If you'd like to follow along,
I'm gonna be in Isaiah, the Gospel of Isaiah, chapter 43. I'm gonna
read the first seven verses. But now, thus saith the Lord
that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,
fear not, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have
redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name,
thou art mine. When thou passest through the
waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee. And when thou walkest through
the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel,
thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom,
Ethiopia, and Seba 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. 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. Bring my sons from
far and my daughters from the end of the earth, even everyone
that is called by my name. For I have created him for my
glory. I have formed him, yea, I have
made him. I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. That's good news. That's good news. And I'm gonna
tell you this, that's the gospel. That's the gospel. John Newton said this, this is
faith. a renouncing of everything we
are apt to call our own and relying wholly upon the blood, righteousness
and intercession of Jesus Christ. That's good, that's good. Now, Earl said it and I will repeat
it. I have repeated it and I'll repeat
it again. The Old Testament is the New
Testament concealed. And the New Testament is the
Old Testament revealed. Now we're in the Old Testament
today. This is Isaiah who was 700 years or so before the time
of Christ, but here in this seven verses we have the gospel. And
the gospel is of Jesus Christ. Christ told people when he was
here, if you believe Moses, you believe me. Because Moses wrote
of Christ. Paul told us in a couple of places,
one places, he's talking about that rock that followed them
around in the wilderness. He said that rock was Christ. He also told us Christ is our
Passover. What? He's referring to the Old
Testament, but he's referencing Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Matter of fact, it tells us Jesus
Christ died according to the scriptures, and he's talking
about the Old Testament scriptures here. So in the Old Testament,
we have the story of Christ before he came, the truth of Christ
before he came, the prophecies of Christ before he came. But I'm gonna tell you something,
here in Isaiah 43, this is pretty plain. If you know Jesus Christ. If you don't know Jesus Christ,
it may not mean a whole lot to you. And that's your problem.
It was my problem at one time, but thank God it's not anymore.
But here, this is very plain, if you know Christ. Here he starts,
but now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and that
formed thee, O Israel. Now Jacob and Israel were the
same person, but he had two names, two names. God called him Israel. God called
him Israel when he revealed himself to Jacob. Now on, thy name shall
be Israel. What, a prince with God. What
was his name before? Jacob. What's that mean? I wrote it down here. It means
heel catcher. Usurper. Because he caught a
hold of his brother's heel. His brother came out first. twin
brothers, but his brother came out first, but he had a hold
of his heel. And he got the birthright of his brother. His brother sold
it to him for a mess of porridge. Then Jacob ran off, met God,
was called to Israel. He came back, but here's the
way that this is saying, you understand, Jacob was created
Israel was formed. What am I talking about here?
Well, what I believe this is talking about is the difference
between an elect person before and after God has done something
for them, given them life. Before they're born of God, it's
Jacob. After they're born of God, it's
Israel. Same person, two natures within that person. There's an
old man and a new man. And they don't like each other. In my flesh, still, to this day,
dwells no good thing. But in my mind, I serve the law
of God. Folks, that's us. Earlier you
used the word dichotomy. That's what it is. You're one
person, you've got two natures. Unless you don't know Christ,
then you're one person with one nature. And it's not the good
one. But Jacob was created, and it
means, I looked it up, it means created. But here it is, let's
be clear. It is the Lord who selected and
made Jacob. He said, I said the elder's gonna
serve the younger, while they were in the womb, before they
ever come out. Before anyone did any good or
evil, it was said that the elder shall serve the younger. Jacob
had it all over Esau, but it wasn't Jacob. It was God that
made the difference. Who maketh thee to differ? But
then it says, oh my, and he that formed thee Oh
Israel. Oh, I like that. I like that.
Israel means this. He will rule as God. That's out of Strong's Concordance.
He will rule as God. Some of them translate it, a
prince with God. Same exact person as the usurper. Oh my, and guess what? The Lord created Jacob and the
Lord formed Israel. Ah, I like that. You know what
that word formed means? It means squeezed into shape.
What, like a potter in a piece of clay. Formed, made, oh my,
I'm gonna tell you something. Paul asked a question about this.
