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2007 Parish Text (1)
Sermon by the Rector, Revd John Greed
Isa. 48:16-19
"I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you"
Israel 2,700 years ago
It seems only yesterday that we were looking at Mother Teresa's Prayer which was our prayer for 2006. 2007 brings us back to the scriptures and to a word from God for His people - first given over 2,700 years ago but still relevant for God's people today.
Isaiah lived at the end of the nation's greatest position in world history. Under David the nation had come of age and peace had been gained; under his son Solomon the prosperity of the kingdom was immense as Israel controlled a major trade route. During this time many grew very rich and built magnificent homes and lived in luxury. Amos 6 tells us:
You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches.
You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.
You strum away on your harps like David
and improvise on musical instruments.
You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions.
For many life was great - latest model chariot, finest wines, holiday homes in the cool of the hill country. All seemed fine but they had taken their eyes off the One who had brought them these blessings, and they had become complacent. So as they turned their back on God and pursued all the riches and pleasures of this life, God removed His hand of blessing and protection from them. Sand now became the foundation of the house of Israel, and you know what happens to houses built on sand? Yes, you ve got it, the house began to collapse.
There is a basic fact that we need to see: while God was at the centre of the life of the nation the people prospered. While the people followed God's commands and the voice of His prophets, they lived in peace. As soon as the leadership lost sight of God and would not listen to the voice of the prophets nor live by God's commands, the whole fabric of the nation fell apart. The prophets Amos and Hosea make this very clear.
So it is from this background that our text from Isaiah comes.
The first thing I noticed is: God announces and assures the people that even in the mess they now found themselves in, He is their God. He is the same God He has always been, and He has not left them on their own.
Through the prophet Isaiah God says to the people that He is still the one who saves (their redeemer). Even though they have turned their back on Him, He is still the Holy One of Israel. He is their God, Israel s Lord.
As things have begun to fall apart and the people find their lives in turmoil, they need reassurance that they are still God s people and this is the first thing we see. But notice that it is not a There, there, I will wave my magic wand and all will be well . Rather God clearly says that the people have a responsibility, they will need to heed his teaching and learn His ways. He goes on to say that He wants the best for the people, because that is what His teaching offers.
Questions for us in the 21st century
Now I have placed our text in context: Isaiah clearly spoke to the people of his day and in their particular situation. However you don't have to be a professor to see that there are lessons for us here also.
In our 21st century - and maybe throughout human history, it is clear to see that when life is easy and good we are tempted to forget our need of God. It is no real surprise to me that the fastest growth of Christian faith is in countries where there is persecution. Now I am not saying I want to see the persecution of Christians here in the UK; what I am saying is that we must learn not to lose sight of our need of God, and that we need to wake up to this truth. As Christians we need to ask ourselves a question:
What or who has the greatest influence on our life style and how we live our life?
Is it the advertisers, or maybe the media? Perhaps it is peer pressure, keeping up with the Joneses? Our lives are influenced by many voices. The people of Isaiah's day did not want to hear the most important voice of all, the voice of God through the prophets. Is the 21st century any different? Are we the church today very different?
Who's that calling?
It strikes me that the Christian church today needs to hear the voice of Scripture, to hear the words of God to His people. We need to hear God say to us I am the Lord your God . Because, left on our own, we are powerless against the pressures of the world today, not to mention you know who. So even before we look at anything else in the Text we should take heart for God wants us to know He is the Lord our God. Listen to what Paul says in Romans: If God is for us, who can be against us?
- for when God is for us He is not just with us in words but potentially all of His resources are also with us. Not only is He our redeemer, He is also our sustainer, our provider and our comforter.
Who knows what's best for us?
Little Suzie finished her prayer and said:
Dear God, before I finish, I want you to take care of mummy, take care of daddy, take care of my sister and my brother and please, God, take care of yourself, because if you don't we're all sunk. Amen!
The truth is that so often children understand so much better than we do.
So through Isaiah God reassures the people He is their God and then goes on to say He wants the best for them. This is still true today, God wants the best for us in our personal situation and He also wants the best for His church. However to receive the best we, as individuals and together as the church, need to learn from God, to listen to and act on his teaching - teaching that we find in His Word.
Even today most people will agree that Jesus was a great teacher, a wonderful communicator. People still remember His parables. The sad fact is that people fail to live by His teaching and then wonder why their lives are in such a mess.
Have we got our priorities right?
Jesus' teaching tells us to first get our priorities right - Seek first the kingdom of God - where most people would rather seek first wealth and security in this life; then, they say, they will have time to discover God. This has never worked because we fail to see that we need God's help to get the best from His gift of life. There is a story told of a Welsh woman who lived in a remote valley in Wales. She went to a great deal of trouble to have electrical power installed in her home. They noticed she didn't use very much electricity at all. In fact, her usage was minuscule! They sent a meter reader out to check on the matter. The man came to the door and said, "We've looked at the amount. Don't you use electricity?" "Oh yes" she said. "We turn it on every night to see how to light our lamps and then we switch it off again."
This sounds like the way many Christians apply the power of God's teaching in their lives.
Until we truly understand that God wants the very best for our lives we will go on trying to do things on our own and in our own strength. It is as we come to understand that the creator of the gift of life knows how life can be totally fulfilled that we will be willing to live by his teaching. So it is not surprising that the lives of many individuals, and even society at large, are in such a mess, as the majority of people do not know the love of God nor the teaching of God.
We will continue from here next time.
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Thursday 20th of November 2008
