Quench Your Thirst

We can turn back to where we read in Isaiah chapter 55.

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

! We're going to look at the beginning of this chapter.

! Isaiah 55, reading at verse 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, and so on.

When you sit at a meal, maybe it's at home or if you're eating out,

one of the things that often takes place is you examine what's on the table.

If you're eating at home, you'll make sure that everything that was prepared is out on the table.

It's amazing how often it happens where after the meal is done,

you find a dish in the oven that had been completely forgotten about.

Or if you're eating out for a meal, a waiter will come round and ask you,

have you got everything that you need?

They make sure that everything that you've got is there to hand.

Well, in a few weeks' time, on the weekend of the 15th of February,

we'll be coming to sit at a meal here in the church.

And a table will be prepared, and everything that we need will be ready at the table.

And yet, when you look at this meal as we come to the Lord's Supper,

you think to yourself, well, is that it?

It looks so little, just wine and bread on a table.

It doesn't look enough for us to live by,

and yet there is everything that we need there.

The table is prepared.

There's no need for anybody to come round,

and do you need anything else?

It's all there prepared for us.

It's the symbols that we see that matter.

The wine and what it represents.

The blood of Jesus Christ shed at the cross.

And the bread showing us the body that was given for us.

It is all there.

And yet, maybe we think so little of it.

We don't think about it, maybe, as we should.

What do these things mean?

What does it matter?

Or there can be a fear about it.

We think of ourselves and maybe our unworthiness to come

and sit at the Lord's table,

that I'm not good enough to be there.

But what we have to look at is not ourselves,

but to the Lord and to what he has done for us.

Because the Lord's Supper is a remembrance.

When we gather for a meal at home or in a restaurant,

we often talk about maybe a variety of different things.

There is chat going on.

We can cover a lot of different subjects.

But the Lord's Supper is only about one thing.

And it's often in silence.

We do it in remembrance of him.

Where our focus is on what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us at the cross.

How he came to give his life.

How what we see promised throughout the scriptures is fulfilled in him.

And so we are invited.

We are invited to this meal.

And that's what we're going to think about as we look at Isaiah chapter 55.

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

There is this great invitation that we are given at the beginning of this chapter.

An invitation to a meal, to a feast.

And we're going to look at it and look at it just in light of where we find it in the book of Isaiah.

As you look at Isaiah 55,

all you have to do is just step back two chapters to Isaiah 53.

And we see how there Isaiah is talking about the very reason why our meal is going to take place.

It's a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he would suffer on the cross.

In Isaiah 53, verse 5, for example, there we read,

Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.

And with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way.

And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

So there Isaiah was prophesying the word of God of what was going to take place at the cross.

How he was wounded.

How he was bruised.

How he was crushed.

The chastisement that brought us peace was upon him.

He did all of this.

We have gone astray.

We have all turned to our own way.

And yet when you come into chapter 54 and chapter 55,

What you see is the Lord's gracious way towards his people.

Invitations.

Assurances in chapter 54 of the Lord's eternal covenant of peace.

That he is one who seeks to bring that peace to his people.

A peace that brought peace in verse 5 there of Isaiah 53.

And then in Isaiah 55 there is this great invitation.

Ho, it says in other translations,

Listen, come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.

So there is this great invitation.

The question is, will you come?

Will you come?

And so we are going to look at this passage under three headings.

The first thing we see is the setting.

The kind of setting these words speak about.

Then we see the offer that is given.

And then we see finally the price that is mentioned.

These are three things that when we are thinking of having a meal together,

We often think about where are we going to go?

What setting?

What place are we going to go to?

The offer.

What are we going to have?

And what is often the case is, well, how much is it going to cost?

That's what Isaiah is speaking about here.

So the first thing we see is the setting.

Isaiah's role as a prophet,

As with every prophet we read of in the Old Testament,

Was never an easy role.

The prophet was often met with opposition.

He was bringing God's word to the people,

But the people were so often rejecting it and rejecting God.

And we see it again and again.

And Isaiah is no different.

When you read from the beginning of Isaiah through to chapter 40,

What you find is the prophet giving warning.

You think everything is okay, he's saying,

But disaster is coming upon us.

Invasion is coming upon us.

Captivity is coming our way, but they were not listening.

But then from Isaiah 40 onwards,

You see that that has come upon them.

But yet there is still God speaking to them.

God calling a people back to himself.

But this call, as you see, is in the midst of other calls.

Many other calls going on.

And that's what the setting of Isaiah is here.

The imagery of Isaiah 55,

When we're seeing this,

This ho, as it says in other translations,

Or come, and come is often repeated.

Hear, listen.

