Isaiah – PaulThompsonBlog

A Smoldering Pile of Ruined Rubble

Posted on June 2, 2020Leave a comment

Last Sunday, May 31, 2020, I preached from Isaiah 54:11-17. This was the natural order of the preaching schedule I’m on working through the book of Isaiah. As the events around the country began to unfold over the past week it became clearer that the personal and corporate application of this text would come in “vivid technicolor”.

The images and sounds of cities across the nation in an uproar over injustice, in many cases with more injustice, leaving already devastated businesses in even greater uncertainty. Violence is what comes from the anger of humanity. Righteousness is what comes from the anger of God.

What will come of the ruined cities? This must have even been the question citizens in Jerusalem were asking as they were being taken into exile to Babylon. What will come of our beloved city?

Isaiah 54 is a chapter filled with the images of restoration. In verses 11-17 the focus is upon the new city that will not be ruined by weapons, fire, or looting. It is a lasting city that will remain. It is the promise that awaits the church too. The promise of what the Apostle John saw in Revelation 21.

Look around, cities are burning around the nation.

Look closer though. Weren’t they already in ruin? Where is a church that expects any great thing from God, where is the church attempting great things in God’s power? In many places, churches are playing it safe and only doing what they see they can do in their own strength.

The heritage of the church of the Lord is not in this world, but her humble duty in this temporal day is to lift high the royal banner of the city of our God. The city that is not torched, ruined, or forsaken. This city is where the sound of true peace will come from. The sound of the Gospel of Peace. Ambassadors of Christ’s reconciliation must come from these redeemed souls to the nations who currently hate God.

Can any church in the land expect God to do great things while she has more influence upon her from the world than from her Redeemer? Should any Christian expect God to use him/her while participating, endorsing, promoting, encouraging, and making light of any sin before God?

While the attention of the nation is captured by what appears to be the unjustified death of one man in Minneapolis, there was not one report about the unjust murdering of children across the nation, even in Twin Falls, Idaho. The one enraged the nation , the other is considered normal and the nation sleeps, both are tragic sins before the Holy God.

May God rain down righteousness from Heaven once again.

To What Are You Anchored?

Posted on January 19, 2020Leave a comment

Join me at 10:30 a.m. as we examine the third of four Servant Songs recorded in Isaiah. This morning we are in Isaiah 50.

Eastside Baptist Church is located at 204 Eastland Drive North in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Redemption, That Undeserved Blessed Kindness of God

Posted on September 8, 2019Leave a comment

Join me today at 204 Eastland Drive North in Twin Falls, Idaho as I continue the epic journey through the Gospel according to Isaiah.

Don’t miss gathering with the faith people of God who gather at 204 Eastland Drive North at 9:15 a.m. for bible study, 10:30 a.m for morning worship gathering, and 6:30 p.m. for evening gathering.

Live Streaming begins at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (mountain time)

I Am He

Posted on September 5, 2019Leave a comment

I’ve been preaching through the book of Isaiah for over a year and a half now. I have come to the forty-third chapter and the great news of the unchangeable Gospel is as strong as one can find anywhere in the sacred text of the Holy Bible, the only authoritative word to know God.

In the middle verses of this chapter Isaiah paints a word picture of all the nations gathered together and all peoples are given the opportunity to state their case on who their god is. He instructs those who have given themselves to false or strange gods to declare what their gods have done. He instructs those who are His people to declare what their God has done. He welcomes all to present their case so they might be justified and that their god gets to be fairly presented.

This is not something that the Almighty God is required to do, it is more that those who are blind or deaf to truth can see that their false gods are just that, impostures. It is a kindness from God to extend His mercy to those who have given themselves to the counterfeit.

This fabricated, propped up god, comes in many forms. Perhaps you have given yourself to one of the many pretend gods?

God has been kind to give a witness of Truth. He has given the nations a people who bear His name to advance His glory to all, the church. And of course He has given His only begotten son, Jesus the Christ, as described by the Bible, to stand as a witness of His glory to all nations. In Isaiah forty-three He also even shows his triune nature by revealing to the reader that there is one, and only one, God. He is identified by God as “My Servant” and He declares that “Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me.” (Isaiah 43:10-11)

That one phrase, “I am He”, is not to be missed or passed by so quickly.

