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God willing, we'll return to 
our studies in Matthew's Gospel next week. This morning, we're 
going to look at Isaiah 55, verses 1 to 13. It's a packed chapter. We will not consider every detail, 
but hopefully give the sense of the whole. A familiar passage 
if you have been with us in this church for any amount of time, 
and as I've said before, familiar passages are familiar for a reason. We ought to visit certain passages 
over and over again, and certainly Isaiah 55 is one we ought to 
visit frequently. I'll begin reading in chapter 
55 at verse 1. Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, 
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine 
and milk, without money and without price. Why do you spend money 
for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat 
what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. 
Incline your ear and come to me. Here in your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting 
covenant with you, the sure mercies of David. Indeed, I have given 
Him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the 
people. Surely you shall call a nation 
you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run 
to you because of the Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel, 
for He has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. 
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. 
Let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him. And 
to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not 
your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as 
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher 
than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the 
rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return 
there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, 
that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. 
So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall 
not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, 
and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you 
shall go out with joy and be led out with peace. The mountains 
and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and 
all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of 
the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the briar 
shall come up the myrtle tree. And it shall be to the Lord for 
a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our blessed 
God and our Holy Father, we thank you for the Lord's Day. We thank 
you for this place of rest. We thank you for this place of 
worship. We thank you for this place where you have promised 
to be present with your people in this new covenant setting. 
God, certainly it is a joy for us to read Scripture and to see 
that Jesus Christ is in the midst of the lampstands. We pray that 
even now the Father, the Son, and the Spirit would be present 
in this place to encourage and strengthen our hearts And Lord 
God, for those outside of Christ, we pray that today would be the 
day of salvation. As your word says, as you say 
in this passage, that word does not return unto you void. It 
accomplishes the purpose for which you sent it. And we know 
that you are a gracious God, you are a merciful God, and you 
have purposed the salvation of a great multitude that no man 
can number, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 
And we pray that today would be the day of salvation. We pray 
that today sinners would respond to this blessed invitation addressed 
by God to sinful souls. We ask that you would forgive 
us now for all of our unrighteousness and all of our transgression 
and sin. We ask that you would extend 
to us that abundant pardon that Isaiah says you give to your 
people. and do provide the Holy Spirit 
now and guide us and instruct us and lead us. And we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, I think it would 
be safe to say and safe to suggest that Isaiah 55 would not be present 
if it were not for Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 is the servant song 
of Yahweh that speaks about the one who would come from the Lord, 
the one who would give his life as a sacrifice, the one who would 
provide atonement, the one who would indeed save his people 
from their sins. It's because of what the servant 
does, according to Isaiah 53, that chapters 54 and 55 make 
sense. In 54, there's promises given 
especially to the church, to Israel, to the remnant, to the 
believers. There is a four-fold promise 
given to the faithful in Isaiah 54. One man has said it's descriptive 
of what God will do based on the work of the servant. Isaiah 
55 is prescriptive. It is a prescription to those 
to come. It is a call or a command or 
an invitation from God through Isaiah the prophet to come and 
have eternal life, to come and buy this water, this wine, this 
milk, to get the refreshment and the complete satisfaction 
that God alone affords through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
So that's the sort of context that we find ourselves in. Isaiah 
53, the atoning work of Jesus. Isaiah 54, this fourfold promise 
to the people of God. And on the heels of that, Isaiah 
55, this invitation to join the people of God. This invitation 
to believe on the Lord Jesus. This invitation to repent from 
sin. This invitation to come to the 
one alone who is able to save sinners to the uttermost. Now, 
the chapter breaks down into two sections. In the first place, 
there is that invitation to come, verses 1 to 5. In the second 
place, there is this instruction concerning belief and repentance, 
or a call to believe and repent. That's verses 6 to 13. So this 
invitation to come, and then secondly this call to believe 
and repent. So an invitation, and then how 
we are to respond to that invitation. So let's look first at the invitation 
proper. Notice in verse 1, ho. Ho, everyone 
who thirsts, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, 
buy and eat. We ought to appreciate here the 
reality that this is a universal invitation. The prophet knows 
that within Israel there are the saved and there are the unsaved. But the prophet also realizes 
in his own prophecy, and in this very chapter, that God the Lord 
will bring Gentiles, those who are afar off, he will bring them 
to Israel's Messiah. So when the prophet says, Ho, 
everyone who thirsts, he is speaking to everyone. And not just Jews 
and Gentiles in the century that he wrote, but to us here this 
morning. If you are not a believer in 
Jesus Christ, listen to the prophet Isaiah. If you are not saved, 
if you have not been forgiven, if you don't know the abundant 
pardon that the prophet speaks of in this particular chapter, 
I hope and pray that your ears will be on today, that you will 
be paying attention, that you will be listening to what this 
man of God has to say. E.J. Young makes this comment 
concerning this ho, this address to everyone who thirsts. He says, 
the introductory particle, this word ho, is mainly an attention-getting 
device, but it expresses a slight tone of pity. The prophet is 
an evangelist with a concern for the souls of men and a realization 
of their desperate condition without the blessings that the 
servant has obtained. I think that's very important 
that we understand that. God, through the prophet, is 
addressing man. God, through the prophet, sends 
out this net far and wide. And God, through the prophet, 
as E.J. Young says, tinges this prophet 
with this pity. Because the reality is, is that 
when you don't come to Israel's Savior, when you don't come to 
the Lord Jesus Christ, when you don't come to this living water, 
when you don't drink this milk and wine that He offers for free, 
you will die in your sins. You will perish in hell forever. 
