The world is spirit’ly asleep
They’re deaf, ignore the Word
Cry out to God and for them weep
Proclaim ‘til all have heard
Our hearts grow cold to the gospel
To God draw near and look
Cry out to Him for revival
Open and read the Book
Our country lives in rebellion
God’s judgment’s drawing near
Fight temptation, flee from all sin
Speak Christ to all who’ll hear
From a sermon on Isaiah 29
(To the tune of “Amazing Grace”)
Pictured Rocks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
The Ten Commandments spell out what love for God and our neighbors looks like. The content of our love for God and neighbor is not for us to decide. We are too sinful, too selfish, and too foolish to make our own decisions about these matters.
– Charles Colson in the Forward to
Pathway to Freedom by Alistair Begg
Yesterday we asked the question: where is your heart? Today we want to consider how we can stir up our heart for God. In Isaiah 29, God not only confronts the people with their heartless worship (v13), he goes on to tell them that he is going to a do a great wonder that will baffle the wisdom of men (v14). What is this great wonder? Isaiah never tells us. But Paul does.
In I Corinthians 1:18-19, Paul quotes this verse in reference to the cross. The cross is the great wonder that God would do that would baffle the wisdom of men. At the cross, God in the flesh dies for sinful humanity. At the cross, God’s mercy and judgment meet. At the cross, God shows the full extent of his love for us. And as we meditate on the cross, on his great love for us, our hearts are stirred up to love him in response. As we humbly kneel before the cross we “obtain fresh joy in the Lord” (Isaiah 29:19).
Verse 19 goes on to say that we will “exult in the Holy One of Israel.” He is holy, beyond us, glorious. As we meditate on his greatness, our fear of God transcends the mere command of men. Our fear of God becomes real; our worship becomes real. Our hearts are stirred up by his glory.
So let us draw near to God. Let us meditate on the cross and on his glory, and so stir up our hearts to beat for him.
Here are some good posts on ministry:
What I Wish I’d Known: Reflections on Nearly 40 Years of Pastoral Ministry – Sam Storms (TGC)
What Are Ten Characteristics I Look for in an Aspiring Pastor – Brian Croft (Practical Shepherding)
5 Components of Effective Delegation – Matt Perman (Catalyst)
And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men….
– Isaiah 29:13 (ESV)
We see here a spiritual deadness. Judah was just going through the religious motions. They were just following the religious traditions. And the problem was not that the traditions were dead. The problem was them. The problem was their hearts.
Our church celebrates the Lord’s Supper once a month. We have a Worship Service every Sunday at 11 a.m. Those are traditions. The issue is not the traditions, but the heart of the people as they come.
So where is your heart? Why do you gather with your church? Why do you minister? Is it just a habit (albeit a good one)? Is it just a tradition (again a good one)? Are you just going through the religious motions? Or do you gather with your church and serve others out of heart for God? Does your heart beat to worship God and serve others for Him?
Where is your heart?
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Don’t Waste Your Twenties – Trevin Wax
Friends, if you are entering or still in your twenties, let me exhort you: do not sit these years out. Do not wait on the big job or the amazing ministry you think you deserve. Love God and love people now.
Apple Watch – Lev Grossman and Matt Vella (via Mike Wittmer)
I’m thinking all of this has something to do with idolatry, identity, and loving people:
The reality of living with an iPhone, or any smart, connected mobile device, is that it makes reality feel just that little bit less real. One gets overconnected, to the point where one is apt to pay attention to the thoughts and opinions of distant anonymous strangers over those of loved ones who are in the same room. One forgets how to be alone and undistracted. Ironically enough experiences don’t feel fully real till you’ve used your phone to make them virtual–tweeted them or tumbled them or Instagrammed them or YouTubed them–and the world has congratulated you for doing so.
The Spirit Is Willing But the Schedule Is Tight – Garrett Kell (TGC)
So if the Spirit is willing to set up divine appointments, how should we prepare to respond—even when our schedule is full? There are no magic answers, but here are a few things to prayerfully consider.
26 Ways to “Provoke the I Peter 3:15 Question” at Work – J.D. Greear
Peter is supposing that your life provokes that question—that people are asking, “Why do you do what you do?” Here is a list of 26 ways…
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!
– James Hudson Taylor
He is our sure foundation, our crown of glory
He is our satisfaction, our wreath of beauty
A rest for the weary, a peaceful repose
From our strivings, our wantings, our fears, and our foes
He’s our stone of salvation, our security
Though mere mortals will fail us, our Helper is He
He’s our source of wisdom, upon which we stand
Firm upon our foundation, held safe in His hand
– From a sermon on Isaiah 28
(To the tune “How Firm A Foundation”)
Isaiah 28 raises an important question: What will we build our lives on? Will we build our lives on the shifting sands of self and the ways of our world, or on the sure foundation of God? He is our sure foundation in at least four ways:
He is our crown of glory (v1-6). The Northern Kingdom was building their lives on the glory of man. They were living for themselves, for pleasure, for beauty, for riches. Sounds much like today. But all those things will be cast down, trampled on, swallowed up. In contrast, the remnant will find the Lord of Hosts to be their crown of glory. God is truly glorious, and his glory will never fade away. And he makes us glorious as we become his people and build our lives on Him. So will you seek glory in yourself and the world or in our glorious God? He is our sure foundation. So seek him.
He is our rest for the weary (v7-13). God offered rest to Judah, but they would not listen. They sought their rest in drinking. And so it is today. Many seek their rest in alcohol, food, pleasure, entertainment, drugs, any place but God. But these are only distractions – they can’t provide true rest for the weary. So come to the Lord, and he will provide rest for your soul. He is a rest from the futile chasing after the things of the world because he is our glory, our satisfaction. He is a rest in the midst of the fears and trials of life because he is bigger and stronger. What is your fear? What trials are you facing? He invites you to rest in Him. He is our sure foundation. So rest in Him.
He is our stone of security (v14-22). Judah sought security from Assyria through an alliance with Egypt. But it was a covenant of death, a refuge of lies. Egypt was a bed too small to rest in, a blanket too small to comfort. Egypt could not provide security against Assyria. Still today people seek security in all the wrong places. They look for security in their wealth, their success, their job, their friends, their government. But like Egypt, all of these things can fail. Only God is big enough, powerful enough, to provide true security. Where Egypt failed, God succeeded. He is the one we should put our faith in. He is our sure foundation. So trust in Him.
Finally, he is our source of wisdom (v23-29). The farmer knows how to plow, sow, and harvest because God gives him wisdom. The Lord is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. And so we ought to listen to Him. But many other voices are chattering in our culture calling us to reject God, do our own thing, and find wisdom in ourselves. And many people follow these other voices to their own destruction. But God is the source of wisdom. He is our sure foundation. So listen to him.
God is our sure foundation so look to Him.
Brian J. Mikul 