He says, hath not the potter power over the clay of the same
lump to make one vessel under honor and another under dishonor? And that word is dishonor. It's
not the less honorable. It's dishonor. And it's the same
lump of clay. What's the difference? The difference
is in the hands of the potter. Jacob was created, but Israel
was formed. Oh, I like that. And the answer
to the question, of course, is yes. The potter does have power
over the clay. The Lord does have power over
us. Jesus Christ said God gave him
power over all flesh to give. eternal life to as many as the
Father had given him. I'm gonna tell you something
folks, that's a vessel under honor. That's a vessel under
honor. And that's Israel being formed.
That's what he's talking about here. It's the same person. Talking about the same person.
The usurper and the prince with God. The same person. Oh, I like that. So that's who's
talking, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and
that formed thee, O Israel. What's the Lord got to say? Fear
not. Fear not. I'm gonna tell you
something, folks. If God's talking to you, fear
not. Fear not. Now, men are talking
to you, you might wanna be wary. But you understand, God, his
word, tells us the absolute truth all the time. All the time. Oh my. Fear not, and there's
a reason why, for I have redeemed thee. I like that, I do. You understand, when it says
the word redeemed, it means per the law of kinship. Per the law of kinship. To purchase
per the law of kinship. To buy back. To redeem. That's all it is. It's a monetary
term. To buy back. But by the law of
kinship. Oh, I'm gonna tell you something.
Can't just anybody redeem. That's the thing. It's not a
thing for anybody. It's for the near kin. The near
kin. That's what it's talking about.
And to redeem, here's the thing. To redeem all that pertains to
you. Or to you. Or to you. Oh my. You know what that includes?
That includes you. That includes you. I like that.
Oh, but it's to redeem, to purchase, to buy back all pertaining to
you by your near kin, your next of kin. And who is it that redeems
here? This is just something to think
about, folks. The Lord said, the Lord, God Almighty, Yahweh,
Elohim. He says, I have. brought you
back. Give us the example here. Jacob
and Israel. And I'm gonna tell you this,
folks. This is every single believer. Every one of his elect. He says,
I have redeemed you. And you understand, this is 700
years before Jesus Christ walked on the earth, and he says, I
have redeemed you. Oh, I'm gonna tell you something.
It hadn't been done. Jesus Christ had not died yet.
But God said, I have redeemed you. You wanna know why? Because
Jesus Christ was coming. And there wasn't anything gonna
stop it. Or stop it. Oh my. Oh, this word, and I look,
this word redeemed is in what they call the perfect tense.
What's that mean? Past, present, and future. You
know what I'm saying? God's redemption is eternal. It's without beginning, it's
without end. It happens in time, and it did happen when Jesus
Christ died for his people, rose from the dead, made the offering
sacrifice. He shed blood before the Father,
and the Father accepted him. That's the redemption. It's in
the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. But you understand, 700
years before, God could look out and truthfully say, I have
redeemed you. Because his redemption is eternal. Perpetual redemption. Oh, I like that. And here's the
thing. You know what this means, folks?
The Lord is your near kinsman. God is your next of kin, Walter.
Isn't that glorious? And it's not because of you,
because of what? Oh, Jacob, the usurper. Oh. But God has promised in this
Old Testament to take the beggar the beggar off the dunghill. And not only that, to seat him
with princes and kings. The Lord is our near kinsman. What grace is that? It's the
grace of our Lord in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's
the grace of God. 700 years before the time of
Christ, 700 years before the shedding of his blood, and the
Lord tells Isaiah, tell them, I have redeemed you. Oh, I like that, I do. And not
only that, he says, what? I have redeemed thee, I have
called thee by thy name. You mean God knows who we are?
Oh, Lord, yes. Yes he does. And oh my, that's
glorious too. Because in Christ, those chosen
in Christ, those given to Christ before the foundation of the
world, God just calls them by name. You know? That's Ellen, that's Walter,
Paula, Penny, Jody. God calls us by our names. Oh, oh, I like that. The Lord
called Israel by his name, and I'm gonna tell you something,
folks, something wonderful. God knows your name. That should just bless you all
over. You understand? And it's not
because you were so wonderful, you were so good, because you
weren't. You was just like Jacob, a usurper. A heel catcher. But God, in his son, knows your
name, each and every one of his people. And not only that, he
calls us by thy name. Oh, I like that. I always think
of Lazarus, dead in that tomb. The first thing that Jesus Christ
said to him while he was still in that tomb, still dead, they
rolled the stone away and he said, Lazarus, called him by
his name. Now I'm gonna tell you something,
when he called Lazarus by his name, Lazarus lived. He was dead. Been dead for days,
four days I think is what it says. Behold he stinketh. Not when Christ calls your name.
