Now you turn in your Bible once
again to Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. The title of this
message is The Highway of Grace. The Highway of Grace. Taken from
Isaiah 35, verse 8, down through verse 10. Let's read these verses
one more time. Isaiah 35, 8 through 10. and a highway shall be there
and a way." Now the first point of this message is this, there's
one way. There's one way of salvation
in Christ Jesus. And it shall be called the way
of holiness. It's a holy way, point number
two. It's a holy way. One way, and
it's a holy way, and then point number three, is found this way
the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it
shall be for those the wayfaring men though fool shall not err
therein it's a select way not only that it is a safe way verse
9 no lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up
thereon it shall not be found there it's a safe way but the
redeemed shall walk there The ransom of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy. The last point
is this, it's a joyous, joyous way. Everlasting joy upon their
head. They shall obtain joy and gladness. Sorrow and sighing shall flee
away. In the gospel of Isaiah, It speaks
much about the blessed salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout
the book of Isaiah, the gospel is described by different names. For example, turn, hold your
place here and find back Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28, the way of salvation
in Christ Jesus here is called the foundation. Isaiah 28, 16,
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for
a foundation, a stone, a tribestone, a precious cornerstone. It is
a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make
haste. So we see that salvation in Christ
Jesus here is described as the foundation stone upon which believers
can find refuge and rest. Not only that, but it's also
called, find Isaiah 32, verse 2. It's called a great rock,
a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32, 2. And a man shall
be a hiding place from the wind, talking about the God-man mediator,
the Lord Jesus, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of
water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land. He is our refuge. And then over
in Isaiah 61, turn over there. Isaiah 61, we have this glorious
promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And here are
salvations described as trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord. Notice in Isaiah 61 verse 3, to a point unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil
of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that he may be glorified." And then here in our text in
Isaiah 35, turn over there, Isaiah 35. Here in our text, in Isaiah
35, we see salvation described as a highway, a highway and a
way. This is the king's highway of
free grace, sovereign grace. It's a free way. It's not a toll
road. It's a free way, not paid by
man's doing. but paid by God's free grace,
and a highway shall be there." Now we see how this way is described
by five different things. Here's the first one. Here's
the first one. There is only one certain highway
of salvation revealed in the Word. And that one way is none
other than the person. The Lord Jesus Christ. And this
is what this is talking about. The way, the highway, is Christ
himself. The Lord Jesus Christ himself. Remember what our Lord said to
Thomas when Thomas asked him the question, Lord, we know not
whether thou goest, how can we know the way? And the Lord said
to him, I am the way. I am the highway. I am the freeway. I am the truth. The truth. All the truth of salvation is
summed up in Christ Jesus. He said, you shall know the truth,
and the truth will set you free. Our Lord said, I am the way,
I am the truth, and then He said, I am life. I am life. No man comes to the Father, but
by and through the God-man mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. No one
comes unto the Father but by this way, this truth, this life. Now think with me. Adam in the
garden lost those three things. He lost the truth, he believed
a lie. He lost the way and he lost life. In the Lord Jesus Christ we have
the way, the truth, the life restored in him and much more. and much more in Him. The Lord
Jesus Christ not only made the way, purposed the way, planned
the way, and paved the way, but He is the way. He is the way. He not only shows us the way,
He is the way. He is the way. He not only speaks
the truth, He is the truth. He not only gives life, He is
life. Listen to this scripture, 1 John
5, 11 and 12. This is a record that God had
given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that
hath the Son hath life. Salvation. He that hath not the
Son hath not life. We read in Proverbs 16, 25, There
is a way that seems right unto men, but the end thereof Or the
ways of death. Now there is a way that appeals
to this old, fallen, fleshly, sinful nature. The way of works. The way of doing. That seems
right unto men. But my friend, that's the way
of death. That's the way of judgment. That's
the way of wrath. Our Lord said this in Matthew
7, Enter in at the straight gate, For wide is the gate, and broad
is the way that leads to destruction. And many there be which go in
thereat, because straight is the gate, narrow is the way which
lead unto life, and few there be that find it." You see, my
friend, the point is this. There is just one way of saving
grace, and that one way is in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. John and Peter that day in the
temple declared unto all who would hear them, they declared
neither is there salvation in any other. There is no other
name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. What I'm plainly saying is that
this book teaches that salvation is in a person, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the highway. He is the
one way. There is no other. Other foundations
can no man lay than that which is laid, which is the Lord Jesus
Christ himself. Now, any who direct to another
way, what would you say of them who would direct to another way
other than Christ alone? Well, they're false prophets.
