Hello everyone, I am privileged to bring today’s message to you, so I bring what I believe God has given to me. This is based on words from Isaiah 57-61. I’m going to read two passages of Scripture to you reading from the Message.
Isaiah 59 (From the Message)
Look! Listen! God’s arm is not amputated – He can still save
God’s ears are not stopped up. He can still hear.
There’s nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in YOU.
Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God
Your sins got between you, so that He doesn’t hear.
Your hands are drenched in blood, your fingers dripping with guilt,
Your lips smeared with lies, your tongue swollen from muttering obscenities.
No one speaks up for the right, no one deals fairly.
They trust in illusion, they tell lies.
They get pregnant with mischief, and have sin babies.
They weave wickedness, they hatch violence.
They compete in the race to do evil, and leave a trail of wrecked lives behind them.
They know nothing about peace, and less than nothing about justice.
Which means we are a far cry from fair dealing, and not even close to right living.
We long for light, but sink into darkness.
Honesty is nowhere to be found, truth staggers down the street.
And so it goes on.
Well, those are very strong words aren’t they, and you may wonder why them, and how do they relate to us today.
Well, this first reading was a warning against sin, that Isaiah was to give to the people.
In the passage before this reading there is condemnation for those who have turned their back on God, who had their own interests at heart, who didn’t deal fairly with others. For those who worshipped idols, whatever those idols would be. And what he called the sinful leaders who were blind to the dangers and the needs of the people they were meant to serve. And the chapter before that talks about being discerning about those we follow.
In chapter 58, people led dysfunctional lives, devoid of obedience to God and concern for His laws, yet they blamed God for not doing anything for them. Whilst we go through the motions of our faith in God, are we really trying to serve and honour Him?
They did not seem to be. God sets it all out in chapter 57.
In chapter 58 God says, “I call you to free those who are wrongfully imprisoned, and stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. Share your food with the poor, welcome people into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them. Stop oppressing the helpless, making false accusations, and spreading rumours. Feed the hungry, help those in trouble. If you do, you will be like a well watered garden, like an ever flowing spring.
I wonder, do we think much has changed, is God still trying to get our attention? Over twenty years ago when we started The Magdalene Project we realised as we prayed it into being that not a lot had changed. There were, and still are, many needy and oppressed people not being helped. The Scripture we were given is what I am going to read to you now:
Isaiah 61 (From the Message)
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me, because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the broken hearted, heartbroken. Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of His grace – a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies, and to comfort all who mourn. To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes.
Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”, planted by God to display His righteousness.
I will sing for your joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul. He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, He outfitted me in a robe of righteousness. So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
Hear the call of the Kingdom.
We see and know from our experience over the years; the depth of suffering, affliction and brokenness there is in this world. We can relate to those who struggle to be free from all this.
We know that there is more to life than bondage. There is hope. In Christ are healing and freedom, clarity and mercy, beauty and joy. We are all here to help people to help themselves, to find this freedom and live in it.
When Jesus came to earth He had a mission, expressed in these words: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to comfort the broken hearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn, that the time of the Lord’s favour has come. To all who mourn He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.
The poor may be those who are poor in spirit, downtrodden, rejected and abused. Neglected, unloved, not accepted, abused physically, emotionally, sexually and spiritually.
Those who are broken hearted, are heartbroken, because life hasn’t been good to them, through no fault of their own.
It may be that those who mourn not only feel the loss of a loved one, but mourn the loss of their life, their childhood, because of domestic violence, rejection, neglect, unloved, not accepted, fearing for the future, fearing for their lives. These are men, women, young people, children, of any age.
It isn’t easy for people to ask for help is it? We all want to feel that we can cope, be independent. We don’t want to talk about our needs. But, we need to talk, to listen to each other, to recognise need in others, and be willing to help.
When people came to Jesus he had compassion for them. Compassion sees only the needs of others; it omits all criticism and judgement. We have to live with and show that compassion. We may not be impressed by how people live, or what they believe, but, we are not called to judge, and that’s what we stand with.
We have to invite Jesus into every part of our lives, in every situation we find ourselves in, and we then find much power is at work when He is there. He will give us the words we need, the compassionate presence for someone in trauma or pain, or helping someone to start their journey to freedom, particularly freedom in Jesus.
Thank you for helping others to help themselves, by your time, your money, food, love and company, but most of all your persistent and compassionate prayers. Be joyful, keep the faith. Do the little things. Jesus said ‘Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me so I send you’.
God Bless You