In this sermon Chris unpacks Colossians 3:12-14 where Paul urges us to put on new spiritual clothes in the light of the new identity we have in Jesus Christ: Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, Patience, bearing with one another and Forgiveness. These are our communal values for how we do life together, how we grow together with the help of the Holy Spirit – can we do this together and as a community in 2022?

Sermon preached by Chris Roberts on Sunday January 23, 2022.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES

Well, We have had Peter Brooks two weeks ago give us a great sermon telling us what God might want us to do in 2022, and last week we had Tim tell us about the biblical principle of sowing and reaping, and thinking about the new year theme, I saw a great article as the new year started called 100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying, and I wanted to give you a few of my favourite tips for you to try out in 2022:

• Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night)
• On the fence about a purchase, wait 72 hours before buying 
• Send a voice note instead of a text, they sound like personal mini podcasts 
• Always bring ice to house parties (there is always never enough)
• Buy a cheap blender to use to chop onions, saves time and tears 
• Don’t be weird about how to stack the dishwasher 

Well I don’t know if these tips are amusing or helpful but we are 23 days into the new year and if you might be sick of hearing about self-improvement or making goals for the new year. The thing is the world is full of tips about improving your life, quick-fix schemes, and most of these fail to do the trick. More often than not, I end up back in the same old habits I wanted to improve. 

So that led me to see what the Bible says about ‘improving your life’, in fact that such a worldly term, improving. Might I suggest that in 2022, the best thing we can aim for is to be GROWING. Growing to be more and more like Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts.The world suggests that we can improve our lifes by works, however we are going to see that true growth comes when we join in with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So you have already listened to our passage being read, Colossians 3, and in this passage Paul talks about some new clothing that we can put on every day that will lead to our growth in the Lord. This is not just for growing us individually, but they are are our new communal values, things that express themselves in community, how we do life together. 

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not really a clothes person. All of the t-shirts I own are a single colour with no logos or anything like that, and it makes it super easy to pair with jeans or shorts. My clothing style is practical rather than fashionable. Maybe we have clothes lovers in the audience, some fashion iccons, or maybe your like me.

But I know enough about clothing to understand it’s importance in our world today. If you’re going to a job interview, do you show up in a singlet and sandals? No of course not, you wear formal business attire that is appropriate for the job you are going for. We dress in the right clothes for the weather, we wear black when mourning a loved one who passed away. Sportsmen and women wear uniforms to show the world they have arnt their spot in the team, they represent their country or state with thier clothes. Today’s passage focuses on new spiritual clothes, a new wardrobe for Christians. 

But first so as you heard earlier, we are in Colossians. Colossians is structured a lot like Ephesians, we w did a big series on last year, the first half of Colossians and Ephesians are about what God has done for us, the second half of Colossians and Ephesians are what we are then called to do practically in light of what God has done. Remember that Paul was writing to a group of people who had been joined together by what Jesus has done, the Jews and the Gentiles, and these words were written so this new community could function as God’s people in the new world. AN dI am going to keep repeating it over and over, while it is greta ot grow individually, Paul’s focus isn;t on how we grow on our own, but rather how we express God’s love and become like Jesus in the context of community and relationships. This Christian life isn’t meant to be done alone. 

So Paul has been building for two chapters all that God has done, and this beginning of chapter three is his beginning to tell us, ‘so how do we respond’. In the beginning of chapter 3, Paul makes it very clear that since Christ’s death and resurrection on the cross, Christians are given a new life, a new self, with promises about our position and identity in Christ. And we have spiritual clothes that match our new standing in Christ. He indicates that we no longer should keep on our dirty, filthy sinful old clothes that represent our former self, but rather leave them in the past with our former lives before we met Christ. 

So let’s focus on verses 12-14. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Now this is something you could realistically memorise in 2022. These three verses are as good as any New Years Resolution that you may have kept or have abandoned already in 2022. What f by the end of this year someone could look at you and say that you are clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience? Wouldn’t if be great if you were more forgiving at the end of the year, if you were more loving to your family, friends and community?

So how you clothe yourself in the new clothes God has for you in 2022?We are going to tackle this in three sections, firstly, the call to put on new spiritual clothes. Secondly, the reason we put on these new spiritual clothes, and finally the manner in which we put on these spiritual clothes. 

1. THE CALL 

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

Just read that again. And can I have a show of hands, is there someone in the room who would NOT like to have some more of these qualities by the end of 2022. That’s right! 

We are going to tackle the first part of verse 12 in the next section but for now, let’s focus on these clothes. 

Like I said earlier, we can’t dot his in our strength, it doesn’t work. But it is not like we just rely on the Holy Spirit to do all of the work as well. Paul suggests to us here that we have an active role in what we sort of spiritual qualities we choose to put on every day. 

I’m sure you are familiar with armor of God from EPhesians 6, well the same Greek work for “put on” as in put on the full armour of God is the same word Paul uses here for ‘clothe yourselves” 

There is an implication in both of these passages that we are meant to be in partnership with the Holy Spirit in putting on these clothes. We have an active role to put on the clothes he gives us and the Holy Spirit provides us wit the spiritual strength to do so and transforms our heart as we continue to do so. We have a choice what clothes we put on every day. 

The implication is also that this is a daily practice, as we put on our own clothes for the day, we can be putting on these spiritual clothes as well. It is in the daily practice that the Holy Spirit can grow and nourish these attributes so they become part of who we are, molding us into Christ-likeness so further along its no longer an effort, but something that happens naturally. 

So can you see here, I have my spiritual clothes ready, let’s go through this verses and quickly unpack each item of clothing. 

1. Compassion 

Compassion is one of the many qualities Jesus exemplified when he was on Earth,. 

When Jesus heals a leper in 

Mark 1:41Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” “

Before Jesus fed the 5000, he was moved with compassion

Mark 8:2
‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
 

In Greek, the word literally means ‘a deep gut feeling’. I;m sure you all know what that feeling is like, when you see someone in need or a person’s struggles, you are moved in your gut to deep compassion. 

Compassion moves Christians to do God’s will on Earth. If it is God’s will to heal the sick, comfort those who are mourning, love the unlovable and take care of the needy, then compassion is first needed to move us into doing these  godly actions. 

Are you compassionate? Do you have a deep gut feeling valling you to Godly action when you see injustice, when you see someone in need? Or is your heart hardened and dull? As God for his compassion!

2. Kindness 

Kindness is of course one of the fruits of the Spirit found in Galtaians 5.

We can show kindness because God first showed kindness to us! By sending his son Jesus to live on the Earth, die on the Cross, rise again and give us a new life, a new relationship with God and life forever is kindness no human can ever give to someone else. 

Kindness is another gentle word that can also mean gentleness. A kind person would tend to reach out to others, offering support of some sort—a kind word or a gift of food or money. This act of kindness would be the natural outgrowth of “a heart of compassion” As a community for example, when someone has a baby at church, we send them meals. This is an example of kindness, its taking the initiative to do something caring for another.

Do you show kindness? How cna you put on  kindness every day in 2022? 

3. Humility 

Humility can also be known as Lowliness. Lowliness is not often seen as a virtue today. We prize assertiveness rather than lowliness. However, as Christians, we are called to emulate Christ, who “existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, (Philippians 2:6-8).

There’s a great C.S Lewis quote: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less,” That why before that Philipians passage 

Are you full of pride? Or do you put others ahead of yourself? Can you ask God for humility in 2022?

4. Gentleness

Another word for gentleness is meekness. ABut if you weren’t there, gentleness and meekness is not the worldlyd definition, ie. weakness. Instead it is Strength under control. The assured strength of someone in control of their own actions and uses them to appropriately. 

Rash, impulsive decisions are most always not good decisions. When we surrender to God’s will for our life, we can be like Jesus, able to use our strength when necessary, but also as equally ready to restrain it. I like this definition: gentle in relationships but firm in convictions. 

Are you self-controlled? WOuld people describe you as gentle? God has given you good gifts and strengths, can you ask God for strength in holding to his truth but gentleness in your relationships with others?

5. Patience

Another word for patience is steadfastness. And I love that word, because it speaks to what patience really means, standing firm against adversity without quitting. It means enduring opposition. We often think about patience as gritting our teeth when traffic is bad, but patience truly is resting in the knowledge that God ha sveryhting under his control and moving our life in line with his timing. If you have God’s peace, you have his patience. 

So, would people describe you as a patient people? DO you find yourself frustrated when things aren’t going your way? How do you ask God for his peace, rest and temptation in being steadfast and patient in life?

6. Bear with each other 

In life, you might not be friends with everyone. THere will even be people who really annoy you and get on your nerves. And of course this happens in Church.

Paul makes it very clear in verse 11, Here there is no Gentile or Jew,circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Paul is clearly saying that no matter who we are, we are all united in Christ and we all deserve the dignity of others bearing with us. This can mean showing restraint, having patience, giving people second chances and being quick to forgive. 

7. Forgiveness 

The most important thing here is that we forgive because God forgave us. Thinka about everything God forgives, all your sin in the past and ll the sin to come. Jesus died and rose and forgives us all for that sin. SO we are called to show the same forgiveness to those around us. 

When Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”—Jesus responded, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). 

Forgiveness may not lead to reconciliation between you and that person. Forgiveness doens;t mean forgetting or ignoring abuse or destructive bahvaiour. But when you forgive you give the right of justice back to Godm releasding that person from ‘your wrath’ while also taking the barb’s of that wrong they caused out of your heart. Forgiveness is crucial in Christiajn community, without it we become bitter, hateful, foul, a horrdi community, 

OK

What have you noticed about all of these items of clothing? Well, they are all displayed in the context of relationships. 

“It is most significant to note that every one of the graces listed has to do with personal relationships between people. There is no mention of virtues like efficiency or cleverness, not even of diligence or industry – not that these things are unimportant. But the great basic Christian virtues are those which govern human relationships. William  Barclay

These are are virtues for our community. If everyone in our church put on these clothes, our community would thrive and be a light to the world. So think about your relationships, to frist your family, your husband or your wife, your friends, your church .

It also important that these are all ‘doing words’. It is hard to show forgiveness to noone, and a kind deed isn;t kind if igt only done with yourself in mind. 

