SERIES: The War Is Over MESSAGE: Rend the Heavens SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 64

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SERIES: The War Is Over MESSAGE: Rend the Heavens SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 64 MESSAGE SUMMARY The song "Rend the Heavens," written by our worship team, echoes words first uttered and

1 SERIES: The War Is Over MESSAGE: Rend the Heavens SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 64 MESSAGE SUMMARY The song "Rend the Heavens," written by our worship team, echoes words first uttered and written by the prophet Isaiah. His heartfelt cry for his people was that they would experience the presence of God in the most profound way. It is our prayer that we would all do the same. As we examine Isaiah's plea, we'll see how it has been answered and yet awaits a further and fuller answer. His prayer shows us three incentives in our relationship to God. STUDY GUIDE Connect Recap: July 20, 2015 Teaching: Rend the Heavens Text: Isaiah 64:1-5, Matthew 1:21-23, Revelation 19:11-16 Tune: Rend the Heavens: Path Using the song, Rend the Heavens, Pastor Skip walked us through Isaiah 64:1-5, with stops in Matthew and Revelation. His path through the text is as follows: Long for God's presence (Isaiah 64:1-5) Look at God's provision (Matthew 1:21-23) Lean towards God's power (Revelation 19:11-16) Points Three exhortations are expounded in this teaching: Long for God's presence Isaiah's cry is for God to rend (tear open) the heavens and reveal Himself, yearning for God's presence to be among the people in a time of distress. The word presence is mentioned three times in vv Here we find three points: o Priority: This text is not Isaiah's pondering or postulating; rather, it shows his pleading, his longing for God's presence, turning God's foes into followers. Isaiah's priority is to experience God. This is a supplication---a strong, pleading prayer---for God's physical presence. Page 1

2 o o Problem: The fact that Isaiah was crying out shows that, while God is always at work, He is not always apparent. The invisibility of God created a problem for Israel. Pattern: Isaiah gives us a pattern of how to talk with God, how to pray passionately. If you want to pray better, read the Bible more. Use the prayers recorded there and make them your own. Isaiah was praying for a cause greater than himself: do Your will, Your way, without restraint, in Your generation. Look at God's provision God answered Isaiah's prayer in Jesus Christ: the word became flesh (John 1:14). Immanuel--- God with us. Infinity became finite; the supernatural became natural; invisible became visible. Jesus performed signs and wonders to confirm His divinity 34 different times. Jesus said, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father" (see John 14:7-9). In response, John said, "We beheld His glory" (John 1:14). Lean toward God's power We find the future fulfillment of Isaiah's prayer in Revelation 19: the second coming of Jesus Christ. King Jesus will set up His kingdom on the earth; as Isaiah prophesied, "the government will be upon His shoulder" (Isaiah 9:6). Prophets anticipated this time, as did Jesus, and as Christians have for centuries: Lord, rend the heavens and come down to us to reign. C.S. Lewis said, "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world." Two ways to look for the coming of Christ: o Some look at it; they are mere spectators with intellectual curiosity. o Some look for it; they anticipate and act upon the reality; it motivates them. Practice Connect Up: Pastor Skip encouraged us to seek God's presence passionately. What are you passionate about? As Skip reminded us, "What you aim at, you hit." How do you, personally, long for God? What are some practical things you can do to enter God's presence on a daily or weekly basis? Connect In: God sent Christ as our provision (see Matthew 1:21-23). How familiar are you with God's provision---his Word? How does knowing His word improve our ability to connect? In your Connect Group, pray for someone you know who needs God's provision and care. Ask Him to show you how you can help. Connect Out: Pastor Skip reminded us of God's power and the day when He will return and make all things right (see Revelation 19). Read Titus 2:13. How does the truth of His return affect your daily life? How does it help you reach out to your family, community, and world? Do you expect God to do miraculous things ("We want to see miracles," as the song states)? If you have ever experienced the miraculous in your life, what did God teach you about His power and promises through it? DETAILED NOTES Page 2

