Responding to the Lord's Invitation | Isaiah 55
The Lord invites us to respond to His revelation about the Suffering Servant in four ways: (1) satisfy your starving soul, (2) follow God's leader to glory, (3) seek God's abundant pardon, and (4) trust God's transforming word. This sermon is part 8 in "The Suffering Servant," Bryan Craddock's series of verse-by-verse sermons on Isaiah 49-55.
When you receive an invitation, it may seem like a great privilege. But you might want to think twice about it, because it can end up costing you quite a bit. Think of a wedding. You are expected to bring a gift. Couples even include a note about where they have registered for all the things that they “need” to begin their married life. My favorite was a groom who requested a big rolling toolbox! You may also have to buy appropriate clothes, travel, and pay for a hotel stay. The expenses really add up.
Now you might get a decent dinner out of the deal. But the couple might go “old school” and simply have a cake reception. That’s what my wife and I did. Of course, a wedding is not a transaction. People don’t attend for personal profit, but you get my point.
So, is the Lord’s invitation to salvation like that? Does it cost you more than it will be worth to you? We often speak of salvation as a free gift by the grace of God. Paul refers to it this way several times in his letter to the Romans. His point is that it must be given to us, because we cannot earn it. But Jesus challenged people to count the cost (Lu 14:25-33). He likened the kingdom of heaven to a pearl of great value for which a merchant sells everything he has so that he can buy it (Mt 13:45-46).
The Suffering Servant prophecies in Isaiah 49-55 foretell what our salvation cost Jesus, and that should enter into our considerations. Isaiah 52 and 53 say that he would suffer humiliation, emotional sorrow, and physical abuse to the point of disfigurement. He would also bear the curse of God’s wrath for our sins and experience a crushing death. Those truths were what first persuaded me to respond to Christ, but the Lord goes further.
Isaiah 54 looks forward to the great accomplishments that will ultimately come about through his suffering. He leads his people from desolation to multiplication, desertion to reconciliation, agitation to fortification, and oppression to vindication. But what must we do to obtain that hope?
In Isaiah 55, the Lord invites us to respond to his revelation about the Suffering Servant in four ways. Each one is a costly commitment. But the way that the Lord expresses them shows us why they are so worthwhile. So, as we conclude this section of Isaiah, the fifth in our journey through the book, I encourage you to consider whether your life is characterized by these responses.
Satisfy Your Starving Soul
We all know that we need food and water to survive. But we don’t approach eating and drinking like filling up the gas tank on a car. It is more than a task to check off. It is a source of satisfaction and delight. In fact, the longer we go without food and drink, the deeper those feelings of satisfaction become when we finally get it, even if it’s just bread and water.
The Lord created us that way, and he uses that experience to teach us about responding to him. He invites us to satisfy our starving souls in him. In Isaiah 55:1-2, he says,
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
In a sense, the invitation is universal. Everyone needs water. But who recognizes it? Who feels thirsty? Who is willing to admit it? Those who do are called to come. Then the Lord shifts to food. But rather than focusing on the feeling of hunger, he addresses those who have no money. Who is willing to confess their absolute poverty? Only those who do can come, buy, and eat. They are the ones who will receive the joy of wine and nourishment of milk without paying for it.
But many of us are not willing to admit our need. We’re proud and stubborn. We insist on being independent and self-sufficient. We work hard to earn our way and buy our own food. But does all that working, spending, and eating leave us satisfied? The Lord knows that it doesn’t. Why do we keep doing it?
We need to listen to the Lord. That’s what this is all about. To receive his invitation, we must acknowledge that we are not independent or self-sufficient. We must accept that he alone can satisfy our true hunger and bring genuine delight. At the beginning of verse 3, he says, “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live…”
We must come to him as the source of water that quenches our deepest thirst. He provides the spiritual nourishment and delight for which we hunger. He gives true life. Earlier in verses 6-8 of chapter 25, Isaiah describes what life will be like in eternity. He says,
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
That is the life for which our souls hunger and thirst. Nothing else will ever truly satisfy us, and we can only share in this great feast through the work of the Suffering Servant. As we saw in chapter 53, he rescues us from judgment for our sins and makes us to be counted as righteous. We could not participate in that feast if it were not for that.
