Well, as I said earlier, once
again, it's wonderful to be in the house of the Lord. Turn,
if you would, to Isaiah chapter 43. Isaiah chapter 43. Now this
message came about as I got a text from Marcus this week. And Marcus
sent me a text early in the morning. And it said, brother, I just
read Isaiah 43 and it was such a blessing. So I started to read
it and looking at it. We were texting back and forth
and getting pretty excited about what we were seeing in the scripture.
And it was wonderful. If you ever get where you're
reading scripture and you want to send me an email or a text
or something that's blessed you, please do. Because sometimes
that's where seed thoughts come from sermons and stuff too. It
was wonderful. I was very blessed by the fact
that he shared that with me and that we were able to rejoice
in what we were reading. So tonight we'll look at Isaiah
chapter 43. And as we look at this chapter,
as always, I pray the Lord will bless the preaching of His Word.
Because if He doesn't bless the preaching of the Word, then I'm
just speaking words. But the Holy Spirit illuminates
the Scripture and teaches us and uses it to strengthen us. Well, we'll receive a blessing
from the message then. So I pray that He would. And
I pray that the redeemed You who are chosen of God, you who
are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, I pray that
you'd magnify the Lord and rejoice in the wonderful things that
he's done for us. Because he has done wonderful
things. He's done amazing things. Things that we can't do on our
own. Things that we can't do on our own. So let us remember
that this chapter here before us deals with the release of
Judah from her Babylonian captivity. But it does, however, present
before us the great work of redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ and
the certainty of the salvation of those he came to this earth
to redeem and those he purchased upon the cross of Calvary with
his own precious blood, with his own precious blood. There's
a certainty to the salvation of his people because God himself,
God himself became a man. God himself redeemed his people
from their sins. It's marvelous. It's wonderful.
So let's look at this chapter, and we'll look at it, the first
one we'll look at the verse here, but we'll look at it in chunks
of verses later on, but I'd like to go through these first four
verses here. But now, thus saith the Lord
that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,
fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy
name, thou art mine. Notice here the Lord is the one
who created us. It's the Lord who created us.
And he is the one who formed us. And then look at the marvelous
statement in our text. Oh Israel, fear not. Fear not. For I have redeemed thee. Now
this is speaking of spiritual Israel too. For I have redeemed
thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. Mine. The Lord Jesus Christ redeemed
those, all those who the Father gave Him. He redeemed them. He purchased them. He purchased
them. All those who were given to Him
by the Father. And when did that happen? That
happened in eternity, didn't it? It happened in eternity.
All those whom the Father gave Him in eternity, He has purchased
them. Those, and think of this, when
it says I formed thee, who did he purchase? Romans, right, 9.21
says vessels of honor. He formed us as vessels of honor. Oh, what a great sovereign God. Remember, he can do whatever
he pleases, right? Now, the vessels of honor are made out of the
same lump as the vessels of dishonor, right? Same lump. But, oh, the
potter's freedom. The potter can do whatever he
pleases. Whatever he pleases with the clay. He's formed thee,
O Israel. Speaking of the elect. Fear not,
for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name.
Thou art mine. So not only has he redeemed us,
but the scripture here says he's called us. And what did he call
us of? He called us out of the darkness that we were in. The
darkness of our sins. And he called us into the kingdom
of his dear son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he's called us by
name. He's called us by name. When he called Lazarus, that's
a picture of him calling one of his lost sheep. Now, what
would have happened if he had said, come forth? I remember
hearing an old gravestone say, if he had said, come forth, every
grave would have busted right open. But he called Lazarus by a name. Lazarus, come forth. And that's
a picture of him calling one of his lost sheep who's dead
and trespasses and sins. It's marvelous. He called us. He called us. And he knows us
by name. He knows the name of every, think
of this, beloved. He knows the name of every single
one of his sheep. Every one. Now, we marvel at
that because scripture says that the flock is a number that no
man can number. But he knows every single one
of his sheep intimately. They're his. He paid for them. He purchased them. He knows them. He knows them. Even though we
don't know him until he reveals himself. He knows us. Oh, it's
marvelous. It's marvelous. And notice in
the last part of this verse, God says of the sheep, thou art
mine. This book was written 600 plus
years before the death of Christ. He's saying, I have redeemed thee. Oh, our God knows the end from
the beginning, doesn't he? He knows it all, beloved. He
knows it all. 600 years plus years before the
death of Christ, what great comfort this brings God's people. For
not only are we his people now, but we are his people from eternity.
