List of Words from the Pastor

In the last third of the Book of Isaiah, we read that the children of God should not fear the destruction that results from life’s trials as God will be their deliverer. God’s people should not live in the past; rather, they should look for their present life in God. God declared “You are My witnesses…and My servant whom I have chosen.” (43:10) The Lord holds His people (us) accountable as His servants and responsible as His witness to the nations. In a courtroom scene, the nations can offer no truthful witness to their false gods; yet God’s people, who were chosen to know Him, believe in Him, and understand who He is, cannot deny the truth about Him. Besides Jesus, “there is no savior” (43:11).Therefore it is required of us to “explain” with intelligent faith the uniqueness of our saving Lord, proclaiming that He alone is God, who offers salvation to all who believe and receive Him.

This is the same call Jesus has issued to us in Acts 1:8, that we are His witnesses in our neighborhood, in our community, in our country, and everywhere else in the world. And He has not left us to our own resources, but the Lord has poured His Spirit upon all who will receive, in the same way He promised His people during Isaiah’s prophetic ministry (44:3).

As we wait out the last days, let us walk the pathways of Pentecost, laying hold of and using the mighty resources He has provided
 

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rudy 

The prophet Isaiah entered his ministry at about the time of the founding of Rome and
the first Olympic games of the Greeks and also the most turbulent times in Israel which
was divided under different kings. Isaiah is the most quoted prophet and his book
contains two of the most famous prophecies: the virgin birth and the crucifixion of Jesus.

Isaiah’s purposes in his writings were:

To declare God’s ....

• displeasure with and judgment upon sin in Judah, Israel, and the surrounding nations.

• To try to turn God’s people away from disobedience in order to avoid disaster.

• To lay a foundation of hope and promise of restoration and redemption through
the entry of a Messiah for the faithful remnant of God’s people.

It talks of salvation for all the nations, and of the victory of God’s purposes. Like the
book of Psalms, the book of Isaiah speaks more powerfully and appropriately to today’s
church. Isaiah has been called both the “messianic prophet” and the “evangelical
prophet.” He wrote about both the First and Second Advents of Christ.

His very name means “Salvation” - a salvation not only for those of his day, but also for peoples of all time. He focused on holiness; he called the people to stop social injustice, their quest for carnal indulgence, and their trust in the arm of flesh. He also warned of the results of judgment if sin continued.


It is a message we must hear and respond to.

Yours Always in the Lord,

Pastor Rudy

 

The message of the prophet Isaiah is about the Hope of humanity:

1. Hope for a Righteous King
The opening verses describe the political environment of his ministry, where three kings out of four were evil and wicked. Isaiah’s proclamation of a faithful, just, and righteous king-to-come lifted believing hearts, especially in the midst of the sixteen-year reign of Ahaz.

2. Hope for an Atoning Savior
Redemption and recovery are God’s answer to human brokenness and loss. Whoever a kingdom messenger faces today, one thing will be certain: honest souls need, and most long for, the confidence of an adequate savior.

3. Hope for a Universal Deliverer
Isaiah sees God’s day of deliverance for all mankind. He sees a multi-ethnic unity in worship, as peoples “flow together” to seek the Lord (2:1–4). Over 750 years before Christ, he prophesied the breaking of the barricade between Jew and Gentile (9:1–2), declaring God’s intent to bring together “one body” (Eph. 2:14–18).

We discover today, on Resurrection Sunday 2012, the resounding fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Righteous King, our Atoning Savior, and our Universal Deliverer. We can truly confidently rest in the assurance of His finished work at the cross to bring joy and satisfaction to each one of us.

Let us however continue to reach out to our extended families, friends and those who have not given their life to Jesus by bringing this blessed Hope that we have to them. Happy Easter!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rudy