you
Welcome to church, please grab the hymnals
We'll turn to our her first hymn for this evening him number
162 him number 162 to God be the glory when you found it
can you please stand
That all may go in praise the Lord praise the Lord
with the earth hear his voice
praise the Lord praise the Lord
Let the people rejoice
all
through Jesus the son
Give him the glory
great things he
oh
Thanks redemption the purchase of blood to every
Promised of God
Violets of ender who truly believes that moment from Jesus
Praise the Lord
Let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord
Let the people rejoice
Oh
Through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he
Great things he
Done and great our rejoicing through Jesus the son
Higher and greater
will be
How wonder I'll transport when Jesus we see
praise the Lord
Praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice
Praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice
Great scene guys. Let's go to word of prayer
Dear Heavenly Father Lord we seek you this evening. We ask that you would cleanse us from all unrighteousness
We meet together and congregate to worship you Lord and to sing unto you
Please help our our hearts to be open this evening to the preaching
we pray that you bless this service and we pray for those that can't be here with us that you would come for them this evening and
Lord be with us in Jesus name we pray amen
Maybe seated
Okay, our next hymn will be hymn number
212 happy day
In number 212 212 happy day happy day when Jesus washed my sins away
I
Watch and pray every joy
Well, they're just trying to move happy day
happy day
Jesus wash my sins away
He told me how to worship great and every joy seen every day
happy day
Happy day when Jesus washed my sins away
She's done the great transactions done. I am my Lord's and he is mine
Oh
He told me how to watch and pray I live rejoice in every day happy day
When Jesus washed my sins away
Rest my long
And hard fixed on this place
Happy day happy day
Tell me how to wash and pray every joy
Jesus wash
I
Okay, our next hymn will be hymn number 406 who is on the Lord's side
Who is on the Lord's side
Oh
Me
Oh
Messing
By my grand
Oh
Is
Joyfully enlisting by grace
Divine
Okay, I finally before the Bible reading go all the way to the front
Him number four the way of the cross leads home in number four
the way of the cross
I
Must need to go by the way of the cross. There's no other way
I shall never sign on the gates of life in the way of the cross
I
It is sweet
Oh
To
My lord
Where he waits at the open
Way
Oh
They're 43 the Bible reads
But now thus says the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed the O Israel fear not
For I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name
Thou art mine
When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee and through the rivers
They shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burnt neither shall the flame
Kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Savior
I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee
Since thou was precious in my sight thou has been honorable and I have loved thee
Therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life fear not I am with thee
I will bring thy seed from east from the east and gather thee from the west
I will say to the north give up and to the south
Keep not back bring my sons far from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth
Even everyone that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory. I have formed him
Yay, I have made him
Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears
Let all the nations be gathered together and let the people be assembled
Who among them can declare this and show us former things?
Let them bring forth their witnesses that they may be justified or let them hear and say it is truth
You are my witnesses saith the Lord and my servants whom I have chosen
That ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me
There was no God formed neither shall there be after me
I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Savior
I have declared and have saved and I have showed when there was no strange God among you
Therefore ye are my witnesses saith the Lord that I am God
Yea before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of my hand
I will work and who shall let it
Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel for your sake
I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all the nobles and the Chaldeans
Whose cry is on is in the ships
I am the Lord your Holy One the creator of Israel your King
Thus saith the Lord which makes us away in the sea and the path of the mighty waters
Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse and the army the power
They shall lie down together. They shall not raise they are extinct. They are quenched as tow
remember ye
Remember ye not the former things neither consider the things of old behold
I will do a new thing now it shall be now it shall spring forth
Shall ye not know it
I will even make a way in the wilderness and the rivers in the desert the beast of the field
Shall honor me the dragons and the owls
Because I have given water in the wilderness and the rivers in the desert to give
Drink to my people my chosen these people have I formed for myself. They shall not show forth
They shall show my forth my praise, but thou has not called upon me
Oh Jacob, but thou has been weary of me
Oh Israel thou has not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offering neither has thou honored me with thy sacrifices
I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor weary thee with instance
incense
thou has
bought
Me no sweet cane with money neither has thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices
But thou has made me to serve
With thy sins thou has wearied me with thine inequities
I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not
Remember thy sin put me in remembrance
Let us plead together declare thou that thou mayest be justified thy first
Thy first father has sinned and thy teachers have transgressed against me
Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to
Reproaches, let's go to a way to pray
Thank You father God for gathering us in your house again another Thursday
Thank you that you bring the man of God all the way from Queensland and filling with thy Holy Spirit
And thank you that you give us a hearing heart that we may not only be the hears of the word
But the doers in Jesus Holy Name. Amen
All right Isaiah 43 and just notice verse number 10
It just begins by saying ye are my witnesses ye are my witnesses is a title for the sermon tonight
Now when you look at verse number one there Isaiah 43 verse number one it says
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel
So, of course God is speaking to the Old Testament nation the covenant nation of Israel
And I want to understand that by looking at verse number 10 ye are my witnesses
He's saying to that Old Testament covenant people like they're supposed to be the witnesses of God
They're supposed to be the witnesses of Jesus Christ
That's why God, you know has this nation has formed this nation has blessed them has given them a land flowing with milk and honey
And the whole purpose behind it is that they would be witnesses of God to the nations before them now
Old Testament Israel did not do a very good job as witnesses
Okay, and so what I want to do like obviously as I cover this book cover this chapter
I want to explain to you what's happening in real time
Isaiah is real time, okay, and he's Old Testament nation
But then we also want to take the applications for us today because in the New Testament
You know the people of God of all nations those that have believed on Christ. They're referred to as the Israel of God
We are the Israel of God
Spiritually speaking and of course we too are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ
And so what I want you to do is to show you the historical context of what we're reading
But also I want to take some applications of us as witnesses of God or witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ
Now we are on the 43rd chapter of the Bible, which is the 43rd book of what's the book called?
