Isaiah 55:1-9 Finding Forgiveness I. GOD’S GRACIOUS INVITATION (ISA. 55: 1-5) - Come
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Gen. 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark.
Isa.1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Our Lord said in Matt. 11:28, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.‖
Again in John 7:37, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.‖
There was an artist who wanted to paint a picture of the Prodigal Son. Dressed Up
―I wanted you the way you were before; now, you are of no use to me.‖
II. GOD’S URGENT EXHORTATION (55:6-9) - Seek
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Jeremy Taylor described sin this way: ―First it startles man, then it becomes pleasing, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed, then the man is impenitent, then obstinate, then resolved never to repent, then damned.‖
I. Seek the Lord as a Priority.
A. Seek the Lord Actively.
"seek" originally pointed to a deliberate stepping toward God in prayer and sacrifice.
Deuteronomy 4:29, "But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."
B. Seek the Lord Urgently . "while he may be found . . . while He is near".
2 Corinthians 6: 2 insists, "now is the accepted time...now is the day of salvation"
C. Seek the Lord Personally - Seek ye the LORD
Every Man is Savable,
Every Man is Responsible,
Every Man is Accountable.
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
II. Seek the Lord with Expectancy.
A. We may have confidence that God will pardon. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
III. Seek the Lord with Certainty.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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.
A. God’s forgiveness is Better than we can imagine.
B. God’s forgiveness is Bigger than we can imagine.
C. God’s forgiveness is Bolder than we can imagine.
God’s pardon and forgiveness is:
Available to all, Accessable to all, Applicable to all.
III. GOD’S CLEAR LIMITATION - While
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
1. Here Is a Sublime Truth - he is near:
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
2. Here Is a Simple Task - Seek ye the LORD
Who to Seek - the Lord,
Why to Seek - 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
When to Seek - while he may be found
3. Here Is a Stipulated Time - call ye upon him while he is near:
