The sermon for March 23rd 2025 is now available on the New Life web site.
In this sermon, which is based on Isaiah 55:1-9, I talk about “Come and Drink!”
Click here to listen or download the mp3.
Today’s Sermon
Isaiah
Reflection on Isaiah 66
Scripture
This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.”
Observation
The Lord declares that heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool. Regardless of where the house is that they build for Him, He has made it all, and they came into being at His command.
The Lord has made all people, and yet they come to Him with offerings and incense even though they eat unclean food and worship idols.. People have chosen their own ways and delight in their sins, so therefore so therefore the Lord will punish them harshly.
Can a country be born in a day? This is what the Lord will do for his people. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her.
The Lord promises to extend peace to Jerusalem and bring the wealth of nations to her.
The Lord will gather the nations together from all over the world. They will proclaim the Lord’s glory. All mankind will come and bow before the Lord.
Application
The Lord’s says that heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool.
The Lord is the one who made it all and owns it all, including the people on it.
Because the Lord controls the heavens those who think the stars determine their destiny are foolish.
And because the Lord owns the Earth, those who think they can live independently of the Lord are also foolish. He owns it all, including us.
Therefore , theright response to God’s grace is to surrender our lives to Him. God will punish those who choose their own way, especially those who have a veneer of respectable faith.
Let us give ourselves entirely to worshipping and obeying our Lord.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the privilege of being called your child. Please help me to live for you every day. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 65
Scripture
“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!”
Observation
The Lord was ready to respond but no one called to Him. He said, “Here I am!” but they did not call on His name. He is waiting for His people, but they are burning incense to idols.
The Lord will destroy the wicked, but He will preserve those who are truly His servants. He will preserve a remnant to possess the land. He is creating a new heavens and a new earth. Jerusalem will be a place of joy. Babies will not die prematurely, and adults will live to a hundred.
The blessings will be so great that God will answer prayers before they even pray.
Application
We live under the new covenant that Isaiah looked towards. It is not yet fully consummated as the creation still needs to be reformed.
God’s blessings towards his people are enormous. We don’t think of God answering prayers before we ask or while we are talking about the needs. God sees our need before we do, and His heart is so favourable to us that He answers before we ask.
This chapter begins with God expressing anger because He is ready to respond, but they don’t ask. In the new covenant age, He is happy to answer before we ask.
This does not say that we do not need to pray or to seek the Lord. Prayer is meant to be relational not transactional. We don’t pray to get answers, but from a need to be close to the Lord.
Prayer
Thank you Father for the privilege of prayer. Thank you that you desire to communicate with me. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 64
Scripture
For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him.
Observation
Come down from heaven Lord and cause the mountains to shake and the nations to tremble. When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds.
Since the world began, no eye has seen nor ear heard of a God like this one, who works for those who wait on Him.
The Lord welcomes those who walk in His ways, but the people of Israel have not been like that. No one calls on the name of the Lord or asks for mercy.
Yet He is our father. After all the destruction that has happened, will He continue to be silent?
Application
The pagan idea of God, or gods, was that they were unpredictable and likely to cause great suffering unless people offered them sacrifices do mollify them.
But our God is different. He is so different in fact, that nobody has ever heard of anything like it. He does not demand our service; rather, He works for those who wait for him.
This is partnership, not servitude. We wait on God and listen. We make our requests to Him and we listen to His directions. We serve him, but He also works for us.
God is a Father not a distant king. He loves each one of us and is working out our lives so that we become all that we can be in Him.
We need to be careful that we do not start to think of God as our personal assistant, or worse still, as a vending machine of blessings and goodies. It is all about relationship – living and loving.
Prayer
Lord, you are my God. Thank you that you invite me to walk with you each day. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 63
Scripture
Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes marching in his great strength? “It I I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!”
Observation
The Lord comes with his robes stained red. He has come from His winepress where He has crushed Israel’s enemies like grapes.
The Lord was amazed that no one intervened to save His people from their enemies. So He stepped in to save them.
The Lord has saved His people even though they rebelled against Him. Then they remembered the days of old when they knew the Holy Spirit and received His rest.
Application
The Lord judges people and punishes His enemies. It is a sad fact that not everybody will be saved. Many people will reject God’s gracious offer of salvation.
The result is that God will destroy them. His royal robes will be stained red by the blood of those who hate the Lord.
There can be no heaven without a sorting and a judgement. The whole point of salvation is to remove our sinful rebellion against against God. If God allows sin to go on in eternity, heaven will be no better than earth.
There will be a judgement. Those who reject God will themselves be rejected by Him. Those who accept God will be accepted by Him.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for salvation through Christ’s death on the cross. Please help me to be faithful to the end. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 62
Scripture
The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. and you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.
Observation
The nations will see the righteousness of Jerusalem. The leaders will be blinded by her glory. It will never again be called “The forsaken City”, but it will be called “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God.”
The Lord has sworn to protect Jerusalem. The citizens will raise the grain and they will eat it.
The Lord tells the people of Israel that their Saviour is coming. They will be called “The Holy People.”
Application
Collectively, we the church shine the glory and righteousness of God to the nations. You and I are glowing in the darkness of the world, pointing people to the salvation that comes in Christ
Even though we might not feel that important or that holy, the things that we do, the words we speak, and the decisions that we make all point to the glory of Jesus.
