Isaiah 40: Comfort Eric Messelt Timberline Baptist Church October 28, 2007

Isaiah 40: Comfort

Eric Messelt

Timberline Baptist Church

October 28, 2007

Introduction

• Speaker: Eric Messelt- student at Western Seminary, Portland

Introduction

• Speaker: Eric Messelt- student at Western Seminary, Portland

• Isaiah 40 – God wants you to be comforted by understanding who He is!

First Proclamation (1-2): Comfort

• Why the phrase, “Comfort Ye?”

• Context:

First Proclamation (1-2): Comfort

• Why the phrase, “Comfort Ye?”

• Context:– Judgment!

First Proclamation (1-2): Comfort

• Why the phrase, “Comfort Ye?”

• Context:– Judgment!– Hezekiah’s goof

First Proclamation (1-2): Comfort

• Why the phrase, “Comfort Ye?”

• Context:– Judgment!– Hezekiah’s goof– You’re going to need comfort!

• This introduces the Messiah

Comfort: God’s Got A Plan

• Vs. 3-5:– God will do something spectacular

Comfort: God’s Got A Plan

• Vs. 3-5:– God will do something spectacular– Who’s the preparer?

Comfort: God’s Got A Plan

• Vs. 3-5:– God will do something spectacular– Who’s the preparer? John the Baptizer (Matt.

3:1-3)

Comfort: God’s Got A Plan

• Vs. 3-5:– God will do something spectacular– Who’s the preparer? John the Baptizer (Matt.

3:1-3)– How do we know all this will happen? God

has spoken.

Comfort: God’s Got A Plan

• Vs. 3-5:– God will do something spectacular– Who’s the preparer? John the Baptizer (Matt.

3:1-3)– How do we know all this will happen? God

has spoken.– What’s so special about God speaking?

Comfort: God Speaks!

• Vs. 6-8– God’s word is strong and …

Comfort: God Speaks!

• Vs. 6-8– God’s word is strong and …– God’s word is permanent

Comfort: God Speaks!

• Vs. 6-8– God’s word is strong and …– God’s word is permanent– We can rely on it

Comfort: God Speaks!

• Vs. 6-8– God’s word is strong and …– God’s word is permanent– We can rely on it – Compared to God, humanity is ‘dust in the

wind’ (Is. 17:13)

Comfort: God Speaks!

• Vs. 6-8– God’s word is strong and …– God’s word is permanent– We can rely on it – Compared to God, humanity is ‘dust in the

wind’ (Is. 17:13)

• What’s so special about God?

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

• Vs. 11 – God is Loving (Ex. 34:6-7)

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

• Vs. 11 – God is Loving (Ex. 34:6-7)

• Vs. 12 – God is Big

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

• Vs. 11 – God is Loving (Ex. 34:6-7)

• Vs. 12 – God is Big

• Vs. 13-14 – God is Smart

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

• Vs. 11 – God is Loving (Ex. 34:6-7)

• Vs. 12 – God is Big

• Vs. 13-14 – God is Smart

• Vs. 15-17 – God is Supreme

Comfort: God is Great

• Vs. 9-10 – God is Important

• Vs. 11 – God is Loving (Ex. 34:6-7)

• Vs. 12 – God is Big

• Vs. 13-14 – God is Smart

• Vs. 15-17 – God is Supreme

• Vs. 18-20 – God can not be completely

understood

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

• Vs. 26a – God is Creator

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

• Vs. 26a – God is Creator

• Vs. 26b – God is Sustainer (Col. 1:16-17)

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

• Vs. 26a – God is Creator

• Vs. 26b – God is Sustainer (Col. 1:16-17)

• Vs. 27 – God Knows Everything

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

• Vs. 26a – God is Creator

• Vs. 26b – God is Sustainer (Col. 1:16-17)

• Vs. 27 – God Knows Everything

• Vs. 28a – God is Powerful

Comfort: God is REALLY Great!

• Vs. 21-24 – God is In Control; Why is that?

• Vs. 25 – God is Incomparable

• Vs. 26a – God is Creator

• Vs. 26b – God is Sustainer (Col. 1:16-17)

• Vs. 27 – God Knows Everything

• Vs. 28a – God is Powerful

• Vs. 28b – God is Smart

Comfort:

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

Comfort: God Is With Us

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

• What does this mean to the audience?– A generation in exile

Comfort: God Is With Us

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

• What does this mean to the audience?– A generation in exile– Exile will be long and exhausting (v. 30)

Comfort: God Is With Us

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

• What does this mean to the audience?– A generation in exile– Exile will be long and exhausting (v. 30)– “You need to wait for me” (v. 31)

Comfort: God Is With Us

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

• What does this mean to the audience?– A generation in exile– Exile will be long and exhausting (v. 30)– “You need to wait for me” (v. 31)– THEN the people will be delivered and…

Comfort: God Is With Us

• Finally: vs. 29-31 – God is With Us!!!

• What does this mean to the audience?– A generation in exile– Exile will be long and exhausting (v. 30)– “You need to wait for me” (v. 31)– THEN the people will be delivered and…– God will be with them (41:10)

Isaiah 41:10

I will strengthen you and help you;

Do not be dismayed,

For I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Comfort?

• What do we do when we are distressed and need comfort?– Anesthetize

Comfort?

• What do we do when we are distressed and need comfort?– Anesthetize– Activate

Comfort?

• What do we do when we are distressed and need comfort?– Anesthetize– Activate– Accommodate

Comfort?

• What do we do when we are distressed and need comfort?– Anesthetize– Activate– Accommodate– Affinity

Application

• Example of Christians in post-Christian society

Application

• Example of Christians in post-Christian society

• What should we do?

Application

• Example of Christians in post-Christian society

• What should we do?– We should live in and love our city and state

Application

• Example of Christians in post-Christian society

• What should we do?– We should live in and love our city and state– But aware that our efforts will never ultimately

prevail

Application

• Are we looking to the right places for comfort?– Political over spiritual reality

Application

• Are we looking to the right places for comfort?– Political over spiritual reality– Ideology over Bible

Application

• Are we looking to the right places for comfort?– Political over spiritual reality– Ideology over Bible– Self-protection over glorifying God

Application

• Are we looking to the right places for comfort?– Political over spiritual reality– Ideology over Bible– Self-protection over glorifying God– Independence over One-anothers

Application

• Are we looking to the right places for comfort?– Political over spiritual reality– Ideology over Bible– Self-protection over glorifying God– Independence over One-anothers

• God is Powerful to Comfort us in His Greatness!

Concluding Thoughts

• We can comfort one another with words

Concluding Thoughts

• We can comfort one another with words

• God’s Plan is working!

Concluding Thoughts

• We can comfort one another with words

• God’s Plan is working!

• God is Great!

Isaiah 40: Comfort

God wants you to be comforted by understanding who He is…

Isaiah 40: Comfort

God wants you to be comforted by understanding who He is…

Our comfort must be in God’s greatness.

Be Comforted

Blessings to you and yours in this next week.