I am doing a new thing – Isaiah 43

At the start of this new year I want us to think about one word. “New”
“New” is an important word for us as Christians. We have new life through a new covenant. God gives us a new heart and puts a new spirit inside us. We have a new relationship with God our new Father. So we are called to live in newness of life and obey a new commandment, all in anticipation of the new creation God will make on Christ’s return of which we already have a foretaste.
When God makes something new, that isn’t just new in the sense of less old, a new car. It isn’t even just “new improved”, bigger and better. When God makes something new he transforms it. He doesn’t throw away the old but he does change it! So when He rescued His chosen people from slavery in Egypt He made that jumble of people into a NEW nation, with a covenant, new laws and a new land to call their own. And through Jesus, God replaced that Old Covenant with Israel with a New Covenant with all who put their faith in Jesus, a new heart and a new relationship. The Apostle Paul wrote, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) The Living Bible translates this verse this way. When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has begun! (Living Bible)
So indeed we may come to God through a new and living way!
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
As Christians we also look forward to the great transformation of the universe which will take place when Christ returns.
Revelation 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

We serve a God who makes all things new. Continuity yet also transformation. This was the encouraging message to the Israelites in exile in Babylon in the time of Isaiah. The God who makes all things new and who keeps on doing new things.
Isaiah 43 16 This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
17who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
20The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

God reminds Israel of the dramatic new thing He had done more than a thousand years before to create his chosen nation: parting the Red Sea so His people could escape. When God does a new thing it is always exciting but also challenging and even scary! Bringing Abraham’s descendants out of slavery but into the desert. And through Isaiah God promises to do a new thing in the lives of the Exiles – to take them back from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem. That will be scary!
When God does a new thing he transforms the old to create the new. And those changes can be painful and even frightening. The message of John the Baptist was too radical for the Pharisees and the Saducees. Jesus’s life and ministry was too much of a threat to the Jewish and the Roman establishments – so they crucified Him. When God does a new thing people may have to lose many of the things they treasure, things which give them security and make them feel safe. When God does “a new thing” sometimes the old things have to go – and that can be terrifying.
When God is doing “a new thing” our only security lies in God Himself and in His unchangeable character. But here in Isaiah 43 God gives the Exiles who were facing hard times all the encouragement they need to put their trust in Him. The chapter reminds us of so many aspects of God’s character.
God’s creative power
1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
6 Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
In the beginning God created everything! He can be trusted to re-create now.
God’s saving power
1 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
3For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.

God has saved his people before – He can save them again now! Because God’s saving power is unstoppable!
11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
13Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

Indeed the God who parted the Red Sea and obliterated all the armies of the Egyptians can save His people even today. God can accomplish whatever he chooses!
God’s unfailing love
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you,

God has set his love on His chosen people and his love will never let them go!
43 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 everyone who is called by my name,

10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

God’s unfailing love for His chosen people will reassure them when He does his next new thing, and so also will
God’s unfailing presence
1 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

Here is God’s message to his chosen people in every place in every age – do not be afraid, because I am with you! The creative power of God and the saving power of God, the unfailing love of God and the unfailing presence of God! When God is doing something new, we do not need to be afraid.

Isaiah 43 definitely qualifies as my favourite Bible passage. Back in 1976 I was studying science and I was leading the College Christian Union, which was a small part of the University Christian Union. The first half of the chapter spoke to me very personally when I was discouraged and even overwhelmed by the challenges ahead.

But at that time the whole Christian Union was given a word of prophecy which said something quite remarkable. “Many of us believe that God wants to do something qualitatively new in our C.U.s this year.” Something qualitatively new. Not just bigger and better. But a transformation into something more glorious than we can imagine. And that prophecy was certainly fulfilled in our own college. God blessed our group among others with a love for each other and a unity and a vitality which was a powerful witness. Our College Christian Union doubled in size and in the University wide mission led by John Stott, over twenty of our fellow students committed their lives to Christ which out of a college of only 300 was quite remarkable.

18“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am doing a new thing! I first preached on this passage in 1985 in Bushey Baptist Church, the church which had sent me to London Bible College to train to become a minister. I had just graduated and it was the last Sunday before the induction of Rev Dr Peter Hicks as their new minister. And it seemed right to challenge the church to expect great things from God as Peter’s ministry was to begin. To expect God to do “a new thing” amongst us. Not that things were going badly or wrong at the time, because Tony Mason’s ministry had been richly blessed. But God is the one who can do immeasurably more than we could ask for, or even imagine, by His Spirit at work within us. So I encouraged Bushey Baptist Church to expect God to do “a new thing” amongst us with the arrival of Peter Hicks. But still I think everybody was amazed at the way the church doubled in size over the next five years! God certainly did a new thing at Bushey!
18“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I believe that 2013 is the year that God is going to do a new thing here at North Springfield Baptist Church. Not just bigger and better, but something qualitatively new and different. We have already seen many encouragements over the last two years, but in many ways that has been a time of consolidation and building up our resources. Now I believe God is ready to do a new thing. I don’t know what shape that new thing will be – but it will be exciting to find out! Perhaps it will be in our worship. Perhaps it will be in the depth of our fellowship. Perhaps it will be in the impact of our witness.
10“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. 13Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

God has called us to be His witnesses. If we are faithful in our witness, God will take care of the outcome! I am sure you noticed the wonderful number of guests who came to our Christmas events. And the new folk who have begun to worship regularly with us over the last couple of months. We haven’t chased after them. God has just brought them to us! Perhaps they are the beginning of the new thing God is going to do among us. But are we prepared for God to do whatever He wants among us? To do His new thing? Are we prepared for the hard work and the prayer and the change and the disruption? Are we prepared to pay the price in time and money and commitment? Do we really WANT God to do a new thing in North Springfield Baptist Church?

18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

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