Wait for the LORD: Hes Worth It ~Isaiah 40:12-31 Scripture Intro- brief Allow me to say a few words

of introduction concerning our text for the sermon this morning: Isaiah 40: This great chapter comes at the beginning of the 2nd main section of this powerful book. It introduces the rest of the book and begins with words of Comfort. As one scholar has said: In Isaiah 40, the prophet announced that God was giving his people a chance to start over. They had experienced the pain of exile and they had received the sad consequences of their sin, but God in his grace would give them another chance, just as he does with people today who seek his grace. (Beyer) The first 11 verses of chapter 40 deal with the announcement that God will lead his people home (from exile). In our text, we can more of a description of this Great God who is all-wise and all-powerful! In verses 12-31, Isaiah provided his people a broader view of God by describing his wisdom and power. God was the wise creator, the incomparable one, the sovereign, and the source of Israels strength. God was indeed powerful enough to bring his people home. (Beyer) Read Isaiah 40:12-31 Sermon Intro: FCF the pain of waiting, the heartbreak, the longing The waiting is the hardest part, every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart. The waiting is the hardest part ~Tom Petty Hope deferred makes the heart sick But a longing fulfilled is a tree of life ~Proverbs 13:12 The How Longs of the Bible use sheet Waiting for a child to come; Abraham and Sara---then God calling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac then providing the Lamba type of Jesus, our Redeemer. Dealing with unanswered prayer. A thought occurred to me concerning prayer and waiting: Lord, when I have to wait or my prayers go unanswered, may I not be bitter or despairing but hopeful; when I gain what I wish or my prayers are answered, help me to not be obnoxious or proud but grateful! (Proposition) Since God is incredibly Great, let us wait for Him to renew our strength: How is Gods greatness revealed in this powerful chapter? Why is the great God of Israel, Jacob and of Christian believers worth the wait? for 2 fundamental reasons: 1. He is the incomparable one (about 7-8 minutes for each point) 2. He is relentlessly tender in His love and gives strength to the weary Doug McFall June 11, 2011 Pentecost Sunday First Presbyterian Church, Strasburg, PA

As the ESV study bible puts it: God provides a comforting promise of hope for the brokenhearted people of God. God is incomparably powerful over all things and promises strength for endurance to all who will wait for him. As one writer put it: "Second only to suffering, waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness, maturity, and genuine spirituality most of us ever encounter." ~Richard Hendrix First Main Point: So, Gods greatness which is worth our waiting b/c 1. He is the incomparable one of Majesty (use the quote from Augustine from the Galli book) (12.26) about 7-8 minutes for each point. Explanation: He is revealed as the Wise Creator (12-17) Ten Rhetorical Questions Make the Point (12-14) Gods Power Dwarfs the Nations Power (15-17) He is beyond Comparison (18-20) Thus, the folly of Idolatry He is the Sovereign God (21-26) Isaiah begins with four rhetorical questions which all demand a yes answer in verse 21.

Illustration: For me time spent in nature---relate some details of the Adirondack trip---how I saw the glory of God, how it help lift me out of a depression, time spent with my middle son

Application: So, what does it mean practically that God is revealed as the great, majestic one! How does his greatness reveal that he is Worth our Wait? Well, many things but let me point out 2 things now: 1. Because God is the incomparable one, we should put away any idols. Doug McFall June 11, 2011 Pentecost Sunday First Presbyterian Church, Strasburg, PA

Tim Keller in his recent book Counterfeit Gods discusses the folly of 3 esp. contemporary idols for us in the West: Money, Sex and Power. They are all huge temptations in our world. Consider the headlines on any given day and youll see this. Perhaps, one of these draws your heart especially. Another word for idolatry is really addiction---it begins with concrete choices, then we often become powerless and feel we must have the item in question to find fulfillment. John Calvin called the human heart, an idol factory. We are called to find fulfillment in our Great God alone and to enjoy these created things for His gloryand yet, its so easy to not wait on Him, isnt it? To fix ourselves. 2. on a positive note, we need to make a point of pondering Gods greatness---time in nature, reflecting on Gods word. Ben Patterson. Pastor and author of Waiting memorized Isaiah 40 during a crucial time of his ministry when he was burned-out---he hiked in the Grand Canyon reciting the cadences of Isaiahs prophetic poetry ---page 55 (40:25-29) Second Main Point: Secondly, Gods greatness is worth our waiting b/c 2. He is tirelessly tender and gives strength to the weary (27-31) Explanation: God is Israels Source of Strength He is our source of renewing strength! The Israelite readers would have already been given a vision of this tender strength from the Sovereign, Great God earlier in chapter 40. Isaiah says in verse 11: He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are young. Jacob has forgotten Gods strength (40:27)we do the same so easily The All-Wise God never tires (40:28-29) we often tire outeven the most energetic youth eventually wire out (my children as an example) Israel must hope in the Lord (40:30-31)we must patiently wait for the Lord to act; he will strengthen us as we wait.

He is worth our wait. Ben Patterson in his very helpful book called Waiting says I write this book out of one central conviction: that at least as important as the things we wait for is the work God wants to do in us as we wait. Ben discusses the two cardinal virtues for successful waiting: humility and hope. He uses the Biblical stories of Job and Abraham to demonstrate the honest struggle, the pitfalls and these men as real life godly examples of faithful waiting for the LORD. Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King! The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly, The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. Doug McFall June 11, 2011 Pentecost Sunday First Presbyterian Church, Strasburg, PA

Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King! Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King! The church with psalms must shout, no door can keep them out; But, above all, the heart must bear the longest part. Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King! ~George Herbert ahh, yes, the waiting is the hardest part The believers heart: though it may be joyful with the burdens it bears; its sick with anticipating. ~Michael Card (Maranatha) Illustration Consider Candace and her brother, Jack---waiting through woundedness to find the light Give some of her history. She had to get to the root causes of her pain and consequent bad choices: her unwillingness to wait, led to 2 failed marriages of untrustworthy men But she is coming through her brothers help, to see her identity as a beloved child of God who can find purpose and meaning as she waits for Him for renew her strength daily. She is an inspiration to me in my own struggles to wait! Read quote from Evagrius on unanswered prayer if time: Application: 3 benefits of waiting on the Lord (Mark Wheeler): 1. God provides for and meets the needs of those who wait for Him (Psalm 145:14-16) 14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. 2. He gives us refreshment; renews our strength (Isaiah 40:31) Doug McFall June 11, 2011 Pentecost Sunday First Presbyterian Church, Strasburg, PA

but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. 3. He also promises that waiting will be worth the time spent doing it. (Psalm 25:3) Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. And verse 5: Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Conclusion 13

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD Wait for the LORD;

in the land of the living!

14

be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! ~Psalm 27

Doug McFall June 11, 2011 Pentecost Sunday First Presbyterian Church, Strasburg, PA