Turn back again to Isaiah 55.
I want to try to look at the first seven verses. I know I'm
taking a big bite here. And I don't know if we can get
all through these seven verses, but that's my goal, try to get
it done, try to look at these first seven verses. I'm entitling
the message from the theme of what is said here, and the theme
and the heartbeat of the Gospel and the Word of God is salvation
that is full, and salvation that is free. I like that word free,
don't you? Free, free, free. He says here,
come by with no money, come by wine and milk without money and
without price. Salvation by the grace of God
is free. Come to Christ. Leave everything
else behind. Leave your money, your morality,
your righteousness. Leave everything else behind.
Forgetting those things which are behind, let us reach forth
unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Now notice here in verse 1, He
says, you stop, look, and listen. This word, ho, is like the word
behold. Behold, ho, stop. Everyone, listen. Everyone that is thirsty. If you were really, really parched
and thirsty, I mean, naturally speaking, What would you do? What would your thoughts be about? If you were really, really, I
mean thirsty, you would add any water for a day or two, and what
would you be thinking about constantly? Water, I need water, I need water. Our Lord says to every thirsty
sinner, come to Christ. I'm the water of life. Oh, everyone
that's thirsty, everyone that is thirsty, come. Don't stay
away. Come. Now, if you're really thirsty,
If you found some clear, cool, refreshing water and I tried
to stop you, what would you do? Get out of my way. I need that
water. I couldn't hinder you, could
I? You must have that water. That's exactly what happens when
God Almighty creates within us that thirst and hunger for Christ
and to look to Him when it's revealed unto us that the Lord
Jesus Christ is indeed the water of life, that He's everything,
we must have Him. Get out of my way, I'm coming
to Christ. Oh everyone that's thirsty, come,
come. It doesn't say come down front,
make a decision. Doesn't say come to the altar
and pray through. It says come to Christ. Come to Christ. Come
ye to the waters. The waters. Talking here about
the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn back to Isaiah 32 for a
moment. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the water of life. Remember he told that woman at
the well? You drink of this natural water,
you're thirst again. But if you drink of that water
that I will give you, there shall be a well of water springing
up into everlasting life. Christ is that water of life.
Look at Isaiah 32. Behold, a king, verse 1, shall
reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment as a man,
and a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind. This is
the God-man mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. a cover from the
tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place. The Lord Jesus Christ
is a never-ending river of life, as a shadow of a great rock in
a weary land. Ho, everyone that is thirsty,
thirsty. Isaiah 55, verse 1. Come ye,
come ye to Christ, to the waters. He that hath no money, Come! Come! This water is free. Buy! Eat! Yay! Come! Buy milk and wine without money
and without price. Salvation is free for the asking.
Our Lord calls out and grabs our attention with this word,
Ho! Everyone! that is a thirst, come unto me. Look over at John chapter 7 for
just a minute. John chapter 7. John chapter
7, look at verse 37. In that last day, John 7, 37,
that great day of the feast They'd been taken up that whole
week with the religious celebration of the Jews, and yet they were
not satisfied, were not saved by grace. And the Lord Jesus
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink. Are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Where's our thirst satisfied?
Where's our thirst quenched? In the Lord Jesus Christ. If
any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Now this thirst
spoken of here is not a natural thirst for water, but a spiritual
thirst for the water of life. All men naturally desire to drink
water. There's nothing more satisfying
to the flesh than cold, clear, cool, refreshing water. and nothing that can satisfy
our spiritual thirst and desire and to quench our parched soul
but the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Listen to scripture in Proverbs
25. As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a
far country. The gospel is good news. Did
you know that? Turn back just one page to Isaiah
52 verse 7. This is the faithful saying,
and worthy of all acceptation, that the Lord Jesus Christ came
to save sinners. Isaiah 52, look at verse 7. How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of Him, those who would carry the gospel of Him,
that bringeth good tidings, that publish peace, that bringeth
good tidings of good, that publish salvation, that saith unto Zion,
Thy God, He's in charge. God does reign and rule over
all things. What are we to preach? Good tidings.
What are we to preach? Publish peace. Peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Publish salvation. Salvation
that is of the Lord. And you know what that creates
in the heart of God's people? A thirst for Christ. So much
so, look back at Psalm 42. It's arm 42. As the heart, verse 1, Psalm
42. As the heart, that is the deer,
panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee,
O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for
the living God. When shall I come and appear
before God? That's the thirst I'm talking
about for a drink of Christ, the water of life. What's the
remedy for our spiritual thirst? The Lord said, come, come to
the waters. That is, come to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now let me ask you a question.
