Fear Not

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Right, Taylor?

Okay, that works.

Good morning.

Thank you for your warm welcome.

It is so good to be with you.

You can open your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 41.

Isaiah 41 · chapter mention

And just a couple of things before we look at this text.

When Sean invited me to come to Trinity Cambridge and teach on the Get to Prophecy, which we did yesterday,

and with me are Dan Welch, who's over here.

Dan, raise your hand.

And Rick Orlando right here, who you heard from Rick earlier.

These men have traveled with me to serve you.

I was eager to accept Sean's invitation, mainly so that I could come here and personally thank you for being a part of our denomination,

to be a part of our family of churches known as Sovereign Grace.

And I'm grateful for you in many ways.

This is not just a general appreciation.

I want to communicate to you, the people of Trinity Cambridge, of why you are so valuable to our partnership and the contribution that you're making.

You're actually strengthening our denomination.

And here's how, just some of the ways that I see you doing that.

Your gospel presence right here in East Cambridge and beyond,

a church that is faithful to preach the gospel and to reach out to the gospel and share the gospel with the lost,

that strengthens us.

Because that's really what we're about.

We're just a small family of churches advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That's what he's called us to do.

And you're doing that here with 70 plus other churches that are doing that together,

so that we can reach every tribe and tongue and nation with the good news of Jesus Christ.

So thank you for your gospel faithfulness.

There's been several prophetic words throughout the weekend about this church being a base from which other missions is going to happen globally,

and other church plants, maybe in Massachusetts and throughout the globe.

And I believe the Lord's going to do that here.

Because you are a church that loves Jesus and wants to see the gospel spread.

That strengthens us as a family of churches.

And just one other thing I want to mention, many of you may not know this,

but Sean, while he is planting a church,

serves on a national committee, a standing committee in sovereign grace known as the theology committee.

Now, to be on this committee, you need to be really smart.

We put our bright...

That's why I'm not on it.

The brightest and the best are on that theology committee,

and they have done an incredible amount of work.

And Sean, I want to thank you publicly in front of your church for the amount of work you have put into,

especially updating our statement of faith.

There's nothing new in it.

It's just being strengthened in so many ways.

And that statement of faith hopefully will be approved sometime late this year, early in 2020.

And I can't wait for you to read it.

Because as I read it, I just want to worship God.

It's just such good theology that it directs you to God,

and you just want to worship Him.

So, Sean, thank you for doing that.

But Sean couldn't do that without just the strength of a local church behind him.

So, thank you.

Those are just some of the ways that you are strengthening sovereign grace.

So, thank you.

That's why I wanted to come.

Let me mention one other thing.

This is more spontaneous, but I was hearing this, I believe, from the Lord

during the wonderful singing to Him.

Let me just give you a verse that He brought to mind,

and a word that I kept hearing repeated again as I was worshiping the Lord.

And it's the word favor.

I just believe there's a unique God-given favor upon this church's life.

And it's God's choosing.

It's God's doing.

It's God's choosing.

It's God's choosing.

But it's a wonderful thing.

And because of the favor upon this church,

you're going to have favor with others.

That favor is going to open doors for you,

not only here in the Boston area,

but I believe throughout the world,

so that God will use Trinity Cambridge in exactly the way He wants to use you.

And I believe the Lord wants you to be aware of that.

The verse that He brought to mind was Psalm 84, verse 11.

Psalms 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield.

The Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

And I believe that's a description of you.

People who are following Christ, not perfectly, but uprightly.

And the Lord has chosen to bestow favor upon you.

And He wants you to delight in that.

He wants you to have joy in that.

Because He's going to use that for His purposes and for His plans.

Okay, Isaiah chapter 41, verses 1 through 20.

Isaiah 41:1–20

In these first 20 verses in this chapter,

we encounter some of the most fear-conquering,

hope-giving, faith-building truth

that I believe is found in all of Scripture.

And so if you're here this morning

and you are a person who is fearful right now,

you're anxious about many things,

maybe you're weary and hopeless,

these divinely inspired words are going to be used

not only to comfort you, but to embolden you.

This is essentially what we're going to learn

from this text this morning.

God's activity and presence emboldens the fearful.

Title of my message is Fear Not.

