I Am So Glad I Am Saved
Text: Isaiah 12
Title: A Song of Thanksgiving
Theme: Jewish Joy in the Millenium.
Proposition:
Rhetorical:
Introduction:
Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Romans 11:
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
The joy of Israel is the same as the joy of a new believer. I AM SO GLAD THAT I AM SAVED!
Why is salvation such an incredible blessing to those who receive it?
I'm so glad that I am saved because....
I. I am restored.
1 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee:
A. My sin had angered God.
though thou wast angry with me,
exp. God does get angry at sin and sinners.
Proverbs 6
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
exp. God has perfect anger against man's sin and the sinner.
note: If you can't understand that, let me put illustrate it this way....
ill. Someone who has been through a divorce - hates that divorce.
1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
exp: Why are they angered by divorce and the person whom they feel is guilty from bringing it about?
- Because it hurt those whom they love.
- Because that wicked decision broke apart their family
- and separated them from one another.
question: Why would not God be angry with us for causing separation between us and Him.
- What separated mankind from God? my sin and yours Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all
- What put Jesus Christ to death? my sin and yours Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
- What separated Jesus Christ from God? my sin and yours Mar 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
app. God is angry at us BECAUSE OF WHAT OUR SIN HAS DONE.
B. His anger is turned away.
thine anger is turned away,
ill. I don't like disappointing my father - tipping in a canoe and losing dad's fishing pole. He had told me to wear my lifejacket but I had disobeyed. I had to tell him about my disobedience and I knew that he wouldn't be happy. But, my father quickly set aside his anger and gave me His love.
exp. God is like that. His anger is "but for a moment." Psa 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
app. God doesn't need to be told - like my father - about our disobedience. He knows all about it. His anger is turned away when we confess our sin to Him. Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
C. He is my Comforter.
and thou comfortedst me.
exp. Sin is sorrowful and fearful. It is an overwhelming burden - until God takes it away.
ill. Eddy's testimony. How heavy was his heart until he told God he would do whatever he wanted Him to do if he would just take the burden of His sin away. (AND GOD DID.)
note: God doesn't just forgive. God comforts those who are forgiven.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
hymn: "O spread the tidings round whereever man is found, wherever human hearts and human woes abound, Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come!
app. Is God angry with you today? He's willing to turn his anger away and he longs to take you in His arms. I AM SO GLAD THAT I AM SAVED - BECAUSE I AM RESTORED.
II. I am secured.
exp. Feeling like you are going to fall is not a fun feeling.
ill. Climbing a 100 foot vertical cliff face - looking over at a few thousand foot drop into the valley below. I was glad to get my feet securely back down on the ground.
exp. Salvation for a believer is secure - THERE IS NO FEAR OF PERISHING.
A. Anchored in the deity of Jesus.
2 Behold, God is my salvation;
exp. Saving faith is anchored in the fact that JESUS CHRIST IS GOD. "GOD IS MY SALVATION."
ill. Christmas is soon approaching - we are going to rejoice in the birth of OUR SAVIOUR.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
ill. Having a Muslim say to me, "We don't pray at the Western wall because we don't pray to prophets."
app. I don't pray to a prophet - I pray to thee Prophet - God incarnate - Jesus Christ. Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
app. You won't have secure faith - until you believe Jesus Christ is God.
B. A fearless faith.
I will trust, and not be afraid:
exp. I was scared climging that cliff face - but the youth pastor that I was with told me to relax and to trust in the equipment that we had - and we did have good safe equipment.
ill. Have you ever noticed that people don't want to talk about what they are trusting in for eternity - because when they examine it - IT RIGHTLY SCARES THEM.
- baptism
- church membership
- goodness - haven't done anything that bad, treat others as I want to be treated, haven't murdered anybody....
exp. But if you examine their "ropes" with the tool of God's Word - you find that there is good reason for them to be afraid.
app. We trust and are unafraid - because GOD IS OUR SECURITY!
C. The great I AM is mine.
for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
notice: Those words of possession. My strength...my song...my salvation.
ill. Jew in Edinburgh - made a lot of statements about God - but confessed that He did not "know" God. He didn't possess him.
hymn: Loved with Everlasting Love
1
Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so.
Oh, this full and perfect peace!
Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
2
Heaven above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen:
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
3
Things that once were wild alarms
Cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
Pillowed on the loving breast.
Oh, to lie forever here,
Doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear,
I am His, and He is mine.
4
His forever, only His:
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
app. Do you KNOW TODAY BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT HE POSSESSES YOU AND YOU POSSESS HIM.
Transition: I am so glad that I am saved because I am secure....I am restored.
III. I am satisfied.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
exp. Thirst is a wonderful picture of the satisfaction in Jesus.
ill. Jesus himself made use of that picture.
Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Joh 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
ill. We all know what it is like to be thirst. - Working in July - in WI - 95 degrees F (35 C) with high humidity - getting home - cleaning the equipment and getting a big drink out of the garden hose.
exp. Immediately after drinking - my thirst was satisfied.... for a little while. Jesus satisfies - FOR ETERNITY.
App. If you were honest - are you satisfied? Work, hobbies, people, things won't satisfy. But, GOD'S SALVATION BY FAITH IN JESUS DOES SATISFY.
transition: I'm so glad that I am saved - restored, secured, satisfied....
IV. I am persuaded.
4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
exp. In our text here the Jewish people are satisfied, secured and restored. THEY WERE PERSUADED THAT THEY HAD THE REAL DEAL AND they couldn't wait to tell others of what GOD HAD DONE IN THEIR LIVES.
ill. I asked my wife to marry me when we were all alone (I had to work at it but it worked.) Do you know that even though we were all alone the whole world knew about it within a few hours? We had such good and wonderful news that it couldn't be kept inside of us.
note: When someone is genuinely saved there is an urgent desire in their heart to tell others.
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
exp. If you are ashamed - it may be that you have not truly been converted.
Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
app. When is the last time you shared the Gospel because you were so thankful and confident (persuaded) about what God had done for you?
transition: I'm so glad that I am saved - persuaded, satisfied, secured, restored and....
V. I am illumined.
5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
exp. The Millinium will be awesome because Satan will be bound for 1,000 years in the pit of hell. The deciever will be out of the way and mankind will have more spiritual light on this earth than they have ever had since the fall.
note: When someone get's saved - their soul goes from complete darkness to complete light.
Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
ill. When I was a child I remember touring a cave and having the tour guide turn out the lights - complete darkness. I was very thankful when the light came back on.
app. Are you walking in the light today? Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Conclusion:
Jesus is coming back and He is going to reign for 1,000 years on the throne of David. The saved Jews are going to be praising God for His salvation - exactly as we should do today.
I'm so glad that I am saved....
1.) Restored - God was angry - now he is comforting me.
2.) Secured - I had no spiritual anchor - but now I do in Christ.
3.) Satisfied - I had constant thirst - now I never thirst.
4.) Persuaded - I want to tell others what is mine in Christ.
5.) Illuminied - I no longer walk in darkness but have the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
