The Divine Deliverer

[[Begin with illustration about Zion loving to play the game “da-nah.”]]

When I chase my son, he loves to be caught. Unfortunately, many of us are just like my son, but in a spiritual sense. Sin chases us down, and we love to be caught. We don’t “flee” like the Bible tells us to (; : : ). “The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (). One of our greatest problems is that we don’t run from him. We crawl away, hoping that he’ll catch up to us. My message today for the person who has this problem — you have a love affair with sin and the world, and you know you ought to let go, but every time you tear yourself away you find yourself running back — the good news is that…

Jesus can save even you.

I want to make it clear today that there is no case to hard for Jesus. There is no sinner so great that He cannot save— no problem too great that He cannot solve. I want to show you how and tell you why that’s true.

Our text today is actually found in an Old Testament prophecy. It’s a prophecy that we’re used to hearing during the Christmas. You may be tempted to say, “Pastor, you’re a little late with this one.” But we’re going to see that this prophecy is full of more meaning than we normally get when we just print it on the front of a Christmas card.

God sent Isaiah to prophesy to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah. Their relatives to the north were on their way out. God was getting ready to judge them for their unfaithfulness to His covenant. They had gone to the point of no return. They had turned to idols and refused to turn back to God.

Therefore, the Lord sent Isaiah to prophesy in the south. His message can be summed up as “If you do not believe, surely you shall not be established” (). Like the other prophets before and after him, his message was a mixture of stern warnings of the coming judgment of God from the nation of Babylon, but also promising pictures of the future glory of those who returned to God in repentance.

Our text comes from Isaiah’s early ministry, soon after He was called to be a prophet to Judah. As a part of his commission, God charged Isaiah not to imitate the idolatrous ways of the people he was ministering to. Let’s pick up our text in and walk into our text for this morning.

Jesus brings illumination ().

Jesus reveals the character of the Father (; ; ; ).

Jesus brings clarity into your life (; , ).

Jesus performs the work of conversion in your life (; ).

Jesus brings increase ().

Multiplication is the fulfillment of God’s original purpose for humanity (; ).

The multiplication of the nation was in fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel (; ).

For us, multiplication means becoming partakers of the Divine nature through the promises of God’s word ().

For us, multiplication also means becoming participants in God’s work for the salvation of souls ().

Jesus came through incarnation ().

God is with us (; ; ).

God is for us ().

God will rule over us (; ) .

Turn from your deceptive danger to your Divine Deliverer.

Action Steps: What can you do today?

Get alone with God and be honest about the areas of idolatry in your life.

Ask God to help you to begin to form a habit of allowing the light of His Word to shine into your life daily.

Believe that Jesus is the powerful God that will strengthen you to overcome your areas of spiritual weakness.

Trust that you will find freedom from the oppressive reign of sin under God’s rulership over your life.