And we're going to read the first 20 verses of Isaiah 41.

Listen to me in silence, O coastlands.

Let the peoples renew their strength.

Let them approach, let them speak,

let us together draw near for judgment.

Who stirred up one from the east

whom victory meets at every step?

He gives up nations before Him

so that He tramples kings underfoot.

He makes them like dust with His sword,

like driven stubble with His bow.

He pursues them and passes on safely

by paths His feet have not trod.

Who has performed and done this,

calling the generations from the beginning?

I, the Lord, the first and with the last,

I am He.

The coastlands have seen and are afraid.

The ends of the earth tremble.

They've drawn near and come.

Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother,

Be strong.

The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith.

He who smooths with the hammer,

him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering,

It is good.

And they strengthen it with nails

so that it cannot be moved.

But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham,

my friend,

you whom I took from the ends of the earth

and called from its farthest corner,

saying to you,

You are my servant.

I have chosen you and not cast you off.

Fear not,

for I am with you.

Be not dismayed,

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you.

I will help you.

I will uphold you

with my righteous right hand.

Behold,

all who are in sense against you

shall be put to shame and confounded.

Those who strive against you

shall be as nothing

and shall perish.

You shall seek those who contend with you,

but you shall not find them.

Those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

For I, the Lord your God,

hold your right hand.

It is I who say to you,

Fear not.

I am the one who helps you.

Fear not, you worm Jacob,

you men of Israel.

I am the one who helps you,

declares the Lord,

your Redeemer.

Fear is the Holy One of Israel.

Behold,

I make you a threshing sledge,

new, sharp,

and having teeth.

You shall thresh the mountains

and crush them,

and you shall make the hills like chaff.

You shall winnow them,

and the wind shall carry them away,

and the tempest shall scatter them.

And you shall rejoice in the Lord.

In the Holy One of Israel

you shall glory.

When the poor and needy seek water,

and there is none,

and their tongue is parched with thirst,

I, the Lord,

will answer them.

I, the God of Israel,

will not forsake them.

I will open rivers

on the bare heights

and fountains

in the midst of valleys.

I will make the wilderness

a pool of water

and the dry springs of,

and the dry land springs of water.

I will put in the wilderness

the cedar

and the acacia,

the myrtle,

and the olive.

I will set in the desert

the cypress and plain

and the pine together

that they may see and know.

May consider and understand

together

that the hand of the Lord

has done this.

The Holy One of Israel

has created it.

May God bless the preaching

of His Word.

John Adams,

who would become

the second president

of our nation,

had gained a reputation

of being an effective attorney

right here in the city of Boston

in the mid-1700s.

And it was in December of 1770

that Adams made a risky decision

to defend the British soldiers

who had fired their rifles

into a crowd of Boston citizens

and was in killing five of them

in what's become known

as the Boston Massacre.

The British soldiers

were charged with murder

and John Adams

in his effective

closing argument

that did lead to the acquittal

of the soldiers.

He said this

in a tense courtroom

right here in this city.

This is what he said.

Facts are stubborn things.

And whatever may be our wishes,

our inclinations,

or the dictates of our passion,

they cannot alter

the state of facts

and evidence.

I share that quote

from a courtroom scene

because the context

of Isaiah chapter 41

Isaiah 41 · chapter mention

is that of a courtroom.

We know that from verse 1

where God Himself

has summoned

all the nations of the world

to come and to listen

to Him in silence.

And the language there

tells us that it is a courtroom.

When it says,

let them approach,

like approaching a bench

in a courtroom,

and let them speak

and let us together

draw near

for judgment.

It tells us that

that language tells us

that God has gathered

the nations

into His courtroom

where God will present

His evidence

to all the nations

and ask them

to make a decision

about Him

based on the evidence

He presents.

And we are told

in verse 1

that the reason

that God has gathered

all the nations

into His courtroom

is this,

so that the peoples

can renew their strength.

That's the purpose

of this courtroom scene.

And that language

is very similar

to what you find

at the end of Isaiah

Isaiah 40:31

chapter 40

verse 31

where Isaiah writes,

the peoples,

those who wait

upon the Lord

shall renew their strength.

