Preaching - Isaiah 58

One of the many privileges of my work is to truly immerse myself with what a client is doing. With Churches, that means attending their services, and sometimes, I get the chance to go one step further. So today, I had the honour of bringing the Bible message at Life Church Edinburgh, part of Apostolic Church UK. I've been working alongside them for a few years now on and off, and they are based opposite a previous project of mine, so I've known them for even longer. Their pastor is Jacob Crolla, and together with Operations Lead, Susie Gray, they are my main contacts for work and its a joy to be alongside them.

I was invited to their Giving Sunday, which was also preceding a week of prayer and fasting. I felt led to speak on a passage I've spoken on before - Isaiah 58 - but to bring this fresh to the people in Edinburgh to encourage them in their week ahead. I hadn't appreciated how well aligned this passage was until my preparations, and even more so as I spoke. A key verse, taken from the Message paraphrase, is "You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild, and renovate, and make the community liveable again." (verse 12)

There were a few people away as it was also a holiday weekend and a church member had celebrated their wedding the day before so some people were still away for that. But there was still a strong and engaged congregation who were a joy to share with. The worship team at the start were absolutely spot on, with a couple of songs worthy of mentioning in the message as they connected so well.

The congregation at Life Church Edinburgh just ahead of my preaching time

If you wish, you can listen to my message through the link below, and there's also a transcription of my message underneath that, if you prefer to read it rather than listen to my voice! It's the text of what I actually delivered, not what was written down. There were some variations and off topic jaunts!

This was a genuine honour to share this message. Other than the radio preaching ministry, I don't get a lot of in person preaching opportunities but as it happens, I'm preaching again next Sunday! More on that in a later post! It is an absolute pleasure to walk people through Scripture and see an instant response. I pray for more opportunities as are appropriate for time and connection. But I will also settle for just connecting with people through the many and varied projects I continue to be blessed to work alongside.

Message Audio:

Message Transcription:

Good morning everyone. Thank you Sophie, for reading, our passage, for us, and Jacob for the introduction.

So, my official role is, I'm a Church and Community Developer - officer makes me sound like someone from the council or something. Sorry if anyone works for the council! I work freelance, and I'm working for churches and communities. I'll normally say all across Scotland, but actually next week, I'm going south of the Border and actually working with a Parish just outside of Liverpool. Jacob said to me that at least half an hour on the preach and then he's like, spoken forever already. So, I'm seeing the clock disappearing so far already. Next week, I've got 10 minutes. So that's cool. That'll give you an idea of the different denomination.

It's a real blessing to deal with practical stuff and look at building developments, look at funding, look at governance. Look at all, that kind of boring stuff, but actually do that all with a heart for God and for what God wants to do with that group of people, even if that's not even a church group. Even if that's just a community group, just look at what the needs are in those communities and, and how people can come together.

When Jacob asked me, if I would come and preach today, he mentioned it was your giving Sunday. This this passage in Isaiah 58 has actually been with me for many years. I've spoken on it a few times and it's taken a different turn each time I've spoken on it. But then I realised, there's this connection between your prayer and fasting week this week. And if you noticed, if you were looking in your own Bibles, that Isaiah 58 passage is headed "True fasting". So there's obviously something in this and bringing all this stuff together. So let's have a little look at it.

I was just going to focus on about three and a half verses, which would be a dream for you to hear. But actually it's really helpful to go through this whole passage. We're gonna skip through it, even just in the time we've got, we're skipping through it. So, amongst all the resources that you'll have for prayer and fasting this week, return to this one in your own studies, have a look at it with your own time because there's a real depth in here for us.

We're going to look through this passage. So it was addressed to the Israelites and we're going to see a picture of a group of people doing what they think is right in the eyes of the Lord, we're going to see God pointing out the area of their ways, then, we'll see, God telling them what he really wants to be doing and the results that will bring. Simple! Maybe not! But in the course of all of that, we'll link that to what's happening here at Life Church and what could happen in the future. So, before we dive into it, can we just just pray And ask God to open our ears.

