Isaiah 40: The reason Esau sold his birthright to Jacob is because he was famished and weary.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Isaiah 40: The reason Esau sold his birthright to Jacob is because he was famished and weary."

Priscilla Walker
5 years ago
Views:

1 Isaiah 40:28-31 Introduction 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa 40:28-31) A. Weariness is a familiar problem (Gen. 25:29-34). 1. The reason Esau sold his birthright to Jacob is because he was famished and weary. B. We cannot live without being depleted. 1. Physical work depletes our supply of energy. 2. Stress empties us of emotional strength. C. Especially nowadays, most of us are well acquainted with the meaning of the word exhaustion -- the state of being used up. 1. At the pace we go, we drain ourselves so completely that a normal night's sleep is not enough to repair the damage we do to ourselves in one day. 2. We drag out of bed in the mornings unrefreshed.

2 2 3. Sleep alone cannot refill even the physical resources we exhaust in the kinds of work that we do now. D. But, as bad as it is, physical exhaustion is not the worst kind. I. THE PROBLEM OF SPIRITUAL WEARINESS A. Life is spiritually draining. 1. Most humans recognize that they have qualities not possessed by even the highest of the animals. 2. There is something about a person that is separate from his body and even his biological mind. 3. This inner part of us can become tired, just as the outer part can. B. We may not recognize this kind of weariness for what it really is, but living in this world depletes the spiritual resources of our inmost being. C. The spirit of man grows tired -- it wearies of the world. D. Job said, 1 I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. (Job 10:1). E. Even Jesus became weary. So He sought solitude and prayer. II. THE INABILITY OF ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD TO TRULY REFRESH US

3 3 A. Bluntly, there is nothing in the physical world that is capable of thoroughly rejuvenating a person physically or mentally, much less spiritually. 1. The things that help only partially restore our vitality (Cf. Eccl. 1:3,8; 2:11,17,22,23,26) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, (1 Peter 1:18) B. Those who honestly try to live without the sustenance of anything or anyone higher than this world find life, in the long run, to be overwhelmingly oppressive. C. Try as one might to find true refreshment, one becomes as jaded inwardly as he is exhausted outwardly. D. This life takes more than it gives. 1. We need God to intervene in our lives. 2. We need God to interject spiritual strength. 3. Jesus says the body is weak but the spirit is willing. III. THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO IMPART VITALITY TO US A. Even in the Old Testament, God portrayed Himself as the Giver of rest. 12 This is the resting place, let the weary rest ; and, This is the place of repose (Isa. 28:12). 25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul (Jer. 31:25).

4 4 Conclusion B. One of the remarkable things about the New Testament is the evidence it contains of a rejuvenation that took place in the lives of the earliest Christians. Cf. Ac. 2: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. 2. Everyone was filled with awe. 3. All the believers were together and had everything in common. 4. Everyday they continued to meet. 5. The Lord added to their number daily. C. Genuine faith in Jesus Christ, and radical obedience to Him, resulted in people s lives being enriched and animated in often surprising ways. 6. These people were cheered and stimulated -- often despite considerable hardship as Christians. a. The faith was an energizing force they had failed to find anywhere else in the world. C. Becoming a Christian holds the promise of times of refreshing. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19). A. There is a goodness about life in the Lord that can be tasted. B. Peter wrote, If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious (1 Pt. 2:3). 1. The work of this world is tiresomely empty, but in the Lord our labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).

5 5 2. This is what we will experience on that Great Day, 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them. (Rev 14:13) 3. Jesus said: 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt. 11:28-30). 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa 40:31) Today, we can enjoy the rejuvenation experienced by New Testament Christians -- but only if we do what they did.

Daily Lenten Meditations Scriptures and Prayers for March 20-25, 2017 (Prepared by Rev. Karen Nyhart)

Daily Lenten Meditations Scriptures and Prayers for March 20-25, 2017 (Prepared by Rev. Karen Nyhart) Monday, March 20 Scripture Verses: Luke 5:17-26 Jesus Heals a Paralytic One day, while he was teaching,