Sermons on Isaiah 43:19
The various sermons below interpret Isaiah 43:19 with a shared emphasis on recognizing and embracing the new things God is doing in the present moment. They collectively highlight the importance of being aware and open to God's current work, using analogies such as asking for rain during the rainy season and becoming new wineskins to illustrate the need for spiritual readiness and transformation. The sermons also stress the necessity of letting go of past grievances and achievements to fully receive the new blessings and opportunities God provides. The metaphor of God making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland is frequently used to depict the transformative power of God's guidance and provision in challenging times. These interpretations underscore a common theme of divine timing and the call for believers to align themselves with God's ongoing work.
In contrast, the sermons diverge in their focus on specific theological themes. One sermon emphasizes divine timing as more crucial than resources or status, while another highlights restoration as a process requiring active participation and the right posture to receive God's new work. A different sermon presents the theme of spiritual flexibility, urging believers to be open to transformation and renewal. Another sermon contrasts the idea of being set free with living in freedom, suggesting that a godly perspective is essential for true liberation. Meanwhile, a sermon from another church focuses on the inherent goodness and trustworthiness of God's changes, even when they require stepping into the unknown. This sermon uniquely emphasizes the necessity of faith and trust in God's plan without needing to see the entire path ahead.
Isaiah 43:19 Interpretation:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) interprets Isaiah 43:19 by emphasizing the importance of being aware and intimate with what God is doing in the present moment. The sermon highlights the Hebrew word for "aware," which is the same as "know" in the context of Adam knowing Eve, suggesting a deep, intimate understanding and involvement with God's new work. The analogy of asking for rain in the time of rain is used to illustrate the need to recognize and participate in God's current actions.
Embracing Restoration: Faith, Healing, and New Beginnings (RRCCTV) interprets Isaiah 43:19 as a call to let go of past grievances and embrace the new things God is doing. The sermon emphasizes the necessity of not dwelling on past hurts to fully receive the new blessings and restoration God offers. The analogy of carrying a rucksack full of past hurts while trying to run a race is used to illustrate the burden of holding onto the past.
Celebrating 16 Years: Faith, Growth, and Unity (Canvas Church) interprets Isaiah 43:19 as a call to not dwell on past successes or failures but to anticipate and embrace the new things God is doing. The sermon emphasizes the importance of not becoming too attached to past achievements, as God is always working on something new and greater. The use of the word "behold" is highlighted, explaining that it means to stand in awe and be amazed, which is a call to recognize and be open to the new things God is doing.
Becoming New Wineskins: Embracing Spiritual Transformation (Christ Fellowship Church) interprets Isaiah 43:19 as a promise of new beginnings and spiritual renewal. The sermon uses the analogy of new wineskins to describe the need for believers to be flexible and open to change in order to receive the new things God is doing. The passage is seen as a call for personal transformation and readiness to embrace new spiritual experiences.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) interprets Isaiah 43:19 as a call to recognize and embrace the new things God is doing in our lives. The sermon emphasizes the importance of perceiving the new paths and opportunities God provides, even when life feels like a wasteland or wilderness. The speaker uses the metaphor of God making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland to illustrate the transformation from merely being set free to living in freedom. This interpretation encourages believers to shift their perspective from worldly to godly, allowing them to see and live out the new things God is doing.
Embracing Change: Trusting God's Guidance Through Transitions (CBC Northwest) interprets Isaiah 43:19 as a promise of God's faithfulness in bringing about positive change, even in difficult circumstances. The sermon emphasizes that God's changes are always good, and it uses the analogy of navigating life's transitions as moving from one side of the Sea of Galilee to the other, trusting that God will guide the way. The pastor highlights the idea that God's new work is like making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, suggesting that God provides direction and sustenance in seemingly barren or challenging times.
Isaiah 43:19 Theological Themes:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) presents the theme of divine timing and the necessity of aligning oneself with God's appointed times. The sermon suggests that recognizing and participating in God's timing is more crucial than having resources or status.
Embracing Restoration: Faith, Healing, and New Beginnings (RRCCTV) introduces the theme of restoration as a process that requires active participation and letting go of past grievances. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being in the right posture to receive God's new work and restoration.
Celebrating 16 Years: Faith, Growth, and Unity (Canvas Church) presents the theme of God's continuous work and the importance of being open to future possibilities. The sermon emphasizes that while honoring the past is important, believers should not dwell on it but instead focus on the new things God is doing and will do.
