Romans 5: 1-11 Living with deep joy even in suffering

Romans 5: 1-11

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As I began to work on today's sermon, reading through the text, I suddenly saw something that I had never seen before. And that's v3.

Oh, I’ve read this verses many times. Quoted them even. But I’ve realised that v3 follows v1and 2. I’d never seen that suffering flows out of the context of salvation.

For v1 and 2 is the colossal news of God's forgiveness. We have been justified (made right) by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore we now live in undeserved privilege. We live in the realm of grace. We were moved from judgment to grace. And so we have a secure future of joy with God.

But then comes the surprising continuation of this theme of joy in salvation v3: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials (literally “sufferings”).

What? Problems and trials. What does salvation have to do with that?

How can we rejoice in trials?

This is difficult for us to understand, because our culture views all suffering as only evil, and we actually suffer very little compared to, for example, the apostle Paul. But without understanding how God uses our suffering, we will struggle as Christians, and always be dissatisfied, and maybe even believe that God doesn’t like us.

Therefore, we need to understand

First, we live in the realm of grace
Second, the way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God
and third, In our weakness, God is strong.

1. We live in the realm of grace.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

“Therefore” is a most important word because it connects this chapter to those before. Whenever you see a “therefore” you must ask yourself what is the therefore there for.
And it’s there to remind us of the context. What have we learned so far? That we have been made righteous by faith. We are justified, redeemed, propitiated (or reconciled).

Justified: God as judge says we are acquitted. Jesus has taken our punishment. He swapped places with us. He took the punishment we deserved as guilty sinners, and gave his righteousness. We are declared to be in the right with God. Acquitted. Justified. In Christ.

Redeemed: God as rescuer in the slave market frees us from the power of sin. The price was blood money, literally – Jesus’ precious blood was the price he paid to free us from slavery to sin. Let's not play with sin – we are bought at a price. Redeemed

Propitiated: God as sacrifice. For the wages of sin is death. To sin is to reject God, and he is the source of all life. So to reject God is to reject life and so we die. But instead, Jesus has took our place, as our substitute. He is our substitutionary sacrifice. Like a lamb on the altar, he dies in our place, and justice is satisfied, so that we can be reconciled to God. We are propitiated. Reconciled.

In Christ we are justified, redeemed, reconciled. There is no further judgment over us. God is not angry with us anymore. Therefore, v1 we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Peace. Before, God was our enemy. We rebelled against him. “No, you shall not be my King. I will be my own king, my own master”. We declared our independence. But we still demand all the good things that comes from God: like life, creation, love, joy – even every breath.

It’s as if we here in Notodden suddenly declared that we are no longer a part of Norway. We are independent! But we still demand roads, electricity, police, hospitals, etc.
How do you think the government would react? And the rest of the country? We would awaken anger. By declaring ourselves independent we made them our enemies. And we would need someone, a peace negotiator who can reconcile us.

That's what Jesus does for us. Through his sacrifice he reconciled us and God. And so now we and God are no longer enemies. We have peace with God.

2 Because of our faith (in this reconciling work of Christ), Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand

We have now been brought out of the realm of wrath into the realm of grace. We now live in grace, under grace. Not under the law, not in sin, but in grace we now stand. Can you grasp that? That's what happened when you trusted in Jesus Christ. Moved from judgment to grace. And that's where you live now. But only in Christ. If you are not in Christ then you are not under grace, but under wrath.
But if in Christ you have nothing to fear. Through him, by faith, we now stand in undeserved privilege, grace. Amen!

and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory

That looking forward, or “hope” as some translate it – it’s the same word as in v5 – that is secure. When we say “hope” there is uncertainty “Oh, I hope I'll succeed”. But when the Bible uses the word hope there is no uncertainty. It’s in the future, but it is as certain as if it already happen. It is certain because God is behind it. So we can confidently look forward to sharing God’s glory. What joy! We who are in Christ will experience the glory of God because we live in the realm of grace. Because it does not depend on what you and I do - but what Jesus has done. It is guaranteed by his blood.
And so, we have a sure hope.

What does it mean, then, to you that you live now in the realm of grace, undeserved privilege?

For most of us live like this is not true. We try to justify ourselves by being good enough for God. Here’ s a way to test yourself: Are you ever proud of yourself because you've succeeded at being holy (or so you think!) and God’s impressed with you? Or are you exhausted or angry because you just can’t be good enough for God, and now your depressed and full of worry and believe that God doesn’t want anything to do with you? Both are wrong and reveal that you are depending on your own achievements instead of Jesus. Repent and be free!

If we are in Christ, we never need to do anything good again. We never need to do anything good again. Because it's not our performance that matters - it's Jesus's performance. And he succeeded! He passed the test. Therefore we have passed the test. That's the first thing we must understand. If we are in Christ, we never need to do anything good eve again.

Of course, because we have a new nature, the Holy Spirit in us, we will do what is good, more and more, not out of desperation to satisfy God, but because this is what Jesus is like and we are becoming more and more like him as He renews from the inside out.

OK. Got that. If I trust in Jesus, I am righteous, I have peace with God, I live in the realm of grace, and look forward to taking part in His glory. But how do I know that I’m actually trusting in Jesus, and not in myself. How do I know that I'm not just fooling myself. I say I'm a Christian, but am I really?

2. The way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Rejoice in trials? What kind of problems and trials? Trials because we are Christians: for example, the fight against my own sin? Or is it persecution we are talking about? Or is it just living in a fallen world with sickness and death and lies and cheating and violence and immorality and so on?

Our battle with sin, persecution, or living in a fallen world? Or all three?

And I think this is about all three. The word translated “problems and trials” or “suffering” in other translations means “that which causes pain”. Everything that causes pain, whether it is internal conflict or external pressure, whether it’s because we are Christians or just because we are not yet in the new creation. Problems and trials. Suffering. And this we should rejoice in?

Why?

To explain that let me tell you about Richard Wurmbrand. Richard Wurmbrand was a Christian leader in Romania during Communism, and was brutally tortured and persecuted, along with many other Christians. He said this “When they pressured us Christians, when they hit us, squeezed us - what came out? Love. Love came out.”

We rejoice in our sufferings, or as in Norwegian we have confidence in our sufferings not because we like to suffer, but because of what they reveal in us. They show that we truly belong to Christ.

Remember last week when we talked about sin: the core of sin is ... “I am God”. I am god. I choose. But if I am God, I would never have chosen suffering for myself. Problems and trials clearly show us that we are not God.

As sinners, this makes us angry, despondent, full of fear and bitterness. But if we are Christians then we discover something else at the same time. Calm. Inner peace. Another power beyond us that comes from within and carries us. It is the Holy Spirit. God in us. God with us. And we turn to Him.

As we go through such sufferings, whether it's persecution or just a cold - we are encouraged in our faith. Wow! God is really with me! He's alive! We see the power of God in us (sometimes only afterward as we look back). And those around us noticed it as well.

Because think about this: if everything just went our way, how would we know that we are Christian? And how would others?

Imagine a good-looking couple. They’re both Christians. They both grew up in a good Christian home with Christian parents who loved them. They were popular at school, had many friends, were academically gifted. They met at university, fell in love and had a dream wedding. They deeply loved each other and had no problems in their marriage. They had two children, both of whom were dream children. They also were popular at school, gifted and talented, and they too met their spouse at university, and they too had a dream wedding and a joyful marriage without problems and had dream children. And at a ripe old age this couple died togheter in their sleep. They never had any health problems, financial challenges, or any other form of suffering. Not even a headache.

How would anyone know that they were actually Christian? Did they love God because they loved him? Or did they love God because he gave them what they wanted? If we just love God because he does what we want, then we’re not loving God but loving ourselves! But when we discover that we still love God even while we suffer – then we know that love is real.

For how would this “perfect couple” known that they were actually Christians? Because a Christian is one who sets himself aside and puts God first. A Christian is someone willing to sacrifice everything, to die to himself and to live for Christ. If God only does what you want him to do - are you really a Christian?
You know that you belong to Jesus when you choose to be obedient when it costs. When it hurts. Especially when you think God is wrong. Even when it goes against what society says.
For example, Glenn and Birthe have chosen to get married because they trust what God says and not what society says. It shows that they belong to God.

I know that Christian and Johanna did not want to go through what they went through when Isabella was born. Both Johanna and Isabella nearly died, and they were extremely ill for a long time. No way Christian would have chosen to go through that!
But as Christians, we run to God, because we know that He can carry us through. And that's what they did. They had no choice! But God carried them through. Yes, it was difficult, and we’re not saying that the suffering itself was good. No. But through that suffering they learned to know God better, deeper. Their faith was strenghtened. And that is good.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

This is how it works (yes I have a drawing!).

For endurance through suffering develops character. We experience that God is with us. We find that we really believe, it's not just something we do. This is our life! And character develops hope. Because when we suffer, we are reminded that this world is not our home and we look forward to the next, where we will experience the glory of God in its entirety. Here there are problems and trials - but we look forward to the day when will we see our Saviour face to face. When all is renewed. Where evil is destroyed. And we are made new and sin in us is crushed. Amen!