That's the stakes. That's what's in view. And that's 
what moves the prophet under God to say, ho, everyone who 
thirsts, come to the waters. Notice the fact that it's a gracious 
invitation. He says, and you who have no 
money, come buy and eat. Isn't that intriguing? The Lord 
God offers something to us. And then he says, if you don't 
have money, I want you to come buy and eat. Kind of doesn't 
make sense, does it? The situation seems to be similar 
to a marketplace where persons are peddling their wares and 
men are crying out on the streets, oh, I want you to come, I want 
you to purchase my wine, I want you to purchase my milk, I want 
you to purchase my water. We're used to such things. And 
yet in this instance, the Lord God Most High, through His prophet, 
says, and you who have no money, come buy and eat. You've heard 
us many a time in this pulpit say, salvation is by grace alone, 
through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. That means it's 
not by your doing, it's not by your working, it's not by your 
getting better. I'm always a bit hesitant to 
pray for those who are lost or those who are unsaved, because 
I don't want those who are lost or unsaved to think that that's 
a statement of pride on the part of the prayer. I'm not saved 
and I'm not not lost because of anything good in me. The brethren 
here who are saved and who are not not lost, I don't know if 
that's accurate. Give me a few moments to consider 
that. Those who are in Christ, they're not there because of 
their goodness. They're not there because of their money. They're 
not there because of their merit. They're not there because of 
their law-keeping. They're there because of the 
grace of God Most High that has been poured out richly through 
His Son, the Lord Jesus. And the fact that we can come 
and buy and eat and drink doesn't mean that someone hasn't paid 
the price. Christ has. Isaiah 53, the Lord 
was pleased to bruise him. He put him to grief. The Lord 
Jesus Christ stood in our stead after having satisfied the divine 
law. Christ pays the price so that 
sinners by grace can come without money, without work, without 
merit. They can come to Christ and know 
the fullness of blessing and joy. Motier says, yet alongside 
the emphasis on freeness, the verb buy is repeated. Notice, you who have no money, 
come buy and eat. Again in verse 1, yes, come buy 
wine and milk without money and without price. He says, alongside 
the emphasis on freeness, the verb buy is repeated. The thought 
of purchase is not set aside. You see, grace is unmerited favor. God gives us grace. But it's 
not just this ethereal thing that he decides according to 
his arbitrary decision. It's because of what Christ has 
done. And that's what Motier goes on 
to say. The thought of purchase is not set aside. This is no 
soup kitchen. Even if the clients are beggars, 
there is a purchase and a price, though not theirs to pay. They 
bring their poverty to a transaction already completed. What's he 
saying? You can respond by God's grace 
to this invitation without money, without price, because Christ 
has done it all. Christ has lived. Christ has 
died. Christ has been raised. Christ 
is enthroned at the right hand of God Most High. And all those 
who by God's grace believe can come without money and without 
price. He says, there is a purchase 
and a price, though not theirs to pay. They bring their poverty 
to a transaction already completed. Contextually, this is another 
allusion to the work of the servant. His the price, ours the freeness. You know, we talk about salvation 
as a free gift, and we mean it, but we ought never to forget 
that it cost Christ. It cost Jesus. The Lord Christ 
gave himself on our behalf. Pastor Cam read Matthew 121. He will save his people from 
their sins. Another text that owes its very 
being to the prophet Isaiah, chapter 53. He will save His 
people from their sins. How does He do that? Through 
His life, through His death, through His resurrection, such 
that when sinners come without money and without price, when 
sinners look, they'll live. This invitation is most blessed, 
and notice that it's most complete. He says, come to these waters. Come, buy wine and milk without 
money and without price. What does this speak to? It speaks 
to a full salvation, doesn't it? Waters are refreshing, aren't 
they? If you say no, you've never been 
thirsty. Waters are refreshing. What does 
milk do? Milk nourishes us, doesn't it? 
Protein for strong bones and muscle repair. They said in my 
post-surgery, I need to eat a lot of protein to build that muscle 
back up. Well, a good way to supplement 
is to drink a glass of milk. But then what about wine? According 
to Psalm 104, God made wine to gladden the hearts of men. There 
is a gladness involved, there is refreshment involved, there 
is nourishment involved. In other words, the salvation 
that God calls you to participate in is absolutely glorious. And that brings us, secondly, 
to consider, under this same ad, the invitation to come, the 
interrogation in verse 2. Look at what Isaiah asks his 
hearers. He says, why do you spend money 
for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy? In light of what the God of Israel 
offers in terms of wine, water, and milk, in terms of what the 
God of Israel offers in terms of salvation by grace through 
faith, in terms of what the God of Israel gives to His people, 
why do you spend your money on that which is not bread? And 
why do you spend your wages on that which does not satisfy? 
I'm sure you parents with teenagers have had this experience. Your 
teenager begins to work, and your teenager gets his or her 
first paycheck. Your teenager wants to buy clothes, 
and they buy a shirt, let's say, and it's $75. And you say something 
to the effect, you know, if you went to Walmart, you could get 
a three-pack for like 12 bucks. What are you doing? What's the 
matter with you? Am I alone here? Have you parents 
gone through this? I can't imagine spending $75 
on a t-shirt. I could take all my t-shirts 
together and melt them into one. It still wouldn't be $75. You 
want to wrap them on the head and say, what's your problem? 
