Ephesians 4:1-16 HOW FRUITFUL CHURCHES FUNCTION

 

At the beginning of 2026 we are looking at the subject of being fruitful. Today our subject is, “Being a fruitful church”.

We do this with the help of Ephesians 4:1-16.

We can learn much from Paul’s way of thinking and writing.  Foundationally solid thinking is required for practical living. A house is only as good as the foundations it is built upon.

Churches are only as good as the solid doctrine of the Word which they embrace.  Doctrine is to church life what the skeleton is to the human body.

Doctrine is fundamental to practice.

All of life illustrates this. You cannot be a doctor or nurse, a mechanic, a teacher without the relevant doctrine or training which undergirds each discipline. A pastor cannot be truly helpful in his preaching and counseling and pastoring without a solid, balanced knowledge of Scripture. The Word of God is as the richest of foods (Ps. 63:5), full of good nutrients. We must be fed from the whole counsel of Scripture. I am thankful for the profundity of the doctrine of salvation in the book of Romans, but I am equally thankful for the practical wisdom for living contained in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, the emphasis on God’s holiness in Leviticus, and the heavenly vision and triumph of God over evil in the Book of Revelation. Thank God for the book of Ephesians and its solid teaching on the nature and practice of the local church.

CONTEXT

In Ephesians 1 Paul tells us how it is that people become Christians.

In Ephesians 2&3 he shows that Christians are called to belong to the church- God's mystery (3:3,4,6,9). He shows us that this church consists of both, Jew and Gentile. Both are saved and reconciled to God in one way- Christ ALONE! His church is built upon one foundation. This church has one apostolic and prophetic word and one cornerstone - one Lord, who the Head of the church, which is His body (2:20). 

It is from Christ the true Vine (John 15:1-17) that the church derives her source of fruitfulness. 

Ephesians  4:1-16 describes the inner workings of a fruitful church:

• Unity (4:1-3)
• Trinity (4:4-6)
•   Ability  (4:7 -11)
•    Maturity  (4:12-16)

 1.      UNITY (4:1-3)

 A fruitful church is a church where unity is a reality.  

We are called to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  We do not have to create unity. It has been provided through the shed blood of Christ (2:13). It is applied by the Holy Spirit. We are called to maintain that unity.  Look at the text: “live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called“ (4:1). The underlying graces which produce a church’s unity are  humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to (make every effort) maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace“(4:3). These are  the  fruit of the Spirit  (Gal. 5:22,23). 

The church consists of born again members of Christ which are rooted in Christ, and if rooted in Christ then this church will bear fruit! Good fruit can only come from a good root.  You must be born again in order   to be able to produce fruit in keeping with your repentance.  All those that are born again, share a similar heritage  and the outcome of this is UNITY.

No wonder that Satan works so hard to sow discord, and to introduce  wolves in sheep’s clothing into the flock  (Eph.  6:10-20). Disunity makes a church fruitless.

 2.      TRINITY  (4:4-6)

 A fruitful Church is driven by the Tri-une God

 “There is one body and one Spirit -just as you were called to one hope  when you were called –one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

The key word “one” (implying unity) is used 7 times in 4:4-6.  The theme of the letter to the Ephesians is in a sense all about this unity. This unity is rooted in the work of the  Trinity, the Holy Spirit (4:4); the Lord Jesus (4:5) and God our Father (4:6).

God has formed the members of the church into one body by the means of  one faith, one hope, one baptism – ALL THIS because there is only one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

The Trinity is central to the church’s existence and fruitfulness. 

The true church proceeds from God.  We must say this because it is possible for churches to not work from this basis, but from the basis of mere human strength and ingenuity.  They are fruitless. They are Satan’s imitations. As such there are many churches that are not Christ-centered, God-centered and not Spirit directed.

It is essential that the church must be made up of those called by God the Father, saved by the blood of Christ, and called to life by the Holy Spirit, into one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, in order for her to be fruitful.

