13 February 2001

Text: Isaiah 51

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF COMFORT

AN APPEAL TO "LISTEN" CAREFULLY
1. "Listen to Me…" Isa. 51:1, 4, 7

2. Audience:-
a) Those who follow righteousness Isa. 51:1
b) Those who seek the Lord Isa. 51:1
c) "My people" Isa. 51:4
d) "O My Nation" Isa. 51:4
e) "You who know righteousness" Isa. 51:7
f) "You people in whose heart is My law" Isa. 51:7

3. The Message:-
a) "Look to the rock from which you were hewn…" Isa. 51:1
b) "Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you…" Isa. 51:2
c) "He will COMFORT…" Isa. 51:3, 12 (Cp. Isa. 40:1-2; 49:13)
d) He will bring about restoration… Isa. 51:3-4
e) He will bring about salvation Isa. 51:5-6,8
f) "Do not fear…" Isa. 51:7

AN URGENT PLEA TO GOD
1. A Prayer to God to take action
"Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the Lord…" Isa. 51:9

2. A Prayer of faith in a great and powerful God
"Are You not the One who dried up the sea…? Isa. 51:10

3. A Prayer of Trust and Confidence in the Lord
"So the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy…" Isa. 51:11

REPLY FROM GOD (Highlighting the things that hinder prayer)
1. Dealing with the problem of a lack of Assurance of God's comfort Isa. 51:12

2. Dealing with the problem of fear… "Of the fury of the oppressor" Isa. 51:12

3. Dealing with the problem of a poor faith in God's great power Isa. 51:13-

4. Faith to be established firmly first Isa. 51:15-16

5. Challenge to awake to God and His Word of comfort Isa. 51:17-23
a) That the days of "desolation and destruction, famine and sword" are over Isa. 51:17-21
b) That those who are wicked will be dealt with by the Lord Isa. 51:22-23