Father, Oh, we love you. Lord. We love you. We thank you for the privilege of being able to gather to worship you to hear from you and Lord. As I bring this message that that I believe is from you Lord. Would you just make the words on this page be the ones that you have said. Would you make all our hearts and our minds receptive to you, to your Spirit's leading in this time? We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

So if you want some context on this we are in what is referred to as third Isaiah or Trito Isaiah, if you want to be really fancy. It's an anthology about 12 passages, it's composed fter the return from Exile, with the presumption, the judgements being pronounced in the restoration follows soon. Rebuilding of the temple is underway. If you want a timeline, if you're a fancy historian, you want a timeline, we are in the Persian period of Judean restoration, which is about 520 to 400 BC, about the time we started the development planning for Life Church building, I think. And I should say, if you know the building over the road, the Charteris Centre. That's a former life of mine. So I used to be the development manager over there. I started there in 2016 and had meetings with people here and we were discussing about building planning and so it was already going before then.

One little thing to point out, we often say, oh, this is Isaiah saying this. The whole book of Isaiah spans, so many years that it's thought that it's actually a collection of prophets. And certainly these later ones, um, there is multiple authorship, So really, this is a kind of collection of oracles by unknown prophets that have just been grouped together for us in the years immediately after the return from Babylon.

The late great American sociologist and Baptist Pastor, Tony Campolo, said if you are seeking a passage of scripture that contrasts formal, religiosity with God, pleasing spirituality, then look no further than Isaiah 58. There in that chapter of the Bible, he says, the prophet serves as an intermediary between God and the people of Israel.

Another commentator says that Isaiah 58 is intensely practical for the Christian. So that's handy. Here is a great Old Testament passage which sets us free to be all we were designed to be. Here is practical advice which liberates us from - I love this word - Churchianity, and allows us to live exciting lives in the daily service of God.

This is fitting with what Jacob was saying a moment ago. Do you want more excitement? Do you want, an exciting life? Here is a good starter for us, so let's dive in. Now this is a sermon so it's almost a proper sermon because I've got three sections. I've got three points. I haven't gone quite full on church and they're not alliterated, we're not starting with the same letter, but we're going to, as I said, look at the Israelites doing what seems right. Then we're going to understand God's way and then we're going to look at doing what is right. So we read earlier right at the start, it said they come to the temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws.

Now, we've read that from the NIV. Today, I want to use a couple of verses from the Message paraphrase, which just gives this a little extra kick. And so, there's a couple of the verses that are coming up on the screen. So verse two says, They're busy busy busy at worship and love studying all about me.

That sounds okay, doesn't it? But how often have we been warned about being too busy in our Ministry? My wife would probably tell you, I'm very guilty of doing too much but the passage goes on in later verses, to all appearances they're a nation of right, living people, law abiding, God honouring. They ask me what's the right thing to do. They love having me on their side but they also complain. Why do we fast? And you don't look our way. Why do we humble ourselves? You don't even notice.

Here, the Israelites are doing what they believe to be right in the eyes of the Lord. They're worshipping him. As they believe they should. They're studying his word. They're interpreting it. As they believe they should. Yet, it seems that God isn't noticing their efforts. The people cried out to him why after we've performed all these solemn rituals which the priest have prescribed for them. They've observed the ordained Feasts, they've kept the commanded Sabbaths, which supposedly were pleasing to God. They'd done all that churchianity stuff that was mentioned earlier. And yet, They hadn't received the blessings God had promised. They'd kept their part of the Covenant. They had assumed God would show them of his good favour and benefits. They've wanted to know why God had not kept his side of the bargain. Why they were asking had there not been a fulfilment of the promise that they thought God had made to those who would be faithful in observing these religious rights? Well, actually God had more than noticed.

He had really noticed what they were doing. And more than that, he'd noticed how very wrong they were getting things. The Israelites particularly ask about the results of their fasting and God says, through the prophet, you fast but at the same time, you bicker and fight. You fast but you swing a mean fist, the kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast I am? A day to show off humility. To put on a pious long face, parade around solemnly in black. Do you call that fasting a fast day? That I God would like?

This has kind of stopped them in their tracks, hasn't it? They were thinking, hang on, we're doing all this stuff, right? Why have you not blessed us? Not a bit of it was what God wanted them to be doing. And you know, it even reveals to us the perils of doing so much that we forget to check that it's what God wants us to do. We could replace the word fasting with so many other things that we're into. The kind of service you're doing, won't get your prayers off the ground?