So one way

to renew your strength

is to wait upon the Lord,

but here in Isaiah

Isaiah 41:1

chapter 41 verse 1

it is those who

hear God's evidence

and make a decision

about the facts

that He presents,

it is by that means

that people can have

their strength renewed.

But the question is why?

Why?

Why did the peoples

need to have

their strength renewed?

Well, even though

all of the nations

are being gathered

into God's courtroom,

including the Jews

and the Gentiles,

including all Jews

and Gentiles,

we know from the text here

that the bulk

of the evidence

that is presented

in this chapter

is for God's people.

It is for the nation

of Israel.

You see,

at this point,

the nation of Israel

is living in exile

in Babylon.

And as their years

of exile,

as they lingered on

and drew on,

they became fearful

and anxious

and weary

and hopeless.

And so God knew

what they needed.

God knew that they needed

to hear the facts

that, as John Adams said,

are stubborn things

that are immovable

and necessary

in our lives,

especially when

we are being ruled

by the dictates

of our emotions,

as Adam says,

which in this case,

contextually,

is that of fear

and anxiety.

And maybe that's you.

Maybe you're here

this morning

and you would say,

Mark,

I arrive here

this morning

as one that needs

to have my strength

renewed.

Because the troubling

situation that you're

facing at work

or in your extended

family

or even the uncertainty

you presently have

about your future,

it is creating fear

and anxiety

in your life.

And so God

has brought you

here today.

He's calling you

into His courtroom

to hear His evidence

that's found

in this chapter

to make a decision

about Him

and how He works

in your life

for the purpose

of not only comforting

you and renewing

your strength,

but to embolden you

if you are fearful.

And the evidence

that you are about

to hear

in this courtroom scene

is God-centered

and God-saturated evidence.

Because in these 20 verses,

the personal pronoun

I is used 20 times

where God refers

to Himself.

So the phrase is,

I am.

I the Lord.

I who.

I the God of Israel.

They're used approximately

eight times

that reveal

the presence of God

in our lives.

And then phrases

like,

I took,

I will,

I make,

are used approximately

ten times

referring to God's activity

in our lives.

So this God-saturated text

is intended

to renew our strength

by presenting

stubborn facts,

evidence

about the activity

and presence of God

that emboldens

the fearful.

So,

four fear-conquering truths

that we see here

in this text.

Number one,

God's sovereign activity.

God's sovereign activity.

Now note,

after verse one,

after He gathers

all the nations

into His courtroom,

note how God

begins presenting

the evidence

that He has

by asking

all of the nations

gathered a question.

Look at that

in verse two.

Here's this question.

Who stirred up

one from the east

whom victory

meets

at every step.

Now,

even though He's not

specifically identified

in this chapter,

we know historically

the one that God

stirs up

from the east

is Cyrus,

the emperor

of Persia.

The text gives us

even more clues

that this is Cyrus

because Cyrus

was known

for his complete

destruction

of his enemies,

which is why

it's described,

his victories

are described

as he tramples

kings underfoot

and he makes them

like dust

in verse two.

Cyrus was also known

as an emperor

and his army

that moved very swiftly

when they defeated

their enemies,

which is why

verse three says,

who passes on safely

by paths

his feet have not trod,

which literally means

that Cyrus

and his army

moved so fast

it's as if their feet

never touched the ground.

The answer

to God's question

is significant

because Isaiah,

again, remember,

is writing to the Jews

who were in exile

in Babylon

in the 6th century B.C.

And as the decades

wore on,

they became fearful

and discouraged

and weary

and hopeless.

However,

we know historically

that Cyrus

did ride swiftly

and triumphantly

from the east

with his Persian army

and he conquered Babylon

in the year 539 B.C.

And when he does that,

he liberates

all the people,

including the Jews,

and he allows them

to return

to their home.

In other words,

in these verses,

God announces

through the prophet Isaiah,

decades before

it would happen,

that he would stir up

one from the east

who would come

and defeat

the Babylonian oppressors

and he would set

his exiled people free.

Did you note

that Cyrus

is not even mentioned

by name in this chapter?

In fact,

Cyrus' name

won't be mentioned

until Isaiah 44,

Isaiah 44:28

verse 28,

because Isaiah,

because God

wants us all

to see

that this is

God's activity,

that this is

God's doing.