So what I’m saying is that these clothes help you shift your focus on yourself, what can I get, what do I want, how can I get the best out of this situation, but moves us to think about how we can serve those around us. 

Galatians 5:13-14

“but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

So, can we make this a daily practice in 2022 Manly Life? Can we wake up and clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, patience, bearing with one another, and forgiveness? WHat would that look like for you? What would change in your life if you really started doing this? 

2. THE REASON 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

So let’s go back to the start, why are we being called to put on these clothes? 

Well it all goes back to what Paul has been saying throughout chapter three. We were once stuck in our old sinful ways, our old sinful self had no capacity to make ourselves holy. But now we are in Christ, we have to throw off the old self and start living in the new self. 

You see, Paul makes it clear all through chapter 3 and ata the beginning chapter 3 that because of our position in CHrist we have these new spiritual clothes to wear. We did nothing to earn them, but we are no longer our old selves clothed in sin, but have new clothes to wear. 

Before Paul talks about the clothing we are to wear, he first indicates our position in Christ. In this short opening he indicates three truths about who we are because of what Jesus has done: they are:

1. That we are God’s chosen people: 

This phrase reminds of the promises made to Abraham in Genesis. That the descendants of Abraham would outnumber the stars in the sky and that they would be God’s chosen people. This was also written to both Jews and Gentiles, meaning that those not in the bloodline of the Jews were no inlcuded in this promise. God has chosen you. It feels good to be chosen. Being chosen means we have a purpose, a mission. Don’t forget that you are chosen. God has a plan for you. Let’s not waste it by living in the old self. 

2. Holy:

In the context of the passage Holy can mean two things:

SET APART – God’s chosen people, you and me, are holy because God has called us and set us apart. Let’s focus on that word set apart. It indicates separation from the world we live in. Of course we must physically live here on Earth, but we must remember God has set us apart to be his hands and feet on the Earth, we are filled with holy purpose to fulfill God’s plan for the whole world to know his love. Being set apart means we are reserved for a single purpose, God’s puroose. Just like a toothbrush is et apart for brushing one perosn’s teeth and not for using on the floor, we are reserved for God’s purpose and plans, not for our old ways. Don’t forget that you are set apart. 

The meaning of holy is sinless or without fault. Well that rules me out! But of course we aren;t made holy by our own actions but instead the detah and resurrection of Jesus Christ who took on our sin and forgave it all, calling uds righteous and holy. Don’t forget What Hesus did for you and me. 

Let’s pray this week, that when the temptation comes to put on some of those old sinful clothes, we cna be reminbded of who we are in Jesus CHrist. 

3. Dearly Loved:

Some version suse the word beloved, which I think sums up what this word means. It is literally impossible to give any words that can measure how much God loves us. You are His treasure, the apple of his eye. You are so so precious in the eyes of God. 

Let me share my favourite verse of all time: 

Romans 8:38-39 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The truth is that I often struggle to really believe that God loves me sometimes. As I grew up my faith was very based on my works, If I did good things I was loved, I failed and that love went away. I get myself caught in negative self-talk, I bash myself over my sin and I forget how much God loves me. , I can find it hard to accept his grace, love and mercy. 

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe all you need is a touch of God’s abounding love today. Don’t forget how incredibly you are loved. 

I wan to share my favourite quote form Max Lucado: God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.

That is the power of God’s love ion your life. He wants you to have life to the full! That is what this new wardrobe is for! 

But there is one thing left, the outer garment that binds everything together, the final piece of the puzzle, which is the way or the manner in which we put on this new wardrobe, this new clothing. 

3. THE WAY

Let’s read:

Verse 14

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

It always comes back to love. Love expresses in community is the highest virtue. 

1 Corinthians 13:  If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

The Greek word Paul uses for love here is agape, which is a purely ‘giving’ love. This word doesn’t describe a love where you get back exactly the love you give, it is a word that calls us to go out and love others. 

Remember what Jesus says, Love is the fulfillment of the law. 

And finally, let’s remember this. We aren’t alone in this. We aren’t stuck trying to do those things and failing again. The holy spirit promises to help us, transforming us from the inside as we grow. Yes we will make mistakes, but we fall back into God’s unedning grace and forgiveness. 

So Manly Life, 

You are chosen by God. You are holy, set apart for a holy purpose and made righteous in Jesus Chris. You are deeply and eternally loved. So throw off the old self, the sin that entangles, and instead clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

What will our church look like if we all did this? Will you ask the Holy Spirit to help you do this in 2022? 

In January we have some of our amazing preachers giving sermons about passages or messages that have touched their hearts and where they feel God is speaking to them! In this sermon Peter Brooks shares three promises of God for us in 2022, asking us instead of focusing on what we can do in 2022 -this is good – we can focus on what God wants for us in 2022 – which is great! What will God do through you in 2022? What will God do for you in 2022? Will you be open for what God wants this year?

Sermon preached by Peter Brooks on Sunday January 9, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

We conclude our amazing Isaiah Series as Tim looks at Isaiah 64 in light of the the tough two years we have been through with a global pandemic, as well as approaching Christmas, when we feel like we want God to rend the heavens and come down bringing his truth and justice! Tim encourages us to thing about what we are longing for this Christmas, and how we can come to God with confidence in prayer and ask for more of Him and for more of His Holy Spirit!

Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday December 19, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

I feel a bit guilty because I encouraged Victoria to speak too soon last week…

• She spoke on that remarkable passage Isaiah 61 which Jesus picks up on in Luke 4 as announcing the beginning of his ministry… the Spirit of the Lord is on me…
• I said, babe you got to use this line… “where Isaiah finishes, Jesus begins…”
• And then I was reading the next section of Isaiah… whoops… 
• Because it is really obvious that today is where Isaiah finishes and Jesus begins… so sorry Victoria… 
• And I promise… this is our last week in Isaiah! What a great series this has been. 
• And today as we continue the season of Advent where we await the coming of Jesus at Christmas… we have this amazing prayer in Isaiah 64!

Isaiah 64:1-4

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. 4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

How often have you prayed for God to show up and make things right?

• Maybe you read or watch the news and it leads you to an exasperated plea for God to do something about it. 
• I remember feeling that was a few years ago when ISIS was on the move and there was that harrowing footage of Egyptian Christians in orange jump suits who they were beheading.
• Oh Lord, rend the heavens and come down!
• Or this year when COVID was running rampant through India and on the news you would see these people lined up outside hospitals begging for oxygen…
• Oh Lord, rend the heavens and come down!
• It’s a prayer for divine intervention… 

As a Pastor, I am privileged through what is shared with me, into some really tough insights into people’s lives. 

• Deep longings to see relationships get restored or children to be born
• Family conflicts to be resolved, financial strains and impossible work situations…
• And my heart gets broken by the human condition and all that we face as a community and personally. 
• And you pray “Oh Lord, rend the heavens and come down!”
• A prayer rooted in a belief in a God who can change circumstances and make things right.

In Isaiah 64:1 the word for rend literally means “rip apart”

• The Hebrew word rend is Kaw-rah, used elsewhere to speak of when someone’s clothes are torn in two.
• It can have a quite violent connotation. As when Jacob thinks his son Joseph is dead and he tore his clothes. Genesis 37:34 Jacob kaw-rah his clothes. 
• So this prayer denotes tearing apart the fabric that separates heaven and earth, God’s realm and ours…
• Indeed the next verse suggests that God coming down would be akin to a fire setting twigs ablaze… 
• It is the spark of the divine, coming to intervene!
• And so the prayer here of Isaiah is that God would appear and act decisively. That he would move from his realm in heaven, to our realm on earth and as it says in verse 4
• “act on behalf of those who wait for you.”

The reason Isaiah is praying this has been clear throughout this book.

• Over the many decades that this Book was written by Isaiah and his disciples, the people of God have faced many difficulties.
• The threat of the Assyrians empire hung over the southern kingdom. Then when that was finally dealt with, the Babylonian empire defeated them and took them into captivity.
• And then even after being released by the Babylonian King Cyrus, they still don’t find themselves free or able to live faithfully. 
• And remember they were meant to be faithful in fulfilling their side of the covenant, but like a vineyard planted by God…
• They have only produced bad fruit. 
• So they need a divine intervention. 

And the prayer of the people of God from Isaiah 64 is that God would send his presence and act to confound his enemies.

• It’s a prayer that has echoes of what God did in Exodus 19 in meeting Moses on the mountain
• And it is a prayer that God would fulfil all the prophecies given in Isaiah about God coming to act in the future. 

So firstly, let’s look back to Exodus 19

• In Isaiah 64 so much of the language seems to point back to the events after the Exodus in which God had delivered his people. 
• This was a time in their history when they had no doubt that God rend the heavens and intervened to save them.
• The mountains trembling seems to be a direct reference to when Moses climbed Mount Sinai to meet with God. 
• Having made His name known to his enemies, that being a reference to Egypt and God delivering them out of slavery
• Exodus 19:4 God says; “You yourself have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles wings and brought you to myself.”

So Moses met with God to receive the law and covenant on the mountain. 

• It says in verse 18 “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire… and the whole mountain trembled violently.”
• Now this moment in the people of God’s history was a unique moment of God’s presence being revealed. 
• God came near from heaven. 
• God spoke to them from heaven. 
• God revealed his heart and plans for his people. 
• God rend the heavens and came down.

If you have ever wondered why America is a more ostensibly religious society than us Aussies, a lot of it is due to still living in the aftermath of the Great Awakening around 1735.

• This was a time of revivalist preachers and great spiritual awakening amongst the people. 
• And it led not just to churches filling but also social reform… drops in drunkardness, theft and family break down. 
• One of the main preachers was a man named Jonathan Edwards and he wrote about how God visited New England and thousands came to faith in Christ. 
• He wrote;
• “In the spring and summer following, 1735, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God: it never was so full of love nor of joy.”
• He said; “Several personas have had so great a sense of the glory of God, and excellence of Christ, that nature and life seemed almost to sink under it; and in all probability, if God had showed them a little more of Himself, it would have dissolved their frame.”
• So it was a time of remarkable presence… this is what happens when God rends the heavens and comes down!

Well, if that is some of what Isaiah 64:1-4 is pointing back to… when God shows up!