Now let me quantify something here. Okay, I'm not having a go and I'm not coming here with a big kind of pointy finger, from Heaven saying you're doing things wrong, okay? This is not what this is about. All right? So, please do not hear me saying that. Unless there's something within your heart that you need to speak to God about, okay, I'll leave that between you and God. This is simply Dan coming in and airing a word of caution. And using scripture to help air that word of caution. It may be that some of you are not fully doing what God wants you to do or in the way that God wants you to be doing it. It may be to turn a well-used phase the other way around, you're showing the joy of the Lord, on your face, but it's not really impacted your heart. So how can we understand God's way, what should we be doing?

Well. Before we get to us, let's go back to the Israelites. Verses six to eight. This is the kind of fast day, I'm after (this is God speaking). To break the chains of injustice, to get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on and your lives will turn around at once.

Wow. How's that for a calling? And, and does it ring any bells there at all? Jesus in Luke 4, quoting from another passage from this section of Isaiah, Isaiah, 61 that whole mic drop moment when he pulled out the scroll and said, this is what I'm here to do, the spirit of the Lord is on me. Now to bind the broken heartes, heal, all of those things. Here it is as well.

Now Jacob mentioned in the introduction, the part of my upbringing was within the Salvation Army. It was my church. It was a place of employment in many times as well. And whilst that's not the expression of church that we're part of now, we've been in a Vineyard church for the last eight years really, it's still very much part of who I am.

And some of the earlier bits really still sit within my heart. The founder of the Salvation Army, a guy called William Booth, you may have heard of him, and I often look back to him to understand the ways of doing stuff. When I was running projects, for the Salvation Army, I would look back to his words and sometimes I would quote his words in the business plan for two reasons, one because I realised actually wound people up in the headquarters! They didn't like me quoting that but two because I felt there was an unfinished Mission that needed to be done. Now, all of this, all of the stuff that he wanted to do comes from this passage and more as well. His heart was for the last, the lost and the least, and he would undertake to fulfil, a lot of what God has spoken to the Israelites about here, feeding, housing, clothing. And whilst this was carried out through his faith in Jesus Christ, the desire to save these people from eternal damnation, he always met their practical needs first, famously saying you cannot preach to a guy on an empty stomach.

And this, I believe fits beautifully with some of the stuff happening here at Life Church, especially your soul food meals. Let's meet that practical need first, even if, especially if, it's done for my heart of Christian service. The journey to faith, to discipleship, to service, to whatever, that will come in time. Our role as Servants of Christ, is to meet the needs. And sow the seeds. And let him guide us in the rest.

On May the 9th 1912 William Booth gave his final public address to a packed crowd of 7000 people in the Royal Albert Hall in London. His final public words sum up the heart of his mission, his vision, his only 60-year Ministry, and echo wonderfully, this passage from Isaiah 58. He said, while women weep as they do now, I'll fight. While children go hungry as they do now. I'll fight. While men go to prison in and out in and out, as they do now, I'll fight. While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I will fight, I'll fight to the very end. His last public words before he was promoted to glory three months later, but his legacy lives on.

Now, you obviously are the apostolic church. You're not the Salvation Army, I get that, but this same call to serve the community exists, and it comes straight from scripture. So, if you'll indulge me, just one further Booth quote, this comes from his 1890 publication, that was called in darkest England, it's basically his social Manifesto, that scarily could have just been written with all the stuff that's happening in our world still today. He wrote, this is quite Victorian language but work with me on it. Alas, what multitudes there are around us everywhere who are in this very plight, their vicious habits and destitute circumstances, make it certain that without some kind of extraordinary help. They must hunger and sin, and sin and hunger, until having multiplied their kind and filled up their measure of their miseries the gaunt fingers of death will close upon them and terminate their wretchedness. Cheery stuff, isn't it? And all this will happen this very winter in the midst of the unparalleled wealth, and civilisation, and philanthropy of this professed most Christian land. (See what I'm saying about how it could have just been written.) Now I propose to go straight to these people and in doing social continue to aim at the heart. I still prophesy the utmost disappointment until that Citadel is reached. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery either in this world or the next is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ.

Our aim is to bring people into a loving saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, right? To experience the power of his guidance on their lives. But we can't lead with that, we need to use our faith to reach out to those who are struggling to help them have their needs met. To love them throughout their journey until such time, as they are ready to recognise Jesus as their lord. The ministry Christian Vision for Men developed a 12-point code for living and especially for guys who had, well, let's say a colourful past. One of those lines says, I will look away from the gutter but be prepared to pull people out of it. That's just saying the same thing. We're not going to get dragged back into the desperate and challenging ways of living, but we will help others who are there to step away from it all. This is absolutely fulfilling our passage today.