And that point

of God's activity

is emphasized

when God asks

another question

in verse 4

and then he answers it

with ringing clarity.

Look at verse 4 again.

Who has performed

and done this?

Meaning,

who is going to set

the people free, right?

Who has performed

and done this

calling the generations

from the beginning?

Answer,

I,

the Lord,

the first

and with the last,

I am He.

It reveals to us

that it is God

who sovereignly

rules over

all of the world

and He activates

who He wants

to activate,

when He wants

to activate them

to accomplish

His good purposes

in setting

His fearful

people free.

Do you see

how God's

sovereign activity

and presence

emboldens

the fearful?

You see,

God's sovereignty

is not just

this theological

concept,

it is a

stubborn truth

for our lives

that tells you

that the things

that are happening

in your life

right now

that are causing

you fear

and anxiety

and uncertainty.

Those things

are not random

at all,

but they are a part

of God's

sovereign plan,

the sovereign God

who rules over

all of history

in your life.

They're part of a plan

as He works out

His good purposes

and will

in your life.

One of the things

I have a joy doing

as a pastor

at Covenant Fellowship Church

is I lead a

faith and work group

Bible and book study.

It's for men and women

in our church

that work in

different vocations.

We meet on Friday mornings

and we study God's Word

together and we read

good books together.

And there was a man,

there is a man

in my faith and work group

Bible and book study,

his name is

John Musum

and he knew

that I was working

on this sermon

and he sent me this email

and this is what John said.

Mark, I prayed for

your sermon prep

this morning.

I prayed that God

would help you

to remember

that folks like me

need encouragement

in the things

He has called us to do

and to walk through

in a 9-5 work world

that often seems

intent on destruction.

That God would protect us

from fear

and strengthen,

help and support us

in the trials

that a good God

sends our way.

John gets it,

doesn't he?

He recognizes

that the trials

that he is currently

facing at work

are not random

in his life

but they are being sent

by a good God

who will sovereignly

work in his life

and accomplish

his good plans

and it's that

stubborn truth

of God's activity

that will renew

John's strength

as he walks back

into a difficult

work situation

tomorrow morning.

Now,

if you are still

uncertain

that God's

sovereign activity

can actually

conquer your fear,

note how God

describes himself

in verse 4.

Can't miss that.

Second part of verse 4,

the Lord says,

I the Lord,

the first

and with the last,

I am He.

This is one of many

verses in our Bibles

that reveals

the self-existence

of God.

Meaning that

He had no beginning

and He has no end

because He always has

and always will exist.

That theological truth

of the self-existence

of God,

it has many implications

for our lives.

Let me just give you one.

God's self-existence

means that He is not

dependent upon

anyone or anything.

That's what it means.

Michael Horton

makes this observation.

Precisely because

God is not dependent

on anyone

or anything

He has created,

we are assured

that nothing

will keep Him

from fulfilling

His promises

and being there

for us.

So when the trials

you're facing

at work

are being caused

by a difficult boss

or a co-worker,

you can be assured

that those people

will not keep God

from being with you

and accomplishing

His good purposes

and plans for your life.

Or maybe even

when you are suffering

unjustly,

when those who are

opposing you

are using unrighteous

or maybe even evil

means,

you can be assured

that your self-existent God

will not be stopped

by those things,

rather He will fight

for you.

Again, Michael Horton,

evil powers

never have the last word.

God remains

qualitatively distinct

from creation

and this is good news

for those

to whom the future

seems destined

to be controlled

by oppressors.

The people of Israel

thought their future

was destined

to be controlled

by these Babylonian oppressors

and yet God,

distinct from creation,

acted when He wanted to act

to stir up Cyrus

and He quickly conquered

the Babylonians

and God set His people free.

You see,

that same God

that acted then

can act in your life

right now

in whatever unjust,

unrighteous,

unsafe,

or even oppressive situation

that you find yourself in.

Do you see how God's

sovereign activity

and presence,

do you see how it

emboldens the fearful?

Now,

did you know

in this courtroom

how the other nations

responded to the evidence

that was being presented?

We see that in verses 5-7.

Look at those again.

the coastlands

have seen

and are afraid.