3.      ABILITY – GIFTEDNESS  (4:7-11)

Fruitful churches  are driven by spiritual gifts

Fruitfulness is obtained through the exercise of spiritually gifted members. In this regard we note that …

• All believers are gifted (4:7a): “But grace was given to each of us …”. The ‘grace’ (Gr. charis) is given by Christ through the outpoured Spirit at Pentecost. It is this grace which we must  extend to each other in the body of Christ – FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING ONE ANOTHER UP. Gifts are not given to play with; they are tools to build with. And if they are not used in love, they become weapons to fight with, as had in fact happened to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12-14). We are saved to serve our God and our people with our gifts.  Spiritual gifts are meant to bring spiritual blessing, and if spiritual blessing, then  spiritual fruitfulness.  
• Believers are gifted in differing degrees (4:7b)“according to the measure of Christ’s gift”[1]. This indicates that Christ gives each believer measured (Gk. ‘metron’) grace.  This is often not understood. All Christian people receive gifts, but all do not receive the same gifts, and neither do all receive them with the same intensity. Our different giftedness is due to an enablement by Christ.  He knows what is good and needed in each body of believers in order to make that body fruitful in terms of giving visibility to the fruit of the Spirit.
• Christ is the Giver of the gifts (4:8-10). This fact is substantiated by an interesting quotation from Ps 68:18. This is a call/prayer to God to come to the rescue of His people as in the days of old. David remembers how God went in triumph before His people after the Exodus (v.7) so that Mt Sinai trembled (v.8) and kings were scattered (vv. 11-14). Then, the king who wanted Mt Zion as his residence (v.16), came from Sinai to his chosen holy place (His sanctuary) (v.17).As he ascended   towards Mt Zion  as the conquering King, he led captives and the spoils of war in his entourage. Along the way he generously distributed the gifts (the spoils of war) to the residents of Mt Zion/ Jerusalem. Paul applies this picture to Christ. Christ had descended to this sinful earth to die for our sins, rising up from the grave, triumphing over the power of death, delivering His people from spiritual exile and  under Satan’s dominion.  Christ not only triumphs over death (Satan’s trump card), but He also plunders Satan’s kingdom, robbing him of   many of his “sin slaves“, redeeming them to be His own people. Then He ascends   to His glorious throne - the spiritual Mt. Zion, with all His captives for His kingdom, sharing the spoils of that battle won against Satan, by dispensing these former ‘sin slaves’, as His gifts to His church. These gifts from God come to us in the form of people, whom the heavenly King uses to bless His church - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor- teachers.  
• Christ has given us foundational gifts to build up the church (4:11-12) This list represents the foundational graces for the  church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. I cannot say much about this now. However, since there is  so much controversy about apostles and prophets in our own day, we have to briefly clarify this. In Eph. 2:19,20 the offices of apostles and prophets are regarded as ‘foundational’ in the church. Foundations do not need to be built continually. We do not need new or more apostles and prophets any more than we need a new Lord Jesus.  The ministry of apostles and prophets in particular is maintained by the faithful preaching of the prophetic and apostolic word.

In summary:  these foundational gifts are essential  for the ongoing fruitfulness of the church

 4.      MATURITY (4:12-16)

The most fruitful church is a mature church

We are now coming to our concluding thought. Why does the church need this unity? Why is the  presence  and enablement  of the Holy Trinity essential?  Why does the church need spiritual gifts?

The answer is given in 4:12-16:  to equip the saints for the work for ministry, for building to build them up…  

All these foundational ministries  are  very important  to the church’s  existence and unity  since through these ministries  God’s people  are prepared  and   perfected   and  equipped- they are made fruitful.

• The word for “preparing /perfecting/ equipping“ is  the Greek word  “katartizo“.  It means ‘fixing something that's broken’ (e.g. torn nets in Matt. 4:21).
•   It can also mean ‘to supply something that is lacking’ (as in 1 Thess. 3:10, "We desire to supply, or equip, what is lacking in your faith"). The work of these foundational ministries is to repair what is broken and to supply what is lacking in and among the believers, who are, in the final analysis called "for the work of ministry".  The fixing and supplying what is lacking is meant to make the saints into fruitful servants.  

And the goal is maturity (5:13). The final exhibition of fruitfulness is mature / ripe fruit. That means, …

•       Being Christlike believers
•       Not immature, tossed about  by every wind of doctrine
•       Speaking the truth in love
•       Growing up in Him – our Head, the Lord Jesus Christ
•     Growing into a body built up in love – the supreme mark of the church 

Do you see what Paul sees? The body of Christ on earth is in one sense perfect already in God’s sight, because He knows what she is finally going to be. On the other hand  she is not yet a perfect entity, but she works for perfection. Right now she is work in progress. And the more she is rooted in sound doctrine, and led by foundational gifts, rooted in the work of the Trinity and the more unity she shows  among her members the  more effective she will be as she  fights this  spiritual war, taking  captives from Satan for Christ’s glory. 

