Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be preached good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Three really, really good verses. I have used these verses numerous times over the years. I really only preached on these verses I think once or twice over my years of ministry, but I use them a lot in counseling in different areas. Some of you sitting here might, I have shared these verses with you. And this morning I would like to use these verses to preach on this subject good tidings. There's a little bit of misunderstanding in these verses and can be as we read them.

And I want to clear that up today if I can and kind of explain to us what our purpose is in life. Let's pray. These are good tidings you've given us in these verses.

They truly are good tidings. Lord, I pray that we would rightfully divide your word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Let me mention if I can these first two phrases. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me. This is the word Jehovah God.

You see capital G-O-D. This is Jehovah. In the next phrase, because the Lord, this is literally Yahweh.

This is a different set of conditions and circumstances. And basically God is sovereign in the first phrase and the Lord is our master in the second phrase. He's the one basically who commissions us. He's the one who gives us a purpose, who tells us what to do. And if you'll notice this in the first phrase, the spirit of the Lord God is upon me. In the Old Testament, before Jesus came to earth, the spirit came on believers. Y'all understand that?

Everybody understands what's the difference? Well, obviously people in the Old Testament that were saved, what we would call saved today, they believed in the Messiah that was to come. And oftentimes the spirit of God would move upon individuals to do certain things to accomplish His will and His purpose for their life. In the New Testament, after Christ was born, lived, died on the cross for our sins, rose again from the grave as He ascended into glory and promised that He would not leave us comfortless and said that it was expedient or better for us for Him to leave the Holy Spirit as a proof, a down payment, as the earnest of the fact that He's coming back again one day to get us. Now, believers, the Holy Spirit doesn't move on us. He moves in us.

Isn't that great? We don't have to kind of stand around and see if God's going to move on us to do a certain task. He's already in us and He gives us power every day.

Every day to do His task. So we understand all that. That word anointed means blessed of God or in other words it means this is of God. This is what He wants. He says I have been anointed, Isaiah, I've been anointed to preach these things, these good tidings. Now let's look at what these are and then I'll explain to you in a minute what our purpose of this morning is. Notice what He says, these good tidings. He says first I'm here to encourage the discouraged. He said I am here to preach good tidings unto the meek. That word meek is interesting. It means depressed.

It means low. He said this I'm here to give good news to those who are discouraged. And if you're here and discouraged this morning I've got good news for you. The Lord loves you. He died for you. And you say well preacher I'm saved and I'm discouraged. Well I'm going to tell you something, His grace is sufficient. I was texting a family and if you don't mind I want you to pray, an anonymous family, they've asked to stay anonymous but they've gone through a very, very difficult, horrible thing these last two days.

Their oldest son was shot and killed. And they have just asked that we pray for them anonymously and it's just been very, very difficult for them to deal with. And I texted back and I said I have no idea what you're going through but I do know this, God knows and His grace is sufficient because the Bible says it is. Isaiah says I'm here to encourage the discouraged. Notice secondly he says he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted. That word bind means to wrap firmly. It means to heal. It means this that sometimes in life and circumstances and things we can be broken individuals and things can break our heart and break our spirit and break our motivation and break our determination but we are here to be reminded this morning as Isaiah gave these good tidings that God can bind up that which has been broken.

You might be here this morning and you've had a broken relationship or you've had a broken marriage or you've had broken family members or whatever the case might be. God can bind up, firmly wrap that and fix that. Notice the third thing he says I'm here to liberate the captive. He said I am here to proclaim liberty to the captives. What are we talking about here, captives?

Well the Jews had been in captivity for a number of years. We're talking about people outside of circumstances that are literally being held captive and he said I am here to proclaim liberty. By the way that's salvation right there. Do you know that you and I are held captive by our flesh? We are literally captives to sin but when you and I put our faith and trust in Christ he frees us from the captivity of sin. He's here to liberate the captive.

Notice the fourth thing he says. He says and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Now this he said what's the difference in giving liberty to the captive and what's the difference in opening up the door of the prison to them that are bound? Well those that are captive that was outside of their control. Now I know there's exceptions to everything and there are people sitting in prison right now that probably didn't do the thing but can I tell you for the most part what he's talking about here are those who have been in prison are those that are in there because of themselves.

Can I tell you something encouraging as a Christian and not just when uncontrollable things happen in our life. Does God give us liberty from that but I'm going to tell you something when we are dealing with things that we've caused. God pardons the prisoner. Anybody else want to not be self-righteous this morning and say boy God's pardoned me from a whole bunch. He pardons the prisoner.

