Faith
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Tim Chang
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 7:1-17 (ESV)
1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. 2 When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
3 And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. 4 And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 thus says the Lord God:
“‘It shall not stand,
and it shall not come to pass.
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
And within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.
9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you are not firm in faith,
you will not be firm at all.’”
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”
Sermon Outline
Faith can be challenged (v. 1-2)
An invitation to have faith (v. 3-9)
Faith that can endure (v. 10-17)
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, you invite us to have faith in you, but it is not easy. Instead of trusting in you, we take matters into our own hands. We often care more about what you can do for us rather than who you are. Help us to see your invitations to have faith in you. You are a God who not only makes promises, but you fulfill them. May we trust that you are Immanuel; God with us. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?
Can you recall a time when your faith in God was tested? How did you respond in that time?
How do your struggles shape the way you see God? Have there been times of learning, growth, or wavering?
Have there been challenging moments that drew you closer to God? What did you learn about God through those experiences?
One of the names of God is Immanuel: God with us. Do you resonate with this? In what ways does this comfort you?
What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?
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