When you squeeze people you see what’s in them. When you squeeze an orange, orange juice come out. When you squeeze a Christian, Christ comes out. People do what serves them. But when we suffer because we are obedient to God, it’s proof that we belong to Jesus. And it is a testimony to all around us that Jesus lives in us. Just think of Mia. How she responded to her cancer has been a great testimony to her work colleagues. They have seen Jesus in her.

The way we respond to suffering shows that we truly belong to God.

Therefore, when we suffer, what should we do? Thank God. And pray for his strength to get through. Because We are weak, but he is strong. Richard Wurmbrand and our Christian brothers in Romania were not supermen. They didn’t have some extraordinary gene that allowed them to shout out “I forgive you in the name of Jesus” while they were being beaten by the police. No. They had the power of Jesus in them. Jesus was with them. And this is often what we forget. We fear things and are anxious and worried because we forget God in the situation. Elisabeth Elliot said “there is no mercy for the imagination”. When we sit and worry about everything that might go wrong, we find no comfort because we look only to ourselves and our own strength and then we freak out “I can’t do this!”. We forget God. We forget that if what we are worried about should actually happen (and it usually doesn’t) but if it does - then we're not alone. God is with us. And all his strength is with us. Christian and Johanna experienced it. Richard Wurmbrand experienced it. And you, if you are a Christian, have experienced it. Remind yourself of it. Especially when you are worried about obeying God. You know you need to obey but Oh, it too hard, what if everything goes wrong, what will people say, etc. All the excuses we use. Pull yourself together, be a man, and do what's right. And God will not let you down.

Be a man and do what is right. And you will learn endurance. And endurance develops character, and character delivers a sure hope. Because, though we are weak, he is strong.

3. In our weakness, God is strong.

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

My brothers and sisters, Jesus died for us when we did not deserve it. When we were weak, ungodly. Against God. In the moment we deserved it least - he died for us, his enemies.

7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

It’s completely unthinkable. It is as if a Jew stood up and said “I will die instead of Hitler so that he can go free”. Completely inconceivable. There was nothing in us that was appealing. We were sinners in rebellion against God. And then he chooses to save us by giving his life. Hallelujah! In our weakness he is strong.

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

I love v10. If he loved us so much when we were enemies - why do we think he will love us less when we have become his friends, his children? For we speak warmly of salvation, about justification - but when we talk about sanctification, living as a Christian – then suddenly it's all serious and hard and duty and we can lose everything. Nonsense! 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
God doesn’t save us halfway. Good luck with the rest! We have a sure hope. Because we don’t rejoice over our works v11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Our trust is not in ourselves, but in Jesus. We live in grace. Therefore, we can rejoice in our sufferings because it makes us dependent on Jesus. And when we call on him for help we are not disappointed. In our weakness, we experience his strength, and that is a great witness to us and to everyone around us.

So next time we suffer, let's say, “Thank you God for these problems and trials, because they make me depend on you, and you will show you glory and strength to me through this and to those around me.” Amen.

One final word: this is for Christians. Those who trust in Jesus. Those who have him as Master and Lord. If that’s not you, then there is no comfort, no help in suffering. But sufferings are a great warning sign that you are not God and you need to repent and accept Christ. So if life is too difficult to bear - you're absolutely right! It's too difficult to bear. None of us can bear the burden of life because we were created to live with God. Repent and come to Jesus.

Almighty God, I am a sinner because I’ve chosen to put myself first. I have ignored you. I have lived as if you were dead.

In your mercy, Lord, forgive me. Thank you for the Cross, for there Jesus died to take away my sins. Let your Word renew me and give me new life.

I choose to set you first, Lord. From today I want to belong to You. Be my Saviour, my Lord, and my God! Amen.

Rom 1:18-2:5 God abandoned us to our shameful desires…

Rom 1:18-2:5

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Am I a Christian if I refuse to accept parts of the gospel, the parts of the Bible I do not like?

Everything that looks Christian is not necessarily Christian. Many things are dressed in Christian clothes which are not Christian at all, but pagan and atheistic.

Be sceptical of anything that puts us in the centre. Of "theology" where God does everything that we want him to, and where we get power and wealth and health and the American Dream! That’s why we’re going through Romans: because here the gospel is clearly and systematically laid out. What the gospel is, what it contains and why we need it. This is what we believe.

From 1:18 to 3:20, we are in the "Why do we need the gospel" part of Romans. And we immediately crash into something we struggle with in our culture: that God is God! He is sovereign over all things, he judges us, and his judgment is right. Akk! No!
So we’re tempted to say, “but how can a loving God be like that? I can’t believe in such a God”.
What we’re upset about is not that he is sovereign, but that I’m not. Because when everything’s going our way, we love thinking of the sovereign God, ruling on high, smiling down on us and taking care of things. But when he does something that goes against our will, when we disagree with his choice – that’s when we suddenly have problems with his sovereignty.

And the biggest problem with his sovereignty is his judgment - and we struggle with it! Try telling one of your friends. See what reaction you get. “But God is a God of love! What's important is if we've tried”

Really? When you hit your sister in your face, did your parents say, “Doesn’t matter, we're full of love!” Ha! That’s not love, that’s unfair! That’s injustice. If God is really is a God of love, He will judge us for what we have done. He must judge, otherwise he is not good! But like children caught in the act of doing something wrong, we choose to close our ears and eyes and pretend that the parent isn’t there.

Will we believe the word of God, or will we 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. A tame God for the "modern" Norwegians? Do we believe in Jesus or Jusus? The fake copy, or the real thing?

In today's text, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, is teaching us that we all, without exception, have sinned. It is not that there are "good" people and "bad" or "evil" people – that’s the worldly, humanist, atheist way of thinking and it’s not Biblical. Ro 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. says 3:23.

We are stuck the quicksand of sin. And the more you struggle and try to save yourself in quicksand, the faster you sink.
We need the gospel because we have all sinned and are under the right judgement of God, and face his anger.

1. We see God’s judgement in our thinking.

2. We see God’s judgement in our sexuality

3. We see God's judgement in everything that we do

4. How can we understand God's judgement and anger as Christians?

1. We see God’s judgement in our thinking.

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Because we are sinners, we suppress the truth. What truth? The truth about God: that he exists, that he created us, that he is King. We must suppress this truth, for how can we pretend to be God if God is there?

19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Look around you. Look at Creation. See its design. Look at yourself, your morals - why do you say “this is wrong” when you do the same thing? For example, we all “know” that lying is wrong - but we all lie. It’s as if we know that there is a Standard beyond us, above us.

God has made it obvious that He is there. And we have chosen to ignore him. We choose to rather believe that everything is just random, that order came out of chaos - something that never happens - except in evolution! Why? Because we'd rather believe in something so ridiculous than believe in God. We suppress the truth and therefore everyone is without excuse. Not one person can say to God “I did not know you existed”. We are all guilty.

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

We exchanged the gospel in all its glory with something else, something less. Instead of Jesus and his immense love, we put ourselves and our desires in the centre. Seek first your own interest. Follow your heart. Look out for number 1. Me, me me. What kind of world does that create?

And it affects us as Christians too. We are always tempted to make God less, a little more tame, a little more manageable, a little less sovereign, a little less full of anger, a little less God - and make ourselves a little bigger. But the truth is the greater we make ourselves the less we become in reality. We become limited and full of fear. To acknowledge the truth that God is sovereign that my salvation is based not on what I do but what Jesus has done, and that God works in me in the power of the Holy Spirit, that same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead - then the possibilities are endless. Then I'm really free!

This isn’t just theory, we’ve seen it time and again just in these five years at Rock Church. We have seen people being saved, healed, released from prison, and Satan's power crushed. God is sovereign! Our God is sovereign! And then the possibilities are endless, unlimited. Then we are free to experience all that God can do.

Let's not be tempted to make God small, because that is God's judgment: that he abandons us to dark and confused minds.

We see God's judgement in our thinking.

2. We see God’s judgement in our sexuality

26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

This Homosexuality thing is nothing new. In Roman times, homosexuality was the old, worn out and backwards sexual morality, and it was Christian sexual ethics that was revolutionary and new! Homosexuality is not new and modern and evolved. It’s older than Christian sexual ethics. We haven’t evolved in our understanding. We’ve gone backwards!

That we think now as a society that being gay is a good thing and must be praised says a lot about us and what we think about God and his creation order. We take what he says and do the opposite. We twist it - we will not be women and men, but we’ll decide for ourselves what we’ll be. We won’t have sex with those whose genitals fit - no we’ll choose our own way, our own truth. We won’t have sex in marriage, but out of marriage! But all of this only damages us because it's not the way we’re created. As v27 says they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

When we commit sexual sin, we punish our own body. We inflict suffering on ourselves. Duh! Whether we are heterosexual or homosexual, sexual sin brings with it a lot of "gifts": a whole bunch of sexually transmitted diseases that can kill us with cervical cancer, make us sterile, destroy our sex drive, or "just" give us sores and an itchy crotch.... And if we’re engaging in gay sex or imitating porn, we can quickly ruin our, let's say, 'rear end'. (Not so sexy to wear a nappy the rest of life).

