Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Starting a new series in Isaiah
• Looking at the gospel in Isaiah
• The evangelist
• Like a mini-bible
• 39 chapters: Law & judgment
• 27 chapters: hope & good news
• Providentially this is how it has fallen
• Isaiah means the Lord is salvation
• Isaiah's background
• King Uzziah's reign
• Came on the scene after a time of peace and prosperity
• He was to witness momentous events
• The King turning leprous
• Six kings deposed in the Northern Kingdoms
• Assyria becoming a growing threat and taking territory
• King Jotham
• King Ahaz (a wicked king): examples
• King Hezekiah: examples
• He was raised up and had a vision (v1)
• He would speak about the exile
• He would speak about great future events
• Looking at v18
• A great verse to start the year
• A great verse of gospel promise
• Overview:
• Though the charge
• Yet the promise
• Respond to the call

Though the charge

• Sins: red like scarlet
• v15 - blood
• v21 - murderers
• These are obnoxious and terrible sins
• Yet these sins can be forgiven
• Sins:
• Not just blood - rejection of a God you know
• v2-3 - God's people have become worse than animals
• The sin of rejection can be forgiven
• The sin of rejection (if not forgiven) brings a terrible judgment
• v5 - The people will not respond to chastisement or punishment
• v6 - The society is rotten to the core
• v22 - Corruption and a lack of justice
• Yet these sins can be forgiven if they turn back to the Lord
• 5:8 - Material gain with no thought for the poor
• 5:11 - Drunkards
• 5:12 - In church and straight out to other things
• 5:20 - Twisting morality
• 5:21 - Pride and self-righteousness
• 5:22 - Drunkards
• 5:23 - Lack of justice
• Yet there is hope!
• There are many sins today - examples
• Your sins can be white as snow
• There is worse:
• Religion continues but God's people love and live in sin
• God hates it
• God will not hear their prayers or accept their worship
• v10 - you have become like Sodom [a damning inditement]
• v12 - the trample God's courts
• v13 - bring no more false sacrifices
• Yet there is hope!

Yet the cleansing/promise

• Crimson / red - symbolises blood guilt
• Red dye is so hard to remove
• All sin, guilt and shame will be forgiven
• Not just forgiveness
• A thorough cleansing within and without
• Is this not good news?
• Examples of sin
• Yet God will cleanse us from all sin
• Perhaps you think you have gone too far?
• Example of Colonel James Gardener
• There is full and total cleansing in Christ

Respond to the call

• Come and let us reason together (v18)
• Explanation
• There is only one mediator between God and man - Jesus Christ
• The verses around v18 are quite strong
• v16 - break with sin
• v17 - live a good/righteous life
• v19 - blessing
• v20 - the risk of judgment
• Today is the day of salvation
• Salvation: John Bunyan & John Newton
• Closing Remarks