A Church Without Walls

What Isaiah is shown here is absolutely amazing. The one from the east he refers to is a king named Cyrus…who we will learn more about as we move through the next few chapters. Isaiah writes as if this has already taken place…but it is yet about 150 years in the future. This is called “prophetic first tense,” which is to write about a future event as if it has already occurred. Isaih is shown this…which is some 100 to 150 years before Cyrus is even born.

Don’t miss the key thing Paul writes here… That we are all letters of recommendation written for all to see. A letter of recommendation is a letter someone has written on your behalf… Telling a prospective employer for instance…who has never met you…about your character…it tells them about who you are. We are that letter of recommendation for Jesus…our lives tell others about the character of Jesus… What is written on our hearts tells those who have never met Jesus what He is like. In other words, we are all walking, talking, breathing, advertisements for Jesus.

This is what Paul wanted to avoid…the confrontation that would lead to an argument, that would leave people with their feelings hurt. So, he writes this letter…but as we will discover when we get to chapter ten…they even had an issue with him writing the letter…look up on the screen: For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” (2 Corinthians 10:10 ESV) Man! They were a rough crowd in the church at Corinth…I always looked at Corinth as the New Jersey of Asia Minor.

Tonight, we are still in Isaiah, but from chapters 40 to 66 it almost reads like another book. So much so…that many critics have said that Isaiah did not write these last chapters. I’m not going to spend a lot of time defending the fact that he did indeed write these chapters… But I want to give you just a little taste of why I…and many others believe that he did. First…when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found…among the scrolls was a complete copy of the book of Isaiah. This copy is 1,000 years older than the oldest copy we had…and it was an exact copy of the book that we have written by the prophet Isaiah. But the real proof that Isaiah wrote it comes from Jesus…Jesus quotes Isaiah 40:3…in Matthew’s gospel… (Matthew 3:3) Referring to John the Baptist and says: “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah.”

Paul had gone to Corinth on his second missionary journey…and taught there 18 months. When he left…he wrote to them from Ephesus that he would return…but he did not. So, they were angry with Paul…and he tries to clear things up in this letter. He gives his reason for not coming when he said he would. He faced a severe trial in Ephesus…we do not know the details of what happened… But he could be referring to a number of things that happened to him. It isn’t important what happened…what’s important is how it affected him. Paul and Timothy were so utterly burdened, that word means pressed, or weighted down…as in being under tremendous pressure. To the point that was beyond their strength to endure, and they despaired of life itself. Whatever they faced…it was so heavy…that they thought they would not make it through.

You should know that this is a flashback of sorts…what happens in chapters 38-39 happened sometime before chapters 36-37. The invasion of the Assyrians is pending…and king Hezekiah is on his death bed. We don’t know exactly what was wrong with him, but we are given a clue in verse 21 when he is told to put a poultice of figs on the boil. The boil indicates an ulcer possibly produced by a plague. So, Assyria is threatening…and so is sickness…Hezekiah is facing two overwhelming trials in his life… It seems sometimes…like we get kicked when we are down…I often think of Job…with each knock on his door…the news gets worse. We can experience more than one trial at a time…and Hezekiah certainly knows that feeling. But he is more concerned with the illness at this point because it will take his life much faster than the Assyrians. He must have asked Isaiah to inquire of the Lord what the outcome of this sickness would be… And he gets the worse news he can get…get your house in order…because you’re not going to make it!

Paul isn’t boasting about himself…he is boasting…or as some translations say…rejoicing…that as Jesus is his witness…his conscience is clear. And what his conscience is clear about is the fact that he is not a hypocrite. The issue Paul is addressing is that he had said in his first letter that he was coming back to see them. He said: “I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia.” (1 Corinthians 16:5 ESV) But that didn’t happen…his plans changed…and what he is saying here is that it wasn’t him that changed his plans…God changed his plans. There were people in the church in Corinth who took his first letter to heart and prayed that the Holy Spirit would help them change what needed to be changed in their lives. And there were some who were offended by his letter and wanted to debate his authority to say what he said. It is the later group that accuse him of saying one thing but meaning another. Paul however knows the truth…God had other plans for him. He points out to them that if they are doubting his motives…he has only been a witness for Jesus to the world by the way he had conducted himself. His testimony is that he has acted with simplicity and godly sincerity. Think about that for a minute…can we say the same thing about how we behave in the world. Because we live in this world…the world where we work, where we live, where we play… Do you join in the locker-room talk at work? Do you laugh at jokes you aren’t supposed to be laughing at? Is your walk the same at home as it is in public? What do you read, listen to, or watch at home that you would want others to know about. When you are out with friends do you remain set apart for the Lord?