Homosexuality is no solution. Transgender (pretending you are another gender) is no solution. Saying: “God you’ve made a mistake, I’ll make my own choice, I’ll decide my own reality” when it comes to our gender or our sexual orientation is to really only hurt ourselves. It's no way out, no guarantee of happiness.

That’s not to deny that we can have big feelings, overwhelming feelings that “I'm a girl” or “I want to sleep with men” - but that should not define who we are. That should not be our identity. Our identity is A son or daughter of God, loved by God. And so the question is, will we let God be God and trust what he says? Do we want to live by faith? V17. The righteous shall live by faith. Trust in the goodness of God and his faithfulness. Yes, it may well be difficult, but the alternative is sin - and that only hurts us.

Now, if you’ve been listening and are thinking “Well, this has got nothing to do with me, just those disgusting gays” then the Holy Spirit has a word for us: 2:1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.

When you judge someone else for their sin, you condemn yourself. It's too easy to mock gays and wag your judgemental finger at "them" while we heterosexuals divorce and live together and watch porn and destroy our own lives and society. Heterosexuals ruined the world long before gays organized!

Paul writes very cleverly here, gets us judging and saying - "yes, yes, that's completely wrong" - before he nails us with the next verses 29-31 covering all sorts of sin - because all of a sudden we’re all grouped together with homosexuals! We condemn ourselves with our own condemnation! Brilliant!

Because it’s true that gays have been bullied by the church. When we rage against homosexuality but don’t say a word about adultery, pornography, or cohabitation, or other “heterosexual” sins – that’s bullying. That’s discriminating against a small, vulnerable group. So, I would like to apologise on behalf of the church to my brothers and sisters who are gay: sorry. Forgive us for what we have done wrong. Forgive us because we came with judgement and turned our back on you, closing the door so that it was difficult for you to accept Jesus.

Brothers and sisters let me just say something quite clearly: in this church there is no room for hatred. Here there is no room for judgmentalism, for an attitude of “I'm better than you”. We are all in the same boat, equally sinful, no-one better than another. And if we have accepted Jesus as Saviour and Lord, we are equal in Christ, all children of God, loved equally as dearly by our Heavenly Father.

So this church is for homosexuals and for heterosexuals because we are all sexual sinners. We are all lawbreakers. And we all need Jesus. Jesus accepts us as we are. Remember what we have learned: that the gospel is something God does, not us. So if you're a homosexual you're not disqualified from knowing God because of your sin. And if you’re heterosexual, you’re also not disqualified from knowing God because of your sin. We can both come to Jesus, and be washed clean, whether we are gay or not. Come to Jesus and receive forgiveness, and receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to repent of . - turn away from the sin that comes so naturally, so easily, to us. Whether it's porn, or infidelity, or cohabitation, or fantasies about people you're not married to, or if you're violent or abusive during sex. Repent! Stop doing such things! Or you may refusing to have sex with your spouse, you’re rarely together. Again, by the Spirit’s help, let’s repent.

We need help, and that’s why we have a church. I’d like to challenge us to help each other here. That we can share our struggles with sin with each other, including sexual sin, so that we can pray for each other. And we do not judge each other, no matter what, because we are all sinners, and the only solution is to expose our sin to the light in order to deal with it. If you’re struggling with something difficult or you are too scared to share with someone in the church, feel free to talk to me or to Debby and we'll be happy to help you fight your sin and grow in godliness.

Just before we leave this point I want to clearly state God’s position on sex. Christian sexual ethics is easy. Are you married to the person: have lots of sex, often. If you are not married to the person: Do not have sex, and that includes all kind of sex, including pornography.

We see God’s judgement in our thinking.

We see God’s judgement in our sexuality’

3. We see God's judgement in everything that we do

I’ll just spend a few minutes on these verses.

28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking (sin begins up here, in our minds. Beware your thoughts. Be careful what you put in - what you watch, what you listen to. Does it help you to fight sin and obey Jesus, or not? Cut out whatever draws you towards temptation and so to sin. The battle begins here.) and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed (we’re fat because we eat too much and drown in debt because we buy too much. We need to eat less, exercise more, and give money to the gospel to be set free from the tyranny of greed!), hate, envy (advertisements! They’re built on envy. And jealousy in the church – she’s prettier than me, they have a bigger house, they... Instead turn to thanksgiving and praise. Thanks God for what you do have instead of looking at what you don’t. Praise Him. It kills envy and jealousy), murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. (Christian gossip starts with "just so we can pray but have you heard". Love ruins gossip and backstabbing. If you want to share something about someone else, stop and ask yourself “Why do I want to say this? Is it to bless and help them - or is it for me?” 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

they piss out evil
Oh, that's us! And if we think we’re better because “I don’t do all that (well, maybe one or two small things)” then the next verses nail us. Just look at 2:3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?

Naughty, naughty, don’t lie, we say – and then we lie. Naughty, naughty, we say, you gossip – while we’re watching porn. Naughty, naughty, don’t be violent we say – but then we quarrel and use our words like weapons.
Every time we point our finger at someone else’s sin, we judge ourselves because we show that we know right and wrong! And then we choose to do what's wrong anyway!

We see God’s judgement in our thinking.
We see God’s judgement in our sexuality
We see God's judgement in everything that we do

4. How do we understand God's judgement and anger as Christians?

We have spent a lot of time seeing ourselves as we really are: sinners without hope. But how should we understand this as Christians? Why do we still sin? Why do we experience God judgement in our own lives as he allows us to sin? Why does he allow sin in the church and in the life of his children?

That was the question the prophet Habakkuk asked. Why am I suddenly talking about Habakkuk? Because the quote in v17 “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” is from Habakkuk and his book forms the basis of the argument in chapters 1 and 2.

So in these last few minutes I want to give us a framework for how we can understand God's wrath, his anger, as part of his salvation!

See, Habakkuk’s complaint to God is this: everyone is sinning, the law has no power - what are you doing O God? Save us!
And God says, “I will save you by judging you. I’m sending Babylon to destroy Israel.”
“What?!” said Habakkuk, “that’s not a solution! They’re even worse! Why does allow that?
And God answer to him is “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Actually in Habakkuk 2:4 it says “the righteous person will live by his faithfulness”
Trust me, God is saying. Be patient and you will see my faithfulness.

The Babylonians swept in like a flood and destroyed Israel, just like we sometimes experience sin - our sin or other's sin - like a flood. But we must stand firm. We must have faith in God's faithfulness.

When we look around, we look at the church, we look at Christians – oh dear. There’s so much disappointment, so much heartache. And that’s God's judgment. He has abandoned us to our shameful desires... but in that judgement there is salvation, for we who have faith. Have faith in his faithfulness. Stand on Christ as everything else fails and crashes about you – and you will stand firm.

There’s a famous scene from 1928 with Buster Keaton where a whole wall falls on him - but because he's standing just where the window is, he is not be hurt. He’s standing exactly where he needs to be, and he has faith that everything has been correctly calculated so that when the wall falls, he will not be smashed, but will stand tall.

That's how we should be. Stand firm. Have faith, trust, in God's faithfulness. Even though we are in the storm of his anger, his judgement, we who trust in Him will stand.

What about those who keep sinning, and God seems to do nothing – just keeps allowing their sin? Breivik and Hitler and Mugabe and others who just ruin everything around them? Well, we’ll find out next week – but here’s a little foretaste. God’s judgment will fall on them like a wall on a man, and smash them into pieces. Their sins will catch up with them. 2:6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done…11 For God does not show favouritism.

We see God’s judgement in our thinking, our sexuality, in everything that we do! But do not be afraid. Stand firm. Have faith in God’s faithfulness, and as everything crashes around you, you will stand, for salvation comes from the Lord.

Revelation 14-16 Justice!

Revelation 14:1 – 16:21

Listen to MP3.

Salwaltha Wandala, a 55 year old resident of the village Attagara in northern Nigeria arrived for church on the morning of Sunday, the first of June 2014. What he saw was horrific. People were being brutally murdered wherever he looked. 100 militia from Boko Haram attacked the village and its churches with machine guns and machetes. He saw a young boy get stabbed and thrown in a ditch. He jumped into the ditch to get the boy – but found himself surrounded by five men. They took the boy from him, chopped the boys head off in front of his eyes, and then beat him until they thought he was dead.

Attagara was a target because it was known as a Christian village. In two days over 200 people, including many young children, were brutally murdered at church and at children’s church.

How long, O Lord?

That’s the question behind the book of Revelation. The early church experienced terrible persecution. Horrific attacks. In chapter 6:10 those “under the alter”, who were killed for their faith in Jesus, shout “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”

How long, O Lord? How long will you put up with such evil?

How long will you allow people to sin against each other and hurt each other? How long until justice is done.

Today our Christian brothers and sisters are being persecuted. They lose their job because of following Jesus – like Katarzyna, because she refused to be party to killing babies in their mother’s womb. Christians are arrested and thrown in jail because they are Christian – like Jerusalem’s brother. They are beaten, mocked, rejected from society, even murdered, often by government forces, simply because they follow Christ. Does God not see this? How long will he allow it? Will there ever be justice?

And it's not just Christians who experience injustice. When we look at the news, we ask the same question. How long?