Is coming to Christ something you do physically? No, sir. Come to Christ and don't
move a muscle. How do you come to Christ? Believe
Him. Let me show you that in Scripture.
Turn to John chapter 6. You see, believing Christ is
coming to Christ. Looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ,
coming unto the Lord Jesus Christ is to believe Him, is to rely
upon Him, and is to trust Him. John 6 verse 35. The Lord said,
I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never
hunger. He that believeth on me shall
never thirst. You see, coming to Christ and
believing on Christ are the same thing. Come to Christ. That's
what it's saying in the text here. This is God's own gospel
call. In Isaiah 55, oh everyone that
is thirsty, come to the Lord Jesus Christ and don't move a
muscle. Look to Him and don't move a
muscle. Look to Him. What is this? You
know salvation is in the look. Did you know that? Turn back
to Isaiah 45. Salvation is in the look. Looking at Him. Isn't it? Isaiah
45. The last part of verse 21 says,
I am the Lord, there is none else. There is none beside me,
a just God and a Savior. There is none beside me. Now, look. Look. Look. That's a simple word, isn't
it? Isaiah 45, 22. Look unto me. Where do we look? Well, let's look to our tradition.
Let's look to our ceremony. Let's look back, no forgetting
those things which are behind. The Lord said, look unto me.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Hebrews
12, look unto me and be ye saved. All the ends of the earth, for
I am God and there is none else. He's the only just God and Savior. Now, look to Him. Look to Him. Look back at the text now. Come
to Christ. And come to Christ with nothing. That is, come as you are. in
my hand, no price I bring, simply to the cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ I come." Nothing in my hand I bring, top lady said,
simply to the cross I cling, helpless look to thee for grace,
naked come to thee for dress, I to the dear fountain fly, wash
me, Savior, else I die. Come just as you are. Well I've
got to clean myself up, forget it. Forget it. Come as you are. And come with
no money. Don't bring your money. Don't
bring your morality. Don't bring your goodness. Don't
bring your righteousness. Come to Christ right now in your
heart with nothing. With nothing. No money. No money. Come. And then it says
here, buy and eat. Eat. Yay. Come. The third time he said. Come.
Buy wine. and milk without money and without
price. Come to Christ. How do you buy
and eat with no money? That means salvation is free. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Everything is free, free, free, free in Christ. Come to the Lord
Jesus Christ with nothing. Trust nothing else and nothing
less. Come to Him, leave your merit,
leave your righteousness, leave your feelings, leave your tradition,
leave your experience behind and look to Christ. Now I know
this, the Lord says here three times, come to me, come to me,
come to me. And yet we read in scripture,
remember John 6.44, no man can come to me, They accept the Father
which sent me, draw him. Is there a contradiction here? The Lord said, come unto me all
you laboring heavy laden, I'll give you rest. Three times they're
reading this verse. God said, come to me, come to
me, come to me. And then the Lord says, no man
can come to me. That means that you must trust
him for your coming. That means you must even look
to him for your coming. Left to ourselves, we'll never
come to Christ. Left to ourselves, we'll never
look to the Lord Jesus Christ. Left to ourselves, we'll never
love Him in our heart. We must trust Him even for faith,
even for repentance is the gift of God. Look unto Him for all
things. Now, a question is asked here
in verse 2. Why? Wherefore do you spend money
for that which is not really salvation? Now there's a lot
of folks, a lot of folks, religious folks, who spend and spend their
energy, their time, their money, their life, they spend their
wheels, they spend their wheels, they work, they work, they work,
and they spend everything and they have nothing. Because salvation
is not by what you do. Salvation is always determined,
dependent, and accomplished upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore
the question God has for us, why do you work and work and
work and labor for which is not bread and you labor for that
which satisfies not? Why? Why would you do that? Why
would someone to try to work up a righteousness and a morality
of himself, to try to come to God, to satisfy God, or to please
God. Why would someone do that? Do
you want to know why? Let's see if we can find the
answer. Turn to Romans 10. Romans 10. Here's the reason why. Romans
10, verse 3. For they being ignorant. Ignorance. Ignorance of who God
is. God is holy. How holy must you be to approach
God? As holy as God. Well preacher,
I can't be that right. But there's a lot of people that
try to approach God in their own morality and their own deeds
and their own works. Because they're ignorant of who
God is. They're ignorant of the holiness
of God, the righteousness of God. And they're going about
to establish their own righteousness. And have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. They've not been submitted, they've
not been committed, they've not looked unto that provided righteousness
that's of God, that comes from God. Who's that? The Lord Jesus
Christ Himself. For Christ is the end of the
law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth. You see, salvation
in Christ cannot be bought because it's free. were justified freely
by His grace through Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is a water
of life to the thirsty. He's a bread of life to the hungry.