In the New Testament when Jesus asked the Roman officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees who they were looking for, they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answers “I am He.” This alone is not that unusual, unless the reader keeps reading. The New Testament book of John records that Jesus said, “I am He” the Roman offers “drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:5-6).” This is a witness to the nations that this Jesus is unlike all others.

Whatever fake god you have been bowing down to has been exposed for the sham that it is. Only God can have this kind of impact on a people when He bears witness of deity. His eternal deity. Not a man who became God or earned the right to become a god. Not a god who was once a man. No, this eternal deity “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, by emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6-7)

This coming Lord’s Day I hope you will find yourself willing to examine truth without the fear of what men might say about you. The Magic Valley is blessed with many Bible believing, God fearing churches who will open their Bibles and preach this truth this weekend. Gather in one of those churches and be set free from the bondage of your sin. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as described by the Bible, and be saved from the idolatry of following a spoof. If you don’t have a church to gather in this weekend then consider gathering with Eastside Baptist Church, 204 Eastland Drive North, Twin Falls, Idaho.

On Monday, September 9, 2019 there is an opportunity to hear what several religions think about the person and nature of God. At 6:30 p.m in the Shields building room 118 on the campus of the College of Southern Idaho there will be an open forum discussion among many different religions about God. Come hear the difference. Learn that the god of Mohamad, the god of Joseph Smith, the god of Humanism, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are entirely different.

Come hear and see.

Recent Sermons

Posted on April 30, 2019Leave a comment

Here are the sermons delivered on the past Lord’s Day gatherings of Eastside Baptist Church.

If you ever miss a public gathering due to illness, travel, unexpected conflict, or you want to listen to a sermon again you can utilize our archived sermons at SermonAudio.

I Would Say It Like This

Posted on January 10, 2019Leave a comment

Matthew Henry said it like this…

“Those places that have plenty of Bibles, and ministers, and serious good people, are really rich; and it contributes to that which makes a nation rich in this world. It is therefore the interest of a people to support religion among them and to take heed of every thing that threatens to hinder it.”
Matthew Henry on Isaiah 33

To be clear, I have no disagreement with what he says. But I would just say it with a few more qualifiers today.

Those places that have plenty of people reading their Bibles, and faithful ministers, and people striving to live serious lives, are really rich; and it contributes to that which makes a nation rich in this temporal world. It is therefore the interest of a nation to defend Biblical religion among them and to take heed of every thing that threatens to hinder it.

Is He Your God?

Posted on July 31, 2018Leave a comment

I preached from Isaiah 25 this past Lord’s Day. The evangelist, Isaiah, made the declaration of God Almighty very personal. He did not refer to God as his father’s God or Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob’s God. He referred to Him as his God.

I would take serious inventory of this matter. If Yahweh is only your father’s God and not your God too then you are only part of a traditional religion. I would prefer a personal religion that is marked with a personal relationship.

Traditional religion says, “He is God.” or “He is my father’s God.”

Personal religion says, “You are my God.” “You are my salvation.”

We are in a day where we need a heaven born revival in the church. Not a spiritual movement hijacked by a national patriotic movement. No!
We need a fresh pouring out of the Holy Spirit of God Almighty. The kind of movement where the conscience of nations are awakened, where there are regional movements marked with repentance, with wide spread reform, a restoration of the church ordered to propagate the gospel to the ends of the earth.
We are in a day where once again God’s people are satisfied with God.
We are in a where sin must no longer just simply be modified or redefined, but completely mortified.

“Behold, I bring you good tidings of comfort and joy.”

“Let not your heats be troubled…”

The markers of traditional religion and personal religion are clear.

Man may say, ” You are God.”
The Godly man says, “You are my God.”

In Isaiah 25, Isaiah clarifies that the godly man wants what God offers; joy in the Lord. God wants joy to characterize His people. “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Depressions may come and mark us from time to time, but they must not abide in us. We wrestle in this temporal day but we are not of this world. We are all together, as A.W. Tozer identified, “other worldly.”

Listen, Church! You come from a long history of a people who wait on God. When life presses in upon you, wait, look, long for, hunger, thirst. Be satisfied with Christ! Alone!

_____________________________

Full sermon from July 29, 2018:
Video:

Audio:

Isaiah, the Evangelist

Posted on July 16, 2018Leave a comment

I’ve just finished preaching the first third of the book of Isaiah.