John the book of John so what I'm going to do is
Give you a thing and then come with me to the book of John very quickly come with me to John chapter 1 John chapter 1
John chapter 1 now
You know sometimes I feel like as I've been trying to find similar themes or teachings
From the different books of the Bible sometimes I feel like I'm drawing a bit of a long bow
I'm finding some similarities, and there are some things that are clearer than others, but when we look at Isaiah 43 it immediately
Immediately looks like the book of John in so many ways in so many ways
And I'm going to do my best to cover some of those
But I hope you're there in John chapter 1 now
Just flick back keep your finger there and can flick back to Isaiah 43 and look at verse number 1
Isaiah 43 verse 1 let's read it again, but now thus saith the Lord that created thee
So how does this chapter begin?
By saying that God is a creator okay created thee, O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear
Not for I have redeemed thee and I have called thee by thy name thou art mine
So verse number 1 begins by saying that God is the creator, but it's also the Redeemer
Okay, and then when we start John chapter 1 look at John chapter 1 verse number 1
John chapter 1 verse number 1 it says in the beginning was the word and the word was
With God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God
All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made
And so immediately the book of John begins by expressing that God not just God
But the son the word that was manifest in the flesh was the creator or the one that made all things
And so you merely see the similarity
And of course in Isaiah 43 talks about God being the Redeemer and as you continue later on in that chapter
John chapter 1 he talks about Jesus Christ the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world and that John
The Baptist was a witness of that light which came into the world, which is why again we see the similarities
You know where God is speaking of the Old Testament nation as the witnesses
Where we see that in the beginning of John you can read in your own time that chapter
That John is a witness of the light that came into the world and of course John the Baptist represents all believers essentially
And we see later on we're going to see further similarities
Of being a witness for Jesus Christ now keep a finger there in John because I do have a few references
Come back with me to Isaiah 43 and verse number 2 Isaiah 43 verse number 2 again
We need to understand first the historical context
But then we want to take a application for us as the Israel of God of the New Testament in verse number 2 it says
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee
Now this isn't just if it happens God's going to be with them. This is talking about historical events
of
Israel becoming a nation and of course that first reference when they are passed through the waters is when they went through the Red Sea
Okay, then they were delivered out of Egypt God part of the waters
He says I will I will be with thee or he was with them
And it says and through the rivers
They shall not overflow thee so what else happens later on
They go past they also pass through the Jordan River
Remember when they're on their way to the promised land God again opens the rivers and they're able to pass through the Jordan River
And then it says that when they'll walk us through the fire
Thou shalt not be burned neither shall the flame kindle upon thee
And of course the reference there when you think about Daniel later on we read about Daniel and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego
Or not Daniel so much but his three friends Shadrach Meshach and Abednego being thrown in the furnace of fire by king Nebuchadnezzar
And the fire did not burn them did it?
And I think you can actually apply a further reference there
Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, you know, we know that one day for those that reject Jesus Christ
They're going to be cast into hell fire
But for those that are believers of Jesus Christ the fires of hell will never burn us will never
You know singe a single hair on our head and I believe those promises are there of course from a historical
Perspective also, it's going to play out in the future when they're taken into Babylon the furnace
But also we want to take the application for us today and often in the bible waters and fires represents
Problems and troubles and difficulties that we go through in life
You know if you've lived on this life long enough, you know, you've experienced certain challenges and difficulties. I wish life wasn't like this
Like I I in many ways. I just wish we didn't have to constantly deal with problems, you know, we we've death
We've struggles we've sicknesses
We've broken relationships. We've family conflicts. We've problems between friends
Backstabbing gossiping. I wish we didn't have to deal with these problems
But God says that whatever waters whatever storms whatever fires that we pass through he promises us to be there with us
You know, Jesus Christ says he'll never leave us nor forsake us
And that's the best part about being a Christian
Oh the best part is being saved and yet going to heaven
But the next great part is that jesus christ is always with us and he doesn't promise us no problems
In fact that he promises problems
He promises us tribulations because that's what life is but that we're able to get through it through it with the help of jesus christ
Instead of doing it on our own instead of the you know
Try to come up with our own ideas and our own wisdom to overcome problems
Christ will always be there with us and that's a a great promise
And as I said as much as I would love life to be without these struggles
I know that my eternal life in heaven will be without troubles. I know at some point
I'm going to experience that life that I want here now
But as a great promise and a great hope to come in the future
Well, let's continue there verse number three
For I am the lord thy god the holy one of israel thy savior
I gave egypt for thy ransom ethiopia and seba for thee
Since thou was precious in my sight thou has been honorable and I have loved thee
Therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life?
