Isaiah 54:1-5 (NIV)
¹ "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD".
² "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes".
³ "For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities".
⁴ "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood".
⁵ "For your Maker is your husband- the LORD Almighty is his name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth".

Introduction

• As we look into the unknown of another New Year, can we have the hope and confidence of God's blessings and help?  The answer is a resounding Yes! Yes! Because of who God is.

• Our God is a great God of love and mercy...

• In fact, in the words of Isaiah 54 that was read earlier, God tells us that He is ready to bless us exceedingly.  The question is whether you are ready to receive them.

• "Sing, O barren woman...for you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities."

• Implication of God's Word:  God promises abundant blessings of a new beginning.

• Application

• "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." v.2

• Implication of God's Word:  Expect great things from God, get ready.

• Application

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Introduction

Imagine!  You just received a phone call from the White House saying, “Congratulations, President Bush has appointed you to be an Ambassador to . . .”

I. Biblical Concept of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18, 19)

• Object of Reconciliation

• Worldly Approach to Reconciliation

• Biblical Approach to Reconciliation

• The result of God’s reconciliatory work – Christians

• Christian’s vocation  - God’s ambassador of reconciliation

• The task of God’s Ambassador – serving as the channel for God’s appeal to the world for reconciliation to Him.

• The message of God’s Ambassador: 2 Corinthians 5:20b, 21

• As God’s Ambassadors: proclaim God’s message of reconciliation to the world.

• As God’s Children:  reconcile with each other to promote unity and cohesiveness in Christ’s body.

2 Cor. 5:14-15  “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Authenticity of the Passage

Character study of 2 figures

I. The woman – much  grace  received.

   I am in the same predicament as the woman.

   Our awareness of Christ's forgiveness diminishes as we lose touch with the depth of our sinfulness (Ps. 103: 2-4; Lk. 18: 9-14

II. The Scribes and Pharisees – little grace was given.

   I have a similar problem as the Pharisees (Mt. 7:3-5, 23:23)

 We need to be  grace - givers  not  stone throwers.

Introduction
Romans 1:14-16
" ¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.  ¹⁶ I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."

• Phil. 3:1
• Bill Bright: "Repetition aids learning."
• Juan Carlos Ortiz, in his book, Disciple, practiced this.

    A.  "I am obligated".

1.  "oligated" = one who owes another. a debtor; one held by some duty; one who has not yet made amends to whom he has injured (NAS N.T. Greek Lexicon)

1.  Paul:  "I am a debtor to all -  I am bound by my divine mission to preach the gospel to them." -  John Wesley

1.  1 Cor 9:16-17  "Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach.  Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!  If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me."

2.  2 Tim 2:3-4  "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer."

    E.  We too have our marching orders!

1.  2 Tim 2:2  "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others."

2.  Mt 28:18-20  "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

3.  Mk 16:15  "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

II.  Eager to Do What?  (verse 15)

    A.  "I am eager"

1.  Lit.  "Thus the according to me affair is ready" = "So much as in me is, I am ready..."  (A.T. Robertson -  Word Pictures of the New Testament)

2.  "eager" = "ready, willing" (NAS N.T. Greek Lexicon)

1.  Rome = center of power/influence - where were found all classes and races

"If there was any place where one would be ashamed of a crucified Savior, that place was Rome in the reign of Nero." - B. W. Johnson

2.  "People need the Lord"  (Steve Green)
    a.  Rom. 3:22c-23

    D.  Are you and I so eager...to preach??!!

1.  But...you see...it's not my gift." (2 Tim. 4:5)

    I'm just a nobody telling everybody about somebody who can save anybody." - elevator operator at a hospital in Nashville

    A.  "I am not ashamed"

          "To the world, indeed, it is folly and weakness (1 Cor. 1:18); therefore, in the judgement of the world, he ought to be ashamed of it." -  John Wesley

    B.  Why not?

1.  "Power" = dunamis = dynamite

a. "power" = strength, ability; inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature" 121 times - "power" more than 2/3 time. 2nd most: "miracle(s)" (19x) (NAS N.T. Greek Lexicon)

b.  "This Paul knew by much experience.  He had seen the dynamite of God at work."  (A.T. Robertson -  Word Pictures of the New Testament)

2.  Jews first? - "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."  Mt 15:24

    D.  Opposite of "ashamed": proud

1.  Am I "proud" of the gospel?  Why or why not?

2.  Suggested prayer:

• Your Challenge

• CBC Mission Statement:  "to reach the unchurched and make them disciples of Christ"
• If I were a pastor in Brazil...
• Our Challenge:  Going back!