Listen, the setting here for Isaiah would be one like a marketplace.

When Isaiah is just one voice shouting out to the people

In the midst of lots of other voices calling for their attention.

Everyone knows what we need.

That's not the reality of the world in which we live in.

That's what a marketplace is like.

Everyone is calling for your attention.

I don't know if you've ever been to a large marketplace.

Remember when I was in college in Glasgow,

My late teens.

Going along, was in the Nautical College,

Which wasn't far from the Barrowlands.

Going along there one Saturday to the market that was the Barrowlands.

And it was something to behold when you're seeing

All of these people just calling for your attention.

All the great bargains they've got.

Everything that you need to make your life better.

They're calling out for your attention.

And it's just one voice after another.

This is the kind of setting that Isaiah is talking about here.

He is just one voice in the midst of many other voices

That are calling out for the people's attention.

That's the setting of our own lives as well.

Everybody knows what we need.

But do you know what you need?

Have you thought about,

What do I really need in life?

What is important?

Where will my peace, my joy ultimately be found?

Is it in all of these voices that are calling for my attention from the world?

Or is it in this voice of God?

A voice that is speaking as we hear it here today.

Calling for our attention.

Who are we listening to?

What are we listening to?

There was a story of a rich businessman

Who was walking down by a harbour one day.

Some fishing boats had come in after being out early fishing

And had landed their catch.

And as this businessman was walking around

He saw one fisherman just sitting lazily on his boat.

And he decided to ask him a few questions.

And he said,

Why aren't you still out fishing?

And the fisherman replied,

Well because I've caught enough for the day.

I was out early.

Caught and landed my catch.

I got enough for the day.

And so the businessman asked him,

Well why don't you catch more fish than you need?

And the fisherman replied by saying,

Well what am I going to do with them?

Well he said,

You could sell them and make more money.

And as you make more money

You could get a better boat.

You could go out further,

Catch more fish.

You could then buy better equipment

That would help you catch even more fish

And make even more money.

And as you make more money

You could buy a fleet of boats.

And then the fisherman asked him and said,

Then what would I do?

Well he said,

Then you could sit down and enjoy life.

To which the fisherman replied,

Well what do you think I'm doing now?

Perspective is so often the key.

What do we need in life?

When the voices are all clamoring in our minds

To say this is what you need.

That's what you need.

This is what you've got to do.

Are we seeking just more and more and more?

Or are we thinking to ourselves,

Am I fulfilled in life right now?

Do I have that peace with God?

Not the peace of just being,

As it were,

Lazily sitting around.

But the peace of knowing

That the Lord is my refuge.

The Lord is my redeemer.

Because the voices of this world

Clamor for us

To seek our rest and our peace

In everything else

Apart from God.

We spend our time

Making money

And all of these things.

And this is what Isaiah

Is speaking about here

In verse 2 you see,

Why do you spend your money

For that which is not bread

And your labor

For that which does not satisfy?

Why are you purchasing

The things that don't matter?

The things that aren't

Really important in this life.

They are not the things

That are going to give you satisfaction.

They are not the things

That are going to give you peace.

Or your pursuits.

Why do you labor?

Why do you work?

For that which does not satisfy.

When you keep going after everything

Thinking this is what is going

To give me peace.

This is what is going to give me satisfaction.

But we are always just chasing

After the wrong thing.

Do you know that God knows

Your heart

Better than you know it yourself.

And that is why God

Speaks to this day.

God didn't abandon his people

In Isaiah's day

And he has not abandoned us today either.

He is still speaking to us.

And he knows exactly

What you need.

But what is your heart saying

To God?

What is your reaction

To God's word?

When you make phone calls

Phoning a big company

For example

When you start the phone call

They will often say

Your calls are monitored

Recorded for training

And monitoring purposes.

I always thought

This was just a nonsense.

Who is going to monitor

All of these calls

That are coming in

Until this week

I had to phone

One of these companies

And explain

That something was wrong

With an agreement

That I had made.

And they said

Well leave it with us

And we will go back

And listen to your call

Which was about

Six weeks ago.

And I thought

There is no way

That they are going

To have this recorded

But I got a phone call

A few days later

Saying

We have listened to the call

We have heard what was said

And you are right

You did not get

What was agreed

And we will amend that

And I thought to myself

How many calls

Do they get?

And they were able

To go back

And find my one call

Listen to it

And change it.

