Sermon #53 Series: Isaiah

Title: Ten Wonders Of Grace

Text: Isaiah 19:18-25

Subject: The Grace Of God

Date: Sunday Evening - September 2, 1990

Tape #

Introduction:

Isaiah 13-23 is a prophecy of judgment. It was a burden to God’s prophet. But it was the burden of the word of the Lord. And it had to be delivered. However, right in the middle of this horrible word of devastation, destruction and judgment, there is a message of grace. It is found in chapter 19, verses 18-25. Read it with me.

Tonight I want to take up right where I left off this morning. This morning I talked to you about Manasseh: A Miracle Of Grace. Tonight, I want to show you Ten Wonders Of Grace as they are set before us in this text.

Our text was a prophecy of those days of grace in which we now live. It speaks not only of an elect remnant among the Jews, but also of an elect remnant among the Egyptians and Assyrians. This text is a prophecy of the gathering of God’s elect out of the four corners of the earth into one fold, the church of God, under one Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ - (John 10:16). It was never God’s intention, purpose, or design that his church and kingdom be limited to the nation of Israel. From the beginning, the Lord our God was determined to save a great multitude out of every nation, people, kindred and tongue for the glory of his great name.

We must understand that this prophecy was given to the children of Israel. And it was given to them as unto children who were taught by the use of types and pictures. It is given, therefore, in the language of that infant age of the church. It speaks of altars, pillars and oblations, which are all to be understood in a spiritual sense. In this gospel age, the church of God has come to maturity. We no longer need a material altar. Christ is our altar. We no longer need animal sacrifices. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. We no longer need an earthly priest. Christ is our great High Priest. And we are priests in him. But that is another sermon. Christ has fulfilled and forever abolished all the carnal ordinances of Old Testament worship. We worship God in the Spirit through faith in the merits of Christ alone. And in our text God tells us that he will show forth the riches of his grace upon the nations of the world.

Proposition: Grace is an attribute of God; but it is more than an attribute - Grace is the sovereign, effectual operation of God bestowed freely upon hell-deserving sinners by which we are saved - (Eph. 2:1-10).

Divisions: I want to set before you the glory of God’s grace by displaying the wonders of its operations in the salvation of sinners. Here are Ten Wonders Of Grace.

I. The first wonder of grace is GOD’S PURPOSE OF GRACE IN ELECTION.

Election is not a hard doctrine. It is a blessed doctrine. Election does not mean that God has shut some people out of heaven. Election means that God has opened the gates of heaven and arranged that a great multitude of undeserving sinners shall enter into everlasting life - (Eph. 1:4-6; II Thess. 2:13-14). In our text the Lord God avows that there is a remnant according to the election of grace, in Egypt, Assyria, Israel and all the world, who must be saved.

Election, if properly understood, is the greatest possible motive for evangelism and missions - (Acts 18:9-11).

A. God has a people whom He will save.

B. God has ordained the means by which He will save His people (Heb. 4:12; James 1:18).

C. God will bless the preaching of the gospel with success in His time (Isa. 55:11).

II. Here is the second wonder of grace - THE GRACE OF GOD FINDS ITS OBJECTS AMONG THE MOST UNWORTHY AND UNLIKELY PEOPLE.

· Egypt!

· Assyria!

· You and Me (I Cor. 1:26-31).

Grace finds its favorites in “The City of Destruction” among the hell-bent, hell-deserving condemned sons of men.

III. THE GRACE OF GOD TEACHES MEN AND WOMEN TO PRAY (v. 20).

Anyone can teach a man what to pray and teach a man to say his prayers. But only God can teach a man to pray - Prayer is the cry of the heart to God because of the oppressors.

· Sin.

· Satan.

· The Law.

IV. As soon as a sinner cries to God, GRACE SENDS A SAVIOR (v. 20).

A. Grace appointed Christ to be a Savior - (Ps. 89:19).

B. Grace sent Christ to accomplish salvation - (Matt. 1:21).

C. Grace sends Christ to all who seek Him - (Jer. 29:12-14).

D. Christ is a great Savior.

· In His Person!

· In His Work!

· In His Efficacy! “He Shall Deliver Them!”

· In His Intercession!

· In His Dominion!

· In His Second Coming!

V. GRACE CAUSES MEN TO SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE (v. 18).

Those who are chosen, redeemed, called and saved by grace all speak the same language. Wherever you find them, their language is the same.

· Saved men do not speak the language of human merit - We speak the language of Christ’s merits.

· Saved people do not talk of man’s free-will, but of God’s free-grace.

· God’s people do not know the language of human praise, but the language of divine praise.

VI. GRACE CAUSES MEN AND WOMEN TO CONSECRATE THEMSELVES TO GOD (v. 19).

The altar of God is in our hearts.

VII. GRACE INSTRUCTS SINNERS IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF

GOD (v. 21).

VIII. THE GRACE OF GOD MAKES EVEN TROUBLE AND

AFFLICTION A BLESSING TO HIS CHOSEN (v. 22).

Illus: The City Missionary in London and The

Man Who Had Lost Everything.

IX. THE GRACE OF GOD CHANGES MEN’S

RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER (v. 23).

In Christ enemies are reconciled and barriers are removed! God’s people…

· Love Each Other.

· Forgive Each Other.

· Excuse Each Other.

· Defend Each Other.

X. THE GRACE OF GOD MAKES MEN AND WOMEN TO BE

BLESSED AND TO BE A BLESSING (vv. 24-25).

A. God’s people are a blessed people (Eph. 1:3; Matt. 5:1-12).

B. God’s people are a blessing.

· In God’s Providence.

· By Their Deeds.