Today we are going to end a sermon series that we took a small hiatus from.
We're going to come back to it.
It does connect to our scripture reading but that's not where the bulk of our discussion
is going to be.
That's the starting point.
So if you would like to turn to Isaiah chapter 55, that's where we will be discussing today.
Before we begin though, let us say one more word of prayer.
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for the calling you have placed in our lives to take
up the banner, the work that Christ began that your apostles continued that has carried
through the centuries all the way to today.
Lord I pray that we would not languish in our understanding but rather we would continue
the work.
And so today I pray that as we open up your word you would bring it home.
I pray that you would impress it upon us so that we can have a deeper faith in you.
This is my prayer for we pray in Jesus name, amen, and amen.
There are unfortunately lots of well-known lies, myths, or fables that we are aware of.
If we understand that there is a spiritual conflict currently raging, sight unseen but
still present between a loving Heavenly Father and a nasty rascal of a devil whom the Bible
says is a liar and the father of lies, then we would expect to see in a sinful world untruths.
We would expect to hear things like from Big Tobacco a couple of years ago but repeated
even recently that nicotine is no more addictive than a Coca-Cola or a Twinkie.
And yes that is a quote, it's no more addictive than eating a Hostess Twinkie.
We would expect to see lies like read my lips, no new taxes.
Some of us maybe know what that is a reference to.
We would expect to see some things like the scandal of Watergate and what they tried to
cover up and hide and so on.
We would expect to hear I did not have relations with so and so when in reality you didn't.
We would expect to hear even from our little ones did you get into the food coloring or
the cookie jar when they've got crumbs around their mouths or blue dye all over their hands.
We would expect to see fibs and untruths.
In fact this is a time of year when as Americans we kind of think back on some of our American
heritage.
The story goes that a young George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and when his father
asked what happened here he said father I cannot tell a lie.
It was me and so on and his father hugged him and thanked him for his honesty.
Did you know that's probably made up?
I mean this is the world we live in y'all.
It's a made up story about a man being honest.
That just seems to be contradictory.
It seems that a biographer penned that after our first president had already passed away.
At that time it was tough to fact check things quite like we do today.
But our world is full of lies.
You can read nearly any news article printed today nearly any one of them and find something
misleading about it because the writer most the time is not purely objective.
They want you to come to a conclusion.
And so the article regardless of source they're looking to bring you to a conclusion.
So we have manipulation we have lies we have falsehoods and so on.
I don't want to dwell on that I want to talk about a statement a prominent historical figure
that is remembered for something he said that came true and he stuck to it and he carried
it out.
And I think we should focus on the good at times.
There's too much bad.
Let's focus on the good.
U.S. General Douglas MacArthur U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was the son of an American
Civil War hero and he served as the chief U.S. military adviser to the Philippines before
World War Two.
The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed Japan launched its invasion of the Philippines.
After struggling against great odds to save his now adopted home from Japanese conquest
MacArthur was forced to abandon the Philippine fortress of Corregidor under orders from President
Franklin Roosevelt.
This was in March of 1942.
Left behind on that peninsula were 90,000 American and Filipino troops who were lacking
food lacking supplies lacking support and they would soon succumb to the Japanese offensive.
After he left he and his family this is Douglas MacArthur traveled by boat several hundred
miles through rough seas Japanese Navy and so on.
During this journey he was informed that there were fewer allied troops in Australia that
he had hoped for.
He had hoped that some of our allies in nearby Australia would be able to quickly come to
the defense of the Filipino and American troops that he had sadly to leave behind.
But there were fewer allies than first thought.
Relief of his forces trapped in the Philippines would not be forthcoming.
Deeply disappointed he issued a statement to the press at that time in which he promised
his men and the people of the Philippines three simple direct powerful words.
I shall return.
That became Douglas MacArthur's motto from that point moving forward.
He never forgot the men and and the people and the lives that got left behind and he
never forgot that promise.
I shall return.
This was a time when when a man spoke a man of character a man of of stature a man of
importance when he said something he meant it and he would bend his energies to follow
through and Douglas MacArthur was that kind of man.
I shall return.
He repeated and repeated and repeated.
He campaigned for it.
He asked for it he leaned all that he could towards the promise of I shall return.
And in.
I want to make sure I get the year correct.
On October 20 1944.
A few years later a few hours after his troops landed MacArthur waded ashore onto the Philippine
island.
I'll probably say this incorrectly but the Philippine island of late late late that day
he made a radio broadcast in which he declared people of the Philippines.
I have returned.