Well, that's actually something legitimate, buying a shirt. What 
if they get into drugs? What if they get into alcohol? 
What if they start pursuing sexual relations outside of marriage, 
and they're spending not only their money, they're spending 
their energy, they're spending their time, they're spending 
their very being on that which does not and cannot satisfy? Wouldn't it rise up in you to 
ask with the prophet Isaiah the very same thing? Why do you spend 
money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does 
not satisfy? In Isaiah's context, he's telling 
the northern tribes, he's telling Judah rather, he's telling them 
specifically, why would you follow Baal? Why would you give your 
efforts and energies to Moloch? Why do you spend your money on 
that which is not bread? Why do you spend your wages on 
that which does not satisfy? Now let's bring that to bear 
upon us. It may not be t-shirts, it may 
not be all these other illegitimate things, but if you are not in 
Christ, if you have not come to the Lord Jesus, if you are 
a young person or a child or an adult that has heard this 
gospel week in and week out, and hopefully day in and day 
out through faithful parents, why do you continue to spend 
your money on that which is not bread? Why do you continue to 
spend your wages on that which does not satisfy? You take your 
time, you take your talents, you take your energies, and you 
pour them out at the feet of an idol? You pour them out at 
the feet of something that is not God? You pour them out at 
the feet of something that cannot bless, or satisfy, or give this 
milk, water, and wine? What's your problem? What's the 
matter with you? Remember, this is the prophet 
Isaiah speaking to the southern tribes, but it's God the Lord 
who is coming through him. What's the matter? The prophet 
Jeremiah, God says, what fault have they found in me that they 
would pursue these other gods? Ask yourself that this morning. 
What is there about the God who made you, and the God who sustains 
you, and the God who daily blesses you, and yet you resist Him, 
you reject Him, you refuse to come to His Son. You refuse to 
know the joys of everlasting life. You refuse to know the 
blessing that is to be had by a relationship with God through 
our Lord Jesus. This is what moves the prophet. 
Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for 
what does not satisfy? Calvin says men are so enchanted 
by the devil that they choose rather to wander through deserts 
and to vex themselves in vain than to rely on the grace which 
God offers to them. Isn't that sad? Isn't that terrible? It's a miserable situation that 
faces us as men and women and boys and girls. Men are so enchanted 
by the devil that they choose rather to wander through deserts 
and to vex themselves in vain than to rely on the grace which 
God offers to them. You've heard this message. You've 
heard it from your parents. You've heard it from your pastors. 
You've heard it on sermon audio. You've heard it for as long as 
you can remember. And yet, you continue to refuse, and continue 
to resist, and continue to reject. Why? So you can pursue lusts? So you can gratify your flesh? So that you can know what the 
world calls joy, which really isn't? Brethren, listen. Friend, listen to the interrogation 
of the prophet Isaiah and ask yourselves this question. Why? Why is it that I spend my money 
on that which is not bread? Why is it that I waste my wages 
on that which does not satisfy? Why am I more content to go to 
the back of the beautiful restaurant that gives away free food in 
abundance? Why do I neglect and resist that 
and I go into the back where their dumpster is and I eat garbage? Why is it the case that I'm more 
inclined to the garbage? Why is it that I'm more inclined 
to that which does not satisfy and I resist and I reject the 
very God who made me? I think these are good questions 
to ask oneself. Talk to yourself this afternoon, 
what is my problem? Why am I not in Christ? Why haven't 
I believed? Why have I rejected? Why have 
I resisted? Do these drugs satisfy? Does 
this alcohol satisfy? Does this sex satisfy? Yeah, 
because people that are addicted to drugs and alcohol and sex 
are the most well-adjusted people on the face of the earth. Stable, 
secure, and happy. No. That's not true. Or persons who are attached to 
money, mammon, idols, whatever it may be. Does it satisfy? Does 
it hold forth blessing? The chapter ends with peace and 
joy for the recipients of God's gift. Notice, we've got the invitation 
proper, the interrogation. Notice the blessings listed, 
verses 2b to 3a. The satisfying water, wine, and 
milk. Oh, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. You who have 
no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk. 
Notice in verse 3, incline your ear and come. The intensity of 
the invitation is seen in the fourfold repetition of come. 
What do you think God is saying to you this morning? Stay. And 
God's saying, just stay where you're at. Continue in your sex, 
continue in your drugs, continue in your alcohol, continue in 
your money, continue in your worldliness, continue in all 
that, just stay right there. No, four times through the prophet 
Isaiah, to a very incorrigible people, he says, come, come, 
come, come. I submit that that's what God 
is saying today through the very same passage to sinners in this 
place. Come, come, come. Just in case 
you missed that, come. Notice the blessings, water, 
wine, milk, the delight of soul. Verse 2, see and let your soul 
delight in abundance. Those of you who have by God's 
grace come to Christ, do you regret it? Do any believers here 
say, man, what a miserable lot I have as a Christian. It's terrible. 
My sins are forgiven and I'm going to heaven. No, that's not 
typically the way it is. Typically it's, my sins are forgiven 
and I'm going to heaven. It's my sins owe the bliss of 
this glorious thought. My sins not in part but the whole 
is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord. 
