============================================
Good morning and may God bless you all as we come together to Praise him, worship Him and give all that we are to Him.
Life involves hardship, and with hardship come worries, fears, and doubts. Jesus told His followers, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus reminded us of God’s love and care (Matthew 6:24–33). Jesus also gave us the Holy Spirit to live with us forever (John 14:15–21; 16:7–15). Jesus is the reason we are not alone. Jesus is the answer to our fears and heartaches. He is able to sympathize with us because He has lived a human life in this broken world (Hebrews 4:15–16). Jesus gives us peace and equips us to endure, and even rejoice in, the hardships of this life (James 1:2–5). Jesus Is The Answer
Let us sing; Holy, Holy, Holy
=================================
Scripture Reading Isaiah 52, verse 13 through to chapter 53, verse 6:
Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form, no majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity and as one from whom others would hide their faces as though he was despised and held him of no account. Surely, he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases, yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our inequities, upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have all turned to our own way but the Lord has laid on him the inequity of us all.
=====================================
As we entre into a time of prayer, Let us affirm, that God is with. God will never leave us nor forsake us, He is The Lord Of all Hopefulness.
Let us Pray
Lord, we thank you today that you are all-powerful, all-knowing and always perfectly good. Thank you for your daily mercies to us as we struggle through such challenging times. Father, we confess that we do not seek your presence as we ought. We confess that we have settled for lesser things, when we know you desire us to have a personal, close relationship with you. Lord, revive our love for you. Draw close, let us know your presence in our lives. And help us to in turn share your love with our neighbours. Lord, we put our hope in your unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Please join with me in The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
=========================================
Experience tells us that the world is broken and in need of repair—sometimes its brokenness is rather obvious. Jesus is the answer. He has a plan to fix this broken world: “The government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:6–7). World peace has proved an elusive goal in our war-torn world, but one day Jesus will set all things right, and the Prince of Peace will rule in true justice, ushering in a time of blessing and bounty the world has never seen (Isaiah 11). Revelation 21 predicts a new heaven and new earth: “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3–5). No matter, what our individual needs, Jesus is the answer for our lives today, and He promises a better future to come.
==========================================
Blessed assurance Jesus is mine, praising my saviour all the day long:
Let us sing.
=====================================
Jesus Is The Answer
I wish I could tell you that I had an answer for making everything in your life better. I’d love to be able to tell you that I have a secret that will take the wrinkles and lumps and bumps out of your life. But alas no, I’d be lying if I told you that. Having faith in God doesn’t mean I can wave a magic wand, and all will be well. It doesn’t work like that. What I can share with you though is a secret that brings peace, comfort and courage right in the middle of the trials of life. And it’s a secret worth knowing. Every life is a journey, every life has surprises, and every life takes twists and turns that we wouldn’t have chosen for ourselves. The sooner we get used to that truth the better.
“It’s just not fair”, I hear you say. Well, whether it’s fair or unfair, whatever, the reality is that there isn’t a perfect life out there that’s all peaches and cream. We kind of kid ourselves that there is. We aspire to living a life like that, but I’ve been racking my brain and so far, as I know, there’s not a single person who I’ve ever met who can tell me that their life has been perfect. But what I can share with you is this, the amazing truth that in the midst of the imperfections and the storms and the onslaughts, in the midst of the disappointments and tragedies and loneliness’s that we find ourselves in there is an answer. There is an answer that brings joy and peace right into the middle of those trials, a special kind of joy and peace that’s in fact only available in those difficult times.
