Sermon: God Refines & Redeems for a Purpose

“God Refines & Redeems for a Purpose” Isaiah 48 January 1, 2017 Pastor Tony Felich      ----more----       Isaiah 48:3 “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. [4] Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass, [5] I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ [6] “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. [7] They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ [8] You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel. [9] “For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. [10] Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. [11] For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.   God patiently refines and redeems His people in order to manifest Himself and His glory before all mankind.    Introduction: How should we understand passages written about “Israel” in Isaiah?    God patiently deals with His often spiritually insensitive people (1-9a)   God has a clear purpose for His gracious refinement and redemption of His people (9b-13,17)   We (His people) are given a response to God’s refinement and redemption (14-22)