Praise the Lord. There's abundance to be had in 
God. What's Jesus saying in John 10, 
10? I came that they might have life. And that they might have 
it what? Miserly, just a little bit. No, that they might have 
it abundantly. What does Paul say in Ephesians 
1? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who 
has blessed us with what? With every spiritual blessing 
in the heavenly places in Christ. He's not a miser. He doesn't 
just allot us a few things. But God satisfies to the utmost 
all who by God's grace come to His Son. Notice the fellowship 
with God, verse 3a, and come to me. Isn't this the chief boon 
in our religion? Isn't this the consummate blessing? 
Isn't this what Adam forfeited and Christ secures? I will be 
your God and you shall be my people. Isn't that everything 
for us? Yes, our sins are forgiven and 
we're on our way to heaven. But what do we have when we're 
in heaven? We have God. We have the Lord Jesus. We have 
that place where Christ and the Father and the Spirit are the 
light of that place. And there's no need for a temple, 
because they are the temple. The dwelling place of God has 
become realized. Notice as well the blessing of 
spiritual life, verse 3b. It's one of the ways we know 
that when Isaiah counsels persons or invites persons in his day 
to come buy and eat, to come buy wine and milk, he's using 
this in a spiritual sense. He's not talking about a real 
marketplace. Isaiah hasn't schlepped his wares to the marketplace 
and he's now inviting persons to part with their real hard-earned 
dough. No, what does he say at the end 
of verse 3b? And your soul shall live. The 
things in view in the prophet Isaiah chapter 55 is spiritual 
life, spiritual blessing, justification, sanctification, glorification, 
salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That's what 
the Lord God Most High holds out to sinners today. It really 
is beautiful. Please don't say, wow, this is 
the prophet Isaiah back in the seventh century B.C. and he's 
talking to the southern tribes of Israel or Judah and this has 
nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with 
you. It has everything to do with you. Fourfold come, come, 
come, come. Interrogation. Why do you waste 
your money? Why do you waste your efforts? 
Why do you waste your energy on that which does not satisfy? 
And then God sets forth to you, before you, all the things that 
are to be had in the Lord Jesus Christ. He couldn't make it look 
better. He couldn't make it look more 
more joyful. It's really a sad thing. Outside 
of the church, people have this view of Christians that we're 
all these miserable sourpusses. Let's not validate that by being 
miserable sourpusses. We ought to be happy to be Christians. 
We ought to rejoice that we are believers. We ought to sing the 
Sunday school with a bit of vigor and earnest. This train is bound 
for glory. Woo, woo, and I am heaven bound. Why is it the case that outside 
of the church, it is the view that we're all miserable? We 
ought to be the happiest campers in Chilliwack. We ought to be 
the happiest people in BC. In fact, we ought to excel in 
these things. The apostle commands us to rejoice 
always. I don't mean if you lose your 
arm and farm equipment, you know, just sing a ditty. I don't mean 
that. But there ought to be that peace 
which does surpass all understanding that comes through even if you 
do lose an arm and farm equipment. Because we have something that 
the world cannot take away. We have something that the devil 
cannot take away. We have something that is sure, 
something that is secure, something that has been purchased by the 
Son of God. And that's what Isaiah does in 
the final section in this particular section. Notice, how is this 
the case? Have you ever been called? A 
telemarketer, they'll call and they say, you know, I've got 
this offer for you. You can have a free trip to anywhere 
in the world. We'll give you cash to put in 
your wallet and it's just great. No obligation. What do you typically 
think? It sounds too good to be true. 
Right? We've heard that before. It sounds 
too good to be true. And typically with telemarketers, 
it is too good to be true. You might well up in your heart 
saying, this sounds too good to be true. You mean he's actually 
going to forgive me for my sins? Do you know what I've done? Do 
you know the lengths I've gone to in rebellion against God? 
You Christians talk about how great those Ten Commandments 
are. I used to dance on them and spit on them, and I reviled 
them, and I did all manner of wickedness and evil and vileness 
and sin. How in the world could this God 
ever do what he says he's going to do? Well, this section ends 
with guarantees. The promise is pledged by covenant. 
Notice verse 3b. And I will make an everlasting 
covenant with you, the sure mercies of David. You see, God has purposed 
via covenant to save a great multitude that no man can number. 
It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Notice as well, 
the promise is secured by the Davidic king. Verse 4, Indeed 
I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander 
for the people. In Isaiah 53, Jesus is shown 
in his priestly office as the atoning sacrifice for sin. In 
this reference, Jesus is set forth as David's greater son, 
who is both prophet and king. He is a leader. It may sound 
too good to be true, but our Jesus can deliver the goods based 
on what He's done, according to Isaiah 53, and based on what 
He's doing in terms of His prophetic office and ministry, and in terms 
of His kingly reign. You ought not to fear. You ought 
not to think it's too good to be true. You ought to come. That's what you ought to do. 
And in the third place, this promise is transacted by God 
Himself. Notice in verse 5, "...surely 
you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do 
not know you shall run to you." Again, Gentiles streaming to 
Zion, Isaiah 2. Gentiles streaming to Zion to 
hear the law of the Lord. And notice what it says, "...because 
of the Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel, for He has 
glorified you." So while it may sound too good to be true, it's 
not. While it may sound something 
that you could never conceive of in light of the fact that 
you have sinned against a holy God, nevertheless, it's true. We've tasted, we've seen that 
the Lord is good. Again, when persons come into 
a church and they're surrounded by Christians, they ought not 
to think, wow, these are a wonderful people in and of themselves. 
