Sunday Service 12.16.2018
That we can live in the fullness of his presence of his love for us that brings us peace in the midst of all the things that are going on in today. The focus is obviously of joy that that he is the one who he wants that joy to spring up like a well within us and that joy, I love this season because it just continually reminds us so much as we see the joy and anticipation and little children and and and just their excitement to see see what is coming. And what about we see the joy in the beauty of the colors and the lights and all that's going on but is that the heart of it? Well, there is a sense in the heart of the joy of the anticipation of children. There is just the light. That I think we need to ReDiscover as we grow older that the sense of Shear Delight of just knowing there's something good in the offing. And when we recognize that that something good is the person of Jesus. It should fill us with an overwhelming sense of the joy of his presence and these are the things we look at. Until we're going to rejoice. Like a little child would Rejoice that the kingdom of God is near it is at hand. It is here with us and we're going to read from Isaiah chapter 35 a song of Joy a song of anticipation of what God is done now original. How is that an adventure and Christmas song while it is a song because it was written in the day of Isaiah at the time of anticipation of knowing that God was going to be sending Messiah. This really is a song about what Messiah brings to us in that day. But we can look at it and we can say Lord. I want to recognize that you have cut the composite now. And because he has accomplished that we can step into the fullness of what this passage reveals and end the whole band anticipation. Yes, there's a hope and anticipation of the return and restoration of Israel. And and yes that that is yet to come in that is yet to be seen in its greatest fullness and yet there is a sense of we are his city as well. We are his people we are the one that he works all of the sin in many ways when it talks about a Wilderness and dry land is it's really talking about us.
What what is our life like in some sometimes wear some people? It seems like they're going through the Wilderness and their lives are like that desert place the dry places of life. But what does God want to do in that dry Place hear the good news and rejoice today as we read Isaiah chapter 35. We're going to read it fully twice today once in the Bible. I usually use and then once in the passion translation as well. Unless you hear it. But again just hear the good news of what God is wanting to pour into you. today
Isaiah 35 beginning with first one the Wilderness and the dry land shall be glad. the desert shall rejoice and Blossom like the crocus it shall Blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and was singing The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. The Majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord the Majesty of our God. So strengthen the Weak Knee hands. Make firm the feeble knees restore the broken arms, right?
Say to those who have an anxious heart.
Be strong. fear not
Behold your God he will come with vengeance with a recompense of God. He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened the ears of the deaf will be unstopped then shall the lame man leap like a deer. And the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy. Four Waters Break Forth in the desert streams in the desert the burning sand shall become a pool and the Thirsty ground will be Springs of water and in the haunt of jackals where they lie down the grass shall become Reeds and rushes and a highway shall be there it shall be called the highway the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it it shall belong to those who walk on the way, even if they are fools. They shall not go astray. No lion shall be there nor shall any ravenous beasts come up on it. They shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and they shall come to Zion with singing. They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing. She'll flee away.
Amen, you know, what a great song of rejoicing in the whole pan in the promise of god of what he does and all of these things which we need to say OK father. Let us live in this reality today. This is our calling and our invitation for each one of us is is we're going to say Lord First of all lipid Wilderness and the dry land be glad and let the desert rejoice and Blossom like the crocus like some translations use the word a rose and that's where we even that old Christmas Carol Lo how a rose e'er blooming from Jesse's stump has there is something to Blossom in the wilderness in the dry land in those hard times. It seems like where is any sign of life at all? and we probably all been there at some point or another in our lives and yet the promise of God is saying recognize what he wants to do. What he wants to do is to take that dry land and have the Springs of water rush in bringing life and isn't it amazing? We probably saw it more distinctly when we lived in Boise because it was dry. It was hot. It was it was like a desert much of the year. but when the spring rains came there is a shift is like where did that come? Where did that shoot up at and isn't it? Amazing? What water will do? Water will take this dry desert Barren land. And we'll make it Blossom like a rose blossom like a crocus off in the crocus are the first signs of spring isn't it? And and and as we see those spring up we note there's ice coming and that water comes but but this is the invitation of recognizing. This is the water of God that he pours out upon us the water that flows from the threshold of his very Dwelling Place in and comes out to be a vast river that every where the water goes Springs up life. And this is the water that he is saying is going to be present in us living in Essen and refreshing that so taking those dry Baron places of your life let the water of his Spirit flow. So that there's a springing up of Life of refreshment that comes that because it comes by his hand by his present and he made it possible what happened in the midst of that Glory of of New Life Of Life bringing up. It says the glory of Lebanon given to it the Majesty of Carmel and Tyrone that we don't begin to imagine that because we didn't most how many of you been to Lebanon. How many have you been to Mount Carmel at not a whole lot of us a few have And yet when we recognize just as the lush green The Cedars of Lebanon or known as being the spouse that those were the the trees that were used to build Solomon's Temple in it and it was just it in the the strength in the beauty of all of that the glory of Carmel was the fence of a mountain range along the coastline of Israel and yet again we can begin to imagine that because we we have some glorious mountains don't we and when we see the sun just shining on Mount Rainier MD see the glory just reflecting throughout it and sometimes when we were up in the air only see the vastness of those mountain ranges and things like that we get a little picture of what God wants to do that glory of the beauty of his creation just to fill our lives and in our presence and the the the Majesty of charone at the fields of the Sally's of Sharon were also along the coastline fertile valleys. I think of the the Desert Blossom like the rose is Israel. Really? It's a very dry land but one of the things that has been especially true since 1948 at and as they brought water in and end the amazing things what are rogation does and right now Israel is the major exporter of fruits of oranges of a pomegranates and in this amazing, how what used to be vast desert space. Really is producing amazing fruits.