But when we think

Of God like that

We think well

He knows everything

He knows every thought

Every conversation

Everything that has come to mind

No matter how long ago it was

Maybe you were a child

And you were thinking

I love the Lord

And I just want to come

And profess my faith in Him

But now you are thinking

Oh I have gone so far away

I can't

God knows your heart

And maybe God today

Is speaking to you

In that very situation

And reminding you

That that heart

Is still not so far away

From God

That He cannot speak

That He is speaking

To you

Everything that we do

And say is monitored

By God

He knows

But the key is

He knows your heart today

And as I say

I am speaking to the people

Here

He is speaking to their heart

To see

Where is your heart lying

In all of these voices

That are calling to you

What are you doing

With them

Well the second thing

We see here

Is the offer

The offer that is

Is made

And I say

Here is something

You must have

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

He is saying

Everything that you need

Is here for you

Come and receive it

Every human

In this world

Has a common need

And that is

A thirst

That needs

To be quenched

It's a physical thirst

So often

That we have

You know what it's like

When you're getting thirsty

You just need

To get a drink

A drink of water

To quench

That thirst

But here I see

I was talking about

A spiritual thirst

A thirst

For the things

Of God

And our thirst

In this world

Is so often

Just like those voices

Calling to us

They are there

To seek to quench

That thirst

But the more

We just listen

To the world

And everything

That's going on

Around us

That thirst

Isn't going

Away

That thirst

Is never

Satisfied

But God

Is saying

Here

Here is something

That can quench

Your thirst

Here is something

That can satisfy

You

Because in the midst

Of everything else

Clamoring

For our attention

When God speaks

He gives us

A different kind

Of thirst

When God works

By his spirit

In our heart

He gives us

A new desire

For something else

Something better

And we realise

That there is

Something missing

There is something

Lacking

In our lives

That nothing

In this world

Can satisfy

All of these voices

That we've been

Listening to

All the time

Are thirst

Is still there

But Isaiah is saying

You've tried

All these things

Come

Come

To the waters

Come

To what can

Truly

Satisfy you

A desire

Grows

Within us

When the Lord

Is working

In our hearts

And we begin

To realise

That it is only

Through him

That this thirst

Can be satisfied

We have this

This movement

As it is called

This quiet revival

That people are

Talking about

Around our nation

Where many people

Are coming back

To church

Many people

Are enquiring

About the Christian

Faith

Why

Because through

Everything

They are not

Getting their

Thirst

Quenched

There is still

Something

Missing

And so

It is the same

With us

When we are

Without Christ

There is always

Going to be

Something

Missing

But here

Is the offer

Here is something

That you must

Hear

Throughout

These verses

A phrase

Is repeated

That is really

Saying the same

Thing

It is about

Listening

Like I said

Earlier

That word

Come

At the very

First word

Of the chapter

It is often

Translated

Ho

It is just

This word

Grabbing

For your

Attention

Seeking

Your attention

And so

Isaiah

Goes on

And he speaks

About

Listen

Diligently

Hear

He uses

All these words

Incline

Your ear

It is all

About

Listen

Listen

Listen

And what

Are you

Listening

To

You think

About going

Out

Eating

In cities

In our

Own nation

Or in other

Parts of the

World

Very often

There is people

Out on the

Street

They are all

Calling again

For your

Attention

Come

Come to

This restaurant

Come try

This food

Everybody says

They have got

The best

Well here I

Say in the

Midst of all

These other

Voices

They are saying

Come

Come and see

What I have

On offer

Come to

The water

Come without

Money

Come without

Price

Buy wine

And milk

Without money

And without

Price

Do you have

That thirst

In your soul

Today

Have you been

One of these

Ones who has

Been trying

To fulfill

Everything in

This by

Listening to

This world

This is going

To quench

That thirst

Finally I am

Going to have

Peace

And it is

Still not

There

Well the

Lord

Speaks

To us

All

And he

Asks

Well what

Is important

What is

Your priority

He says

Here is

Water

Here is

What

Gives

Life

To us

Here is

Wine

Here is

Milk

Here is

Everything

That we

Need

For life

To the

Full

When you

Think of

These three

Things

Water

And bread

They were

Often just

The staple

Things for

Everybody to

Have

Wine

And milk

They were

Extravagant

But yet

Here he is

Saying you

Can have

All of

These

Things

It is

All there

For you

He offers

Us all

That we

Need

And that

Is true

Today

As well

The offer

Of salvation

In Jesus

Christ

Is like

What we

Have

In the

Offer

Here

Come

To the

Waters

Come

By wine

And milk

Everything

That was

Essential

Water

In the

Scriptures

Is often

Either seen

As the

Life

Giving

Spirit

Of God

Wine

Is seen

As something

That gives

Joy

And milk

