Revive Us Again -1: God's Invitation

Reading: Isaiah 55
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Isaiah 55:1 (NIV)

I.   God invites the Thirsty (vv.1-5)

     A.  We admit our Poverty (v.1a)

           1.  Are we thirsty/needy? Absolutely!

                 a.  Revival=bringing back to life.

                 b.  How to start revival (chalk circle)

                 c.  Who is God inviting?

           2.  Admit our absolute need to ourselves

                 a.  Is it OK for us to be as needy as we are?

                 b.  Do we deny how much we need God?

                 c.  Admit it. We desperately need God!

           3.  Admit our absolute need to God

                 a.  Tell Him how much we need Him!

                 b.  He knows how much we need Him!

                 c.  He is ready to meet our need for Him!

     B.  We can only go to Him Empty (v.1a)

           1.  We can only buy w/o money/cost

                 a.  How could we ever earn a right to Him?

                 b.  Don’t try to buy/earn the blessing!

                 c.  Not even “spiritual” activities!

                 d.  Can we afford so low a price?

           2.  Empty of all self-assuredness

                 a.  Nothing in us requires His blessing

                 b.  Nothing we do requires His blessing

     C.  He gives Abundantly (vv.1b-5)

           1.  Water, wine & milk. (v.1)

                 a.  Will the guardian of a well die of thirst?

                 b.  All kinds of drink is offered to the thirsty

                 c.  Not just water, but wine & milk too!

           2.  Bread, satisfying, the richest of fare (v.2)

                 a.  He has real bread for us

                 b.  He has what can really satisfy us

                 c.  What He has is the best of the best!

           3.  Jesus is the promise of life (3-5)

                 a.  We are blessed thru Jesus

                 b.  He is: witness, leader, commander (v.4)

II.  Accept His invitation (vv.6-7)

     A.  Seek Him Now (v.6)

           1.  Seek=pursue for a relationship

                 a.  Are we satisfied w/ our rel. w/ God?

                 b.  Do we pursue/run after/chase God?

                 c.  Are we God chasers?

           2.  How much do we want to find Him?

                 a.  If it’s possible, would we want more?

                 b.  Have we given up too easily?

                 c.  What would we do to find Him, have we?

           3.  How urgently do we want Him?

                 a.  Sometimes we are content w/o Him :-(

                 b.  Complacence is an enemy of intimacy

                 c.  Finding Him is the pearl of great price!

     B.  Abandon evil Ways and Thoughts (v.7a)

           1.  Not other’s, but our evil ways/thoughts

                 a.  Our sin clouds our judgement

                 b.  Our ways/thoughts compared to God’s

                 c.  Our ways/thoughts harm us/others

           2.  Turn from our puny human ways/thoughts

                 a.  We only consider what’s possible for us

                 b.  Is God necessary for our lives to work?

                 c.  If God left, would we notice?

           3.  “Turn from all known sin”

                 a.  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Acts 3:19 (NIV)

                 b.  Our wicked ways imped His way in us

     C.  Receive Abundant forgiveness (v.7b)

           1.  Even if we are an wicked/evil people! (7a)

                 a.  Yes, He eagerly forgives the worst of us!

                 b.  His pardon is big enough for all of us!

           2.  Turn to God for mercy (don’t hide!)

                 a.  Don’t turn away, or run away, or hide!

                 b.  David, sinned but admitted it to God

                 c.  Turn to Him for mercy, He’ll give it!

           3.  He freely/abundantly pardons

                 a.  His forgiveness goes deeper than our sin

                 b.  Freely=abundantly in some trans.

                 c.  God never does something “a little bit”

III. Expect His higher ways (vv.8-13)

     A.  His Grace is higher (v.7b)

           1.  Our [evil] thoughts/ways aren’t like His

                 a.  His ways are better than ours

                 b.  We exploit others, He died for others.

           2.  He forgives more than makes sense to us

                 a.  We wouldn’t do it like Him, would we.

                 b.  We’ve never been forgiven like He does

           3.  He loves us more than we can understand

                 a.  How could he possibly love us like this?

                 b.  His grace/love is hard to comprehend

                 c.  His grace is higher than our minds can go

     B.  His Methods are higher (vv.8-11)

           1.  His methods are heavenly methods (v.9)

                 a.  His starting point is in heaven

                 b.  His possibilities are heavenly

                 c.  His goals are heavenly

           2.  His words rain blessing on us (vv.10-11)

                 a.  His mere words bring abundant blessing

                 b.  Not only physical, but spiritual too

                 c.  He purposes to bless us

           3.  Isn’t this just one way His ways are higher?

                 a.  If He blesses like this with only words...

                 b.  What of His hands, His arms, His face

                 c.  What of His very presence

     C.  His Blessings are higher (vv.12-13)

           1.  All creation celebrates His love for us!

                 a.  Notice this unnecessary blessing

                 b.  The mountains cheer us on in song! (?)

                 c.  Trees clap their hands about us! (?)

           2.  Weeds give way to blessing

                 a.  A reversal of the curse b/c of the fall

                 b.  Is this just about plants?

                 c.  Hardship gives way to pleasantness

           3.  He blesses us for His glory!

                 a.  He blesses us to make us glorious (v.5)

                 b.  All this is for His glory (v.13)

                 c.  As we eagerly receive and enjoy His blessings we bring Him glory!

The Bottom Line:

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