God's Invitation: Grace, Mercy, and Eternal Life

 

Summary

In Isaiah 55:3, God extends a personal invitation to each of us, urging us to incline our ears and come to Him, promising that our souls shall live. This chapter is a direct communication from God, not merely through the prophet Isaiah, but from God Himself, emphasizing the importance of His words. God’s call is a loving plea to sinners, removing obstacles and objections that might prevent us from coming to Him. He invites those who feel unworthy, those who have no merit or claims, to come and receive His grace freely, without money and without price. This is a call to cease from futile pursuits and to receive the substantial gifts of His grace, which alone can satisfy the soul.

God acknowledges our great needs and meets them with His abundant mercy. He offers not just any mercy, but great mercy, ready to satisfy our deepest needs. He points to His ultimate proof of love: the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was given for us. This is the assurance of His love and the promise of salvation. God’s invitation is universal, extending to all nations and peoples, calling everyone to run to Him.

The simplicity of God’s precepts is striking: incline your ear and come to Him. These are not burdensome commands but simple acts of faith and obedience. By hearing and coming to God, we are promised life for our souls and an everlasting covenant. This covenant is not temporary but eternal, offering us the sure mercies of David. God’s promises are sure and steadfast, providing us with a foundation of hope and assurance.

God’s word is powerful, capable of transforming our hearts and lives. It is through hearing His word that faith is born, leading us to trust in His promises. As we incline our ears and come to Him, we are drawn into a covenant relationship with God, where He promises to be our God and we His people. This relationship is marked by His mercy, forgiveness, and the transformation of our lives.

Key Takeaways:

- God’s Personal Invitation: God Himself invites us to come to Him, offering life for our souls. This invitation is not based on our merit but on His grace, freely given without price. It is a call to leave behind futile pursuits and receive the substantial gifts of His grace. [01:47]

- The Universality of God’s Call: God’s invitation extends to all people, regardless of race or background. He calls everyone to run to Him, offering salvation and the sure mercies of David. This is a testament to His love and the inclusivity of His grace. [04:25]

- The Simplicity of God’s Precepts: God’s commands are simple: incline your ear and come to Him. These acts of faith and obedience lead to life for our souls and an everlasting covenant with God. His promises are sure and steadfast, providing a foundation of hope. [06:41]

- The Power of God’s Word: God’s word is powerful and transformative. Through hearing His word, faith is born, leading us to trust in His promises. This faith brings about a transformation in our lives, drawing us into a covenant relationship with God. [17:41]

- The Assurance of God’s Covenant: God promises an everlasting covenant with those who come to Him. This covenant is marked by His mercy, forgiveness, and the transformation of our lives. It is a promise of eternal life and a relationship with God as our Father. [23:01]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - God's Gospel Call
- [00:30] - Direct Words from God
- [01:16] - Invitation to the Penniless
- [02:05] - Cease Futile Pursuits
- [03:20] - Proof of Divine Love
- [04:25] - Universal Call to All Nations
- [05:52] - Simple Precepts for Salvation
- [06:58] - Incline Your Ear
- [08:37] - The Importance of Hearing
- [12:45] - Coming to God
- [16:24] - Saving Promises
- [22:41] - Everlasting Covenant
- [30:47] - God's Saving Pleas
- [36:06] - Abundant Pardon and Joy

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Isaiah 55:3: "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does God promise to those who incline their ear and come to Him according to Isaiah 55:3? [00:11]
2. How does the sermon describe God's invitation to those who feel unworthy or without merit? [01:30]
3. What is the significance of the phrase "without money and without price" in the context of God's invitation? [01:47]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the universality of God's call to all nations and peoples? [04:25]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for God's invitation to be based on grace rather than merit, and how does this impact our understanding of salvation? [01:47]
2. How does the sermon explain the relationship between hearing God's word and the birth of faith? [17:41]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's promises provide a foundation of hope and assurance? [22:41]
4. How does the concept of an everlasting covenant with God challenge or affirm one's understanding of a relationship with Him? [23:01]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of God's grace. How can the message of Isaiah 55:3 encourage you to approach God despite those feelings? [01:30]
2. What are some "futile pursuits" in your life that you need to leave behind to fully receive God's grace? How can you take steps to do this? [02:05]
3. How can you make a conscious effort to "incline your ear" to God in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to prioritize listening to His word? [06:41]
4. Consider the universality of God's call. How can you extend the message of God's grace to someone from a different background or culture this week? [04:25]
5. What specific promises of God do you find most reassuring, and how can you remind yourself of these promises during challenging times? [22:41]
6. How does the idea of an everlasting covenant with God influence your daily decisions and long-term goals? [23:01]
7. Identify one area of your life where you need transformation. How can you invite God's word to work powerfully in that area this week? [17:41]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Invitation to Abundant Life
God extends a personal invitation to each of us, urging us to incline our ears and come to Him, promising that our souls shall live. This invitation is not based on our merit but on His grace, freely given without price. It is a call to leave behind futile pursuits and receive the substantial gifts of His grace. God acknowledges our great needs and meets them with His abundant mercy. He offers not just any mercy, but great mercy, ready to satisfy our deepest needs. He points to His ultimate proof of love: the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was given for us. This is the assurance of His love and the promise of salvation. [01:47]

Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What are the "futile pursuits" in your life that you need to leave behind to fully embrace God's invitation to abundant life?