So what we see here is just references of egypt ethiopia seba different. Um, maybe at certain times different enemies or
Opposition toward the israelites
He speaks of he's given men
So we had a recent, you know in his the historical context you may recall how god sent an angel and destroyed the asyrian army
Before they were able to take uh jerusalem in control. And so god is explaining that look i've overcome your enemies
I've overcome the oppressors overcome those that hated you, you know, because he loves israel
He loves the covenant of people he loves this nation here under the old covenant
But once again, I want you to apply it for you because you are the israel of god, you know, god loves you
And like we saw as he allows us to go past through the through the waters the storms of life and the fires
Also when our enemies rise up against us, we know when people hate us for just the name of christ
God says hey, he'll take them down. He says we're honorable. He says that he loves us
He will give men for thee he'll take them down
Because we're special in his eyes
And it's wonderful to have a god that is on our side
So verse number five continues fear not
For I am with thee
I will bring thy seed from the east
And gather thee from the west
I will say to the north
Give up and to the south keep not back
Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth
Even everyone that is called by my name
For I have created him for my glory. I have formed him. Yay. I have made him
Now these verses that I just read christ is saying that he's got people
East and the west and the north and the south and he's asking that they'd be delivered from these places
Now many times in the bible when it comes to these prophets like isaiah and jeremiah refers to the north
Quite often it does have to do with the babylonians
Now one application of this and I think it is a good application
Is that god is prophesying of they're still not taking into captivity, right? It's still
I don't know maybe 30 40 years left before the babylonians come and take over the southern kingdom of juda
But this might be very well a prophecy of 70 years later after the captivity
That they're going to be delivered
They're going to be you know
The north is going to give up his people once again as they return back into the land of israel
That could be definitely that could be an application. I think it is probably the first application
But I want to take a secondary application here
If you can keep your finger there and come with me to matthew keep your finger in john as well
But come with me to matthew chapter 8 matthew chapter 8 because I want to again show you how it applies to us as well
All right
We're taking the historical teaching and we also want to understand what does this mean for us in the new testament in matthew chapter 8?
In verse number 10 matthew chapter 8 in verse number 10
Remember god said in isaiah 43 that they come in from the east and from the west
And of course jesus christ uses the same language here
And i've taught on this so many times. I think it's it's such it's so this doctrine is so important for us to remember
And this is when the roman centurion
Asked jesus to just say the word and his servant will be healed
And christ, you know says i've never seen such great faith, you know, no not in israel
He's speaking about a gentile having greater faith than even the jews that he's come across
Well, it says in matthew 8 10 when jesus heard it
He marveled and said to them that followed verily I say unto you. I have not found so great faith
No, not in israel. He's speaking about a roman centurion
He says this roman this gentile has more faith in me than anyone here of the jews
Then he says this in verse 11
And I say unto you that many shall come from the east and west
And shall sit down with abraham and isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven
Again, we understand the context that we're reading here that these people are the gentiles talking about the east and the west
They're coming together. They're going to sit with abraham isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven
And look at the jews in verse number 12
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth
This is a really important doctrine that I think a lot of churches miss
Look does god love israel as we're reading there in isaiah 43. Does he love israel? Of course
It's a physical covenanted people
But we are now operating in the new testament
Israel is a spiritual people from the east and the west abraham isaac and jay believers of all nations
And if you have believed on jesus christ, you have entered into the new covenant
You may recall when jesus christ speaks of his body and of his blood
That's the that's the the the blood of the new covenant the blood of the new testament
And through jesus christ under the new covenants doesn't matter where you belong doesn't matter if you grew up in israel
Or you're from the east or the west or the north or the south?
That if you're a believer in christ, we're going to be all gathered together in the kingdom of heaven
Come back with me to isaiah 43
isaiah 43
And so the reason I read that is because then we can look at verses five six and seven
Yes, we can take a historical context of them coming out of babylonian captivity
About a prophecy about a hundred years before it happened or we can take it to be about the new testament believers
Of all nations coming together as one people under god and verse number eight says
Bring forth the blind that have eyes
And the death that have ears let all the nations be gathered together and let the people be assembled
Who among them can declare this?
