Proclaiming Eternal Truth Amid Life's Fragility

Now what you have here is not simply the contrast between the frailty and brevity of life you do have that contrast it is there isn't it, the the flesh is like grass the beauty is like the flower of the field there are very few flowers out there at the moment, but want you to notice that you can get this truth somewhere other than the bible i mean you can get this truth just by existing if your children here this morning you say goodness uh, my dad's starting to look a little old my, my papa he looks really old my my grandmother what's happening and then suddenly it dawns on the child, you know as you progress you begin to fade your mental powers fades your abilities your physical frame and everything else that goes along with anybody that just exists can understand that everybody in the world knows that one out of one dies. [00:02:18]

The flower phase the grass withers because the breath of the lord blows on it, in other words you see this the expression of the frailty and brevity of life is in the context of god's judgment in the context of god's judgment, now psalm 90 is usually regarded as the funeral psalm that's what people say well they read this psalm at funerals and you will have been at funerals where they do read it but as i've pointed out to you before almost inevitably they skip verses seven to twelve which of course explains the human predicament. [00:04:00]

Death is not the intended lot of god's creation, death is god's judgment upon sin, in the day that you shall eat of this you will surely die, and so verses 9 and 10 if your bible is open all our days pass away under your wrath we bring our years to an end like a sigh the years of our life are 70 or even by reason of strength 80 yet they're spanish but toil and trouble they're soon gone and we all fly away but who considers the power of your anger and your wrath according to their fear of you. [00:05:22]

We will never come to without the revealing power of god the holy spirit, we we are resistant to this romans chapter eight says that the the the mind the natural mind is at enmity with god is actually opposed to god the idea that as we go amongst our friends they're all living in some neutral zone if they want to opt into the believing idea of the bible that's possible but if they want just to remain in the neutral zone in which they find themselves that is equally possible the bible says you're not in a neutral zone by nature we have no interest in god by nature we're at enmity with god and we're hastening towards the judgment of god. [00:06:15]

The word of god is not simply there as the contrast to human brevity and frailty but as the cure to our brevity and our frailty you go back and read first peter yourself he says i've been born again to a living hope by the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead and this has been brought about not by perishable seed but by imperishable seed this my friends was the message then and it is the message now. [00:09:07]

Without a message there is no mission that should be fairly straightforward everybody that i see all the advertisements on the television are all there they have a message and then they have a mission to convey it and that's what it's told here they are heralds of good news zion herald of good news jerusalem herald of good news i take it that the word of comfort and tenderness that has come by the prophet to the people is then to be taken by those same people to if you like the outlying cities and uh territories of judah. [00:09:42]

There is absolutely no benefit in hearing good news unless we have first understood the nature of the bad news, for the news that comes of salvation is because of the reality of sin the news that comes of life and life eternal is because of the reality of death the news that comes of a miraculous intervention is on account of the fact that we can't fix ourselves, and so once you have received the message then you'll want to do what we're told to do here and look at what we're told to do first of all go up on a high mountain go up on a high mountain. [00:11:04]

Lift up your voice and look fear not fear not don't be afraid don't be afraid proclaim it fearfully we need in our day what was needed in isaiah's day people who were prepared to declare the word of god in the power of the spirit of god without fear and part of the problem is that there is a loss of confidence in the pulpits of our churches where the trumpet sounds somewhat uncertainly and as a result very few go out to battle. [00:13:14]

Tell them two things about god number one his greatness his greatness behold the lord god comes with might and his arm rules for him his reward is with him his recompense is with him he he brings he brings his children with him he brings the fruits of his labors with him he comes and the redeemed of the lord return and come with singing into zion are the rewards of his work he's great he has no need of support the flock that he tends he has worked for and he now holds in his care. [00:15:42]

Look how he deals with us he tends his flock like a shepherd he gathers the lambs in his arms he actually carries them in his bosom all wrapped up and close to his heart and those who are fragile he doesn't drive but he leads well of course it's impossible to read this without coming immediately to jesus as the good shepherd as the one who seeks us in tenderness as the one who puts us on his shoulders remember he puts it on his shoulders he found the sheep that was lost and he came back and there was great rejoicing. [00:17:44]

The message is god's word and not our word the substance of it is the frailty of our lives god's penalty for sin and his provision for us in that predicament our mission is to go up to lift up don't fold up and be bold and seize the opportunity of our day in a way that many are many of us are increasingly fearful to do. [00:18:37]

We want nothing new no new systems no new symbols of teaching no new gospel we want nothing but the old truths mightily preached and rightly brought home to consciences minds and wills there never has been good done to the world except by the preaching of evangelical truth so what has happened well he says i'm sad to announce that the preachers of our day now this is 19th century england the preachers of our day are neither so full nor so distinct nor so bold nor so uncompromising they are afraid of strong statements let us then he says lay hold of the evangelical truth of god and never never be ashamed to confess it. [00:20:00]