Now in my studies for this message as you do, I did a bit of a Google search for Isaiah 58. Of course, there were sermons and study things but I suddenly spotted this whole load of websites with Isaiah 58 in their title. Lots of organisations, here's just a couple because this is really helpful.

In the states, in St Louis, Missouri. Isaiah 58 Ministries. It's a Cooperative Ministry on the near side of St Louis. Since 1970, they have been dedicated to helping their neighbours in the city, through many varied services in all their work, they strive to show people that they are accepted for who they are and where they are in life and that they can work towards changing their current situation. And that Christian love, is best expressed through actions, not simply words.

Here in the UK in Shrewsbury. It's Shropshire - down south anyway - it's the Isaiah 58 project and this is actually members of 60 churches together from all parts of that area offering friendship, advice, food, clothing, bedding. Their aim is to show the love of Jesus to people and families in need in the town and surrounding areas in Practical and meaningful ways, living out the words of Isaiah 58.

And in Nottingham, the more trendily called 58i. Nice! Established by a group of Christians 20 years ago, committed to seeing the church touch the lives of the most marginalised in society. 58i has a number of core values which shape who they are and what they do. They are Christian, they are committed, they are justice seeking people, focused and striving for excellence, responding to needs.

All these projects have seen not only the need but seen according to the extent that they've used this Bible reference in their name. You see, we are not here in this world, even in Edinburgh for our own benefit. We're not here to look after ourselves. We as Christians have a calling to live out this Mission. We're not here to look good, sound good or feel good. We are here to do good.

But how do we do it? Your righteousness will pave your way. The god of Glory will secure your passage then when you pray God will answer. You'll call out for help and he'll say, here I am. That is how. Doing what God wants us to do in his strength. As Booth said the regeneration or remaking of the individual, by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. The prophet Zechariah says, it's not by might not by power, but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty.

Let's jump out of Isaiah 58 just for a second and just think about what this means for Life Church here.

Now, Jacob and I had a chat last week about this and the use of tithing. We're familiar with the word, tithing. And many people will put a different definition on what that means. And some will say, well, it says 10%, and some will say it's this and others will say that. And then there's those who try and kind of explain stuff away. Is that before or after tax? Do I pay my bills first and then like a percentage of what's left? Listen, these are human questions to try and explain everything away. Let's put it quite simply. You don't have anything. Because everything you have is God's in the first place. So all you're doing is rightfully giving back to God what was his anyway. We sung earlier, one of those songs, I'll praise when I'm empty, I'll praise even when it costs me. And Jesus in one of the many times where the Pharisees were trying to trip Jesus up and catch him out, they asked is it right to pay taxes to Caesar. What did he do? Did he say yes or no? Of course Jesus never says yes or no to anything. He told the story, give me a coin. So who's whose face is on that coin? It was Caesar's. So he said give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar but give to God, what belongs to God? You see it's not yours to give away, it's just his that he's loaned to you to help in your mission, your ministry, that he's called you to.

The desire of Life Church is to know the heart of God for ourselves and to express the heart of God in the city. Sits beautifully with this. Everything that we do as an outreach into the community is because we know the heart of God for ourselves. We read it in the liturgy earlier on. To spend everything on myself or to give out a duty is the way of the world. But you showed us a new way of giving that is joyful, generous and sacrificial.

So, what is the right way of doing things? Let's jump back in to Isaiah 58, verses 9 to 12. These are the verses I really wanted to focus on. "If you get rid of unfair practises, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins. If you are generous with the hungry, start giving yourself to the down and out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness. Your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring, that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew. Rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild, renovate, and make the community liveable again.

Can I get an amen people?! Excited. You see why I wanted to use this Message paraphrase. I know paraphrases are not always helpful, but this one really gives it that kick. There's a challenge here and an encouragement at the same time you can probably tell they quite excite me a bit. Forgive me for being quite excited about it but this is God telling us that we can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, and make the community liveable again.

And that's kind of at the heart of the building plan for this place as well. This building, whilst it's been the Apostolic church since 1930, it was built in 1813. There's been worship happening here since 1813. It's got quite a colourful history in church history. This has been a place where groups have formed because they've broken away from the status quo because they didn't like what was happening and new groups have formed. This was a place for a synod of one of those groups in the past - a gathering of all the leaders. So there's lots of history that comes from out of here, but it's an old building, it's needing a bit of a bit of TLC in it. It's needing to be renovated, to be rebuilt. And why? To make the community liveable again. It's not just about the building. It's about what the building enables us to do.