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[1] See also Romans 12:6

John 15: 1- 17 Bearing Fruit for God’s glory in 2026

 

 

Welcome to 2026!  

Everyone longs to live an effective, meaningful and fruitful life. That is the reason why we like making new years resolutions. Nobody wants to waste their life. Everyone wants to create a fruitful legacy and fond memories. And that is good. It is wonderful to remember those whose fruitful lives have enriched us and who have left rich memories for us to cherish.  We owe much to people who have lived fruitfully, and whose legacy we now enjoy. 

We randomly think of people like Johannes Gutenberg (1400-1468) who invented the movable-type printing press, the father of modern printing. Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was the father of the electric motor.  Louis Pasteur (b. 27th Dec.1822 d.  Sept. 1895) gave us   the first laboratory-produced vaccine and  is perhaps best known for pasteurized milk.   Alexander Bell (1847-1922) gave us the telephone.  Marie Curie (1867-1934) laid the foundation for modern nuclear physics, cancer treatments, and radiography. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845-1923) a German physicist discovered X-rays in 1895.  All of these were ‘fruitful people’.  Some of these were professing Christians.

Whilst acknowledging that these people have made physical life so much easier for all of us, we must still ask that huge question raised by Jesus in Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  It is very good to live good lives and to make life changing contributions that benefit all of humanity in this life, but what matters ultimately?   

JOHN 15:1-17

Our text directs us to the subject of godly fruitfulness. What is the essence of true fruitfulness? What matters ultimately?  To answer that we must begin by looking at the greater context. I remind you that the most fruitful human being that ever lived is Jesus. He gave His life that we might live...  and that our joy may be full (15:11)

CONTEXT   

John 13-17 contains Jesus’ upper room discourses - things that Jesus did and said to His disciples on the night that He was betrayed. Last words are generally weighty words.  Here we find ...

·       Jesus’ foot-washing and teaching on the nature of servanthood (13:1-20)

·        The great commandment to love one another (13:31-35)

·       Jesus’ personal promise to prepare a place in heaven for His people, and of His return, and of the necessity of believing in Him (13:36 - 14:11)

·        Jesus’ promise that if He left, He would not leave His people as orphans, but that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them and to empower them (14:16-31)

And now in 15:1-17 we find His vital teaching on being fruitful ourselves (15:1-17). Nothing tells the truth about us as much as this. Here we need to be aware that this fruitfulness cannot measured by mere appearance. Jesus’ own life demonstrates this. His own life and words were appreciated by comparatively few in His day, and yet who can deny His supreme fruitfulness?  Some of the most fruitful people in God’s economy are not those who occupy public office and pulpits, but faithful women and men that display the fruit of the Spirit in quiet and unassuming ways.    

It is very fitting that our key illustration for fruitfulness is a vine - something found in great abundance in the Breede River valley. 

1.      THE SOURCE OF FRUITFULNESS

The source of the fruitfulness is our Tri-une God.  I am the true Vine (15:1a); I am the Vine (15:5). Jesus is the Vine stem. God the Father is the vinedresser (15:1b).  The work of the vinedresser is to prune the branches of the vine regularly so that it may produce fruit. Please note that the Son and the Father are both involved in making the branches fruitful. What about the Holy Spirit?  Well, He is found to the left (14:15ff) and to the right (16:7-15) of our passage. In fact, the fruit that we are called to bear,  eventually are called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal.5:22).

We draw the strength of fruitfulness by abiding in Christ (15:4)  - the true Vine, pruned and made even more fruitful by God the Father. More about that in a moment...

2.      THE SUBJECTS OF FRUITFULNESS

15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  One of the most essential works that our Heavenly Vinedresser does is to cleanse us from all sin.  Those that are rooted in Christ are called “clean” (cf. 13:10,11).  If you are a Christian, if you trust in Christ, born again (Jn 3:7) then you are clean. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).  

The work of the heavenly vinedresser continues as He prunes us from time to time SO THAT we may be more fruitful.  

The subjects of fruitfulness are those that are clean, who abide in Christ  i.e.  who are born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:1-8) 

3.      THE PURPOSE: BRANCHES ARE DESIGNED FOR SPIRITUAL FRUIT-BEARING

Here we want to make a few observations:

(i)                  Branches derive their fruitfulness from abiding in Christ. It comes from nowhere else. It does not come from our own efforts. If we are not abiding 'in Christ', then there is not just no spiritual life within us, but there can also be no spiritual fruit. We must get this clear.  We may be good people; we may be decent and moral people; we may be good citizens and parents in the eyes of our society, but we may not necessarily be fruitful according to God’s Word. The goodness of our fruit-bearing is rooted in Christ. 