The people of Israel had numerous transitional moments in their life. From their slavery and captivity in Egypt to freedom and the promise land. And then, from the freedom of the promise land to captivity in Babylon for seventy years. And then back to the promised land to rebuild Jerusalem, to rebuild the wall, to rebuild the temple. In the book of Isaiah, we see God rousing His people and convincing them of the amazingly beautiful journey ahead of them back to the Promised Land. Look with me at Isaiah chapter 52, verses 4 to 6. God says through Isaiah:
Listen to me my people and give heed to me my nation, for a teaching will go out from me and my justice for a light to the peoples. I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples, the coastlands wait for me and for my arm they hope. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and those who live on it will die like gnats. But my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” It’s a beautiful promise of deliverance but as we know Israel struggles with that and I’m sure we struggle at times with the promises of God. Let’s face it, they had been in captivity for 70 years, no wonder they doubted the promises of God. And there’s nothing wrong with having doubts. I believe they can be stepping stones to a strong deeper, more realistic faith.
So, if we find ourselves in a dilemma, in captivity, in the middle of a struggle, what’s the answer, where do we turn, where do we find the courage and the strength and the peace and the calmness that we need to believe in God promises through the trials?
Well, unbeknown to the Israelites, in Chapter 52 and 53 of Isaiah, he gives them a prophecy that will be fulfilled centuries later, a prophecy about the one who would bring the comfort of God into their very midst, a prophecy about Jesus. Open your bibles with me once again and let’s read Isaiah 52, verse 13 through to chapter 53, verse 6:
See my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him, so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance and his form beyond that of mortals. So he shall startle many nations, kings will shut their mouths because of him, for that which had not been told them they shall see and that which they have not heard they shall contemplate. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form, no majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity and as one from whom others would hide their faces as though he was despised and held him of no account. Surely, he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases, yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our inequities, upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have all turned to our own way, but the Lord has laid on him the inequity of us all.
And it goes on to talk more and more about Jesus in Isaiah chapter 53. This is truly amazing, centuries before that starry night on which Jesus was born in that stable in Bethlehem, God, through Isaiah’s prophecy, tells us exactly what this Jesus will be like. Jesus the suffering servant; Jesus the plain ordinary man who will bear our sin, whose suffering would set us free; Jesus the Son of God who would show us exactly how much this God of ours loves us – a God who not only does things powerfully for His people but a God who would come into our very midst and suffer for us. This is what sets this God apart from all the other so-called gods, it’s the fact that He shows up, that He walks thirty or more years in our shoes on the dusty highways and byways of life, this Jesus who understands our suffering not merely because He is the Son of God but because He came and became one of us and suffered like us and for us, dying a terrible death that we might live.
My friends, with all my heart I tell you that this Jesus is your answer. You may be going through trials and tribulations, you may be going through indescribable suffering, you may be going through an exhausting and uncomfortable transition in your life, but Jesus has been there ahead of you and He knows how you feel, what you’re going through, the pain and the loneliness. God is the God who suffered for me and for you and that is the answer. He is the answer. When you pray to God in the name of Jesus, you’re praying through this Jesus who knows you, who knows your journey better than you know them yourself because He’s been there.
Let me leap forward now to the New Testament about Jesus, this Jesus who wants to bring you peace, this Jesus who wants to be your companion on your journey so that you are never ever alone again. Just before He was crucified this is what He said to His disciples:
If you love me you’ll keep my commandments and I’ll ask my Father and he will give you another advocate to be with you forever. This is the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him or knows him but you know him because he abides with you and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned, I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me but you will see me because I live you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me and those who love me will be loved by my Father and I will love them and reveal myself to them.
Hallelujah! Because Jesus is on the journey with you and me, we’re not orphaned, we’re not alone, we’re never alone, we’re never without Him. Have you asked Jesus into your life? Have you called out to this God in His mighty name? If you have, He dwells in you, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, in you to hold you and to comfort you and to strengthen you and to guide you.
That’s the honest truth and it’s a truth I will tell you with my dying breath because it’s the most important truth I know. Friend there is a light at the end of the tunnel, because Jesus is the answer.
==================================
Wherever I go, whatever I do, its is only By His Hand that he leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
By waters still or troubled sea,
Still tis his hand that leadeth me.
Jesus Is The Answer
Staff Songster sing: By His Hand
The Lord bless thee and keep thee
The Lord make His face to shine upon thee
And be gracious unto thee
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee
And give thee peace.
Comments