And show us former things
Let them bring forth their witnesses that they may be justified
Or let them hear and say it is truth
Now what this is speaking about is again god speaking about his nation of israel
Okay, then he's saying that there's coming a time when all nations are going to be gathered together
to witness about israel
to pass judgment
about israel
You know, uh, he's saying hey listen like he's calling the blind and he's even calling the main to come to be part of this
uh judgment
Now I believe everything that we're going to read here and what this is about is about
The millennium christ ruling that thousand year period when all nations are going to be under christ
And again in that millennium there is going to be a millennial israel. Okay, it's not 1948 israel
It's not modern modern day israel. It's a millennial israel made up of believers of jesus christ
Okay, and god is telling the nations come and judge this my people verse number 10
Ye are my witnesses
Say of the lord and my servant whom I have chosen that you may know and believe me and understand
That I I am he
Before me there was no god formed
Neither shall there be after me
I even I am the lord and beside me there is no savior
Now that's important. God says he's the only god. He's the only lord. There is no other god besides him
You know, uh
Christianity is a monotheistic religion. We believe in one god
But that one god reveals himself to us in three persons the father the son and the holy ghost
And yet at the same time at least theologically one god
All right, and what's amazing about this one god of the bible as he said there in verse 11. I even I
Am the lord and beside me there is no savior
So besides the god of the bible there is no savior outside of christ biblical christianity there is no salvation
Reverend, you know the greatest thing that we need to receive is the salvation of our lord jesus christ
You know and like every and I know this saddens a lot of people
But if someone dies as a muslim, they're going to die and go to hell
If someone dies as a buddhist, they're going to go to hell if someone dies as a hindu they go into hell
If someone dies as an atheist they're going to hell if someone dies as a as a jew
Under judaism, they're going to die and go to hell
What other false religions are there if someone dies as a false christian
Still trusting in their works
Or trusting in the virgin mary or trusting in their icons and their idols and their rosary beads
And and their baptism and they're trusting in their church attendance and they're trusting in everything else. They're going to go to hell when they die
There's only one savior and that's the lord god almighty you either go to heaven because of god or every other way
It's it's hell
There's a savior
And he made it easy
salvation by grace
god's grace
through faith
On his son the lord jesus christ his death his burial resurrection. He paid for all of our sins
He did all the work
So we have nothing to do except to place our faith on jesus
That's how easy a free gift eternal life eternal everlasting once you have it. You can never lose it because it's everlasting
It's eternal
Man, isn't that that's good news
Like god made it so easy
He did all the work
Now when I said all those religions are going to hell. It's not that I hate them
I love them for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son
And brevin told for the sermon was ye are my witnesses
Tells us that it's our responsibility. We can't complain and say well, they're in false religion. That's not fair
All right, if you think it's not fair then you get out there and tell them about jesus
That's why we're saved
We're saved not just because we've got a home in heaven praise god
But we've got people across all of sydney believing in false religion trusting everything else to save them except jesus christ
And it's our job to tell them of the wonderful news of the savior
It's a free gift
People reject free gifts we knock on their doors
Like what string they think they're strings attached
I've knocked doors trying to give someone the gospel. They try to give me money like to go away
It's like no, we don't want your money
Oh, do I have to attend your church? No, you don't have to attend our church
You just need to believe on jesus christ and thou shall be saved
If you never set foot in church, I don't care I care a little bit
But I care that you set foot in heaven in eternity. That's vastly more important than anything else
Look the bible's telling us there is no savior besides the god in the bible
Now I hope you keep a finger there in john. Come with me to john chapter 10. John chapter 10 and verse number 38
John chapter 10 and verse number 38
John chapter 10 verse number 38 christ says
but if I do
Though you believe not me
believe the works
That you may know and believe that the father is in me and I in him
Now remember I even I am the lord and beside me there is no savior
We know that jesus christ is the savior the savior of the world
So who is saying these words? I even I am the lord and beside me. There is no savior
These are the words of jesus found in the old testament
He says the father is in me and I in him
Because we serve one god there are no other gods beside the god of the bible
And we know that one god is the father the son and the holy spirit
Let's continue there in verse number 12
Sorry, uh ax ax
I'm doing ax in new life. What are we now? Isaiah? Sorry guys
I went back in time for a minute
Isaiah verse number 12, please. It says I have declared
and have saved
And I have showed
When there was no strange god among you
Therefore ye are my witnesses safe lord that I am god
Again, the witnesses this keeps coming up in the in isaiah 43
Why does this keep coming up?
Isaiah 43
I'm losing chapter what chapter i'm after sorry guys
You know if you did if you just do a random word search
If you get like a bible program if you have on your phone if you can have a search
And you type in the word witness or witnesses
You know what book of the bible covers that topic the most?
It's the book of john
I mean that is one of the key themes
Of the book of john, so i'll just give you an example come with me to john chapter one again
Come with me to john chapter one and verse number 15
john chapter one
and verse number 15
So i'm trying to explain that old testament israel was meant to be a witness of god
Like god's saying i'm the savior i'm the only savior so if they're witnesses of the savior they're meant to be winning souls
They're meant to be pointing people in historically speaking to the god of abraham isaac and jacob
And that is the same job that we're trying to do as god's people in the new testament
John chapter one verse number 15. I mentioned that earlier. John bear. That's john the baptist bear witness of him witness of him
and cried saying
This was he of whom I spake
He that cometh after me is preferred
Before me for he was
before me
That's interesting
Jesus was born after john the baptist, right? John the baptist was six months
older
But he says but he was before me why because jesus is god god has always been he's the creator of john
Even though they're cousins, you know from a human perspective the cousins, but jesus christ was born in bethlehem's manger
And john says i'm a witness of him and he he was before me
John knows who jesus christ is
Okay, come with me to chapter 15. John chapter 15. John chapter 15 and verse number 27
john 15
John 15 and verse number 27. These are the words of jesus
He says this to his believers. He says this to his disciples
These are words that he's saying to us you and me
And ye also shall bear witness
Because you have been with me from the beginning
And you also shall bear witness
You know, there's a cult a christian cult that gets out there. They're called jehovah witnesses
Witnesses
They're not witnesses. They're false witnesses is what they are
Okay, their gospel message. Their salvation is still
Good works
Be a good person try your best
And then i've asked them
So are you going to heaven?
I don't know yet
Because they can still mess up their lives, right?
They're just trying their best and look I mean there's nothing wrong
With being a good person and trying your best to live a good life
I'm not but if that's what you're trusting in to go to heaven, you will never know if you're going to heaven
Because we have good days and we have bad days
Like what if I what if what if I would drop dead at 50 years old, right?