Any who attempt to bring some addition to the way, such as
works, Good deeds or religious ceremony reveal that they're
on the broad road to destruction. You see, Christ is the way. It's
looking unto Him. Looking unto Him. This highway
of grace never changes because God never changes. This is not a changing way. It's
a steady way. It's a certain way. It's a sure
way. Our Lord said, I am the Lord,
I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob, you are not consumed.
God does not change, grace does not change, and I assure you
that the way of salvation does not change. God saved the first
sinner by grace in Christ Jesus. And the last sinner that will
be saved will be saved exactly the same way through Christ,
by Christ, in Him, in His way of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The way of grace
never changes. The way of salvation in Christ
Jesus never changes. It never needs repair. Everything we build needs repair.
Our house, our car, everything we have anything to do with needs
repair, needs attention. This way of grace and salvation
in Christ Jesus never changes, never needs repair, never needs
improvement, never needs an upgrade. It's constant, it's sure, it's
the same. It is an eternal way in Christ
Jesus. This highway of grace was constructed
by God's purpose and grace. given us in Christ Jesus before
the foundation of the world constructed not by my doing but by His grace
this highway of grace was paved not with my good intentions this
highway of grace is paved with His righteousness His righteous
obedience His faithfulness not mine His blood this highway of
grace is paved with perfect righteousness with a perfect atonement for
sin through His blood, through His sacrifice. This highway of
grace not only constructed by His purpose and grace, not only
paid by His righteousness and blood, but maintained, this highway
of grace is maintained by His power, by His purpose, by His
love, maintained by His love. Nothing can separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us who loved us and gave himself for
us and this highway of grace as I said already is a freeway
justified freely by his grace he that spared not his own son
but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things you see there's one way of salvation
And my friend, that one way is in THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Not a counterfeit, not a phony,
but THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Last week, when I was in Methodist,
we went down to the center of town. And in the center of this
town, there is the oldest standing church building in North America.
built back in the 1500s old old catholic building and the doors
were open beggars were sitting outside and we gave some pesos
to the beggars who were sitting outside and some of us went in
Bridget and I went in and some of the others that were traveling
with us went in some of them did not But as I went in that
building, I noticed people in the pews kneeling and praying. You weren't allowed to take pictures,
but my camera took one anyway. But in the front of that building,
as you look in there, is a crucifix. It must be 20 feet, 25 feet high. And those poor people kneeling
and praying unto that idol. So sad. And as you walk around
the walls of that building, they have different little idol shrines. And these people were just sitting
there staring, kneeling and doing this. And I sat there and looked
at them and I just, my heart weeps for them. You see, the
God whom we worship is a true and living God. He is exalted
to the throne of glory. He ever lives to make intercession
for us. True saving faith doesn't look
to a statue for help or hope. True saving faith looks to the
living Lord Jesus Christ, the victorious Christ, the conquering
Christ, the reigning Christ. You see, there is just one way
of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot be redeemed
but by His blood. There is no other way of forgiveness
of sin but by the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. We cannot be
saved but by His purpose and grace. We cannot be made righteous
but by His righteousness alone. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord would impute righteousness without worth. There's one way of grace, Christ
Jesus. He is the highway of grace. Now notice this, secondly, in
our text. And it shall be called, this
way of grace in Christ Jesus, shall be called the way of holiness. The way of holiness. It says
there, the unclean, now watch this carefully, the unclean shall
not pass over this way, Now here we have a great problem.
Because by nature, I am unclean. Can I show you that in scripture?
Right there in Isaiah. You have it in front of you.
It's signed Isaiah 64. We all have a great problem.
