Amen. Okay. We're in Isaiah chapter 57 this evening. And if I were to title this chapter or to title it, No Rest for the Wicked, No Rest for the Wicked.
And of course, the latter end, the last verse of the chapter specifically says that.
And what I find interesting of this particular chapter is they really contrast the peace that God's people experience with the peace that the wicked do not have and they do not possess.
And so we're going to look over that this evening. The first thing we're going to look at is Judas adultery.
Look at verse number one here. He says the righteous perisheth and no man lay it to heart and merciful men are taken away.
None considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
He referring to the righteous shall enter into peace.
They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
And what this is referring to here in the first verse is the fact that righteous men, when the Bible talks about righteous,
obviously we could think of someone who is upright, someone who is morally correct, someone who is morally upright,
but it's really just referring to saved people.
And it's saying here that saved people die, they perish, you know, and really no man will lay it to heart,
meaning that, you know, saved people die every single day, but no one really cares about that.
They don't really esteem the death of the righteous.
And it even says that the merciful men are taken away,
none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Meaning that, you know, when righteous people die,
no one really thinks about the fact that it's God who's allowing them to die
to keep them from the evil that they will experience in this world.
And a lot of the evil that he's referring to there, specifically,
is the wrath that God's going to pour upon Judah.
Essentially showing us that, you know, when a righteous person dies,
when a righteous person is taken away, you know, the evil can mock that.
The evil can make fun of it.
The evil can scorn at it.
But they don't really realize that God is essentially removing them
to flee from the wrath to come, essentially saying, right?
And the way we could compare this is in the end times, for example,
when the tribulation takes place, the Bible tells us that believers will be here
throughout that tribulation, but they will not be appointed unto wrath.
They're removed before the wrath of God is poured out upon this world.
And it specifically says in verse number two, that the righteous shall enter into
peace, that they shall rest in their beds.
And let me just say this is that the righteous experience a peace that other
people in this world do will not ever experience if they don't get saved.
Right. We experience a peace beyond what people can experience in this world.
And in fact, the Bible specifically says in Romans, Chapter five, you know,
the turn there in verse number one, therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says,
meaning that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
we actually become reconciled unto God.
We have a peace with God.
Everyone in this world is at enmity with God if they're not saved.
You know, God is their judge.
God is their God.
But he's not the God of salvation as of yet until they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And essentially, they're at enmity with God.
But it's not until they decide to place their faith in Jesus Christ
that they can be reconciled back to God.
They could have peace with God.
And so people in this world can brag about all the peace that they have by going on this vacation,
by going to this specific geographical location because they have tranquility in their lives.
But quite frankly, they can have all of that.
But if they don't have peace with God, they don't really have peace.
If they're not reconciled to their maker, they don't experience true peace.
And this is one of the reasons why our church is so ardent about evangelizing, right?
About soul winning, about going out there and preaching the gospel individually,
not just the pastor, but the members of our church.
Why? Because the Bible specifically tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 5
that we are to be participants of the ministry of reconciliation.
We take the word of reconciliation, and we go to the laws,
and we tell them how they can be saved through Jesus Christ.
What are we doing? We're trying to reconcile.
We're trying to be peacemakers, trying to reconcile the laws back to God,
back to their Maker so they can be saved through Jesus Christ.
It says in verse 2 in Romans chapter 5, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace,
wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
You know, there's people in this world that are not saved, they're not Christians,
and they believe they have peace.
You know, they can put on social media, they can make posts and say,
"Oh man, I got so much peace in my life, and I'm just enjoying life, and life is great."
But quite frankly, if they die, there is no peace to the wicked, sayeth the Lord.
You know, and the Bible tells us that true peace comes from, first and foremost,
being reconciled to God, getting saved, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I think all of us can attest to the fact that at one point in our lives,
we had a void, right?
There's some sort of void, there's a longing to know about salvation,
about heaven, about that which is eternal,
and it wasn't truly filled until someone brought us the Gospel,
until someone clearly explained that reconciliation until we got saved,
and then it's just kind of, now we're sort of satiated, right?
We don't wonder, we don't doubt about salvation,
we don't have to think, "Man, am I really saved?
Have I done enough? Have I repented enough of my sin?"
No, it's just by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Now we experience peace.
Now we know for a fact, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we're saved.
But let me tell you something, there's people out in this world that don't know that,
and I'm talking about so-called Christians who go about their days,
they go to church, they read the Bible, they believe they're serving God,
but they still have this itching doubt in their soul whether they're really saved or not.
You know, I'm thankful that, you know, 18 plus years ago or whatever,
that I placed my faith in Jesus Christ, I got that settled,
and the Bible tells us, "These things have been written unto you
that believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God."
You know, salvation is not something you should doubt.
Salvation is not something you should be battling with.
Salvation is not something that you should wonder about.
You know, the Bible clearly says that we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we're saved,
and we can have that peace with God.
But you know, even after salvation though,
Christians can struggle with not having peace.
Even though they're reconciled to God,
you know, they can be covered about so many problems and worries and care.
You know, the Bible says that the deceitfulness of riches can choke the word,
and you can become unfruitful.
You can be filled with anxiety and care and worry,
and all types of things that cumbers the mind and cause you to be anxious, right?