So, it is no surprise that Jesus makes a similar invitation. John 6:33-35 tells us that he said,
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Are you spiritually hungry and thirsty? Admit it. Come to Christ and receive life. Satisfy your starving soul.
Follow God’s Leader to Glory
Throughout history countless men have sought glory in battle, purpose in being a part of something larger than themselves. They have endured suffering and have accepted the possibility of death to accomplish heroic feats. Some denounce that aspiration, because it has so often been exploited and misdirected to shameful ends. Yet there is goodness in it. In fact, the Old Testament historical books often celebrate it. The problem is that we so often follow the wrong leaders.
The Lord appeals to this aspiration in Isaiah 55:3-5. He calls us to follow his chosen leader to glory. In verses 3 and 4, he says,
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
In the Lord’s covenant with David, he promised to establish David’s throne forever (2 Sam 7:16; 1 Chr 17:14). That throne would fall in the Babylonian conquest. But Isaiah prophesied in chapter 11 that a shoot would come from the stump of David’s father, Jesse. His kingdom will reverse the curse to bring righteousness and peace to both Israel and the nations. So, that Davidic king is the witness, leader, and commander here in Isaiah 55.
Those titles may refer to what he does prior to his reign. We see their fulfillment in Jesus. During his first coming, he bore witness through his teaching, his miracles, his death, and his resurrection. His testimony has spread throughout the world. He makes it possible for all who believe in him to partake in a new covenant through which our sins are forgiven, and we are indwelt by the Spirit. Even now people throughout the world look to him as our leader and commander until he returns to reign as king.
Jesus gives us clear direction and a glorious purpose to live for. Matthew 28:18-20 tells us,
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Those are our marching orders in following the Lord. He fought a spiritual battle. He came to seek and save the lost. So, he wants us to carry that message around the world, calling people from all nations to follow him as disciples. We begin by being baptized and continue to learn obedience throughout our lives as we are taught His Word.
Isaiah 55:5 describes the outcome of Christ’s witness and leadership. The Lord says,
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Of course, Isaiah originally delivered this message to the people of Israel in the kingdom of Judah. He previously revealed that other nations will come to worship the Lord, even their enemies Egypt and Assyria (Isa 19:23). The nation that comes here is so obscure that people are not even aware of it. Israel is glorified as a result, but so too are those who come.
We hear this outcome in the heavenly celebration of Christ recorded in Revelation 5:9-10, which tells us,
And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
Because of what Jesus suffered, all who follow him will reign with him in glory. Are you living for him and serving his mission? Don’t settle for anything less!
Seek God’s Abundant Pardon
If you’re playing Monopoly, you might end up in jail on a bad roll of the dice. But if you have a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, you just continue on your way. Something like that might come to mind when you hear the word, “pardon.” At least, it seems to have taken on that connotation in our corrupt world. No change of course is necessary, if you have the right powerful person on your side.
God’s pardon does not work that way. It must be sought through repentance. Isaiah 55:6-7 says,
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
The Lord is a compassionate God, and it is this attribute that prompted him to send his Son to pay the penalty for our sins through his death on the cross. Through his sacrifice, he purchased an atonement that is sufficient to pardon any and every sin. It is the expression of God’s inexhaustible mercy and abundant grace. No matter what you have done, you can be forgiven.
But you must recognize and express your need for salvation by seeking the Lord and calling upon him. Sometimes people pray to escape the consequences of sin. They approach salvation like a spiritual “Get Out of Jail Free” card. But there must be a fundamental change of heart. We must forsake our wicked way of life and reject our unrighteous thoughts in turning to the Lord.
So, the Lord invites us to repent, and we should not take that lightly. Verse 6 indicates that there is a limit to how long his pardon will be available. We must seek him during the window of time that he is near and may be found. At some point that opportunity will be removed.
Luke 13:24-28 tells us that Jesus gave a similar warning. He said,
"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.