The ends of the earth

tremble.

They have drawn near

and come.

Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother,

Be strong.

The craftsman

strengthens the goldsmith

and he who smooths

with the hammer,

him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering,

It is good.

And they strengthen it

with nails

so that it cannot

be moved.

So that the other nations,

they hear what God

is about to do

in stirring up Cyrus

and the text tells us

they are fearful.

They are afraid

and they deal with their fear

not by running

to the self-existent God

who can alleviate

their fear

but they run to false gods

whose very existence

depends upon the work

of human hands.

And then they foolishly

seek to reassure themselves

that their man-made idols,

their man-made gods,

small g,

are good and strong enough

to protect them

from the Persian army.

The irony here

is unmistakable, isn't it?

The irony here,

these texts drip with irony

in fear.

These people turn to the gods

who can't relieve their fear

and they turn away

from the God

who says to them,

Fear not!

It's illogical,

isn't it?

But here's the reality.

We are all prone

to make illogical decisions

and to do illogical things

when we are driven by fear.

That's the reality.

And it's in those moments

I need and you need

stubborn truth.

We need the stubborn truth

of God's sovereign activity

who speaks to our fears.

The stubborn truth

that points us to God

and whatever is causing anxiety

and fear in your life,

God says to you,

Fear not!

I've got this!

And God's sovereign activity

can embolden you.

So let me ask you,

where are you turning

when you are fearful

and anxious?

Turn to the God

that Scripture consistently reveals

as the one who sovereignly

not only rules over all of history

but rules over your life

and whose self-existence

can assure you

that nothing at all

will stop His good purposes

and plans from occurring

in your life.

Second fear,

conquering truth.

Number two,

God's powerful presence.

God's powerful presence.

In verse 8,

God now speaks only to Israel

who He has said

that He's chosen,

who He calls a friend

and twice in verses 8 and 9

calls them His servants.

And then He says to them

in verse 10,

Fear not,

for I am with you.

I mean,

that truth alone,

knowing that God is with us,

God's presence

emboldens the fearful

because we know

that He is with us.

And this fear-conquering truth,

it not only comforts His people,

He goes on to say

how He's going to act

through His presence

on their behalf.

Did you notice that

in verses 10-12?

Fear not,

for I am with you.

Be not dismayed,

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you.

I will help you.

I will uphold you

with My righteous right hand.

How is He going to do that?

Behold,

verse 11,

all who are incensed against you

shall be put to shame

and confounded.

Those who strive against you

shall be as nothing

and shall perish.

You shall seek those

who contend with you,

but you shall not find them.

And those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

These verses speak of God's

powerful presence

where He acts,

as it says in verse 10,

by upholding us

with His righteous right hand.

What that literally means

is that God is doing

the right thing

in dealing with our enemies.

That's what those verses mean.

And as God powerfully acts,

note the reversal theme

as God does deal

with the enemies of Israel.

Contextually,

remember,

Israel is in exile.

They are the ones

who are dismayed

in their exile.

And yet,

God powerfully acts

in sending Cyrus

so much so

that those who are incensed

against him,

the Babylonians,

will be the ones

who are dismayed

and the ones

who are confounded.

There's reversal there,

isn't there?

Those who strive

against and contend

with Israel

in such a dominant way

that they hold them

in exile,

God says,

shall be as nothing

at all

in verse 12.

There's reversal there,

isn't there?

Why this powerful reversal?

Why does it happen?

Then, verse 13,

answers the question.

For I,

the Lord your God,

hold your right hand.

It is I who say to you,

fear not.

I,

the God of the universe,

am the one

who helps you.

That word for

that connects

his activity

to his powerful presence

there in verse 13

tells us

that his powerful presence,

the one where he upholds us

with his righteous right hand

and deals with our enemies

in a way

that he takes dismayed

and fearful servants

and he turns them

into faith-filled,

courageous people.

That's the reversal

that you see

in those verses.

Now,

these reverses,

they remind us of something.

they remind us

that when we are fearful,

we have this tendency

to make our enemies

bigger than what they really are.

That's what these verses

remind us of.

They remind us

that if we don't live

with an awareness

of God's presence,

our enemies are giants.

