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Teaching Notes
ISAIAH 26:1-4
Some of you may remember the former Beatle, John Lennon, and his song, Imagine. The song is interesting in that it sheds light to what people are longing for, peace. And yet, in that peace, in that utopia of a world they would like to create, there is emptiness. In fact, as you listen to the words of this song, you will see how hopeless it really is. To me, it is not a song of life and peace but of nothingness, sort of like a catatonic state that the world is in with nothing to look forward to. The song goes like this:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
In a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one.
Very interesting lyrics when you think about what he is trying to say. The only time peace will be established on this earth, the only way we will have peace in our lives, is when we do away with any notion of heaven and hell, just live for today. We must remove all the boarders, let the walls come down, get rid of all religion, have no possessions, and as the people of the world come together as one, then there will be peace!
I am sorry to say that he is wrong, and John Lennon himself, a man in search of peace lived a life in turmoil, his family was a mess, and his life ended tragically as he was shot to death outside his home. Yes the world, like John Lennon is looking for peace, and they are moving in the direction that this song is leading, but it won't lead them to perfect peace. In the 19th century it was said that "Every day man is getting better and better!" But in the 20th century and moving quickly towards the 21st century we see the wickedness of mans heart manifested in his actions. And as you look around this nation and this world you don't see peace, but turmoil, wars, violence, hunger, and-so-on.
And yet, as we read the Scriptures they do speak of a peace that we should have as Christians and of a peace that will one day permeate this land. And so, this morning we are going to look at this idea of peace and what it is all about. We are going to see how we can obtain it in our lives. And we will see how one day peace will fill this land, not in the way that John Lennon saw it, but in the way that God will establish it! So if you would, please turn to Isaiah chapter 26, and lets begin reading in verse 1.
ISAIAH 26:1-4
I don't think there is anyone here or in this world, that doesn't want peace in their life. In fact, self-help books and seminars, psycho-therapies and-so-on, have proliferated because of one reason, people are looking for peace in their life and they don't know how to obtain it, and they will go to any extreme to find it. The problem is, for the most part, this peace they are longing for keeps escaping their grasp.
But here in Isaiah 26:3 we see Isaiah speak of "perfect peace" and in the Hebrew it is translated "shalom, shalom". And the reason peace is repeated twice is that he is trying to tell us that this peace is a perfect peace, there is nothing else like it. But what is peace? For many peace is the absence of any problems, any difficulties. They see it as an easy, smooth life with no bumps in the road. The problem is, many times our roads of life are like the roads in Illinois, bumpy with many pot holes in them and it costs you lots of money just to travel them!
And to think that peace is an absence of problems is not the peace that the Scriptures speak of. You see, the Bible doesn't tell us we are not going to have problems, difficulties, tribulation, but that we can have peace as we are going through these times.
One of the best illustrations of this is seen in a art contest where artists were to paint a picture depicting perfect peace, what it meant to them. The second place winner painted a carefree lad sitting in a boat on a little placid lake and there was not even one little ripple to disturb the surface of the water. The sky was blue, not a cloud in the sky, and everything was peaceful. But he didn't win.
The winner of the contest painted a raging waterfall with the winds whipping the spray all around. There was a violent thunderstorm raging through the area. And there, sitting on a limb, behind this waterfall, was a bird who had built a nest and was peacefully brooding over her eggs. Even though all around her was thunder, lighting, crashing of the water, she sat in peace in the midst of the storm!
That is a great illustration of what the Christian life is all about. Jesus pointed that out in John 16:33, when He said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." You see, our peace is not found in this world, for in this world we only find tribulation. You will not find the peace you need in this world and yet many are still trying. And they are hopeless and remain searching. Jesus said the peace you need as you go through the storms of life can only be found in me!
That is what Isaiah said, that God will give to us His peace, His perfect peace, when our minds our focused upon Him. We need to focus upon the Lord during these difficult times and we can only do that when we have learned to trust in Him, no matter the situation we are going through.
Before we go any further, there is a point that needs to be made, which is vital to our having peace in our lives. You see, before you can have the peace OF God in your life, you must first make peace WITH God.