• Then of course it must also be pointing forward to something, something new where God would rend the heavens and come down!
• And so much of this series in Isaiah has been pointing forward to a time when once again, the presence of God would be revealed. 
• Now we don’t have time to revisit all of these passages… but I want to read a few key ones as we come to Christmas.

And I sometimes feel like reading Isaiah is akin to shaking up a champagne bottle…

• With every promise in Isaiah the bottle gets shaken… the tension builds… 

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (shake)

Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (shake)

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom… (shake)

Isaiah 11:1-3 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (shake)

Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (shake)

Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor… (shake)

So in Isaiah 64:1-4 when he prays “oh that you would rend heaven and come down” this is what the people of God were hoping for…

• These are the unfulfilled expectations and promises and prophecies that they were longing to see fulfilled. 
• A child called the Prince of Peace who would reign on the throne of David who would be full of the Spirit and draw all nations to himself. 
• A servant who would come and by his wounds bring us peace and healing. 
• A light that would dawn that would reveal the glory of God

And so the tension builds… the promise is pregnant with expectation… the champagne bottle is ready to pop…

• A virgin will conceive (shake)
• A Son will be given (shake)
• The Spirit will be on him (shake)
• By his wound we are healed (shake)
• He will proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour… (shake)

And then 700 years after the first chapters of Isaiah were written… (pop)

• The Son of God arrives… the first Christmas is celebrated… 
• Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!
• Jesus Christ. Saviour. Messiah. Lord. 

(PAUSE)

Plato: (Not playdo) Plato, the Greek Philosopher said: never can god and man ever meet.

• Nd that would be true unless God stepped out of heaven and into earth…
• The Gospel of John records what happens in Jesus like this.
• The word (that is God) became flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we have seen his glory!
• Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!

In Luke’s Gospel we get the details of what that looked like when the heavens were rendered open and heaven came down. Luke 2:26-33

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

• Drenched in the promises and prophecies of Isaiah…
• Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!

Well as I close, what are you longing for this Christmas? 

• Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind? Haha – who wouldn’t be…
• Or maybe you’re just hoping for enough respite from Covid that you can see family and friends…

Or are you longing for an encounter with God’s presence… 

• Because the result according to Isaiah 64 of God rending the heavens and coming down!
• Is akin to fire setting twigs ablaze. 
• And I wonder if there is some reference there to what happens at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus disciples 
• And it says what seemed to be tongues of fire came and rested upon them
• And they were filled with the Holy Spirit. 
• And a dejected, fearful, disappointed group went out from there and changed the world.

It’s the presence of God that rekindles their faith, their passions and their purpose. 

• I wonder if you could do with some of that this Christmas?
• To be see God move from heaven in your own life… and to put aside the disappointments and fear
• And to be renewed by the very Spirit of Jesus Christ?
• Shall we ask for that? His kingdom to come, his Holy Spirit to fill us?
• Amen!

In this sermon Victoria preaches through Isaiah 61:1-2, where the Israelites find out what will happen when Jesus comes, how he brings a new beginning to us through the spiritual year of Jubilee and how we can join God in bringing freedom and light to the world!

Sermon preached by Victoria Giovanelli on Sunday December 12, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

Some things I have loved about the Isaiah series…

• Learning about the history of Israel at this time.
• About God’s unending faithfulness to his people despite our struggles with faithfulness
• The rich portraits of Christ echoed through words written hundreds of years before his arrival. 
• This series has been so rich. 

Today where Isaiah finishes off, Jesus begins. 

This section of Isaiah is believed to be written 550 years before the coming of Christ, so let’s take a trip back in time today. 

Isaiah 61 begins “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me…” let’s pause right there for a moment. 

God’s anointing rests upon him, what does that mean?

Ceremonial anointing in the Old Testament was a physical act involving the smearing, rubbing, or pouring of sacred oil on someone’s head as an outward symbol that God had chosen and set apart the person for a specific holy purpose.

Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed outwardly with oil to symbolize a more profound spiritual reality—that God’s presence was with them and His favour was upon them (Psalm 20:6; 28:8). 

• While David was still a young shepherd, God told Samuel to anoint him to become king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:3). From that day forward, the Spirit of the Lord rested powerfully upon David’s life (1 Samuel 16:13; Psalm 89:20).
• Centuries before David’s time, the Lord had instructed Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve as priests (Exodus 28:41; 30:30; Leviticus 8:30; 10:7). God authenticated their priestly ministry with the fiery glory of His presence that consumed their offerings.

And there are many other examples in the OT scripture of anointing as a symbol of being set apart and consecrated by God for Holy and divine purpose.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals Himself as our anointed King, Priest, and Prophet. He is God’s Holy and chosen Son, the Messiah. In fact, Messiah, literally means “anointed one”.

So here we have in Isaiah 61 the promise of one who will come, a description of the coming Messiah, one whom the Spirit of the Lord is upon, who is anointed, set apart and consecrated for divine purpose. 

If that Messiah suddenly showed up in the room, in the flesh, what would you do? How does Jesus embody this prophesy? Because it wasn’t necessarily how the Jewish people expected. 

Firstly, let’s look at what this passage in Isaiah prophesies about the coming Messiah, alongside how Jesus embodies it…  

First of all He has come to proclaim good news to the poor (humble, afflicted, meek)

• We read in Matt 9:13 Jesus came not to call the righteous but those who were afflicted, and some of the righteous were upset by this. 
  • But are we all not afflicted by sin in our human experience? He came with good news for the afflicted, for the sinner.
  • His message is one of forgiveness, hope and restoration.
  • He teaches us what the kingdom of God is like.   
  • Jesus message was surely one of good news. 

He came to bind up the brokenhearted

• Jesus takes the broken pieces of our hearts and puts them together again.
  • I have experienced this so personally in my own life
  • The reckoning of Christ’s sacrifice and love is so powerful it can heal the deepest parts of our souls. His love is true and real and deeply powerful. 
  • The scriptures say he will take our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. 

Jesus came to proclaim freedom for the captives

• the paradox of sin is that it brings you into bondage under the guise of giving you freedom, but it is not true freedom. 
  • In Christ we are no longer slaves to sin, but we are made truly alive. 
• Some scholars believe that this particular portion of the verse refers as well to the ministry of Christ to those who had died before He came. Paul tells us that He who has ascended is the same One who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. And when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity. You see, from the time even before Abraham, there were those men of the Old Testament who were accounted righteous because of their faith in God. And they too were waiting for the promises of God.
• Hebrews 11 tells us that “they all died in faith, not having received the promise, but seeing it afar off, they embraced it”. 
• So we are told by Peter that when Jesus died He descended into hell. He tells us the purpose of His going there, to preach to those souls that were in prison that one time were disobedient. But they believed and trusted in God. 
• And Matthew’s gospel, chapter 27, tells us that when He arose from the dead, many of the graves of the saints were open and they were seen walking in the streets of Jerusalem after His resurrection from the dead. How insane would that have been. 
• You see death is a prison that cannot hold those who have received the gift of eternal life that Christ offers us. I have come face to face with the experience of death and looking that cage in the eye, and I can honestly tell you because of Christ I had no fear whatsoever, but complete peace and assurance of my salvation in him.
• Jesus said in Matt 25:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live.”

Isaiah also says, He came to release us from darkness 

• As Tim spoke last week Jesus is the light of the world 
  • In the light of Christ darkness flees and is conquered
  • He delivers us not just from our sins but the forces of spiritual darkness that come against us in this world. 

When the Messiah shows up in the flesh…

• Jesus comes preaching good news to the poor and afflicted. He preaches forgiveness for our sins, reconciliation with God and hope in eternal life. 
• Jesus binds up the brokenhearted. His love restores dignity to people, especially the outcast, he heals the deepest places of our hearts and inner wounds. I’ll never get tired of seeing Jesus show up in times of prayer ministry and heal hearts. 
• Jesus brings freedom for the captives, freedom from the curse of sin once and for all, freedom from death, for all who receive it.
• He delivers us from darkness and as John says In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This is what happens when Jesus arrives in the room. This prophecy in Isaiah comes to life and is unleashed through Christ. 

Jesus then goes on to make a proclamation – the year of the Lord’s favour or also referred to as the year of Jubilee.

What was the year of Jubilee? Well I am so glad you asked.

• The Year of Jubilee, designed by God, came every 50^th year, was a year full of releasing people from their debts, releasing all slaves, and returning property to those who owned it.  (Leviticus 25:1-13).
• This year was also dedicated to rest and acknowledging that God would provide for the needs of his people.
• Imagine if we experienced a real jubilee today? I wonder if you’d be happy about that or not? All the banks cancelling our debts would be nice! 
• Jubilee basically equalised the economy, nourished the land or environment and ironed out all the inequality for the poor – they were given a fresh start every generation and I can’t help but wonder how it must have restored their identity and value in society. 
• Jubilee also stopped work from becoming an idol 
• It caused people to acknowledge that all they had belonged to the Lord and they were simply stewards of it. 

So when Jesus announces this is the year of the Lord’s favour, this is the year of Jubilee he is actually saying so much more… 

• What greater provision is there than that which is fulfilled through Jesus Christ?
• You see Jesus himself is the fulfillment of Jubliee

Merryl Blair puts it like this “When Jesus says ‘today this scripture has been fulfilled’, he’s saying not just every 50 years, not just every seventh year, but every now, every today.” 

Melody Murton from Tearfund Australia “The essence of Jubilee is God’s inspired vision to interrupt the status quo. A reset, embedded in the way of life for God’s redeemed and liberated people, emphasising the relationships between humanity, creation and God.”

Jesus showed up and interrupted the status quo. It was the greatest new beginning of all time. And through it we are to be reminded of our liberation spiritually once and for all by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

Ok so in Luke Chapter 4 is where Jesus quotes this passage from Isaiah. Let’s shift gears and dive into this story for a moment…

In Luke Chapter 4 Jesus begins his public ministry by quoting this passage. He has just returned from the temptation in the wilderness… 

Chapter 4 begins saying Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, and led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he is tempted by Satan but overcomes every temptation. And as he returns it says (verse 14), “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through all the surrounding district. And he began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.”   