All of that. However, it is simply pictures of what he wants to do in you. today And this is his life for us today, even in the midst of the desert Dark Times of Our Lives. That his water comes forth. Bringing freshness newness of life that says yes. I have planted my seed in you in ways that wants to bring forth the beauty. The fruitfulness the Harvest of his presence in our midst. That's why we say so strengthen the weak hands make firm. The feeble knees say to those with a anxious heart be strong and don't be afraid. Sometimes we need to tell that to ourselves don't wait. Sometimes we just need that reminder just be strong do not be afraid. There is nothing to fear for his perfect love casts out all fear and we can walk there in his presence. And it's there we know his strength even verse for when it says behold. Your God will come with a Vengeance with a recompense of God. He will come and save you some people think. Oh, no, I don't want God coming with a Vengeance. We need to recognize the Vengeance of God is coming against all that comes against us. The Vengeance of God it is is something that we can rejoice in because it's a call of wiping out everything that keeps us away from the fullness of his life. sprouting up in US So he comes he comes he will come and he will save you this was prophetic in the day of Isaiah is fulfilled now for Jesus has come. And he has come to save us. What was the message of the Angel did Joseph you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins and that's why he came in and that's why we celebrate in these kinds of and just rejoice in what he does it and the things Jesus. Does he open size of blind? He makes the ears deaf to hear again the lame to leap and the mute to be able to speak in this thing. That's this is the verse that Isaac Watts used to to pan the words o for a thousand tongues to sing and about the 4th verse of it says here him you deaf you praise you dumb your loosen tongues employ, you blind behold your savior come and leap Elaine for joy. You know, that's that's what he calls us to be a people who leap for Joy. How the hell you're sleeping habits these days, you know, maybe sometimes we we hesitate to LEAP too much with but he really wants us just to recognize this is what he's done for us. And so we do leap we rejoice and what he has done. And he answers why do they do all that it cuz the waters will break forth in the wilderness the streams in the desert. The burning sand becomes a pool the Thirsty ground become Springs of water. And whenever I read that passage, I am sure probably your mind is going quickly to various things throughout the scriptures talking about the Springs of water weight. We read one of them earlier to this morning when we read some from Psalm 46 that God has this constantly flowing river sparkling screams with joy, and Delight was people we think of the woman at the well in John chapter 4
in John chapter 4 we read That Jesus were to that woman was everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring. of water welling up to eternal life to live under the fullness of the ages. This is what God wants for you. Is that fullness of life?
And again eternal life is not something that's often. The distance eternal life is something for us to enter into now. Yes it last forever. But the Eternal the fullness that the completeness of life is what he wants us to experience right now and it's so this is his word to us as it's a spring welling up to eternal life and again in in as John as Jesus spoke.
On the day of great day of Tabernacles, we read about it and John chapter 7 we've often read this passage John 7:37 on the last day of the feast the great day Jesus stood up. He cried out if anyone can come to me and drink whoever believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of Living Water and buy this cement the spirit. Whom those who would believe in him would receive. Until we say yes Lord. We thank you for the life-giving Waters of your presence of your spirit. And we want our lives not to let anything block that spring of Living Water within us remove any of the barriers removed all that would come in the way and let the water come forth of his Spirit bring us into that newness of life. We Rejoice we Rejoice because this is the message of the angels as well and Luke Chapter 2 verses 10 and 11 says don't be afraid for I am bringing you good news of great. Joy that shall be for all the people. You know, it is something to celebrate. Jesus is come. He is Emmanuel. The King has come to be with us. No, I don't know about you. But a lot of times I think people think yes, I know that's true. But I'm not sure I live in that place Bay by day and what Jesus wants us to realize his presence is here for us now. And he is here for us to rejoice in all of his goodness with us.
back to Isaiah 35
then we read about a highway verse 8. Isaiah 35 verse 8 Shows us that a highway shall be there it shall be called a Highway of Holiness. Now. My question is it says a highway shall be there. Where is the there that this Highway of Holiness is?