Becoming New Wineskins: Embracing Spiritual Transformation (Christ Fellowship Church) introduces the theme of spiritual flexibility and readiness for change. The sermon highlights the necessity of being open to transformation and renewal in order to fully experience the new things God is doing.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) presents the theme of transformation through a godly perspective. The sermon suggests that a godly perspective allows believers to live in freedom rather than just being set free. It emphasizes the need to focus on what God is doing rather than being caught up in worldly perspectives, which can lead to bondage and a lack of true freedom.
Embracing Change: Trusting God's Guidance Through Transitions (CBC Northwest) presents the theme that God's changes are inherently good and trustworthy, even when they are not immediately understood or when they require stepping into the unknown. The sermon introduces the idea that change requires a new attitude and faith, emphasizing that believers must trust in God's plan without needing to see the entire path ahead. This theme is distinct in its focus on the necessity of faith and trust in the face of incomplete information and the unknown.
Isaiah 43:19 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) provides insight into the cultural practice of asking for rain during the rainy season, illustrating the importance of recognizing and participating in God's timing.
Celebrating 16 Years: Faith, Growth, and Unity (Canvas Church) provides historical context by explaining that Isaiah 43 was written during a time when Israel was in Babylonian captivity. The sermon describes the cyclical nature of Israel's relationship with God and how the message of Isaiah was meant to reassure them of God's continued presence and plans for their future.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) provides insight into the historical context of Isaiah 43:19 by explaining the imagery of wilderness and wasteland. The sermon suggests that these terms represent times of dryness and feeling lost, which were common experiences for the Israelites. The promise of making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland would have been a powerful message of hope and renewal for them.
Isaiah 43:19 Cross-References in the Bible:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) references Ecclesiastes 3:1 to emphasize the concept of appointed times for everything. The sermon also mentions Zechariah's call to ask for rain in the time of rain, illustrating the importance of recognizing God's timing.
Embracing Restoration: Faith, Healing, and New Beginnings (RRCCTV) references Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 12:2, and Joel 2:25 to support the themes of renewal, transformation, and restoration. The sermon uses these passages to emphasize the process of being renewed and restored by God.
Celebrating 16 Years: Faith, Growth, and Unity (Canvas Church) references the Exodus story, where God made a way through the sea, to illustrate God's power to do new things. The sermon uses this reference to remind the congregation of God's past miracles as a foundation for trusting in His future plans.
Becoming New Wineskins: Embracing Spiritual Transformation (Christ Fellowship Church) references Luke 5:36-38, where Jesus speaks about new wine needing new wineskins, to support the idea of being open to new spiritual experiences and transformations.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) references Acts 17:26 to emphasize God's intentionality in placing individuals in specific times and places. This cross-reference supports the idea that God has a purpose for each person's life, aligning with the new things He is doing as mentioned in Isaiah 43:19. The sermon also references Acts 2:17 to highlight the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days, suggesting that believers are part of God's new work in the world.
Embracing Change: Trusting God's Guidance Through Transitions (CBC Northwest) references Genesis 12:1, where God tells Abram to leave his land and family for a land He will show him, illustrating the theme of trusting God without knowing the full plan. The sermon also mentions Mark 4, where Jesus calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee, using it as an analogy for trusting God during life's storms and changes. Additionally, Isaiah 55:11 is cited to emphasize that God's word will accomplish its purpose, reinforcing the idea that God's plans and changes are always for the good.
Isaiah 43:19 Christian References outside the Bible:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) references a statement by a Rabbi named H the Elder, emphasizing the importance of unity and being part of the whole. This reference is used to illustrate the power of unity in recognizing and participating in God's work.
Becoming New Wineskins: Embracing Spiritual Transformation (Christ Fellowship Church) references Albert Einstein's quote about the measure of true intelligence being the ability to change. This is used to emphasize the importance of being open to transformation and growth in the spiritual journey.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians when discussing Isaiah 43:19.
Isaiah 43:19 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Seizing the Moment: Embracing God's Call Today (Encounter Church Fort Worth) uses the analogy of asking for cookies when cookies are being served to illustrate the importance of recognizing and participating in God's current actions. The sermon also uses the illustration of hunting with dogs that go on point to emphasize the importance of being aware and ready to participate in what God is doing.
Becoming New Wineskins: Embracing Spiritual Transformation (Christ Fellowship Church) uses a humorous story about the challenges of buying a bathing suit to illustrate the discomfort and awkwardness that can come with change and transformation. This analogy is used to highlight the need for flexibility and openness to new experiences in the spiritual life.
From Being Set Free to Living Free in Christ (HighPointe Church) uses a humorous illustration involving Prince William to demonstrate how perspective can change the way we interpret situations. The image of Prince William seemingly making an offensive gesture is shown to be a matter of perspective, paralleling how believers might misinterpret God's new work in their lives if they don't have a godly perspective.