How to Revive Your Spirit and Your Heart (Isaiah 57:14-16)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“14 And one shall say, 'Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.' 15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.”
Introduction
The song that we sang today, “Amazing Grace” is a world known song. This song was composed by a British slave ship captain and his name was John Newton. While he was on the ship, he met a great storm and was having a hard time for 11 days, and almost faced his death. He was having a hard time on the ship and thought that his death was coming soon. He almost gave up on his life but he remembered the Bible Scripture that his mother told him a long time ago. Among all of the Biblical scriptures that his mother told him, the one that touched this heart the most was Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”. The moment he remembered this Scripture, he felt the word of God touching his heart. At that moment, he knelt before God and started praying to God. He pleaded for God to have mercy on his soul. While he was praying, he remembered all of his sins and started shedding his tears, and started asking God for forgiveness. For him, it didn’t matter if the ship sank or not but he started praying earnestly before God and started repenting before God. At that time, he felt God’s grace upon him and God forgiving him. On that ship during the storm, he was able to receive salvation. He later on became a pastor. He always thought that he once lived a life as an evil man who sold slaves but God forgave him. While he was thinking about God’s grace, he wrote the song, “Amazing Grace.” He was someone who experienced God who is alive and God’s grace. Right now, we must experience and hold onto that God is truly alive. May the same works of God that John Newton felt, may we also experience it as well. Today’s sermon is very important. The grace that God has given to us has the ability to revive our spirit and heart. May you receive this blessing.
1. The Almighty God
(1) God's proclamation
Verse 14 - The background behind this scripture was when the Israelites were in slavery and God was giving them a method for liberation. The method of that liberation was when God used King Cyrus to free the Israelites. We must hold onto the fact that this “way” was not only intended for the Israelites. There is no recording that this “pathway” was literally made and created; this means that God was meaning this in a spiritual way. What is the stumbling block that God was referring to? It is referring to our unbelief, idols, and sins. God is saying to discard all of that. In other ways, through Jesus Christ, find and experience our true liberation and freedom.
Matthew 3:1-3 “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!' 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”
(2) Vain answer
Verse 15 - It speaks about the high and lofty one, which was referring to God. Who is the Jehovah God? He is the One who exists as Himself. Who is the one who exists as Himself? He is the Creator. He is the Creator who created all life. He is also the one who is eternal and inhabits all eternity. This means that He is someone who exists in eternity. Existing in eternity means that He exists in a place that transcends time and space. He created all things and exists in a place that transcends time and space. This means that He is the One who created space and time. When God started His creations, He created time first. God who is outside of time, He created time first. From here, we must hold onto that God was the one who created time and space, this means that time will eventually end. When time started on this world, this means that there will be an end to this world. It is the same for us. There was a time where we were born into this world but there will be a time where God will call us. On this earth, there is always a beginning and an end. But God who is outside of time, there is no time that is limiting Him. This means that God does not age. Only mankind who is bound by time, this means that we will age and an end will come to meet us. This means that God exists in eternity.
What is more important is that God is Holy. This means that God is Holy and His characteristics are Holy. This means that He is pure. He has no sin and is perfect. Since God is holy, He hates sin. He is also able to cleanse those who are within sin and make them holy once again. He dwells in a high and holy place. This high and holy place is outside of our time and space. This means that God is watching over everything and knows everything. When God created this world, He created time and space. He is a ruler and master over all things. We live within the things that God created. He rules over everything and we live within God’s creations. Why did God create mankind and create time and space? Why did He allow mankind to be created and allow mankind to face death? We can’t do everything that makes God happy.
John 17:22 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” - Why did God give to His creations? Through Jesus Christ, we were able to obtain God’s glory. God’s great heavenly blessings and the blessing of God’s heavenly throne has been given to us. This is because we have become one with the Triune God. This is astounding. Our God, Father and Jesus Christ who has saved us, gave us great glory so that we can be one with them. This is tremendous. This shows the meaning of creation. We can live in eternity with God as one. How is this possible? Paul said that we need to serve God as our head and we need to live as God’s body. God is Holy, this means that we also need to become holy people of God. Then, how is this possible?
2. The Ministry of God's Re-creation
(1) Those who will received the glory of Heaven
Verse 15 - The one who will receive God’s glory are the ones who have a contrite and humble spirit. God who exists outside of time and space, who is He looking for? He is looking for those who have a contrite and humble spirit. What does it mean to have a contrite spirit? This means to break apart and shatter. This means that anything is preventing us from becoming holy, we need to discard all of that down.