You know we could spend a month preaching that series. Pardoning the prisoner. May I say sometimes when God pardons the prisoner they're still in prison. May I say that you know often times that there are things we do in our life that it makes some changes and it causes some things that we have to suffer sometimes those consequences but isn't it nice to know that God pardons us. May I say this that if you'll notice this that he says I am here in verse two to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. He says this fifthly I'm here to remind of his return.

I am here to remind you that although you're down right now we're talking about obviously the Jewish people here and they've been held captive and they're mourning in Zion and there's nothing really going right for them. He says I'm here to proclaim and give you good tidings that God is coming back and the day of vengeance is coming and that means this you say well this is Old Testament preacher that was a long time ago. You know what he's saying is this God will make right the wrongs that have been done to you. And dear friend may I tell you God will make right the wrongs that have been done to you.

You say well I've been waiting forever for it. Let me tell you something it might not be made right till you leave this earth. But I will tell you this vengeance is mine I will repay sayeth the Lord God's word says. You just mark it down you've been done wrong God will get vengeance for that. You might never see it you might never know it but I promise you somehow someway God is not a debtor to anybody and there's anything you did for the Lord and somebody did you wrong in the process of it I am here to tell you God will get his vengeance. You say how do you know that because I know there's things that have happened in my life and the Holy Spirit made it clear as day this happened because you did such and such to somebody.

It's happened to me. I've been like all of a sudden God shows me where you're wrong. Boy Lord I was wrong about that. You worry about it God's got this all under control. I'm here to remind you and by the way I'm here in our present day to remind you Jesus is coming again. And that is a day of the vengeance of God. What's amazing I have preached this before that you can you know we can take you in the New Testament we can give you the story of Christ and his birth and all these things in Luke chapter two we can go in and meek and mild little baby Jesus and his love and compassion but can I tell you something when he comes back this is vengeance. When he comes back everybody that's rejected and ridiculed and all those things let me tell you something it's not meek and mild baby Jesus coming back at that point. It's king of kings and lord of lords and he will do justice.

He is coming back. He says is that good tidings it is to us that are saved. Notice what else he says in verse two he says I'm here to comfort the comfortless.

All that mourn. He said I am here to give good tidings that will comfort you and I know you're down and I know that you're discouraged and I know that there's some bad things that have happened in your life but I am here to comfort you through this and I am here to remind you that there's another side to these things. This word comfort doesn't mean that I'm not necessarily going to change any of these things or could change any of these things that have happened but I'm going to give you comfort as you go through it.

Mom took her last breath. Wasn't anything anybody could do to change that. Let me tell you what God sure did. He sure gave comfort. Notice if you would verse three. He said I'm here. Part of these good tidings is to provide a purpose. Notice in that first phrase.

This is where we're getting to the meat of the thing and we'll be done before too long this morning. He said I'm here notice in verse one to preach verse two to proclaim and notice verse three to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion. What is that word appoint? He says I am here to appoint them. Now everything else is hey I'm here to give you the good news that God can do all these things. He can encourage the discouraged and He can bind up the broken and He can liberate the captive and He can pardon the prisoner and He's coming again. He's going to make wrongs right and all these things and He can comfort those that have gone through difficult things and all these things but I am also here to appoint. That word appoint means to commit a mission. It means to recruit.

It means I'm here to tell you that although you might be down I'm here to tell you there is something for you to do. You have a purpose. See preacher why is this important? Notice if you would verse one. He said the Lord hath anointed me to bind the broken hearted.

He didn't say that. He said the Lord hath appointed me to preach good tidings unto the low the discouraged. Notice in verse two He said I am here to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

May I point out something to you? Notice if you would in verse one He says this to proclaim liberty to the captives. Isaiah did not say God told me to set them free. God told me to proclaim liberty to the captives. God never told Isaiah notice this at the end to open the prison door. God told Isaiah to come and let them know that God could open the prison door.

Now you look at me this is where we get all twisted up. For some reason in verses one, two and three we think it is our job, our responsibility, our task based on our ability to encourage the discouraged. We think it's our task to bind up the broken hearted. We think it's our responsibility to liberate the captive.

We think it's our responsibility to comfort the comfortless. Look at me folks I want you to get this. If you expect people to do that in your life you're gonna be disappointed. And if for some reason you think you can do that for people you're gonna let them down. And you're gonna be discouraged the rest of your life. Now look at me I know you don't know this is important yet this morning but you better listen to me please. For some reason we've gotten twisted up in this whole thing that we think we're the ones that's supposed to encourage people and we're supposed to fix broken people and we're supposed to comfort all them.

Look at me folks we are not designed to be able to do it. What we are to do is to come and preach that to people, proclaim that to people, let them know I can't do all this but I can tell you and show you the one that can. Can I tell you the only way you're gonna comfort somebody is not to go to them and tell them all what you went through when you went through it.