And the Bible tells us, should I say the Bible commands us,
in Philippians chapter 4, "Be careful for nothing."
What does that mean? Does it mean be reckless?
You know, like, "Don't be careful, just run the red lights, you know, you're good."
"Don't wear a seatbelt, just be careful."
No, when it says be careful, it means don't be full of care, okay?
Don't be a person that is full of care,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving,
Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God the passeth understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord
So obviously the Bible is not teaching us that as soon as salvation comes into our lives soon as we get saved
That we're just always gonna be tranquil always gonna have peace. We're gonna have peace with God eternally
But we will experience instances in our lives where we're worried where we go through trial and tribulation where we doubt or we wonder
What's gonna happen with my finances with my health with my family with my friends?
You know what's gonna happen in this world and obviously the world in which we live at this moment doesn't help with that
You know you having social media doesn't help with that
You know that podcast you're listening to doesn't help with that going on Facebook and Instagram and just you know
Constantly showing you how the world is gonna end and all the wars and rumors of wars and everything that's gonna happen doesn't help
Causes us to be overly anxious. And so what does the Bible tell us?
Well, what we need to do when we're feeling anxious when we're full of care when we're worried about how we're gonna make ends meet
We're supposed to pray have supplication but include Thanksgiving
Meaning that we thank God for what we have and we ask him for more
We say Lord, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen, but I'm gonna rely upon you
I'm gonna pray that you provide for my needs. I'm gonna pray that you protect me
I'm gonna pray that you show yourself strong on my behalf and the Bible says that God will send forth his peace
And I want you to notice this specific part that passeth understanding
Now why does he call it the peace that passeth understanding? Because we don't really understand where it comes from because it's not a piece that
Stems from a change in our circumstances. You know what I mean? It's not like oh man my bills are paid for oh now
I'm good to go. It's more like no the bills still haven't been paid for I'm still going through this trial
I'm still going through this tribulation. I'm still experienced affliction and hardships, but you know I feel like I'm pretty cool about it though
I feel like I have a peace in my heart
That all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose
And it's a piece that passeth
Understanding where God keeps your heart meaning he guards it through Jesus Christ our Lord
And we see this verse also in Isaiah where it says thou will keep him in perfect peace
Listen to this whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusted in thee
So it's essentially saying that the peace that this
Supernatural superior peace of God can only be accessed when we think upon the Lord and when we trust in him, right?
It's not based upon the change in circumstances. It's not based upon your situation
It's based upon you making sure that you meditate upon the Lord and his promises
You keep your mind on Christ and the Bible says he'll give you that peace that passed with understanding and you know
I'm looking at a congregation people that I guarantee you
Someone in this congregation has been through something like that and they've experienced the peace of God and they can tell you you know
What my situation has not changed, but you know what? I'm still serving God
I can rest my my head on my pillow tonight and sleep like a baby and I can keep serving God
I have joy in my life and I just don't know how I have this peace
Well, it's called the peace that passeth understand and it's access by praying by asking God to help us through this
So we obviously see that the righteous has a superior peace to those in this world
Jesus said peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you, right?
He's saying that there's a peace that God offers but the world also offers a certain peace too, right?
The Bible says that the world gives a peace and that peace is often based upon how much money you have
How many possessions you obtain the change in your circumstances your situation?
Whereas the peace of God is a far superior peace that comes through prayer keeping our minds on Christ
This is the peace that we want
I'd rather be broke and have peace amen than to have riches and just be filled with care and worry and
You know have having all these things that can choke the Word of God the lust of other things entering in
Be entangled with the affairs of this life and just be miserable. So we have peace through
Salvation we have the peace of God throughout our lives as we pray unto the Lord
But you know even then we also have peace when we die, right?
You know, we don't have to worry about the tribulations and afflictions of this world
Just continuing on and on and on and you know
A lot of people in this world are afraid of death. They fear death and I'm not afraid of death
I just I just kind of worry about the transportation aspect of it. Like how will it happen?
You know me like I mean, I know I'm gonna go to heaven. I know my soul's I'm already saved
It's just it like how am I gonna get there though?
Like, you know, that's what you kind of worry about and we all want to go out like King David just on our beds
You know
old
Surrounded by all our children and grandchildren making a hit list. That's how King David went out. He's about to go home
To be with the Lord fought all these wars and you know
He was a bloody man and yet he's like surrounded by his kids and he's just like he's like come here son
Kill these last three guys before before I go though
Okay, it's like his last request and then he goes home to be with the Lord and then he's just remembered as being a man
After God's own heart, we all want to go out that way
But you know, we don't really know how we're gonna go out
All right, but at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter because of the fact that to be absent from the bodies to be
Present with the Lord about says okay
And so shall we ever be with the Lord and so this what?