It's so often said from platforms like this about the importance of our seven day a week ministry. The church is not just about this time on a Sunday. It's about all we do in his name for this community in which we're called to serve. Doing what is right for God in our communities is just as much about serving drinks, helping with the kids ministry as it is about preaching. Worshipping here on a Sunday is just as much about sharing the food with the folks at soul food, as it is to playing the worship band. I could go on and that's not saying any of those is more important. They're all part of our service but we have to make sure it all fits together and that is a job for all of us.

Now, some of you may only be able to come on a Sunday, and that's perfectly fine. Protect the other activities through the week in prayer and maybe in your giving. Some people will only come to this building to something during the week. You won't know some of the faces, maybe that come during the week because they don't come here on a Sunday. But it's also their job to be aware of what else is happening, and the mission of the whole church and equally our job to support them from a far in prayer and other practical ways.

We have to remember, I'm so often saying this, and believing that when Jesus comes again, it might not be at 11 o'clock on a Sunday. There's much more time in the week. It's more likely and he'll turn up on a Monday evening. He'll turn up during the week. He may even turn up when there's actually nothing happening and the doors are locked and he'll go away somewhere else. There's a scary thought. This is all part of why we want to get not just this building, right, but the activity that can happen within and from it so that as my good friend, Reverend Richard Fraser formerly of Greyfriars Kirk says, we might just bump into Jesus when we're doing what we've been called to do. I love that. You go in somewhere to follow a calling and Jesus is already there saying Oh, great. You've caught up. Brilliant coming in, join the fun.

Our giving is everything that we do. Is about more than just money. Now yes the money helps and there's all the stuff on the screen there and this will be a focus through this time, but this is about how we give ourselves to service of Christ.

There's an old hymn from a lady called Francis Ridley Havergal, written in 1874. Just five years before her death. She was the daughter of a church Minister and about how these words came to her, she said I went for a little visit and there were 10 persons in the house. Some were converted and long prayed for. Some converted but not rejoicing Christians. I prayed Give me all in this house and he did. And before I left the house, everyone had got a blessing. The last night of my visit after I had retired the governors asked me to go to the two daughters, they were crying. Then and there both of them trusted and rejoiced. It was nearly midnight. I was too happy to sleep and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration. And these little couplets formed themselves and shined in my heart one after another till they were finished.

Now I enjoy a wide range of music. I loved our worship. Thank you, guys, real blessing, for giving yourselves in that worship this morning, beautiful to be part of, and some songs that really strike a great chord in me. So thank you God for bringing that all together. But I also love some of old hymns. I mean we sang a very old one way to the end. You might even realise Praise God from whom all blessings flow - the doxology - is a really old him.

Anyway, this from 1874. Have a listen to these words. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in endless praise. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love. Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee. Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee. Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold. Take my intellect and use every power as thou shalt choose. Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne. Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee.

Now, as we bring this into land, let me quantify it again. That this is not having a go, okay? In the main, there's lots of good stuff that is happening. But there's always room for more. There's always room for improvement. So if you're not familiar, find out with what's been happening during the week, find out some of the stories from some of the stuff that's been going on. Find out from the kids team some of the amazing stuff that'll be happening up there right now. And for those who are involved during the week, come and tell people about this stuff pass on what's happening here on a Sunday to those that we meet at other community activities as well.

And if you think you can't do it, remember these words from verse 12 from this passage from Isaiah, let this be our kind of driver into the week. That you'll be known as those who can fix anything. Restore old ruins. Rebuild and renovate. And make the community liveable again.

Lord, would you do that in our lives? Would you do that in our hearts? Lord, as we pray and fast this week, would this be our challenge? Lord for all of us? No matter how much we are involved, let us all look at it again. And so it may be that You may be challenged by something there this morning. Challenged to do something else. Challenged to maybe stop doing something. Change the way you're involved in something. Whatever it may be, if the Lord is speaking to you, then listen to him right now. If you want to come pray, the ministry, team will be over in the corner here. So if you want to pray this through with someone, then they would absolutely love to pray with you this morning and to help you as we go into this prayer and fasting week. But let's make the community liveable again.