These next couple chapters will be historical accounts…chapters 36-37 which Lord willing we hope to study tonight… Will deal with the invasion of the Assyrian army against Jerusalem…the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The kingdoms split under kings Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam received Judah and Benjamin…which became known as the Southern Kingdom of Judah…its capital was Jerusalem. And Jeroboam received the other ten tribes which became known as the Northern Kingdom of Israel…its capital was Samaria. God would use Assyria and its king Sennacherib to chastise Judah

In his first letter to the church in Corinth (which Paul founded) he dealt with the church…their sin…and the believers who had backslidden. That letter was more about the issues within the church…this second letter is more about Paul’s heart for the church. He puts his feelings for the church into words…please look up at the screen: For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. (2 Corinthians 2:4 ESV) Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and was situated on the Isthmus of Corinth…about 40 miles west of Athens in Greece. It was a large and wealthy city that controlled two harbors. Both Jews and Gentiles believed Paul’s message about Jesus…and these new believers became the Corinthian church. This letter…or epistle in Greek was written by Paul between 55 and 56 AD. Paul started the church on his second missionary journey…which we have details of in Acts 18:1-17.

Isaiah has another vision…it is a warning for the whole earth…for every nation on the earth. A warning that judgment is coming upon the earth. Man believes he is firmly in control…going as far as manipulating DNA, trying to create designer humans. Man feels that he/she has the right to determine which infants live and die in the womb… Man is even trying to control the weather. But this is what God has to say about man’s attempt to control the outcome: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalms 2:1-4 ESV)

Luke records that their minds were open in that room… And on the road to Emmaus, he tells us that the two disciples’ eyes were opened…and their hearts burned within them. There have been seasons in my walk when reading the Word was dry… And seasons when I have read the Word and it just comes to life… My mind is open…my eyes see things I didn’t see before…and my heart begins to burn as I get excited knowing it is the Holy Spirit Who has opened my eyes and my mind… I can tell you…the latter is so much more rewarding…so even in the dry seasons… I read and study and pray because I know that the dry seasons do not last…they give way to the fertile times when the Word comes alive.

We do not know much about the town other than its name means “hot bath,” or “hot springs.” Hot springs are places where the people would go for healing. These two disciples needed healing this day…they were upset over what had happened…they had lost hope… They were disappointed that things didn’t turn out the way they expected them to. They were in desperate need of healing…and they would find it…on their way home…in Jesus. Maybe you are hear this morning, or you are listening to this message on social media or the internet…and you need healing. Maybe you are disappointed over something, or maybe you think God has let you down and you have lost hope. This passage of Scripture was written for you.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7 ESV) Assyria has attacked Babylon, Syria, and Israel…now they are setting their sights on Judah. Sennacherib is the king of Assyria…Hezekiah the king of Judah…Hezekiah is preparing for an invasion from Sennacherib. But he is scared…he is looking around him and he sees the only ones being able to help is the Egyptians… They have the military, the horses, and the chariots (which were the ancient equivalent to the tank). But he has a problem…Moses had warned the people not to go to Egypt for help.

For the second time in less than a year, China has launched a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan . In a clear display of military might, dozens of Chinese military aircraft flew across the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, while Chinese fighter jets and naval vessels conducted "simulated joint precision strikes" against key targets on Taiwan island and its surrounding waters. Chinese state media said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) continues to "maintain the situation of closely encircling the island." Additionally, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry confirmed on Monday that a Chinese aircraft carrier group participated in the military exercise in the Western Pacific. The development has raised concerns among local experts that China may now be able to launch an attack on Taiwan from the east, threatening the democratically governed island's ability to preserve its military capabilities. A warning to Taiwan? Military experts say the PLA wants to show they have the firepower to destroy key targets with the live-fire drills they have completed in different parts of the Taiwan Strait.

Jesus stood before Pilate…and was sentenced to be crucified…they led Him away to Golgotha where His cross awaited Him. Just about one mile away from the very place where Jesus was crucified…there was to be another sacrifice. Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his only son. So, he brought his only son Isaac up this mountain to offer him as a sacrifice. If you recall the story, Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice…just as Jesus carried the wooden cross for His sacrifice. When they got to the top of the mountain Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the offering was… And Abraham replied… “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” The Author of Hebrews wrote: Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. (Hebrews 11:19 NLT) The sacrifice and resurrection of Isaac…was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus. God provided His only Son as a sacrifice for the sins of man on that very mountain over 2,000 years ago.

