CHRISTMAS 1 – December 29, 2019 – Is. 63:7-14
“RECOUNTING GOD’S LOVE, HIS PRAISE”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Old Testament Lesson just read, from Isaiah 63. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- In our text, the prophet Isaiah engages in a most blessed activity: “RECOUNTING GOD’S LOVE, HIS PRAISE.” In a very real sense, this is what “church” is all about – if it is Christian and biblical church activity!
- There is much to “recount.” God is rich in love, mercy, kindness, and acts of deliverance and salvation.
- The times Isaiah lived in and the people that he prophesied to were utterly dismal and wretched. After recounting God’s great love, Isaiah goes on to describe Israel’s response to God’s love: “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit.”
- This must always be a consideration for us. It is good to recount God’s love and salvation, but easy for us to lose sight of His goodness and relapse into things that grieve God.
- But part of recounting God’s love is remembering also that He remains faithful to us even when we are faithless. But our faithlessness means we are not benefiting from His faithfulness. Hopefully, we can avoid this.
- First, we recount:
I. The Nature Of God’s Love For Us
A. It Is Steadfast, Reliable And Dependable
Text: “I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord.”
B. His Love Provides Abundant Goodness To Us
Text: “I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel.”
C. He Is Full Of Compassion And Abundant Love Toward Us
Text: “The great goodness to the house of Israel that He has granted to them according to His compassion, according to the abundance of His steadfast love.”
Statement: What else can be said about God and His love for us? It is immense beyond comprehension! It is steadfast, abundant, good, faithful, and heart-felt with genuine compassion.
Application: God revealed this to Isaiah and all of His people of old – Adam, Eve, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All of God’s prophets speak the same thing about God’s love for us. So it is clear and apparent that God wants us to also “RECOUNT HIS LOVE AND PRAISE,” to know it and believe it, to trust in Him.
Transition: This is apparent as Isaiah also recounts:
II. God’s Actions Of Love For Us
A. He Claimed Us As His Children And Trusts Us
Text: “He said, ‘Surely they are My people, children who will not deal falsely.”
B. He Has Saved Us, In Love And Pity
Text: “He became their Savior . . . in His love and in His pity He redeemed them.”
C. He Enters Into Our Afflictions
Text: “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them.”
D. He Carries Us All Our Days
Text: “In His love and His pity He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Statement: His loving deeds toward us are as remarkable, humbling, and awe-inspiring as the description of His love. He has done all of this graciously – without any merit of worthiness in us. It is the gift of God, not of our works! How could anyone ever deserve such favor and goodness?
Application: As we contemplate these things, “RECOUNTING GOD’S LOVE, HIS PRAISE,” let us find great comfort and consolation, and put great faith and trust in God! This is always the goal and desire of His love – that we be richly blessed with comfort, courage, and confidence as children of God, even in the midst of afflictions, trials, and difficulties.
Transition: And the final aspect of God’s love that Isaiah dwells on is that:
III. Even When We Are Rebellious God Loves Us
A. He Loves Us Enough To Discipline Us
Text: “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit, therefore He turned to be their enemy, and Himself fought against them.”
B. But He Still Leads Us Bringing Glory To Himself, To His Love
Text: “Then He remembered the days of old . . . the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So You led Your people, to make for Yourself a glorious Name.”
Statement: Obviously, it is not a good or pleasant thing to require this kind of discipline from the Lord. Nor does He wish to or delight in providing such negative stimulus to His children. And there does come a time when even God gives up on people. The northern tribes were captured around 700 B.C., and the southern tribes in 586 B.C.. There was no “biblical” nation of Israel after this, and especially not after the Romans obliterated Jerusalem in 70 A.D..
Application: So let us humble ourselves always, and cling to the Lord’s gracious mercy and love. Rejoicing in His love should not move us to presumption and rebellion, but to love for God and dedication to Him!
Conclusion: Isaiah was right to be “RECOUNTING GOD’S LOVE.” We are right to do so as well. Again, this is the principle activity of the church, and should be something we do each day!
May God continue to bless each of us in His great love, compassion, and pity. May He continue to lift us up and carry us all of our days. And may we have great joy in reflecting upon His love each day. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.