Is often

Described as

What we need

To sustain

Is often

Described as

The word

Of God

So here

We are

Saying that

Everything

That we

Need

Is found

Here

The Lord

Has given

Us

His

Spirit

He has

Given us

That joy

That is

Found in

Him

He has

Given us

His word

He has

Given us

Everything

That we

Need

So that

As we

Look at

The table

Of the

Lord's

Set

The bread

And the

Wine

It may

Look

Very

Little

But it

Is

Everything

It is

Everything

That we

Need

He offers

It

To us

So the

Offer

Is there

For us

It is

There for

You

Today

The final

Thing we

See here

Is

What is

The price

And this

Is often

The thing

That when

We go

Out to

Eat

Especially

We go

Along

Maybe a

Street

And we

Are looking

At the

Menu

We don't

Look at

What the

Food

Is

Very often

We look

At what

The price

Is

How much

Is this

Going to

Cost

Well that's

The obvious

Question that

They would

Have in

Isaiah's

Day as

Well

What's

All this

Going to

Cost

How much

Well

What does

He say

Here

Come

Everyone who

Thirst

Come

To the

Waters

And he

Who has

No money

Come

Buy

And eat

How

How can

You possibly

Come and

Buy and

Eat

Without

Money

It

Wouldn't

Wash

If you're

Going out

To a

Restaurant

I don't

Have

Money

That's

Okay

Just

Come in

And

Eat

Well I'm

Sorry you

Wouldn't

Get in

If you

Don't

Have

Money

And yet

Here

It is

All about

Coming

No price

No money

Doesn't

Matter

It's all

Taken

Care

Of

The world

Makes you

Pay

For everything

And yet

What is on

Offer for

Us

Here

Today

Is without

Money

Without

Price

It is

Free

Free

For us

God

Doesn't

Require

Money

Of us

He doesn't

Require

Ourselves

To be

Good

And

Righteous

Of

Ourselves

He doesn't

Require

Our good

Works

Or any

Other

Resource

To

Come

He says

Come

Without

Any

Of

These

Things

So how

Can he

Make such

An

Offer

How can

Make such

An

Offer

To

Us

Surely

There

Is a

Price

That

Was

Paid

Well of

Course

There

Is

Because

That's

What the

Lord's

Supper

Is all

About

It's

Do

This

In

Remembrance

Of me

all. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.

Jesus paid it all. The price has been paid. Is the Lord working in your heart? In all the voices

that are going on around us, is his voice being heard in your heart? He is saying, come.

He is saying, come. Will you? There was a mission going on many years ago on New Year's Day,

1886. The mission was to take place in a hall. Before the mission was to start, they were

out on the streets, a group singing some psalms and hymns and a message being given. And after

they had finished singing the last song and a message had been given, they started to make

their way back to the hall. Some people had been listening in the passing, but one young

woman had listened to the man speak the gospel. And as they were walking back, this woman came

up behind the man and called out to him. And she said, I heard you addressing the open

air meeting just now. And this is what she said, do you think, sir, that Jesus could save

a sinner like me? Is that your question today? Do you think Jesus could save a sinner like me?

Well, the answer is, of course he can. And that's what this invitation is for. It's not for the perfect.

It's not for those who have everything sorted. It is for sinners such as we are, that we might

come and see a Savior who has paid the price. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Will you come?

Let us pray.

Lord, our gracious God, we do thank you that in Christ Jesus we have one who has done all for his

people. Nothing is left short. There is nothing that we can give that would make any difference,

but just to see the price is paid and the offer is there before us. So, Lord, may your word bless our

hearts today. May it speak to us. May it challenge us. May it direct us to the one who came to save

sinners such as we are. And as we even think now of preparing for another communion season, as we think

of preparing to come to do this in remembrance of him, may our hearts be stirred up not to look at

ourselves, but to look on him who was pierced for our transgressions. Hear our prayers and go before us.

We ask all in his precious name. Amen.

We'll conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 67. Sing Psalm's version. Psalm 67.

We'll sing the whole of this Psalm. Page 84 of the Psalm books.

God be merciful and bless us. Shine upon us with your face, that the earth may know your actions and all

lands your saving grace. We'll stand to sing the whole of this Psalm to God's praise.

God be merciful and bless us. Shine upon us with your face, that the earth may know your actions and all

and all lands your saving grace. O God, may the peoples praise you. May all peoples sing your praise.

For you judge the nations justly, ruling over every race. May they sing with joy and gladness. May they all

rejoice as one. O God, may the peoples praise you. As they all unite in song. Then the land will yield its harvest.

God will pour his gifts abroad. God, our God, will surely bless us. All the earth will fear our God.

After the benediction, I'll go to the main door. We'll close with the benediction.

Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.