The next day, Jesus and his disciples climb up along the road from Jericho and approach Jerusalem from the east across the Mount of Olives. Jesus rides over the MT of Olives…the same place BTW…Scripture tells us His foot will touch down on when He returns. They reach the hilltop villages of Beth-pha-ge and Bethany (where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived) ...about two miles from Jerusalem. From there Jesus sends two disciples ahead to collect a donkey from its owner. Jesus rides down the hillside from Bethany towards Jerusalem…and enters the city through the East Gate. As we go through this study you will see why the particulars of His journey matter. We will, Lord willing, look at four perspectives…the political, optical, locational, and scriptural significance of His triumphal

The way the world is heading right now we are coming ever closer to the return of Jesus. For His followers that should be good news indeed! But there are many out there (most) that do not believe…and maybe it will take an event like the rapture to wake them up… But make no mistake about it…God’s heart is that everyone be saved form what is to come. There is a verse in Isaiah that shows us the heart of God for all people. “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ To a nation which did not call on My name. (Isaiah 65:1) God does not hide His face from those who do not seek Him…if they will seek God…they will find Him. In fact, He says to those who are hurting, who are lonely, who are sick, who are lost… “Here I Am!” “Here I Am!” Can you hear His voice reverberating through the heavens saying, “I’m here for you…turn to Me!” Yet…as was the case in Israel…they turned to idols instead of the living God. And although this occurred over 3,000 years ago…it describes the world today…even though they are hurting and struggling… People will turn to anything and anyone to stop the pain…and to keep from struggling…everything an anyone…except God.

Ariel means “lion of God,” and it is another name for Jerusalem. Ah, it most of your translations translates as “woe,” or “what sorrow awaits.” So, God is telling Jerusalem through His prophet Isaiah that sorrow is coming upon them… That will cause moaning, mourning, sorrow, and lamentation…the people will endure great distress. This refers to the judgment that will come upon Jerusalem by one of her enemies…but God wants them to know that He is behind the judgment. God is using their enemy as His instrument of judgment against them for their spiritual rebellion against Him. Year after year the feasts…which are God’s appointed times…not mans…they were using the feasts as a cause for celebration… A celebration of their own pleasures…although they were God’s feasts…they had made it more about partying than worshiping God.

This morning…Lord willing, we are going to look at the evidence for the resurrection. With Resurrection Day so close…I want to wait until that Sunday to continue in Luke from where we left off last week…. Because we were at the resurrection of Jesus in Luke. Please know that the Bible does not need me to defend it….as Charles Spurgeon once said: "The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself." ― Charles Spurgeon That is what I want to do today…is let the lion loose to defend itself by presenting evidence that the resurrection of Jesus happened as the Word of God says it happened.

“Post Christian” You have been hearing talk about the fact that we are living in a post Christian America…in fact President Obama said we are “no longer a Christ nation.” Well, a new poll from Deseret News and The Marist Poll suggests we’re seeing it unfold in real time. As one analyst of the survey data wrote, “The younger you are, the less likely you are to believe in God, describe yourself as spiritual or regularly pray.” Of Americans ages 18 to 29, only 21% report going to church at least weekly and just 27% say they pray daily. Even more concerning is this finding: Only 31% of young adults say they believe in God as described by the Bible. These numbers do not herald thriving churches and other places of worship in future decades. In fact, they predict a future in which churches are as empty as offices during the pandemic. According to the poll, nearly 8 in 10 Americans say that they look to their family as a source of moral guidance. While that is most true for Christians and those who practice a religion (83% and 86%, respectively), it’s also true for nearly three-quarter of those who don’t practice a religion.

Israel will be reborn…after hundreds of years in exile…the unthinkable happened…Israel became a nation again in 1948. Isaiah will write in chapter 66: Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, her children will be born. (Isaiah 66:8 NLT) That very thing happened on May 14, 1948 Israel was “reborn: in a single day…they once again became recognized as a nation. Although God had treated Israel as He treated the nations around them… He had mercy on them and didn’t strike them as severely as He had struck other nations. Today…Israel a once barren stretch of sand…is one of the leading exporters of fruit and flowers. As miraculous as all of that is…the greatest miracle will happen in the tribulation when as Paul describes…all of Israel will be saved:

But I want you to focus on Jesus…He was already in a weakened state before he before he was brought to Pilate…because He had suffered a beating at the hands of the temple guards. Then Pilate sent Him to be scourged within an inch of His life…the blood loss would have been significant…enough to weaken Him. There were many who did not survive…the beating the Romans would inflict… If you have seen the Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson…then you have watched the scene where they secure Jesus to a post and beat Him with whips… That was a very accurate description of a Roman scourging. His back would have been laid open by the lashes He endured…so… The cross…which was actually the crossbar weighing a little over 100 lbs. was laid across the Jesus’ shoulders… But it would have been too heavy and too painful for Him to handle by Himself in such a weakened state… Many have said that He was God so He couldn’t be weak…yes, He is God…but He is also man… And as a man He felt every lash of that Roman whip…He felt pain…and He felt weakness… He felt the rejection and the abandonment of the very people He came to save.