(ii)                Branches must be pruned from time to time in order to be more fruitful. 15:2 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.”  15:4 "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”  15:5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

There are two types of branches: those that bear fruit (15:2b,5,8); those that do not (15:2a,6). Fruitful branches are pruned – trimmed to make them even more fruitful – this happens to every true Christian. These can be painful times, but the outcome is always good.  Unfruitful branches (who do not abide in Christ – 15:6) are cut off altogether and thrown into the fire. Does this mean that dead, unfruitful branches are Christians that have lost their salvation?  No, it doesn’t. That would bring us into conflict with the nature and the power of Christ’s salvation. But it does illustrate something that we will easily overlook. There is such a person as the “Almost Christian”[1]. There are at all times people like Judas, of whom Jesus speaks in John 13:2,11,21.  This man has walked with Christ for a while, but he had no spiritual life in him to continue. He has finally proven to be a dead, fruitless branch, while the 11 disciples (unpromising as they look at times) will ultimately display proofs of fruitfulness. 

(iii)              Branches display the glory of the Vine 15:8: "This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be my disciples".   The ultimate end to which we bear fruit ( the end to which we live) is to give glory to God!

We must assert the importance of fruitfulness. Absence of fruit is a bad sign. The value of the vine depends on the fruit.  If any branches of the vine do not bear fruit that branch is actually useless. It is in danger of being thrown away into the fire (images of eternal hell) See how often the metaphor of an unproductive tree is used in the gospels by Jesus (Matt 3:10; 7:15-20; 12:33; Lk 3:9; 6:43-44)

Applying this to our Christian profession we learn by way of application that this is a “do or die” thing. Fruit is the ultimate   proof of the authenticity/value of a tree.  Spiritual fruit-bearing  of Christian authenticity. The absence thereof proves that we are not (Gal. 5:19-25).

4.      WHAT KIND OF FRUIT MUST WE BEAR TO SHOW OURSELVES TO BE CHRIST’S DISCIPLES?

 i)      We have already considered the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...

(ii)    Of that fruit in John 15: 9 -17, Jesus mentions joy (15:11) but He focuses mainly on that greatest of fruit which will last into eternity - LOVE (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13).  We will merely summarise what Jesus says here

·       15:9,10 Love is the basis of the relationship between the Father and the Son

·       15:10 Christians are called to imitate that love among one another. To that end they must draw from the strength that they receive not from their own willpower or ability  but by drawing on the resources that God supplies.  PLEASE NOTE the  promise given  if we pray for such strength to love in 15:7

·       15:12-17 This love is not an option for Christians. It is commanded, and if commanded it is possible (because of 15:7). The supreme act of love is laying down our lives / preferences for one another. The manifestation of the fruit of love is the acid test of being a Christian. It is the greatest mark of the church.  The love of believers for one another is not just a nice thought; it is the very essence of discipleship and the most potent tool for convincing a sceptical world of Christ's reality (Francis Schaeffer). This love isn't just a feeling but must be visibly demonstrated in actions like apologizing, forgiving, and serving one another, even when this is difficult. Again, it is possible, because the source of such love is drawn not from ourselves but from God.

BEARING FRUIT IN 2026

·       You want to live a meaningful, fruitful life. Let God define it for you. Not your new years resolutions.

·       If you are powerless, ask: Have I been grafted into Him - the vine,  so that there is this spiritual sap in my life? Am I ‘in Christ’- abiding in Him? (15:4). Have I been born again? (3:3-8). If you are a Christian, and you still feel powerless to love - pray (15:7)

·       Understand that you may need pruning from time to time in order to be more fruitful. The experience may be bitter but the fruit will be sweet.

·       Let your love for God translate into a real, genuine love for that which God loves –  Love for  Jesus, His people (your church 15:12), His Word; His glory and kingdom; Your holiness of life; His Coming.  (all summarised in the Lord’s prayer)

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[1] Matthew Meade

ISAIAH 8 DARKNESS BEFORE LIGHT

 

Isaiah 7-12 (The Immanuel book) provides us with the fuller picture behind the fulfillment of the prophecy in Matthew 1:21-23, announcing the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 6 we previously considered Isaiah’s vision of God in the temple and his subsequent call to the prophetic ministry. Isaiah was commissioned to prophesy to a hard-of-hearing, non-understanding, unresponsive people (Isa.6:9-10). The prototype of this sort of person is Ahaz, the king of Judah. 

