God's Glory

Introduction

Enough. Quite the word. We use the word to describe a number of things:

You’ve eaten enough.

I’ve taken up enough of your time.

She had enough to feed the entire family.

That’s enough!!

Have I done enough? Am I good enough?

It’s the last usage that draws our attention. This thought passes through our minds from time to time. Am I good enough? We think such thoughts at a job or at school or in a competition. We even think this thought spiritually. Am I good enough? Our thinking that we must live up to certain standards. God’s standard is to be holy. We know we aren’t but we want to demonstrate that we are moving in the right direction. “Am I good enough” also is revealed in the words “Have I done enough?” As if God places a set of spiritual scales and measures our good deeds and evil deeds weighing them in the balance to decide our eternal fate.

Am I good enough? There is more to that question of course. At the heart of the question is proving one’s value and worth. There is also inherent within the question concern that the answer determines eternal position with God. Am I good enough isn’t only a motivating question; it’s a spiritual question about eternity. We look today at Isaiah 40. Not merely to answer the question but to find an answer that resolves the guilt and shame that we have to deal with. When our time is over today, you will be asked to trust God when your heart wants to argue with him. Trusting him is best but trust will not come without the struggle of answering the question — Am I good enough?

Sin

Sin affects all of us and sin affects all parts of us including our thinking. Sin does not keep us from thinking right. Sin, however, affects our ability to think as clearly as we would want. To repeat — even with the presence of sin, we can think correctly but the presence of sin affects our ability to think clearly at times. Jesus acknowledged this truth in his earthly ministry. He regularly called people to adjust their thinking instead of believing the lies of Satan. We want to think clearly today. Let’s open our minds to the truth that Isaiah 40 presents and to refuse to believe Satan’s lies about us.

As Frank mentioned last week, Isaiah 40 to the end of the writing is prophetic. As Frank pointed out, there is a search for a servant of God who will come to carry out God’s will and to demonstrate the grace of God. This servant becomes the focus of chapters 40–66. Chapter 40 is encouraging.

The Babylonian exile is foretold in chapter 39. In chapter 40, Isaiah reveals a time when Jerusalem will return from exile. The sin of the people resulted in exile. The grace of God brings them back to Jerusalem. The people did not go into exile because of Babylon’s might but by the direction of God. God punished them for not trusting him. Some object to God’s harshness. Some object that God was not kind. Let’s put the focus where it belongs — the sin of the people. Is there no consequence for sin? Is there to be no punishment for wrongs done? The objection reveals how hard it is to think clearly about sin. We seek to minimize it. We compare ourselves to others and find them worse than us, thus, allowing us to determine that our sin isn’t that bad and doesn’t deserve such punishment. These are Satan’s lies.

Jerusalem ignored God. Demanded that God meet their expectations. Placed themselves in the position of knowing more and being wiser than God. God warned. Sent prophets. Begged his people to return with open hearts. Allowed the future to be seen in small ways in the present and the people rejected God and his warnings. Into exile they went. What they didn’t deserve was to return. This is the focus of chapter 40. The people will be brought back. The way will be made easy for their return. To what end? Verse 5 — so that the glory of God will be revealed and all will see it.

Jerusalem was punished for their lack of faith. They chased other nations and other gods. They went into exile. God sent them there. But he brought them back. They did not fight their way out of exile. They did not bargain their way out of exile. They did not buy their way out of exile. God brought them out in his own mercy and grace so that his glory could be revealed. How will that happen? Look at verses 9–11. The people will shout it. They will shout out to the surrounding towns — Look at what God has done. God has provided for his people. God is at work for his people. God has made it possible for us to be his people again.

Shout

Am I good enough? No. Of course not. We are not good enough. We cannot claim to be without sin. We cannot claim that our lack of sin in comparison to others is sufficient for our salvation. Our sin separates us from God. We cannot buy our relationship with God. We cannot bargain our relationship with God. We cannot through human strength and power earn our relationship with God. The only way for us to have a relationship with God is for God to do something. And he did.

You have already jumped ahead in your mind. You know I am talking about Jesus. You know that Jesus dying on a cross is what I am alluding to and will eventually get to. You have heard it. You believe it. But don’t shut down your mind yet. Don’t assume you know fully what is coming. Keep your mind open. Be amazed at what God has done for you. God brought the people back to Jerusalem to reveal his glory. Isaiah said the people would shout about God’s glory to the surrounding towns.

Chs. 40–66 — we are looking for the servant of God who will carry out God’s will and reveal the glory of God. Turn to John 1:14. John says that he (no we) have seen his glory. There is no doubt that John intends the we to be a “he” with the understanding that if you believe his testimony then you too will see Jesus’ glory. Thus, the “we” becomes all those who have believed John’s testimony. We have seen his glory. But you say how? How did I see the glory of Jesus? Reading words on a page gives you the opportunity to see but in order for you to see it, you have to be at the cross. Only in our imagination does that happen. For we were not at the cross 2000 years ago. But our imagination can transport us and we can see it as if we were there.

Turn to John 12. Jesus announces about his crucifixion that it is time for him to be glorified (vs. 23). Verse 28, Jesus shouts “Father, glorify your name.” Reveal your glory through me. God announces that he has and will again. Vs. 31 & 32. The cross is where Satan is driven out. While he has power to lie, impede, and tempt; with his death Jesus put an end to Satan’s power to keep us from God. Sometimes scripture just has the ability to make you shake your head in wonder — look at verse 39–41.

John said that Isaiah saw Jesus’ glory. How can this be? Isaiah had no idea about Jesus but he knew that God was revealing himself and his glory through a servant who was to come. John says Isaiah saw. You see it too. Go to the cross. See in your mind the glory of God. Shout it from the rooftops to all who surround you. Tell what God has done for you. You have seen his glory. God has forgiven you. Saved you. Redeemed you. Called you his son or daughter. You belong to God. He did all of this not so that we can only rest in comfort and ease and in his mercy but for his glory. Invitation.

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