He's a wine of joy to the mourner. He's a milk of strength to the
weak. Buy and eat that which is good and leave all your goodness
behind, so called. Why do you spend money for that
which isn't bread? It's vanity. Why do you labor
for that which does not satisfy God? What's the solution? The Lord said, hearken unto me. Hearken diligently unto me. Eat that which is good. Throw
everything else away. You don't eat things that are
bad for you, do you? I do all the time. I mean, French
fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, all that stuff. The Lord says, only eat that
spiritually which is good for you. Christ is our goodness. There is none good but Christ.
And let your soul delight itself in fatness." In his fatness. So what are we to do? Listen
to him. Eat that which is good. Be consumed
with him. Listen to him. Look at verse
3. Incline your ear. Let every man be swift to hear,
and slow to speak. What are we to do? I, Lord, speak
from heaven, and say, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased. Hear Him, His Word, His Truth,
His Gospel. Incline your ear. You know the
sheep hear the voice. of the Master. He said, My sheep,
hear My voice. I know them and they follow Me.
Incline your ear. And then He says, Come, four
times. Come to Me. Look to Me. Believe Me. Rest in Me. Hear the Word of Truth. Our Lord said, Blessed are your
ears, for they hear. Bless your eyes for they see.
What a blessing it is to have an appetite and a desire for
the sincere milk of the Word. Incline your ear, come unto me
and hear." You see, faith comes by hearing what? Faith doesn't
come by hearing lies. Faith doesn't come by hearing
that which is Opposite to the gospel of God's grace, faith
comes by hearing the word of God, the truth of God. Incline
your ear and come unto me, hear the truth. Faith comes by hearing,
hearing by the word of truth. Hear and your soul shall live. Of his own will beget he us with
the word of truth. We're born again, not of a corruptible
seed, but of an incorruptible by the Word of God. It pleased God through the foolishness
of preaching to save His people. Incline your ear, come unto me
here. And this is what I need. I need
life. Because by nature, I don't have it. I'm dead in trespasses
and in sin. He must quicken me, and He quickens
with the Word of Truth. and I will make." He sees salvation according to
His will. He says, I will make an everlasting
covenant with you even, even Sure mercies. I mean this is
certain and sure. Is there mercy in the Lord Jesus
Christ? Absolutely. And he's talking
about covenant mercies. Covenant mercy. He's talking
about covenant grace. He's talking about covenant salvation.
There is that eternal covenant of grace that's ordered, David
said on his deathbed, ordered in all things and is sure, this
is all my hope and all my salvation. The God of peace hath brought
again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ through the blood
of the everlasting covenant. Hebrews 13 verse 20. These everlasting,
sure mercies of the covenant. The Lord said, this is the new
covenant in my blood which is shed for you. Now how certain
and sure is the blood of that covenant? You reckon it really
saves sinners from their sin? Oh yeah. So much so that God
said their sin and their iniquity will I remember no more because
of that blood atonement of that covenant. I will make an everlasting
covenant with you. How? In Christ. The sure mercies of David. Of
this covenant, look right across the page. Isaiah 54 verse 10. Of these covenant mercies in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 54 verse 10. The mountains
shall depart. the hills be removed, but my
kindness, my mercy shall not depart from thee, neither shall
the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord." that have mercy
on thee. You see, this covenant is an
everlasting covenant. This salvation we have in the
Lord Jesus Christ. You know, He saves us. Turn over
here to Isaiah 45. Isaiah 45, verse 17. You know, the Lord saves us.
