Isaiah 54

1 “Sing, O barren woman,you who never bore a child;

burst into song, shout for joy,you who were never in labour;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

than of her who has a husband,”says the LORD.

Isaiah 54

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.

Isaiah 54

3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

your descendants will dispossess nationsand settle in their desolate cities.

4 “Do not be afraid...”

Isaiah 54:2 – key text

Do Enlarge the place of your tent,Do stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;(do not be afraid)

Do lengthen your cords,Do strengthen your stakes.

Ooops!

• How do we see people / situations?• Do we have a world view?• Do we have a heavenly view?• Or perhaps it’s better expressed ‘which

kingdom view’ do we have?• Prophets = “seers” (1:1 & 2:1)• A different (God given) perspective

The Context

• Isaiah: contains many prophetic ‘threads’• The book of the King (1-37)• The book of the Servant (38-55)– 4 servant ‘songs’ (42: 1-4; 49: 1-6; 50: 4-9; 52:13 –

52:12)– Here is our verse (linking to...)

• The book of the Anointed Conqueror (56-66)

The Context

• Undoubtedly the suffering servant points to Jesus – a suffering saviour.

• He is the true Israel who would succeed where the nation failed.

• As a result of the “suffering Savior’s” actions there is redemption and blessing.

The Context

Isa 54:1-8 inc v2• This passage is Messianic also.• It does not discuss Israel’s return from

captivity.• The apostle Paul quotes from it to argue the

supremacy of the gospel Gal 4:27

The Context

“The picture is that of the normative state of the community of the redeemed, the people of God, the church. They have been brought

into being by supernatural birth (v1) designed for growth (2&3), and are secure in

the loving care of their Lord (4&5).”

Alec Motyer

Verse 2 - Let’s go camping!!

Verse 2 - Let’s go camping!!

Long Memories of Promise & Blessing

• Tent rather than house or palace.• An immediate reminder of Abraham and

Sarah who travelled and trusted...• A reminder of the Tabernacle; God travelling

amongst His people; deliverance from Egypt.• A reminder of God keeping His promises to

enlarge nation and territory.

Expand & expect growth: tone is almost a command

Do Enlarge the place of your tent,Do stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;(do not be afraid)

Do lengthen your cords,Do strengthen your stakes.

Enlarge & Spread

• Something is coming to fruition... Growth.• Be prepared... Get ready.• Choose your ‘pitch’ wisely with plenty of

space around.• Have a vision for growth... Anticipate.• Don’t limit or restrict.• There is a sense of blessing...

Do Not Hold Back!

• Do not be afraid!• Trust God.

• Obey/ step out• Our hope is steadfast & certain.

Lengthen & Strengthen

• Firmly fixed• Secure

• Destined to stand for a long time and resist the storms.

• Permanent• Plan for the long-term.

A Metaphor

Through this metaphor of a barren woman enlarging her tent Isaiah references the great

promises made to Abraham and the great deliverance of a nation to Canaan...

... And points to a future growth... For God’s faithful.

Application to us...• A missional outlook is part of Church DNA

• We should expect growth• We should plan for growth• We should pray for growth

• The blessing is not the big tent but the people who will occupy it!

• Founded on the Suffering Saviour.• KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTRE

Matthew 28

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make

disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And

surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Baptist Missionary Society

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen the cords, and strengthen

thy stakes” (Isaiah 54:2-3).

“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” William Carey, May 31, 1792

The Missionary Query

“Whether the command given to the apostles to ‘teach all nations,’ was not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the

world, seeing that the accompanying promise was of equal extent.”

William Carey: Northampton Baptist Association, September 1785

Why Disciples?

The Google search clip showed some powerful impressions Christians had made on people.

Church apparently does not always look like Jesus to those outside it.

So who were those Christians following?

X --- M --- E

x --- E /m

The risk if ecclesiology dominates is the church has a (small) mission

Voltaire – "God created us in His own image and

we returned the favour."

Regular re-alignment to ensure we are following the real Jesus not a Jesus we’ve

manufactured to suit our situation.

Christianity minus Christ = Religion

A good example of this are the Laodiceans in Revelation. They lost Jesus. They needed to recover the concept of Jesus as Lord - He is

standing outside the door of His church knocking to get in.

The Centrality of Jesus

• Christology is the church’s heart• Beware replacing with methodology or

ministry!• Recalibrate using Jesus as the ‘measure’• Christ-ians = Christ followers = disciples

• Recovering His birth, death and resurrection...

• ... And His life!

Our Story is...

• Part of a movement: think of The Early Church, China, India... Exponential growth.

• Vibrant, innovative, creative.• Potent

• Life changing• World changing

• When Jesus is at the centre• A Jesus movement

John 1:14 (The Message)

The Word became flesh and blood,and moved into the neighbourhood.We saw the glory with our own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,true from start to finish.

Both and... The complete Gospel narrative

• Death• Resurrection• Atonement• ‘Ticket to heaven...’

• Incarnation• Human & Divine• Lived among us• As one of us• Modelled life & faith by

example• Parousia

Visible followers of the Way

A people aware their vocation is to be a dynamic for good. The Way of Jesus is not

about rushing to the 'right' destination, but rather: "a way of bringing the kingdom of

Love to the reality of this present moment, through the Way we travel, through the Way

we are, and through the Way we are with God".

Fransiscan Richard Rohr – “Falling Upward”

Lordship

Beware qualifying Jesus’ lordship in selective areas of our lives.

Nice guy, good role model but...

Money / Career / Forgiveness / etc.

The Gospel Message?

How to make sure you get to heaven when you die.

The Gospel ‘Kingdom of God’ Message!

How to make sure you get into heaven before you die!

N.T. Routinely treats us as though we’ve ‘died’.

From a life alone to a life in His kingdom in relationship.

Grace is active & dynamic

Spiritual Disciplines

• Grace makes us active not passive• Disciplines enable• Train to be like Jesus not try to be like Jesus• If at first you don’t succeed try, try, try: NO• Find out what went wrong!!!• Get a mentor• Try different ways of praying• Retreats

Conclusion

• There was room made in this tent for us• We all need to be busy in making room

for others• “Lengthen her cords”• “Strengthen her stakes”