Even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, we were his people. Oh, it's amazing. It's amazing
grace, beloved. He says, God says of his people,
of his elect, thou art mine. Mine. It's incredible. And think of this. We were his
by divine election, right? God chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world. We are God's, when he says thou
art mine, we are God's by divine purchase, too. By divine purchase. The Lord Jesus Christ was God
in the flesh, and he purchased his people. So not only are we
God's by divine choice, by his choice, But we're God's sheep
by divine purchase. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. The Lord Jesus Christ, God in
the flesh, purchased us by his own precious blood on Calvary's
cross. And this was done, beloved, for all of us in this room. For
we who are saved, this was done before we were even born. Ain't it marvelous? And this
text here is written 600 plus years. And he says, for I have
redeemed thee. Christ is the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. That which was purposed and planned
by God came executed in time. Look at verse 2. When thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. Beloved of God, the Lord will
never forsake his people. Never. Never. He watches over them. He protects
them. Just as a shepherd does his sheep. And what are we? We're the sheep
of God. And the great shepherd watches
over us. Always. Always. Oh, it's marvelous. Look at verses
three and four. For I am the Lord thy God, the
Holy One of Israel. God is a holy God, beloved. He's
a righteous God. He's a holy God. The Holy One
of Israel, thy Savior, I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia
and Sebia for thee. Since thou wast precious in my
sight, Thou hast been honorable, and I have loved Thee. Therefore
will I give men for Thee, and people for Thy life." He is our
God in covenant, and because He's our God in covenant, we,
His people, are dear to Him. We're precious to Him. And Scripture
declares that He's given all nations for Thee. God's people are precious in
his sight. Why? Because he chose us in eternity,
and because the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from our sins, and
because God the Holy Spirit calls them by his grace, and because
we're precious in his sight, he does all this. And the Lord Jesus Christ will
one day present all his sheep, all of them, Faultless before
his throne, with exceeding joy. Did we do anything to deserve
this? No. It's by the mercy and grace of
God in Christ. Oh, what a God. What a Savior.
What a God and what a Savior. God's people are the gift of
His love, the purchase of Christ's blood, the subjects of His grace,
and therefore God's people are and must be most precious in
His sight. So let us take note. Let us take note, beloved of
God, that we have seen God's continued presence with His people
in these first four verses. He won't leave His people. He's
with them no matter what. He's redeemed them. He's purchased
them. He's called them by name. They're His. And let us remember this. It was God who made us. It was
God who loved us. It's God who purchased us. And
it's God who calls us by His effectual grace. And He will
be with us. And He will carry us through
whatever afflictions will come in this life and then He'll take
us home to glory. He'll take us home to glory.
So let's continue in our next verses. Verses 5 to 7. Fear not, again he repeats this,
fear not for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the
east and gather thee from the west. I will say to the North,
give up, and to the South, keep not back. Now think of this,
think of these, and I know I hit on this often times, but it just
has to be said because of the environment that we live in,
the religious environment. Does this sound like a God who
wants to but can't, unless you let him? No. Look at the verbiage
here. I will say to the north, give
up, and to the south, keep not back. Bring my sons from far
and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Even every one
that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory.
I have formed him, yea, I have made him. And again note in the
statement in verse 5, fear not. It was stated in verse 1 also.
