Remember these Things and Return to

God(Isaiah 44:21-23)

Last sermon!

1. God will not Forsake His Blinded People(Isaiah 42:14-17)

2nd Aug

Dangers of Spiritual blindness:- Totally blind eg, unbelieve,

idolatry- Partially blind eg, lukewarm- Saved & living out God’s

purpose

2. God will Discipline His Blinded People(Isaiah 42:18-25)

9th Aug

Israel’s disobedience makes it: - More vulnerable to enemies

incurrs- Ignorant of its blindness

God’s - False sense of security

wrath

3. God will Ransom & Redeem His People(Isaiah 43:1-7)

16th Aug

Salvation Promises -- Fear Not because:(1)I Have redeemed you(2)I Have summoned you by name(3)I Am with you

4. You are Witnesses that there is No Other God(Isaiah 43:8-15)

30th Aug

We as witnesses are to:1. Admit our own mistakes (no blame)2. Put God first (beware idolatry)3. Don’t lose hope (keep faith)

5. God’s DeliveranceTransforms Life(Isaiah 43:16-21)

6th Sep

Life Transformation by:1. Forget the past2. Know the ‘new’ things3. Worship the Lord

6. God will Rescue His People who Failed to Worship Him (Isaiah 43:22-44:5)

20th Sep

7. Worship the True & Living God (Isaiah 44:6-20)

4th Oct

8. Remember these Things and Return to God (Isaiah 44:21-23)

11th Oct

Today’s message

Isaiah 44:21–23 (NIV)21 “Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. 22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” 23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

Remember Return Rejoice

1. Remember (v.21)21 “Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.

Good to Remember Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Better to be Remembered The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, (Psalm 115:12)Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close. (Psalm 27:10)

service

1. Remember (v.21)21 “Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.

Better to be Remembered

I am not going to Heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times. I'm going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: 'Lord, remember me.' - Billy Graham

2. Return (v.22)22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Genesis Revelation

New heaven & new earth

Chap 1-2Creation

Chap 3 fall

(3 pages)

(1,933 pages)

“Story of The Return”

Bible

2. Return (v.22)22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Never forced

(Luke 15:17–18)

(1 Kings 18:21)

2. Return (v.22) Never forcedGod created things which had free will. That means

creatures which can go wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong, but I can't.

If a thing is free to be good it's also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.

A world of automata -of creatures that worked like machines- would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water.

And for that they've got to be free.― C.S. Lewis, The Case for Christianity

2. Return (v.22) Never forced

So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and

was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms

around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)

3. Rejoice (v.23)23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

There are many Scriptures in the Bible that tell us God is seeking true worshipers; like Psalm 95:6-7:

"Oh, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God,

and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand...“ – A. W. Tozer

What Makes Worship so Important? key to God's presence; brings us intimacy with the Father

key to withstanding trials and problems

Key in restoring the joy of our salvation.

3. Rejoice (v.23)23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:22–24).

What Makes Worship so Important?

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the

presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

(Luke 15:10)

Salvation

3. Rejoice (v.23)23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

Baptism and Confirmation Class 2015

1. Amy Wang2. Ella Wang3. Mark Fang 4. Emily Tiong

5. Andrew Liew6. Lydia Sim7. Lin Ling8. Johnny Lee

9. Nancy Ling10. Tommy Ma11. Holly Lau

Remember these Things and Return to

God(Isaiah 44:21-23)