3 I. Introduction A. Do you ever wish God would show up and make things right? 1. One day He will, but until then, we wait 2. This is what Isaiah was asking the Lord to do in Isaiah 64 B. Jonathan Edwards 1. "The town seems to be full of the presence of God: it was never so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God's presence in almost every house" 2. "The assembly were in general, from time to time, in tears while the word was preached; some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors" C. 700 years before Christ, Isaiah lived in desperate times 1. His nation was divided in two 2. Sennacherib of Assyria was making his way down south 3. On behalf of his people, Isaiah cried out D. Theme Isaiah wrote about: God's presence (see vv. 1-3) 1. He wasn't thinking of the presence of God academically, philosophically, or theologically 2. He actually wanted to experience the presence of God E. "We want to see miracles, the impossible; we want to see signs and wonders; we want to see You, we want to see You. We want to see the lost come home, the sick made whole; we want to see demons tremble; we want to see You, we want to see You" Battledrums, "Rend the Heavens" 1. Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Luke 11:29 2. Jesus was speaking of unbelievers who display their wicked hearts because they need to see proof that Jesus is the Messiah 3. We're followers of His; Mark 16:17-18 F. Three incentives or exhortations to us II. Long for God's Presence (Isaiah 64:1-5) A. Oh (v. 1) is a word of exclamation 1. It's a plea, a priority of this prophet 2. Supplication = a strong prayer, a pleading, a crying out 3. Isaiah was pleading with God to intervene miraculously B. Are you longing for God's presence? 1. "American Christianity is drifting into historic inconsequentiality, and yet we seem to be satisfied with our condition. We feel little urgency, little longing. We're hardly aware of our own mediocrity. We've lost the vision of the prophets and the apostles. We have forgotten that to whom much is given, much shall be required" R. Kent Hughes 2. Maybe the Holy Spirit wants to ask you what your passion is 3. James 4:8 4. Hebrews 11:6 C. What's your longing like? 1. Moses: Exodus 33:18 2. David: Psalm 42:2 3. Paul the apostle: Philippians 3:10 D. Isaiah showed us a priority but also revealed a problem Page 3

4 1. God is not always apparent, though He's always at work 2. "People were fascinated and depressed and frustrated by what they regarded as the infinite distance and the utter unknowability of God" William Barclay 3. Reason for the proliferation of idols throughout the Old Testament 4. H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man 5. Isaiah 45:15 6. This is why we look forward to the blessed hope of the church; Titus 2:13 E. Isaiah also gave us a pattern: how to pray 1. He based his prayer on what he had read in the law of God: the giving of the law at Mount Sinai 2. If you want to pray better, read your Bible more 3. Isaiah prayed for a cause greater than himself: "Do Your will, Your way, for Your glory, without restraint, in our generation" a. The Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13 b. When your comfort and well-being become your only pursuit, you're out of balance III. Look at God's Provision (Matthew 1:21-23) A. Was Isaiah 64 ever answered? 1. Yes; God came from heaven to earth in the person of Jesus Christ 2. John 1: Timothy 3:16 B. Ancient peoples believed that the gods were unknowable 1. Xenophanes: knowing God is guesswork 2. Plato: never can God and man meet 3. What they said was true, unless God stepped out of heaven and came to earth 4. John 1:18 5. Without Jesus, God would still be unknowable C. Jesus is the solution to Isaiah's problem of an invisible God 1. Isaiah 9:6 2. God's solution to the problem of invisibility is that He was made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ D. Imagine what it would be like to be an apostle of Jesus 1. Eventually figured out this was God in human form 2. The four Gospels record no less than thirty-four miraculous signs and wonders 3. John 14: John 1:14 a. Beheld = theaomai b. Our word theater, where you gaze in one direction for a period of time c. Scientifically investigated IV. Lean towards God's Power (Revelation 19:11-16) A. Will Isaiah's prayer be answered more fully? Yes B. Verse 15: reference to Isaiah 63 C. The second coming of Jesus Christ 1. The prophets ultimately looked forward to this event a. Isaiah: Isaiah 9:7 b. David: 2 Samuel 7:12-13 c. Daniel: Daniel 2:44 Page 4

5 d. Anticipated a future, worldwide, literal kingdom on earth 2. Jesus anticipated it a. John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world yet" b. Revelation 11:15 c. Matthew 24: Every single Christian has been looking forward to the event a. Hymns about the second coming b. Charles Wesley: out of 7,000 hymns, he wrote 5,000 about the second coming c. "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world" C.S. Lewis d. Are you looking for the Lord to return, or are you just looking at it? e. With all the mud in this world, we ought to be on tiptoe, leaning toward and anticipating the return of Jesus Figures referenced: Jonathan Edwards, Sennacherib, R. Kent Hughes, William Barclay, H.G. Wells, Xenophanes, Plato, Charles Wesley, C.S. Lewis Greek words: theaomai Cross references: Exodus 33:18; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Psalm 42:2; Isaiah 9:6-7; 45:15; 63-64; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 1:21-23; 6:9-13; 12:39; 16:4; 24:29-30; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 11:29; John 1:14, 18; 14:8-9; 18:36; Philippians 3:10; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 11:6; James 4:8; Revelation 11:15; 19:11-16 Topic: Presence of God Keywords: presence of God, rend, prayer, miracles, signs, wonders, longing, passion, invisible, manifestation, Jesus Christ, second coming, kingdom Page 5

Psalms. Part 1 The prayers that Jesus might have prayed

Psalms. Part 1 The prayers that Jesus might have prayed Psalms Part 1 The prayers that Jesus might have prayed The last prayer Jesus prayed came from the book of Psalms. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? he cried, which David wrote many years earlier