It's out of Heaven. Okay, but what else?
SSR pathway within yeah, but what you were going to say that is that what you're kind of not eating enough Wars. Does there a highway shall be there? You know again as Isaiah wrote this that the context is kind of understanding the Israel.
But in the application of it and yes, it is true of Israel. But it's also true. The Highway of Holiness is something that is within us. If we're the Wilderness that he's making blossom. Then we're also the land in which he wants to place his road. And what is that road? Where does that road lead to? Highway of Holiness leads to him It's to him.
Are the pathways of our heart the way that we think the way that we go. Doesn't always lead us to him.
Should be. That that that the focus of Our Lives is ones that says Lord. I want my gaze to be so set upon you that that no matter what it is. I'm doing yes or activities of this world in that things that we're doing, but ultimately it's about my focus in this pathway. It's leading me into your presence. And this is the way we are called to go the highway shall be there it shall be called the way of Holiness and again a highway at the way. We got the word Highway was because literally in the Years. Ages past the word for Highway was it was an elevated road because a lot of times either things would get washed out or or things would be hard to do. So so a road which is has been built up but it's take this is it's above the Earth go around it and for understanding of what is this highway is we need to take a higher perspective. We need to come up higher in this road that we say Lord. I'm following and I am pursuing you on this highway called a Highway of Holiness of being a sacred way of way that will reflect God's purposes his heart's his desires for us. The unclean is not going to pass over it belongs to those who walk on the way. Aye aye love it. Literally this means it belongs this highway to the presence of God belongs to those who walk the walk. It literally says so do we walk the walk and we walk this walk that says yes Lord. I am pursuing you. I'm walking in your ways and I'm reflecting who you are. And it's your life within me that that leads us there. p**** lion shall be there. No ravenous beasts come up on it, you know it again in we don't have too many lions cups threatening us on our road on our walk. But in many ways the word lions in scripture often refers to Satan. For your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour James's.
What I find so fascinating it, but Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and it's completed that so this roaring lion. He's he's roaring off and trying to scare anyone he can but we need to be a people who know Jesus has defeated him. He's like a lion whose has all his teeth ripped out his claws removed it. He's just been mouthing it mouthing lies and anything to deceive and get us a way. And it's amazing how easily we often fall to his prey into those lies, but we need to say no. the lion of the deceiver does not belong nothing to destroy on this way. But the redeem the ones I love this word that the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing at the ransom. That means that those who are redeem those who rescued those who are delivered. He's talking about us. We are his Rants and he paid the price for us. So that we might be rescued so that we might walk in this way so that we might rejoice in him. And so we come to the Zion. So again, where is Zion? What is Zion? What is Zion? Zion is the place of God's dwelling.
Zion is a place of God's dwelling. We are the city set on a hill to be this beacon in life. And in this place Zion. His ass. Let us come to Zion. And everlasting Joy shall be Uptown their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing shall be no more.
We come before him. We rejoice in him and NBC Lord. This is the life you have called us into an abundance of your choice because it's abundance of your presence and nothing can separate us from your presence and it's all about the presents. You know, what Christmas is all about is all about the presents, right? It is all about the presence.
Jesus That's what it's all about that he has come that we might have life and have it to the full. This this highway reminds us well of of the prophecy Isaiah gives and Isaiah chapter 40 when it says a voice cries in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord makes Freight in the desert a highway for our God this way that we are to walk every Valley Lift It Up Every Mountain and Hill made low the uneven ground become level rough places a plane and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and All Flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. And and so we say yes Lord. We walk in that Way We Walk In Your Role we walk in the way of holiness. We come and we come to Zion or Everlasting Joy shall be upon her. We come. This is why the book of the author of Hebrews.
Stated it this way. Where have we come? Hebrews 12 beginning with verse 22, but you you have come you have come. 2 Mount Zion To the city of the Living God to the Heavenly Jerusalem to innumerable angels in Festival Gathering. So I mean so just imagine and picture because we have come there. So these angels are all about us. Rejoicing and an Insignia and twirling with the light over pay for getting a picture of what it is to be following him for we have come to the innumerable angels and pestle Gathering. We have come to the assembly of the first born who are enrolled in heaven. We have come to God who is the judge of all we've come to the spirits of the righteous made perfect. We come to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel we come to him. This is where we live. This is where we remove this is where we have our being we have been granted this amazing privilege of living in the joy of Jesus Eternal Rule and reign And in his realm is it is a call that says we need to recognize. What does it mean to know Everlasting Joy is for you now is Everlasting and it is comes in greater and greater measure, but it's for you now to live in the joy of his presence today. Even as we write at the beginning of Psalm 16:11 for you make known to me the path of Life. What's this path of life that Highway of Holiness it's the roads are the roads of our heart continually look to the Lord and we set our gaze upon him you make known to me that path of life in your presence. There is fullness of joy at your right hand. There are Pleasures forevermore, you know, the pleasures of this Earth are really doll
compared to the glory of Jesus in you
CS Lewis often-quoted is often quoted by saying, you know for too long. the Lord is inviting us to go to holiday at the beach
But we're just satisfied making mud pies in the backyard.