Luke 18:13 “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ” - He felt such a sinner that he couldn’t raise his eyes towards heaven and towards God. He felt that he couldn’t dare to look at God and look towards God who was a sinner before God. He was beating his chest. This is what we need to do. As he was beating his chest, he was pleading with God to have mercy towards him. He was acknowledging that he was a sinner before God and was confessing himself to God. God promised him that He will be with him. God said that He will be with those who have a contrite spirit.
God is also looking for those who have a humble heart. It is not simply talking about just having a humble heart but you are having a humble spirit before God. Isaiah 6:5 “So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.' ” - When we stand before God, we will be able to stand before Him because we will be aware of the extent of our sins. But by standing before God, we are able to confess and acknowledge our sins. Isaiah used to be someone who critiqued everyone but now, he stood before God with a humble heart. He realized that he couldn’t stand before God and stood before God with a humble heart. God said that He will be with those who have a humble heart. God said that He will revive the spirit and heart of those who have a contrite and humble hearts and spirits. God loves and rejoices in those who have a contrite and humble spirit. This means that God will give us a new life. We need to stand before God and completely discard ourselves before God. We need to completely enter into Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Only through the power of the cross can we be able to revive our hearts and stand before God. When you are able to discard yourself before the cross then you are able to be revived.
(2) The blessing of re-creation
Psalm 51:9-10 “Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - When King David committed a sin, he came before God and prayed for forgiveness. He stole someone’s wife and killed someone’s husband as a result but when he stood before God, he realized what he had done. He started repenting before God in tears. Only God can cleanse you from your sins. At this time, David was searching after God and the event of the cross. He was laying everything down before God. At that time, David prayed for God to give him a clean heart and to renew a steadfast spirit within him. He asked God to give him a new life and help him to become a new creation. When we hold onto Jesus Christ, we can experience the work of recreation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” - When we enter into Jesus Christ, all things will become new. When we discard all things, then the old will go away and the new will come. The kingdom of God will come upon us and we can live within this kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” - Our spirits will become a new creation. Our body that was rotting, we will become a new creation. Our body will transform into a holy body that will be eternal. May we hold onto this covenant.
3. God's Mercy
(1) God's retribution
Verse 16 - Why is that? God’s wrath came upon mankind but God said that His wrath will not last forever. This means that God’s wrath is not meant to bring destruction to mankind. People in this world have many problems and may experience much suffering but God does not give us problems because He wants to destroy you. He gives you them so that He can revive and save you. He wants us to realize our flaws and sins, and repent and return back to God.
Lamentations 3:33 “For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.” - Because God loves us, He gives us tribulations and situations that will help and save us.
Verse 16 - If you look at this Scripture, we will realize that if we don’t have humility and repentance then we will experience lethargy and iniquity.
Psalm 7:14-15 “Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.” - Last time I shared with you that if we don’t have repentance and humility towards God, then we will continue to go deeper and deeper into our misery and problems. This means that we don’t care about God’s judgment and wrath.
(2) The reason He called you
He created you (Acts 9:4-5 “Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 5 And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' ”) - The reason why God called Paul was to recreate Paul.
To give you a new calling (Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.”) - God called Paul and allowed him the work of recreation. God also called Paul to give him God’s calling and purpose. God saved Paul because God had a mission for Paul. The reason why God called you was because He has a purpose and mission for you. So that you can share and testify of the gospel.
To save you (Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”) - God is sharing with Paul what message that he needs to share to save people. God wanted Paul to proclaim the accurateness of who Jesus Christ is. This is the reason why God has called you. When you hold onto this and pray with it, then great answers and blessings will come upon you.
Conclusion
Genesis 2:3 “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” - There is something that we need to hold onto from here. After the seventh day and completing His creations, He rested. This doesn’t mean that God really rested because God doesn’t get tired. This means that God returned back to His glory in His throne. When God returns back to His throne, what does God do? He was receiving glory for His creations. On His heavenly throne, He was being glorified and was receiving His worship. What is worship? It is a time when God blesses us. What is the result of God’s blessing? It is a time when we become holy and renewed. We are able to enjoy the blessing of a child of God. This all starts from worship. May you receive this blessing.
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