No. We're wretched, hell-deserving 
sinners who, by God's grace, have believed the gospel. Right? Isn't that it in the final analysis? 
Why are you going to heaven? Well, because I do good things. 
No. Why are you going to heaven? Because I'm me. No. Why are you 
going to heaven? Because we've done great with 
our kids. No, you're going to heaven because Jesus lived, because 
Jesus died, because Jesus rose again. And God in his infinite 
mercy, grace, and love gave you the graces of faith and repentance 
to close with his son. So we've seen it's not too good 
to be true. It is true. How do we respond? 
What are we supposed to do? The invitation has been given, 
right? Is that what we see there? Oh, 
everyone who thirsts, come. If you think about Jesus' ministry, 
you wonder if he had his devotions in the prophet Isaiah in John 
4, when he talks to the woman at the well about living water. 
Or he had Isaiah 55 in his mind at the last great day of the 
feast in John 7, 37 to 39. If any man thirsts, let him come 
to me and drink. So the invitation is out there. 
Now, what do we do with it? Well, that brings us to the call 
to believe and repent, verses 6 to 13. The call to believe 
and repent. Notice the place of faith in 
verse 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him 
while he is near. That's the language of belief. 
That's the language of faith. That's the language of coming 
to Jesus Christ. Romans chapter 10, verses nine 
to 13, the apostle says that if you confess with your mouth 
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised 
him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one 
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession 
is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, whoever 
believes on him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction 
between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to 
all who Call upon Him, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord 
shall be saved." You see that juxtaposition? To believe on 
the Lord is to call upon the Lord. And this is what the prophet 
says in Isaiah chapter 55. The Lord God Most High issues 
this invitation to all those who thirst. He issues this invitation 
to all those who are in sin and deadness and depravity. And he 
says, seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while 
he is near. That's the response. That's what 
you're supposed to do. You're supposed to believe. You 
say, we don't sound much like a Calvinist. Don't Calvinists 
think that God predestined and God elected? Yeah, I do. God 
predestined and God elected. The manifestation of that, the 
evidence or fruit of that is faith in Christ. You are never 
called in scripture to determine whether you, as an unbeliever, 
are called, elected, and predestined. You are always instructed to 
believe. Do you get that? People coming 
out of different traditions say, well, I don't know if I'm predestined. 
I don't know if I'm elect. I don't know if I'm called. Christians 
are told to make their calling and election sure. That simply 
means live in such a way that you flesh out what has happened 
in your life. But as an unbeliever, you're 
not told, you know, read Spurgeon, read Gill, read the old brothers 
and determine whether you're elect or predestined or one of 
those guys. No, the call is to believe. Rest 
assured that if by God's grace you believe, you can count yourself 
among that blessed lot. This is what the prophet says, 
seek Yahweh while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. There's a horrible implication 
in this verse. This is why if you resist this 
message, you continue in penitent, you continue to spend your wages 
on that which does not satisfy, this particular verse holds out 
an implication that ought to terrify you. Seek the Lord while 
he may be found indicates there's a time he won't be found. Call upon him while he is near 
indicates there may be a time when he's You see, why will you tarry? That's an old-fashioned word 
that means wait. Why will you continue in your 
sins? Why will you continue to resist 
and reject? Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. 
That's the place of faith. Notice the place of repentance 
in verse 7. These two graces go hand in hand. 
He says, let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man 
his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord. That's 
what repentance is. Dependence is a change of mind 
with reference to God and there are fruits that are manifested. 
So to take the analogy earlier, you don't buy $75 shirts anymore. You don't continue in a path 
of drug addiction anymore. You don't continue as a slave 
to the bottle. You don't continue as a slave 
to your sexual lusts and desires. There's repentance. That's what 
the prophet says. Let the wicked forsake his way 
and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord. What's 
the implication there? It'll be fleshed out at the end 
of the verse. The Lord receives them. It's beautiful. We get this idea that I've got 
to clean up my act and then I'll go to Jesus. I've got to fix 
my life, then I'll get religion. I've got to stop this and then 
I'll go to church. No, that's not what the prophet 
says. The prophet says, come to the Lord, bring that stuff, 
and the Lord will heal you. Spurgeon says, oh, there be men 
that quite misunderstand the gospel. They think that righteousness 
qualifies them to come to Christ. Now, this repentance, obviously 
you believe and you leave and you go to the Lord Jesus, but 
it's not the case that you've got to fix all these things before 
you come. No, believe the gospel. By God's 
grace you seek to deal with those things. But listen to Spurgeon. 
There be men that quite misunderstand the gospel. They think that righteousness 
qualifies them to come to Christ. You ever met those people? Oh 
no, I'm just too terrible to be saved. What's the implication? 
