A New Thing
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
1) God’s Power in our Past! (v. 16-17)
1) God’s Power in our Past! (v. 16-17)
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
God reminds His people of His Power in their past.
He brought them out of Egypt through the sea.
He brought them into His land of Promise across the mighty waters of the Jordan
He had defeated their enemies time and time again, whether Egypt or the pagan inhabitants of Israel.
God is reminding His people through Isaiah, that they wouldn’t have gotten to where they were at that moment with Him!
He is the One who protected and preserved.
He is the One who provided and prevailed.
He is the One who called them and commissioned their existence.
He is the One who established their nation and expelled their enemies when they trusted Him.
He is the One who called them to Holiness and Chastised them when they turned away.
He is the One who is forever faithful even when they had been faithless.
He is the One who made the way and strengthened the weary among them.
He is the One who Provided Power in their Past.
Without Him…there is no them!
Let’s remember today that without Him…there is no us!
We have only gotten to where we are today in our lives, because of God’s power in our past.
He has worked miracles seen and unseen to get us to the place we are today.
He has called us by name and we are His!
God didn’t work in our past so that we can just dwell upon the past…
2) God’s Purpose in our Present! (v. 18-19a)
2) God’s Purpose in our Present! (v. 18-19a)
18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
It is interesting that in the same thought God reminds them of His power but then tells them, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.”
Why? Because isn’t finished yet!
“…there is a danger of yearning for past glories while neglecting present blessings.” - Bob Fyall, Commentary on Isaiah 43:18.
It’s nice to remember and recognize God’s work and His power in the past, but the past should be a confirmation of God being at work in our present!
Though the people’s lives were under chastisement from neglecting God and being unfaithful to Him, God wasn’t done with them!
God still had purpose in their present and was still at work in their lives.
He declares, “I am doing a new thing…”
God is reminding the people that He is still at work…He is still active in their lives!
While He had done some amazing things in their past, He is not a one trick pony! He is doing something all together new!
God is working even in the dryness of their hearts and circumstance to do something that is life bringing and transformational!
God’s purpose is continuing to be fulfilled…you and I are the New Thing!
God was working all things into perfect alignment for His Son to come and establish His Kingdom here on earth in the hearts and lives of His creation.
A Kingdom to be in this world, but not of this world… a Kingdom that is beyond this world!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
The past is a great thing to reflect upon as a reminder of how awesome God is, but we don’t need to think of the past as the glory days.
As a people of God and as a Church, our best days are still to come!
God is working out His purposes in our present!
Never lose sight that you and I are a work in progress individually and also collectively.
God is springing forth a great work in your life! Lean in to it. Perceive it. Enjoy it. Rejoice in it.
Don’t live in the “good old days”… The same God who showed power in your past is still working His purpose in your present! Don’t miss it!!!
3) God’s Presence is our Future! (v.19b-21)
3) God’s Presence is our Future! (v.19b-21)
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
God promises His people that He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the dessert.
That which seems to be dead, impassable, and impossible…He will bring redemption, restoration, and life!
Even His creation that seems to be wild, untamable, and stubborn will be brought to honor the Lord for the work He is going to do in the dry and thirsty land.
God declares that He will refresh and restore His people. He will give drink to His chosen people, whom He formed for Himself, whom He delights in, whom find their purpose and delight in Him!
God is working all of this for a future they will bring to Him the praise, honor, and glory He rightfully deserves.
This restoration and praise is not from a distance, but is amongst His people.
John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
When our wicked hearts kept us from His presence, God brought His presence to us.
When our sin separated us from Him, He came to us.
When we were by nature a people deserving of His wrath, He brought to us forgiveness and peace through Jesus.
When we could not go to Him, He brought His presence to us!
The drink that He has offered to restore and refresh us is the New Covenant of His blood.
It is His body and His blood that allow us to come to His presence.
It is His sacrifice that makes His spiritual presence through the Holy Spirit a reality for us today, and preserves for us an inheritance of His full glory in presence in the future!
It is in that future glory, when we are completely free from the presence of sin that we will bask in the eternal praise of being in His presence in the future!
It is not the past that should define our present, but is the future of eternal hope in His glorious presence that should shape God’s purpose for us here and now.
CLOSING
CLOSING
God is doing a new thing!
Have you jumped on board with what He is doing?
Are you placing your faith and trust in Jesus and taking hold of His New Covenant for you?
Are you being transformed by the Holy Spirit through His grace?
2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Are being made new by Him?
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
