Today, I want to read some wonderful descriptions of Jesus found in Isaiah Chapter 9. But it seems prudent to start with Isaiah 8:13, which states: Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Now many people would rather hear about the love of God and the wonderful names that Jesus is known by. But this is Bible and this is real. This too is the word of God and it says let God be your fear and dread.
Revelation 14:6-7 says: And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
These verses in Revelation tell us to fear God and give Him glory. Do you fear God today? If you are mocking and scoffing Him, then obviously you are not fearing Him. Do you give Him glory? He is the One True God. He is the Creator God. He made heaven and the earth. Do you reverence and glorify God? Do you glorify Him with your thoughts? With your words? By what you do? And why should you fear God? The Bible tells us in Rev. 14:7 that God’s judgment is coming. Are you ready? Are you ready to defend your thoughts, words and actions to God on Judgment Day?
God has provided us with an Advocate, with a Defender; our Rock and our Savior. That Advocate is Jesus Christ! Do you know Him? Have you surrendered your life to Him? Is He your Lord and Savior? He should be. He needs to be. Isaiah 8:14 tells us that Jesus is our sanctuary – And he shall be for a sanctuary. He is our relief from God’s wrath. His shed blood is the only atonement for our sins. He is the only Shelter in the storm of God’s anger over our sins. He is our only safe haven. He truly is our only sanctuary from the wrath to come.
Romans 3:21-25 states: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.
But for those who reject Jesus, Isaiah 8:14 continues after it says that he is a sanctuary with these words: but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
In Luke 20:17-18 Jesus said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Again, these words aren’t very popular, but they are words that Jesus spoke!
To receive everlasting life, you must fall broken upon the stone. You must fall at the Master’s feet. You have to admit your sins, turn away from those sins and put your faith in Jesus. Believe in Him. Believe that He took your punishment while He hung on the cross. Believe that He died there and rose from the grave three days later. You have to stop counting on yourself to save you and you must count on Jesus Christ to save you.
If you refuse to surrender your life to Jesus then He will crush you on Judgment Day. He said Himself that He will fall upon you and grind you to powder. Sin is very serious and punishment for sin is extremely serious. It is everlasting damnation. Please call upon the Lord to save you today.
If Jesus Christ is not your Rock, your sanctuary, your Savior, then you are stumbling around in darkness. Isaiah 8:22 says: And they shall look to the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. John 11:10 states: But if a man walk in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him. And 1 John 1:6 tells us: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.
Isaiah 9:2 says: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined. Jesus is the Light, the Light of the world.
John 1:1-5 tells us: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In John 8:12 it says: Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And John 1:7 states: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Are you stumbling around in spiritual darkness today? Are you an unrepentant sinner, rejecting Jesus Christ? Are you still rejecting the Good News; that He came into the world to be a great Light, to show us the way out of darkness, to save us from our sins?
What’s keeping you from coming to the Light today? What’s keeping you from falling on the Rock today? What’s keeping you from crying out for Jesus to save you, to cleanse you from all of your sins through His shed blood? What’s keeping you from submitting to His Lordship today? What’s keeping you from giving Him your all? Surrendering your life fully and completely to Him? What’s keeping you from being saved today?
When you come to Jesus, when you turn away from your sins and put your faith in Him, through the Holy Spirit, He will fill you with the peace that surpasses understanding. He will give you joy unspeakable and full of glory. When you surrender your life to Jesus you are no longer a servant to sin, but you willingly serve Him. Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Won’t you be saved today? Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus and it says: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
When Jesus left this earth, He said that He was going to prepare a place for us; for those of us who have repented and put our trust in Him. For those who are truly His disciples.
Choose life today. Choose everlasting life. Jesus is the only Advocate, the only Mediator between God and man. We need a mediator because our sins have separated us from God and there is no way to get back into a right relationship with God the Father without coming to Jesus the Son.
Get right with God today. Don’t suffer unbearable torment in a real, literal Hell for all of eternity. Jesus can free you from your bondage to sin. He can free you today from Satan’s hold. He can wipe away your sins. You can be forgiven. Romans 4:7-8: Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Romans 5:1-2 states: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Surrender your life to Jesus today. Be forgiven for your sins. Come to the Wonderful, Counselor and the Prince of Peace. Come to Jesus and be saved today.
(This message was lifted up in the open-air at Missouri State University on September 24, 2014)