Can I just note he entered the wilderness full of the Spirit and as he overcame temptation he returned empowered by the Spirit. As we overcome spiritual challenges in this life there is an authority that is revealed, an empowering that becomes evident in the overcoming.And we as believers have that same privilege of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Being led by the Holy Spirit, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, it’s amazing… but another sermon entirely. 

Jesus arrives in Nazareth where he was brought up, so they know him well. He enters the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read, as Rabbis of the time did. The book of Isaiah was handed to him, he opens the scroll and finds this passage, he reads just this short part out loud that we have unpacked.

Where He stops reading is significant, in doing so he divides history in half. The messianic expectation by the Jews was that God would do it all at once, but Jesus stops where he does purposefully at the year of Jubilee. 

Message version puts this verse beautifully as God sent me to announce the year of his grace.

We are living in an unpreceded time of God’s grace still, do not let it pass you by. 

Then Jesus hands Isaiah back to the attendant. The scriptures say “everyone’s eyes were fixed on him” and Jesus says “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

What would you have done? How would you have reacted when Jesus, the Messiah shows up in the room?

He is saying I am the Anointed One, I am the Servant Messiah. 

Amazingly by Luke 4:29 the Jews are trying to throw Jesus off a cliff, why? It is historically recorded that the Jews were very nationalistic at the time, there was this idea that the Messiah was on their side alone, that he would conquer Rome for them and make them a victorious nation. That’s how they thought it would go down. 

Jesus says in this passage after reading Isaiah some things that upset them. 

• He tells them a prophet isn’t welcome in his home town. He is basically saying you haven’t welcomed me here to my home town as the Prophet that I am. That might have been a little offensive…
• Jesus tells two stories from their history, one of Elijah being sent to a widow who wasn’t a Jew. And Elisha only cleansing one leper, although many were present and that leper was Naaman a Syrian, again not a Jew. 

They believed salvation was only for the Jews, so they get a little upset with Jesus bringing up these stories in this moment in connection to this passage, and try to throw him off a cliff but how cool is this, Jesus seems to just pass right through them like he is invisible and goes on his way. The bible has some wild stuff in it. 

Now later on in Luke’s gospel when John the Baptist began to have questions concerning Jesus, John had been in prison for awhile, and Jesus had not kicked Herod out from the throne and taken over the empire, John sent his disciples to Jesus with the question, “Are you the Messiah, or shall we look for another?” Jesus was showing up in a way the people didn’t fully expect. 

And he still does that today. He did not come to overthrow the Roman government but to free them and us from what truly and eternally impacts us – which is sin. He did not come to rewrite the laws of men but by the spirit have the law of God imprinted on our hearts as believers. It is a revolution from within that goes on to change everything else. 

He came for your hearts, he did not come to sit upon a political throne, he came to be enthroned upon your hearts and to have eternal communion with you.

In that same hour when John sent this question to Jesus, many came to Jesus who were blind and lame, afflicted by demons. And He healed them. He restored their sight. He set them free. And He said to those disciples of John, “Go back and tell John what you’ve seen. How the blind receive their sight, the lame are walking, lepers are cleansed, and to the poor the gospel is being preached. Blessed is he who does not take offense at me.” 

His works testify of who he is. May the Church be a testimony in this hour of the continuing works of Christ.

This is what happens when Jesus shows up in the room. 

Now I said Jesus in this moment was dividing history in half. Where He stops reading is significant. The second part of the prophecy in Isaiah denotes the second coming of Christ where there will be a final judgement of mankind – the day of vengeance of our God. 

We do experience a taste of these good things listed here in our current era, as the kingdom of God breaks in…. Reading now from Verse 2

to comfort all who mourn, 
³     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.

In this life we still experience many sorrows but we also experience comfort by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

Once something has turned to ashes you can’t reconstruct it, sometimes our dreams, ambitions, hopes can turn to ashes, yet God can turn ashes into beauty.

We can have experiences of the joy of the Lord:

• Often my husband when he becomes overwhelmed by the presence of God gets uncontrollable giggles, some of you saw that at the John Peters night we had where Tim was just doubled over here at the front of the church giggling and laughing, quite loudly in the joy of the Lord. 
• And sometimes we experience this in the stillness, in the quiet of God’s presence. “In His presence is fullness of Joy and at His right hand pleasures forevermore.”

The total fulfilment of God wiping away every tear, of no more pain, or sickness or disease or death will be completed at the dawning of the New Heavens and the New Earth the eternal age to come. 

When Jesus shows up again for the second time on earth, there will be a final judgement, but also a glorious new beginning. If you are in the room, how will you respond?

On that note I want to touch on Verse 11 of Isaiah 61 to close: 

Verse 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. 

These two aspects of righteousness and praise I believe could be a part of end times revivals.  

• A revival is an unprecedented outpouring of the presence of God, where heaven and earth collide.
• Righteousness within that can look like waves of repentance, a hunger and increase in value for holiness. 
• A desire to be cleansed by the Word of God, and realigned with its truth.
• Often through Revivals we see revelations of God that change the course of biblical understanding
  • Salvation by grace not works – Martin Luther 16^th Century
  • Turn of the 20^th century when the Azuza St revival broke out there was a greater understanding of the person of the Holy Spirit
  • The Father Heart of God was revealed when the revival in Toronto happened. 
  • And what I believe could be coming next is a greater revelation of the Son Jesus Christ in all His glory and worship unto him on earth like we have never seen before.  

So righteousness and praise, let me tell you…

• Israel’s most prosperous time in history was during David’s 40 year reign where continually worship and praise was set up in Israel. During that time they never lost a battle, and so much more.
• One of David’s last acts as King was to increase the number of worshipers to 288, having twelve for each hour of the day and night, around the clock worshipping. (see I Chronicles 25) 
• praise and worship going forth unhindered went on for eighty continuous years, and during that time the Lord did for Israel what they could never accomplish in the natural.

It is part of the reason we run regular worship nights, there is something about the Lord that delights in the sound of our praise, our singing unto him. 

May we pray for an awakening of greater moves of righteousness and praise within the church and the people of God.

When Christ shows up again may he see us hungering after holiness and praising him relentlessly. 

Let’s stand…

Jesus sends out his 12 disciples

Matthew 10:7 ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give

Some of you today need to be launched to go and do the works of Christ, echoing Isaiah 61 through the empowering of the same Holy Spirit upon your lives. 

Some of you today need to have an encounter with Christ in this very room today…

In this sermon Tim looks at the prophecy in Isaiah 60 that the Light was to come to Israel, that light of course being Jesus, and that we have. part to play today in being a light to the world in all we do; spreading God’s love and hope to all those around us!

Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday December 5, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

Isaiah Week 10 – Arise and Shine

Light really is a wonderful thing, particularly if you find yourself in darkness…

• Blue Mountains – with Keir… down a 1000m into the valley
• Signs two thirds in… Closed! Saw that as a suggestion rather than a command…
• Soon the path got sketchy and the shadows got longer…
• How we felt… 
• Guy on the channel 10 news rescued by the Wespac helicopter and wrapped in an alfoil blanket…
• Got back to the car in darkness… beep, beep… relief to be back in the light

Well, its right that we start December and this season of Advent with Isaiah proclaiming that light has come into the world…

• We are in the last section of Isaiah in which a future picture is painted of what it looks like when God has saved, and the people are fulfilling their side of the covenant. 
• Sadly for brevity, we skipped over the start of this section in Isaiah 54 when the people of God are told to enlarge the place of their tent, for they are about to spread out.
• Isaiah 55 then has this incredible offer to us to “come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
• It speaks to the grace and kindness of God that will be ushered in through Jesus. 
• Underserved, unpaid for by us… but lavished upon us!

And then last week we saw in Isaiah 58 that when their spiritual practices match their commitment to justice and concern for the poor…

• Verse 8, “then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear.” 
• This whole section is simply amazing!

So we come today to Isaiah 60. Let me read verse 1-3

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

So verse 1, Arise, shine, your light has come…

Well all through the bible there is this amazing motif of light and darkness…

• Darkness representing all that is wrong and broken about the world and in us…
• And light representing God’s presence, his character and our mission…
• Yes, that’s right, before Star Wars, the bible introduced us to the light and dark side…

Well from the beginning in Genesis it says God separates the light from the darkness and it says, he saw that the light was good. 

• Light brings order to chaos…
• Then, in Exodus, as God leads them out of slavery in Egypt his presence that guides them is light… 
• Exodus 13:21“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” 
• So the very presence of God is characterised as a light!
• As Psalm 27 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom then shall I fear?”
• So in the Old Testament God is associated with light, and it is his light that guides, that protects and saves us

And the promise in Isaiah is that, they aint seen nothing yet! 

A great light is to come into the world… do you remember Isaiah 9? 

Verse 1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 

So, that’s the promise. A light is to come into the world that will end the gloom for those living in distress…

At this point in Israel’s history, when Isaiah was written, it is fair to say that there is nothing that suggests that they were functioning as a great light…

• Remember the parable of the vineyard and them only producing bad fruit…
• As one commentary puts it…  We meet with nothing in their history… which can be deemed a fulfillment of the prophecy in this chapter; we must conclude it relates principally to future events. 
• As that amazing song we sing at Christmas says…

Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 

Till He appeared And the soul felt its worth. 

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, 

for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

So we read in Matthew 4 that the waiting is over.  

• Talking about the coming of Jesus, his incarnation… the gospel writer quotes Isaiah 9
• “People living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
• The Gospel writer John in chapter 3 says; “This is the verdict, light has come into the world.”

But possibly my favourite moment in all of this is in John chapter 8

• The people of God have gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. 
• At this festival the people would quote these very verses from Isaiah about God being light.
• They are waiting for the fulfilment of the prophecy that light would come… that God himself would come. 
• John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• Drenched in the fulfilment of these promises and prophecies… 
• Jesus Christ, the light of the world!

So, in Isaiah 60 in response to “your light has come”, we are told by God to “Arise, shine!”

• The imagery here is of the dawning of a new day 
• In Hebrew, shine and light are two forms of the same word. Ow-re and Ow-rek.
• We could translate this “give light for your light has come.”
• Let me say that again… “give light for your light has come.”
• As Jesus has come to bring light, we reflect this light into a dark world…

God’s presence now comes to live in us through his Holy Spirit. And that Spirit is his light which we are to bring that to bear on our world

• Arise, and shine! This is active, not passive, The Hebrew word for arise literally means “stand up”. 
• God is saying stand up and be counted. Stand up and shine.
• That is why in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus will say; “You are the light of the world, let your light shine before others

So God’s children will have an incredible role to play in spreading that light… do you remember from a few weeks ago? 