And I live like 49 years just wholly living right just living and then the last year of my life
I'm, just this wicked, you know, I just you know, i'm just on drugs. I'm like robbing banks. I'm just doing the worst of the worst
And I die like that, you know people can say well that guy was definitely going unsaved
Even though I had 40, you know 39 years of 49 years whatever of wholly living
How you live is not the basis if you're saved or if you're a believer
You're the basis of going to heaven is whether you're a believer
believer in christ
The god of abraham isaac and jake which is jesus christ, which was before john the baptist
But I want to show you that we are witnesses brethren
And the Bible doesn't tell us how often we should be witness
You know, some people go out every week and I commend you for that. I think it's very good to
Uh, like going out once a week preaching the gospel. I think it's good. It's good to just create a habit
You know, like it's just part of your life to get out there once a week
Even if it's just an hour out there. I think it's a very good habit to develop but the Bible doesn't tell us exactly
You know how much we ought to witness but we all we are meant to be witnesses. That's the point
We are meant to speak of jesus christ
And look if you've been saved if you've been a believer
For like five years and you've not yet told someone the gospel
There's something wrong
I'm, not saying you're not saved
I'm, just saying you're not doing the task that god has asked you to do
You know, you don't even need to know much you know how you got saved you know what jesus did for you
You know that he died and he paid for all your sins, you know that he rose again from the dead three days later
You know that he gave you a free, uh, you know entrance into heaven by his work on the cross
And then all you need to do is tell someone else the same message
It doesn't take much
To be able to be a witness for jesus christ
Come back with me to um
Isaiah I want to say acts again. Sorry. Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43 and verse number 14
Sorry verse number 13
yay
Before the day was I am he
And there is none that can deliver out of my hand I will work and who shall let it
Now if there's a few times that christ that god has said here I am he in the book of john
You've got those seven I ams. I think it's the seven I ams. I am the door. I am the shepherd
I'm the way i'm the bread of life
I am the I am the way truth. I'm that's enjoying as well, isn't it? Yeah
Yeah, so that anyway, I won't go into all of that today
You can do your own research in your own time
But there is one thing that I wanted to bring out of this verse something else besides Ime
It says here and there is none that can deliver you out of my hand
What does that sound like to you?
Well, if you look at john chapter 10, you guys know this reference, of course
There is none that can deliver you
Can that can deliver out of my hand there is none that can deliver out of my hand
John chapter 10 verse number 28 you guys know this john chapter 10 verse number 28 and I give unto them says jesus
Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand
My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand
See the same themes are coming up. You know what if you're in the hand of jesus
No one can ever remove you out of his hand
The moment you believe on christ you call upon his name in faith
You trust his death bearing resurrection. You are like I said eternal life, but you are eternals eternally secure in the hand of jesus
And then jesus says not just my hand
Even the one that's greater than all the hand of the father
You are in his hand and no one can ever pluck you out of his hand
That's what's beautiful about salvation it's eternal it's forever once you've decided to put your trust in jesus
It's done. You don't even have to doubt you don't have to have confusion. You know, it's done because jesus did it all
Once again, if you're judging your salvation on how you're performing in life, you'll always have doubts
Because you can you can be you can be at church tonight and then tomorrow you won't even care about god
Maybe maybe tomorrow you might end up doing some wickedness
And then you're like, I don't know if i'm saved I don't know if i'm a believer, of course you are
Because it's not based on what you've done
It's based on what jesus has done for you
Now i'm not recommending go and live a wicked life i'm obviously not
Okay, i'm rec i'm teaching you be a witness
Right, that's the theme of tonight being witness for jesus christ tell others about the salvation that he offers us
Brother, uh, brother ramsey, if you don't mind, can you turn on call air from the air con?
Verse number 14
in isiah 43 verse number 14
I think that those are all the references that I have from the book of john so you can remove your hand out of john now
but isiah 43 verse number 14
Thus save the lord your redeemer
the holy one of israel
For your sake I have sent to babylon
And have brought down all their nobles
And the caldeons whose cry is in the ships
I am the lord your holy one the creator of israel your king
Once again, we're seeing
Who's been brought up here?