Fear not, blood of God, fear not. Because in Christ, we have
acceptance with God. We have acceptance with God. And he will take care of his
sheep, as we saw before, because we are his by choice, and we
are his by purchase. And look in these texts here,
we see all the elect of God gathered up in Christ. Look at this. I
will say to the north, give up. And to the south, keep not back.
Bring my sons from far, my daughters from the ends of the earth. even
every one that is called by my name, for I have created him
from my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him." Oh,
all the elect gathered up in Christ. And here we have a historic
picture of the Jews being gathered up and brought back into Canaan
from Babylon and from all the places where they were dispersed.
But what a picture, what a picture, beloved, we have of the Church
of God. His sheep are scattered to the
north, and to the south, and to the east, and to the west. And they're actually scattered
all through time too, aren't they? All through time. And all the uttermost parts But
no matter where his chosen ones dwell throughout the world, God
will bring them to Christ. And he uses the preaching of
the gospel. He will, he shall not fail. He will bring them
to Christ in saving faith. And why? It's all for his glory. It's all for his glory. Look
in verse 7. Even everyone that is called
by my name, for I have created him for my glory. God's people are created for
God's glory, to magnify his glory. I have formed him a vessel of
honor. I have made him. So we see in verses 5 to 7, the
Lord promises the salvation of all his people. Isaiah 59, 20,
turn if you would just over there, just over the Isaiah 59, 20,
just a few chapters over. And keep this in mind as we,
I'll read the verse again. I will say to the north, give
up, and to the south, keep not back. Bring my sons from far
and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Look at Isaiah 59, 20. And the
Redeemer shall come to Zion. This is Christ. And unto them
that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord, the
Redeemer comes to his church. The Redeemer comes to his elect.
He draws us. He comes to us. We don't seek
him. There's none that understand
it. There's none that seeketh God. But the shepherd seeks out
the sheep. And in Matthew 24, 31, I'll read
this. And he shall send his angels
with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together
his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other. All the elect are gathered in
Christ. And then look at verse 7 again
in our text. Even everyone that is called by my name, for I have
created him for my glory, I have formed him. I have made Him, even everyone that is called
by My name, whoever belongs to the Lord. These are they who
call upon Christ. They who are being called by
His grace. They call upon His name. They
call upon Christ in Him alone. They make a profession of His
name and they serve and worship Him and say, like we looked at
in our psalm this morning, let God be magnified. Let Him be
magnified. These spoken of were created
for His glory. They were created for His glory
and for His honor. To be recipients of His mercy
and grace. Now think of that. Did you know
that when you were born a little baby into this world? Isn't that
amazing? Isn't it incredible? He knew. He knew. Oh my goodness beloved. Oh, they were created for His
glory and His honor and His praise and His mercy. That His mercy
and grace might be manifested in the saving of their souls
and that God would be... and that God would be glorified.
God's people show forth His grace and mercy towards sinners as
He gathers them in from the north and from the south and from the
uttermost parts of the earth. And He receives all the glory. All of it. All of it. Let's continue
in our text. Verse 8 and 9. Bring forth the
blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered
together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them
can declare this and show us former things? Let them bring
forth their witnesses, that they may be justified. Or let them
hear and say, It is truth. Here before us in verses 8 and
9, the Lord tells the idolaters to demonstrate
the power of their God. Well, if the idols were worthy
of honor, let them bring forth evidence of the great things
they've done. They're silent. They're dumb
idols. Let's continue in verses 10-13. Ye are my witnesses, saith the
Lord, and my servant, whom I have chosen. that ye may know and
believe me, and understand that I am He. Before me there was
no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord." What
a statement. I, even I, am the Lord. And beside
me, there is no Savior. None. Only Christ. I have declared
and have saved, and I have showed When there was no strange God
among you, therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that
I am God. Yea, before the day was, I am
He. And there is none that can deliver
out of My hand. I will work, and who shall let
it? In verses 10-13, the Lord calls
upon His chosen, redeemed people as witnesses of His deity, as
witnesses of His majesty, as witnesses of His power. Oh, His sovereign power. He's
absolutely sovereign. And He demonstrates His sovereign
power when He saves the objects of His love. And then what do we do? We who've
been redeemed, what do we do? Who are the objects of His sovereign
love? Who are the objects of His mercy? And who are the objects
of His grace? We tell others the great things
He's done for us. Oh, He saved me. He saved me. I could never save myself, but
He did it. He purchased me. He's redeemed
me. And it just leaves us in awe.