Yes we sin. All of us are works in progress. Our growth in God and the changes that He makes in our lives are a testimony to God’s grace.
God gives us all a new name, a new destiny. The name that God gives us speaks of that new destiny and the new character He is building in us. We are bound to Him by His love in a never-ending covenant.
Prayer
Lord, you are so good to me. Thank you for rescuing me from the kingdom of darkness and giving me a new name as your child. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 61
Scripture
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.
Observation
The Lord has anointed the servant to bring good news to the poor, to comfort the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, to declare that the time of the Lord’s favour has arrived.
To everyone who mourns, He will give beauty for ashes, blessing for mourning, praise for despair.
The people of Israel will rebuild their cities. They will enjoy a double share of honour and of prosperity. Joy will be theirs forever.
Isaiah says he is overwhelmed with joy in the Lord. He is dressed in the clothing of salvation, a robe of righteousness.
Application
God is all about exchanging human weakness and sin for a new state of holiness and strength. He takes away the old burdens and clothes us with new righteousness.
Here he promises a crown of beauty for the ashes of mourning, joy instead of sadness, and praise instead of despair.
At times when I have felt worn down by grief, I have felt joy bubble up from within me. Despite my current difficulties I am united with the eternal God, and this grief will only last for a short time.
He doesn’t always take the pain away completely, but he does give us strength to continue the journey.
Prayer
Lord, you promise to exchange our mourning and despair for joy in you. Thank you for this wonderful promise. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 60
Scripture
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.
Observation
The glory of the Lord is shining on Jerusalem. All nations will come to its light. The people of Israel, scattered across the Earth, are returning home.
The merchants are flocking to bring their products and wealth. Foreigners will rebuild the towns destroyed in God’s judgement.
Violence will disappear from the land, and salvation will surround them like a city wall. They will no longer need the sun to see by day or the moon by night, because God himself will light up the land.
The smallest of families will become like a great nation. In its day the Lord will do this swiftly.
Application
One Sunday evening in our little church service, I read this chapter and was hit with force by the last verse. The ordinary word of God became a rhema word for me. Our church, though the smallest in our town at the time, would become a thousand. And in its day, the Lord will do this swiftly.
We do not have to strive to make things happen. This is a temptation for me – with my choleric personality, I am task driven. With God’s grace, we serve patiently and trust Him to take care of the results.
That takes a load off the mind. There is no pressure when you just have to obey rather than being responsible to produce results.
It doesn’t mean that we slack off and treat life like a long holiday. We seek the Lord, do the job He calls us to, and then we see what He can do with a life surrendered to Him.
Prayer
Lord, it’s not by might nor by power but by your Spirit that mountains are moved. Please help me to remember this. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 59
Scripture
“This is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Observation
The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save, nor his ear too deaf to hear. Our sins separate us from God. No one cares about justice or righteousness.
We stumble and grope like blind people. Our sins are piled up before God. He is ready to judge, but when people repent and turn back to Him, He will redeem them from their sins.
God promises His Spirit will never leave them and His words will remain on the lips of their children and grandchildren forever.
Application
God makes some strong promises that seem absolute and unconditional. He says,”This is my covenant” and ” I, the Lord have spoken!” That sounds like a strong promise.
Firstly He promises that His Spirit will never leave His people. It is a terrible thing when the Holy Spirit departs from a person. Spiritually, they are like a living corpse. God says that will not happen to us. We can be filled, baptised, and anointed by the Spirit of God, and as long as we stay close to Him, He will equip, enable, and empower us to serve Him.
Secondly, He promises that His word will not leave us, nor our children, nor our grandchildren. They still need to make faith their own, of course, but He will make sure that they will not stray too far from Him.
Parents and grandparents, keep praying for your children and grandchildren that the word of God remains in their hearts and on their lips. God will take care of the rest; He has he has promised it
Prayer
Thank you Lord for your faithfulness. Please help me to be faithful to you. Amen.
Reflection on Isaiah 58
Scripture
The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well watered garden like an ever flowing spring.
Observation
The people of Israel are sinners, despite their pious actions. They go to the temple every day. They pray and ask God to intervene on their behalf. they fast, expecting God to be impressed.
The kind of fasting the Lord requires is to free the wrongly imprisoned and let the oppressed go free. They are to look after the homeless and care for relatives in need.
When they do that, salvation will come like the dawn. When they call, the Lord will answer. If they feed the hungry they will shine like light in the darkness. Then the Lord will guide them continually and make them like a well watered garden.
Application
The Lord is not interested in our deeds of piety – prayers, praise, fasting and so on. These things are important, but they do not impress God.
The Lord is impressed when we allow our salvation to flow out to others in good deeds and when we set free the oppressed.
We are saved by faith in Christ. That then transforms our hearts and minds so that we live for Him and for other people. When we do that, the little light that is my relationship with God is magnified and shows forth in my community in actions that bring freedom and life.
Then we start to bloom like a well-watered garden. We help others to flourish, and by doing that, God’s grace multiplies in us.
As a a new Christian and a new member of Parliament, William Wilberforce asked God, “What can I do for you?” He dedicated his career to ending slavery and brought liberty to millions of people around the world. He became a well-watered garden that benefited countless people.
Prayer
Lord show me how to glorify your name today. Amen.
New Life Narrabri 