Sermons

The Wickedness of Our Sin
and the Wonder of God’s Salvation
Isaiah 56:9 – 57:21

 In Luke’s gospel we read that one evening Jesus went to the house of a Pharisee for dinner.  While they were eating, a woman known as a sinner came into the house, entered the dining room, and fell down at Jesus’ feet, weeping with confession and thankfulness for Jesus’ forgiveness.

The Pharisee rebuked her, because she -- known sinner – was there in his house.  But Jesus welcomed her – because she saw that she had sinned much, she saw that she needed forgiveness much, she knew that through Jesus she was forgiven, and so she loved Jesus much.

And Jesus said to the Pharisee: “He who thinks he only needs to be forgiven a little, loves little; but he who knows he needs to be forgiven much, loves much.”  In other words -- the more clearly we see our sin, and how much we have been forgiven, the more deeply we will love Jesus.

How much do you love Jesus -- honestly?  How much do you love Jesus, desire Him, worship Him, praise Him, seek Him?  How much do you love Jesus?

This morning we are going to celebrate Communion.  Communion is a time to love Jesus – to see how much we have sinned, to see His love in dying on the Cross for our sins, and to see how much Jesus has forgiven us for our sins.

And to help us in this, let’s turn to Isaiah 57.  If you need a Bible, raise your hand and we will bring one to you.  Isaiah 57 is on page 616 in the Bibles we are passing out.

In this chapter Isaiah makes two main points – the wickedness of our sin, and the wonder of God’s salvation.

So let’s start with the wickedness of our sin.  This section actually starts in v.9 of chapter 56 and runs through v.13 of chapter 57.  In these verses Isaiah reminds Israel, and us, of how sinful we were before God saved us.  And if you are not yet trusting Jesus Christ, then in these verses Isaiah wants to show you how much you are sinning and how much you need to be forgiven by Jesus.  So let’s dig in.

First, Isaiah says that before we were saved we ignored eternity.  That’s the point of Isaiah 56:9 – 57:2.  At the end of ch.56 Isaiah says this is true of Israel’s leaders – look at v.12 –

12            "Come," they say, "let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure."

Israel’s leaders repeatedly got drunk, acted like life would go on forever, and ignored the fact that one day they would die and face God’s judgment.

But that’s not just true of Israel’s leaders.  In vv.1-2 of ch.57 we can see that it was true of all of us --

1              The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;

2              he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.

Those in Israel who were righteous died in peace.  They knew they were forgiven by God, and would enter eternity with joy.  But everyone else in Israel ignored the reality of eternity and God’s future judgment.

Haven’t we all done that?  Think about it.  You will be consciously alive forever.  And in that sense the person sitting next to you is immortal.  Every one of us will be consciously alive forever – in either heaven or hell -- and God has clearly told us the way to heaven.

But what have we done?  We’ve ignored eternity and lived as though life on earth will last forever.  Here we are with 80 or 90 years of life – and in front of us we have thousands and thousands and millions and millions and billions and billions of years of eternity – and instead of thinking about eternity and God and judgment -- we flop down on the couch and while away the hours before the TV.

Second, we mocked God.  That’s the point of 57:3-5 --

3              But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.

4              Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit,

5              you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

How did Israel mock God?  God had shown her His goodness and power in freeing her from Egypt and parting the Red Sea and bringing her into the Promised Land.  And He stood before her in front of all the nations and said – “Now trust me: no sorcery; no adultery; no murder.”  But what did Israel do?  She turned her back on God and pursued sorcery – trying to connect with the supernatural by sacrificing chickens before little wooden idols.  She turned her back on God and pursued adultery – having sex with the prostitutes in Baal’s temple.  She turned her back on God and murdered – placing her own children in the red hot arms of the idol Moloch where they were burned to death.

That’s wicked for many reasons.  But can you feel how that mocks God?  In front of all the nations they turned their backs on God and committed these horrible sins.

Can you see that you have mocked God, too?  Before all the nations God reveals Himself in Creation; in Christ; in His Word.  And we’ve turned our backs on God and clicked on porn; turned our backs on God and been racists; turned our backs on God and loved money.

Third, we deserted God.  That’s the point of vv.6-13.  God created you so you could have Him as your all-satisfying Treasure, your prize, your love, your passion – or as the Old Testament puts it – as your portion and your lot. 

But look at what we have done -- in v.6 –

6              Among the smooth stones of the valley [idols] is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for [or: be comforted by] these things?

Israel deserted God by setting up idols in their homes and going to temples where they would have sex with temple prostitutes – you can see that in v.8 –

8              Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.

