Stewart Russell
Text: Isaiah 45:18-22
Verse 22: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God and there is none else.
The first word of our key verse is “Look!”
Depending on the tone of one’s voice this word may mean
different things.
For example “Look may indicate:
A warning
An attractive or appealing sight
A call to examine something being said
An expressed excitement at suddenly falling on something
hoped for: a lost article or simply a solution to a problem
In the English language the word look is loaded.
Then there are the several extensions to the word look:
1. Look up:
pray; hope; stay confident
2. Look down:
scorn; look down one’s nose
3. Look across: view
beyond something
4. Look out:
expect something; warn
5. Look in: go
to
6. Look into: examine,
study; investigate; enquire
6. Look through:
scan; peer; peep
7. Look around:
search; turn; twist
8. Look over:
check; climb up, reach up
9. Look back:
review; reflect; turn; twist
11. Look ahead:
project; plan
12. Look forward:
anticipate
13. Look after:
take care of
14. Look at:
stare; gaze; study; scrutinize
15. Look for:
anticipate; search for
16. Look to: request
assistance, demand answers; call for solutions
As I studied this word I thought what other word could be as
versatile as the word look? I would like
to give you a chance to guess but in the interest of time I will tell you the
word I thought of. The word is run. I also noted that you could use back all of
these prepositions with run and you would get similar expressions and feelings.
Run to: go for help
Run after: identify with; keep company with
Run into: seek refuge
Run over: trample; exploit
Run through: dismiss easily and quickly as in some sport
Run down: used up as in the life of a battery
But this morning our focus is simply “Look unto Me!”
Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the
ends of the earth: for I am God and there is none else.
Who is speaking?
Before you are tempted to say Isaiah, let’s go to the text
again.
Verse 14. Then
saith the LORD
Verse 18. I am
the Lord and none else
Verse 19. I the
LORD speak righteousness
Verse 21. Have
not I the LORD?
Verse 22 For I
am God
Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the
ends of the earth: for I am God and there is none else.
God is saying to us today, “Look unto Me!”
You may ask, “Is this a command or is this a plea?
Whether of the twain, it would be wise to pay heed. If you view it as a command, it is always
better to obey God. The Bible as well as
our current world system is replete with evidence of the consequences of
disobeying God. It stretches from the
beginning to the present. It is well
documented in the word of God as well as prominent in the worries and concerns
of all humanity.
If on the other hand it is a plea it is probably because God,
in His infinite mercy and grace seeks to save us from an impending fate that is
worse than death. I speak of an eternity
in hell. However you view it, it would
be better to follow the directive. I
want to treat to it this morning as both a command and a plea. Look
unto Me!
Introduction:
Why?
Overview of the World’s
condition:
The world today is under siege. It is an interesting kind of siege. It appears to be a deliberate and designed
siege. It is a siege designed by wicked
persons who are obsessed with avarice (greed).
Their aim is to control everyone and everything. They want to be God over the earth and over
space. One gets the impression that many
of the crises this world has confronted and faces today are created by powerful
people who are of the thinking that if you want to take control of the world
and grab the so called confidence of people then create a crisis of world
proportions. Hence World Wars 1 and 2,
Pearl Harbour, Trade Towers and the like…
For example what better way to create demand than to create a
shortage! Announce today that there will
be a gas shortage next week and see if the lines at the petrol pump won’t be so
long that they would stretch into next week.
Another way to get control is to create panic and frustration. The world has been in a panic ever since
911. As a result the universal
politicians and power brokers of world politics have been having a field
day. The world is ripe for a one-world
government and consequently a world leader; one who would fill the eyes of the
people and meet their every expectation.
The object is to take control.
There are three basic ways in which they are carrying out
their objective:
1. Through
gentle persuasion (we have the answers)
2. Through
subtle deceit (we can protect you)
3. Through
blatant coercion (you do or you die)
The above comprise all the strategies, methodologies and
techniques that you see at play in our world today. They range from small scale to large scale,
from the home to the community to the country to the region to the world. The tentacles reach out to touch every
individual, every organization, every institution and even the church.
