"Is God Hiding?"

Isaiah 64:1-9

First Sunday of Advent; 12/2/07

Introduction: I want to begin this morning by reading to you some newspaper headlines: #1) “Bio-terror Threat Strains County;” #2) “U.S. Scientists Use Cloning to Create Human Embryos;” #3) “Suspect in Cellmate’s Death Was Termed Dangerous Before Killing;” #4) “Two Teens Face Murder Charges;” #5) “Mother Kills 3 Sons.”

Do you ever read the newspaper, or hear the news, and wonder if God is hiding? Do you ever look at our world and wonder where God is in all of this? Do you ever question whether God has chosen to sit back and let us just destroy ourselves?

In the book of Isaiah, 64:1, we hear the prophet Isaiah say: “Oh, that you would tear the heavens and come down…”/ In this verse you hear a sense of hopelessness. I don’t know about you, but sometimes a get a feeling that the world we live in is hopeless and beyond saving. And yet, in the midst of all of this, we desire to experience the presence of God!

I. Longing for God- (Isaiah 64:1-9)

a. The darkness of God- As we move into the advent season, we need

to realize that advent is first and foremost a season of hope, where we anticipate the coming of Christ. The challenge in this, is that often times people don’t feel like God is present.

It could be when they pray…and they feel like they are talking to themselves.

It could be when a loved when is suffering…and they wonder where God is.

It could be when they come to church…and they don’t feel God’s presence.

It could be when they are all alone…and they feel like not even God loves them.

T. S. Eliot wrote a poem entitled, “Darkness of God,” and it goes like this:

‘I said to my soul, be still and let the dark come to you,

which shall be the darkness of God…

I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope,

For hope would be for the wrong thing; there is yet faith.

But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.

Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought;

So the darkness shall be light, and the stillness the dancing.’

There a many times in life when we long for God, and yet don’t feel like God is there, and in this time, there is the need for waiting. This is the prayer that Isaiah is praying, a prayer that states of this feeling that God is far away.

Isaiah 64:7- “No one calls Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You

have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.”

Did you hear what Isaiah said; ‘for You have hidden Your face from us…’? The Israelites had just returned from being in exile, and have returned to a city that is in ruin. As they think about their lives, their world, their existence, they feel like they themselves are in ruin. Isaiah is crying out to God on behalf of the people: Where are you, God? You have hidden Your face from us.

But the truth is that God is there, but not always in obvious ways; not always in the ways we are expecting God to be there. Often times God speaks in whispers, not shouts. Often times God is found in the shadows, not in the blinding light. Often times God needs to be searched out. And sometimes these whispers may be very low whispers, and the shadows very dark shadows.

b. Opening up to God- And this is what keeps us longing for God. So

when we open our ears to the whispers, and our eyes to the shadows, then we will see and hear God, and our longing will be satisfied.

EX. It was exciting to see how we were able to connect with Denny and Leesa Bellesi last week. It was a move of God that allowed us to receive that $1000, that I gave away, in such a short time. In this experience, we saw God, and heard God./ OR, the opportunities we have to give to the WomenShelter have been tremendous. And you have all responded so wonderfully. This is the voice of God, and the power of God at work. When we look in these ways, we will see God.

Illustration- “The Burning Hut,” More Hot Illustrations, p. 47

There is a story of a man who was the only survivor of a shipwreck. He had washed up on an island, and was desperate to find a way to be rescued. He prayed every day to God, but many days went by without it happening. Finally giving in to the realization that he wouldn’t be rescued, he built a hut to live in, and to store his few possessions. One day, after returning from hunting for food, he discovered that his hut was on fir;, smoke rolling up to the sky. Now, not only was he stranded, but without shelter; everything was lost. He was so angry at God that he shouted out: “God, how could you do this to me?!” Early the next day he was awakened by a sound; not knowing what it was at first, he bolted upright, only to see that the sound was that of a ship. IT HAD COME TO RESCUE HIM. As he was boarding the ship, he asked his rescuers: “How did you know I was here?” To which they said: “We saw your smoke signal.”

It is when we begin to see God, in subtle ways, that we can echo the words of Isaiah 64:8- “Yet, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, You are the potter; we are the work of Your hand.”

II. The Grace of Christ- (1 Corinthians 1:4-9, 15:10;

1 John 1:9; Philippians 4:13)

a. By the grace of God- We long for God, yet there is also a need for

us to understand and receive the grace of Christ. EX. The apostle Paul, writer of about 1/3 of the books in the New Testament, talks much about the grace of Christ. Before Paul became a follower of Christ, he was a Pharisee; a religious leader, who sought God and taught about God. Yet, he didn’t know Christ. God was far away from Him because of this.. But in his pursuits of persecuting Christians, on the road to Damascus, he saw a blinding light, and he heard the voice of Christ. In this moment, Christ asked him why he was persecuting those who were followers of Christ. Paul was challenged in his behavior. Because of this experience, Paul’s life was changed forever. Paul, from this moment on, began to experience God. God was no longer far away. We hear Paul, himself, say it in 1 Corinthians 1:4- “I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.” ALSO, in 1 Corinthians 15:10- “But by the grace of God, I am what I am..”