Isaiah 42:5-7

It says; “I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

So what does being a light involve? 

Well it kind of goes back to last week and our deeds…

• When God’s light breaks forth through us, it says, the blind are healed, the captives are freed and those in darkness and released.
• That is what God wants to encourage us to give our lives to, to be involved in, to care about, to speak on behalf of…
• After all, this is not about just getting saved, going to church and waiting to go to heaven!
• It’s time to stand up and shine!

I heard… the Royal family never travels together…

• So crucial, apparently are they to the future of humanity, that Prince Charles and Prince William cannot be in the same plane…
• So a new decree, for the same reason… 
• Manly Lifer’s can now never travel in more than groups of 5 because if we lose you, Manly will be plunged into gloom and darkness…

Does that sound ludicrous? Would Manly miss us? Could it survive without us? Are we essential?

• Because that seems to be the suggestion that the Prophet Isaiah makes…
• That God’s children are meant to be light in the world… 
• And without us, the world is plunged into darkness, people become captive, oppressed.
• The world loses it moral core, its sense of right and wrong, the value of every individual as special…
• Maybe you think I am crazy! If you suggested that to people on the street what do you think they would think?
• Well that is our role… the invaluable light of God, shining through us. 

Well the reason we need to bring this…

Is explained in the next bit of Isaiah 60. It says “darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples.”

• This is the reality of the world that we live in…
• And I think this manifests in two was… the personal and the societal. 
• On the personal we all deal with degrees of darkness within.
• And it manifests in the gossip, the greed, the immorality that lives in us all. 
• I think sometimes when we talk about sin or darkness we think mainly in terms of others, but the reality is that the line between light and darkness runs right through the heart of us all. 

I remember hearing a story about one of the earliest Westfield malls. 

• It had no natural light… and not long after the grand opening, the power failed and all of the lights went out.
• At first people froze, but then eventually carnage broke out. 
• An hour later when the lights finally came back on, shelves had been stripped, clothes grabbed off racks and stolen. The place had been ransacked. 
• Now either there was one bad person who somehow in an hour had ransacked an entire mall… or maybe it revealed something different
• Maybe it revealed something about all of us?
• The reality is that sin lives in us all, and when darkness covers, darkness is exposed…

That is what Jesus says in John 3; “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

But as we know darkness also manifests itself in injustice and poverty and oppression. 

• The majority of the world do not know God, through Christ, in a saving, liberating way.
• And the justice and freedom that comes from God’s people reflecting light is not a reality for billions of people.
• Imagine living in Syria the last decade or being a refugee fleeing the violence in Ethiopia.
• Imagine living under the caste system in India or as a woman in Saudi Arabia…
• And it is not just globally…. What about on the beaches? We have the record for highest drink driving… domestic violence… relationships breaking down, kids doing stuff that would make you blush…
• What about in you? Anxiety, always comparing yourself to others, habits you cant kick?
• The world is, by and large, a dark place…

Well let’s not close on that bummer… because in Isaiah 60:1-3 it says that as we reflect light, the world is drawn into this great story!

 Vs 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 

• This is our mission – Jesus calls us a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, the light of the world… reflecting God’s presence to the world around us.
• And as we reflect the light of God’s presence and character living in us – the world is drawn to God. The darkness is beaten back and dispelled. 

In 123 AD – Emperor Hadrian began persecuting Christians. An eloquent Greek philosopher named Aristidies observed the Christians and wrote to him this…

“It is the Christians, O Emperor, who have sought and found the truth, for they acknowledge God. They do not keep for themselves the goods entrusted to them. They do not covet what belongs to others. They show love to their neighbours. They do not do to another what they would not wish to have done to themselves. They speak gently to those who oppress them, and in this way they make them their friends.

 It has become their passion to do good to their enemies. Every one of them who has anything gives ungrudgingly to the one who has nothing. If they see a travelling stranger, they bring him under their roof. They rejoice over him as over a real brother, for they do not call one another brothers after the flesh, but they know they are brothers in the Spirit and in God. If they hear that one of them is imprisoned or oppressed for the sake of Christ, they take care of all his needs. If possible they set him free. This, O Emperor, is the rule of life of the Christians, and this is their manner of life.”

You see nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn

• And while there are truly tragic moments in Christian history when followers of Jesus have committed the most atrocious crimes…
• The reality is, that when we reflect Jesus, it can only bring light into the darkness… 
• Here Adrian the persecutor was faced with the reality that it was the Christians who truly knew how to live in a remarkable way…
• Giving what they had away, loving their neighbours, speaking gently to those who oppress them.
• Bringing strangers under their roof, treating each other like brothers and sisters…

Well today, there is so much opportunity… I love this area, but I would be kidding myself to think that Manly is all sunshine and lollipops… 

• And I would simply say, find your thing… find your way to shine the light of Christ that lives in you into a dark world. 
• First and foremost people need Jesus… and this Christmas what an opportunity to bring friends to church to hear the good news of the gospel. 
• I was so blessed last week by how many people signed up to help with the Salvation Army… feeding the homeless and giving dignity here in Manly. 

And of course using your money well… if you live here, you are in the top 6% of wealth in the world… so use your time and money to be the light!

• So many of you individually support Homes of Hope International, 
• And just this week we committed to giving $20,000 as a church to HOHI, ByGrace Orphanage in Kenya and African Enterprise. 
• Victoira and I try and give around 10% – to the church and projects…
• There is nothing worse than a stingy Christian. There really isn’t. 

Well that is Isaiah 60 guys… 

• Always God’s intention – Arise and shine. Stand up and reflect the saviour of the world.
• That’s God’s plan… form a people to bless the world… 
• People who truly know the light, live in it, reflect it into the darkness…
• Proclaim God’s saving love, advocate and work for justice and peace, being a light in your community!

Alter call – take some time

• Have you given your life to following the light of the world Jesus?
• Where are you letting your light shine in the world

In this sermon Tim walks us through the incredible chapter 58 of Isaiah, where God calls his people to show justice to their fellow man: to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and clothe the naked. These acts of justice mean much more to God then the empty religion the Israelites were engaging in, they are the first step to their healing, receiving God’s righteousness, hearing from God and receiving his protection. The message is pretty clear for us today, are we contributing to oppression in the world or joining God in setting the oppressed free?

Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday November 28, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

Read Isaiah 58:1-9

1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

This is one of our annual Next Steps Sunday services.

• If you’re new, don’t stress, you don’t need to sign your life away on your first visit… I mean you can…
• But for our regulars, at the end of the service I’ll be asking us to respond in a bunch of different ways in response to that passage
• And one way will be to get you to fill in your Next Steps form and we will all respond by bringing them down the front… 
• This is a once a year opportunity for us at Manly Life to work out who’s who in the zoo… 
• And to help our ministry teams get ready for next year and life groups to form for the start of the year.
• Suggestion: Don’t do too much, but don’t do nothing… we don’t want burn out… and we don’t want spectators… so find your way of serving and contributing 

Isaiah has posed to me the question, what would it look like for the people of God to be faithful in fulfilling their side of the bargain.

It’s a pretty good bargain as we have seen… I probably shouldn’t call it a bargain. It is a covenant… 

• But remember chapter 5 of Isaiah… God describes his people as like a vineyard planted on a fertile hillside… the land has been cleared and watched over so that it may thrive
• And it says God looked for a crop of good grapes but it yielded only bad fruit…
• It’s a reference to God choosing this people and making a good covenant with them. 
• Promising to bless them and give them life if they were faithful.
• Verse 7 of chapter 5 says “he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed, for righteousness but heard cries of distress.” That’s the bad fruit. 
• So the people of God haven’t  fulfilled their side of the deal. 

Now despite that, we read regularly in Isaiah that God will forgive them, bless them and protect them if they return to him and live just, compassionate lives. 

• And then in this incredible Book of Isaiah… God’s rescue plan for all of humanity is developed. 
• In chapters 7-12 we read about God sending a child to bring justice and righteousness on earth.
• And then in chapters 40-55 we read about God sending a servant to bring us peace…
• And in both cases, this child, this servant will draw all nations to the Lord.

But the question remains, what does God require of us?

• God may be faithful in delivering his side of the deal… but what is God looking for from us?
• Well in todays passage, I think we get a crystal clear picture of what God requires of his people. 
• Now in other places, of course us Christians are asked to be faithful in how we live our lives, or sharing the gospel or being integrous. 
• But today, the crystal clear precursor to God moving, healing, and our light bursting forth,  is that we live just and compassionate lives that are concerned for the oppressed. 

Victoria and I watched a very moving film on Netflix the other night called Harriet. 

• It tells the true story of the run away slave Harriet Tubman and her incredible bravery in helping many other slaves in the 1850’s southern states of America escape on the Underground Railroad… 
• It starts with a confronting scene in which the white land owners and the slaves are at a church service, the land owners clearly seeing no contradiction between owning slaves and their faith. 
• Well Harriet Tubman is remarkable African American, a woman of deep Christian faith and courage… and she had a remarkable prophetic gifting.
• But in one sense I can’t really identify with her… I have never been oppressed… 

But aside from these cruel slave owners, there are all these privileged people in the film who actually do stand up against evil at great cost to their own position. 

• One is a white land owner named Thomas Garret who was a Quaker who helped 2,500 African Americans escape slavery using his house to hide them on their way to freedom. 
• For this he was harassed, arrested and convicted leading to his financial ruin. 
• He stood up in court and I quote him, he said “Judge thou has left me not a dollar, but I wish to say to thee and to all in this courtroom, that if anyone knows a fugitive who wants shelter and a friend, send him to Thomas Garrett and he will befriend him.”

Now I could be desperately wrong… maybe you are desperately oppressed… 

• But my guess is God’s word to you and me addresses our privilege and the potential part we may play in injustice and greed.
• This is Jesus saying to us “to whom much is given, much is required.”
• It is probably more likely you will be asked to take a stand like Thomas Garrett on behalf of the oppressed rather than as the oppressed. 
• I can’t speak for all of us… but certainly to many if not most of us… we need to approach the scriptures from a self awareness of our power, wealth and privilege. 
• So the question posed to us is; Will we as God’s people keep our side of the deal and take our stand on the side of the oppressed, the voiceless, the wanderer and the hungry?