That's an incredible story.
I was a man faulty though I'm sure he was said something and meant it and did all that
he could in his power to bring it to fruition.
If a man faulty and with obstacles that he had to overcome perhaps red tape that he had
to wade through all of the different campaigning for resources and arranging the troops and
all that goes into warfare all of that lined up in front of him.
He was able to accomplish the one promise.
Imagine then what the God of the universe can do when he says something.
If a man with his faults and his shortcomings can accomplish a promise can be true to his
word imagine what the creator and sustainer of all can do when he speaks a word.
We've read in Genesis one that when God says let there be whatever comes after is we've
read in the Gospels that when the Son of God says so and so rise breath enters back into
the body and the heart starts beating and whomever was named rose.
It has been thought that the reason why Jesus had to be so specific with the naming of the
person is if he kept it too general grades would just start popping all over the place.
People would just start answering the call of their Redeemer and just start rising up
all over the place.
We know that there was a greater resurrection at Christ's resurrection but when the word
of God comes forth something happens.
It doesn't just fall into nothingness or end up like you're talking to an inanimate object
and then nothing occurs.
If God were to talk to an inanimate object you would then be animated.
It would then do something the rocks would cry out and preach the gospel.
The Bible says if people didn't do it themselves the word of God the Bible tells us is powerful.
It's meaningful and when God speaks something happens.
We have been going through first John chapter four and now Isaiah fifty five the Samaritan
woman at the well and then now Isaiah fifty five the connection between them.
I believe is that what Jesus was experiencing and talking about and leading those Samaritan
village through and to is the culmination of what Isaiah is writing about in this section
of scripture.
If you read Isaiah leading up to fifty five you see a progression of God first talking
to Israel and then expanding it into all who would listen that that expanding out to all
the people to anyone who has an ear anyone who thirsts anyone who wants the salvation
I have to offer.
Come to me it might start with them but then it's going to everybody without restriction.
What we see with the lady in Samaria is a non Jew listening to the word of God and being
moved by it coming to repentance looking for Christ's compassion seeing what she was missing
and drinking deeply of that living water that he offers.
As we've gone through Isaiah fifty five we've we've touched on that and then we get down
to verses six and seven and we read seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him
while he is near but the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let
him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him and to our God for he will abundantly
pardon.
It is a beautiful call and a beautiful invitation that God extends to you and to me today no
matter what it is no matter how serious it might have been or currently is the invitation
is to return back to him and he will abundantly pardon.
He will abundantly forgive he will cleanse you of your way he will have compassion on
you.
You just need to return to him that invitation is there.
When we move on into verses eight and nine we see the reason why God can offer it and
that's because the disparity between you and God is real and it is necessary.
God is so far above us that we might not understand how a murderer like David and like Saul can
be forgiven and brought back into God's family a man after one's own heart and the 13th apostle
14th apostle the apostle to the Gentiles.
We don't understand how a thief hanging on the cross as guilty as guilty can be.
Christ can say today I promise you you will see me in paradise.
We don't understand how that works.
I don't understand how God's grace can take a drunkard a gossiper a thief a an abuser
I don't understand how the grace of God can take someone's character bent in that fashion
and soften it and remake it after the fashion of Christ.
I don't understand how that works in my shortcomings I look too many times at men and women and
I go seems like they've made their choice.
I think we do that too often but praise God he doesn't do that he is not limited in the
way that we are his thoughts are not our thoughts and then more importantly his ways are not
my ways.
He has the goods to back up the invitation in other words he has the means he has the
ability he has the way of understanding and he has a plan for you and I that we won't
be able to comprehend after studying it for millennia and I praise God for that.
I don't want to put the creator of the universe into a box that I can understand and then
say that's what he is.
He's far above us that's a reason why he can offer the invitation for forgiveness and
pardon and then today's focus verse 10 a secondary reasoning why he can give this invitation
for as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth
making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall
my word be that goes out from my mouth it shall not return to me empty but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
The second reason that God gives for here's the invitation and here's why you can trust
me as he says when I say something it happens.
When we have reason to believe this because the example that is given we can look outside
our windows and observe in nature the cyclical effect of what God has put in place knowing
that it has been and it will continue until Christ returns and every time we see the rainfall
and the steam go up and the clouds form and the rainfall again harvest time comes seeding
and planting season arrives as long as that continues to go on that is sure evidence that
God's word will come true will come to fruition.
The rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth
making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater.