So, the closing of the door of opportunity coincides with Christ’s return, and we do not know when that will happen. Those who have chosen the narrow door of repentance and faith will be pardoned of their sins and welcomed into his kingdom to live in the presence of God forever. But those who persist in ignoring his invitation will be shut out.
A lot of people struggle with the idea that God will pardon sin this way. Some think that it’s too generous and that people should have to earn it through good deeds or religious works. Others think that it’s too limited. They insist that everyone should be pardoned. The Lord seems to address both ways of thinking in Isaiah 55:8-9. He says,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Are you willing to accept that response? So many people talk about how they think that God should be. They refuse to accept him unless he conforms to their views of what is right and reasonable. But that way of thinking is idolatrous. He is God and we are not. He alone has the authority to determine right and wrong, and in his grace he has provided a way for us to be pardoned. So, repent and seek him while he may be found.
Trust God’s Transforming Word
When I moved to Michigan, I was struck by how green everything is in the summer. The climate is very different in Southern California where I grew up. There spring rains turn the hills green with life, but it doesn’t last long. The intense summer sun dries out all the brush and turns it golden brown. That’s why they have so many wildfires. Even though they pipe in water and build expensive homes, they cannot escape their arid climate.
Jerusalem’s climate is similar to Southern California. So, Isaiah’s audience had experienced the life-giving power of rain and the difficulty of surviving without it. The Lord draws upon that understanding as he calls them to trust his transforming word. In Isaiah 55:10-11, he says,
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Unlike the previous sections in this chapter, there are no imperatives here. The invitation to trust God’s word is implied in the promise that it brings life. It is like rain on a dry hillside that germinates seed to grow grain to make bread to satisfy people’s hunger. His Word is the tool through which he accomplishes his purpose in your life and in the lives of others.
So, the other three responses that we have considered all start with trusting God’s word, but we tend to look elsewhere for life. Most people rely upon worldly wisdom to sustain and guide them. Many who claim to trust God’s word, only want a slow drip of a few helpful principles now and then. But in this spiritually arid world, we need to be thoroughly soaked in it. In Colossians 3:16, Paul says,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Christ entered our dry world. Isaiah 53:2 describes him as a root out of dry ground. But he overcame sin and death to impart life to us, and this is the kind of life that his word produces. It transforms us. It imparts the real wisdom that we need to live a spiritually fruitful life. It enables us to build up one another in fellowship through mutual teaching and admonition. It leads us to sing God’s praise and to give him thanks even when life is hard.
His word also gives us the hope that one day the climate in our world will be transformed spiritually and physically. In Isaiah 55:12-13, the Lord says,
"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
The God who spoke the world into existence will rescue it from its fallen condition. It will become a place of joy and peace without any suffering. The thorns and briers that came about as a consequence of sin will be removed. Instead of saying, “it shall make a name for the Lord,” some translations say, “it shall be a name for the Lord.” In other words, creation will be restored to reflect his perfect character forever.
So, when life is hard in this spiritually arid climate, we can look forward with hope. Paul says that creation itself is waiting. In Romans 8:18-21, he tells us,
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Do you trust his word? Is it richly dwelling in you producing spiritual fruit? Let it soak into your soul and transform you.
__________
The Lord invites us to respond to his Suffering Servant. Satisfy your starving soul. Follow him as your leader to glory. Seek God’s abundant pardon for all your sins. Trust the power of his transforming word.
If you have never done so, I encourage you to start seeking the Lord. You never know how long you have. Call upon him while he is near. If you want to learn more about responding to him, the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel would be a good place to read. It tells the story of how Jesus transformed the life of a Samaritan woman.
If you are a believer, are these four responses reflected in how you live? Perhaps you have never grasped one of them or have drifted away from it. If so, would you renew your focus on responding to the Lord that way. This chapter should also shape how we share the Lord’s invitation with others. Jesus and the apostles did not approach every conversation the same way. They started with the response that best spoke to the individual and their circumstances. We can do the same.
May God transform us as we respond to him!
Reflect
Which of these responses best describes your initial response to the gospel?
Which of these responses most challenges you? Why? What change should that bring about in your life?
Who do you know that needs to hear the Lord’s invitation? What could you do to create an opportunity for that?