So there are three sections to todays passage

• Firstly, a question is posed (verses 1-3) as to why doesn’t God seem to answer their seeking of him.
• Secondly God responds (verse 3-7) with a charge against them relating to observing religious practices but being on the wrong side of injustice.
• Finally (verses 8-9) God promises some amazing things if they respond accordingly to whom they are called to be.
• OK?
• Lets have a look at the passage and then we have some suggestions for how we might respond. 

Firstly, God’s people complain.

1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ 

So the complaint of the people of God during Isaiah’s time is a common one…

• God, we observe religious practices, we seek you out, but you don’t seem to notice us. 
• God, we want just decisions to go our way, why wont you come near to us and help?
• And I wonder if you have ever found yourself in a similar situation or observed someone with a similar complaint.
• “God, I come to church, I pray (sure the other 6 days I just do whatever I want to do), but who wont you help me?”

Well from verse 1, we find that God can actually see you as in a place of rebellion, and we are about to find out why…

• It’s not that fasting and seeking the Lord are bad things…
• Heavens no… it is what is happening in the people of God’s lives alongside their religious practices… 

Secondly, God responds…

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Well it’s an amazing passage that certainly cuts to my heart. God’s response is this…

• You may be observing all kinds of religious practices…. But you…
• Exploit your workers
• You fight amongst yourselves ending in fisty cuffs…
• When what I really require of you as God’s people is that you;
• Loose the chains of injustice and set the oppressed free
• And in your shared humanity, you feed the hungry, shelter the poor wanderer and clothe the naked.  

One of the things that we will see in the rest of Isaiah is this powerful principle that underpins ethics and Christian virtue and practice.

• Namely it is this: There are no non-persons. 
• In the Judeo-Christian worldview, everyone is created in the image of God. Everyone has value to God. Everyone is to be treated with dignity and compassion. 
• To love our neighbour is to know that there are no non-persons… every life matters. Every life counts. 
• And if we are to reflect the character of God, we are to be on the side of justice, we are to be on the side of human dignity. We are to be on the side of oppressed.

Article this week interviewing the Baptist Pastor Tim Costello who was the head of World Vision Australia. 

• Recounts showing the film Amazing Grace at Parliament. It tells the story of William Wilberforce and his life long calling to end transatlantic slavery. 
• The article says; 
• Afterwards a few Christian Coalition MPs took me aside and said they were so inspired they thought they should start a Parliamentary Clapham Sect (Wilberforce’s group) and invite my brother to join. I said, “Fantastic! You could immediately look at the policy of locking up children in detention.” They were unimpressed and walked off. I realised that most of us prefer our heroes to be long dead.

Now our response may be, I don’t keep any slaves or willingly oppress people. 

• But the reality is that much of our enjoyed prosperity comes on the backs of those who are oppressed around the world
• That’s the point of the Baptist Aid Ethical Fashion Guide. 
• Take that home, familiarize yourself with it, and make choices about how you spend your money and consume.

More so than that, there is an active component to all of this. There is the becoming an advocate and a supporter… 

• There is putting your dollars where your mouth is. 
• One of the things I have always believed is that every Christian should have an active interest in helping the poor and advocating for the oppressed. 
• There is so much you can do. 
• Just this last Wednesday Luke texted Ryan, Dan and I about catching up for a beer that night… but Ryan couldn’t because he was too busy… too busy feeding the homeless in the city! Haha…
• We had a group down at the Manly Salvation Army this week feeding the needy in our community.
• Chris Lake is involved in One Meal here on the Northern Beaches…

And today after the service, Greg and some of his team from Homes of Hope International have a table where you can sponsor a child rescued from sex trafficking in the sub continent. 

• He texted me this week to share a photo and the news that 4 little ones who had been kidnapped and rescued have come into care in their home in Dhaka. 
• Victoria and I help a little girl in India through HOHI… Rena.
• And we always try and tell our kids that they have a sister over in India and a brother in Kenya through something else we support. 
• That’s our family. So make sure you sponsor a kid today. Just do it. 

Now as we have said consistently in this series in Isaiah, the gospels and the life of Jesus is drenched in the fulfilment of these passages. 

• If we want to know what this looks like, we look to Jesus.
• The consistent stepping over religious and cultural norms to care for the weak and include the unincluded. To see the dignity in every life, no matter how broken.
• To Jesus, there are certainly no non-persons. 

But maybe it is most powerfully picked up by Jesus in Matthew 25 in the famous “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers ands sisters of mine, you did for me.” passages

• How does God ultimately separate his true followers from the pretenders, the sheep from the goats?
• Well Jesus says, we feed the hungry, give something to drink to the thirsty, invite the stranger in, clothe the naked and visit the prisoner. 
• And in doing so, it is like we do it for him. 

So Manly Life, let me encourage you into action today. 3 big things…

• Be aware of injustice in the world today and even around you, and thus not complicit… 
• Secondly, I would suggest we raise our voices in every Christian campaign against injustice and on behalf of the poor. 
• And finally, put your money where your mouth is… and carve out time in your diary to do something.
• You don’t have to do everything, but you must, you must do something! 

OK, well to finish today, God promises… if we live accordingly… 

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Well as we will see in the next couple of weeks, there are some amazing promises as to what God will do, when his people are faithful to their side of the covenant. 

• Now listen carefully, I love church. I love praise and worship. The spiritual disciplines like fasting that draw us close in our relationship to God are so important.
• But gosh it is interesting to me, that Isaiah 58 states that these are not the things that lead to a revival of God’s presence…
• Our light breaking forth, healing will quickly appear, righteousness and God’s glory appearing…

No, It is our demonstration of justice and compassion, it is our actions, not our words, it is our money and time and not our thoughts and prayers…

• And you know this passage sounds a lot to me like what revival looks like. 
• When our fasting and seeking God is matched by our standing for justice, our compassion towards the poor… 
• Then God will move in ways like of old. 
• Wouldn’t that be amazing?
• And that is a worthy cause to spend your life on… 

Well as we finish, I’d love us all to fill in our Next Steps forms…

• Beyond supporting the work of HOHI as you leave… this is our call to action.
• You know the work of the church, the continuing ministry of Jesus, the movement for justice has always been a work of all of the people of God. 
• It is not for the professionals. 
• But it is about all of us doing profound but simple acts of service and having courage and dedication to the cause of our King.

Process: invite band, take some time, then I’ll invite you to come and drop your form in the bucket… and we will finish with worship!

In this sermon Greg preaches through the incredible Isaiah 53, unpacking the gospel message of Jesus’ death and resurrection as he took our sins and iniquities on Himself! Greg encourages us to daily draw near to the Cross of Jesus Christ, for it to be our safe place, and to be constantly reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice for us and for all we have in Jesus because of the Cross!

Sermon preached by Greg Beech on Sunday November 21, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

In this sermon Tim continues our Isaiah series by looking at chapters 42-49, particularly chapter 49, where God posts an ‘advertisement’ for a servant who will come and restore His people, be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the Earth! Tim explains how we can live in the good news of God’s salvation bought for us by Jesus and also encourage us to join God’s mission by spreading the gospel around the world!

Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday November 14, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

Welcome to Church!

• Today is week 7 of preaching in a row for me… I don’t think I will be doing that again, but gosh I have enjoyed Isaiah so far!
• So, let’s do this Manly Life… 

Now I’ve only ever had 4 job interviews in my lifetime.

• First one was with the Head of Marketing at Johnson and Johnson as a 17 year old school boy. That was over dinner for an internship while I was at uni. I am still not quite sure why, but he gave me a job.
• The next was in London for a sales role for a research company. The recruiter asked me how driven I was to make lots of money. I said “not really”. And that was the end of the interview. 
• The next one was in London for another sales job and the interviewer asked me to tell a joke. I can’t remember what I said, but I made him laugh and got the job. But I only lasted a few weeks…
• And that was because I then landed a job for a big company seeing clients across Europe even though I was well underqualified. 
• But I got into the interview and the lady was married to a former Colombian Catholic Priest and I’d just spent a year in Africa volunteering with a Christian charity… 
• So in the interview, we chatted about that… and then she asked if I reckoned I could do the job. I said I’d give it a go… and whacko I had a job!

Well in todays passage in Isaiah 49, God posts a job advertisement for a servant who will come and restore his people, be a light for the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

• Anyone thinking about applying? Haha… just a small role… 
• We’ve already seen in the Book of Isaiah that God posts an advertisement for a child with many of the same themes?
• Do you remember that from week 3 of this series in Isaiah 7-12?
• It talked of a child who will be born of a virgin, who will reign on King David’s throne and bring justice and righteousness to the nations. 
• And like a lot of the prophecies in Isaiah, different people apply… but they always fall short, keeping the opening vacant for a true son who can fulfil God’s requirements. 
• The vacancy goes unfulfilled until Jesus.

Well in this next section of Isaiah, written to the people while they are in exile and waiting to return to Jerusalem, another requirement develops in the role description for a saviour.

• In the same way that a child in Isaiah 11, full of the Spirit, will bring righteousness and justice and bring in the nations
• This time a mysterious servant appears who will be chosen by God. 
• Listen to the qualifications of the servant that God requires… Isaiah 42:1-4

1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.

3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

Now, we could just live in those verse today… but I want to get to Isaiah 49 in a moment where we will spend most of our time.

• But here is what is interesting… 
• In this role description for a servant… some pretty big things are required of the successful applicant…
• This messianic servant and the child of Isaiah 7-12 have a lot of the same characteristics… 
• They are Spirit filled, bring justice and compassion to the whole world and they are the one that the people will rightly put their hope in.

Now like any job opening, at first there are lots of applicants until we finally settle on one true child and servant applicant who can fulfil this role. 

• Why do we think this?
• Well regularly in the Old Testament Israel (that is God’s people) are called “my servant.”
• Psalm 105:5-6 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
• So originally this plan of bringing justice to the nations belonged to all of the people of God. 

