History In The Making: Do You See It?

May 17th, 2020/Nevei Kodesh Broadcast

Story: Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my wife and 5 kids at the creek here in Boulder. We biked down to a spot where the river was calm and where I felt like I could give the kids a fun ride in our two person kayak. It was a beautiful sunny day and I felt so alive as we embarked on this new adventure together as a family.

I’ve spent a lot of time on the water. I’ve had many wild and crazy adventures on the river. Many of which I wondered if I would even make it out alive. There was one adventure in particular where we sailed out on a 32 mile float on the James River with nothing but an air mattress, a few gallons of water, and some food. We crossed 7 dams and paddled through many raging rapids. We did it all in less than 32 hours.

Now those old adventures were amazing, but there’s nothing compared to rafting down Boulder Creek with my kids.

Question: How many of you right now are spending more time dwelling on the good ol’ days, or the days before the global pandemic, and you’re missing the miracle that is right in front of you? Or maybe even the miracle that is right ahead of you?! You are reminiscing more than you are reinventing! You are spending more time looking back than you are looking at what is right in front of you.

What if we look at it from another perspective, maybe you're looking at your current situation and you’re thinking “This is pretty good right here.” I’m able to work from home. I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with my family. I’ve set some new priorities in my life, I’m eating healthy, and I’m starting to feel like this is pretty good. You’re finding contentment in chaos and you’re starting to feel comfortable.

There’s a passage in Isaiah that speaks to these moments in our lives and helps give us a right perspective on the past, present, and future. Which is why we titled this series, History In The Making. We don’t neglect the past, but we don’t dwell on it either. We don’t settle in the present, but we don’t get too carried away with it either. Isaiah reminds us to bring faith into our present, while honoring the past, all the while believing that we haven’t seen anything yet!

Passage: Isaiah 43:15-20

15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. 16 This is what the Lord says— who makes a way in the sea, and a path through raging water, 17 who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty one together (they lie down, they do not rise again; they are extinguished, put out like a wick)— 18 “Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. 19 Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. 20 Wild animals— jackals and ostriches—will honor me, because I provide water in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people.

Pray:

Title: Do You See It?

Main Points: 5 Declarations from your King

1. I am the Lord, I am your King
   1. 15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
   2. EX: When the Lord has a message, your servants lean in. The Holy One has a Word, your children listen. When the creator speaks, the creation stands at attention. God first said this to Israel, and your King is still speaking through it today. Do you see it?
   3. As we look to God’s Word today we are not looking at a book of good teaching, we are not looking for the next principle to apply to make our lives easier… we are hearing a Word from our King!
   4. Question: What voices are you listening to?
   5. What is our King telling us today, let’s look at verse 16…
2. I’ve done it before
   1. 16 This is what the Lord says— who makes a way in the sea, and a path through raging water, 17 who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty one together (they lie down, they do not rise again; they are extinguished, put out like a wick)—

   2. Speaking of Pharaoh's armies that He drew out of Egypt. Bringing the Israelites to freedom through the Red Sea.

      1. a way in the sea - You got the armies behind you and they are trying to kill you! You can’t go back… you can’t move forward. You are stuck in an impossible situation.
      2. God makes a way through impossible situations. He is the impossibility specialist. He is a way maker!
      3. Question: I believe sometimes life is like that? Do you feel cornered? Do you feel like you are in an impossible situation?
      4. Story: Sometimes you need to look back and feel the value in the victories past. Overcoming anxiety and the fear of health and wellness. BUT GOD.

      5. I’m going to do it again

         1. 18 “Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. 19 Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming.
         2. “But forget all that” NLT

      6. Sentiment erodes significance. - Brian Houston

      7. Significance is what is ahead of you, not what’s behind you.
      8. Don’t marvel at the “Good ol’ days”, marvel at His miraculous work today!
      9. Remember don’t dwell on
      10. Your previous miracle is a great teacher, but it should never be a great distracter.
      11. “He is revealed in the past, but he is always more than the past revealed.” - J. Alec Motyer
      12. Because the Best Is Yet To Come, even greater things are in store!

      13. He’s going to do another NEW thing

          3. 700 years since that old thing, Egyptian captivity came to an end, but there’s another new thing. Releasing the people from Babylonian captivity. So they could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and restore the land. God was saying I’m going to do a NEW thing.
          4. A new thing…

      14. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17

      15. I’ve seen you move and I believe, I’ll see you do it again… I’m not going to dwell on my last miracle so long that I miss the new miracle He’s doing in my life right now!
      16. I’m going to focus on experience over remembrance, because the latest miracle should only be a few moments ago!
      17. Story: We celebrate the miracle of a close friend and neighbor that said “yes” to Jesus, we are still celebrating that today, but when you ask me about what God is doing I’m going to tell you about the NEW thing He is doing in my life and the life of our church! He’s making a way in the wilderness and bringing up rivers in the desert!

      18. Do you not see it?

          1. Do you not see it?
          2. Do you not expect it?! Do you not believe it?! This promise was first for Israel in exile. Here’s how I’d apply it: the God who spoke into Israel's future still speaks into mine! Behold, stand in awe and be amazed!
          3. I’m not just living from a blessing, I’m looking toward a blessing!

      19. I’m seeing the church rise up like never before! I’m seeing revival in our city! I’m seeing the church united together like never before! I’m seeing serve opportunities all over our city! I’m seeing people say yes to Jesus every single week!

      20. I’m not spending all my time looking back! I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOVE OF GOD!

      21. I’ll make a way

          1. I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
          2. For Israel this was God providing on the road home. Here’s how I’d apply it: roads of faith lead to rivers of blessing

      22. “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

      23. “On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” - John 7:37-39
          3. I will make a way where there is no way
          4. I will bring about something that exists that otherwise shouldn’t exist because I am the provider!
          5. I believe God is still the one that makes a miracle amidst a pandemic. Do you see it?

Closing: Back to opening story

You see, when I was on Boulder Creek with my kids, I couldn’t have ever envisioned such a magical moment when I was 23 years old floating down the James River! I could have never imagined it would have been so good! You see, God wanted to do a new thing in my life! He didn’t want to take me back to the old thing, He had a new thing in store… Do you see it?

Invitation:

• Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you
• I confess that I have sinned against you
• I believe that God raised you from the dead
• And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”
• Thank you for forgiving me
• By your grace I am saved
• And by your power I am set free