Guess what? Christ calls your name, the stink
goes away. I still in here. But there's something better
in there then. He said Lazarus. But then he also said, when he
called him by name, come forth. And Lazarus, bound as he was
with grave clothes, came forth at the calling of his name and
at the command of his Lord. When he says come to you after
calling you by name, you'll come. You will come. And you don't take any credit
for it. Because if he hadn't called you name and if he hadn't
said come forth, you wouldn't have woke up and you wouldn't
have come forth. I've redeemed you. I've redeemed
you. Oh, I'm telling you something.
He knows every name of every single one that he gave to his
son. This is the Lord, capital L,
capital O, capital R, capital D. That's who we're talking about
here. And it's also Jesus Christ whom we're talking about here.
I'm gonna tell you something. I love this scripture. 2 Timothy
2 and verse 19. Nevertheless, oh, I like that. I like that, nevertheless, because
the bad stuff's before, and here comes the good stuff, usually.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, and it
has this seal, this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. Oh, I like that, I like that,
oh. And let everyone that nameth
the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The Lord, this is,
I mean, this is the foundation of God's stature. This is the
seal. God knows what he's doing. God knows every one of his children. And what's he do? I've redeemed
thee, and I've called thee. Oh, I like that. Everyone that
is redeemed is gonna be called. You understand? The Lord said
this to Isaiah. He tied these two things together.
I'm not tying them together. He says, I've redeemed you and
I've called you by name. Except Paul wrote, the Lord who
formed me in my mother's womb, what? Revealed his son in me,
in me. What's that mean? He redeemed
him and he called him by name. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? Oh, I like that. Paul had to answer. Who are you,
Lord? He called you by name, he'll
tell you who he is. I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. Call thee by name. Believers
are known from before the foundation of the world. This is a fact. God knows his own. God knows
his own. He's redeemed them. He's purchased
them and he calls you by your name. And I'm gonna tell you
something, the Lord calls you by his beloved son. The Lord's
given you to his beloved son and Jesus Christ told us this
also. To him the porter openeth. This is John 10 in verse three.
To him, Jesus Christ, the porter openeth. The sheep hear his voice. And he calleth his own. His own, oh, I like that. His
own sheep by name. And, this is the best part, he
leadeth them out. Folks, that's what we need. That's
what we need. We don't know where to go. Ah,
thank God, by his grace, we know who to follow. Oh, I like that. The good shepherd knows his sheep.
The son calls him. Matter of fact, he says, them
I must bring. Talking about other sheep I have
that are not here now. They're not part of this fold.
Them I must bring. I must. You know why he must?
God gave them to him. I've redeemed them. And I'll
call them by name. Oh, I like that. Excuse me. Oh, the good shepherd
knows his sheep. And I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. Them I must bring. When he brings, you come. You come. I guarantee it, you
come. I don't have to guarantee it,
he says it. When he brings, you're brought. When he brings, you
come. They hear his voice and they follow. How many follow? Everyone he calls by name He's
the good shepherd folks. He's not leaving any sheep out.
He's not leaving any sheep behind. He's not leaving any sheep by
the way They're his sheep. He calls them and they come and
he Leads them. Oh, I like that. Oh Look at this and what does
this end up? Thou art mine Thou art mine. Oh, I like that. The people of
God, the brethren, Christ calls us brethren of Christ, belong
to the Lord. Capital L, capital O, capital
R, capital D. Thou art mine. Oh, oh, I like
that. You understand, the Lord cares
for his own. The Lord keeps his own. and the
Lord loves his own. First John three and two says
this, beloved, now are we the sons of God. And it doth not
yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall
appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. You understand? He's leading
us somewhere. And he's leading us to himself. Oh, I like that, I like that.
Thou art mine, oh. And you understand, there's no
doubt, there's no question in anything in this first verse
of Isaiah chapter 43. You understand? Behold, I mean,
excuse me, but now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O
Jacob, and that formed thee, O Israel, fear not. Now why are you not supposed
to fear? For I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by name. Thou art mine. Thou art mine. There's no fear of the Lord.
We do fear the Lord. but it says don't fear. Do not
fear this. I've redeemed thee. I've called
thee. Thou art mine. You are mine. Oh my. Why? Joshua 1 and 9 put it this
way. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee. What? Withersoever thou goest. You understand? If I go up into
the heavens, thou art there. If I go down to the depths of
the sea, thou art there. If I bury myself in the earth,
thou art there. God is with his people. Always, always, whethersoever
thou goest, the Lord thy God is with thee on the mountaintop
and in the valley. In the valley of the shadow of
death, he's with you, he's with us. In joyful circumstance, and
in horrible, dire circumstances, the Lord is with his people.
