Immanuel
Notes
Transcript
Immanuel
ILL- Cain's gift of grain- He tried to gain God's favor by doing things his way.
When we try to approach God our own way we are trying to manipulate God.
Story of Bible is story of God pursuing man, not man pursuing God.
The birth of Jesus is the ultimate example of God’s pursuit of man.
-Wisemen did not find religious people looking for the Messiah.
They found religious people running from the Messiah.
We need God to “rend the heavens” because we cannot approach him on our own.
The birth of Jesus is a dramatic step of God coming to us.
Immanuel= God with us.
His birth was the beginning of the end of separation.
Isaiah 1:11-20
11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Pray
2 Ways We Attempt to Approach God
Works (12-17)
Works (12-17)
5 Works of Righteousness
Attendance (12)
Attendance (12)
Isaiah 1:12
12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
Showing up will not guarantee you find God.
I’ve seen several active attenders give their lives to Christ. Some in their 70’s.
Attendance is important for believers, but it will not guarantee your salvation.
Giving (13a)
Giving (13a)
Isaiah 1:13
13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
God does not need our money.
Salvation is not for sale.
Giving is the fruit of a changed life but it cannot create a changed life.
Give through Del Norte Baptist Church as a way to help fulfill the Great Commission.
Your gifts to Del Norte is used to share the Gospel is Albuquerque and all around the world.
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering- goes directly to the front lines of missions all around the world.
Giving is evidence of a changed life but it will not get you to heaven.
Religion (11, 13b-14)
Religion (11, 13b-14)
Isaiah 1:11
11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
Sacrifice was required by God.
But only as it comes from a heart of obedience, not a heart trying to manipulate God.
Isaiah 1:13-14
13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
Celebrating holidays will not get yo to heaven.
Christmas
Most Americans celebrate Christmas- it does not make you a follower of Jesus.
Religion is man’s attempt to manipulate God.
Prayer (15)
Prayer (15)
Isaiah 1:15
15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
Spread Hands= worship- God is not accepting it.
Prayer- God is not listening.
Because of motif. - to manipulate.
Because of sin- it separates us from God.
Change (16-17)
Change (16-17)
Isaiah 1:16-17
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
“make yourself clean”
Isaiah 64:6
6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Galatians 2:16
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
We cannot change ourselves.
Surrender (18-20)
Surrender (18-20)
Isaiah 1:18-20
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Surrender is the opposite of works.
Titus 3:5
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
“let us reason together”= let me convince you of the truth.
God makes the way for us to get to him.
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
“If you are willing” - willing to listen to God and do it his way.
It is a surrender of your will to God’s will.
CONCLUSION
2 Paths- you must chose your path.
Jesus’ parable of two paths.
Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Which path do you find yourself?