Isaiah 57 is telling us is that we're gonna make we're gonna rest in our beds meaning that we're gonna rest in heaven
We're gonna be with the Lord and there will be a time where you know
We no longer have to labor work and worry about the things of this world. We will experience a rest
Eternally now, let me also mention. This is that when you die your soul does go straight to heaven if you're saved
There's no soul sleep in the Bible. Okay, and when the Bible talks about a believer
Sleeping is just another way of saying that you're dead because the body the corpse looks like it's sleeping
But the Bible specifically teaches that that soul goes into the presence of God there eternally and we have examples of this in the Bible
Luke chapter 16
Lazarus when he dies is carried by the angels into the presence of God into the bosom of Abraham
We see in Job chapter 1 the sons of God coming before the presence of God
We know that Elijah was taken up by a chariot in the whirlwind. We see the Enoch is translated
Also, he's raptured that he should not see death
And so obviously we know that as soon as a person dies
They are immediately transported into the presence of God and here's here's the last example. How about Saul?
you know when Saul dies before he died should I say he meets the spirit of
Samuel and Samuel tells him this tomorrow down my son shall be with me. Well, if soul sleep was a thing, you know
Saul should ask him. Hey, what do you mean with our girl? I'm gonna be sleeping or what but obviously Samuel's in heaven
So therefore Saul was gonna meet with him in heaven as well. Look at verse number three go back to Isaiah 57
So he gives this great promise about the righteous and he's saying, you know, no man lay it to heart
Nobody cares when the righteous dies. Nobody cares when the righteous perish and you know what? That's a fact
You know, the world only carries when wicked people die. They don't really care when the righteous die. Okay
You know what?
Let me just say this because you're in a fundamental Baptist Church today
And so you came to church tonight, you know, the Pope was not a righteous person
The Pope was a false prophet who led billions of people to hell
he was a part of the most wicked organization and
Institution that this world has ever known and you know what? He didn't wake up in the presence of God
He went into the lowest hell. He lifted up his eyes in hell being in torment
You know what that message needs to go to every single Catholic to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and not place their faith in an
Institution like the Roman Catholic Church to be saved
But you know what people are mourning over the death of the Pope, but I guarantee you
Millions of righteous people actually died. No one cares about them
But you know what the Bible says precious is the death of a saint in the sight of the Lord
You know when a when a saint when the actual saint
Someone who is actually saved dies, you know, the Lord cares for that person
He rejoices over the fact that they're coming home. They're going to the presence of God now when the Pope God doesn't care about the Pope dying
Let me just remind you of that. So look at verse number three here
He goes on to so, you know, he starts off the chapter really nice and he's like talking about, you know
How how you know the righteous are gonna be resting in their beds and they're gonna experience peace and then the rest of the chapter is
Just about the adultery of the nation. Okay, and this is quite frankly
Why a lot of churches just stay away from the major and minor prophets because there's so much crazy preaching in here
That preaches against sin and this is one of a look at verse number three
But draw near hither ye sons of the sorceress the seed of the adulterer and the whore
Against whom do you sport yourselves against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression a seed of falsehood? So he is
addressing
Judah's wicked leadership and really quite frankly just the wicked inhabitants of Judah and he's saying here that they are sons of sorceress
They're the seed of adulterers and whores and then he says in verse 4 against whom do you sport yourselves? What does that mean?
Well, when he says sport yourselves, he's referring to mockery
You know because these people who are the sons of the sorcerers the sons of the adulterers and whores they're mocking the righteous
They're making sport of the righteous, right? This is very common where the wicked and the unrighteous will mock the righteous
Right, they're making sport of them. He says against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue. What does that mean?
They're just like
Wide mouths are laughing at them
They're mocking them and look if you've been a Christian for any length of time you've experienced mockery from the righteous
Now maybe not to this extent, but you know what you probably had family who mocked you
You've had just complete strangers mock you you've had people online mock you
You've had people open their mouth wide and stick out their tongue and laugh at you and mock you for believing the Bible
This is common, right?
But he tells them are you not children of transgression and seed of falsehood and look this should come as no surprise to us
That we will be mocked as Christians
I mean the Bible specifically says that there will be
Mockers in the last time who shall walk after their own lust people who mock but just be reminded of this
You know be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also
Rape my friends, you know people like to blaspheme God
They like to revile God
Mock him on social media and say all types of blasphemous things about him. Just make fun of him
I mean, there's an in there's there are entire accounts on social media dedicated atheistic accounts
dedicated to mocking God
Mocking Christians, you know, they upload those and they're mocking them and they're putting their comments and making their memes about God
but you know what God is not mocked and
The Bible tells us in Romans chapter 2 that they're treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath
You know
The Bible tells us that everyone shall give an account for every idle word by thy words
Thou shall be justified and by thy words thou shall be condemned
You know at the judgment at the white throne judgment
A lot of these people are gonna have to give an account for those things and obviously, you know
It's not gonna help them much but this is showing us that we live in a world that mocks Christianity that mocks Christians
They make sport of us they make wide the mouth and draw out the tongue
Look what it goes on to say in verse number five
He says inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree slain the children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks now
This is pretty graphic here, but he's essentially saying that those of Judah are essentially committing spiritual adultery
By practicing idolatry in the most severe and abominable way
Why because it says that they're inflaming themselves meaning they're making themselves hot
Using this adulterous type of language here. They're making themselves hot by committing idolatry
And how are they doing this by?