Paul said in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The only way we can make peace WITH God is by receiving Jesus Christ into our lives. It is the blood of Christ that atones for our sins and reconciles us back to God. In I Peter 3:18 Peter said, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." If you have not made peace WITH God through Jesus Christ, then you can never have the peace OF God!
Once that relationship has been established, once we have made peace WITH God, then Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." You see, His peace will guard your mind, you won't become confused about the situation you are in. His peace will guard your heart or emotions, you won't become anxious, worried, fearful over various situations you may find yourself in. You will have His peace that surpasses all understanding. It is not a peace in the absence of the storms of life, but through them!
I think we all understand how to have peace WITH God through Jesus Christ, by coming before Him and confessing that you are a sinner and ask Jesus to forgive you and be Lord of your life. When you do that you have just been adopted into the family of God, you are His child. But how do we then have the peace OF God rule our lives? Isaiah gives us a couple of ideas on this. You see, there is God's part, and then there is our part, we are actively involved in this relationship.
1. GOD WILL KEEP YOU IN PERFECT PEACE
You see, the word used for "keep" speaks of guarding, protecting, maintaining. That is what God will do for us. He desires for us to have this kind of peace. And as God is at peace, He is not anxious over anything. He is not worried. He has not lost control. He wants to give us that same kind of peace.
Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Do you see that what the world has to give us is pale in comparison to what the Lord wants to give us. You can't buy it, work for it, be good enough to obtain it, all you can do is receive this inward peace. We have been pardoned for our sins and reconciled to God, and what peace that should bring to our lives. But we can easily become anxious, fearful, overwhelmed. The solution is seen in what we need to do, the focus we are to have, for God wants to KEEP us in this perfect peace.
2. WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU
The mind is very powerful and we need to be careful in what we fill it with. A lot of our ideas, either real or false, are formed in the mind. And Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
In other words, Paul is telling us to not be fashioned into this world, which is antagonistic towards God. Phillips paraphrases it this way: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold." You see, this world is trying to gain your attention, your mind, to conform you to its ways outside of God.
Thus, Paul warns us not to conform to this world, but be transformed. Now he is not talking about some kind of magic but he is speaking of the transformation process that occurs in our lives as the Holy Spirit opens the Word of God up to our hearts. You are in a transformation process that will continue till the end of your life. Keep your mind on the Lord! As Paul said in Philippians 4:8-9, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
3. WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU
When Isaiah speaks of having our minds stayed upon the Lord he is speaking of sustaining, standing firm, leaning on Him, holding onto Him. Yes there needs to be an effort on our part. We need to sustain that relationship and not let it dry up or get cold. Keep the fires burning.
Paul, in Romans 8:5-6 said, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." What is your mind focused upon? What is it stayed upon? If it is the flesh, then there is no peace, no life, but only anxiety and death. For those who are focused on the Lord, there is peace and life because you can rest in Him.
4. BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU
You can't trust someone you don't know and you are not going to know who God is, His character, His love, if you haven't spent time with Him, reading His Word. It is as you spend time with Him, as He guides you through various situations, that you learn to trust in Him more and more. The Hebrew word for "trust" speaks of attaching oneself to, being confident in. That is what God wants us to do. And the reason we can trust in Him is simple:
A. GOD IS SOVEREIGN
As Psalm 115:3 says, "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases." Now that can be good or bad. If God was some kind of tyrant ruler, some kind of wicked dictator, that would be bad. But He is a God who loves us, and that is great!
B. GOD LOVES US
In Psalm 25:7-8 we read "Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD. Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way." God loves us so much that He was willing to die for us when we were still sinners and He is pointing us to the way of life by His Spirit. It is as Psalm 145:8, 17 says, "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy....The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works." And of course, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
C. GOD IS OMNISCIENT
God knows all, He is all wise, He can't learn anything new nor does anything take Him by surprise. We see in Isaiah 40:28, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable." To me there is great comfort in that.
You see, in knowing that God is in control, that He loves us unconditionally, that He is all wise, knowing the beginning from the end, then there is no reason we should not trust Him. Why trust in man who doesn't know what the next minute will bring versus the Almighty God who is in total control? The answer is obvious to our minds, the Lord, but may we take what we know in our minds and put that into practice.