He obtains for us eternal redemption. We have the mercies of the everlasting
covenant of God's grace. And He saves us with a Everlasting
salvation Isaiah 45 verse 17, but Israel shall be saved in
the Lord. He's talking about his covenant
people Israel, His elect, shall be saved in the Lord. Salvation
is in Christ. With an everlasting salvation
you shall not be ashamed nor confounded without end. World without end. You see, the
salvation, all spiritual blessings we enjoy in Christ, they're eternal. They are certain and they are
sure. Turn over here to Romans chapter 4 verse 16. Romans all
the promises of God in him are yes, and in him amen unto the
glory of God by the Lord Jesus Christ 2nd Corinthians 1 verse
20, but look at Romans 4 verse 16 Therefore it is of faith that
it might be by grace to the end that the promise, the promise
of God, the promise of salvation in Christ, the promise might
be sure, certain, fixed, unalterable to all the seed, all the elect,
not only that which is of the law, Jew, but also Gentile, but
that which is also the faith of Abraham, who is the father,
the father of us all. Now look back to the text. Incline
your ear and come, come to me, come to Christ. Now look at verse
4. We have the sure mercies in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. by
the washing of regeneration, power of God the Holy Spirit,
Isaiah 55 verse 4. Now behold, behold, there's another
word that means stop, stop. Behold, hold your place there
and look back at Isaiah 42 verse 1. Behold, behold I've given
him for witness, a leader, commander, Isaiah 42 verse 1. Remember? Behold my servant. Behold Him. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh
away our sin. Behold my servant whom I uphold,
mine elect. Who's he talking about? The Lord
Jesus Christ, the elect of God. He is the elect, we're chosen
in Him. And whom my soul delighteth, I put my spirit upon Him. He
shall bring forth salvation unto sinners. Look to Him. I look back to the text. Behold,
I've given him, I've given him for a witness, I've given him
for a leader, I've given Him for commander. The Lord Jesus
Christ is everything we need. Everything that God has given
for us in the way of salvation is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The Lord Jesus Christ, He is
the true witness. A true witness, he never lies. It's impossible for him to lie.
Turn over here to John chapter 18 for just a moment. John chapter
18, you remember in the revelation he's called a faithful witness? A faithful witness? You remember
in John 18 verse 37, Pilate answered and said unto the Lord Jesus,
Art thou a king then? John 18 verse 37, you got it? Thou sayest I'm a king, to this
end was I born. He's king of kings and Lord of
lords. He was king when he got here. To this end was I born,
for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness
unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth
hears my voice." He is the faithful, true witness. He is that prophet
that God told Moses that he would raise up. He's the true witness
of all covenant mercy. He is a witness that can be believed. We can rely upon his word. It's
true. It's impossible for God to lie.
And then he's the leader that we need. He's my leader. He's my shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the people because he loves his covenant
people. He is the leader. He is the chief shepherd, the
great shepherd of the sheep, the good shepherd. He's the shepherd
we need. The psalmist said, the Lord is
my shepherd. I shall not want. Aren't you
glad he's our leader? I'm following the leader. We
used to play that game, remember? Follow the leader. Everything
he did, you try to mimic. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
leader. I'm following the leader. The Lord Jesus Christ, He's the
true witness. His word can be trusted. He said,
my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Why? He's the leader.
And then it says here, He's the commander. Oh, He's the commander. You mean, Somebody's in charge
of this outfit? Oh yeah, yeah, he's in charge.
You see, the government is upon his shoulders. I was watching
last night on the History Channel the history about Texas. Anybody
watch some of that? You remember General Sam Houston?
He kept saying, we're going this way, we're going this way, we're
going this way. And they kept saying, no, we're
going that way, we're going that way. He said, you follow me,
I'm going to shoot you. Very simple. There's no choice
in the matter. You see, the gospel is not a
suggestion. The Lord doesn't say here, I
suggest that you follow me. It's not a suggestion, is it?
The gospel is not an offer either. The gospel is a command. You
know why? Because the king doesn't ask
his servants to follow him. They command that they follow
him. Follow me or die. Follow me or
perish in your sin. You see, he's the commander.
He's in charge of all things. In heaven and earth, he said,
I do according to my will. No one can stop my hand or say
to me, Lord, God Almighty, what doest thou? He's the commander
because he's king. He's always been king. He's Lord and Christ. He's in
charge of all things. Look at verse 5 now. He's the witness, He's the leader,
He's God our Savior, He's the commander. Behold, thou shalt
call a nation, a nation that we did not, that a nation that
was not recognized as the people of God. Talking about the elect
among the Gentiles. A nation and people that knew
not Thee shall run, shall run. At one time we ran away from
Him. Remember one time we ran away
from him. Well, I didn't want nothing to
do with that God. He was God We ran away from him now by his
grace when he calls us, you know what we do we run to him No,
we don't run from it. We run to him They shall run
unto me unto thee because because he's the Lord thy God. We run because we've been called.
Thy people shall be willing in the day of his power. You see,
he calls his people with an irresistible call. He calls his people with
a particular effectual call. It's a personal call too. You
remember he said to Matthew, You know, when he walked in the
front of that table that day, Matthew sitting at the receipt
of customs, he was a publican collecting taxes, and the Lord
Jesus walked by in front of that table and said, well, I suggest
that you follow me. No, no. The king doesn't suggest,
he commands, Matthew, follow me. Matthew closed up shop, said
okay. I'll follow you wherever you
go. That's the personal, effectual, irresistible call of God. Call, it's a powerful call. It's
a personal call. Matthew, follow me. Zacchaeus,
make haste and come down. He calls his own sheep by name.