Infanticide they're slaying their children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks
And what this is possibly referring to is the fact that they're worshiping Moloch
Moloch was a false god of the Canaanites that the Israelites were influenced to worship and what they would often do historically
they would say that they would make this great image of Moloch and they would heat up that image that was made of brass or iron and
often Moloch would have his hands out just like this and they would take their children and place it on the hands of Moloch and
Obviously they would kill children in that manner super wicked super abominable
This is the religion of the Canaanites, right and it says here that they're inflaming themselves in this matter meaning that they are
They're just kind of lusting after these types of practices my friends extremely wicked and vile
You know, they are rejoicing in this. Let me reach you from Psalm 64
This reminds me of this in verse number five or let me reach you from verse four
It says they that may shoot in secret at the perfect suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not
They encourage themselves in an evil matter the Bible says the commune of lane snares privily
They say who shall see them and really what this is doing is giving us a glimpse of how evil and wicked this world can be
There's people out there that you know, sometimes we think oh, you know people are just lost and maybe they believe in God
They just don't they're not say they don't believe in the Bible and that's absolutely true
But there's also people out there that actually hate the Lord Jesus Christ. There's reprobates out there
They'd hate the Bible that hate God. They hate the sanctity of life. They hate anything that's righteous and moral and
Nothing is new under the Sun
We see that even in Isaiah's day
People of God who are supposed to be the people of God are so influenced by the idolatry of the Canaanites that they're willing to participate
In infanticide and kill their own children look at verse 6
It says among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion
They they are thy law even to them has thou poured a drink offering thou has offered a meat offering
Should I receive comfort in these and he's basically saying you know things that you would typically
Attribute to God these meat offerings and drink offerings
You're kind of turning around and offering that to your false God making a mockery of God's religion verse 7 upon a lofty and high
Mountain has thou set thy bed even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice
behind the doors also and the post has thou set up thy remembrance for thou has discovered thyself to another
Than me and are gone up thou has enlarged thy bed and made thee a covenant with them
Thou lovest their bed with thou sawest it now notice
What is the common denominator in these verses the bed?
Okay, and obviously we don't want to get graphic here because we're in the house of God
But obviously the Lord is communicating here that those of Judah are committing spiritual whoredom
They're committing adultery, you know with essentially other idols and he's basically saying there
You know instead of putting the Word of God on the post of your doors
You're putting the remembrance of these idols on your posts, you know instead of putting King James verses on the on the walls
You're putting movie stars and Hollywood stars and all types of nonsense on there and he's saying that they're discovering themselves to another
So obviously he's likening the children of Judah as a woman who is essentially
Exposing her nakedness to someone who's not her husband wicked now
How do we apply this to the New Testament because you know as as New Testament Christians idols isn't something that we actually struggle with, right?
I mean literal idols, you know as far as I know
Idolatry is still sin and it's still abomination in the eyes of God
And if you have an idol of Buddha of you know some false gods you need to burn it and trash it and destroy it according to the Word of God
But quite frankly most Christians don't struggle with these these things obviously
We know that covetousness is another form of idolatry according to Colossians chapter 3
But you know what that still doesn't mean that if you are
Someone as a Christian who befriends the world for example who loves the world the Bible in the New Testament views that a spiritual adultery as well
You know the Bible tells us love not the world
neither the things that are in the world if any man loved the world the love of the Father's not in him and
James chapter 4 verse number 4 tells us this ye adulterers and adulteresses
Knowing that that friendship of the world is enmity with God who server therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of
God so that's some pretty strong language there essentially showing us that if you esteem the
Philosophies the things of this world what the world has to promote the Bible views that God views that as you committing adultery on him
You so how do you know well?
He says you adulterers and adulteresses and he likens that to being a friend of the world
Why because we're not of this world and you know what what is it?
What is the most cringiest thing to view as a Christian is someone who claims to be a Christian?
Someone who calls themselves a Christian who esteems the philosophies of this world over the word of God
You know you meet people online or whatever and we talk about certain maybe a social issue
And you give what the Bible says about it, and they're like well
You know that doesn't really matter. This is what I feel we should do. I feel x y and z and it's just like well
Who cares what you feel? What does the Bible say? It sounds to me like you made yourself a friend of the world
And you know what we shouldn't get our philosophies and beliefs and principles from podcasts from you know these
these internet influencers that don't know what the word of God says
From people who claim to believe the Bible, but they don't quote the Bible. I always forget the guy's name. What's the guy's name?
What's the guy's name? What's the guy's name the guy who says a lot without saying a lot Jordan Peterson?
I see you guys know what I'm talking about. All I have to say is that Jordan Peterson is one of them
Hey, Joe Rogan, you shouldn't be getting your information from Joe Rogan
Why because that's becoming a friend of the world Joe Rogan doesn't have biblical principles. He doesn't believe in God
Yeah, but he says some good stuff. I guarantee you whatever good stuff
He says is already found in the Bible, you know
and it's interesting when people look to these unsaved people who don't believe the Bible who make a mockery of the Bible and
It's just like well we listen to because they say good things
Well, can't you get the same good things from the Bible itself though?
Why don't you just go to the source just go to the Bible itself, but I'll tell you what it is
It's it's wanting to be a friend of the world. That's what it is. Yeah, but they promote
You know some biblical things. Let me tell you another source that promotes biblical things the Bible Bible preaching promotes biblical things
But you know what the problem is with Christians
They like to be like the Israelites of the Old Testament that want to be like all the other nations
Give us a king so we can be like all the other nations folks at the end of the day
We need to make sure that in the New Testament. We're not committing spiritual adultery by you know
making by making sure that we keep ourselves from
deceitfulness the
Philosophies of this world that seek to spoil you that are trying to spoil you not after the rudiments of Christ the foundations of what?
