A MEETING WITH GOD

Isaiah 1:18

[18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith 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.

This text recounts God’s pleadings with the ungodly to repent.  He loves all His creatures. He only wants the very best for them. However God will not force anyone to receive salvation nor will He force those who are saved to serve Him and live a godly life. He draws all to Himself by the wooing of the Holy Spirit. He convinces men of sin and offers forgiveness and eternal life. In this text God is calling men to understand their need for forgiveness of sin and that He is the only one who can take away that sin. Notice the:

1. IDENTIFICATION ‘US’ ie two parties at enmity with one another, ie The:
   1. SINNER – your sins – be you saved or unsaved. The reality is that our forefather, Adam, brought sin and death upon us by his sin in the garden. While the truth is that when we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour we are changed (II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.) we still struggle with the sin nature. Consider the testimony of Paul in Romans chapter 7 of Paul, the great apostle, had a constant battle with the sin that is with us and will be until we receive our redeemed bodies.  
   2. SAVIOUR ‘saith the Lord’
2. INITIATIONRomans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  He takes the first step in reconciling man to Himself even though men are often:
   1. UNCONCERNED – Men often focus on the temporal to the exclusion of the eternal.  This is due to various reasons some of which are:
      1. Deception of the Devil. Satan has much experience in deceiving men.  He started in the garden with the deception of Eve.  He uses many techniques such as ‘science’. There is absolutely no evidence for evolution but it is proclaimed far and wide as established truth.  There are many other examples.  We could mention the use of lures of money, sex, fame or other enticements to the flesh to keep men distracted from the most important question of life ie what comes after death?
      2. Dread of Death – Hebrews 2;15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Death is the greatest fear of mankind.  Our conscience tells us that we are subject to forces which are supernatural and beyond our control. Death is a certainty but is also shrouded in mystery.  What really occurs when we die? What do we feel? Most importantly what comes after? The Bible holds the answer to this question but Satan works to keep men from hearing or reading the Word of God.  There is a constant flow of stories of ‘near death experiences’. The one common aspect of these stories is an absence of any mention of Jesus.  Many times there are vague allusions to a shining being or a bright light.  These seems to give a heavenly aura to the scene. \However the Scriptures clearly indicate that after death comes judgment.  Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: The reason men fear the judgment is that in their heart they know that they have sinned against God and will have to give an account to Him. It seems easier to ignore the reality of death than to prepare for that certain event.  
   2. UNEDUCATED – Though Satan, the flesh and the world fight to keep men from learning the Word.  It is the duty and privilege of the believer to take the Gospel to all men.  While there are some who are faithful witnesses many fewer are those who will invest the time and effort in discipleship.  Much more is required than a class on Sunday morning, discipling a new believer means becoming involved in their lives and using all opportunities to answer, question and teach. Think of the hours Paul spent with those whom he discipled.  Let us do likewise.
   3. UNWILLING John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. I vividly remember an encounter that I had while witnessing one day.  I spoke to a young man about his soul and his eternal destiny. He told me that he did not want to be saved because if he did he would stop drinking and he loved the bottle more than eternal life.  This was at least 45 years ago.  It is burned into my memory.  How sad a confession, he was very respectful and knew the truth but chose rather the ‘pleasure of sin for a season’ rather than eternal bliss in Heaven.  I often wonder how many are they that choose death over life.
3. INVITATION ‘come now’ Notice the;
   1. PROBLEM – ‘your sins – iniquities – It is a hard and unpleasant thing to admit to our sins.  One of the worst punishments my dad had for me was just to talk to me and ask me what I had done.  It is an excruciating experience to look at one who loves you and whom you have disappointed and verbalize the wrong that you have done.  When I knew that my dad was aware of some transgression of mine it was very hard to be in his presence.  Even if it involved a whipping, how wonderful it was to have that thing that divided me from the good graces of my father removed.  Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
   2. PROMISE – ‘they shall be cleansed’ 1 John 1;9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Marvelous promise of cleansing from sin and its stain.  Every sin leaves it stain and scar. Good works will not suffice to remove them. Our soul and conscience is defiled by works of sin. Sin’s effect can even damage our physical being, not only by disease but also by the stress caused by an awareness of our guilt.  The precious truth is that we can be completely cleansed from sin. 
   3. PROVISION  – through Christ Isaiah 53:4-11 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. [8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. [9] And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. [10] Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. One of the most remarkable facts of history is that God so loved man that He gave His only Son to pay our sin debt and provide us entrance into the family of God and a home with Him in Heaven. A right relationship with God, a clean record in the rolls of Heaven and a home with the Creator God is all  available to all who will receive it by faith. Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. It is difficult for me to grasp the reality that men will reject the great promise of salvation, but many do. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wideisthe gate, and broadisthe way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because straitisthe gate, and narrowisthe way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
   4. PREREQUISITE (19) repentance Let’s start with the definition of repentance.  To repent is to have a one hundred eighty degree shift in our thoughts and concepts of sin, ourselves and God. Where we once sought to justify our actions or at least to make an excuse for them, we now agree with God that only He is righteous and we are sold under sin. Our only hope of being righteous is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and thereby receive His perfect righteousness as a gift of God.