But when we live

with an awareness

of God's presence

and a knowledge

that it is he

who upholds us

with his righteous right hand

and that he will deliver us,

what happens

is that your enemies,

they shrink down

to their right proportionality.

This past October,

I had the joy

of leading

the Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference

and a part of my experience there

is we had three pastors

travel from the nation of India

representing churches

who are interested

in forming a partnership

with Sovereign Grace.

And two of the men,

they brought their wives

with them

and I shared lunch

with them

for a little over two hours

during the conference.

These men live

in a region

in the southeast

part of India

and in this particular

part of India

there is

the persecution

of Christians

by Hindu extremists.

They all told stories

that quite frankly

humbled me.

in the way

that they face persecution

all the time

in sharing the gospel.

One of those pastors,

his name is

Shiraj

and this is just

one of the stories

from that lunch.

He was in his city

and on that day

he went to

sort of the town center

and he just publicly

was preaching

and sharing the gospel.

Just trying to reach people

for Christ

and he got done

sharing the gospel

and he went home alone

and he went down

the street

that he thought

was vacant

and as he walked

he heard this noise

behind him

and there was this

crowd of men

that ran after him

and they caught him

and they just began

to beat him mercilessly.

And in that moment

there was just

no one around

and so Shiraj

he just prayed

he cried out aloud

Lord come and help me.

There is no one here.

Come and take these men

off of me.

Send your help.

And he said

Mark you're not going

to believe it.

Out of nowhere

these other men

showed up.

They pulled these other men

off of me

and they chased them away.

And he said

I'm not

I've had experiences

like that

where the Lord

worked on my behalf.

And I'm not afraid

to share the gospel anymore.

Even though I will face

persecution

even though I may be

attacked again

I don't fear that

any longer

because I know

that my God

is with me

and that he fights for me.

See I tell you that story

because Shiraj's God

is your God.

He's your God too

and whatever difficult situation

whatever situation

in your life

that is causing anxiety

and fear

he will act

on your behalf

upholding you

with his righteous

right hand.

And when he does so

your enemies shrink down

to their right proportionality.

So let me ask you a question.

In light of that stubborn truth

in light of God's powerful presence

in your life

do you see your enemies

in their right proportionality?

One other fear conquering picture

that we see in these verses

that's found there

in verses 10 and 13.

In verse 10 God says

I uphold you

with my righteous right hand.

In other words

he has weapons of righteousness

to do what is right

in dealing with our enemies.

And then in verse 13

he says

for I the Lord your God

hold your right hand.

In other words

it's a picture of God

who in his right hand

holds these righteous

these righteous weapons

to fight off your enemies

and in his left hand

he holds your hand.

And if you're a Christian

he holds your hand

as a son

or as a daughter

that he dearly loves.

And with fatherly instinct

he fights for you.

Do you see how God's activity

and powerful loving presence

do you see how it emboldens

the fearful?

Third fear conquering truth.

Number three

God's transforming help.

God's transforming help.

Now note

as we begin to read

verse 14

how God then addresses

his people.

Verse 14

Fear not

you worm.

Jacob?

Wait a minute

I thought we were friends

right?

What happened to

verses 8 and 9?

I thought we were friends

you chose us

and serve us.

Worms?

Fear not

you worm.

Jacob?

Jacob?

You men of Israel?

I am the one

who helps you

declares the Lord.

Your redeemer

is the holy one

of Israel.

Now God is not

being critical.

God is calling them worms

to make them aware

of their limitations

and weakness

and also to awaken

their need

for their redeemer.

the holy one

of Israel.

And that language

your redeemer

is the holy one

of Israel

would have conjured up

memories of the Jews

who were in exile

when they read

those words

of God's past

saving acts

throughout history.

The exodus

from Egypt

where he delivered them.

They would have

thought about that.

His deliverance

of their enemies

at the Red Sea

as he parted it

and set them free

and then defeated

their enemies.

See in their time

of exile

God is saying

to them

to the people

who are in exile

I'm not only

your past redeemer

I am also

your present

redeemer

the holy one

of Israel

and therefore

fear not.

Now note the nature

of God's help.

He says he's helping them.

Note the nature

of God's help

in verses 15 and 16.

