Show Notes
In this seventh week of Eastertide, Case reflects on Isaiah 40 and the hope we can draw from dwelling on God’s sovereignty, creative power, and wisdom.
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Episode Transcript
Just think if we didn’t have the liturgical season of Eastertide. What a tough year it would be. But no, we do have Easter. We have a season so that the lessons of Christ’s victory over death are not lost too quickly. And we bring Easter to the world in which we live. We bring the resurrected Christ to the public square. Yes, we live a public faith.
A reading from Isaiah chapter 40 beginning in verse 21.
21
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25
“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40 is a passage in the Old Testament that reflects on the greatness and the power of God. God’s sovereignty. We see God’s authority and supremacy over the earth and its inhabitants. It contrasts the eternal nature of God with the transient nature of humanity. God’s creative power.
Isaiah marvels at God’s ability to create and sustain the universe. He uses vivid imagery to describe God as the one who stretches out the heavens like a canopy and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
God’s wisdom, Isaiah acknowledges the limitations of human understanding compared to the infinite wisdom of God. He contrasts the wisdom and knowledge of God with the foolishness of humanity, emphasizing that God’s ways are beyond human comprehension. God’s strength. The passage reassures believers that God provides strength to the weary, and power to the weak. Those who trust in God will find renewed energy and endurance soaring on wings like eagles running without growing weary and walking without fainting.
Where do you need to know deep in your bones, God’s sovereignty, creative power, wisdom and strength this day?
A reading from the 147th Psalm.
5
His understanding has no limit.
6
The Lord sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp.
8
He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.
9
He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.
10
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11
the Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Today we pray in the call and response method. I will offer a prayer and I invite you to say aloud, yes, say aloud, wherever you may be the following words: “Yes, Lord Jesus.” So let us pray.
In the season of Eastertide, let us lift our hearts in prayer to the risen Lord who conquered sin and death.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the joy of resurrection that fills our hearts with hope and gladness.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the promise of new life and transformation through your victory over the grave.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the fellowship of believers, united in faith and love as we journey together in discipleship.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the courage to live as people of the resurrection, sharing your light and love with all whom we meet.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the grace to forgive as you have forgiven us and to love as you have loved us.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For the promise of eternal life with you, where sorrow and suffering will be no more.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
For all the blessings of this Eastertide season, we give you thanks and praise, oh risen Lord.
Yes, Lord Jesus.
Let us continue to pray and live in the joy and power of the resurrection now and forevermore.
Yes, Lord Jesus. Amen.
And now a reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians chapter 9, beginning in verse 16.
16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