The Word of God teaches we need to make sure that we steer clear from fellowshipping with that which is
ungodly unrighteous with principles that are not founded in the Word of God and look that goes for preaching too because obviously we know as Christians
We just stay away from people who are not Christians trying to teach us things about Christianity, right?
That's obvious or just principles in general
But how about just staying away from preachers that teach things that are just not found in the Bible either
There's preachers in the Bible who God says don't listen to them. We'll get to them just a bit
Let me read to you from let me read to you from 2nd Corinthians 11 verse 2
He says for I am jealous over you with the godly jealousy. This is the Apostle Paul speaking here
For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ
And he says but I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety
So your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ for if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus
Whom we have not preached or if you receive another spirit which he have not received or another gospel which he have not accepted
Ye might well bear with him. What does the Bible tell us? He's likening being corrupted or being spoiled or being beguiled
By a different message as a chaste virgin leaving her espoused husband
So just as you know, a chaste virgin is espoused to one man in like manner
Believers are espoused to Jesus Christ
So if someone comes with a different message of Jesus comes with a different spirit a different Jesus
The Bible says we should forsake that not entertain that not make excuses for that. We should separate from that
Well, yeah, but what if they have Baptist it doesn't matter if they have Baptist
I mean if they have baptism teaching contrary to the Word of God, they're even more dangerous
Because they're so close to the truth. They're trying to be golly. They're trying to deceive you
Yeah, but they have Christian disabled. They believe the Bible. Well, hold on a second is what they're saying and what they claim
They are do they match up though if they're calling themselves Christians or calling themselves Baptist
They say they believe the Bible, but they're teaching contrary to the Word of God steer clear go back to Isaiah 57
You might have you're probably still there look at verse 9
so he says thou wentest to the king with ointment and did increase thy perfumes and did send thy messengers far off and this
Debase thyself even unto hell. What is he saying here? He's like, you know, you guys are committing idolatry
spiritual whoredom you're committing infanticide you are
Essentially waxing worse and worse. This is what it means when it says that they're debasing themselves even unto hell
It's just like they're just getting worse and worse and worse
Verse 10 says this thou are wearied in the greatness of thy way yet sayest thou not there is no hope now
This is pretty interesting because he's saying like as you're doing all these things you're actually growing tired of it
But even though you're growing tired of it, you're still not saying there is no hope in other words
they haven't come to their senses and
What I compare this to is Christians when they backslide can often get filled with their own ways and they get so backslidden to get
Involved in sin they get involved in things that are just unrighteous and they can even get to a point where they're just kind of
Sick of it. They're just like I'm weary of just like being backslidden, but sometimes Christians are just so stubborn
They're still not willing to get right with God. They will be filled with the consequences of their sin
They will be filled with the ramifications of their actions and yet many of them are so stubborn
They're not willing to get right with God
You know, let us hope that if we ever become backslidden and God forbid that when we become weary of our actions that we
Just say I need I need the Lord again. I need to get back in church. I need to get back in the Bible
I need to get back to soul winning. I need to get back to church
I need to get back to righteous living because I'm just sick and tired of this, right?
But he's telling them like you're not even weary like you've grown weary in the greatness of your fall your way
Yet, you're not saying there is no hope thou has found the life of thine hand
Therefore that was not grieved and it reminds me of the alcoholic in Proverbs chapter 23, you know Proverbs 23
It gives a very strong admonition and warning against drinking alcohol, right and it kind of goes over the the multiple things that
Alcoholics experience when they become drunk and how they're afflicted and bitten like a serpent and just going through all these
Physical ailments and it's just it's made and it's written such a way to cause to warn us not to go down that route
But then at the end it says this in verse 35 of Proverbs 23
They have stricken me thou shalt say and I was not sick. They have beaten me and I felt it not and basically, you know
Describing like an alcoholic who wakes up in an alley somewhere after he was like drunk and got beat up and robbed, right?
And he's just like man, I don't even remember when that happened. But this is what it says when shall I awake?
I will seek it yet again. What do you mean? It's just like you're just gonna return back to your own folly and you know what?
People could be this way or it's just like as a dog return it to his vomit
So a fool return it to his folly or it's just like, you know, the consequences of your actions
You know what's gonna happen if you just keep eating junk food every single day
I'm preaching to myself a man, you know, you know, what's gonna happen if you do this
You know what's gonna happen if you keep drinking alcohol if you keep do you know what's gonna happen yet?