Babylon the caldeons, okay
again
Uh, god is referring to the babylonian empire
Okay, and we know that eventually the southern king of jude has been taken into captivity
But that has not yet played out historically. That's still over a hundred years before it happens
Okay, but once again, we see that god is referencing
prophesying of these future events to come
verse number 16
Thus save the lord which maketh a way in the sea
And a path in the mighty waters, so he's referring back to what we read earlier. All right
He passes us through the waters
And again historically that has to do with the israelites coming through the red sea
When they left egypt then it says because this way it says in verse number 17 which bring forth the chariots and the horse
The army and the power they shall they shall lie down together. They shall not rise
They are extinct
They are quenched as toe
I believe toe is like a candle or the wick of a candle something like that
Okay, so they're quenched like a candle
And so here once again god is speaking if I hope you guys know maybe maybe you don't fully know but
When the early nation of israel was led by moses out of egypt, you know, god opened the red sea
They were able to pass through they were being chased down by the egyptians by the army of pharaoh
And then when god allowed all the israelites get through to the other side and as the chariots as the army are going through the red
Sea god closes the water on top of the army and drowns the horses drowns the men
Destroys the chariots so he wipes out the army of pharaoh in that process and that's what god is speaking about here
And once again, it's just teaching us that god will always defend us from
wickedness he'll defend us from wicked people
You know as long as we're walking in the pathway that god has set before us
It can be in the midst of the waters, but he says that he'll be with us
But then he says this so we're talking about the past
We're talking about the very birth of the nation of israel
But then it says this in verse 18, which is interesting
Remember ye not the former things
Neither consider the things of old
Now you're like my god just mentioned
The things of the past you've mentioned like god just brought up the form of things
You just brought up the things of the old right how the nation was delivered out of egypt
But this is why this is why and look
It's not saying never remember the the past
But this is why because in verse number 19, he says behold
I will do a new thing
Now it shall bring forth
Shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert
Now we'll break this down in a moment, but it says look
We don't need to live in the past
Like it's it's good to remember what god has done for us right even in our lives god has answered prayers
He's helped us through problems. He's given us wisdom. He's you know, for those that are married. He's found your spouse
For those that have kids he's giving you children. I mean, it's good to remember what god has done for us in the past
But then god says all right good
But now he wants to do a new thing
You know, god still wants to work in your life tonight and tomorrow and next week
You know, it's good to look back at what god has done
But now we need to say okay god, what are you going to do for me moving forward?
God says man i've done these miracles for you i've delivered you in the past, but now i'm going to do a new thing
And if you've been following me through the book of isaiah, you probably know what these references are about
So let's I I believe this is all literal. Okay, uh verse number 19. Let's read it again behold. I will do a new thing
Now it shall spring forth
Shall you not know it I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers
In the desert now before I keep reading. What do you believe that's about for those that sorry?
All right
I've not thought about like that. Let's keep reading a little bit more
Verse number 20 the beast of the field shall honor me
the dragons and the owls
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert look at this to give drink to my people my chosen
people
This people have I formed for myself
They shall show forth my praise
Now if you've been following me all three chapters
Quite often we know that isaiah brings up again the millennium
That's an important part of the future events to come
All right the millennium
And what did we learn when christ comes back and puts his feet on the earth? What's going to do?
He's going to change
The topography of the earth
It's all going to change. There are going to be new mountains
There's going to be rivers in the deserts. There's going to be a river flowing from israel
You know that's going to it's going to be able to nourish people
You know christ is going to rule. I mean the world's going to be
Rejuvenated it's going to be wonderful in the time of christ
And he goes man you you you know, you're excited about the things by me, you know
Open up the red sea and destroying egyptians
Just wait to what I have planned for your future
And uh, I talk about it a lot, I don't know what I just feel that the bible's full of references of the millennium
And we ought to get excited about that because the bible tells us that we're made kings and priests
That we're going to rule and reign with christ in the millennium
Like we as god's people if you're if you're saved you're going to be part of that millennial government
Okay, you're going to rule over nations and rule over cities and rule over towns
Like we're going to be the counselors
Was it a council vote not long ago here in new south wales?
Like you're going to be the counselors
Okay, and it's not going to be the vote of the people. It's going to be the choice of jesus christ
To appoint us in positions of authority and power
So like there's an exciting time to come
Like in many ways where you know, we in many ways today we represent like christ first coming
humble
We're sojourners. We're just passing through
We're not of this world. Our kingdom is not of this world
All right. We're just trying to win souls. We're not you know, but then when christ comes back he comes in judgment
And guess what in the millennium we're going to be judging with jesus christ
So we get to live out this same process that christ lived on this earth
When he came in human form
Verse number 22
Now this is so he's talking about look I've got this great future ahead for you israel
And this is where he gets again it gets sad like this chapter ends on on a bit of a negative tone, okay
But thou has not called upon me. Oh jacob
But thou has been weary of me. Oh israel
So look i've helped you in the past you've seen all the miracles i've got this great future for you in the millennium
And you don't call upon me. You don't talk to me. You're tired of me. It says god
It's like wow
Look
I'm sure if you've been saved for a long period of time there have been times that you got weary in the faith
Where you just stop picking up the bible
You stop going to church
Maybe you stop praying
Life gets busy sometimes
But sometimes it gets a bit weary
You know turn up on a thursday night. So I appreciate you guys turn up on a thursday night, by the way
I know it's it's not easy. It's a bit wearisome
Look if I just wanted to give into my flesh I won't catch that flight here i'm much more comfortable at home
It's there is a wearisome to it and it's just you have to understand that that is the christian life
It's hard to remain zealous 24 7 in the spirit constantly witnessing of christ
It gets tiring
But when you get tired, I want you to understand that god is not just this
Like our faith isn't just this religious program that we go through
Like god is a real person
He wants to talk to us. He leads us. He guides us
He wants the best for us
It's like
My wife right if I don't spend time with my wife
If I don't talk to my wife
If we don't speak about our plans of the family and what what's going on?
You know if I just wake up on a thursday, I don't say goodbye to my wife
And I just leave the house and fly to sydney and she's like where's kevin and she went like what's going on?