The tools they use consist of education, wealth, politics and
religion. Do we still wonder why this
world is in in its present state? We do
not have to look far to see its deprivation, depravity and deplorableness. By our pronouncements and practice we deny
the existence of God but prove daily the existence of the very devil God
himself created. Aren’t we brilliant? The animals from which we came are certainly
not proud of what they have morphed into, Mr. Darwin.
A. Look unto Me…Who?
1. The
all-knowing God
Job 21:22 Job asked the question: Shall
anyone teach God knowledge seeing He judges those that are high?
Proverbs 3:19 The Lord by wisdom hath
founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.
Isaiah 46:10 He declares the end from
the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.
2. The
all-sufficient God
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves but
our sufficiency is in God.
3. The
all-powerful God
Psalms 62:11 God has spoken once; twice
have I heard this that power belongs to God.
Psalm 66:7 He rules by His power forever;
His eyes behold the nations.
John 19:11 Jesus makes the point to
Pilate that he could have no power over him except it was given from him form
above.
I
ask the question again:
Who
is this God that commands all to look unto Him?
He
is: the all-knowing, all-sufficient, all-powerful God
B. And be ye saved…For What?
1. A
great salvation
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape if we
neglect so great salvation?
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be saved.
2. A
guaranteed salvation
Romans 4:24 Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and you shall be saved.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins he is
faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God’s
faithfulness guarantees our salvation.
3. A
gracious salvation
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye
saved.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that
brings salvation has appeared unto all men.
For
what does this God command us to look unto Him?
For
salvation that is great, that is guaranteed and that is gracious
C. All the ends of the earth…To Whom?
1.
An
open invitation
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me all (universal) that labour and are
heavy laden and I will give you rest.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world,
that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
(general) believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily I say unto you
that he (individual) that hears my
word and believes on Him that sent me has everlasting life.
2. An
opportune invitation
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the Lord while he
may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this
ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent.
3
Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in
righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; wherefore he has given
assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.
Hebrews 3:15 Today if you hear his
voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of the provocation.
3. An
obvious invitation
By
the way because a friend tells you that he or she is getting married does not
indicate an obvious invitation to the wedding reception. You can go to the church but the reception is
for those who have official invitations. Official invitations are written invitations. They are private and personal.
But
hear this obvious invitation from Jesus Christ himself.
Isaiah 55:1 Ho, everyone that thirsts,
come ye to the waters, and he that has no money; come ye, buy, and eat; come
buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Revelation 22:18 And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that hears
say, Come. And let him that is athirst
come. And whosoever will, let him take
of the water of life freely.
John 7:37 In the last day, that great
day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying If any man thirst, let him come
unto me and drink.
How
is the offer packaged?
God
himself, the creator of all things, the God only wise, the all-knowing, all sufficient,
all powerful God has offered to
underserving, unmerited, deprived, depraved, deplorable mankind a great, guaranteed, gracious
salvation wrapped in an invitation which is open, opportune and obvious.
Conclusion:
I
conclude by asking one final question of you.
Why look unto God?
The
answer is expressed in the last nine words of the key verse.
For I am God and there is none else
God is:
1. The
only God
1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is
but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord
Jesus Christ by whom are all things, and we by him.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
God is:
2. The
only Hope
Romans 5:8 But God commends his love
towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as
grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower thereof,
25.
But the word of the Lord endures forever.
And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.
Finally:
God is:
3. The
only reasonable response
Look unto me He invites, and be ye saved, He instructs, all the ends of the earth, He includes,
for I am God and there is none else
he reasons.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason
says the Lord. Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him,
endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
Why
is this the only reasonable response?
Isaiah 1:8 & 9 gives a clear
answer.
Verse 8. If you are willing and
obedient, you will eat of the fat of the land.
Verse 9. But if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