And in Isaiah 41, all of Israel, all of Abrahams descendants are called “my servant”. They are called God’s chosen ones whom he will help and strengthen.

• But as we know they don’t live up to their bit of the covenant they have with God.
• Indeed in Isaiah 42 “the servant” referring to all of God’s people are called deaf and blind. They will not pay attention to God or listen to him. 
• So they don’t get the job. 
• Remember week 1 of Isaiah – they are a vineyard planted by God, meant to produce good fruit, but all God can find is bad fruit, stinkers. 
• It’s not so much that they get the sack… but God goes on looking for someone who can fulfil the role. 
• Are you with me?

So as Isaiah 40-55 continues, the applicant who can fulfil what God requires to be his servant narrows down… 

• Where all the people of God can’t fulfil the role of bringing justice to the nations and being a light… 
• A solitary servant appears… one who God will use to fulfil his plans and bring salvation for all the nations. 
• Now Greg next week gets the big passage in Isaiah… chapter 53 in which God’s suffering servant appears who is pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. 
• But this narrowing down of the servant begins in chapter 49. Lets have a look. 

Isaiah 49:3-6
3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

5 And now the Lord says; he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength 6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

So this servants first task is to gather God’s people, Israel back to himself… 

• And we read that when God’s servant comes he will display God’s splendor.
• And we spent a lot of time last week looking at the idea of glory and the presence of God being manifest in Jesus. 
• So this servant, formed in the womb (which is a clue that it refers to one servant rather than all the people) is tasked with the role of bringing back and gathering God’s people to himself. 
• Right? Verse 6 – the servant will “restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.” 

I remember one of the things that shocked me a bit when I first really began to wrestle with and read the gospels was how much it was really a story of a Jewish man, ministering and speaking to Jewish people. 

• Now we will get to all of us in a second. Us gentiles… 
• But I think it is worth noting that as we read the gospels about Jesus we come into an ancient story, of a servant figure coming to restore the people of God. 
• He is the fulfilment of their promises and their expectations… and what a lot of the gospels is about is whether they will believe in him or reject him. 
• And like a lot of Jesus it is unexpected. 
• Many of the religious figures do reject him and ultimately have him killed. And Jesus regularly calls them hypocrites and guilty of failing to do what is required…

But then there all these unexpected stories of redemption where God gathers the people of Israel. It is God’s amazing grace. 

• Think of the Jewish tax collector Zaccheus who is seen as a national traitor, and yet Jesus saves him explaining in Luke 19:10 “the son of man came to seek and save the lost”
• Hear that carefully in light of Isaiah 49. Jesus is at work restoring the tribes of Jacob. 
• Same with the Samaritan woman and the deaf, lame and blind whom he heals. 
• Again he describes his mission in Matthew 20:28 “for the son of man did not come to be served but to serve.”
• The servant has come to save!

For me the most touching moment in all of this is in Matthew 23:37

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

• This is Israel’s God, come in the flesh… and he longs to gather his children.
• It’s an incredibly tender moment, and in one sense heartbreaking knowing that he is about to be crucified by his own people. 
• But that is the heart of the servant… to come and gather God’s people.

And I’d simply remind you that God is not finished with his covenant people. 

• Just as at the beginning of Acts thousands of Jewish people call on the name of the Lord Jesus and are saved…
• Through history God has always called his first children back into relationship with him. 
• I note that Nicky Gumbel, possibly the most highly regarded Christian evangelist in the world today is of Jewish descent. 
• Our own Katie Stucken, when she lived in Jerusalem worshipped with the Mount Carmel Assembly. A church of Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus. 

Well the role description of this servant continues in verse 6…. And it’s good news for us…

Isaiah 49:6-7 of this servant…

6 I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” 7 This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down…

So there you go… because of the servant, who will be a light for the gentiles, God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth!

• And that my friends is you and me!
• This one who is despised and abhorred by his own nation will have Kings pay attention and Princes bow down. 
• I don’t know if you have ever listened to one of the Queens speeches at Christmas, but she is a deeply committed Christian. 
• And we did a lot on this in our Ephesians series. Listen to Ephesians 2:11-14

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles… 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

So this is the fulfilment of the promise in Isaiah 49. The servant, Jesus has come to save everyone! Both Jews, and Gentiles. 

Now sometimes this passage in Isaiah 49 is called the Old Testament’s Great Commission. 

• You know the great commission from Matthews Gospel in chapter 28… Jesus says;
• “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”
• And it is really interesting, because in the Book of Acts Paul understand his mission in preaching the good news of Jesus to the gentiles by quoting this verse in Isaiah 49.
• And so this is the story that we get folded into… 
• Jesus coming to his own, some believing, some rejecting… and then the same message of salvation going out to all nations!
• And we too have to make that decision about Jesus, to believe in him or to reject him, to follow him, or to go on our own way!

And then we get that great privilege of sharing the good news of salvation in Christ! 

• God’s missions. His servant’s mission. 
• Jesus mission, becomes our mission!

A couple of weeks ago I was saddeded to hear about the death of my old Christian History Professor at Regent College, Don Lewis. 

• He was a great academic, but more so, he was a wonderful man and friend to the students. We used to go to this Irish pub with him on Wednesday nights after class.
• They are some of my best memories from bible college. 
• Anyhow, the tributes flowed in, and one particular one I read I found very moving. It was written by a Toronto Pastor and titled “Why I own Don Lewis Everything”

He explains that his Dad met Don while they were both studying philosophy at Bishop’s University in Quebec. 

• This Pastor’s Dad had come from privilege as the son of a Superior Court Judge.
• But in studying philosophy , he says “He didn’t buy it as the ultimate explanation for his ultimate questions. His heart remained restless. Angry even. Despairing.”
• That is when he met Don, the son of a Pentecostal Minister. He explains it this way…

In the final year of dad’s undergraduate studies, he and Don Lewis became fast friends. They were soon spending hours together discussing life, faith, God, and everything in between. As they talked, Don found opportunities to explain the gospel of grace and to call dad to it. And eventually dad realized he had finally found ideas that were big enough to fill his mind and great enough to satisfy his heart. Here’s how Don explained it in the eulogy he delivered at my father’s funeral:

“Slowly his questions were heard, his raging against life and God was stilled. After about six months John had found his way into the Kingdom of God.”

Not long after, so the post goes, this Pastor’s Dad met a young woman on the verge of suicide. 

• They became friends, they dated, she became a Christian and not too long later they got married. 
• The author writes…

Mom and dad had five children, and all of us know the Lord. We have 16 children between us, and they all know the Lord—at least, those who are old enough to be able to express it. But there’s more. Dad told his mom about Jesus and she believed. He told his older sister and she, too, believed. Mom told her sister and she believed. And those families, too, now boast three generations of believers. And if we trace the Christian faith of all these people—perhaps 40 or 50 of us now—they all eventually converge on Don Lewis. They all converge on a young man who simply and faithfully shared the gospel.

Isn’t that remarkable and a lovely story… and not one beyond all of our reach…

• And these lives being changed is the result of the prophecy of Isaiah 49:6 being fulfilled. 
• By God’s servant figure being fulfilled by Jesus 
• “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
• And I am sure you too could share a story of how the light of the world, Jesus has come into your life or your families life and begins a great work of salvation!

Well, finally today, what’s the result of all of this… 

• And this is important because what is preached by us Christians isn’t just preached because we think we are right, and everyone else is wrong.
• The motivation for God, the motivation for Jesus and the motivation for all of us should be that God is restoring his good creation, and bringing life to what is lost and dead. 
• Listen to the next bit of Isaiah 49…

Isaiah 49:8-10

8 This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favour I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. 10 They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

Now I don’t have time to go through all of the benefits of God’s servant bringing salvation to the ends of the earth…

• But I hope you pick up on some of the imagery…
• I note desolate land is restored…
• I note captives are released, and those in darkness are freed. 
• The recipients of salvation will go neither hunger nor thirst or be beaten down by the elements. 
• They receive compassion and are guided to springs of water!

This is why God sends his servant into the world to bring salvation to the tribes of Jacob and light to the gentiles. 

• God is in the business of restoring what is captive, what is desolate, what is in the dark, what is hungry and thirsty, what is dry… back to life!
• Now some of that is literal. God can literally set you free from what holds you captive
• And then some of this is imagery and metaphor that we need to apply our Christian imaginations for our lives…
• What might it look for life that feels like desolate land to regain its inheritances?
• For those who feel exposed to the relentless elements beating down on them to be guided to springs of water?
• This is our God… wont you come Lord Jesus and do it again!

In this sermon Tim continues our series on Isaiah by looking at chapter 40 of Isaiah, where we have been transported 150 years forward to where the Israelites are under captivity and oppression by the Babylonians. in chapter 40 we see some of the most beautiful promises about what God will do, when He comes…

He will redeem his people. 
He will reveal his glory
He will humble the nations
He will strengthen the weary!

Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday November 7, 2021.

05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series – Manly Life Church Podcast

In this sermon Tim introduces us to our first sermon series in 2023, The Farewell Discourse Series – messages from John 12-17! Tim helps us understand who John is and the book itself leading up to chapter 12, before diving into chapter 12 vs 20-33 and what it means to follow Jesus! We can't wait for this series so make sure you stay tuned each week! SERMON NOTES: https://manlylife.org/2023/02/07/john-1220-33-sermon-following-jesus-series-intro/ Sermon preached by Tim Giovanelli on Sunday February 5, 2023. Find out more here: https://manlylife.org Find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ManlyLifeChurch

1. 05/02/23 – John 12:20-33 Following Jesus & Intro – by Tim Giovanelli – The Farewell Discourse Series 31:23
2. 29/01/23 – The Glory of Christ – Greg Beech 31:36
3. 22/01/23 – Luke 15:1-8 God's Heart for the Lost – by Lani Daniel 28:13
4. 15/01/23 – 1 John 4:11 Friendship In Church by Tim Giovanelli 29:43
5. 08/01/23 – Philipians 3:17-4:4 Stand Firm in 2023 – by Peter Brooks 35:50

SERMON NOTES:

• You must be getting sick of my voice… this being my sixth week in a row of preaching… 
• I’m actually doing one more week next week and then Greg Beech is speaking while Victoria and I go and celebrate 10 years of marriage!
• Don’t forget to take some notes in your note books. 

