Come, Let Us Reason Together
We encountered some technical difficulties. There are excised gaps of about a minute at 7:00 and 24:40. The full sermon is available in audio only below.
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 1:1-20 (ESV)
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master's crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
5 Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.
7 Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
9 If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
12 “When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Sermon Outline
We are invited into a long dialogue (v18) about wonderful and difficult things - what will make this conversation productive?
1. Come to know God
v2 “children I have reared and brought up”
v3 “the ox knows its owner… my people do not understand”
2. Humbly accept your need
v10 “hear the word… Sodom… Gomorrah”
v13 “I cannot endure iniquity and your solemn assembly”
v15 “when you spread out your hands… your hands are full of blood”
3. See what the Lord will do for you
v18 “though your sins are like scarlet they shall become white as snow”
vv19-20 “if… you shall eat… but if… you shall be eaten”
Prayer of Confession
Holy God, we are assembled before you and we confess our iniquity. We admit our ignorance and foolishness. You are our true Father, but we have exposed how little we know you. We act like the community of the corrupt, not the family of God. Forgive our religious hypocrisy. Forgive every harmful action. Apart from you, we are stuck in our sin. Thank you for the promise of cleansing and forgiveness. We marvel at your grace and generosity. We look to Jesus who shed his blood to cleanse the blood on our hands. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
If you will be going through Isaiah with Emmanuel (or at some point on your own), what expectations do you have? What will you encounter along the way?
What is the difference between knowing God and knowing about God? How does one know God?
When you encounter parts of the Bible where God offers correction, what is your response? What do you feel? What do you think?
Why is God’s goodness and love for us foundational for walking with God? What happens if we are not firm in those convictions?
Why is it so hard for people to receive correction?
How does true faith produce life change? What are the dangers of going to church or engaging with God simply to have the feelings of guilt relieved?
Do you believe that life with God is inherently rewarding? Do you believe that life apart from God is inherently dangerous?
What questions do you have for God in response to the revelation that God is holy and you need to trust Him and walk with Him? What do you want to know? What do you need to learn? What kind of help will you require? How will you listen or watch for answers?