A truck mows down 89 people in Nice. A bomb explodes at a concert in Manchester. In Aleppo, Syria, people have access to electricity for two hours a day, and water only one day a month! Every day we hear of terrible things happening, even here in Norway. There is violence in the streets, violence in our homes, and violence on our lips.

What is wrong with us?

Revelation reminds us that God sees everything that happens. He remembers everything. Nothing escapes his eye. And all these things will be dealt with, paid for in full. Justice will be done. Judgment day, the day of justice, is coming.

And that's a terrifying thought.

Because the eternal gospel is as follows: “Fear God and give him glory”. That's the first point. And the second is Learn from Egypt. Judgment Day is coming.

1. The eternal Gospel is “Fear God and give Him glory"

If I asked you to sum up the gospel - what we believe - what would you say? Probably something like me: “Jesus Christ saves sinners”. I doubt we would say what the angel shouts throughout the world in v6-7: 6 And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”

In these chapters there are two groups. First, the 144000 who are “without blame” “pure” and perfect, standing secure with Jesus, redeemed from the earth, with God's name on their foreheads. They stand on the sea of glass singing the song of Moses. Christians. We who have been given Jesus' righteousness by His grace alone and are now called “righteous”. Whatever happens in this life, we are safe.

The second group is not safe at all. In fact, all who are not in Christ will face God's wrath.

Now, it’s not very popular these days to talk about God's judgment! We prefer to think of God as kind and accommodating. And you know what - he is! He is… now. The door in is still open! It is still possible to cry out for mercy and receive Jesus’ righteousness as a gift and repent and follow him.
But that time will soon be past. The judge is beginning to don his judge’s robes. For our God is a God full of mercy. But He is also holy. Powerful. And terrifyingly good. He will not tolerate a sliver of evil. He cannot. He is holy! He is good. Not good like you and me, but GOOD to the nth degree. Like when gold or steel is brought from the mines and then burned in the furnace to remove all the impurities so will God test everything and only what perfectly perfect will survive.

7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge.

As we will sing one day, we saints, we holy ones of God, we Christians, we will stand on the sea of glass and sing in 15:3-4: “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

We were created and indeed all things were created to give glory to God. It is the our life’s purpose. It is the universe's purpose. To give glory to God. As we breathe in and as we breathe out we are to glorify God. Glory to God. Glory to God.

But do we do that? No! We turned our back on God. We decided that we should glorify ourselves! I'm number one! I'll honour myself.

If you don’t believe me, just watch the adverts on TV. They reveal our true selves. They’re aimed at our selfishness, our wish to be better than everyone else. Happier, prettier, more successful, with a better car and better house. Everything is about me. You know, I’ve never seen an advert saying “this will help you to glorify God!” Not even one saying “this will help you serve others”. No. Serve yourself. Because you’re worth it. That's the way we think.

And that's the opposite of how we were created, and the opposite of how the world is set up to work. For God’s pattern is selfless love - putting the needs of others before your own. That's how the world is designed to work. Just imagine if we all lived like that!

Unfortunately we don’t, as we all know too well.

Injustice is everywhere. For example, we’re involved in a case with the Barnevern (Norwegian social services) where they have removed a child from her home and placed her with strangers because they’ve suddenly decided that the mother is unfit to be a mother. Their treatment of the child has been heavy-handed, they have ignored her protests, and have even ignored the requirements of the law in order to do what they wanted to do. Those who should have protected her and looked after her have instead abused her. And some of you have experienced the similar things. Abuse of power. Injustice.

But you know what. The Holy God sees. The Holy God will bring justice.

All evil, even corrupt governments, misuses of power, miscarriages of justice, however small or large, all evil will fall.

8 Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”

We will meet the woman Babylon properly next week. She represents the world united against God, especially government powers. Her “passionate immorality” is unfaithfulness to God. We were made for him, but we choose everything except him! So he warns us with these words: Fallen, fallen is Babylon. Justice is coming. And it will fall on all who do not honour God.

The third angel confirms this: 9 Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10 must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”

Ugh. These are terrible words. This refers to the previous chapter where everyone is marked with the number 666 representing the devil. All who are not in Christ and marked with his name belong to the beast. And those who belong to the beast will drink of the cup of God's wrath. This is the cup Jesus prayed about in the garden of Gethsemane. Mark 14:36 ​​[Jesus] said, "Abba, Father! Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me! Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
And then on the Cross Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath for us so that we do not have to. We who belong to Jesus will never taste his wrath because Jesus drank it for us. Hallelujah.
But if you are not in Christ Jesus, then the cup remains. Still full. Full of right judgment for everything you've done and all that you should have done.

This is scary. Horrible! We’re not playing around here. We are not gathered here at church to have a tea party! This is serious business. And I've experienced enough of God and seen enough historical evidence to know that this is true. This is solid, true, truth. And it scares me to death. And it should scare you too.

The eternal gospel is to fear God and give him glory. So, do I fear God? Because if we don’t fear him now and seek refuge in Him, we certainly will fear him on the day of judgment. On that Day he will gather all who oppose him, all who do not glorify him, all who destroy, all who do evil, all that is not holy and perfect, whether big or small: Boko Haram, Breivik, the two beasts of false religion and state powers, the dragon Satan, terrorism, abuses of power, violence, lying, gossiping, selfishness ... everything. The wickedness of the earth will be harvested, and Jesus is ready with his sickle.

19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles [290 kms] long and as high as a horse’s bridle.

The grapes are we who refuse to accept the grace of God. We who have not received Jesus' righteousness. And if that is you now, please accept God's mercy today. You do not have to be pressed in the winepress of wrath. Please. Swap out your old unrighteous, filthy life for Jesus' new life, his righteousness, his holiness. It costs nothing! It’s free! But it also costs everything. It costs nothing because there is no effort, no rituals, nothing that you can do to earn it. It's a gift. A gift of mercy for those who ask.
But it costs everything. Because you have to give up your life. Instead of honouring yourself, you must now glorify God. You are 'under new management'. You have a new owner. You now belong to Jesus instead of the beast. Amen.

Fear God and give him the glory, for the day of justice is coming, just as it did over Egypt.

2. Learn from Egypt. Judgment Day is coming.

Some background first. In the book of Exodus, we read the story of the Jews who became slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh king of Egypt hated the Jews. He made them his slaves to do obey his every command. They were trapped with no way out. But they cried out to God, and God heard them. He sent Moses.

Moses rescued the Jews – but brought great plagues came upon Egypt. He was the saviour of the God’s people, the Jews, but the judge of their enemies, Pharaoh and the Egyptians. With Moses came righteousness and freedom for those slaves who cried out to God. But with Moses came judgement, suffering, and finally death to those who opposed him and who hated God and did not want to listen to him.

All of this was a big picture for us so that we could understand what Jesus did for us. He saved us from slavery to sin, from our "Pharaoh" Satan. We were trapped in sin – slaves to sin. O, we try to improve ourselves - and the world just gets worse! We know the right thing to do - but we do the opposite. We shall not lie - but as soon as we're under a bit of pressure, lies come flooding out as easy as that. And we gossip and take revenge and tear people down with our words. And the list goes on. We are slaves to sin.

But Jesus can save us. He says come with me. And he leads us safely to the promised land. Not Israel, but Heaven.

And so we sing the song of Moses in 3 And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

And we sing because He, the Righteous One, is coming out of His temple. And when he comes nobody can stand against him.

5 Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open. 6 The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple.

Just like in Egypt, those who oppose God will experience the consequences of it. It is no small thing to rebel against the Living God! We have been warned.

Lord in your mercy, open our ears!

The plagues in chapter 16 are terrible. Disgusting. This is horrible stuff we read. And it’s meant to scare us. We are meant to be afraid, and so turn to God.

16:1 Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2 So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.

If we do not worship Jesus, then we in the end, belong to the beast and all we do glorifies him. And this will not be tolerated forever!
God is no grandfather in the clouds. He is the everlasting holy almighty God. We must not take his patience for granted. Just because he has not judged yet does not mean that he never will.

Because how do you know that you won’t suddenly be face to face with him. A little accident, a disease, and whoops! There we are in front of him. Big. Powerful. Holy. And we totally unprepared. Completely naked. Filthy. A fool. With nothing to say in your defence.

I once experienced such a meeting with God. And I was struck dumb. Everything I placed my trust in - good person, moral, upright, Christian family, read the Bible every day – it was all shown to be worthless, rubbish, before his terrifying majesty. I am a sinner!

I am so grateful that he met me that day with mercy, to forgive and not to judge. Because I was undone!

I sometimes think what if that had not happened. What if I had never received the grace to say YES to Jesus Christ. What if I had died and then stood in front of the throne. Naked. Alone. With nothing to offer.
Out! OUT! Out with those who worship the beast, out with those who kill the saints, out with those who are burned by the fierce heat yet still blaspheme the name of God. It is too late! When justice comes it is too late. Did you see that? 11 and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. Also in v9 and v20.
When the day of judgment comes - or the day you die for then we go straight to judgment day - then it's too late. Because then we will be allowed to choose what we have chosen: I do not want anything to do with God and Jesus. And that is literally to choose hell. Fire and pain and earthquake and blood. Terrible pictures that are trying to tell us: repent! Receive Jesus’ grace while there is time.
And if you have received his grace – stand firm! For He is coming soon. The day of justice is coming.

