Rsbc 4/9/00
Sunday Night
Isaiah
Subject “Forgetting The Lord”
Text- Isaiah 17-1-14
Intro- From what I could find out from reading a number of books concerning this chapter, it is dealing with Damascus the chief city of Syria and her allied nations of Jacob or Israel against Judah. The gleanings of the text refer to a remnant among the 10 tribes that had not allied itself with Damascus....vs 1-4
Their city shall be turned into a mere cattle grassing pasture...vs 5-6
The few will see their folly and turn back to the Lord...vs 7
They will not look to their own religious idolatry with the heathen that they had made...vs 8
The vast majority forsaken...vs 9
Then the Prophet gives the reason the Lord has done this...they have forsaken the God of their salvation, they have forsaken the rock of their strength....vs 10-11
I.... “THE MAGNITUDE OF FORGETTING THE LORD IS ENORMOUS TO SAY THE LEAST”.
So often we forget the Lord and think nothing of it in our day also. Believe when I say as David said the Lord is well aware when we forget him...
1ST.. “The sin of forgetting the lord is a startling sin”
The reason being because God has so designed everything around us to remind us of him, also to influence our mode of thinking.
Psalm 19:1‑2 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
2ND.. “The sin of forgetting the Lord is a fearful sin...
Moses told Pharaoh...Exodus 9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.
(KJV)
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It is obvious as we look around us that men do not fear the Lord, and what is said those who profess to know the Lord it clear also that they do not fear the Lord, it is sad. Most folk think they can sin and continue to sin against hte Lord, his church, his word and think that God will forget it that he somehow will overlook it...
Psalm 44:20‑21 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; 21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
(KJV)
3rd. It is an ungrateful sin to say the least...
A. This ungratefulness is seen in our forgetting what the Lord hath done for us...2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
B. This ungratefulness is seen in our lack of loyalty to Christ..Matthew 16:24‑26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
C. This ungratefulness is seen in once the blessing is received few give glory to the Lord.
Luke 17-12-19
4th. It is a punishable sin..
Galatians 6:7‑8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Many are so far from the Lord that it hardly ever enters their hearts that what is happening to them is the punishment of the Lord for their sins. If you claim to be a christian and you live in denial of your sins, and nothing happens to you look out you may lost.
II... “FROM THE PRACTICAL STANDPOINT WHAT CAN WE DO SO THAT WE WILL NOT ENTER INTO SUCH A STATE AS A CHRISTIAN AS A CHURCH...”
1st. We need to come clean with the Lord...
Listen to the Apostle John
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1 John 1:7‑9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2nd. We need to be more devoted to the Lord in prayer.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Praying is walking with God as Enoch did and was not for God took, and before he took him he had a testimony that he pleased God. To walk with God in prayer is to be in agreement with the Lord. This is what praying all about.
We will never pray as long as there is sin in our life, as long as we forget the Lord, as long as we don’t see that prayer is necessary to the Christian survival. Oh that God would give us a great burden to pray....The Lord Jesus being God and man felt the urgent need rising up early before day and prayed...why not us...
3rd. We nee to spend more time in the word of God...
A. It is the word that builds us up...Acts 20:31‑32 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
B. It is the word that our faith is sustained and increased. Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
C. It is the word of God that gives us understanding. This is what Jesus did to the Emmaus disciples he opened their minds and hearts to the word of God.
Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,