It's a powerful call. It's a perpetual call. It's a
call out of darkness into light. This calling is called a holy
calling, it's called a heavenly calling, it's called a high calling. Run to Him for He's the Holy
One of Israel and the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one for He
hath glorified thee. You see, He saves us in such
a way that He gets all the honor and glory. Turn over here to
Isaiah 44. Isaiah 44. Isaiah 44. Verse 22. I have blotted out
as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, return
unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O heaven, for the
Lord hath done it. Shout ye lower parts of the earth,
break forth in a singing, ye mountains, O forth, and every
tree therein, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob." And you know
what? He gets all the glory. You see
that? And has glorified himself in
Israel. See, salvation is so fixed in
Christ and so accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember
he prayed in John 17? Let's turn and read that in John
17. That God must receive all the
honor and glory in saving sinners. God forbid I should glory save
in the cross of Christ. John 17, verse 1, Father, John
17 1 the hour has come glorify thy son that thy son also may
glorify thee as thou has given him power over all flesh that
he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him
there that covenant again You read in this prayer, he keeps
talking about those people given to him in that covenant, talking
about God's elective grace. And this is eternal life, that
they might know thee the only true God, Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I finished the work that you gave me to do. And now, O
Father, glorify thou me with thine own self for the glory
which I had with thee before the world was. You see, salvation's
all about His glory. Look back at the text. For he
hath glorified thee. He hath glorified thee. Now, look at verse 6. The command of the king is seek
ye the Lord. You see that in verse 6? Seek
ye the Lord. Jehovah, seek the one who is
God Almighty. While he may be found, you call
upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way,
the unrighteous man his thoughts. Forsake your way of self-righteousness.
Forsake the way of low thoughts of God and high thoughts of self.
Forsake those thoughts. Let us, by His grace, turn to
the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for
He will, He will abundantly, abundantly pardon. Seek the Lord. We read in John chapter 6, the
Lord said, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness,
and all these things. be added unto you, who are to
seek Him where He is found. Call upon Him where He is found,
while He is found. Where is He found? In His Word?
Where is He found? In the preaching of the gospel?
Where is he found among his people? Where two or three are gathered
in my name, the Lord said, there am I in the midst. The Lord would
have us come to him and then he would have us seek him diligently
and hear him seek the Lord. Seek the Lord. Now turn to Matthew
chapter eight. If you really had a need for
righteousness and salvation. You know what you'd do? You'd
seek the Lord. You'd seek salvation where it's
revealed, in Christ. Here's a picture of this for
us in Matthew 8, Matthew chapter 8, verse 1. Here's a man that was covered
with leprosy, dying in his filth, in his disease. When he was come
down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him, that
is, the Lord Jesus. Behold, there came a leper, worshipped him, saying, Lord,
if you will, you can make me clean. He's seeking mercy where
it's found, in Christ. And the Lord put forth his hand
and touched him, saying, I will be thou clean. Here is a sinner
seeking mercy and cleansing, and he called upon the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the Lord heard his cry and healed him. And immediately his leprosy was
cleansed. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. I'm a whosoever. I'm a whosoever. I will call upon the Lord. I'm
going to seek mercy where it is found. while he is near and
then let us let us forsake our way let us forsake let the wicked
forsake his way now the Lord Jesus Christ said I am the way
I am the truth I am the life let us seek salvation his way
in him and the unrighteous man let us forsake our thoughts You
see, our thoughts about God, now left ourselves, this is so.
Left ourselves, all of our thoughts about God are wrong. Left ourselves
now. All of our thoughts about God
are wrong. All of our thoughts about the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, left ourselves, our thoughts
are all wrong. All of our thoughts about what
happened in the garden, ruin and sin, all of our thoughts
about that are wrong, left to ourselves. We need to be reprogrammed. We need to be taught of God. So let's forsake our thoughts
and let us turn unto the Lord and seek salvation. And the promise
of God is this, He will have mercy. I've never read in Scripture,
you show me, if I stand corrected, if you'll show me, I've never
read one case of a sinner seeking mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ
that was turned away. The leper wasn't. Blind Bartimaeus,
he kept crying out, even his friends said, shut up, he's got
no time for you. He cried out to Moab, thou son
of David, Have mercy upon me. And the Lord stood still. Healed
him. I'm gonna call for mercy. For
mercy. Mercy. You see, the Lord delights
to show mercy. You remember what the publican
prayed? Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. The sinner. Are you a sinner?
Boy, I am. Through and through. I'm going
to call upon the Lord. He'd like to show mercy to sinners.
You know, He came to save sinners. You know that?