I need to be better to be saved. No, you need to be saved because 
you're terrible. Do you all get that? We don't need to be saved 
because we're doing well. We need to be saved because we're 
dead. He says sin is the only qualification for a man to come 
to Jesus. If you say this more, I'm just 
a wretch, then come! Come! Come! Come! Incline your ear. Listen carefully 
to me, says the prophet, and come! Good old Crisp, this is 
Tobias Crisp, this is Spurgeon, good old Crisp says, righteousness 
keeps me from Christ. The whole have no need of a physician, 
but they that are sick. Sin makes me come to Jesus when 
sin is felt. And in coming to Christ, the 
more sin I have, the more cause I have to hope for mercy. And 
that's what the end of verse seven fleshes out. Look at six 
and seven. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake 
his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return 
to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him. And to our God, for he 
will abundantly pardon. Isn't that great? If you're not 
a believer this morning, that ought to make you encouraged. 
That ought to make you jump for joy. That ought to make you jump 
for Christ. There's abundant pardon in God. 
All of your sins, all of your iniquities, all of your transgressions, 
all of the stuff you've done against this holy God is forgiven. That's one of those blessings 
in the gospel I still just can't believe. It feels like, to me, 
it's too good to be true. I know the Bible tells me it's 
not. I know the Bible tells me it is true. But that's tough, 
man. All the stuff I've ever done, 
my sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not 
in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no 
more. That makes the sinner cry, praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Or what Zechariah says in Zechariah 
13 what? In that day there will be a fountain 
open for what? For sin and uncleanness. Never 
understood the person that said I'm so sinful I can't come to 
Jesus. You're so sinful you must come 
to Jesus. It's like saying, I'm so hungry, 
I can't eat this sandwich. I'm so thirsty, I can't drink 
this water. Eat the sandwich, drink the water, 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, this is what God is 
saying. Let him return to the Lord and 
he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly 
pardon. I know that I've told you before 
that our son Micah got his name because of the prophet Micah 
in the Old Testament. I remember prior to his birth, 
reading through the prophet Micah, and at the end, Micah uses a 
version of his name, which means, who is a God like you? Micah, 
the prophet, is musing on his name, most likely, or at least 
using that analogously to who God is. He says, who is a God 
like you? You know what comes on the heels 
of that? Pardoning, pardoning our sin. It really is amazing, isn't it? 
Have you ever sinned against someone? Perhaps a child to their 
parents and you thought, man, they'll never forgive me. And 
they forgive you. Or you as a parent have sinned 
against your child and you've thought you've emotionally scarred 
them and they're on their way to some clinic and they need 
years of therapy to undo what you've done. That's why I like 
grandkids. I don't feel as directly involved 
in the emotional scarring process as I did with the kids. I was directly responsible for 
their state. Not so with the grandkids. I 
get to play with them, hug them, kiss them, and give them back 
to the parents who are responsible for their emotional state. But 
your kids forgive you, don't they? Does that forgive you, 
Dad? You know by their conduct, you 
know by their words, you know by the pattern subsequent, they 
did forgive you. This is what the text of Scripture 
says concerning God. You come to Him through Christ, 
and what happens? Abundant pardon. You say, I'm 
an abundant sinner? There's abundant pardon in God. 
As Newton said, I have learned this. I am a great sinner, but 
Christ is a great Savior. Now, when he gives this call 
to believe and repent, he gives us three reasons why we will 
not be here too long. Some of you are probably thinking, 
man, his hip hurt. He probably was up there for 20 minutes. 
It feels good. It's healing well. So we got 
another, I don't know how long, but I got titanium in there now. I'm stronger and faster and better 
than I was before. So that means longer sermons, 
brethren. the collective eye roll now. 
Three reasons. Notice the nature of God, the 
power of God's word, and the promise of future blessing. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. Forsake your ways. Forsake your 
thoughts. And the Lord God will abundantly 
pardon. Why? Because it's who he is. Look at verses eight and nine. 
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my 
ways, as Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my 
thoughts than your thoughts. There's a couple different ways 
to view this verse. Some, unfortunately, teach exactly 
what it doesn't mean. They come to this passage and 
say, we can't know anything about God. Because his thoughts are 
not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. Therefore, 
we can't know anything about God. You'll see this in theological 
dispute at times. The person that is being bested 
in an argument will seek redress here. Well, you know, we just 
don't know. Oh yeah, we can know, you just don't like what it says. 
The text is not indicating we can't know God. The Bible is 
full of propositions about who God is. God is love, God is existence, 
God is kind, God is gracious. Those are all things we know 
about God, isn't it? Now Jesus defines eternal life, 
this is eternal life, that they may, what? Know thee, the only 
true God in Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. So whatever verses 
eight and nine means, it does not mean we can't know God. I 
think it goes in two directions. I think in the first place, it 
highlights the mind-blowing reality that is God's forgiveness of 
miserable sinners. Because as I've said, we get 
this invitation, we say, wow, it's too good to be true. No, 
I've guaranteed it by covenant. I've guaranteed it by the work 
of the Davidic Messiah. I have guaranteed it by my own 
transaction of it. I'm calling upon you to seek 
the Lord, to believe the gospel. I'm calling upon you to repent. 
That means forsake your ways and your thoughts, and I will 
abundantly pardon you. Doesn't that cause you to well 
up and say, wow, why does he do that? Remember several weeks 
ago, Pastor Porter preached from Isaiah 6. That God, that Holy 
One, that amazing One, in whose presence the prophet cries, Woe 
is me, for I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips, for 
my eyes have seen the Lord, the God of hosts. And later on in 
Isaiah the prophet, 57-15, we learn that Yahweh inhabits eternity, 
but He dwells with Him who is of a humble and a contrite spirit. 