Look at me I want you to get this please. The way you comfort somebody is to let them know what God can do. Say you know what there's nothing I can do to change it but I know God can give you grace through it. And I know God can comfort you and I know you feel broken right now and I can fix it and if I did it would break again. But I'm here to tell you that I know God can fix it and God can lift you up and God can encourage you. Look at me quit depending on people to do it. I know I'm in North Carolina but don't depend on your pastor to do it either.

Do you hear me? If you're waiting around for the pastor to do all these things for you, you're gonna be mad every church you go to. You're never gonna find the right church. You're never gonna find a good pastor.

Nobody's ever gonna be good enough. If he didn't show up at this, do this, say this, make me feel better, encourage me. He didn't notice when I wasn't there.

Don't depend on people to do it. Don't think the guy down the pew will. I tell you I thought we were friends and he didn't call me when I went through such and such. I've told you this before. Do you know if I wanted to catch a list of how many people never came in four months when I was in the hospital with Kaden when he was born? When am I gonna take a list of all the membership of Kerwin Baptist Church while I sat there for four months to see who came or who called me, who didn't call me, who sent a card, who didn't send a card? Can I tell you something? I knew you were praying for me. That's all I want.

But we've gotten twisted in this system where we think that what we need in our life, somebody needs to do this for me. And dear friend, look at me. Once you get to Isaiah, say hey, I am here to proclaim it.

I love this. He says I'm here to proclaim liberty to the captive. I'm not here to provide it. I'm here to proclaim it. Anybody want to say amen this morning?

You don't have to wait on so and so to do it. God does it for you. Oh dear friend, listen to me.

Isaiah says hey, I am here to proclaim. I'm just here to let you know you're down right now. I might not even be able to change all your circumstances. I might not be able to say exactly those words that's gonna make you feel better.

But I will tell you this. I'm here to let you know God can encourage the discouraged. And God can bind up the broken. And God can comfort the comfortless. God can give liberty to the captive. God can show the prison door opening to the prisoner. God can do all that.

And dear friends, I want you to know something. God can. He can.

He can do it. I'm gonna be honest with you. I think nowadays we have taken too much on us. And we're trying to help people. And I think, listen to me, this church ought to be helping people in this community. But the way we help them is to introduce them to Christ. Not to ourselves. The way we help them isn't to come up with ways we think it would help them. It's to introduce them to the one that gives all help. And has all grace.

And has all sufficiency. And I'm gonna tell you a little bit. You're looking at me like you don't know if you agree with me or not. But I am telling you.

We live in a day. Everybody's always offended. Because so and so didn't bind me when I was broken. So and so didn't comfort me when I was down in mourning.

And guess what? It's not so and so's job. It's our job to tell you about the one who can. That doesn't mean we're not supposed to call and care and do and help and comfort and go up to prayer.

Man, I'm praying for you. I got verses galore and all those things. We are to do all those things. But for some reason we think that we're going to, people are gonna love us and appreciate us because we help them in their time of need. And dear friend, I'm here to say what we are supposed to do as saved individuals is get Christ to people. And we ought to teach people, hey, you might be saved and been in church 40 years. And I'm here to say sometimes people are gonna let you down. You always know when you need help.

But the closer you get to God, the more sufficient he becomes. That's what I can do. But in the meantime, let me tell you what we need to do. We need to get beyond all that and I'm here to appoint you. I'm here to commission you.

I am here to recruit you. You say what? Notice, look at verse three. He says I am here to appoint unto them that mourn. Now he just told all the verses that, hey, God can comfort the ones that are mourning and God can help the ones that are mourning. But now he is talking to the people that are mourning. He says you need to do something. You say, well, that's not very nice. He says to give unto them.

He said I am here to appoint you. I'm here to get you involved. Why? Because when you have a purpose as an individual that is greater than you, it does something to your life. Now notice, look, please, I'm almost done, believe it or not.

I want you to get this. Look if you would at this verse three. He says I'm here to provide a purpose.

I'm here to appoint you, recruit you. Notice number one, purpose rebuilds. Look at verse three. To give unto them what? Beauty for ashes.

Something that's been destroyed, something that's been burnt down and that's exactly, he says, how your life feels right now. I'm here and I'm here to proclaim that to you. But I am telling you, you need to be appointed.

You need to get involved. You have a purpose and when you find your purpose as a Christian, now you get beauty for those ashes. Now God takes what was burnt and worthless and he makes something out of it.

Can I tell you something? The long we just stay mourning in Zion, God can't rebuild our lives. But the moment we become part of it. The moment we come out of it and realize, hey, this is my purpose to serve God. God says I will rebuild.