So we are studying Isaiah together and we have passed the big half way moment of the Book with last week’s story about King Hezekiah and God’s people being delivered.

• And the encouragement for us all was to stand firm in the face of opposition and to be faithful to God and trust him for our salvation! 
• And we enjoyed some of the life and apologetics of John Lennox, mirroring the way King Hezekiah sought out wise counsel from the prophet Isaiah
• And I was tempted this week as we look at Isaiah 40 to just play Chariots of Fire and talk about my hero Eric Liddle for half an hour…
• Of course that famous scene in the Oscar winning film where Liddle reads Isaiah 40!
• Just another reason to go and watch Chariots of Fire for the hundredth time!

Now some of you may have heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls… and I thought as we begin I would illuminate a little on this, particularly as it relates to Isaiah.

• So, in putting together the Old Testament into what we have in our bibles today, scholars had long relied on the earliest Hebrew texts that we have, 
• That’s called the Masoretic text which date to 1,000 years after Christ.
• That might seem like a long gap from the events to you, but of course we also had the Greek language versions of the OT called the Septuagint that dates to 300 years before Jesus 
• And that matches up very closely to the Masoretic text, the much later Hebrew text we have. 
• And of course there were lots of part copies and fragments of the OT in Hebrew that are very old. 
• But in 1946 something remarkable happened. Some Bedouin shepherds near the Dead Sea in current day Israel wandered into a cave.
• And what they found was a rich trove of manuscripts including a full copy of the Book of Isaiah in Hebrew from over a hundred years before Christ.

So in the caves of Qumran, an almost exact copy of the 66 chapters of Isaiah were found 

• And they have been scientifically dated to over a thousand years before the earliest Hebrew manuscripts they had up until that point. 
• And you can go to Jerusalem today and see the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the full Book of Isaiah at the Israel Museum.
• And other than being one of the great archaeological discoveries of the 20^th Century
• It reassures us about the way that the scriptures have been cared for and handed down through the generations. So, there you go!
• That’s the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

So today, in chapter 40 we get transported by Isaiah about 150 years forward as the people of God are now in exile in Babylon (slide)

• And they are preparing to be released back to Jerusalem by the Persian King Cyrus. 
• So how has this happened? 
• Well at the end of King Hezekiah’s life… it is prophesied that despite Hezekiah’s faithfulness, future generations will be taken into exile by the Babylonian Empire…
• And indeed that is what happens about 150 years later. 
• It’s one of the reasons Isaiah is so revered as a Prophet. What he says comes true. 
• So in terms of Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, that is the state into which Isaiah is now speaking.  
• So the Assyrian threat has faded, the Babylonian threat rises, they capture Jerusalem and the people of God are now in Babylon in exile. 
• OK? 

So today is about God’s great news of salvation, ultimately that comes to pass in Jesus, of God redeeming his people, revealing his glory, humbling the nations and strengthening the weary!

• And it all happens by the promise of the coming of the Lord! When he comes…
• He will redeem his people. 
• He will reveal his glory
• He will humble the nations
• He will strengthen the weary! Amen?

So firstly, Isaiah 40:1-4, God will redeem his people 

40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

So this new section of Isaiah begins with God’s announcement of forgiveness and one coming to prepare the way for the Lord.

• The people of God’s long period of suffering and exile is going to come to an end… so God comforts his people with good news. Your hard service has been completed. 
• And it is done by the announcement that her sins have been paid for and the Lord is coming. 
• This is great news indeed. 

Now like a like a lot of the prophecies in the Book of Isaiah this gets partly fulfilled in their own time, and fully fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. 

• So the partial fulfilment happens with the rise of the Persian King, Cyrus, who defeats the Babylonians and allows for the people of God to return to Jerusalem. 
• And you probably know some of this history with the story of exile and characters like Daniel and King Nebuchadnezza
• And then Ezra and Nehemiah being allowed to return to Jerusalem by King Cyrus to rebuild the city walls and the temple. 
• But like so much of the Old Testament, it is never really a lasting peace or fulfilment of the promises of God. It is still waiting for completion.

And so it is interesting that both Matthew, Mark and John’s gospels very early on, begin with the story of John the Baptist, referencing this passage in Isaiah. 

So listen to how Mark begins his gospel… drenched in the expectations of Isaiah 40…

 Mark 1, verse 1… The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” 

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

• From there, Jesus appears, is baptised with the Spirit descending upon him and a voice comes from heaven saying “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
• He is tempted in the desert, overcoming Satan and then begins his ministry, announcing the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near!

So again, we see the Gospel writers identifying Jesus as the fulfilment of what Isaiah had always intended. It’s pretty cool. 

• John the Baptist preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.
• Jesus being the one who comforts his people and in the truest sense who will forgive our sins through his work on the cross. 
• This is the good news that we preach about today…. And that is still folding people in to being a part of the children of God. 

Just this week I came across a clip of the Mikhaila Peterson, the daughter of the famous psychologist Jordan Peterson.

• And the clip was of her talking to a Pastor about how in the last month she has come to Christian faith. Not half hearted but fully in!
• She describes having had major problems in her life, not managing them well, and being clinically depressed. 
• A friend of hers encouraged her to pray and ask God to reveal himself to her. 
• So she started reading the bible, praying and within a short period some major issues in her life cleared up. And for the first time in a long time, she felt a deep peace. 
• The clip finished with her talking about her own shock at becoming a Christian… has that ever happened to anyone here?
• But that is amazing grace!

And really this revelation of God is what Isaiah talks about next. When the Lord comes to save his people, he will reveal his glory! So Isaiah 40:5

5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. “For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

• And we get two clues about what it looks like when God comes, and his glory is revealed. 
• Verse 10 says; “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power”
• Verse 11 says; “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms”
• So we should expect someone who can do miracles, and we should expect someone who comes with compassion and care for the people.
• Now that is a saviour! 
  

Well, let’s come back to that as it relates to Jesus in a second, but I just want to focus in for a moment on this word glory!

• In the Hebrew the word is Kavod and it denotes the manifestation of God’s presence.
• Glory is the majesty and weightiness of the presence of God. 
• That is why when we ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill us, people often feel a weightiness pressing down upon them. (guy who got stuck to his chair)

And this glory is probably most accurately represented in Exodus 33 when Moses asks God “please show me your glory.”

• And it is too much for Moses to comprehend. He has to hide in the cleft of a rock as the presence and glory of God passes by.
• So to encounter the glory of God is an overwhelming thing. We are asking to meet with his holiness and majesty and otherness… 
• So Isaiah promises that when the Lord comes to save his people, he will reveal his glory!
• That is remarkable!

So we fast forward to the life of Jesus, and particularly John’s Gospel portrays Jesus as the glory of God. 

• So remember, in coming to save his people, they are looking for the glory of God to be revealed. Mighty power… a great shepherd…
• John 1:14 tells us in introducing his gospel; “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
• So the whole point of Jesus coming according to John was the revealing of God’s glory… 
• God becomes flesh and dwells amongst us… this is so much greater than what Moses experienced…
• And it says we have seen his glory – full of grace and truth!
• I often say, if God is like Jesus, then I’m in… if this is what the presence and majesty of god looks like. I want to follow that glory!

And that is what changes lives – encounters with glory.

• That is why Mikhaila Petersons friend very wisely encouraged her to ask God to reveal himself to her…
• Because whenever anyone meets with the glory of the Lord, Jesus Christ, they are changed!
• When we meet with the Holy Spirit, God’s presence at work today, we are changed. 
• What we behold, we become… so behold Jesus, the glory of God revealed. 

Now there are a couple of key moments in John which talk about glory… in the Greek it is the word Doxa.

• Indeed the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding in turning water into wine is described in John 2:11 as the revealing of his glory. 

The next major one is in John 11 when Jesus raises his dead friend Lazarus back to life. 

• And the more I think about this, the more I am convinced that this is a major fulfilment of Isaiah 40. 
• So remember in Isaiah 40 we have been told that in the revealing of God’s glory we would see mighty power and a shepherds care. 
• Well I can’t think of a more powerful and compassionate display of glory than raising someone back to life who has died prematurely. 
• Power and Compassion!

John 11:4 says; When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

• Now I don’t have time to go through the whole story… and we’ve preached on John 11 before here at Manly Life…
• But key to this story is verse 40 which says; “Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
• You couldn’t get clearer could you? Hear what Jesus is saying in relation to Isaiah 40…
• In the raising of his dead friend, Jesus says; “you will see the glory of God.”
• OK?

Now I am going to skip over the humbling of the nations and their rulers in verses 21-24

• I just simply note verse 23, that when the Lord comes there is the good news that the empires of this world come and go… but the kingdom of God lasts forever.
• 23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. 24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
• And of course I just note that indeed is the history of our world.
• No ruler lasts forever, no wicked empire endures forever. And although human history is indeed riddled with evil rulers and bloodshed, they all eventually come to naught. 

So let’s finish with verses 28-31, when the Lord comes, he will strengthen his people. 

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

What a promise… when the Lord comes he gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 

• When the Lord comes, the everlasting God, those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
• That is what an encounter with glory will do! 
• That is what we most passionately need in our lives!

Well as we close, what is all of this saying to us in this cultural moment? 

• I don’t know about you… but I feel pretty tired right now. 
• I mean I am energized by life getting back to normal and even church being open again…
• But if I am honest I am pretty tired. Not one big thing… but just lots of little things that can sap the soul and make you weary. 
• And I talk to a lot of Pastors and people who feel the same way. 
• Too much energy expended on arguments and stories of relationships struggling
• Mental health issues growing, fatigue over the combative political and cultural conversation.
• It would be easy in the time we have just come through to give up.

Which is why we must tell ourselves again, this good news of salvation, Isaiah 40, that when the Lord comes…

• He will redeem his people. 
• He will reveal his glory
• He will humble the nations
• He will strengthen the weary! 

Well it is good news indeed. Good for you, and good for those who are weary and need an encounter with the glory of the Lord. 

• He is still touching lives… still coming with mighty power and to shepherd his people
• Still revealing himself to people who ask and pray for God to help them 
• Still giving strength to the weary and power to the weak!
• All through Jesus Christ, the glory of God!