Let's learn from Egypt. Judgment Day is coming.

To sum up then: For those who have suffered injustice, judgement day is a good day. Those who were killed for their faith, like those brutally murdered in Nigeria, get justice. We see that in v5-7 5 And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. 6 Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.” 7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

The day is coming, perhaps today, where those who have spilt innocent blood will get what they deserve. Nobody will escape their wrongdoing. Any pain you have experienced in your life will be addressed. Everyone who has hurt you will pay. We do not need to take revenge. The day of justice will come. And that is good news!

But the day of justice will come. And that is frightening! For we too have hurt others. We have done evil. We have not feared God and honoured him with everything.

Are we ready for Judgement Day? For we are all of us guilty.
The only escape from judgement is to be among those standing on the sea of glass with God, the 144,000 that are blameless. And that is only through believing in Jesus.

As we close, I want to just remind us of what Jesus has done for us so that we do not have to meet him as judge. For on the cross he wiped away my sins. He died in great suffering and pain. He went through death and even Hell so that I do not have to. I deserve this in chapters 14, 15 and 16. I deserve hell because I denied God and sinned against him. But instead, I'm treated like Jesus. Blameless. Perfect! And one day I will stand on the sea of glass and sing Moses’ song! Hallelujah! That’s the gospel.

My prayer today is that each of us here tonight will be standing there with me. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as Lord – then do so now! If you follow Jesus, then rejoice! And live with thanksgiving and with great joy because of what he’s done for us. Jesus is coming soon. Justice will soon be done. Amen.

If you want to accept Jesus and do not know how, I will help you pray a prayer. A prayer is simply talking to God. You don’t need to pray out loud - he knows what you're thinking. So pray this in your mind to him.
I will read through the prayer, and if you want to make it your own, I will repeat it slowly so that you can pray it to God

Almighty God, I am a sinner because I have lived without you. I have not feared you. I have not given you glory. Judgment Day is coming and I am afraid. In your mercy, please forgive me, Lord, because of Jesus’ death on the cross. Take my life and give me your righteousness. I surrender to you. Be my Saviour, my Lord, and my God. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Mark 8:34-38 Jesus lives and you die…and LIVE!

Mark 8:34-38

MP3 Link

Jesus.

Swear word. A great moral teacher. A threat to State security. A fairy tale. A myth. The Living God in the flesh. Messiah.

He is a divisive figure. Someone who 2000 years after his birth, death and resurrection continues to dominate world events. But who was he? Or perhaps who is he?

As we’ve read through the first eight chapters of Mark’s gospel we’ve seen an amazing man doing amazing things. A man with awesome power, truly terrifying power. We see the demons, evil spirits, trembling before him, so afraid. We see even his own disciples, dearly loved friends, terrified after he speaks to a storm and it obeys him. Who is this man? They wonder. Jesus is to be feared.

We see that Jesus has authority – authority over the spirit world, authority over Creation – the wind obeys him, the water obeys him; even death obeys him, sickness flees at a word from him. Only God has this kind of power.
Only God is feared by the evil spirits. They would not fear an angel – they too are angels, fallen angels. But their Creator? Yes. They fall down at his feet screaming in terror “What do you want with us Jesus, Son of God.”
Only God can command creation to obey him.
Only God has power over death.
Only God can forgive sins. All this Jesus does. And very significantly, he does this in no-one else’s name. He does not call on God the Father, he does not cry out O Great Jehovah, he does not say “in the name of… “.
We do. We pray in the name of Jesus. We cast out demons in the name of Jesus. We pray for the sick in the name of Jesus. It is the name of Jesus that has power. No other name. He is God Almighty, and that’s why it is right that the glory goes to him.

Mark’s gospel opens with these words: 1:1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus is the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek) which means the Promised Rescuer. He is the one promised in the Old Testament, the first part of the Bible, the one who will rescue us all from sin and death. Christ is not his surname but his job description. Jesus: saviour of the world!

And in 8:29 Jesus asks his disciples: “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

Who is Jesus? He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Rescuer. He is our Saviour and our God.
He is the one who should be feared, the one with great authority, great power because he is Almighty God, holy and perfect.
But he has come not to judge us, not to condemn us, but to save us. He is Messiah, Rescuer. But what does that mean? How is he going to save us? And what do we have to do? What does it mean to follow him? That’s the message of chapter 8-16.

1. Jesus’ death brings life

Peter has just made the good confession “You are the Christ!”. Yes! But then things go very wrong. Jesus starts saying the most outrageous stuff! 8:31–33 (NLT) Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. 33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Peter had a different plan for Jesus, and probably, himself, as one of Jesus’ closest followers. Peter saw glory and honour – a victory procession into Jerusalem, Jesus the victorious King, riding into Jerusalem after beating the Romans, Israel’s oppressor, and setting Israel free. That’s the Messiah he thought was coming.

But his point of view was too low, too human. God’s view is high and lifted up! Yes, there will be a victory procession: Jesus, beaten and bloodied, carrying his cross through the streets of Jerusalem as people jeer at him, spit on him, mock him. There will be a great battle: Jesus on the cross, refusing to give in to the temptation to “Come down from the cross, that we may see and believe” “Ha he saved others, but he can’t save himself” “Save yourself, “Messiah””. No. His love keeps him there, until he can give up his life with a loud cry, and descends into the darkness of Hell itself in order to defeat Hell, defeat sin, and defeat death itself: the great enemies not just of Israel, but of the whole world!
Lift up your eyes, Peter, and see the great vision! Yes, I will suffer and be killed – but in three days will rise again. My death and resurrection will bring new life to all people throughout the world, through all time and space- this is what the Temple is about, the sacrifices all point to my sacrifice, the meeting place between God and man. This is what Moses looked forward to, what David was promised, what Abraham was promised. This is it! Lift up your eyes Peter.

This is so important Jesus says it three times. As we’ve just read in 8:31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. then again in 9:31 (NLT) He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.”

And again in Mk 10:33–34 (NLT) 33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Many people, like the disciples, do not understand Jesus’ words here. Many who call themselves Christians try and explain away the cross – or even deny it. Some feel sorry for Jesus. But this is the heart of the Gospel. This is where we see God’s awesome love. This is how God can forgive sinners – by bearing the cost himself. This is love: that Jesus lays down his life for us who believe in him.

In Halifax, Canada, in 1917, a ship carrying high explosives was on fire and about to explode in the harbour. 2000 people died in the explosion – but the death toll could have easily been much higher. Because the train station was right next to the harbour, and passenger trains carrying hundreds of people were coming in, unaware of the danger. Vince Coleman, a train dispatcher, had started to flee – but, remembering those trains, turned back, stayed at his post and began broadcasting messages to stop the trains coming into the city. His last words (via Morse code) were "Hold up the train. Munitions ship on fire in the harbour and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Goodbye boys." He was killed in the explosion, but saved hundreds and hundreds of people. He gave his life so that hundreds of others might live.

Jesus’ death on the cross was no mistake, no misstep by a popular teacher who made too many enemies and suddenly got trapped by them. No, this was the deliberate purpose of God, the great rescue plan made before the creation of the world, to showcase his glory, his love, his compassion, his power. This is Jesus plain teaching. What a glorious God we serve! Praise him!

Jesus’ death brings us life.

So then, what does it mean to follow this great Saviour, our Rescuer, our God, our King? It means we must die.

2. Our death brings life: we must die to ourselves to truly live

Jesus uses shocking language here. We’re kind of used to it, so we miss the impact this would have had: 34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Crucifixion was the worst punishment the Romans could dish out. It was reserved for enemies of the Roman state and for the worst criminals. No Roman citizen could be crucified, it was that bad. Follow him on that path? The path of rejection, humiliation, even death?

Well, if you want to be a follower of Jesus, that is what you must do. It’s choosing to follow Jesus, wherever that path may lead. For some of disciples it led literally to crucifixion. They were called upon to die for Jesus, to be crucified for him. But that’s not just what it means – it doesn’t mean we all have to get on a physical cross. No. look at verse 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

We are called to “lose” our life – not on nothing, but for Jesus’ sake. In other words, live our life as if it belongs to Jesus, and not to us. To make friends for Jesus. To work for Jesus. To serve our families for Jesus. To use our money for Jesus. We’ll talk more in the next weeks about what it means to live for Jesus.
Note that he says take up your cross.. daily. It’s not doing one big act of sacrifice and then you’re done with it. It is every day living not for yourself and yur glory, but living for Jesus. It is 10,000 little sacrifices, a lifetime of often unnoticed loving acts, which cumulatively become huge – for Jesus. It’s not just big acts – it’s all the little moments which mark you out as a follower of Jesus. And if you are faithful in the little, you will be faithful in the big. Living every moment as a son or daughter of God.
Because that’s the only way to live! “This day, choose life” said Moses, the prophet of God, to the people in Deut 30:19. Jesus, the true Prophet, the better Prophet, the better Moses leading the better Exodus (rescue) is saying: “Choose life!”.