You see, Isaiah goes on to say that "...in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength." YAH is the contraction for YAHWEH or Jehovah, and the word LORD is also the same word. What is the point? The word means "the becoming one" and it speaks of God becoming to us what we need. Do you need righteousness? He will become our righteousness! Do you need healing? He is our healer! Do you need help with food, clothing, and-so-on? He is our provider! Do you need peace? He is our peace! He is the Rock of Ages!
Also, that phrase, "everlasting strength", can be translated "The Rock of Ages". It was out of this verse, that Augustus Toplady wrote one of the great hymns "Rock of Ages" as he sought shelter in the cleft of a rocky crag during a thunderstorm.
When I think about the Lord being our Rock, I think of stability, strength, protection, shelter, and-so-on. And the Scriptures use this description of God being a Rock a lot, and I want to share with you just a couple of verse with you this morning. Just listen to them, you don't need to turn to these passages, if you want, write them down and you can go over them again. But for now, let them minister to your heart:
A. DEUTERONOMY 32:4
"He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He."
B. DEUTERONOMY 32:31
"For their rock is not like our Rock..."
C. II SAMUEL 22:2-4
"And he said: 'The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.'"
D. PSALM 61:1-4
"HEAR my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."
E. PSALM 62:2
"He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."
F. MATTHEW 16:18
"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
As we have seen so far, we can have God's eternal peace in our hearts, in our lives, as the storms of life are raging on around us. That is the peace God wants to give us, a peace that the world can't understand and yet a peace they are longing for. But there is coming a day when peace will fill this land, as the Lord sets up His kingdom here on earth. Until that day the world won't know perfect peace outside of Christ. And as much as you hear of peace talks and peace accords, don't be fooled, man's peace is not a perfect peace, it is far from that. Perfect peace will not come until the Prince of Peace comes! Man's peace is short-lived and self-seeking, while God's peace is perfect!
Notice what Isaiah said in chapter 26, verses 1-2. We read "In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.'" In that day the gates of the city won't need to be locked. The doors of your home can be left open. Your children can play outside without fear. You can walk the streets at night in peace. There will be no more wars or violence. Don't you long for that day? No drive by shootings. No more violence. No more hatred and self seeking.
In Isaiah chapter 2, beginning in verse 2, we read of this day. It says "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore." Isaiah 2:2-4.
But until that time we will see wars, violence, murder, unrighteousness will fill this land. But don't lose hope. Don't imagine a utopia that is based upon the imagination of our hearts instead of the truths of God found in His Word. John Lennon wants us to "IMAGINE" a world like this, but we don't have to imagine a world filled with peace, God has shown us that one day it will be a reality!
As things get tough, as you may be overwhelmed, remember what Paul said in Ephesians 2:14, "For He Himself is our peace..." Jesus is our peace and we can have the peace OF God in our lives and manifested in our actions when we make peace WITH God through Jesus Christ and then we must look to the Rock, stay focused on Him, guided by Him, trusting in Him, for He wants to keep us in PERFECT PEACE!
With a world that is uncertain of its future, with a people terrified of what tomorrow may bring, may we be a light of peace and a rock of stability to them so that a door of opportunity may open up for us to point them to the true Light of this world and the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ!
As I wrap this up this morning, turn to Colossians chapter 3, and listen to Paul's words of encouragement starting in verse 15. He said "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."
We don't always let the peace of God rule in our hearts because we place other things on the throne of our heart, which won't give us the peace we need. We need to allow the peace of God rule in our hearts and that is done as we allow the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule in our lives. We should be thankful in what God has given us, praise Him for who He is. Paul goes on to say in verse 16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
We have talked about letting our minds be transformed by God. We need to stand fast, and keep ourselves in a relationship with the Lord. We need to trust in Him, understanding He is sovereign, that He loves us, and He is all knowing. And the way we can do this is by filling ourselves with the Word of God, letting it saturate our lives. And as God speaks to your heart, you then can share the love of God, the truths of God with others, encouraging them. It is as you do these things that the song that is swelling up in your heart breaks forth from your lips as you begin to praise the Lord. And as you do these things, your actions will show that your faith is real, your actions will match your words. And God will keep you in perfect peace as you do these things, as things around you may be crashing, falling apart, you have an inward peace that can not be taken away!
It is as Isaiah said, "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3