Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Isaiah 41:8-10
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 corners, 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.

There is much controversy in the Christians religion over whether or not we choose God, or God chooses us. I am labeled to be in a particular "camp" of Christianity, being an elder in a PCA church, and going to seminary in a reformed and Presbyterian school (RTS). However, I am not in this "camp" because my parents taught me (however, they did), because of tradition, or because of any other thing. I am convinced by nothing but the word of God alone. The word of God is extremely clear that there is only One who should receive all glory, honor and praise, and that is the King of glory, the great I AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the all wise one, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The God of the Old Testament and the New Testament, the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever. God will receive all the glory whether we want Him to or not. Thus, I am convinced that the Scriptures teach us that God calls us, not we reach out to Him.

Scan the Bible, Genesis 1-3, Genesis 12, Exodus 1-4, Psalms, this passage in Isaiah, Ezekiel 37, John 3, John 17, Acts 2-3, Romans 9, etc. The Scripture is full of language that God calls the dead, and they cannot hear the call without the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. The new birth must occur for us to be saved, and that new birth cannot happen without the Holy Spirit.

God does not get the proper glory and honor, if I were to say that I chose Him. 3-4 years ago, I told a good friend this, as he was seeking Jesus Christ, and just couldn't bring himself to believe. He told me that he wants to believe but just can't. I told him that if it were up to him, to his intelligence, to his power, to his wisdom to figure out the whole "Jesus thing", then he would be able to stand before men and tell them that he was smart enough to figure it out. This is contrary to grace, and contrary to the work of Jesus Christ. Thus, if it were up to us to choose, none of us would. The grace of God is made clear, and He gets all the glory when we say that we were chosen by Him, for Him and we are chose to Him.

Now, I will meditate on the text itself, which makes me think of the grace of God towards me. In this text, God speaks to His people as a whole, addressing them as a sum. He tells them that they were chosen. They were the fulfillment of the covenant promise that was made to Abraham in Genesis 12. This promise had its fulfillment in the lot of Israel, the church, as a whole. People individual making up the church, but as a whole, they are viewed as the covenant promise which is clear in God's promise to Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would have his offspring as the stars in the sky. Thus, today, as the church, we are truly the fulfillment of this, as Jesus said that whoever believes on Him are children of Abraham. I digress.

God hear calls Abraham His friend, and we in Christ, are called friends of God as well. God here tells Isaiah to speak to Israel the fact that they were chosen from the ends of the earth, from the farthest parts of the earth. God took a people from this world, called them His own. He put His mark and name upon them. I have His mark upon me, as a child. What a wonderful thing.

Notice here, my soul, that God speaks to Israel, which is for you, my soul, and tells them that they are His servant. He has chosen them, and because He has chosen them, there is nothing that they or anybody else can do to prevent that, God will not cast them off, even in their sin and foolishness. Ah, the beauty of this. I can be assured that since God has called me, and chosen me from the ends of the earth, that God will not ever withdraw from me. He will keep me and hold me, He will protect me and guide me. He will discipline me and love me such that I will never fall away. Though I sin, and am foolish, God will not cast me off.

This, doctrine of God choosing me has extreme consequence. Because God has chosen me, and God is all-powerful, I have nothing to fear. I have been with people, that because of their size, strength, power, when I went to places that seemed dangerous I didn't fear. Thus, the same principle applies to having a God who is all-powerful, and who chose me. I have absolutely nothing to fear, ever, because the King of glory is on my side. He has chosen me, and will never cast me off.

God tells me that He is my God, He will:

1. Strengthen me - As in Isaiah 40:29-31, when I have no strength, because God is all powerful, He will be with me, and give me the power to keep going when I want to give up.
2. Help me - When my enemies attack me, and try to destroy me. When my enemies speak lies about me, and attempt to spread dirt on my name. When the world, flesh and devil attempt to crush me, God is there to pick me up when I fall.
3. Uphold me - God will keep me in His hands, and ensure that I will never fall away. He will keep me walking in His way, and will carry me, as the good Shepherd.

All by the power of His right hand.

How powerful is God? Well, He created the universe in six days only by His Word, Jesus Christ. He came to earth, suffered died, and overcame death by His mighty power. He was beaten, stricken, smitten, and tortured, yet He overcame. He breaks the stubborn heart, and gives grace to those who don't even want it. This is the power of my God.

Notice, however, He doesn't just uphold me with His hand, but His "right" hand, which is a symbol of His power, and strength. God is giving me His "best" hand, or all His power and strength.

Oh, my soul, who were far away from God, had set itself up as God, and against God, if it were up to me I would never have chosen the grace of Christ. My soul, lift and magnify God, for His grace and mercy were so wonderful, so amazing, and so free, that God lifted you up out of the mire, and brought your feet upon solid ground. Praise the Messiah, praise Jesus Christ for suffering such an excruciating death, and bearing the infinite weight of the Father turning His back upon you, and loading all the sins of all mankind that have been chosen before the foundation of the world upon you. Praise you Jesus! Amen.