This past Sunday I did something in worship I thought I would never accomplish in ministry. I found myself called by God to preach on a passage of scripture. I know it was God, because I do not like the passage. I told everyone in the church on Sunday that this was a passage of scripture I do not like. I could not and still cannot bring my self to saying anything more disrespectful about the passage. So that you are not in the dark, my sermon was on Isaiah 43:1-21.
I admitted and I still do admit that it is not he whole passage I have problems with. It is a special verse. Verse 19, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (NIV) I do not like this verse simply because of what people have used it for over my life time. This has become the catch verse each time a group or church government reorganizes and makes a new way of doing the same old thing. That is exactly my point. This passage has been used to get people excited about what they hope to be a new way of doing church life, but nothing really changed.
But, there is a tremendous amount of power in this chapter. There is hope for a hearting world. There is promise to a scared community and there is the promise of a new thing. I do not ever want to use this passage or chapter at the opening of a new chapter in some church or government. I think (I hope I am doing this) this passage and chapter should be the theme during the process of seeking God and His plan for the congregation and us as individuals. It should not be the capstone. If it is, than I think we have missed God’s potential.
God has done a new thing through Jesus Christ, but God is also doing new things all around us. Each time we meet someone new and they bring a new spark of life into our life, God is up to something new. Each child who is saved from starvation or abuse, God is doing something new in there lives. Isaiah 43 was a chapter of hope to a people facing crises. It should be a chapter of hope for us all.
I admitted and I still do admit that it is not he whole passage I have problems with. It is a special verse. Verse 19, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (NIV) I do not like this verse simply because of what people have used it for over my life time. This has become the catch verse each time a group or church government reorganizes and makes a new way of doing the same old thing. That is exactly my point. This passage has been used to get people excited about what they hope to be a new way of doing church life, but nothing really changed.
But, there is a tremendous amount of power in this chapter. There is hope for a hearting world. There is promise to a scared community and there is the promise of a new thing. I do not ever want to use this passage or chapter at the opening of a new chapter in some church or government. I think (I hope I am doing this) this passage and chapter should be the theme during the process of seeking God and His plan for the congregation and us as individuals. It should not be the capstone. If it is, than I think we have missed God’s potential.
God has done a new thing through Jesus Christ, but God is also doing new things all around us. Each time we meet someone new and they bring a new spark of life into our life, God is up to something new. Each child who is saved from starvation or abuse, God is doing something new in there lives. Isaiah 43 was a chapter of hope to a people facing crises. It should be a chapter of hope for us all.
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