I will give beauty for ashes. Look at verse four of this chapter. And they shall build the old wastes. And for confusion, I mean notice this, and they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the waste cities. The desolations of many generations.

He says it's taken generations to break all this down and ruin it and burn it and wreck it. But if you will be appointed, if you'll get involved, if you'll serve God, God can rebuild all that. Notice number two, purpose rejoices. Look at verse three. He said to appoint unto them, to give them beauty for ashes, notice this, the oil of joy for mourning. That means instead of mourning, there's now joy in their lives. For ashes and now it has beauty. Purpose takes something that was mourning and it brings joy into the life. Notice if you would, verse seven. For your shame ye shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Their portion, look at me, the thing that had them down before, now they rejoice about. Why?

Because they're doing something, they have a purpose. Isaiah said, listen, I know you're mourning in Zion but you gotta get out here and you gotta start, you gotta start doing something. You gotta get involved in this.

Don't sit back and wait for everybody to do this. God does that for you. You get out and you do something and all of a sudden people that were discouraged and down now they have joy. Can I tell you something? The happiest Christians I've ever met are people that served others.

People that are involved doing something for God. Do you know the most miserable Christians I've ever met are the people that sit back and think everybody ought to do it for them? Complain about everything. I mean moan about everything. Nothing's right, nothing's this, nothing's that. It's always too cold in here. You gotta try it up here sometime.

Every time I got sweat drenched clothes, things dripping and afterwards like could you do something about the air, it's just too cold in here. No I just don't wanna do that. I'm picking, I'm picking.

You know some people it's all about am I comfortable, do I like this, do I like that, do I have this, is so and so, have they spoken to me, have they done this, have they done that? And Isaiah said let me tell you something, you want joy in your life? Get involved. I'm here to recruit you. All of a sudden now where that used to be mourning, now you have the oil of joy. Notice thirdly purpose revives. The church that'll revive a church is when everybody gets involved.

That's revival. Notice what he says in verse three. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He said an individual that just had that spirit of heaviness inside just always, everything's just heavy on him.

We talked about heaviness remember just a week or so ago. He said all of a sudden when you get appointed, when you have a purpose, that heaviness turns to praise. That's why you have individuals that can go through some amazing things and you just think I don't know how in the world I could last through that and when you talk to them in sincerity they're like oh let me tell you something, God's been good. God's been really good. You think well that really makes sense.

Can I tell you something? Listen, when you and I are involved in our purpose in life to serve God, it revives us. It takes heaviness and it makes praise out of it. I don't know this is going over very good this morning but I am doing exactly what God told me to do.

May I say fourthly, and I don't mean that I have to have people hanging, I just mean something that can just look at you like okay number four, purpose restores. Look at verse three. He said literally the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called the trees of righteousness. The planting of the Lord. In other words I'm gonna take these trees that were dead and rotting, no leaves, no life, and God says I'm gonna restore it and I'm gonna make you guys that over here mourning in Zion, dying a death over here, waiting around for the worst to happen.

And a lot of people are like that. They kind of wait around what's gonna happen next. Let's see what else God's gonna do to me. He says I'm gonna take those old dead rotten trees and I'm gonna make them trees of righteousness. They're going to be the planting of the Lord. You see old dead rotten trees that's what man plants. But the trees of righteousness that's what God plants. God says I'm gonna restore, I'm gonna take something that's almost dead and I'm gonna bring it back to life. And everybody that walks by that tree's gonna say only God could do that. You know we got some trees sitting right here in this building.

They used to be old dead rotten trees. And all of a sudden God got ahold of their life and all of a sudden people go by and are like boy I can't believe the change in them. Only God could do that. Some of you, you are the planting of the Lord.

God has placed you just as a sign just to show what only God can do. May I say last that purpose reflects. I love this in verse three. That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. That he might be glorified. I want you to get this.

Look at me. When we go through our things in life and we all do, we all have them. Isaiah was there to remind them and I'm here to remind you today. That I can't always encourage you when you're discouraged but God can. And I can't always bind you up when you're broken because sometimes I might not even know you're broken.

But God can. And I can't always give liberty when something has ahold of your life and you've been held captive by something, maybe circumstances out of your control. I can't always free you from that.

And I can't even, maybe there's some things in your life that you've done and you can't get over the guilt of that and all those things. There might not be anything I can do to change that but I can tell you God sure can. And you might be at a situation in your life that everything I could say might not bring you all the comfort in the world but God can. But you and I as we go through those things in life, Isaiah is saying God can help you through all these things.

But you can't live your entire life sitting in those things. I'm also here to let you know that all this difficult thing you're going through, God can help you through it. But at some point you need to get up, get out and start serving God. In Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. You