This indicates or underscores the incomparable excellency of 
our God. Why does He do this? Because 
His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. 
We wouldn't extend this kind of forgiveness. We wouldn't extend 
this kind of mercy. We wouldn't send the Son of our 
love. We wouldn't be pleased to bruise Him, putting Him to 
grief. We wouldn't lay upon Him the chastisement for our sins. 
We wouldn't do this. But He would. But as well, right 
in the context, the wicked are told to forsake their thoughts 
and their ways. Why? Because God's thoughts and 
His ways are not ours. In other words, we are in sin 
in our thoughts and in our ways. It could be another application 
of the whole idea of repentance. We've got to stop thinking our 
thoughts. We've got to stop doing our ways. 
We've got to, by the grace of God, align ourselves with this 
God's thoughts and ways. You see? In the second place, 
the prophet underscores the power of God's word. Verses 10 and 
11. This is why we get out of bed 
on the Lord's day. This is why we evangelize, this 
is why we preach, this is why there are missionaries, because 
the Lord God Most High has promised that His Word will not return 
unto Him void. He uses the analogy from nature. There's no life and there's no 
growth on the earth if there's no rain, if there's no snow. You don't have to be a farmer 
to know that. If you don't have water coming 
down out of heaven, falling on the ground, there's not going 
to be life. There's not going to be growth. There's not going 
to be anything but a barren piece of rock. That's what a sinner 
is, a barren piece of rock. And yet the word of God comes 
by the power of the Holy Spirit. And what happens? These dry bones, 
they live. What happens? These dead men 
are raised. What happens? These sinners pass 
from death into life. What happens? These who are in 
darkness are called out into marvelous light. Look at what 
the prophet says, for as the rain comes down and the snow 
from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and 
make it bring forth in bud that it may give seed to the sower 
and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from 
my mouth. Never understood the part of 
an unbeliever to stay away from church. Never understood on the 
part of the unbeliever not to read scripture. I've never understood 
that because it's so common and so obvious and so clear the way 
to salvation. Obviously grace alone through 
faith alone in Christ alone, but that knowledge and that information 
and those propositions come from this book. If you parents are 
concerned about the spiritual state of your children, be in 
church with them. Bring them morning and evening. 
Don't let a day pass where they're not under Scripture. The means 
by which God uses to bring them eternal life is this precious 
Word. Bring them to that Word. Bring 
that Word at home. Bring that Word when you rise 
up, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down at night. 
Be Peter in John 6, when the Savior says, do you also want 
to leave? He says, Lord, to whom shall 
we go? You have the words of eternal life. We want to be where 
you are. Don't miss church. Don't miss 
preaching. Don't neglect the family altar. Don't take Bibles away from or 
don't teach by your example the non-importance of Holy Scripture. It ought to be the case that 
children learn and know and are confirmed in the reality that 
that book is the message of eternal life. Don't absent yourselves 
from it. Don't neglect it. So shall my 
word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return 
to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper 
in the thing for which I sent it. Again, that's why we get 
out of bed on Sunday. This is why we preach. This is 
why we evangelize. This is why there are missionaries 
in the field because God most high has purposed through the 
preaching of the gospel to save those who believe. Isn't that 
1 Corinthians 121? For since in the wisdom of God, 
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God 
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those 
who believe. There's power in the word of 
God. There is power in the scripture. Again, attended by the Holy Spirit 
to be sure. We pray God send the Spirit. 
Awaken the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls. May the Spirit 
lead us, and may He guide us, and may He direct us, and may 
He open these truths to our hearts and to our understanding, so 
that we'll be conscious of this reality that I have sinned against 
a holy God. But this holy God has said to 
me four times through His prophet, Come, come, come. He's asked 
me why I'm wasting my money on that which does not satisfy. 
He's offering me milk and water and wine. He's offering me soul 
abundance. He's offering me forgiveness. 
We need the spirit to show us and convince us of these things. 
There is power in the word of the living and true God. And 
then the third reason we should believe and repent is found in 
verses 12 and 13. For you shall go out with joy, 
and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills shall 
break forth into singing before you, and all the trees in the 
field shall clap their hands. Creation rejoices at the salvation 
of our God. Passages like these ought to 
rebuke us when we come into church. And I'm not saying we did this 
this morning. The singing was beautiful. It's a real blessing 
to be in a church that sings. But imagine being in a church 
that didn't sing. We are here to honor the high 
king of heaven. We are gathered because of the 
blood of Jesus and shall we just meander about and just kind of 
vaguely sing when the creation rejoices at the salvation of 
our God? When we have been the recipients 
of this joy and peace? We ought to be loud singers, 
happy people and loud singers. I think the two go hand in hand. 