Like what's going on with our family like, you know, obviously to maintain a healthy strong and committed marriage
We need to be in communication
You know why life gets weary doesn't it, you know, especially with a whole bunch of kids you get very busy life gets weary
and
Sometimes you don't have time to maybe take your wife out on the date that you should have or whatever it is
You don't have time to celebrate certain events potentially
But you know if you don't maintain a a nice relationship it can destroy your marriage
Well, god is not just this process
god is not just
Go to church or something like this right and just tick the box. God is real
God has character
We learn about him through his word
We ought to speak to him and not just go through some vain repetition prayer dear lord. Thank you for today. Please bless me
Thank you lord. Amen
He's real
He goes god says about the old
Covenant people of israel you're tired of me. You're weary of me
Reverend I don't want that to be you. Maybe it is you tonight. Maybe you are a bit weary
You know in the faith, but I want you to remember the lord wants to spend time with you
You know, he wants that personal relationship with you. He wants to spend time with you
Look at verse number 23
so
I want you to notice how they're weary with god
It says thou has not brought me the small cattle for thy burnt offerings
So they're still making burnt offerings
But god says you've not brought me the small cattle neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices
I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense
So there were these there were these daily sacrifices
They had to bring the young of the little when it says the small cattle
It's me referencing the young young cattle the young sheep the young kids of you know, goats
They were bring to bring for their daily sacrifices
God says look you come to the sacrifice, but you just bring in the old ones
You're bringing I guess the maimed ones you're bringing the ones that you don't care about
You know
And that's kind of like coming to church
Like okay, I went to church. I ticked the box
Yeah, but did you give god your best though?
You know, were you distracted about what's going to happen after church? Are you distracted about what's happening tomorrow at work?
You know when you sing praises to god, is your heart really in it? Do you are you really trying to praise the lord?
You know and so god's showing them look it's not that they've stopped doing what they have to do. They're just not doing the best
They're not really following what god has asked them to be and what to do
And what I love about at the end of verse number 23 god makes it very clear to them
I have not caused thee to serve with an offering
Nor wearied thee with incense
He says what i've asked you to do
Like in the temple
It's not that hard to do
That's what god is saying but you're still weary
And really when you think about christian life
If salvation is full and free paid in jesus christ
And christ says that his yoke is easy
His burden is light
Like what we're meant to do as believers really is not that hard
Like isn't that hard to open your bible and read it for 10 minutes a day
God's given you 24 hours. He says look just give him 10 minutes 15 minutes of your day to read his word
Is it really that hard?
Is it really that hard to drive for half an hour an hour to get to church?
You know, is it really that hard to open your mouth and tell someone hey
Let me tell you about what jesus christ did for you so you can be sure of going to heaven
Now there is effort
But is it really that hard?
When god has given you 24 hours in a day seven days in a week, he doesn't ask a lot from you
And so that's what he's essentially saying like you guys are weary of me, but i've made it easy i've not given you
such major burdens
Just bring one of your kids just bring one of your sheep
You know animals off, you know able to produce multiple
It's not like moms human beings that you only produce one child every couple of years, you know animals are able to constantly
reproduce and of course when you got a farm and you got land you're able to bring forth much goods and and uh,
You know god's asking for a very small amount
You know, is it that hard to bring the tithe
And god says look take the 90 for you and give me the 10
Is it that hard is it that wearisome?
To live a life that pleases the lord
Look at verse number 24
Thou has bought me
Sorry, that has that has bought me no sweet cane with money
Neither has that filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices
But thou has made me to serve with thy sins
Thou has wearied me
with thine iniquities
He goes you're weary of me. I'm weary of you because of your sins because of your iniquities
Verse number 24 when he says thou has bought me
No sweet cane with money the sweet cane was to make incense like a like a perfume nice smelling incense
They're like they're not even getting the right materials
For the incense of the temple
Like the priests are dropping the ball as well. Not just the people that are bringing the sacrifices
But the priests that are meant to be working in the temple. They're dropping their game. They're dropping their ball
It's like if I came to you know, thursday night tonight and i'm like, all right guys, uh
sorry guys, I only prepared this sermon for the last five minutes before service and
You know, I just gave you some garbage sermon
You know, I just uh, yeah, you're doing well guys pat you on the back praise god
Thank you. Good night. See you later
All right, you're not giving your best pass to kevin
And I want to speak to the preachers, you know, I appreciate the hard work and give your best preachers
You know, let's bring the sweet cane
Let's bring the sweet incense
Let's give our best to the lord when we get behind this pulpit and we expound god's word to god's people
We don't want to get wearisome
God says man, you're weary of me. I'm weary of you
You know, we've died iniquities
Don't you bring these sacrifices but as far as god concerned you're not doing it properly
Says man, i'm weary of your sick your sin
boy
We don't want to be that way. That's what i'm saying. Like this chapter ends on the downer
Verse 25
I even I
Am here that blood off out thy transgressions for mine own sake I will not remember thy sins
Thank god
So when we haven't given our best
When we haven't been serving the lord when we've not been witnesses unto him
When we've gotten behind this pulpit and preached and we knew that we just prepared five minutes and it was a garbage sermon, right?