Why? Because to live any other way leads to death. Even if, by ignoring Jesus, you could gain the whole world, what a waste because you lose your very soul. V36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? Steve Jobs was on top of the world. He’d rebuilt Apple into the biggest and most successful company in the world. But he died. And he died rejecting Jesus. What a fool, says Jesus. Do you think he can offer Apple stock to God? He owns the Universe! For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Only Jesus can save us. Only his blood is sufficient to be a perfect sacrifice. Only Jesus is enough. Nothing else will work.

You know, it’s a tragedy when people die for the wrong reason. I remember one of my classmates got high on drugs, got into his car, sped down the highway with no seatbelt on, and smashed into a tree. Dead. What a foolish way to die.
I remember reading about a man trying to impress his friends with a chainsaw, said “Ha, watch this!” and swung it at his own head. Obviously, he died. What a tragedy.
To die for the wrong thing is a tragic. It’s foolish. And Jesus says the only wise thing to die for, is him. Everything else is foolishness.

38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels

Let your life reflect your devotion to Jesus. If you have been rescued by him, let your joy shine through. Christians should be talking about Jesus, excited about Jesus, waiting for Jesus’ return, praying to Jesus, preaching about Jesus, teaching about Jesus, telling their children about Jesus, giving their money for Jesus, giving their time for Jesus, making friends for Jesus, choosing where they will live and work for Jesus. Our lives should be one big advert proclaiming JESUS! I am saved by his grace. Put your puny ambitions to death, your foolish plans for you life to death, and follow Jesus on the road to humiliation, to death, and to eternal GLORY, eternal life.

Because if you don’t, if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. Even if you gained the whole world, what benefit is that if you lose your soul? How many of the rich and famous feel empty, lost and alone. How many artists, actors, top sportsmen confess to reaching the top to find nothing there except anxiety – worry about the next person who’s going to come and take the crown from you. What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

There is only one way to save your soul, your very life – and that is to give it up to Jesus. We were designed, created to obey God. Our reason for existing is to glorify God. That is our purpose.

Following Jesus is both the easiest and hardest thing to do. Easiest because everything is done! He died for us, he rescued us, he brought us new life, his Spirit is given to us to live a new life, and he will take us to Paradise. And nothing we do can separate us from that, because it is guaranteed, underwritten, by his blood.
But it’s the hardest thing because we have to give up pretending to be God. We have to acknowledge our dependence on him. We have to obey him, to live life as HE wants, not as we want. That’s hard, and that’s why Jesus describes it as taking up your cross – that’s dying! 9:35 Give up your life for my sake. We must nail our old life, our selfish ambitions, our foolish desire for self-determination (that’s deciding for ourselves) – nail it to the cross! Say I am dead. Jesus lives instead. I am his. Imagine if all of us really started living like that. Let it start tonight. Make a decision to die to self, and live for Jesus. Because if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And if you don’t the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

The Jews, the disciples, wanted a political saviour to swoop in and rescue them – but they misunderstood the problem. The problem is not circumstances, but deep in our heart. Jesus did not come to rescue them (or us) from physical oppression, but spiritual oppression. They saw the burden of Rome, but not the burden of sin! Jesus came in order to rescue us from our sin, taking the punishment upon himself, the warrior King, fighting by dying, the suffering servant upon the cross, faithful to the end.

The rescue is available to everyone, but the cost is a change of allegiance – instead of the kingdom of ME, you know belong to the kingdom of God. Instead of you pretending to control your life, you know bow to Jesus and let him control your life. You die to self and live for Christ. You are not your own, you belong to him.

But that’s worth it, because he is the life-giver. In Jesus, and him alone real, joyful, free, life is found; eternal life. And he can guarantee it because he is the Creator God, maker of heaven and earth, vast in his glory and majesty – yet so full of love and compassion that he becomes as nothing, the servant king, willing to suffer and die in order to rescue a people for himself. If you belong to Jesus, bear his name with joy and gratitude, and live for him, no matter what the cost.

Pray – think about where you have denied the Lordship of Christ. What area of life do you consider your own? What area of life are you dissatisfied with, not trusting his Lordship?

Perhaps need to give you life to him.

Isaiah 62:1-64:12 How to read the Bible when you don't like what you're reading: Jesus will crush his enemies

Isaiah 62:1-64:12

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Today I want to take you behind the scenes – a ”making of” – of preparing a sermon. Welcome to my world, at least on Thursday’s and Friday’s. What I do Monday-Wednesday is accounting – be grateful I’m not giving you a behind the scenes on that!

So, when you’ve got a text like Isaiah 62-64 how do you go about preparing to preach it?

The first step in preparing a sermon is to read the text. Not the commentaries. Not the latest article on Facebook to pop up on this topic or this book. But to read the text. Why? Because the text is inspired by God. It is God’s word. And everything else is uninspired. Everything else is corrupted by sin. Only the Bible is written by God for us so that we can know him in all his fullness.

So we start by reading, just like we’ve done.

And then we read it again, more carefully. Look for surprises. Look for questions. Look for big ideas.
That sounds familiar, yes. This is what we do in Bible study! This is in fact how we read any text we want to understand. Especially those written from a different cultural viewpoint, and especially those which disagree with us. The Bible is both of those. It’s written to Ancient Jews. And it often disagrees with us!

Here’s my text.

Here’s some of the surprises and questions.

62:1 Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.

Who’s speaking? Is it Isaiah? Is it Jesus (carrying on from chapter 61)? Is it the Lord, speaking from Heaven?

Whoever it is, He is speaking with great power. And he will not stop until Jerusalem is holy, until Israel is restored, until the people of God are made righteous. It is someone who loves Israel. So, these could very well be Isaiah’s words – but they are also the words of the Servant King, the words of Jesus, the one who fulfilled Isaiah 61 “The Lord has anointed me to preach good news.”
Why? Because there is amazing grace here. Did you notice it? Eg v5 Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. And that’s a surprise, isn’t it? WHY? Why does God love his people? Why does God claim them as his bride.

If you don’t ask that question, you’ll miss it. You’ll miss the glory. You’ll miss the astounding grace. You’ll just go, meh, that’s what God does. Yes it IS what God does – so be astounded, be amazed! That’s why this first part QUESTION is so important. Why will God rejoice over his people? Because they’ve been really good? Because they repented? Because they followed the rules really well? No. Because God has decided to have mercy. Because Jesus announced the day of the Lord’s favour. (61:2) That is now.

So the first surprise is the love of God for his people. The mercy that he has on rebellious people. Today is the day of the Lord’s favour. I fact, turn back to 61:1-2. Remember last week? This is what Jesus quoted in the synagogue (the Jewish church) in his home town: The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. 2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favour has come,

So, context control! Yes, our first surprise is right – God really does love his people. He really has come to save us.

But the second surprise is the sudden violence in 63:1-6 where the Lord is covered in blood from crushing his enemies. It is a big puzzle, a big surprise, a big question mark – but it is also, we have found one of the BI GIDEAS in theses chapters and the book as a whole: Jesus the warrior.

Read those verses again and feel the weight of them. Let it hit you between the eyes. This is our God. Woah.

63:1-6 Who is this who comes from Edom (one of the enemies of Israel), from the city of Bozrah (the capital of Edom), with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in his great strength? “It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!” 2 Why are your clothes so red, as if you have been treading out grapes? 3 “I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me. In my anger I have trampled my enemies as if they were grapes. In my fury I have trampled my foes. Their blood has stained my clothes. 4 For the time has come for me to avenge my people, to ransom them from their oppressors. 5 I was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So I myself stepped in to save them with my strong arm, and my wrath sustained me. 6 I crushed the nations in my anger and made them stagger and fall to the ground, spilling their blood upon the earth.”

Good grief! Is this the God we know and love? Is this God the gentleman? God who is full of love? God who accepts everyone? Who is always fair and just? Is this really gentle Jesus meek and mild?

The difficulty with preaching is this: I have an idea of God in my mind. A way I like to think about God. But in preparing a sermon I cannot preach to you my version of God. I must preach God’s version of God. And in my experience he is always more out of control, wilder, bigger, scarier than my version of him.
And it’s the same for all of us if we want to read the Bible properly and really know God. We must allow the text to change our picture of God.

A big problem is that our idea of God comes not from the Bible but from our culture around us. What does our culture say God should be and shouldn’t be? It affects us more than we know.

How do we deal with a passage like this? It wrecks us because it ruins our idea of God. And our idea of ourselves.

In order for us to be good Bible readers we need to understand our cultural bias. So we don’t read what we want to be there, but read what’s actually there.

So, what does our culture say about God and about us?

Let’s start with ourselves. Because that’s what we’re most interested in. What do we think about ourselves? We are inherently good. Not perfect, but pretty decent. It is outrageous that God does not accept us. Totally unfair that God sends us to hell. Punishment does not fit the crime. We do not think of ourselves as sinners. Sinners are other people, certainly not me.

This is because we don’t understand that God’s standard is perfection. That’s partly what holiness means: absolute perfection. Absolute goodness. But we think that’s unreasonable. Perfection is unreasonable. When Chinese parents drive their children or Russia drive their gymnasts to be perfect we think hey, slow down. So when God says be perfect. Uh-oh.

And of course Hell doesn’t exist. That’s far too unreasonable. Maybe Hitler is there. And a few Islamic State guys. But no-one else. Fire & brimstone seems childish.