God created us so we could have Him as our all-satisfying Treasure, our prize, our love, our passion.  But we have all deserted God and turned to money, self-righteousness, and fame as our portion and lot.

So can you feel how wicked we were? 

We ignored eternity.

We mocked God.

We deserted God.

So what does God do?  How does God respond?  That’s where Isaiah goes next – the wonder of God’s salvation.  Isaiah makes four points about God’s salvation.

First, God is merciful.  That’s in vv.14-15.  Picture God looking down on us.  We are ignoring eternity, mocking God, deserting God.  God could justly have decided to pour His wrath out upon all of us forever.

But that’s not what God does.  Look at what He says in v.14 --

14            And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way."

I think what this means is that God will remove every obstruction that keeps us from turning to God.  In other words – God is going to bring to Himself a vast multitude that no one can count from every nation, tongue, and tribe.

Now why would God do that?  We deserve only punishment – why would God bring us to Himself?  Notice the first word in v.15 – “for” – here’s the reason --  

15            For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Here’s why.  God is high and lifted up, inhabiting eternity, perfectly holy.  He is infinitely above us in every way.  And yet He loves to show astonishing mercy to undeserving people.  So when He sees contrite, lowly, repentant people – He comes to them and revives them.

But there is a problem.  We have sinned against God.  And in His justice God feels anger.  So before God can come to us and revive us – something has to happen to God’s anger.  That’s where Isaiah goes next --

Second, God removes His anger.  Look at v.16 --

16            For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

If God continued His anger against us – if God expressed His just anger against us – He would destroy His entire creation.  He doesn’t want to do that. 

But He can’t just ignore His anger, because it is just and righteous.  That’s the point of v.17 --

17            Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

Because of our sin, God is justly angry.  And even when He struck us, brought us trials to wake us up, we ignored Him and kept right on backsliding in the way of our own hearts.  So can you feel how just it would be for God to pour out His anger upon us and be done with us?

But look at the beginning of v.18 --

18            I have seen his ways [his backsliding ways], but I will heal him…

Heal him?  Wait a minute – in v.17 He was angry; now in v.18 He’s healing.  Somehow between vv.17 and 18 God removes His anger and replaces it with healing towards us.  So where did His anger go?

Isaiah doesn’t tell us here in these verses – because He’s already told us in ch.53.  Look at Isaiah 53:2-6 –

2              For he [Jesus] grew up before him [God the Father] like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

3              He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4              Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

5              But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

6              All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

So where did God’s anger go?  It was poured out upon Jesus as He suffered on the Cross for our sins.  Don’t miss this.  Here’s you and me – continually backsliding in our hearts from God – stirring God’s just anger.  And God chooses to take His just anger – and instead of pouring it out upon us – He pours it out upon Jesus.

Then third, God changes our hearts.  That’s the point of vv.18-19 --  

18            I have seen his ways [his backsliding ways], but I will heal him [I will change his heart so he stops backsliding; so he repents and trusts Jesus]; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners [fellow-believers],

19            creating the fruit of the lips [so now instead of boasting and slandering and cursing – it’s praise to God and love for others]. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near," says the LORD, "and I will heal him.

If you are now trusting Jesus, the reason is because at some point in your life God looked at your backsliding ways and because of what Jesus did on the Cross He chose to heal you.  He changed your heart.  And as a result you repented of your sin, and received Jesus into your life as your Lord, and Savior, and Treasure – and were completely forgiven.

But fourth, God mercifully warns us.  That’s the point of vv.20-21 --

20            But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.

21            There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

If we continue in wickedness without repenting before God, without confessing to Jesus, then we have not been saved.  And we will not experience God’s peace.  So cry out to God to heal your heart, and repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ – you will be forgiven, healed, and experience God’s peace.    

So let’s prepare our hearts for celebrating Communion.  Communion is a time to love Jesus – to see how much we have sinned, to see His love in dying on the Cross for our sins, and to see how much Jesus has forgiven us for our sins.

We’re going to do it a bit different this morning.  I am not going to lead us in partaking all-together – we want this to be an individual time between you and the Lord.  So here’s how this will work.

At any time during the next four songs, come up to one of these tables and take the bread and the cup.  You can go back to your seat, or kneel down here in front, of whatever is most meaningful for you. 

Then you pray and partake on your own, when you feel ready.  On your own – between you and the Lord Jesus, eat the bread as a reminder of His broken body, and drink the cup as a reminder of His shed blood.

Let’s pray.