Sermon
# 122 Series: Isaiah
Title: “Bring My Sons From Far”
Text: Isaiah 43:6
Subject: The Certain Salvation of
God’s Elect
Date: Sunday Evening - July 5, 1992
Introduction:
Sometimes
it appears that all our labor is spent in vain. It often appears that we who preach the gospel of Christ spend
our strength for naught. Like the
foolish farmer who plows and sows his seed upon stony ground, our increased
labors often seem to bring forth no fruit.
The bread is cast upon the waters, according to our Lord’s command, but
it is not found again, even after many days.
At such times as these, we often begin to tremble with fear. The Church of God cannot give up her
mission, which is the enlightenment of the world. God’s servants cannot lay down their mantle. We must preach the gospel to all men. We must do what we can to make Christ known
to this generation. But, when we see so
little fruit for our labor, we are apt to become faint-hearted. We are prone to do our work as a matter of
routine and duty, with very little zeal, love, joy, and hope. Such a spirit is dishonoring to our God,
contrary to the gospel of Christ, and detrimental to the cause of Christ. It must be rebuked and corrected.
Turn with me to Isaiah 43. I want us to read verses 5, 6, and 7. Here is a word from God to encourage his church in lean times, when the harvest appears very sparse. Because the Lord loves his church and loves to see her full of confidence and zeal as she serves him, he says, “Fear not…” (Read verses 5-7).
Proposition:
Here the Lord God assures us of the salvation of his elect and thereby encourages us in the work of the gospel. It is as much as if he said, “To the work! Do not let your hands be slack. Preach the gospel. My people will be saved. In due season you shall reap if you faint not!”
The farmer sows his seed in the spring time; but he has to wait many days, weeks, and months before he gathers the harvest. All the while he works his little plot of ground, pulling weeds, protecting and pruning the little plants, driving away the fowls of the air and the devouring pests. Though there is a long season of drought, he labors on, waiting for the harvest. Though the floods of water seem to wash away his crops, still he labors on, waiting. His eye is always upon the time of harvest. Thus he spends his labor for the precious fruits of the earth.
Let
us take a lesson from the farmer. For
such fruits as those which are to be reaped by us, we may well be content to
labor in faith and patiently wait, not merely for days, weeks, and months, but
for years, decades, and centuries! We
need not be in such a hurry for results.
Our God is the God of great leisure.
He who inhabits eternity never gets in a hurry. A thousand years to him are but as one
day. He can afford to wait! We are only children, and children get in a
hurry. Children feel that something
must be done at once, or we may be dead and gone, and never see it. But it is not so. We must stop judging the effectiveness of the gospel by the
appearance of days and years.
Our
text is a prophecy that must be fulfilled before time shall be no more. God will yet say, “to the north, Give up;
and to the south keep not back; Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from
the ends of the earth.”
Here
we are given full assurance that the Lord God has a people whom he means to
save, and that they will be saved. We
have every reason, therefore, to deligently throw ourselves into the work of
seeking the salvation of God’s elect.
Divisions:
1. The Lord God has many children who are far away.
I. The Lord God has Many Children
who are Far Away.
He says, “Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.”
Note: Though they are not yet saved, though they are lost
and scattered among the fallen, depraved sons of Adam, though many have not yet
been born, all who shall be saved are already God’s sons and daughters. (John 10:16).
A. Some Are Far Away
Geographically.
When God spoke these words by his prophet, no one had ever imagined that such far away places as the North American continent or the Australian land even existed. And even now, God has his sons and daughters in lands far away from us, lands where the gospel is not now heard, lands where roads have not yet been built, where commerce has not yet come. Others there are dwelling in lands that have long been held in bondage, superstition, and darkness.
Our
God has people everywhere. In all
nations, among all people. There is a
remnant according to the election of grace, upon whom the eye of God has been
set from eternity. He has declared, in
his eternal purpose. “They shall be
mine in that day when I make up my jewels.”
(Mal. 3:17).
Illus: Paul at Corinth.
(Acts 18:10).
Our
Lord commands us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature because he has a people whom he will save scattered throughout all the
world. Support the preaching of the Gospel!
B. Many of God’s Chosen are Far
Off in Character.
God’s
people are chosen from a fallen race. After, he gathers his brightest jewels
from the deepest, darkest pit of corruption (I Cor. 1:26-28).