You're so stubborn that when you wake up, you will seek it yet again
You know what's gonna happen if you smoke pot, you know, what's gonna happen if you do drugs
you know what's gonna happen if you commit fornication if you if you commit adultery if you
Waste your life doing these things, you know the ramifications of your actions
Yeah, you will wake up and seek it yet again and it's addressing the folly of the stubborn person
Who's not willing to get right with God look at verse 11 now
This is powerful here says in verse 11 and of whom has thou been afraid or feared that thou has lied and has not remembered
Me nor laid it to thy heart have not I held my peace even of old and thou fears me not now
What is he saying here? You don't fear me. This is what he's calling out juda for he said, you know
You're doing all these things and I'm gonna tell you why you're doing this is because you don't have any fear in your heart
About me. Let me just say this one of the greatest things that we can ever have as Christians is not the most knowledge of the bible
That's important is not be a eloquent
Soul winner, that's important. You know have all these gifts
These gifts and talents one of the greatest things that you could possess is the fear of god
Oh, you mean reverence. No, I mean fear. Oh, you mean respect. Yeah, you should respect god
But let me tell you this you should fear god too, though
The bible talks about the fear of god over and over and over and over again
And god is literally condemning those of juda saying the reason you're committing all these abominations
The reason you're involved in these sins is because you don't fear me
You know why because if they actually feared god, they would say, you know, let's tear down molak instead because god's going to destroy us
Let's not kill our children because then god will kill us
Let's not do abominably
And worship idols because god will destroy us and let me just say this, you know, we're we are
Motivated to serve god or to obey god because he rewards us for sure
Right if we serve the lord the bible tells us be not weary and well-doing for in due season
We shall reap if we faint not you know, it motivates people to go work a nine to five the paycheck, right?
It's like I don't want to work right now
But I gotta work because you know, I gotta earn a paycheck the reward we are motivated by god because of his blessings
But you know, it's a really good incentive to serve god and to not get out of the ways of the lord and to not
Disobey god and not not to transgress his laws fearing god fearing god's chastisement
You find me a preacher you find me a pastor you find me a christian that speaks loosely of the things of god
And is irreverent and sacrilegious towards the things of god. I'll point to you a person that does not fear god
And look folks on sunday i'm gonna preach a sermon called god kills because you know what he does
Well, I just think it's wrong to motivate people with fear. Uh, the law doesn't the law doesn't think that law says if you speed
You're gonna get a speeding ticket. You know what many of you are motivated
Right, maybe maybe some of you are not though. Actually, that's a bad example. Actually
How about this? We're motivated to pay our taxes. Amen. Why out of fear you're motivated to move your car
On street sweeping day out of fear of getting that 75 take. I don't even 75 anymore
Maybe the plans on what city you're in fear motivates you you're not like, you know what?
I'm gonna move my car because I love this city. I'm gonna move my car because I I love this street
I want this thing to be clean
I just love to have a clean city and you know, i'm not motivated by anything else
It's just out of a love for cleanliness. No, you're not. No, you're not
Liar we lying in the house of god. All of us are motivated because we don't want to get a ticket
It's not out of you know, because we just want a clean street and we want clean streets. I'm not saying that that's not the case
But let's just be honest here
We're motivated to obey the laws of the land out of fear of what may happen to us if we don't right?
That's why we keep the laws but you know how much more the laws of god and look we don't serve god
We don't you know avoid disobeying god because we're afraid that we're going to lose our salvation
We know we can't lose it
I give into them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand
We've passed from death unto life. That's already been done for right? It's already been settled
But hold on a second. Does that mean we can't suffer the consequences of our actions here on this earth?
Of course we are we can suffer the ramifications of our actions as saved people on this earth
And you know what? That's why hebrews 12 exists
Because whom the lord loveth he chastened it and scourges every son whom he receiveth god whoops his children. Yes
Here's here's the modern way of saying chastening a whooping a beating
And we're not saying that god's going to come down from heaven with a rod in his hand to spank us
He will just destroy the circumstances around us where we can feel it
And you know what if you've been saved for any length of time
All of us myself included may have gone backslidden from time to time and we're chasing of the lord
We're chasing of him god judged us and you know what it caused us to do to to have fear in our hearts towards god
Stay away from the preacher who tells you not to fear god
Stay away from the preacher that tells you god won't punish you. Nothing's gonna happen to you
Let me just explain something to you regarding false prophets in the bible the false prophets in jeremiah's day
We're always saying nothing's gonna happen to you israel literally. That's what they would say
You know, how about this?
How about how about the false prophets that came to ahab and jehoshaphat when they're about to go to war
And they're like shall we prosper and he's like go that shall prosper and he even brought out like an illustration of horns
He's like this is how you're gonna do it. And I look just he's like this is how you're gonna win this war
And then they brought up makiah, you know, because jehoshaphat was like, I don't know. He's kind of these these joe olstein types
That illustration was cool and everything
But is this they all seem to agree with this and I just is there someone else we can ask and then ahab's like
Well, there's someone else but I hate him because he never prophesied good concerning me but evil
He was like, oh just just get him out. Let's see what he says
So they bring makiah he comes and he's just like shall we prosper and makiah doesn't give a rip about ahab
He doesn't care for him. So he's like go go prosper because he doesn't really care what's gonna happen to him
He's like have not I told you to speak to me the truth. He's like, okay, you're gonna die
And he's like, I knew you wouldn't say anything good about me
So then you know, they end up slapping him around
They beat him and they threw him in they threw him in a prison
And they're just like we're gonna feed you with the bread of affliction and water of affliction
And he's like and when I returned and then makaiah's like if you return because he wouldn't ahab ended up dying
Right, but the point that i'm making is that the false prophets were the ones who were preaching a false message
A positivity. Oh, don't go to the war. Nothing's gonna happen to you. You'll be just fine
And you know what the pastor who says that I want to see that pastor
Commit some of the most heinous of sins and show us how it's done
You're you're the example go ahead and show us how it is to commit all types of sins and not suffer any consequences because of it
Show us but you know what we fear god here. I fear god and obviously nobody's perfect
We don't fear god as much as we should but every single one of us has a level of fear in our hearts towards god
Because god is mighty. He's just he's powerful. Yes. He's merciful. Yes
He's gracious, but he is also our heavenly father and as a heavenly father he does chase in his children
You know the 18 years that i've been saved I can tell you instances where I knew god was whooping me
And you know what sometimes he whoops us just to keep us in line just to prevent us from making more stupid decisions
The point that i'm making here is that you know god is rebuking them saying, you know, you don't fear me
You don't fear me and the proof is in the pudding
This is why this is showing you showing me that you don't fear me is that you're committing all these sins
You're not afraid that god's going to do something to you
You know and the person who can just get online and just rebuke pastors and say all manner of evil
And make a mock of sin and say they don't have the fear of god in their hearts either
Oh, man, it's so wrong to motivate your congregation to fear. No, it's not. You know
You know how I motivate my congregation?