Our movies though reveal another side. When Liam Neeson’s daughter in Taken gets kidnapped – he goes all out and murders loads of criminals involved in the sex trade. And we’re all woohoo! Justice.
Or in Avengers when the alien baddies get killed by our heroes. With a nuclear bomb! Oh well they’re aliens.
But we understand the need to be rescued from evil. When there’s evil in the world we want justice.
But note we are always innocent. We’re never the ones doing the evil. Bad news – the Bible says that we’re the evil ones.

Well, that’s what we think about ourselves. The good. The decent. The innocent. I’ve heard many times “I thought I was good, until I started reading the Book”. One of our members said that a few weeks ago! We don’t believe we are sinners, rebels against God.

But what do we believe about God?

God is a kindly old grandfather, who says tut-tut to our sins, but will really let us all in to paradise anyway, because hey, we’re basically good people. Maybe not Hitler though. Maybe he shouldn’t be let in. Anyway, the Bible says “God wants everybody to be saved” so they will be, right? The Bible says it so it must be true.

We don’t believe God is sovereign. I determine my life. I have free will, and that is what makes me human. It is the creed of humanism – har du lyst, har du lov (så lenge det ikke skade andre). Do what you want, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. And so there is no room for the God of the Bible who is in control of my life.

We also don’t believe in God as judge. I am my own judge. The only opinion that matters is mine. On Thursday at the school concert a young girl was wearing a t-shirt that said “I complete me”.
In the movie Frozen the heroine, Elsa, ends up saving herself. No-one else saved her. She did it. Her own character was what saved her in the end. Our culture says you do not need a rescuer (Jesus) you can save yourself. God cannot judge you, only you can judge yourself.

How does this compare to what we’ve just read?

Couldn’t be further apart! And so our temptation is to make God a bit less holy, a bit less scary, ourselves a bit better, a bit bigger, a bit more like God. Every cult, false religion, has a small God. You can win him over. Do this, do that and he’ll like you. JW’s, Iglesio ni Christo, Islam, Hindism, even atheism although there the “God” is me. Just do these things and you can win God’s favour. The God of the Bible? You cannot win his favour. You cannot impress God. Look at 64:6! We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

Even the good things we do are worthless – our goodness is like dirty rags. Literally the word there is menstrual cloths – that is pads or tampons. You really think you can impress God with your goodness. I’m a decent guy! Hey look God here’s a load of used tampons – are you impressed. It’s shocking language because it’s mean to shock us, wake us up! It’s meant to blast our cultural bias right away.

Our culture creates a God like ourselves – just slightly bigger. He has a bit more power, but not all-powerful. He’s a bit better than us, but not holy, not blindingly, frighteningly perfect. He demands nothing of us. Unlike the God of the Bible who demands obedience. As Jesus said: if you love me you’ll obey my commands. If you want to follow me pick up your cross – crucify yourselves daily and give up your lives for me. Would our Norwegian “God” ever ask that?!

No wonder we struggle when the Bible says that God is coming as judge – to judge us! That his judgement is that we have fallen short, and belong in hell. And that he’s coming to trample us like grapes in his winepress.

So what do you do as a preacher or indeed just as a reader of the Bible when you come to verses like these? What do you do with 63:1-6?

I know. Just don’t read them. Just don’t read the Bible. Many of us don’t. Or just read the “nice” bits. Or we read the Bible lazily. We read without really thinking about what we read. We read what we want to be there, rather than what’s there.
That’s what we do isn’t it? How many of us here do exactly that?
Examine yourself here. If you don’t read the Bible or you only read the bits you like... is it because you are hanging onto your culture, your false view of God – an idol, rather than the true and living God.

It’s much easier if we don’t read the Bible or just read bit of it, because then we can make God whatever we want him to be. That’s what the Jehovah’s Witnesses do. And the Mormons. And unfortunately, many, many Christians. Including us.

So, those are the puzzles, the surprises, the question marks. Ok. So now that we’ve battled our culture we can see what these verses really tell us. We can get to the big picture. What are some of the big ideas in the passage, and what is its overall message?

62:1-12, the whole chapter, is God’s promise to rescue his people and give them a glorious future. Made righteous, not forsaken, a royal wedding. He will place watchmen on the walls who will cry out day and night to the Lord , praying, until he keeps his promise. He will not forget. HE will redeem, save, rescue his people.

And this is certain. Because he is the sovereign, AWESOME God of the Bible – BIG not small. Because we’ve seen time and time again that when he says something it happens. We know: he will redeem his people. He will rescue his people. If he was not sovereign it would just be wishful thinking. I HOPE I can rescue my people.

See, we like the God can rescue us part, but we don’t like the God is sovereign part – but God’s promises are meaningless, worthless, if he is not sovereign. If we want God’s rescue, if we want to know the future is secure that heaven awaits, that the world will be remade, that Jesus will come back – if we want all of that, we have to accept his sovereignty. Otherwise he has no power to make things happen! But we know he does because of the Old Testament stories. Because of Isaiah. How often do we read “ I, the Lord, have said this”. He wil rescue his people.

And we also know that God will take revenge on his enemies. 63:1-6. Why is this here? Because judgement is the flip side of salvation. There is no salvation without judgement. It is one and the same action. God comes down – you either cry to him for mercy – and he will save you – or stand against him – and he will crush you. Are you one of his people or not.

Again, God is sovereign to judge. Judgement will happen. Again, that’s not something we particularly like. But actually, we should. Because it means that evil will not have the last word. Evil will not overcome. He will have the last word.

I read on Wednesday evening in the newspaper that Islamic State just burned alive 19 Yazidi girls for refusing to be sex slaves. I read another article about two of these women who were kidnapped by IS and what they went through – and the men who are risking their lives to rescue them. That’s just one event, in one small part of the world. Stuff like that is going on everywhere. We live in an evil and ugly world. But evil will not win.

Because God is sovereign. Because God is taking care of them now. No-one escapes. Everybody dies and will stand before the fury of the righteous judge. Light so bright you cannot look at it. Remember Isaiah’s cry when he saw the Lord “I am doomed”. And Isaiah WAS a “good” man. But he was doomed. Filthy rags do not belong in the throne room.

So, application. What do we do with this chapter?

If we read the Bible lazily. If we read with our cultural blinkers on. What will our application be?

Work hard! Impress God. By being a bit better. By choosing to be a nice person. That’s our default “gospel” that we have.

And that’s completely wrong.

Thankfully Isaiah shows us what our reaction should be, what our application should be: a prayer of thanks and asking for mercy.

63:7 to the end of 64 is one long prayer.

I want us particularly to note his reaction to Jesus the warrior God in v7. 7 I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel (His chosen people), which he has granted according to his mercy and love. Remember that Isaiah writes this inspired by the Holy Spirit. So He, the Spirit is also teaching us how we are to respond to God’s judgement on his enemies: “I will tell of his unfailing love”.

Isaiah then goes through and remembers all the times God has faithfully rescued his people in the past, even though they rebelled and sinned against him. God of mercy.
And so, because God is merciful to sinners, he is so bold to ask again “Lord, remember us. Lord, save us.” 15 Lord, look down from heaven; look from your holy, glorious home, and see us. Where is the passion and the might you used to show on our behalf? Where are your mercy and compassion now? 16 Surely you are still our Father!

Amen we cry. Lord, you are still our Father because of your great mercy. We do not trust in our own goodness – even our best good works are filthy rags before you the holy, almighty God. We are weak, we are small, we are hard pressed. Is 64 Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How Himingen and Gaustatoppen would quake in your presence!

Let us cry out to mercy to the Lord, and ask him to help us, remember us. Our God will come in salvation or in judgement. Let us plead with him to come to us in mercy. Let us plead with him for Notodden, for Norway.

Let us stand and pray v5-9 Let us make it our prayer. 5 You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? 6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. 7 Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins. 8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. 9 Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people.

Isaiah 11 & 12: Hope and fulfilment

Isaiah 11:1-12:6

Two weeks ago we tackled some pretty rough chapters, 9&10: judgement on Israel, the terror of Assyria which will wipe them out – then the judgement on Assyria “who do you think you are – you’re just a tool, like an axe. Is the axe greater than the arm that wields it?” – and bam – you who were a great forest will be just a few sticks in an open field.
After seeing the sinfulness of man, whether in Israel or Assyria - After seeing what happens when God’s patience runs out and he moves in terrifying righteous judgement - after all that, we finally get some words of hope.
In the mess and the suffering and the confusion of a broken world, a world filled with war, with refugees fleeing for their lives, sitting in foreign countries longing to go home – into that situation God speaks. Sound familiar?

Is there hope for today? Is there hope when we see millions of people fleeing from their homes because of the sinfulness of man expressed in war? It is not just. It is not right. It is evil. It is sin.
I love this church – all of you that make up this church – I love each and every one of you. You are my family, my brothers and sisters. But it saddens me that the reason that many of you are here is because you are refugees, fleeing for your life. Because war has overtaken your homeland and ruined it.