Behold I make of you

a threshing sledge

new sharp

and having teeth

you shall thresh

the mountains

and crush them

you shall make

the hills like chaff

you shall winnow them

and the wind

shall carry them away

and the tempest

shall scatter them

and you shall rejoice

in the Lord

in the holy one

of Israel

you shall glory.

In other words

God transforms

weak people

which is why

he calls them worms

and makes them

a powerful

threshing sledge

that is able

to thresh mountains

and crush hills

and winnow

their enemies away

like a strong wind.

All of that

is imagery

intended to convey

this

that whatever

obstacles

face God's people

whether enemies

or false accusations

or oppressors

or even our own sin

that does

that does contend

with us

those obstacles

will be swept away

because God's

transforming help

he helps the weak

and he makes them

strong.

J. Alec Montier

says this

in his commentary

whatever barriers

may confront

the Lord's people

they are not

to be measured

in proportion

to the people's

inherent weakness

but in proportion

to the Lord's promise

to transform.

And certainly

the transforming

work that God

does for his people

as their redeemer

the Holy One of Israel

seen in this text

not only points back

to his past

saving acts

but also points

forward

to the saving work

of Jesus Christ

accomplished

on the cross

as our redeemer

the Holy One

of Israel.

You see

as we read

these verses

on this side

of the cross

brothers and sisters

we must remember

that our biggest

obstacle

was our sin.

It was our sin

that was our biggest

obstacle.

Our sin

as Romans talks about

held us

in captivity

under the dominion

of sin

like Israel

was being held

in exile

as we awaited

the coming judgment

and eternal condemnation.

But at the appointed time

God the Father

he stirs up

like he stirred up Cyrus

he stirs up his son

and he sends his son

Jesus Christ

who steps into

our dark

fallen world

and he comes

as our redeemer

shedding his blood

on the cross

for my sin

and for your sin

taking it captive

so that we are

no longer

slaves to the

dominion of sin

but like Israel

we have been set free

from the dominion

of sin

through the death

and resurrection

of Jesus Christ.

See it is the cross

that symbol of weakness

that we see

the most transforming

work of God

that history

will ever know

in the person

and work

of Jesus Christ.

It is the cross

where our redeemer

transforms sinners

and makes them saints

and he calls us

friends.

It is the cross

that transforms

the vile

and makes them

clean.

It is the cross

where our redeemer

transforms the fear

of death

into hope

of eternal life

with him.

And by the way

if you are here

this morning

and you are not

a Christian

and you do fear

death

that is a right fear

to have.

You should fear

death.

There will be

an eternal judgment

that every person

will face

for the sins

that we all

have committed.

And today

you've been brought

here to hear

the good news

of Jesus Christ.

And if you will

turn from your sin

and if you will

place your faith

in Christ

and what he has

done for you

upon the cross

he will save you

from that eternal

judgment.

The Bible says

call upon his name

today

and you will be

saved.

See our redeemer

Jesus Christ

is the only one

that can transform

us

once who were

his enemies

into people

who are now

his friends

knowing that

we have

eternal life

with him.

There's nothing

like that

transforming help

that we will

ever know

in the gospel.

So here is

my point.

Whatever obstacle

that you are facing

in your life

right now

that is causing

fear and anxiety

the gospel

tells you

that you have

hope

because if God

removed the

biggest obstacle

which was

judgment for

your sin

he certainly

has the power

to remove

the obstacles

and the challenges

you are facing

at their sovereignly

appointed time.

See God is saying

to you today

through this text

your redeemer

is not only

your past redeemer

he is your present

redeemer

and he fights

for you.

Fourth fear

conquering truth

that we see in this text.

Number four

God's timely provision.

God's timely provision.

So in the courtroom

remember we're in the courtroom

God presents evidence

of his sovereign rule

over all of history.

He presents evidence

of his powerful presence

and of his transforming health.

And now he begins

to present evidence

of his timely provision

that only he can provide

as the creator

of the universe.

We see that in verses

17 through 20.

When the poor

and needy

seek water

and there is none

and their tongue

is parched with thirst

I the Lord

will answer them.

I the God of Israel

will not forsake them.

I will open up rivers

on the bare heights

and fountains

in the midst of valleys.

