looking at sections of Isaiah together. 

In Isaiah 1, he first indicts Israel for her sin (1:1-9). She has become dull, diseased, and desolate because of it.   

Because of her sin, she has tried her own remedy: ritualistic religion (1:10-15). This aggravates God's wrath.

God humbly announces gospel, that he will draw close to them again if they wash themselves, stop doing evil, learning to do good, and seek to do justice (1:16-20). He calls his people to do some basic reasoning; option one is to choose repentance and get blessings; option two is to choose rebellion and be eaten by the sword. 

God wants repentance. 

Finally, God through Isaiah says, "here is where you are and here is where you are going." You are a whore, though you were once a beautiful bride. You are going to be taken captive soon because of your whoredom. 

In conclusion, Isaiah one is basically the gospel: your sin has ruined you and you cannot fix it yourself, but God will so graciously restore you if you only wash and return.

The Rich Young Ruler (1) knew facts about God, (2) believed God exists, (3) received physical blessings from God, having owned much property, and (4) was a moral person, having kept the commandments. 

Yet, he didn't know God. 

What is knowing God?

Continuing our series in 1 John, in 2:3-27 John tells us knowing God is obeying him (2:3-6), loving others (2:7-12), and abstaining from the world (2:15-17).

Obeying: John says, "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep his commandments" (2:3). Interestingly, knowing God is not a matter of the mind but more so a matter of the will. It is submitting to God.

Loving: John writes, "The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now" (2:9). Brotherly love is knowing God. This love is not a normal love but a love like Christ, loving people sacrificially who don't deserve it. 

Abstaining: John warns Christians to abstain from "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life" (2:16). All of these things, lust, and pride are inside of us. We must not think "the world out there" is my biggest concern. We have a danger within.

Knowing God is not about knowing facts or even being moral people, it is about obeying, loving, and abstaining. It is only until we obey, that we will know that we know God.

John writes his first letter (1 John) to a church who is experiencing many trials. People left the church (1 John 2:19) but they not only left the church but remained among the church to deceive the other members into false doctrine (1 John 2:26). The primary doctrine is that the Christ did not become flesh (1 John 5:9-10).

John's response is to, as an eyewitness, remind the church of the basics of Christianity and the certain we can have about Christ.

Today, too, the church is plagued today with many uncertainties due to the various doctrines held by our friends of other denominations. 

1 John is a book for us today. 

John asserts that Jesus Christ is real. John and the other apostles "saw," "heard," and "felt" him (1 John 1:1-4). Beyond Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, coming, John asserts that God is light, and in him is no darkness (1 John 1:5).

On the basis of Jesus's reality and perfection, John urges Christians to have fellowship with one another and forgiveness from God. If a Christian walks in the light, he has fellowship both with God and with others (1 John 1:6-7). Also, if a Christian sins, (s)he should admit it and confess it, being cleansed of "all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-2:2).

After someone changes drastically, it is hard not to ask, "what's happened?"

Such a question would arise if one were just to look at Ruth 1 and Ruth 4. Ruth went from being a widow, childless, and destitute to married, with heir, and having an abundance of blessings.

What Happened?

First, Ruth committed herself to Naomi. When Orpah and others didn't stick with her, Ruth did. She did what was right when others didn't.

Second, Ruth changed from being a Moabite to being a virtuous woman. Rather than being a Moabitess, and prostituting herself with Boaz, she met him and boldly asked him in marriage.

Third, Boaz kept the character of the law and not just its literal meaning. While the closest relative didn't want to harm his own heirs and finances, Boaz redeemed Ruth and her mother-in-law; this is the gospel.

Fourth, being married to and blessed by Boaz, it was God who caused this beautiful fate. As the text says, "the Lord enabled" Ruth to conceive and bear a son.

While we find ourselves in difficult, tragic circumstances in lift, we must not think our virtue and others' grace is all we need. We need God. We need Gospel

Nostalgia is a strong force. Marketers capitalize on it, producing retro-branded products. Often times, we long to go backwards yet this is not the Christian worldview. 

John's Revelation is a helpful, corrective book that addresses this topic. We need to go forward. Toward the city. 

John is living as an exile at Patmos, living as a foreigner. Surely he is missing the good ole days, smelling the pagan sacrifice and remembering Jerusalem. 

God reveals an encouraging but corrective message: Jerusalem is actually a harlot who killed the Lord, prophets, and other messengers (11:8). Do not put your hope in the past Jerusalem, because it is not a lasting city, but put your hope in the new Jerusalem, where everything sad will come untrue (21:1-5). 

The points to the message are three:

1. Beware of Nostalgia

2. Beware of Patriotism

3. Look Forward to the New Jerusalem

Does our nature determine our destiny? Some think that, if you just look at the parents, you will be able to determine a child's outcome. This is a scary suggestion. 

What about the children from broken homes? 

Even beyond nature, does our second nature determine our destiny. By "second nature," I mean those habits we've developed. If we are sinners, can we stop sinning? 

The essential question is this: can we become someone different from the person we are currently?

The story of Ruth answers this question with a 'yes'. 

In Ruth 3, Ruth cleans herself up, puts on her best clothes, and seeks out Boaz. While Naomi might have sent her out to seduce Boaz, Ruth shows herself to be a woman of integrity, asking for a formal and legal redemption. What is key is that she no doesn't call herself a "Moabitess" but a "maid." This is her transformation. 

Ruth, though naturally a Moabite, is not Moabit-ish. 

For application, we must realize that no matter our nature or second nature, we can change. We too need to wash ourselves, put on Christ, and, having become beautiful, seek out our Redeemer.