Here are a few thoughts at this point.

Matthew Henry identifies Isaiah as the Evangelist. It is clear that Isaiah is an example for the preacher on how to preach the gospel, biblically.
Isaiah shows himself willing to obey God regardless of the response of men. His devotion is to obey His God. I want to live like that.
Isaiah shows himself to be compassionate for not only his homeland but for every nation. He is a living example of one who not only loves doing what is easy but also genuinely loves his enemy.
Isaiah is steadfast and consistent.
I have great hope for what is still to come in this mountain of a book.

All past forty-two sermons are archived here:

Expository Preaching Requires the Preacher to Preach Isaiah 20

Posted on June 7, 2018Leave a comment

As a pastor, it is a lot of pressure when you gather with family and friends and someone suggest we play “Bible Trivia”. It’s the only time I get picked first to be on a team. Not because I know anything, but apparently I’m looked at as the “expert”. That is a lot of pressure. I usually go blank under that kind of pressure.

(fair warning, never pick me to be on your bible trivia team.)

Let’s say it is Bible trivia night and the whole family has gathered together and the question is raised; “Of all the Old Testament prophets, who was instructed by God to go naked for three years?”

After a bit of uncomfortable comments, everyone looks to you… you start going through the likely suspects…

Ezekiel?, Elijah? Micah?, Nahum?, Jonah?, some other prophet? Isaiah never crosses your mind. But, no, it was Isaiah.

Now, next time you’re playing Bible trivia and the question comes up you won’t need to “call a friend”, you now know yourself.

But Why?

These six verses of Isaiah 20 may throw the reader back on their heals with shock, but they are actually quite helpful.

The nation of Judah had turned to other nations, Egypt and Ethiopia, instead of Almighty God for strength against the threat of Assyria. This was among the most shameful things this nation could ever have done. God Almighty had shown His people that they could always depend on Him so long as they obey His commands.

Gather with Eastside Baptist Church this coming Lord’s Day as we examine Isaiah 20.

(On Bible trivia night, you might not want to pick me just because I’m a pastor.)

The Heart of an Evangelist

Posted on May 9, 2018Leave a comment

My Heart Cries Out

Puritan commentary writer, Matthew Henry, called Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, the evangelist.

In the middle of delivering oracles against enemies of Israel, Isaiah makes a telling announcement about the small nation of Moab. Isaiah says; “My heart cries out for you” (Isaiah 15:5). This shows that Isaiah, the evangelist, has a compassion for those who are stated enemies of God.

The word from the evangelist is the same word and compassion of God.

The bible makes claim that all of humanity are sinners. To be a sinner is to be an enemy of God. To be an enemy of God is to be living in pride and the Bible says clearly that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.

This is why Isaiah’s heart cried out for the nation of Moab. Moab was a proud nation and was known for her pagan idolatry and rejection of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moab was a nation that was always at war with Israel and Israel’s God.

It is like an evangelist to behave like His God. Isaiah had compassion for a nation that was a stated enemy of his homeland. God is like this toward sinners, He has compassion for those who are born stated enemies of His and his Kingdom. God was moved to such compassion that He did everything needed for His enemy to be declared not only righteous, but also innocent of actions against His name and kingdom.

The professing follower of Christ must be extremely careful about how he/she lives their lives.

One can’t be seen as a follower of Christ just because they say they are.

No, professor of Christ, exercise the greatest caution here lest you otherwise be known as an enemy of God while thinking you are a believer.

The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. This may seem confusing at first glance, but I’m sure the Moabites thought they were righteous people because their ancestor line was from Lot. But what is most clear at this point is that neither Lot nor the Moabite nation are ever recorded as repenting of their sin.

Where sin abounds, grace abounds more (Romans 5:20)

This is how this heart of mercy works in God. He gives his grace to a people who were formerly His enemies. It is clearest here in that there is no reason for God to give grace to a righteous people. If it were possible to be a righteous person apart from Christ then there would be no reason to give grace.

It is consistent with man’s need and with God’s nature for the heart of God to cry out for His enemy. Like the evangelist, Isaiah, the church today must be a people who behave like their Savior. May our hearts cry out for the unconverted, enemies of God. When we act in compassion toward them with the truth of God and preach of His grace, may all who hear believe and repent.

Posts Tagged with Isaiah