God says look i'm going to forgive you anyway
Thank god
For even when we do wrong, we don't live according to his ways
Thank god, even when we get weary of god he's willing to forgive us
God's reminding us man. He's he's a forgiving god
Now this is important though god's telling them look i'm ready to forgive you, right
But he's warning them about what's happening what's going to happen the babylonian takeover
Okay, that's the judgment of god. It's on its way
And this is why again it just ends on such a negative note verse number 29 26
Put me in remembrance
Let us plead together
Declare thou that thou mayest be justified
You know if we're in sin, what are we meant to do? We're meant to go to god declare. Yes, lord
I've sinned against you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me
He says let us play together god saying let me help you confess your sins to me
Like god wants us to be made right with him in our spiritual walk
That our mayest be justified
Then verse number 27
Thy first father have sinned
And thy teachers have transgressed against me
When he says thy first father, that's a reference to the first
generation
of the israelites
Right, they came out of the red sea
They went to mount sinai
Didn't take long did it
And they're building some golden calf
And then like god gives him the covenant god gives him the ten commandments and like yeah, we'll be your covenant to people god
And then god's all right. It's time to go to the promised land
And what happened? Oh, we can't do it. We can't win the battle
You know, uh, it's too hard
We're like grasshoppers in their sight. They're giants
wine complain
murmur rebel against moses
God says man your first father have sinned against me your first generation
Like god's like saying from the very beginning till now
right
You're like this rebellious people
now the reason I bring this up is because
Oh, let's finish it verse number 28
Therefore so this is why okay, so because of this
I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary
And have given jacob to the curse
and israel to reproaches
That's just cryptic for
You're going to get judged and we know the judgment that's going to come is babylon
Okay, babylon is going to wipe them out. God's babylon is going to take them into captivity captivity for 70 years
But the point here is that from the time israel came out of egypt
Okay to the time when they're taken over by babylon is about 900 years
God says you've the first fathers the first generation have sinned against me
Just in case you think god is maybe
a little too strict
a little too hard
He gives them 900 years
Before babylon takes them
It's about
It's about like I said 30 40 years what we're reading this chapter before it actually took place
And god's telling them look you've got like 30 years left
He's asking. Hey confess your sins confess your iniquities. Let's get this right
Bring the right offerings
Right be a witness unto me
And israel go man from the very beginning till now
You've sinned against me
And god says all right because of that i've given you 900 years
It's like 890 years or something like that
You know, you're going to get taken away
My judgment's going to come
Just in case anyone thinks for a minute
That god is just too heavy-handed
Just makes our life just too hard to serve him
He gave this nation 900 years to get it right
At some point god has enough and he's got to bring down the hammer. He's got to bring down the judgments
So it ends in this very negative tone
But as I said brethren the title for the sermon tonight was ye are my witnesses ye
Are my witnesses
And that was the task that old testament israel was meant to be a witness of god to all the nations of the earth
Well, if you're saved today, you're under the new covenant. You're a child of god your job is to be a witness
Hey, don't be weary in well-doing don't be weary serving the lord. Don't be weary coming to church
Don't get weary reading your bible
Okay, don't get weary trying to live a life that pleases god
Okay, and brethren because we all stuff up. We all mess up. We all make mistakes. We all sin
God's telling us. Hey when you sin guess what i'll help you i'll play with you
I'll help you confess your sins so you can be made right with god once again
All right, brethren ye are my witnesses. Let's pray
Heavenly father lord. Thank you for this chapter
Uh lord, thank you for all the similarities that we see with the book of john and lord as much as we can
Shake our heads to old testament israel and see their failures
Lord, you've got these words in the bible so we can reflect upon these and see where our failings are ourselves
Please forgive us lord. We know we're not always
Walking in your paths lord. If there's anyone weary here tonight in service towards you, please refresh us
Please remind us that you're a forgiven god
Lord you want to get things right with us. We know that you're also a god that will chastise and correct us
But lord your long suffering help us to get made to be made right with you
Please fill us with excitement and zeal and passion for for you
help us to think about our walk and relationship with you as we talk to you and
We're led by you help us not to go through some basic process of religion ticking the box of coming to church
But that we truly love what we're doing lord and we love christ and please bring back that first love into our hearts
Help us to be witnesses unto christ and we commit this night to you in jesus name. I pray. Amen
All right, let's turn to hymn number 262
262
The light of the world is jesus 262 the light of the world is jesus 262
The
Whole world was lost in the darkness of sin the light of the world is jesus
Like sunshine and new thing his glory's shining the light of the world is jesus
Come to the light
To shine in for thee sweetly the light has dawned upon me
Once I was blind but now I can see
The light of the world is jesus
No darkness have we who in jesus
Find the light of the world is jesus
We walk in the light when we follow our god the light of the world is
jesus
Come to the light to shine in for thee
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me
Me
Once I was blind but now I can see
The light of the world is jesus
Ye dwellers in darkness with sin blind the nights the light of the world is jesus
Jesus
The light will arise the light of the world is jesus
Come to the light to shine in for thee
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me
Once I was blind but now I can see
The light of the world is jesus
No need of the sunlight in heaven went home the light of the world is jesus
The lamb is the light in the city of god
The light of the world is jesus
Jesus
Come to the light to shine in for thee
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me
Once I was blind but now I can see
The light of the world is jesus
Jesus
All right, great singing let's just close in a word of prayer, uh brother rams if you don't mind, thank you
I have been called to thank you for this evening
Lord your arm is not beside you
And to whom shall we prepare you to go to thank you for our salvation
You can buy who credit you may be with us the rest of the week that must be witnesses up to you
Lord walking uprightly speaking the truth in our hearts and working in righteousness bringing glory and praise upon us
We love you and give you things in jesus name. Amen. Amen. You're dismissed. Thank you all
You