Sermons

Beautiful prophetic promise of expansion in Isa 54 – Expand, enlarge, hold nothing back!

Written by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before the coming of Jesus.

Chapter 53 tells us why Jesus needed to come
v4 bear our griefs, carry our sorrows
v5 pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities – other words for sin – the things that we do, say and think that are wrong.
He did it to bring us peace & healing

Isaiah was seeing what Jesus came to do!
Live in a broken world, wrecked by evil. Globally and personally.
Jesus came to deal with the problem decisively- taking on himself all our sin and brokenness and giving us peace and healing.

The passage I’m talking about today Isaiah 54 is the next thing Isaiah prophecies.
If Jesus has come to sort out our mess, things are going to get bigger.
The Old Testament People of God were mostly Jews and those who wanted to align themselves with Jewish people. The promise to Abraham that the people of God would be for all nations wasn’t yet fulfilled.
Isaiah is prophesying that when Jesus has come and the people of God is opened up to anyone from any nation who follows Jesus. When that happens (which happened around 2000 years ago), the tent is going to get bigger, much bigger.

God’s people used to meet around a tent – a tabernacle. And Isaiah is prophesying its not big enough – Expand, enlarge don’t hold back!

Let’s work our way through Isaiah 54 and see what God has to say to us about expanding, enlarging and not holding back.

v1 Barreness
In the natural, in ancient times, having children in a marriage was even more important – about legacy and provision. A real stigma and shame of being barren. Abram and Sarai experienced that – Sarai’s bitter laugh showing her pain. Isaiah promises the barren one will sing – such joy that comes when a mother who has been waiting has a child.
We have faith for God to open wombs – perhaps if you have been struggling, get some prayer. We’ve seen the Lord do it a number of times!
Barrenness is also a metaphor of a lack of breakthrough – working hard with little or no fruit. The Lord is promising breakthrough – fruit! children.
A promise of new things, new purposes, more!

v2-3 key to whole passage – enlarge, expand, don’t hold back
Enlarge the tent – about expecting the meeting place of the people of God to grow! the tent was the tabernacle. Enlarge it, expand it, lengthen the guy robes, get ready for growth. Don’t hold back! Don’t be fearful.
We were 100% full in Greenpark, KLA an seat 280-300, so we have room to expand and enlarge!

God’s Kingdom is ever expanding- even when things seem bad.
Pete Greig reported on a church in Kharkiv, in the midst of war and suffering that has grown from 150 to 1500! God is good! He is on the move

The Gen 12 promise to Abraham that the people of God would be a blessing to all nations is being fulfilled by Jesus who has made the way for people from every tribe and tongue to come to God.
Look at the banner behind – 42 nations! Come on Lord. Look at v3 spread abroad to the right and to the left, dispossessing nations.
Come on Lord – use us to reach those here and there!

Enlarge, stretch out – speaks to creating capacity for growth. We have a beautiful prophetic word from Keith Hazzell of a wave of the Spirit coming that will overwhelm us if we are not ready.
Don’t hold back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes speaks of planning for growth.

There was a time when the Celebrate Kings Lynn event went ahead despite strong winds. A dear brother went and got some tent pegs to hold the marque down (which was not working!) Then the contractor came with big stakes and a sledgehammer. Now you are talking. We have to change our mindset from little pegs to stakes. Get ready!

How about personally – what does the Lord want you to do to expand, enlarge, don’t hold back. What’s He enlarging your capacity for at work – deputy head of a school, leader of a hospital department? Youcan handle it – God will be growing your capacity!
Not easy! Time when running 100m had me puffing like a beached whale. But as you keep going, your lung capacity increases to 1000m and then maybe even 10km.
What skills does the Lord want you to develop? To renew, to grow in?

Every week there are new people coming, friends inviting friends because of the passion and atmosphere. There’s momentum coming. Keep inviting! Keep praying!

v4 No fear! No shame!
The Gospel is good news! Guilt and shame are taken away as far as the east is from the west. Don’t be carrying past failure and sin! Take it to the cross and forget it!
As you step out following Jesus, the promise he is that you will NOT be ashamed, you will NOT be disgraced and you will fort shame and reproach. Hallelujah.
What is in your past you need to get rid of?

v5-8 husband and wife
These next verses speak of the intimacy of knowing God. He is like a husband who cherishes, loves, nurtures and protects.
He calls us out of desertion, grief, rejection and being cast away.
He gathers is with great compassion and everlasting love!
everlasting love – is the OT word for grace!

v9-10 God’s promises are secure
The days of Noah are when God swore never to flood the whole again with a rainbow. Whenever you see a rainbow it is a reminder of God’s promises. What He says He will do, He will do!
His steadfast love – grace will never depart. His covenant of peace will not be removed. Those are promises of eternal security. Your salvation does not depend on you, it depends on God’s faithfulness!

v11-12 God is doing an extraordinary work!
In the New Testament we are told the church is made up of living stones – you and I built together! Look here – Isaiah is prophecying antimony, sapphire, agate, carbuncles and other precious stones. Each and everyone of you are precious stones being built together.

v13 the next generation!
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children!
We need to grab it! How many of you have children far from the Lord? I look at Gen Z and their mental health – there’s no peace. Its been stolen by the enemy. The thief comes to steal kill and destroy, but Jesus says I have come that you may have life and life to the full.
PRAY!

v14-17 speaks of God’s protection
God fighting on our behalf.The enemy won’t succeed – he has been disarmed and made a spectacle of.
Jesus says “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail”

What a saviour! Jesus died for you to remove your guilt and shame
What a promise – enlarge, expand, don’t hold back!
What an invite! Chapter 55 kicks off with “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters and he who has no money, come buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without price!”

Stop runningafter things that cost too much and do not satisfy. Come to Jesus!
Turn
Believe
Make Him Lord

Be filled with the Spirit – wine and milk – joy and strength!

Go from here today – expand, enlarge, don’t hold back
Pray, invite, pray, invite!