When I before I changed careers and started a new answered the call to pastoral ministry
I was a landscaper I think most of you all know this where we lived in Lexington Kentucky
had a very consistent pattern for weather every year just about you could guarantee
ninety nine out of a hundred times it was going to behave in a certain way when you
were there long enough you knew that you would have winters where snow was somewhere between
six and fifteen inches every year some somewhere around there then the spring would come and
from March to April to May you could just have torrents of rain grass would grow so
high you couldn't cut it quick enough and people were calling saying I've got amber
waves of grain out here when will you come by you're staying busy bushes are exploding
flowers are blooming it's a beautiful beautiful time to actually be in the bluegrass region
of Kentucky is in the spring rain comes but also there's this weird meteorological phenomena
where every summer every summer like clockwork starting at about June July August something
happens in that part of the state where you could have a rain system coming in from the
west and it would hit Louisville Kentucky that's the Indiana Kentucky border it would
split part of it would go up into Ohio part of it would come down into Tennessee and it
would get into Eastern Kentucky and it would reform and off it would go very weird saw
it happen more times than I can count so with certainty everything would dry up every single
summer you could go weeks without rain the dirt would crack the leaves on the trees would
wilt there was one year in particular I think we went seven weeks uninterrupted without
rain I mean oak trees were starting to wilt up that's something but the Bible is saying
is that just like the weather patterns that we can see and we can observe and they are
consistent and they carry on life in this world so shall the word of God be so the word
of God like rain falls and comes and is present and comes out of his mouth and extends down
to us and it is there and it carries on but the most important part of this is that there
is a reason to why God speaks in verse 11 we have that because the rain doesn't just
fall just to make things wet snow doesn't just fall because the kids like to sled on
it rain falls our weather patterns happen for a purpose and that's so we can have fresh
water to drink animals can get what they need for nutrients and plants can grow we can have
a harvest we can eat I'm thankful we have the rain so we can eat we need it all so the
rain doesn't just come to make us wet but it has a purpose to it and so the second point
for today is that God's word has a purpose my word so shall my word be that goes out
from my mouth it shall not return to me empty it's not going to just go out and do nothing
like when he created and he said let it be it was like when Christ promised to the thief
we mentioned that is one man I'm sure we will see walking the streets of gold Christ said
it he'll be there I take him at his word but God is saying that his word accomplishes that
which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it in other words God doesn't
just say things just to hear himself make a sound if any of us that have had kids maybe
we can relate to sometimes they just make noise just to make noise at least mine do
maybe mine are the only ones maybe my toddlers or my six-year-old will just kind of be riding
in the car and randomly blurt out a noise because they they think it's too quiet and
they need to interrupt that with some sound God does not operate that way God speaks and
he means it it's got a purpose he desires it to do something
if we were to draw from recent events a parallel this past week we saw a horrendous event occur
in Uvalde Texas most of us are aware of this are we aware of the school shooting in Uvalde
Texas from what I understand it's the second worst school shooting in American history
every time there is one my memory goes back to my own hometown where we had our own school
shooting it happened just before Columbine so it was kind of overshadowed by what happened
at Columbine our hearts do go out for that community because I do remember firsthand
what it is like to have a school in your neighboring community have an event like that lost lives
and it's all over the news and families are immediately torn and then you know out of
the woodworks inside of 30 seconds people are looking for a political end while people
are still just streaming in tears as I've paid attention to what has happened to this
past week while I have my own opinions and a lot of people are quick to offer their own
opinions about what to do I believe that it is wiser to give some time and let things
settle down for a moment before we just start screaming about it it is a community hurting
these are families that in a moment had everything get turned on its head and I cannot comprehend
really what some of those people are going through in those days that have kind of followed
especially after we've learned additional details of what happened at that time far
too many people their hot take was to shout and scream and point fingers and these were
the words you can find them do something do something well nothing was added to the do
something it was just a screaming do something oh what's something oh you often didn't find
a lot of details we've got to do something we've been doing nothing do something do something
do something well I agree that perhaps something needs to be done but shouting do something
doesn't actually accomplish anything it is an empty phrase that means nothing except
to continue to drum up emotions and continue to drum up attacks on people or to to point
fingers and to lay blame and so on and perhaps there's time to wade through what do we do
but to simply shout do something it means nothing it really doesn't and so I would rather
when people I would rather when people suggest something or say something they have thought
out what they're about to say so they have something substantive to add to rather than
to say something to be saying something I believe that's a lesson we can learn from
God in this passage is when he talks there's a purpose to his words when I speak God is
