Sermon for Sunday January 15th 2023: “Lean on Me!” (Isaiah 40: 27-31).
(Please read Isaiah 40; Psalm 40; Isaiah 49: 1-7; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9)
Christmas has come and gone and we are (already) 2 weeks into a new year. In the church’s liturgical calendar today is the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany and the readings all centre on living for God's purposes – bringing light to all nations. One thing is for sure: if we are indeed concerned about living our lives aligned with God’s will, for His purposes, then strength will be needed!
Look closely at today’s passages and note the many references to God’s strength and mighty power and his gift of strength to the weary. If the Motto text … Above all, love one another deeply (1 Peter 4:8)… is to be more than simply words… we will need strength. It takes strength to forgive, to love. It takes God’s own power to lift us from the pit and then on… to serve God’s purposes. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides (1 Peter 4:11).
Two weeks in and many of us are weary. (Yet) those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40, NASB). Wouldn’t it be nice to get to that place… to that final verse?! A promise we would like to see fulfilled…
Background: Isaiah saw the coming of the great Babylonian armies and knew that they would destroy Jerusalem, take his people captive, and leave the nation in ruin. But in the midst of all this confusion and discouragement, Isaiah received a message from God.
So, let’s begin at verse 27: 27 Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”? {You people of Israel say, “God pays no attention to us! He doesn't care if we are treated unjustly.” (Isa 40:27, CEV)}.
God’s own redeemed, chosen people Israel (Jacob), accuse God of disregarding them. Who among us have not said this to the Lord at some point? You’ve let us down, God! I’ve prayed; I’ve served and look at the condition of my life, my health, my family, finances! “I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity…
You haven’t kept your side of the bargain, God! Look at the state we’re in.
The weariness is not just felt by individuals. It is (often) a collective weariness.
Where’s the promised revival and blessing; why the decline in our fortunes; the sapping of our strength and the substance of our faith?! If you’ve permitted these things you clearly don’t care about us…
Sometimes God’s people are just plain weary and they do need a word of comfort from the Lord. The whole context of this chapter is one of comfort. It begins, Our God has said: “Encourage my people! Give them comfort. Speak kindly to Jerusalem and announce: Your slavery is past; your punishment is over. (Isa 40:1)
God speaks through the prophet, not in excoriation but in encouragement… in tender tones. The people who need comfort will receive it. He does care. He does not turn a blind eye to the plight of his people. We might! We know this. God wants his people to be restored and renewed, so he answers himself the question posed in verse 27.
1. Lean on Me! Lean on the truth you already know about God:
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable.
Sometimes (on our way) we cannot see the wood for the trees; the things we know (about God) get hidden behind our feelings or circumstances. We remember that God is our Creator, the one who called us and formed us and knew us before the foundations of the world; the one who hid us and polished us up.
If you want to know your purpose, lesson one is you were created by God as surely as were the stars in the heavens. Lesson one for the Christian people of God is that he gave you life for the purpose of redeeming yours. You, in Christ, are already a new creation. The comforter (the Holy Spirit) seals and strengthens. Lean on that!
Lean on the truth you (already) know that the Creator… does not grow weary or tired. He didn’t just make you and leave you to your own devices, without help. As our Sustainer (the giver of sustenance), we know we can’t go on without him anyway. We just don’t have the capacity or the strength to keep ourselves alive, physically or spiritually. The wonderful truth is that, unlike us, the Lord never tires. He never tires of his people; he never gives up on them. We do; we even get tired of ourselves, tired of others. When we’re flagging… he is not. God stays…
Lean on the truth that he is the Everlasting God. His timescale is vast and eternal.
Lean, too, on the truth that no one can fully fathom the wisdom of God. His understanding is unsearchable. We don’t lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3).
These are all simple and profound truths about God and, when we reflect on them, we do find strength to go on. We lean on Him. We join with the prophet in affirming something else we all know: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” (Isaiah 30:15).
It is, I believe, without judgment or sarcasm, that the Lord speaks and he takes his people back to the basics, to help them put things in perspective. It’s what we need now. These difficult times are part of God’s plan and purpose. Our plans are many. His are the ones that prevail.
2). Lean on Me. And lean on the truth you already know about yourself:
To know God and to know one’s self is a brilliant way of defining your purpose and mine. “Let me know you, O you who know me; then shall I know even as I am known. You are the strength of my soul; make your way in and shape it to yourself, that it may be yours to have and to hold, free from stain or wrinkle…” (St. Augustine, Confessions).