It just leaves us in awe. The people saved by the Lord
are His witnesses, and the prophets like Isaiah and the others are
His witnesses. We see them all through the Old
Testament, and yet, above all, the Lord Jesus Christ, Jehovah's
servant, is His witness. Isaiah 55, turn over just a couple
of chapters over again. Isaiah chapter 55, verse 4. Behold, I have given Him for
a witness to the people. Behold, I have given Him for
a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader
and a commander to the people. Now, are you the Lord's witness?
Has He bought you out of darkness? Has He bought you out of darkness
into His marvelous light through the Lord Jesus Christ? While you're a witness for the
Lord, does the Holy Ghost witness with your spirit that you're
a child of God? Romans chapter 8 says this, The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit. that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs.
If children, then heirs. Heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may
be also glorified together. This is precious truth for the
believer. Precious, precious truth. as
none but a self-existing and almighty God could save the soul
of a poor sinner. Only God. Only God. That song we sang, I'm only a
sinner saved by grace. That we sang this morning. So
true. Saved by the grace and mercy
of God. Lord. God, our Savior, is Jehovah. And the believer cries out, Oh,
let God be magnified. Let Him be magnified. Let's continue
in our text, verses 14 to 17. Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer.
Now there He is. God Himself. Now that's the self-existent
One. The Lord, the self-existent One,
Jehovah, your Redeemer. Who purchased us? God. Who was Jesus Christ? God in
the flesh. Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel. Oh, if we could just get a glimpse
of His holiness. Of who He really is. Oh my. The Holy One of Israel. For your
sake, I have sent the Babylon and have brought down all their
nobles and the Judeans whose cry is in the ships. I am the
Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." Your King. Christ is King in the midst of
His people. He's King. He's Prophet, He's
Priest, and He's King. Thus saith the Lord, which maketh
a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters, which bringeth
forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power, they
shall lie down together, they shall not rise, they are extinct,
they are quenched as a toad. Here before us in these verses
Isaiah prophesies the destruction of Babylon, the absolute destruction
of Babylon and the deliverance of Israel from captivity. The
Lord who brought forth His people from Egypt would also bring them
out from the Babylonian bondage. Now, is this not true for us
also, who've been delivered from the power of darkness and has
been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son? Did we not come
out of Mystery Babylon, which is a picture of false religion?
And hath He not translated us again into the kingdom of His
dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sin? Oh, what a mighty God. What a
mighty God. Let's continue in verses 18 to
21. Remember ye not the former things?
Consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall
ye not know it? I will even make a way in the
wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field
shall honor me and the dragons and the owls because I give waters
in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to
my people, my chosen. Look at this verse, look at 21.
This people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth
my praise. My goodness. Here before us in
the last verse, which is verse 21, we have the full answer to
why the Lord so favored Israel and why the Lord favors his people,
the Israel of God. Why? This people have I formed
for myself. For myself. They shall show forth my praise. Let us think on this again, we
who are the Israel of God, why has he favoured us? Why has he
favoured us? Why has he favoured me over my
brothers? Think of that. Why has he favoured us over anyone
else in this world? Why? Why? This people have I formed for
myself. For myself, for God himself saying
this. They shall show forth my praise. It's all for His glory, beloved.
It's all for His glory. And we who are God's people seek
to give Him all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise.