Uh by striking fear into their hearts that if they sin against god, they might be destroyed
I think that's a great motivation and I think we should use all types of motivation
But most of us if not, all of us are more motivated by the fear of god and the fear of god is the beginning of wisdom
This is what the bible says and the bible says, you know by the fear of the lord men depart from evil
All of us who are whooped by our parents. We know you know what i'm talking about
Right as a kid. I remember not doing certain things because I knew my mom would whoop me
I was scared of my mom and it wasn't like no i'm gonna do this because i'm not gonna do because I love my mom
I love my mom, but you know, I I didn't in my mind I didn't see like a heart around her face
You know what? I saw the belt
I saw how I just saw the the rapidity of the hand. That's what I saw
You say is that is that what really kept you straight? Well, i'm not i'm not in prison. I'm not a drug addict
I'm not dead. I'm not in a gang. I'm a pastor
So obviously my mom did a lot of things right by whooping me the point that i'm making here
And I don't want to steal my thunder for sunday
But the point that i'm making here is that god values fear the fear of his people
And when people cease fearing god, they do abominably when people cease fearing god
They commit sins unfettered when people stop fearing god that incures the wrath of god upon their lives
You you find me a preacher that teaches you not to fear god runs screaming in the opposite direction
I found you a false prophet because look folks
Even the most liberal preacher out there who saved will will tell you about the fear of god
Maybe not as harsh, but they know for a fact that god can chastise you
And then they may say with a smile on their face or something like that, but they even believe it
I'm talking about people like these false prophets who tell you not to fear god because remember remember the previous chapter
He's talking about these dogs who aren't barking. You remember that from last week. He's like they're slumbering loving to slumber
These are the same ones that are basically telling those of juda not to fear god
But to just do whatever they want god's not going to see you. It's going to be okay
That's the same message that false prophets today preach roman chapter 3 verse 17 says the way of peace have they not known
There is no fear of god before their eyes
And let me just remind you that as a pastor here at first works baptist church
I'm going to keep preaching the fear of god into your hearts to the day that I die
You say why because I fear god obviously because I love you
But i'm also accountable to god myself and you know what if if I didn't fear god it would be lightness and sweet here
All positivity, but I do fear god, which is why i'm going to tell you about the fear of god
Look at verse 13 when thou cryest let thy companies deliver thee
But the wind shall carry them all away vanity shall take them
But he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain
What is he saying?
He's saying look when you begin to suffer the consequences of your actions you're going to cry out to god
And I want you to notice he says
But the wind shall carry them all away you ever you ever try to talk to someone when it's really windy
And the wind just kind of carries your voice and you can't get anything in that's what he's saying
He's like when you cry out to me to deliver you
The wind is just going to carry your voice and i'm not going to be able to hear you
He's basically saying i'm not going to listen very reminiscent of the previous chapters where he says seek you the lord
While he may be found call you upon him while he is near because obviously there's going to be times when he's not
He goes on to say in verse number 14 and shall say cast thee up cast thee up prepare the way
Take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people
What is he saying there? He's saying look, you know when god's people want to get right with god
They need to start removing things out of their lives that are an obstruction to them getting right with god cast. He up
He's like throw this away throw remove the stumbling block out of the way to make the path straight
And you know what if you're in here and you need to get right with god
Just start thinking about things that just need to get out of the way
Because you know what getting right with god requires for us to remove things out of our lives, too
It's not just like i'm just going to get right with god. Okay, what are you going to change though?