29 He gives strength to the weary, and to the one who lacks might He increases power.30 Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly…
Note well the words that describe us, the people: weary, weak, weary and tired, fainting. Needing strength. Again, these are truths that we know about ourselves. We may not easily admit it. But we know and so does God. We know our strength is not limitless or sufficient. Even youths (who think they’re indestructible!) stumble badly. Those choice, selected (literally, picked), Olympian specimens have their limits. The apostle Paul describes our earthly body as a tent (2 Corinthians 5:1); we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
We need not, should not, be surprised or ashamed by our limits or that we get spent and exhausted. That’s where God comes in. If we rely on our own small strength for living, or serving or loving we will stumble and fall inevitably. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
3). Lean on Me! And lean on the truth you know about your hope:
29 He gives strength to the weary, and to the one who lacks might He increases power. Don’t miss this little word, gives… God gives his people power and strength as a gift. He gives to those who ask for it, for those who are in need. We are not talking about bionic power here necessarily, but the power to persevere and press on.
How do we find our strength renewed? By laying hold of hope. This is the thing the world (without God) does not have… hope. Hope is not a pipe dream. Hope is a Person!
When Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest”; when He said, “take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy”, he didn’t mean you could only to him come once!
His was not a one-time invitation. It was an invitation to trust him continually and to go with him. God does not help those who help themselves – you won’t find that in the bible. God does help those who go to God for their help (strength) in times of trouble: God is their 1st port-of-call…
(Yet) those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40, NASB).
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”
Waiting signals dependence on God; finding hope and confidence, not in himself, but in Christ alone… in God. “Our spirits look to God alone, our rock and refuge is his throne; in all our fears, in all our straits our soul on his salvation waits.”
Waiting pictures closeness (staying close) to the Lord in prayer. That’s a true picture of the church which only has one (ultimate) Source of strength. It is in humble (expectant) prayer that we find “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”. We mount up on eagle’s wings. Waiting will always precede strength for all necessities, provided by God.
The evidence is here this morning. Why are you still here? How is it that you have come so far? What explains this? You are here. You have been saved because God laid hold of you and never let you go. You’ve been leaning on him all this time.
If you are fortunate, you have friends in Christ on whom you have leaned and can go to for companionship and help.
“Lean on me, when you're not strong And I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on. For it won't be long till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on. If there is a load you have to bear that you can't carry I'm right up the road I'll share your load If you just call me…” (Bill Withers song)
MFR (14-01-2023)
A mime: It shows that there are situations where we need outside help. We cannot cope on our own, though we may not like to admit it. This is a highly comical piece with a very serious message.
Enter the Traveller; he is carrying a rather heavy suitcase. He walks slowly, looking strained; as he reaches centre stage, the case feels so heavy that he staggers round in ever decreasing circles until he drops the case and has to take a rest. He stands facing the audience, gasping and panting. He produces a large coloured handkerchief which he uses to mop his brow. He sits on the case for a few seconds, then stands again and takes hold of the handle.
He lifts the case, pauses, and then has to drop it again, it now feels so heavy. He looks amazed, pulls himself together and tries again. This time he manages to take one step before dropping the case. He takes out the handkerchief again, this time mops his brow, his cheeks and under his arms. Then he tries lifting it with both hands. No joy. He tries pushing it, then pulling it, each time straining like mad. He kicks it and falls over it. He gives up, sits on the case, looks sad and begins to sob heavily into the handkerchief.
Enter the Stranger. He takes a long look at the Traveller then slowly walks up to him and taps him on the shoulder. The Traveller jumps, looks up at him then puts on a big happy smile and nods as if he's perfectly okay. The Stranger offers to help with the case but the Traveller refuses, happily indicating that he's quite all right and can cope. The Stranger offers again, but the Traveller waves him goodbye.
The Stranger retires to a safe distance; the Traveller reaches down to pick up his case, then turns to check if the Stranger is still watching. Of course he is, so the Traveller smiles at him and nods, looks back at the case, takes the handle, then looks back again at the Stranger. He smiles again and forces a laugh, then looks back at the audience with panic written all over his face. He takes one last quick look back at the Stranger then takes firm hold of the case and lifts it. For a moment all looks fine, he takes one step, then collapses again. The Traveller laughs wildly as he waves at the Stranger as if he was only joking, then he turns back braces himself and is about to try again. He stops, thinks, shakes his head and gives up. Sullenly he steps away from the case, flippantly waving his hand at the Stranger and offering him the chance to try. The Traveller mumbles to himself as he waits for the Stranger to walk to the case.
The Stranger reaches down, takes the case in one hand and lifts it easily. He puts it down again, but makes no big deal of being able to lift it. The Traveller looks amazed and motions to him to do it again. The Stranger happily obliges and lifts the case again. The Traveller stares, drops his mouth open and begins to fall backwards in shock. The Stranger realises, puts down the case and comes tearing round to catch the Traveller before he hits the floor. He wafts a hand in front of his face to bring him round.
The Traveller then reaches for the bag again, stops, thinks, then happily offers it to the Stranger. The Stranger lifts it, the Traveller looks around, decides which way he needs to go, then pats the Stranger on the shoulder and points out the way. They walk off together.