saying it shall accomplish that which I purpose I believe our lesson that we can learn from
God's example is before we speak considers there a purpose behind it or like a toddler
are we just making noise so there's something going on we should be speaking with a purpose
now I am grateful that when God speaks the purpose that he intends you only look back
at the purpose that he intends is to let the wicked forsake his ways the unrighteous man
his thoughts so that the Lord may have compassion on him and so that God will abundantly pardon
that's the purpose of God's word in this passage God's word when he speaks it into your life
he means it and it will accomplish it you are forgiven as not an empty phrase when God
speaks it to you you are my son and daughter is not nothing when God lays that title on
your name when God says you are now a part of my family adopted and grafted into this
righteous stock it means something do we believe him do we believe God when he says you're
forgiven or do we say no God not yet I'm not forgiven yet hold on I need to ask a few more
times I need to do a few more things hold on when God says I can change your heart and
turn you into a new person do we argue with him and say no I'm pretty stuck in my ways
I'm 30 or 50 or 70 or whatever whatever age you may be and you say I've always been this
way this is how I'm going into the grave do we take God at his word when we read scripture
from Genesis to Revelation when we crack open the spine of the Bibles that sadly tend to
gather more dust than creases when we crack open the word of God and we read I will make
you a new creature in Christ's name do we believe it or do we argue against it when
God's word says that I have a plan and a purpose for you to bless you to uplift you to clothe
you in righteousness to install a new heart in you when I have these words for you do
you take me at my word do we believe him or do we find an excuse do we say these words
were penned for a different audience they don't mean it for me in the 21st century do
we say well when Paul wrote what he wrote in the epistles he was only thinking or God
was only inspiring him for first century Christians and not for people in the United States of
America in 2022 we can relegate those to the past or we can re figure them in a way that
matches what I think they know no no do we take God at his word because he has a purpose
for that inspiration he didn't inspire it expecting it to be nothing he inspired it
with a purpose and he intends for that purpose to be accomplished in fact God says that like
when the rain falls plants grow so shall my word be when it goes from my mouth it won't
come back empty I'm saying that I will have a people inevitably that will happen I'm saying
that I will create in you a clean heart will you let me it will happen when I say it I'm
saying all of these things the list could go on we could sit and write out the different
things that God has told us he will do in our lives and each one of those things will
happen God's word comes back not empty but accomplished successful I am grateful for
that I am thankful I praise God that when he speaks things happen because I know I need
it in my life do you do you do you need your reactions to things to be tempered a little
bit more like how Christ responds do we need to look at people the way that God looks at
people well God can do that for you do you need to know deep down without question and
with full assurance that whatever you've done in your past you are forgiven take God at
his word take God at his word it is as sure as the sun coming up in the east and setting
in the west and it is as sure as the rain falling and the sunflowers blooming it happens
and it will be successful the last couple of verses for Isaiah 55 speak of speak of
the blessings when when God's word enters your life and accomplishes that which he purposes
you will go out and joy you will be led forth in peace the mountains and the hills before
you shall break forth into singing all the trees of the field shall clap in their hands
in other words nature is going to rejoice with you and what the creator has done for
you and in you instead of the thorn shall come up the Cyprus instead of the briar shall
come up the myrtle are there issues in your life that are a little thorny and rough would
you like to see something living and beautiful take God at his word that's the end result
it shall make a name for the Lord and an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off I am so grateful
that when God speaks things happen and it comes to fruition because right now I look
for and I ask and I expect victory over sin in my life today today May of 2022 tomorrow
the next day I expect that because God has said I can I can hold him to his word but
additionally just like Douglas MacArthur said I shall return I have the word of my Savior
if I go and prepare a place for you I shall return and take you home to be with me that
is not yet realized but if Douglas MacArthur can do it for the Philippines surely Christ
can do it for you and for me if Douglas MacArthur faulty and imperfect and so on can walk back
onto that beach a couple of years later surely the creator of all will be true to his word
and one day split open that eastern sky to take us home if MacArthur can do it surely
God can do it because remember his ways are as much higher than ours as the heaven from
the earth take God at his word because God's word like rain will accomplish what he sends
it out to do let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you that your word is sure we thank
you that we have evidence all around us of its surety and so I pray that we remember
that in moments when we are tempted to doubt when our faith might be wavering or teetering
or tottering what I pray that we would rather grasp hold again when even if we don't feel
like it even if it doesn't look like it we know for a fact that your word is sure and
strong and will accomplish what you purpose Lord I pray that your purpose be realized
in our lives forgiveness recreation restoration a close walk with you Lord realize that for
us today as we pray in Jesus name Amen.