I will make the wilderness

a pool of water

and the dry land

springs of water.

I will put

in the wilderness

the cedar

and the acacia

the myrtle

and the olive.

I will set in the desert

the cypress

the plain

and the pine together

that they may see

and know

may consider

and understand together

that the hand

of the Lord

has done this.

The Holy One

of Israel

has created it.

the imagery there

is clear

in this text

that the wilderness

and the desert

probably which

Israel would pass

after exile

as they headed back home

where they would have

encountered dryness

and a lack of shade

where there's no easy

access to water

where there's no

trees to sit under

to rest yourself

it is there

that the Lord

will provide rivers

and fountains

and pools of water

to quench our thirst

and did you note

seven different

kinds of trees

that you can stop

and rest under

in the shade.

See the point

of the text

is that

only God

can refresh

the poor

and needy

especially when

they are fearful

and anxious

by providing

for us

in only ways

that He

can provide.

You see we've got to remember

we've got to keep in mind

verse 1

we've got to remember

the purpose of this

courtroom scene

it's so that the peoples

can renew

their strength.

God is speaking

to His people

who are in Babylonian exile

they've been there

for decades

it's a long time

they were fearful

they were anxious

they were hopeless

and as a result

they were weary

they'd had it

they were exhausted

and yet God

speaks right into

their need

as the Creator

the Holy One

of Israel

and He says

I'm going to bring you

timely provision

that will strengthen you.

Many of you

can relate to that

maybe you're walking

through a prolonged

trial right now

maybe you've

walked through

prolonged trials

and challenges

they create

a fear

and anxiety

in our lives

that are physically

and mentally

and emotionally

exhausting.

Trials and challenges

they tap us

like nothing else

do.

Maybe that's you

you're here this morning

you're saying

Mark my soul

feels like that

that desert

that's being described

there.

It's just dry.

And if that's you

don't miss

what you're supposed

to do.

The text says

when the poor

and needy

seek water

you've got to

seek it

I the Lord

will answer them.

Verse 17

That language

is very similar

to what

Jesus spoke

to those

who were exhausted

and of dry soul

when He says

to them

in John chapter 7

John 7:37

verses 37

and 37

and 38

If anyone thirsts

let him come

to me and drink.

Whoever believes

in me

as the scripture

has said

out of his heart

will flow

rivers of living water

today

if your soul

is dry

if it's like

a desert

if life has drained

you

seek Jesus

come to Jesus

with your need

and let His

living water

through the work

of the Spirit

refresh you

to the tired

and exhausted

Jesus also says

in Matthew chapter 11

Matthew 11:28

verse 28

come to me

He invites you

to come

all who labor

and are heavy laden

and I will give you rest

today if you are burdened

and if you are weary

seek Him

come near to Jesus

and He will give you rest

Do you know why

we as Christians

are to do that

when we are in need?

verse 20 answers

the question

that they may

see and know

may consider

and understand

together

that the hand

of the Lord

has done this

the Holy One

of Israel

has created it

you see

as Christians

we are not to be

these

perfect specimens

who walk through

life never fearful

because that's not true

we are fearful

and anxious

at times

we are not to be

people who walk

through the trials

of this fallen world

pretending that we

aren't hopeless

and exhausted

at times

because if we were

honest with one another

we are

hopeless

and exhausted

at times

rather we're to be

what this text

tells us to be

we're to be

servants

and friends

of God

and worms

yes

worms

those who

at times

are poor

and needy

but also

people who have

stood in God's

courtroom today

we've stood

in God's

courtroom

and we've seen

the evidence

that he's

presented

and based

on the stubborn

truth that we

have heard

we are people

who fear

no evil

we fear

no evil

because God

is with us

we fear

no evil

because he's

powerfully

working on

our behalf

we fear

no evil

because even

when we are

exhausted by

our trials

we know

that he has

us by his

hand

and he will

never let us

go

so that

as we walk

through trials

and challenges

with peace

and with hope

and with a

lack of

fear

people around

us may

see and

know

that this

is God's

doing

in our

lives

and therefore

he alone

receives all

the glory

let's pray

but we thank

you for your

word and

its clarity

and for its

present help

I pray for

anyone here

truth

believe in