He is with thee. You understand? You may not understand
it. You may not feel it. But please,
somewhere in the back of your head, know this. The Lord is
always with His people. He's redeemed thee. He's called
thee by thy name. You're His. You're His. Oh. You know? You don't have to believe
me, but believe Him. And this is what he says. And
this is what he meant. His word is true. Oh, even if we don't believe
it or understand it, or we never read it, his word is true. Always, fear not. He has redeemed,
fear not. He has called you by name. And
fear not, thou art mine. Thou art mine. I'm gonna tell
you something, that's a good place right there. But that's the reason I picked
this song this morning. Look at verse five. Fear not,
I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the
east and the west. Wait a minute, that's not what
I wanted. Where am I at? Verse two, Jesus, excuse me.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. When through the rivers, and
they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon. Now listen folks, it doesn't say if you go through the waters,
it says when. It doesn't say if you go through
the fire, it says when. In this world you shall have
tribulation. And yes, folks, you will reap
what you have sown. I will reap what I have sown. But, I'll be with thee. Thou art mine. In the waters, thou art mine. In the fire, thou art mine. In the mess of your own making,
thou art mine. I like that, folks, I do. I do. Because you understand, I am
my own worst enemy. I don't need any help getting
in trouble because I can do it by myself. But here's the thing,
same is true of you. But even when you are your own
worst enemy, even when you are in trouble of your own making,
thou art mine. He is with all of his people. Oh, I like that, I do. Fear not,
I am with thee. In this crazy world, in this
crazy world, surrounded by danger and fear, oh my, don't fear,
fear not. Why? I've redeemed thee, I've
called thee by thy name, and you are mine. Oh, I like that, I like that. That's good news, folks. That's
real good news. Understand, his redemption by
the shed blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. His
love for you, his purchase of you, his being with his redeemed
ones, all of this is in his beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Believe Christ and fear not,
fear not. In conclusion, I'll read this
to you. This is Isaiah 43, 10. 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 thee there was no God
form, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord
and beside me, wanna hear it folks? There is no savior. Oh, I like that. I have declared,
what? And have saved. What's he saying, 700 years before
Christ came? I have redeemed thee. God's declared
it. And I'm gonna tell you something,
folks, that's as good as done. Better than done. Because it's
gonna be done right when God does it. Oh, well it says, 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 like that kind of talk. I do. I will work, and who shall let
it? Oh, he got in the way of God. No, if he got in the way of God,
he'd be dead. You understand, folks? He works, and no man hinders
it. Not even you. when he's working
on you. You understand? This is the kind of God I need. Oh, you don't see anything about
sovereign grace in the Bible or a sovereign God? What have
you been reading? You understand? I redeemed thee. I've called thee by name and
thou art mine and fear not. Fear not, folks, fear not. Oh,
I like this. Because this means you are in
his hand. And nobody's taking you out of
God's hand. Oh, my father which gave them
me. What? The father gave the son to us. Because the father had given
us to the Son. We're in God's hands. What'd
you say? Thou art mine. That's good news, folks. That's
good news. Top Lady wrote this. For sinners like me, thy mercy
is free. who hunger and thirst for redemption
by thee. Lord, gather in more, make this
the glad hour, compel them to yield in the day of thy power. I like that, I like that. That's my title, Paul, fear not,
I have redeemed thee. Fear not, I've redeemed you. You understand, God will compel you in the day
of his power. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Thy power. That's good news. That's good news. And that's the God we need. Because
if anybody's gonna pick the wrong thing, it's gonna be me. You
understand? If any part of it's left up to
me, I'm gonna make the wrong decision. My father, Adam, already
proved that. Well, I've proved it my whole
life. But here's the thing, fear not, I have redeemed thee, and
called thee by thy name, and thou art right now Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful,
Lord, for all that you've done for us and all that you've done
to us and all that you continue to do. Please, Lord, lead us. Lead us in thy path. Make us
to walk in thy path. Put in us both to will and to
do of thy good pleasure. Thank you for what you've given
us in the Lord Jesus Christ, your beloved son, our Lord and
our Savior. In his name we pray, amen.