Because things need to change there are certain things in your path that are obstructing you to god's blessing you to god's
Communion with you and you got to remove them out of your life remove the stumbling block
That's keeping you from coming to church remove the stumbling block
That's keeping you from reading your bible remove the stumbling block. That's keeping you from praying
That's keeping you from soul winning remove the obstruction so you can get right with god things have to change
Hebrews 12 12 says wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet
Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed
Follow peace with all men in holiness without which no man shall see the lord very powerful here
Right god is obviously pleading with his people to get right look at verse 15 for thus say the high and whole
And lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place
With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite
Ones, what is he saying? You know, if you want the presence of god be humble and let me say this is that this should be
A blessing to you if you're a feeling of a contrite spirit what's contra means you're you're heartbroken. You're feeling pain
You're in agony contrite spirit means like you're humble you're hurting you're broken-hearted
Well, I got good news for you. God is nigh unto you if that's you, you know
I could be nigh unto you the brothers and sisters in christ and our church could be nigh unto you
But this is only so far we can go. God however is nigh into those who have a contrite spirit
Why so he can revive your spirit so you can revive your heart
He says to get you back on track look at verse 16 for I will not contend forever
Neither will I always be wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made
That's a wonderful promise there. What is he saying? You know, i'm not always going to be mad at you
He's not always going to be wrathful. Why because he's merciful god is gracious. He's merciful
You know the the bible tells us as high as the heavens are from the earth so great is his mercy
Towards them that what fear him by the way
So you know these preachers who always talk about the mercy of god the grace of god if they got no fear of god
They don't have access to the mercy and the grace because the bible says that great is his mercy towards them that fear him
The bible says you want grace you want mercy you want god's long suffering you want god's blessing
Well, you better have some fear in your heart, but he's not going to contend forever
Look at verse 17 for the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him
I hid me and was wroth and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart
I have seen his ways and will heal him
I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him into his mourners
I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near save the lord
And I will heal heal him. What is he saying? He was basically saying, you know, he is the source of peace
He's the one who's going to come heal
He can help people and he wants to help his people specifically to get right with him
He's saying i'm going to heal you. I'm going to give you peace. I'm going to bless the fruit of your lips
I'm going to heal you. I'm going to lead you i'm going to restore comforts unto you. You're not going to be mourning
You know, you're going to have peace now look at the contrast of this in verse 20, but that's important
He's like i'm going to heal you i'm going to bless you
But though the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt
You know what that shows us? There's people in this world who would never have peace god will not heal
Why because they're wicked and the bible's saying here they're like a troubled sea
Why because they're tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine, right?
They're like a sea that is tossed about it cannot rest and you know
It reminds me of the tumultuous waters when jesus christ was on the boat
And it wasn't until jesus christ he woke up and he calmed the storm in the presence of the storm
The lord jesus christ was able to calm that storm, right?
But for the wicked it's not so and they cast up mire and dirt and he finishes off by saying
There is no peace saith my god to the wicked now that's scary
And you know what?
There's no peace to the wicked this side of eternity but for sure there's no peace to the wicked in hell either
Where the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever there is no rest day nor night
They lift up their eyes in hell being in torment asking for a drop of water to cool their tongue for they're tormented in that flame
That's not peace. What's the point this for this chapter?
The point is simply this is that first of all be thankful for the reconciliation that we have through salvation right through jesus christ
Seek the peace of god by keeping your mind on the lord
But if you get anything from the sermon get this fear god be afraid
And you know what? We've heard too many sermons by preachers out there. They try to excuse what the fear of god means
Oh, it's only a reverence. It's only respect. We all know we're supposed to respect the reverence god
Of course we are but you know what?
The bible also talks about the fact that he's a terrible god and let me just quote this verse from the new testament
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living god
Yeah, paul, you're right and he's talking about god's chastisement. He's like man
It is a fearful thing to fall into god's hands hands of what hands of judgment and this is what he says
He says vengeance belonging to me save the lord. I will repay and the lord shall judge
His people so we often quote that verse referring to unsaved people
But it also applies to us
And then he follows it up with it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living god
What's the message fly straight get sin out of your life get right with god stay on the right path
Keep serving the lord keep loving your spouse
Keep raising your children in the nurture and the admonition of the lord keep winning souls to christ be a wholesome person
Be a godly individual fight the flesh
Stay right with the lord read your bible pray go to all three be three to thrive. Amen
Go to church read your bible win souls to christ talk about the lord
Repent of your sins why because you should fear god
That's why because the alternative is the hand of the lord that we should fear to be in if we're not right with god
I don't think if I don't go to church, I won't be right with god
Um, the bible says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is the manner of some is
And so much the more but exhort one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching
For if we sin willfully after we receive the knowledge of the truth there remain no more sacrifice for sins four means because
this is you should be in church because
There remained no more sacrifice for sins if we sin willfully meaning we choose not to congregate with the brethren
You're sinning willfully according to the bible, you know, what's kept me in church other than being a pastor obviously
Who else is going to preach if I don't know right?
But even before being a pastor, you know, what kept me in church is just the fear of god the fear of loss and the desire
Of gain the desire to gain rewards but also the fear of god as well keep fearing god
And um, that's it. Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word. Thank you for isaiah 57
Lord, may we be a god-fearing people and lord I pray that you'd help us to do so help us to think upon
Not just the grace of god and the love of god and our salvation but lord
You are a terrible god as the bible says the bible literally says that you are a terrible god
You are greatly to be feared because you can chastise us you can
Punish us for sins and that helps us to stay right with you lord
And I pray lord that you would help us to think upon those things
And reject heretical teachings that assert that we should not fear you and lord may you bless us as we go on our way lord
May you bless us so winning on saturday as we go and preach the gospel to the lost
And uh help us to to help people come to the saving knowledge of jesus christ as they flee from the wrath to come
And I pray lord that you bless us as we go on our way. We love you. We thank you pray this things in jesus name. Amen