Are we making mud pies? with our lives in the wilderness and dust of Our Lives or have we heard his invitation to say hey. let's have a delightful time at the beach. I don't know. I love the beach. I don't know about you. I don't know too many people who don't. In the vastness in the glory that it is this recognition. He is there for us.
so I would like to read this invitation to us one more time this time from the passion translation. But again, just pay attention to these words and even just slightly different ways of things being expressed, but these are God's invitation to us. To rejoice in the life he offers to us.
For the Wilderness and the dry land will be joyously glad and the desert it will Blossom like a rose and rejoice. Every dry and Barren place will burst forth with abundant blossoms dancing and spinning with delight. So you ready to dance and spin with the light? Just thinking what he wants to produce in our lives. Lebanon / Splendor covers it the Magnificent beauty of Carmel and Sharon. My people will see the awesome Glory of Yahweh the beautiful Grandeur of our God. So strengthen those who are discouraged. energize those who feel defeated
say to the anxious and to the fearful be strong and never be afraid. Look here comes our God. He's breaking through to give you victory. God is breaking through today to give you victory.
God is breaking through to give you victory.
God is breaking through to give you Victory. Can you say Amen?
Yes. This is called an invitation to us. Then blind eyes will be opened.
deaf ears will hear the lame will leap like a playful deer and the tongue-tied will sing songs of Triumph gushing water will spring up in the wilderness and streams will flow through the desert.
Can you picture the streams flowing through your life right now? His streams of life-giving water refreshing. satisfying coming and it's all of its fullness.
The burning sand will become a refreshing Oasis the parts round bubbling Springs and the Dragon's Lair a meadow with grass Reeds and Papyrus and there will be a Highway of Holiness called The Sacred way. The emperor will not be permitted on this road, but it will be accessible to God's people. And not even fools will lose her way.
that might be the word of encouragement for some
we're not going to lose the path.
The lion will not be found there. No wild beasts will travel on it. They will not be found there, but the redeemed will find a pathway on it. Yahoo, is ransomed ones? will return with Glee to Zion To his dwelling-place. They will enter with a song of rejoicing and they will be crowned with Everlasting Joy ecstatic Joy will overwhelm them. And weariness and grief. will disappear You know what? I want to live that way. I want to say Lord. Let me live in that fullness of your presence that recognize its your water of refreshing welling up within your spirit that brings new life for us day by day. And there is strength there is healing there is joy and and the sadness and decide that's not our lot. This is his invitation. That is why Jesus came.
To restore it all. to us
I love when the Apostle John wrote in his letter the third letter he wrote and he says I have no Greater Joy.
Then to hear my children are walking in the truth. You know, that's so true. Just to recognize there is great. Joy, when we when we see our children when we see those around us when we see just people just embracing truth and say yes Lord. I'm I'm my heart following you on this way. of holiness cuz you've made it possible. so today today hear his invitation to know yes, he is here today know that he is the one who restores and brings forth the fullness of the light by the flow the water of his spirit. Today just a firm. As I know so many of you. I know you love the Lord. I know you've given your hearts to him. But but sometimes we get distracted.
It's okay forgive yourself cuz he forgives you but just turn your keys back to him. If it today I choose to let your life giving Waters restore the joy. of my life Let's pray. Father we do give you thanks that you are the source of all life. You are the one who places within us that spring of Living Water you place that Living Water within the Lord release. And remove any barrier to the flow of your spirit within us that we might be refreshed empowered in Walking in the fullness of your presence that we would see that Highway of Holiness the path and that we would walk the walk. And that we would rejoice in your presence with us. today and each day and Lord in this coming week. And as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas at self Lord open our eyes are fresh to the glory of the things you're doing around us. That we might bring that word of encouragement. That strengthens though the weak hands and and Andre stores even the feeble knees. It says yes Lord. Let us be in her just says to the anxious heart do not be afraid. Lord let us be like your angels bringing the good news for today. I bring you good tidings of great joy that are for all the people for unto you is Born This Day. In the city of David a savior Christ the lord. So today May It Be True. even as you came and we're incarnate as that child a baby so long ago Lord be born in us a fresh as you come and Rule and reign in us today.
In Jesus name amen.
we have
Okay, Joy. Joy is joining our Yahweh.
When were in him there is great joy. So let stand in at as we just sing this expression of Our Hope in our confidence in him and in him alone. He is here.