That was the situation in Israel: the Assyrians would stomp on everyone, removing the Northern Kingdom of Israel entirely. Everyone moved. The land emptied. And most of the Southern Kingdom would be equally destroyed. Towns, villages, empty. Fields and farms deserted, abandoned. People taken into captivity or fleeing into neighbouring lands.

Israel will be nothing more than a stump. The kingdom has had bad kings who have lead them to ruin. The great promise of the King like David, David’s son who would rule well and would bring peace and prosperity – that, like a great tree, had fallen. What was left was just a stump. But God speaks. And there is hope.

1. V1-5 Our hope: Jesus, the divine Davidic King

11:1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. (Some translations say out of the stump of Jesse – Jesse was David’s father).

A new King will arise! The promise God made to David will be fulfilled. Even in the mess, even in the chaos of war and refugees and fear – God’s promises remain. They are a never-changing fixed point that will never fail. And what a King! This King will be filled with God’s own Spirit. He will be a godly king. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isn’t this the type of leader we want? Wise. Understanding. With counsel and knowledge. But not a push-over, a weakling – someone with might (power) – able to do what is right. And he does what is right because he fears the Lord – that is, the Lord is his boss. V3 He will delight in obeying the Lord. He not only obeys the Lord, but he delights in obeying Him. It is His joy to love the Lord, to obey Him, to do His will. What a king!

And because of this His rule brings justice and peace. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited.

How much injustice is there in this world! How evil when the State abuses its power! When there is corruption or just laziness and justice is not done. When children are taken from their parents. When you’re forced to fight in the army. When the police arrest you and throw you in prison for being a Christian. When your village is bombed because you are suddenly in “rebel” territory. When you are wrongly accused and are put in prison for something you didn’t do.

But this king is not like that. He sees the truth. He looks beyond appearances. He sees into the hearts of men.

Who can this be? Who sees through the lies and into mens hearts but God alone? v4 continues The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.

A little bell should be ringing in our minds. We just read about a child that would be called God. Is this King the miracle child, the sign promised to Israel? Come back with me to chapter 9.
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

There is a King, a King who will be born, the Prince of Peace who will rule forever, and he will be called Everlasting FATHER, MIGHTY GOD. God Himself will be born a child and will rule forever. That is the sign of the woman back in chapter 7:11 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

This is the son, the boy Immanuel “God with us”. The Spirit will rest on Him and He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will bring justice and righteousness.

THIS IS JESUS.

Matthew 1:18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit….v20 “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Here is Isaiah 7:11 the virgin with child. Here is Isaiah 11:2 the Spirit-filled King.

John the Baptist announced his coming in Mt 3:3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ” Who is coming? The Lord – Yahweh – Israel’s God is coming! Mt 3:13–17 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. ..16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Jesus was in the line of David, a son of Abraham. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, to the people shouting Lk 19:38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD (Yahweh)! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

Jesus said to Pilate Jn 18:36–37 “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” 37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Have even just a quick read of the gospels and it’s clear that Jesus is the promised King. And because he is our king we have hope. Our future is secure. Because he is the King of the far future of the prophecy, the future yet to come for us. And he is the King of the near future of the prophecy, that for us has already happened and is happening.

Remember that prophecy works on multiple times: now, future, far future. Isaiah could not see which was which. We, because we live in between these two times: the coming of Jesus, and the Return of Jesus – we can see what belongs to what time.

2. V6-9 Jesus: King of the far future

Our future is secure. This King, this promised King, secures a perfect future. This has not happened yet – although we get some foretastes of it. But it lies in the future.

Re 21:1–4 (NLT) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Re 22:3–5 (NLT) No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

A Day is coming, the Day of Christ’s return, when there will be no accursed thing! Everything that is evil will be dealt with, destroyed, never to rise again. Jesus says Rev 21:5 “Look, I am making everything new!”. There will be a new heavens and a new earth. A new creation. A return to Eden – but better. Instead of two people, Adam and Eve, there will be millions upon millions. Instead of a Garden, a whole City. Instead of God walking in the cool of the day, he will live among us. There will be no tree of the knowledge of good and evil – only the tree of life!

Brothers and sisters, that is what we long for! That is what we were made for! When we see natural beauty – when we look around at this country, this amazing country – it is only an echo, a faint shadow of the glory of the Real Norway, the Norway in the new creation. And when we get just a glimpse of that beauty, our heart aches.
When we see human kindness, when we see people rescuing people, when we see the joy of someone accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour for the first time. These are echoes of the new Creation.

Brothers, we are made for eternity. We are not made for this fallen world. We are not made for evil. That is why we react to it, fear it. There is something wrong with the world. This is not the way things are supposed to be! And we are right. And Christ will set the world right. The lion will lie down with the lamb. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. And the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord. Our future is secure.

But is this all just pie in the sky when you die? Do we just struggle through life waiting for the day Christ finally returns. No, because he is active now. He rules now, and all around us we see evidence of the work of Christ.

3. V10-16 Jesus: King of the near future (or as we would call it: Jesus: King of the now, for we live in Isaiah’s “near future”)

10 In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

In that day? Which day. The First day or the Final day. Well, this is both isn’t it. For on that Final Day the nations will stand before him at the final judgement. Those who know him will go in. Those who do not will be shut out forever.

But we see this in action now. From that First Day, we see his banner raised all over the world. We see the nations gathered to him each Sunday in churches all over the world. Right now, millions of brothers and sisters are gathered in Jesus’ name: in Beirut, in Paris, in Darfur, Iran, Pakistan, India, Eritrea, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, US, and on and on across the world: some in secret, some openly, but all in His Name. Our King! And this church family we have is a glorious place. It is not a perfect place, not yet! But it is glorious.
Here we are, from all across the world. We have nothing in common. Except Jesus. He is our Lord and Saviour. God is our Father, and we are brothers. Praise God!

11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.

In that day, the First Day, the day of the cross, was when Jesus completed the true Exodus. Remember the Exodus, when Moses lead the people of Israel out of slavery to Egypt, and into the Promised Land. Throughout the Old Testament there have been signs and prophecies looking forward to a second Exodus, a greater Exodus: and that is what Jesus achieved on the Cross. On the Cross he rescued us from slavery to sin, and will take us safely to the Promised Land, the New Creation. This is the second Exodus, the greater Exodus. And all who put their trust in Jesus are part of it.

And this is where we find ourselves today. Christ’s banner is raised. Our Spirit-filled King calls all men to himself. He has achieved the great Exodus: the rescue of people from slavery to sin. This is the hope of the nations. This is the power that can break war, and hatred, and racism, and fear, and lies and gossip and sexual sin and cruelty and murder and bullying and neglect and laziness and cheating and stealing and… all taken by him on the Cross. Borne by him, our righteous King. And we stand united in Him, the church his glorious family, full of love and hope and righteousness and truth.

Jesus is our King now.

4. 12:1-6 Our response: Joyful obedience!

And as his people we should be like him. What does that look like? Well, not like Israel in Isaiah’s time! Actually, we should be like our Spirit-filled King. Turn with me to Gal 5 to see what that looks like.

Ga 5:22–26 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

What should our lives look like under King Jesus’ banner?
Well, these are some of the things a Christian will be, just taking a few of the fruits of the Spirit:

Love: putting Christ first, and serving others. I love Jesus so I serve my wife, even if I feel like she “owes” me. I love Jesus so I serve my kids even when they annoy me. That service can mean getting up off the sofa to deal with their disobedience. Love is seen in action! I love Jesus so I share the gospel. I love Jesus so I invite people to my home. I love Jesus so I…

Peace: Not causing fights. Looking to reconcile but in truth. Do you have hatred for someone? How can you be like Jesus and take the step to make right?

Faithful: Committed to the right things. Committed in church. Committed to your wife! And that includes sexually purity. Things like not watching pornography. Not having sex with anyone other than their wife. Having sex often with their wife! (If you are having sex with a not-wife – then repentance means stopping. If you’re not married, get married. If you’re married to someone else, you need to confess your sin.)

Gentle: Not given to outbursts of anger. Not being cruel or harsh with your kids or co-workers or wife or anyone else. Not being cutting with your words, belittling people, hurting them with your words. Even on Facebook. Even with your enemies. Even with groups of people like “the Muslims” or “the refugees” or “the Norwegians” or “NAV” or whatever. Let us speak like Christ.

Now remember this is not something that we have to ACHIEVE and then God will like me. You know, you need 20 “love points” and 15 “faithfulness” points to enter the church. This is a by-product of being a Christian. We are with our King and his Spirit starts to change us.

Because this is what we will have if we are with Jesus, and this is hard to fake: Joy! Yes, we should be bursting with joy. We are saved! Jesus is King! There is hope for the nations! Hallelujah

Praise Jesus that there is hope in this world! That his promises still stand. That he is a safe port when the storms rage about us. I think there is no better way to respond than to say the words of chapter 12 together. I have written them on the screen as well.

Let’s stand and say together: “I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me.
2 See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
3 With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
4 “Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!
5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world.
6 Let all [his] people…shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”

Let’s raise our voices with the faithful people of God across the world and throughout history from before Isaiah’s time, with Isaiah in his time, and all the way until today – millions praising God! Let’s sing “see what a morning”. What a mighty, amazing, God we serve. The God who saves us. The God who gives us hope and a secure future. Praise God.