Hear, That Your Soul May Live
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 55:1-13 (ESV)
1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Sermon Outline
Isaiah has a message that gives life to weary souls (v3). What do you need to hear?
1. A question
v2 “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”
v1 “thirsts”, v6 “seek”
V10-11 “as the rain and snow come down… water the earth, making it bring forth…”
2. An invitation
v1-3 “come… listen diligently… incline your ear”
v11 “so shall my word be… it shall accomplish…”
v7 “return to the Lord… compassion… abundantly pardon”
3. A better way
v9 “my ways… my thoughts…”
v7 “forsake his way…thoughts”
v6 “seek the Lord”
v13 “instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress”
v12 “you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace”
Prayer of Confession
Our compassionate God, who pardons abundantly: we receive your word and humbly respond with confession. We acknowledge that our ways have not been your ways, and our thoughts have not been your thoughts. You called, but we did not come. You gave words of life, but we did not listen. We have been troubled by our own thoughts and our ways have produced suffering. We have labored for that which cannot satisfy. We are weary. You alone can grant forgiveness, so we ask for it. You alone can give life, so we turn to you for it. We thank you that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Through him, set us free. Teach us your thoughts and lead us in your way. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What are you looking for in life? What do you go into the world hoping to find or attain? What do you seek first?
How are you laboring for “that which does not satisfy”? What drains you or leads to exhaustion?
Do you have an interest in God’s thoughts? How can you learn from God?
How are your ways not in line with God’s ways? Do you believe God’s ways are wise and good?
God invites you to think differently, and to live a new way - what appeals to you in this invitation? What bothers you?
Why are God’s compassion and forgiveness essential for change?
Can you do anything to get life from God? Why is it important to recognize you cannot earn or achieve eternal life?
What is repentance? How is turning to God something we have to do continually?
Is there a particular habit or pattern that you are trying to change or break free from? What does it look like to work on this change with God? How does trusting Christ help you live differently?
How can you make walking with God your priority? How can this bring life to all you are doing?
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