There are many people who are far away from God, because they haven’t opened themselves up to the grace of Christ. The grace of Christ; we experience it when we stray from God, and then come back to Him to learn that He never left us in the first place. The grace of Christ; we experience it when we commit sin over and over, and yet still hear the words: “If you confess, you will be forgiven.” The grace of Christ; we experience it when we seek our own will and desires, thinking that our way is better than God’s way, and then after many struggles, finally turn to God for help, and God is there waiting with open arms. IN THE MIDST OF THE WAITING; GOD IS THERE. IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS; GOD IS THERE. IN THE MIDST OF THE WONDERING AND WORRYING; GOD IS THERE.

We know that God is there by the way we experience the grace of Christ!

Really, the grace of Christ is discovered in the cross of Christ. As we look to the cross of Christ, we remember that it is not about us, but about what God wants to do in and through us. In his great devotional, “My Utmost, for His Highest,” Oswald Chambers says in his November 26 devotion: “If I talk my own talk, it is of no more importance to you than your talk is to me; but if I talk the truth of God, you will meet it again and so will I. We have to concentrate on the great point of spiritual energy—the Cross, to keep in contact with that center where all the power lies, and the energy will be let loose.” If we want to experience the power of God, and ultimately the hope of God, we need to focus on the grace of Christ, which is found in the cross.

b. God believes in us- Illustration: “Grandma’s Gift,” More Hot

Illustrations, p. 75. There is a story about a boy named Dave, who in ninth grade was the smallest kid in his high school. But at 5 feet tall, and weighing only 90 pounds, he was the perfect candidate to wrestle in the lightest weight class for the school’s wrestling team. He started out on the Junior Varsity team, but then was able to move up to the Varsity team when the boy in that spot moved away. However, being that he was still young, and inexperienced, his first year was a forgetful one: in 6 matches, he was pinned 6 times./ Dave’s one dream was that one day he would become a good enough wrestler to receive his varsity letter. He wanted to be able to put a letter on his letterman jacket to show people that he could be excellent, even though he was small. But unfortunately most of his teammates just laughed at this thought. This just made Dave all the more determined. Every day, Dave would spend time in the weight room trying to build up his strength; and he spent time running trying to increase his stamina; and he spent time in the gym trying to improve his technique./ There was ONE PERSON who believed in Dave; that was his grandmother. Every time she saw him, she would remind him that he could do it if he stayed focused, and gave his talent to God. She would often quote Philippians 4:13 to him: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” The day before the next season began, Dave’s grandmother passed away. He was heartbroken, because more than anyone, he wanted his grandmother to see him reach his goal. As the season went on, everyone could tell that Dave wasn’t the same wrestler as the year before; he was determined and ferocious. Because of this, Dave won 9 of his first 10 matches. Midway into the season, the coach called Dave into his office to inform him that he would be getting his varsity letter!! Dave was so excited by this, but then a wave of grief came over him. When the coach asked what was wrong, Dave explained that he had wanted his grandmother to experience this with him……….Just then, the coach smiled and presented Dave with an envelope. The envelope had Dave’s name on it, written in his grandmother’s handwriting. Dave opened the envelope, and read the letter:

“Dear Dave, I knew you could do it! I set aside $100 to buy you a school

jacket to put your letter on. I hope you’ll wear it proudly, and remember,

‘You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength!’”

Congratulations, Grandma

After Dave finished reading the letter, his coach reached behind him and pulled out a brand new jacket with the school letter attached, and Dave’s name embroidered on the front. Dave realized then that his grandmother was sharing this with him after all!

It makes a difference when we know that someone believes in you. This story helps us to remember that God believes in us. That is what the grace of Christ is all about; God giving us another chance to do what we were created to do and to live the way we were created to live. No matter what we think or do, we are all children of God, and He believes we can achieve all He desires for us.

Conclusion: I would like to close with a very familiar poem titled “Footprints”:

“One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you.”(Mary Stevenson)
This sermon is titled, “Is God Hiding?” Maybe you feel like He is. But maybe today’s service and sermon have helped to renew your hope that God is there. My prayer for you this Advent season, is for you to know that God believes in you, and that His grace is there for you. This is where hope is found. This is where hope becomes strong. This is where hope carries you forward. Let us give thanks to God for the hope that is there for us, this day, and forever. Amen.