God's people show forth His praises. We praise His name for who He
is, for what He's done, for what He's done and who He is. We're poor, needy sinners, bankrupt, with no hope. And then God makes us willing,
and we look to Christ. Oh, my. Why do we even look to
Christ? Why are we made willing? These people have I formed for
myself, for myself. They shall show forth my praise.
If you're saved, this is speaking to you. It's humbling, isn't it? It brings
us down into the dust. As old brother Scott Richardson
said, when we see these things, we make our headquarters in the
dust. But we praise his name, don't we? We praise his name. Oh, what a holy God. God's people
show forth his praise. Christ, who is the head of the
church, receives all the glory. God is glorified in His Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, again, who is God incarnate in the flesh. God incarnate in the flesh. And
all the praise goes to the Father, Son, and Spirit in and through
our great Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, God
gets all the glory and all the honor and all the praise. John
17.1, our great master says this, these words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify
thy son, that thy son may glorify thee. God in Christ has accomplished,
has accomplished. Oh, he's accomplished salvation. Sister, you and I came out of
religion. It's accomplished. Salvation's accomplished. He's
done it all. He's accomplished salvation for
his people, and it's all for his glory. It's all for his glory. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter eight. Romans chapter eight. And as we turn on there, turn
to there, let us remember this. Folks have all kinds of warped
views on predestination. All kinds of warped views. Let's look at what scripture
says about predestination. We don't want man's opinion.
We want to know what God says. And only there will we find the
answers in scriptures. Only there. Look at Romans chapter
8, verses 28 to 30. Look at this. And we know that all things work
together for good. Now, all things. All things. And we know that
all things work together for good. For who? To them that love
God. Now, folks like to use that verse
and make it universal for everyone. Now, look what it says. To them
that love God, to them who are the call according to His purpose. So, this verse is talking about
God's people. And look at what verse 29 says.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be what?
Conformed to the image of His Son. Now, let us keep that in
our minds, okay? He did also predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called. And whom He called, them He also
justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. Notice it's all past tense. It's
amazing. Christ is already in heaven,
and we're already seated in the heavens. Heaven is with him.
Oh my. So let's keep this in mind though.
Okay. I'm gonna read that verse in
Isaiah again. Okay. This people have I formed,
this people, speaking of Israel, spiritual Israel, right? But
spiritual Israel, we know that for sure. This people have I
formed for myself. that they shall show forth my
praise. I think this will bless you.
I think this will bless you. I hope it does. I hope it does.
Let's look again at what scripture says in Romans 8.29 about predestination. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of the Son. Now
think of this, you who have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ,
you who have been purchased by his precious blood, think of
this. Why did God justify you? Why did God justify you by the
sacrifice of Christ? Because in eternity, God predestined
you to be conformed to the image of his son. Why did God call
you? You who are redeemed, why did
God call you by his effectual, irresistible grace? Why? Because
in eternity, God predestinated you to be conformed to the image
of the Son. Why did God call you by the Holy
Spirit? Why did God call me by the Holy
Spirit of God? Because God, in eternity, predestinated
you and I to be conformed to the image of the Son. Why did
Christ redeem you on Calvary's cross? Because God predestinated
you to be conformed to the image of his son. And he did it in eternity. Why
did Christ become a man? Why did he leave the glory and
splendors of heaven and become a man? God didn't send him to
become a man. And die upon the cross before
the law of God. Live a perfect life. as a sinner's
substitute and die before the law of God on Calvary's cross
to purchase your soul and mine. Why? Why? Because in eternity
God predestinated you to be conformed to the image of His Son. Why were you chosen in Christ
by God the Father in eternity? and given to Christ in the everlasting
covenant. Why? Because God, in eternity,
predestinated you to be conformed to the image of the Son. Oh,
my. My, oh, my. And then let's look
at verse 21 again. And here's the answer to why
we're predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ. Look
at this. This people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise.