Day 2: The Universality of God's Call
God’s invitation extends to all people, regardless of race or background. He calls everyone to run to Him, offering salvation and the sure mercies of David. This is a testament to His love and the inclusivity of His grace. The simplicity of God’s precepts is striking: incline your ear and come to Him. These are not burdensome commands but simple acts of faith and obedience. By hearing and coming to God, we are promised life for our souls and an everlasting covenant. [04:25]

Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "So Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'"

Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate the inclusivity of God's grace in your interactions with people from different backgrounds today?


Day 3: The Simplicity of God's Precepts
God’s commands are simple: incline your ear and come to Him. These acts of faith and obedience lead to life for our souls and an everlasting covenant with God. His promises are sure and steadfast, providing a foundation of hope. God’s word is powerful, capable of transforming our hearts and lives. It is through hearing His word that faith is born, leading us to trust in His promises. [06:41]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: What simple act of faith or obedience can you commit to today that will help you walk more closely with God?


Day 4: The Power of God's Word
God’s word is powerful and transformative. Through hearing His word, faith is born, leading us to trust in His promises. This faith brings about a transformation in our lives, drawing us into a covenant relationship with God. As we incline our ears and come to Him, we are drawn into a covenant relationship with God, where He promises to be our God and we His people. [17:41]

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Reflection: How can you make space in your daily routine to hear God's word more clearly and allow it to transform your life?


Day 5: The Assurance of God's Covenant
God promises an everlasting covenant with those who come to Him. This covenant is marked by His mercy, forgiveness, and the transformation of our lives. It is a promise of eternal life and a relationship with God as our Father. God’s promises are sure and steadfast, providing us with a foundation of hope and assurance. [23:01]

Jeremiah 32:40 (ESV): "I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of God's everlasting covenant and His promises throughout your day?

Quotes

God himself saith incline your ear and come unto me, here and your soul shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. From the very beginning this chapter is a loving pleading with Sinners it is a lifting of stumbling blocks and a clearing away of objections. [00:39:42]

The Lord forestalls the lament by saying he that hath no money Come Ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price, if you have no merit if you have no claims still come free Grace sounds its Golden Harp and mercy sings to it these words without money and without price. [01:38:40]

The highest proof of God's love to man is this God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, he points to his dear son and says behold I have given him in the manger behold I have given him on the cross in the Sepulcher in his resurrection in his enthronement behold I have given him. [03:26:70]

To whatever race or Nation you may belong Christ calls you to run to him and the like of you shall run to him, May that promise be fulfilled this very day in all the unconverted who hear these words, beloved I have no need to preach this morning I have only to follow the line of God's Own word. [04:33:48]

The precepts which he puts before you are simple and easy he has given you ears and he bids you use them say incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live, at this time we will look to the saving precepts laid down in the text and then we will consider the saving promises. [05:42:42]

The first is incline your ear, this is placed in another form how can diligently unto me hear and your soul shall live, you have ears to hear with therefore hear, some of you should hear fast enough if the faintest jingle of a guinea should invite you to gain it, all that you would now hear the voice of God. [06:48:36]

The greatest event that ever happened in time or in eternity was the death of Jesus to save man from Eternal woe and yet this Prodigy of Love is disregarded, the soul winner has to think of all sorts of ways by which to draw men's attention to that which is their Chief blessing. [07:45:78]

Come to him at least by thinking much of him, at present God is not in all your thoughts, some of you are busy just now with sightseeing but you seek not a sight of God should it be so, others of you are busy in money making you go out to business early and come home late and all those hours you are as little mindful of Heaven as if there were no God at all. [12:51:36]

If you feel as if you could not come to God anyhow else come by desire at least desire to be reconciled to God long to become his child hunger to taste his love this is a true coming, come to God by confession of sin you have lived hitherto without him confess that neglect you have thought that repentance and Faith might safely be put off to a more convenient season. [14:00:54]

The promise given is this your soul shall live, what live through hearing yes live as the result of hearing for Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, If any man would give himself diligently to the study of the revelation of God to the searching of the word of God and to the hearing of loving Earnest truthful spiritual preaching he would not fail to find life for his soul. [16:41:10]

The soul cries Lord if I were to come would thou receive me, receive you say the Lord I would enter into a covenant with you if you come to God, simple as that coming seems it shall involve infinite results, for the Lord will do for you exceeding abundantly above what you ask or even think. [22:56:20]

The Covenant is all in Christ Jesus Emmanuel God With Us with him this Covenant is made, great David's greater son is given to us to be our leader the Covenant is with him, he stood for us in that dread day when the judge of all the Earth executed Justice Upon Our Surety. [29:54:00]

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Transcript
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