Because by birth, I'm born unclean. I'm born ungodly. I am a sinner
by birth, by practice, and by choice. And you are too. Now
notice this Isaiah 64 verse 6. Isaiah 64 verse 6. We are all
as an unclean thing. All our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities
like the wind have taken us away. There is none that calls upon
thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. But thou
hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us because of our
iniquities. But now, O Lord, thou art our
Father, we are the clay, thou our potter, and we are all the
work of thy hand." We have a problem We have this
sin problem. Those who are put in this way
must be made as holy as God. You see, it's a holy way. Now,
be sure you get a hold of this. By my deeds and by my doing,
by my washing, by my cleansing, by my righteousness, I can never
remove the guilt of my sin. It's not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. I cannot make myself fit for
this way. I'm unclean, and yet this way
is called a holy way. Now here's the problem. How can
this sinner be put in this way of grace and made holy? By what
I do? By what I give? By where I join? Not at all. Only in Christ Jesus. You see, He is made to the believer
wisdom. By nature I'm spiritually ignorant.
He's made unto me wisdom, He's made unto me righteousness, He's
made unto me, He is made to me holiness. He is my holiness. In Him, I can be in this way. In Him, it's
a holy way. God's way of salvation is a holy
way, a highway. It's found upon holy truth, holy
law, holy justice, holy love, and holy grace. God will not
and cannot lower His standard of holiness, not even in the
salvation of His chosen, His elect. Those who walk on this
way must be made as holy as God Himself. How can that be? Oh, that I may win Christ and
be found in Him. Not having my own righteousness,
my own holiness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faithfulness, the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ Jesus. The psalmist asked this question.
Psalm 24. Who shall ascend unto the hill
of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? And the answer comes back. He
that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up
his soul to vanity, who hath never sworn deceitfully, he shall
receive the blessing from the Lord, and the righteousness from
the God of his salvation." Thank God that is a description of
the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of glory who does
enter in. He does have clean hands. He
does have a pure heart. He has never lifted his soul
to vanity. And you know what? Those who
enter in to this way of holiness enter in by His merit, enter
in by His grace, enter in by His righteousness alone. That's
the glorious mystery of the gospel, how God can be just and justify
the ungodly. The only way our wise God has
established and revealed is through the all-sufficient, satisfying,
all-meritorious blood, sacrifice, and obedience of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now listen to this scripture.
All of you know this very well. You've heard this. I've repeated
this scripture over and over and over again. 2 Corinthians 5.21. God, Almighty
God, made Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be sin, or to be sin
for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Do you see that? How can this
sinner stand in that way of holiness? Only in Christ Jesus. Not by
my merit, but by His. Listen to this scripture, 1 Peter
3, 18, Christ also once suffered for
our sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
the ungodly to make them clean, righteous, holy in him and then
he puts us in the way of grace. in Christ Jesus. And then he
presents us before the Father without spot, blameless, without
one blemish before God in his sight. How? In Christ. You see, the highway of grace? One way. And it is a holy way
based upon righteousness imputed, righteousness given in Christ
Jesus. Everything this sinner needs
to stand eternally justified and perfectly holy before God
now and forever is fully and freely supplied in Christ. Only
that which God supplies will God accept. It's a holy way. My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. He's called Jehovah Jireh. The
Lord will provide. He does provide all salvation
for us. My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. You got the first two points?
There's one way. It's a way of holiness in Christ
Jesus. Thirdly, notice this. This highway of grace and holiness
is a select way. It's a select way. But it shall
be for those, though wayfaring, though fools, shall not err therein. It says the redeemed shall walk
therein, verse 10 and 9, and the ransom of the Lord shall
return unto the Lord. The highway of grace and holiness
is also a select way. It is for those Pilgrims and
strangers, those fools chosen by God's grace. Who are these
people? Verse 9 calls them redeemed of
the Lord. Those chosen by His sovereign
electing grace, bought with His precious blood. He says, you
no more your own, you are bought with a price. It shall be for,
look what it says in verse 9, the redeemed of the Lord. It's a select way. Our Lord said,
you didn't choose me. He said to those disciples that
day, you didn't choose me, but I've chosen you. And I've ordained
you. And I've put you in the way.
You see, it's a select way. It's for those covenant people
given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who were bought with His
blood. And then in verse 10 it calls these who are selected,
the select way calls them the ransomed of the Lord. Deliver
them from going down to the pit, God said, for I have found a
ransom. And when the ransom price is
paid by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the prisoner is
set free. And that's what we have in Christ
Jesus. You see, this is a select way.
Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free. It's
a free way. It's a select way. for those given to the Lord Jesus. Our Lord said, All that the Father
hath given me shall come to me, and those that come to me I will
in no wise cast out. So there's one way. It's a holy
way. It's a select way. God hath from
the beginning, beloved, chosen us unto salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you
by our gospel. Now notice this. Not only a select
way, a holy way, and one way, but number four is this. It's
a safe way. It's a secure way. It says in
verse 9, No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall
go up thereon, shall not be found there, but the redeemed will
be there, the ransom of the Lord shall be there, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, our captain, our Lord, our Savior, our salvation. Now notice the marginal reference
on verse 9 where it says, for he shall be with them, the
last part of verse 7, he shall be with them, He shall be with
them. The Lord himself has defeated
all our enemies. We are more than conquerors through
him that loved us and washed us from our sin in his own blood.
He keeps us safe in the way by his presence and by his power.
He says, I will be with you. I'll never leave you. I'll never
forsake you. We're kept by his power. The
old lion, our adversary, may roar, but he cannot devour. We are kept by the power of God.
He said, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you, so that
you may boldly say, the Lord is our helper. I will not fear
what man shall do to me. You see, it's a safe way. Turn
to Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43. Look at verse 1. Do we put ourselves at risk or
in harm's way by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. Never, never. It is safe to trust all your
salvation to Him who is altogether lovely. Look what it says here
in Isaiah 43, look at verse 1, But now, thus saith the Lord,
that created thee, O Jacob, he that formed thee, O Israel, fear
not, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy
name, you are mine." When you pass through the waters, the
waters of heartache and trouble and trial, He says, I'll be with
you. When you go through the rivers, they will not overflow
thee. When you walk 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 Sheba for thee, since thou wast precious in my
sight. Thou hast been honorable, I have loved thee, therefore
I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not, 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 to the south, keep not back. Bring my son from far,
my daughter from the ends of the earth, for 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." You see, this
is a safe way. The scripture declares, if God
be for us, tell me, tell me, who can be against us? If Almighty
God is for us, and He is, completely so much so that He gave His only
begotten Son to secure this way, to give us this way to keep us
in this way he'll never forsake his own never he said I give
unto them eternal life and they will never perish neither can
any man pluck them out of my hand my father which gave to
me is greater than all and no man can pluck them out of my
father's hand I and my father are one it's a safe way no lion
shall be there For any ravenous beast shall go up on this way. It shall not be found there. But the Lord, and the redeemed,
and the ransom of the Lord. Now here's the last thing. The
highway of grace in Christ Jesus is a joyous way. It's a joyous
way. Look at verse 10. And the ransom
of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with song. everlasting
joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness. Sorrow and sighing shall flee
away. It's a joyous way. It's an everlasting
joy obtained by His grace. This may refer to our eternal
joy and glory, but it's also the joy and blessedness that
we enjoy as believers right now. Right now we rejoice in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Rejoice in the Lord always and
again I say rejoice. Psalm 144 declares this, happy
is the people whose God is the Lord. Notice if you will Isaiah
61, turn over there. It's a joyous way. We do rejoice
in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 61 verse 10 this time.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful
in my God. You see that? For he hath clothed
me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with a robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. Or as the earth
bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things
that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. Turn to one other scripture.
Find Romans chapter 4. David often times talks about
the blessed man. And that word can be rendered
happy. Happy is the man whose hope is in the Lord his God.
Happy is that person whom the Lord will not impute sin. In Romans chapter 4. You got
it? Let's look at verse 4. Let's look at verse 4. Who are the happy, blessed people?
Romans 4, 4. Now, to him that worketh is reward,
not reckoning of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh
not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, His faith
is counted for righteousness. Even as David also described
the blessedness or the happiness of the man unto whom the Lord
imputeth righteousness without works, saying, verse 7, blessed,
happy. Happy are those whose iniquities
are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed. Look at verse 8. Happy. Happy
is a man to whom the Lord will not charge sin. He can't charge a believer with
sin. For in Christ Jesus, for there
is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in the Lord
Jesus Christ. If the Lord Jesus Christ took
my sin, paid my debt, suffered God's wrath and justice, put
away my sin, God's justice can't twice demand at my bleeding surety's
hand and then again at mine? That cannot be so. You see, this
is a joyous way in Christ Jesus. Well, I pray the Lord will bless
His Word to your heart and cause you to think about the Lord Jesus
Christ, this way, this highway of grace in Him.