Oh my. I ask, is not our God glorious?
Is not our God wonderful? Is not our God merciful? Is not
our God full of grace? Oh, beloved of God, you who are
redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, let us magnify the
precious name of Jesus. Let us magnify the name of our
Redeemer together. Oh, what mercy. Let's continue
to look at our text, verses 22-25. But thou hast not called upon
me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel, Thou hast
not bought me the small cattle of Thy burnt offerings, neither
hast Thou honored me with Thy sacrifice. I have not caused
Thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied Thee with incense.
Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast
Thou filled me with the fat of Thy sacrifices. But Thou hast
made me to serve with Thy sins. Thou hast wearied me with Thine
iniquities. I, even I, and he that blotteth
out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember
thy sins. In verses 22 to 25, the sins,
or 22 to 24, the sins of the Lord's people are mentioned. But notice in verse 25, these
sins God freely pardons in Christ, for Christ's sake. What mercy. What grace before
us here in verse 25. I, even I, am He that laudeth
out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. The sins mentioned in verses
22 and 24, one would think would have to
be met with punishment and correction. And this is how it would be by
man's ways or doings, right? Well, our sins were punished. The payment was made, but it
was in Christ. God wrought out what we owed
in the sacrifice of Christ, the sinless one dying for sinners. And have we not been taught,
and can we not see here before us in the Scriptures, that God's
ways are not our ways? They're not our ways. Our thoughts
are not His thoughts. Truly as the Apostle said, turn
up your wood to Romans chapter 5. Truly as the Apostle said,
the Apostle Paul said, where sin aboundeth, grace doth much
more abound. And think of this, I, even I
am He that blotteth out thy transgressions, all of them beloved, for mine
own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Look at Romans 5, 18-21. Therefore, by the offense of
one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Even so, by
the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life. So we fell in Adam. We fell in
him. Judgment came upon all men to
condemnation. But righteousness comes through
and in Jesus Christ our Lord. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous. Righteous sinners made righteous. I, even I, am He that blotteth
out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember
thy sins. And Romans continues, moreover
the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound. I, even I, am He that blotteth
out thy transgressions. for mine own sake, and will not
remember thy sins." Verse 21 in chapter 5, though, that is,
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness into eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh,
let's go back to that verse in Isaiah 43, verse 25. I just want
to read it one more time. What a merciful God. He pardons
sin. He pardons iniquity. He passes
by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage. heritage, all
because of the blood of Christ, all because of Christ's shed
blood and what he did on Calvary's cross. I, even I am he that blotteth
out thy transgressions. For mine own sake will not remember
thy sins. All our sins, all these sins
of all the elect are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ,
covered by the blood. He purchased us, he ransomed
us by his own precious blood. And let we who believe praise
and glorify our great God and King, the Lord Jesus Christ,
as He is the one who says, I, even I, am He that blotteth out
thy transgressions for mine own sake. And will not remember thy
sins. Our text continues with the last
three verses here. Put in remembrance, let us plead
together, declare thou that thou mayest be justified. Thy first
father has sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary and
have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. Here
before us the Lord brings forth the subject of His grace, Israel's
unworthiness of it, by pointing out His long-suffering with them
because of their sins. May we ponder this this evening,
that we receive mercy and we don't get what we deserve. we
receive mercy and grace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And may God be magnified in the preaching of His Word, the preaching
of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Gracious Heavenly Father,
oh, we come in awe, in awe how you forgive your people in
the Lord Jesus Christ by the shedding of His precious blood,
and that you remember not our sins no more. They're paid for,
they're purchased. We're bought and paid for. Our
sins have been fully covered, fully paid. by the precious blood
of Christ. Oh, may we marvel in this this
week. May we think upon this week as
we leave this place. May we rejoice. Rejoice in You,
Lord Jesus. We love You and praise You because
You first loved us. In Jesus' name, Amen.