While He May Be Found

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”

Isaiah 55:6

Introduction:

  1. The God of heaven created you for His own pleasure. Your existence is not your own, now or ever.
  2. He alone knows what you need to be happy in life, and if you listen to the devil’s lies, you will lose.
  3. Walking with God is the only way of happiness and success in life … Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc.
  4. Though He offers a blessed and happy life to those who will hear, He will not offer it forever.

The Context

  1. The gospel of Jesus Christ offers free wine and milk to thirsty and hungry souls (55:1).
    1. “Ho” is an exclamation to attract attention. Does the Holy Spirit have your attention?
    2. Are you thirsty in your soul? Do you feel bored, confused, discontented, dried up, empty, frustrated, lonely, missing out, perplexed, sad, unfulfilled, and wasted?
    3. The God of heaven offers sweet refreshment and nourishment for you at no cost at all.
    4. The waters here are to be understood spiritually of the Spirit of God (John 7:37-39).
    5. If you cannot appreciate this water, it is called the oil of gladness elsewhere (Heb 1:9).
    6. Wine and milk are the nutritious and luxurious pleasures of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  2. Why would anyone ignore satisfying delights for frustrating fare that does not satisfy (55:2)?
    1. You put great expense and effort into finding happiness in foolish delusions of this world, but those things have already been proven by Solomon to be vanity and vexation of spirit.
    2. The most stupid choice you can make tonight is to go home looking for joy in this world.
    3. If you will hear God calling, there is goodness and a delightful life of fatness available.
    4. But this listening cannot be casual, lazy, or partial – it must be very diligent (Luke 8:18).
  3. If you hear God’s offer, believe Him, and seek Him; He will show you His covenant (55:3).
    1. The satisfying life of walking with God depends on hearing and believing the gospel.
    2. Our Lord Jesus, the true shepherd of the sheep, came to bring abundant life (John 10:10).
    3. The everlasting covenant and sure mercies of David are Jesus Christ – the seed of David.
    4. God does not make this covenant because of faith, but reveals it to faith (Rom 1:15-16).
  4. The person of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift and consolation a man could ever want (55:4).
    1. Jesus is the Faithful and True Witness of God and glory of His people (Rev 3:14; 19:11).
    2. Do you love authority, glory, leaders, and power? He is King of kings and Lord of lords!
    3. This glorious Son that God gave to the Gentiles has a name called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6)!
    4. Some Greeks had the right attitude about Jesus Christ at a feast in Israel (John 12:20-21).
    5. And Mary chose the right thing to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear Him (Luke 10:38-42).
  5. The Lord Christ would call Gentiles among the nations to Himself by God’s blessing (55:5).
    1. Here is the seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, with blessings for all nations (Gen 22:17-18).
    2. He is no longer in a manger or hanging on a cross; He is sitting at the right hand of God.
    3. Jesus Christ is the glorious gift of God to the Gentiles (Rom 15:8-13,18-21; 16:25-27).
    4. God highly exalted Jesus for the church (Eph 1:19-23; Phil 2:9-11; Heb 1:5-9; 2:9-13).
  6. The blessed God of heaven is very merciful to abundantly pardon repenting rebels (55:7).
    1. Will you hear the free offer of gospel blessings and turn against your foolish thoughts?
    2. Will you forsake the way you have been living and the thoughts you have thinking?
    3. It is a common experience of God’s saints to leave and return to God. Return tonight!
    4. It is a true fact that our God the LORD will have mercy and will abundantly pardon.

The Text

  1. “Seek ye the LORD” is the command and offer of your glorious Prince. What will you do?
    1. It is to believe on Him, draw near to Him, walk with Him, delight in Him, and obey Him.
    2. This is done by reading and memorizing the Bible, meditating on Him, pursuing a closer walk with God, praying for heart revival, and delighting in Him and the things He loves.
    3. You are told to seek God’s face for a personal walk (Ps 27:8; Amos 5:6; Matt 11:28-30).
    4. Have you sought God in your heart by confession, humility, and love (II Chron 19:3)?
    5. He will be found of those who sincerely seek Him (Is 45:19; Jer 29:13; I Chron 28:9-10).
  2. “While he may be found” describes time limits for God’s gracious offer. Will you risk today?
    1. God offered Canaan’s rest; then He withdrew the offer and swore in wrath (Heb 3:7-19).
    2. God will judge those who waste offers of forgiveness like tonight (Pr 29:1; Rev 2:21-23).
    3. Consider the horrible words of Lady Wisdom to those she offered wisdom (Pr 1:20-33).
    4. God can leave you like Hezekiah and David, so take His offer (II Chron 32:31; Ps 51:11).
    5. If God gives you what you want without Him, you will be very miserable (Ps 106:13-15).
    6. If you have any faith in God’s great mercy to forgive you, there is still time (Ps 32:5-6).
  3. “Call ye upon him” is the command and offer of your glorious Prince. What will you do?
    1. Forget your past, reject your present, and beg for your future with confession and love.
    2. Stop wasting prayer time asking for things: confess your sins and beg for His presence.
    3. Call upon the Lord for salvation now and later (Gen 4:26; Deut 4:7; Ps 18:3; 50:15; 55:16; 80:18; 86:5,7; 91:15; 99:6; 116:2,13,17; Isaiah 12:4; Zeph 3:9; Rom 10:12-13).
  4. “While he is near” describes time limits for God’s gracious offer. Will you risk today?
    1. If God draws afar off, you will lose His wonderful presence and His blessings (Ps 10:1).
    2. The LORD is near all them that call upon Him in truth, so do so tonight (Psalm 145:18).
    3. It is possible to receive the grace of God in vain and lose your opportunity (II Cor 6:1-2).
    4. Do not be like Esau, who could not restore the blessing with many tears (Heb 12:14-17).

Conclusion:

  1. There is only one worthwhile conclusion – drop to your knees and seek the Lord your God with confession, humility, passion, repentance, and zeal.
  2. If you go away tonight without any heart repentance or soul contrition, your future is very bleak.