And then notice in verse 13, it's the language of the reversal 
of the curse. And probably in context, it also 
speaks to the restoration from the exile. Remember, Isaiah is 
prophesying that the southern tribes will go into exile via 
Babylon. There will be a period of exile, 
but there will be restoration. And using that analogy, or using 
that physicality, there is that spiritual depth and promise of 
the reversal of the curse that has come because of the first 
Adam. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and 
instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree, and it shall 
be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall 
not be cut off. Well, brethren, because of what 
the Savior does in chapter 53, this invitation goes out and 
calls upon sinners to believe. Alec Motier says, when people 
respond to the Lord's word, calling them to seek, forsake, and return, 
the effective power of that word brings them into an experience 
of the love, forgiveness, and peace of God, and lifts them 
into membership of a new world of eternal duration. This is 
what the servant accomplished. You see, this goes forth because 
the Lord was pleased to bruise him. This goes forth because 
he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. This goes forth because 
Christ stood in the place of sinners. Brethren, just two thoughts, 
and then we close. In the first place, while I think 
this passage is addressed primarily to unbelievers, I think there 
is a word here for believers. I think there is an encouragement 
here for us to consider this interrogation. Because as believers 
in Jesus Christ, what can happen to us? We can get diverted. We can get sidetracked. We can 
go after illegitimate things. Take something that's very common 
in the church today. Studies show that pornography 
use in the Church of Christ is very high. Men and women addicted 
to their computer screens to watch illicit things. Certainly, 
that is spending wages on that which does not satisfy. forsake your thoughts and ways, 
flee to this God who has promised in Christ to forgive. But consider 
as well legitimate things. A man's a hard worker, a woman's 
busy in the home. You take up a hobby, you take 
up an interest, and what happens? It becomes all-encompassing. 
It becomes all-consuming. Do you know how to measure what's 
important in your life? What do you spend your time and 
your money on? I hate to sound so cross and 
carnal, but what do you spend your time and money on? If it's something that's not 
God, the prophet's question should be pursued in your heart as a 
believer. Why? Why do you spend money on 
that which is not bread? Why do you spend your wages on 
that which does not satisfy? You know, the Lord spoke to this 
in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. After cautioning believers 
against anxiety and worry and fretfulness, He says, seek first 
the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be 
added to you. It's not wrong to have a hobby, brethren. It's 
not wrong to be a bit interested in sports, but to be consumed 
by those things? To worship at the idol of whatever 
it is that's, you know, on TV this week in terms of the game? 
How much time and energy, how much of the talents that you 
possess are poured out at the foot of your idol, whether it's 
illegitimate or legitimate? We're easy to get sidetracked. 
Robbie Robinson wasn't wrong. I don't think he went by Robbie, 
it's Robert. I don't know why I called him Robbie. Robert Robinson 
wasn't wrong in hymn 400, prone to wander, prone to leave the 
God that I love. History says that at the end 
of his life, or near the end of his life, he was on a stagecoach 
with a particular woman who said, oh, I love that hymn. It's a 
wonderful hymn. And he said, madam, I wish I 
had the spiritual state now that I had when I penned that hymn. 
The very thing he wrote became true in his life, prone to wander, 
prone to leave the God that I love. That happens to believers. Examine 
your hearts, brethren. Examine your hearts. What's most 
important to you? What's of most import? What's of most value? In the 
second place, there is certainly an exhortation to unbelievers 
here. You need to consider the repetition of the invitation. 
Do not go home today and say, God's word tells me to stay away 
from Christ. If you think that you have failed 
miserably in your reception of this message, God's word says, 
come. In fact, the prophet says, listen 
carefully to me. Incline your ear here and your 
soul shall live. We need to understand the graciousness 
of the invitation. It's without money, without price. Certainly it costs Jesus. To 
be sure, but for sinners, it doesn't cost you money. It doesn't 
cost you prize. It doesn't cost you perfect obedience 
and performance. If you could perfectly obey and 
perform, there would be no need for the Savior's work at Calvary. If righteousness comes to the 
law, Galatians 2.21, then Christ died in vain. Christ didn't die 
in vain. Christ gave up his life for sinners. We need to understand the description 
of the blessings. Your soul shall live. Verse 12, you will have joy and 
you will have peace. We need to understand the promise 
of abundance. Let your soul delight itself 
in abundance. See, God doesn't call you to 
come and be miserable. Come to my son and life is gonna 
be horrible. No, that's not it. Come to my 
son and you will live. You'll know life. It'll be joyful. 
It is abundance. It is safety. It is blessing. 
It is peace. We need to understand the place 
of faith and repentance. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake 
his way and the unrighteous men his thoughts. You need to believe 
on the Lord Jesus. You need to believe the gospel. 
You need to look and live. That's God's word to us. And we need to understand the 
urgency of the situation. I hope and I pray that you'll 
get that from verse six. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found, because there's a day coming when he won't be found. 
Call upon him while he is near, because there is a day coming 
when he won't be near. Why will you die? This was Ezekiel's 
language to Israel. Why? Why? Why? Why will you die? This is what God's invitation 
to eternal life looks like. Well, let us pray and ask the 
Lord to seal these things to our hearts. Our Father, we thank 
you for the Word of God. We thank you that it is powerful 
and the Spirit's work to bring forth sinners unto Jesus Christ. We pray that today would be the 
day of salvation. We pray that today would be the 
day when souls would come and they would buy, and they would 
taste and see that the Lord is good, that they would come to 
that one who has the living water of eternal life, Father, work 
in hearts, work in minds, do these things that we are unable 
to do. The Lord Jesus says, it is impossible 
for us to save men, but with you all things are possible. 
And we know that this brings you glory, and it brings you 
honor, so we pray that today you would turn sinners from their 
idols to the true and the living God. May these things go with 
us, and may we consider them, and may you bless us and help 
us to take these things to heart. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen.