If you would, let's turn to Isaiah
40. Isaiah 40. And I'm gonna read
the first five verses. Isaiah 40. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people,
saith the Lord. speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for
all her sins. The voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight
in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked
shall be made straight, and the rough places plain, and the glory
of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. I want to talk today about the
comfort to God's people. When I'm here, I get comfort
from you all. Even though I may not be very
comfortable sometimes behind this desk, but I get comfort
in the truth. Maybe talking about what was
said or talking about somebody else talking about this subject
in the truth. I'm comforted with the messages
that my pastors, Walter and Joe, bring to me. In 1 Thessalonians
5.11 it says this, wherefore comfort yourselves together and
edify one another even as also ye do. But I'm not talking about
comfort where we pat one another on the back and tell each other
how good we are. There's none good, no not one. I'm talking about the comfort
that is talking about in 1 Thessalonians 5.11. If you read verses 9 and
10 just before that, it says, For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. Comfort yourselves together and
edify one another, even as also ye do. So we do comfort one another
and we lift one another up in the salvation that is found in
Jesus Christ and him crucified. But let me give you a little
something else about what I'm trying to get at this morning.
Paula and myself, when she had her pain in her appendix, we
went to the hospital. And she had to do these tests
and she was getting ready to take these tests. And me and
her were sitting there talking about what could it be? It might
be this, it might be that. What if they don't find anything?
And so there was not much comfort there not knowing what was going
on. So after the test, the doctor come in and she said, I have
some bad news for you. And she said, you have appendicitis.
For me and Paula, the doctor said this was bad news, and in
a way it was, I guess. But for Paula and I, this was
a comfort. It was a comfort knowing that
they knew what the problem was and they were gonna be able to
fix it. Even though Paula wasn't too comfortable where she was
and what she was going through, she was in pain. We did find
comfort there that the problem was identified and we could do
something about it. God comforts his people. He comforts
them with words, which I pray God does with this message. But
we do comfort one another with words, but they are words of
truth about ourselves and about who God is. God does not necessarily
make his people comfortable, but he absolutely does comfort
his people. Not only do we at times have
great uncomfortable physical things or emotional things going
on, but we may have spiritual things going on that cause us
great discomfort. However, God does bring us comfort
with words and we are comforted in knowing some things. I want
to talk about God's comfort to his people. What kind of words
can I give to God's people and what kind of words can they give
to me for comfort? First, before I start talking
about what comfort is, I want to talk about what is not comfort.
This world's comfort is no comfort. This world's comfort is nothing
but Antichrist. I'm mainly talking about this
world's religion, but even where there is no religion, if there
is no God there, if there is no Jesus Christ, there is no
comfort there. Any idol you have, even if it's
yourself or if it's flora and fauna, is antichrist and you
will not be comforted but troubled. Zechariah 10.2 says this, for
the idols have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a
lie and have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore
they went their way as a flock. They were troubled because there
was no shepherd Their attempted comfort is Antichrist. Any attempted
comfort that is shepherdless is Antichrist. They changed the
glory of God into their own God, which is likened to corruptible
man or anything other than God's glory. This world will try to
comfort people in many ways which is shepherdless. Some by telling
them to worship an actual idol made out of metal or wood or
something else, or making themselves out to be the idol. They try
to comfort people by telling them to work with their own hands
to please God so that he will accept them or you, making themselves
out to be their own savior. Them being ignorant of God's
righteousness are always going about to establish their own
righteousness. They walk aisles. They say accept
Jesus as their personal Savior. Scripture never tells us any
word to accept Jesus as our personal Savior. They become a member
of a church. They're baptized. They're a faithful
member of the church. They use their talents for God.
They soul win for Jesus. They trust in anything than Christ
himself being our salvation. They trust themselves, their
church, their priest or preacher. Some trust their godless faith.
And some trust in an experience or the things that they say they
do for God. Anything that they can say you
can do with your own hands and gain God's favor. This is how
they attempt to comfort themselves, but there is no comfort. You
have to keep doing, keep doing, keep doing. Any way that involves
fallen man doing a work, either himself or another fallen man
on his behalf, to gain God's favor before God, and thus gaining
his salvation, is not possible. It is not just you cannot do
enough works for God's favor. You cannot do any God-righteous
works, not one. Scripture tells us of those who
think they have done something for God. It says that many will
say in that day, We have done many wonderful works in your
name. But Jesus Christ will say to
them, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. Does Christ see your works as
works of iniquity? If they're your works, he does. Fallen man being dead in trespasses
and in sins is incapable of doing any work that is acceptable to
God. Being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about
to establish their own righteousness, they try to get you to do the
same. You know, we can and we have
told folks here over and over again what scripture says about
their righteousness, but they're more concerned about having their
name mentioned on a TV broadcast than they are in knowing what
God says in his word about who they are and who he is and what
he's done. They would rather listen to men
who tell them lies and make them feel good about themselves instead
of bowing down to the only one where salvation is found. What
is this place? It's a place of no comfort. To
be with God, you must have the righteousness of God. You must
be as perfect as God is perfect, and we do not measure up. Well,
what does scripture say all men are like by nature as they are
born? In Romans 3, we know this. Their
throat is an open sepulcher. They use deceit with their tongues.
It says the poison of asp is under their lips. I looked up
this word asp just to see what I could find out there on asp.
And this, of course, is some kind of snake. And it has a venom. And it says, and I don't know
if this is true or not, but it says the venom brought sleepiness
and heaviness without spasms of pain. They said it was an
alternate method of killing someone that was a little bit more humane.
But with their lips, they speak these words, these words of death
that put you to sleep. They ease you into death or darkness. They lull you to sleep with their
lies. But their mouth is full of cursing
and bitterness. They are swift to shed blood.
Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace
have they not known. And there is no fear of God before
their eyes. Those who are rejected of God
will do like Esau and comfort themselves in killing you. Hear
me now. This is each and every one of
us by nature. We at one time could give no
comfort, and we ourselves were not comforted. So where is our
comfort? And when I say our, I mean anyone
who has been bowed down to Christ or is being bowed down to Christ.
If you have not bowed down to Christ and submitted to Jesus
Christ, you are not going to be comforted. But even those
who may be seeking Christ, where can we find comfort? Where can
a sinner find comfort? First of all, We're comforted
with words. All that I've already given you
is true. It's in the scripture and it's from God's word. We
are comforted by his word. The Holy Spirit bearing witness
of the truth of God being spoke comforts us as we are told of
his sovereignty, his works of righteousness and his return.
Acts 9.31 says this, then had the churches rest throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking
in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost
were multiplied. This comfort by the Holy Ghost
through the scriptures gives us hope. Romans 15.4 says this,
for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope. We are comforted one of another. We are comforted in others as
they are comforted by others. In 2 Corinthians 7.13, it says
this. Therefore, we were comforted
in your comfort. Yea, and exceedingly, the more
joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed
by you all. When those who stand up here
and speak, if they speak the truth as it is in Jesus Christ
and him crucified, then we find comfort there. In 1 Corinthians
14.3 it says this, but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men
to edification and exhortation and comfort. We are comforted
in tribulations so that we might through the scriptures comfort
one another. 2 Corinthians 1.4 says this, who comforteth us
in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them
which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. See, we are comforted by his
word, but what in his word gives us comfort specifically? And
this is not an exhaustive list, it's just some things that I've
noted. Comfort in his sovereignty. Revelations 19.6 tells us he's
sovereign. It says, and I had heard, as
it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying,
Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. We know that God is
in the heavens, and he has done whatsoever that pleases him.
He is the Lord, and there is none else. To some, this will
never be a comfort. To God's people is a very foundation
for comfort, knowing He does all of His will. Because since
He does whatever He wants and what He wants to do, He has always
wanted to do because He never changes. Him being sovereign
and doing all of His good pleasure, then it is comforting to know
that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them that are of the called according to His purpose. He
predestinated us, He called us, He justified us, and He glorified
us. Because of this, we're also told
in Romans 8, it says, if God be for us, who can be against
us? God did not spare his own son,
but delivered him up for us all. Because of that, he freely gives
us all things in Christ. So who shall lay anything to
our charge? Because God is the one that justifies. And if he has justified us in
Christ, then we are justified. He does not change. Not only
that, but who can condemn us? Christ died, rose to the uttermost,
and is seated at the right hand of God, making intercession for
us. Nothing can separate us from
the love of Christ, not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine,
nakedness, peril, or sword. We will not feel comfortable
in these things, but we can be comforted in these things, knowing
he does everything after the counsel of his own will. But
we are comforted even when we are in these things, knowing
who God is and that he always does as he pleases. And this
has pleased the Father to do these things. We are comforted
to know that what he does is for good to those who love him.
If you do not love him, then it is not for your good. We are
comforted even in knowing what he has done, even when what he
does for us is judgment to others. Now let's read Ezekiel 14. Please
turn to Ezekiel 14. And I want to begin in verse
12. Ezekiel 14, verse 12. And this is comfort in knowing
what he does, even if it's judgment against others. The word of the
Lord came again unto me saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth
against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine
hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof,
and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast
from it. Though these three men, Noah,
Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver by their
own souls, by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. If I cause
noisome beasts to pass through the land and they spoil it, so
that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because
of the beast. Though these three men were in
it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither
sons nor daughters. They only shall be delivered,
but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon the
land and say, sword go through the land, so that I cut off man
and beast from it, Though these three men were in it, as I live,
saith the Lord, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but
they only shall be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence
into that land and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut
off from it man and beast, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in
it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither
son nor daughter, They shall but deliver their own souls by
their righteousness. For this, saith the Lord God,
how much more when I spend my four sword judgments upon Jerusalem,
the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence,
to cut off from it man and beast. Yet behold, therein shall be
left a remnant that shall be brought forth. both sons and
daughters. Behold, they shall come forth
unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings. And ye
shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought
upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon
it. And they shall comfort you when ye see their ways and their
doings. And ye shall know that I have
not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the
Lord God. We are also comforted in knowing
that God will one day take vengeance. In Isaiah 61 too, it says this,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance
of our God, to comfort all that mourn. So what else are we comforted
in? We're comforted in his mercy
and love. Our passage that we started with,
we see that we are comforted by God in what he has done. It
says, comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Why? Because the warfare is accomplished. Christ has ended the war, although
there may be little battles and skirmishes going on here and
there. The warfare is accomplished, and it was accomplished when
Christ died on that tree and rose again, seated at the right
hand of God, making intercession for us. What does it say? Her iniquity is pardoned. And it also says this, make straight
in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted. Every mountain will be made low.
Again, there's no mountain left to climb, they're made low. The
crooked is made straight. And the rough is made plain.
What does this tell me? The way of God is flat and smooth. Salvation is of the Lord, and
it is as simple as this. Christ is our salvation. Christ
is our righteousness. There is nothing more level,
smooth, or plain than that. It is as simple as Christ and
Him crucified. There is nothing for you to do.
Christ did it all. And is that not comforting to
you? When God Almighty tells us for the first time, and it
may be as if it was with me, as if he just screamed it in
your ears, it is finished. What a comfort. What a joy unspeakable
and full of glory that is. To know he is the end of my warfare. I have peace with Jesus Christ
because he made peace with God on our behalf. What do we have
to do in Jesus Christ? Rest. Psalms 119.76 says this,
let I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort according
to thy word and to thy servant. What else do we have comfort
in? Comfort in what he does and will do. Psalms 23.4 says this,
yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy
staff, they comfort me. As we go through this life, God
will guide us with his rod and staff, with his rod of authority
and correction and his staff of guidance and protection to
help guide me in his way and to keep me on his way so that
I might have a comforting walk with him. He has also said that
he has went to prepare a place for us so that where he is, we
might be with him also. He will return one day so that
where He is, so shall we be with Him, and we shall be with Him
forever. We will one day see Him as He
is and be with Him forever, and that is heaven to me. We are told to comfort one another
with these words. that those of us who are alive
and remain when he returns will not go before those who are asleep,
but that when he returns, those that are gone on before will
be raised first. And then those of us who are
alive and remain will rise up to meet him with them in the
air. And so shall we ever be with
the Lord, it says. And then so it says, wherefore
comfort one another with these words. Now, my last of all, my last
point is my conclusion, and we have comfort to those who are
called by God, who are calling or who might call on the Lord.
2 Corinthians 1.3 says this, blessed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort. The comfort God gives is for
those who mourn, those who are sorrowful, those who weep, those
who repent, those who are sinner, and more. God comforts them all
if they are in Christ. He does this with the record
God gave of his son, which we proclaim. He comforts us in weakness,
in sorrow, in tribulation, in trials, in troubles. Are you
looking for comfort? There's only one place I can
tell you where that comfort comes, and that is the name which is
above every name, the name Jesus Christ, the Lord. Those who God
has given faith will be comforted, as we have seen with the woman
with the issue of blood. The turmoil that she must have
been in her mind, knowing she had this issue and nothing of
herself to heal herself. But then once she had touched
Christ, he caused her in fear and in trembling to bow down
to him, telling all. She hears these words in Matthew
9.22. But Jesus turned him about, and
when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort. Thy faith
hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole
from that hour. Oh, what a comfort that is. But then we have the
blind beggar Bartimaeus in Mark 10, another sinner that the master
stopped in his tracks to call. Here is a man that cannot see
Christ because he's blind, but he hears of Christ and he begins
to scream, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. But then many told him to be
quiet. When a sinner is touched by Jesus
Christ, yourself won't stop you, nobody else will stop you, nobody
else can tell you because you're concerned about Jesus Christ
is going to leave me behind and I don't want to be left behind.
It says many told him to be quiet, but it says he cried the more
and a great deal. Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. And then in Mark 10, 49, we read
this. And Jesus stood still and commanded
him to be called. And they called the blind man,
saying unto him, be of good comfort. Rise, he calleth thee. Oh, what a comfort that must
have been. I mean, I can imagine him knocking people over, stubbing
his toe, he couldn't see where to go. I know somebody may have
been guiding him, I gotta get to Christ. He had mercy on this
poor blind beggar. Knowing these comforting things
makes you want to sing praises to God. Amazing grace, how sweet the
sound, that saved a wretch like me. Most folks don't know what
that word means, wretch. That word wretch, you know what
it means? A miserable person, one who's
profoundly unhappy or in great misfortune, a base, despicable,
or vile person. That is me by nature, and we
all are by nature. God Almighty to the Laodiceans
in Revelations 3.17 says this, because thou sayest, I am rich
and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest
not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind
and naked. But we sing, amazing grace, how
sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but
now I'm found, was blind, but now I see. Oh, what a comfort
it is to me. Mason, will you lead us in prayer,
please? Holy and righteous eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, it is upon thee that we call this morning to thank
you, Father, the great mercies and blessings that you have bestowed
upon such unworthy dogs as we. Heavenly Father, all praise and
glory be to the name of thy Son forevermore.