Illus: Like Hosea, our Lord finds his bride among the
children of whoredom. (Hosea 1:2).
C. The Lord has some sons and
daughters who are now Far Off From the Sound of the Gospel.
Many of you sit here, “not far from the kingdom of God;” yet you are far off. The kingdom of God is among you; but you do not perceive it. How sad that so many are willing to go down to hell with the gospel ringing in their ears!
There
are multitudes, however, even in this town, who are far away from the hearing
of the gospel. They have been brought
up under a form of religion which they believe to be right. As long as they adhere to the faith of their
fathers, they will never hear the gospel of free, full salvation in Christ by
God’s almighty sovereign grace. Yet,
there are some among them who are God’s sons and daughters. By one means or another, they shall be made
to hear the gospel and be saved.
Illus:
D. Many of God’s Sons and
Daughters are Far Off in their Own Apprehensions.
Perhaps I am addressing some at this moment who have such an awareness of sin and guilt that you think you cannot be saved. I was, for a long time, in your condition. Satan will do anything to keep you from Christ.
E. God takes very special care of
his sons and daughters who are far off.
“Long before regenerating grace is manifest, there is a prevenient grace which watches over the heirs of mercy who know not that they are heirs of mercy, and keeps them from going down into the pit because the Lord hath found a ransom.” (C. H. Spurgeon).
Illus: Hosea 2:6-8
II. God has Given Commandment for the Salvation
of His Chosen Sons and Daughters.
He says, “Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” To whom is this commandment given.
A. It is given to All of Providence.
Everything that happens in the mysterious movements of providence is under the control of God and works by his power and purpose for the salvation of his people.
I read the newspaper for one reason, so that I can keep up with what God is doing. I place no confidence in the wisdom of our ruler. Thy have proved that they have none. But I rejoice to know that “the Lord reigneth!” He just as certainly accomplishes his purpose by the folly of man as by the wisdom of man. To me, the only matter of concern in all the nations of the world is this- How is the gospel of Christ advancing? I care for the world only for the sake of God’s people in it. All the world is just scaffolding. The Church of Christ is the building. Nobody cares for the scaffolding. The purpose of God in this world is the gathering of his people out of the world, the salvation of his Sons and daughters. Once that is accomplished, he will burn the scaffolding.
Read Psalm 107. All of providence obeys God’s command- “Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” Illus: Tom Harding’s Family.
NOTE: The Good Shepherd has many black dogs by which he fetches his sheep into his fold.
B. This commandment is, in the covenant of
grace, given to the Spirit of God.
As it was Christ’s covenant work to redeem God’s elect, it is the Spirit’s covenant work to gather his redeemed out of all the earth by irresistible power and almighty grace- (Ps. 65:4; 110:3; John 6:63; Rom. 9:16).
Illus: Mr. Thorpe of the Hell Fire Club- An infidel’s club in England. Thorpe was converted while imitating Whitefield!
Illus: David to Ziba- “Fetch Him!”
C. This Commandment is given to all God’s
People.
God has left us here upon this earth for no other reason than that we should obey this commandment- “Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.”
III. This assurance of God’s Purpose of Grace is
Great Encouragement to Evangelism and Missionary Zeal.
Nothing so inspires evangelism and missions as the blessed knowledge and assurance of God’s sovereign, immutable irresistible purpose of grace.
A. Those whom God has purposed to save are our own seed (v. 5).
B. They are coming home to us!
We should always get ready for these new born babes, whom God has declared shall be born in Zion!
· No Surly Tempers.
· No Cold Hearts.
· No Carnal Strife.
C. When they do come, these fresh recruits will greatly help us- “I have created him for my glory.” (v. 7).
Application:
It is God’s purpose that we be fishers of men. We are here for the gathering of chosen, redeemed sinners to Christ. The only way I know for us to find out who God has chosen is to talk about Christ to everybody. Try to bring everyone to Christ. Leave none out.
· Go to the Prison.
· Go to the Streets.
· Go to the Hospitals and Rest Homes.
Go into the highways and hedges and persuade sinners to come to the marriage. The Lord will sort the true from the false. He can do it far better than we can. He never makes a mistake. It is our business to cast the net into the waters and gather all the fish we can, and if possible haul them to shore.
Before I send you home, let me make one more cast of the net- (John 3:14-16, 18, 35, 36).