In Isaiah 7 Isaiah was called by God to convince Ahaz that he needed not to fear the alliance between the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria, threatening to attack Judah and Jerusalem. He needed only to put his trust in the Lord.   Ahaz did not want to trust the LORD. He only trusted in a political alliance with the Assyrians – the most powerful nation at that time.

Isaiah challenged Ahaz to trust in the Word of the Lord, even offering him to ask for a sign from the Lord (7:11) which king Ahaz declined. Isaiah then cried out in exasperation: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (7:14).

We have seen that God speaks to a deaf, unresponsive, dull people. (Darkness) 

DARKNESS BEFORE LIGHT! 

We must remember that He does this because He is committed to the fulfillment of His own covenant, which in time would be fulfilled in His Immanuel – the Saviour (Matt. 1:21-23) the Lord Jesus Christ, born to redeem God’s foreknown children. (Light) 

 ISAIAH  8

8:1-4 Then the Lord said to me…

The God of the covenant is absolutely committed to His eternal plan- but “He does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

Isaiah is now commanded to make a tablet and write upon it these words, “Belonging to Maher Shalal Hash Baz“, translated “speed- spoil- haste –booty “.  A very odd statement, but enough to arouse the curiosity of the people and to provoke questions. Keep the context in mind. This message relates to the threatened invasion of Jerusalem by the northern kingdom, which is allied with Syria.

God instructs Isaiah to get two reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah[1] to testify that Isaiah had indeed written this banner. But the prophecy isn’t yet completed. It also had to become flesh in the form of a son that would be born to Isaiah’s wife[2]. When that son is eventually born (at least 9 months later), he will receive that prophetic name, which conveys that same message. His name was intended to be a sign (see 8:18) to Ahaz and to Judah. 

In 8:4 we are informed that before this boy would be able to talk, the Assyrians would successfully attack the Syrians and Israel, utterly defeating them, and therefore swiftly carrying off the spoil or booty.  Please note – God was going to do this! Ahaz did not need to enter into an alliance with the Assyrians to protect himself.

8:5-10 God continues to speak strongly through Isaiah: “The Lord spoke to me again: 6 “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, 7 therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, 8 and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” 9 Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered;  give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered. 10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.  

“This people“ refers to the northern kingdom of Israel. These 10 northern tribes (under Jeroboam) had separated themselves from Jerusalem and the temple. They had refused the gentle waters of Shiloah. The waters of Shiloah flow from the Gihon spring into Jerusalem.  At Gihon,  Solomon, the son of David, was anointed and declared to be king (1 Kings 1:32-35). It was also here that Isaiah first found king Ahaz (7:3) who was worried that the enemy would cut off this water supply from Jerusalem.  

These people, the northern kingdom had alienated themselves from that life giving water, and from the LORD a   long time ago.    God was against them!

The Lord says here that they (the NK and their ally Syria) would endure the Assyrian flood, which would threaten Judah as well, BUT Jerusalem would not be conquered at this time. The Assyrian waters would well come “up to the neck” (8:8), but no further.  This happened in king Hezekiah’s day, when Jerusalem was threatened by the Assyrians, but there the Lord struck down 185 000 Assyrians (2 Ki.19:35) !  That was basically the end of Assyria. 

A strong point is made in 8:9,10 that this is Immanuel’s land!  THEREFORE (and not for any other reason) we are reminded once more that God’s plan and promises cannot be thwarted by any human power.  8:10 could also be loosely translated, “Go ahead, make your crazy plan; it will fail” 

All this begs us to reflect upon a very comforting doctrine: The sovereignty God!  No weapon formed against God and His purposes will stand (Isa 54:17).

To contextualize that:

Every opposition against God’s kingdom will fail.

Everyone that wants to exterminate the people of God – the true church (from among all nations)  must fail!   

The reason is plain. God is with us, and if God be for us, who can be against us?  (Rom 8:28). The true church (the qahal or assembly of God) is in Immanuel’s hand. Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church! (Matt. 16:18). She is Immanuel’s land, Immanuel’s treasured possession, Immanuel’s bride!

This thought gives rise to the next section in 8:11 – 22 

ISAIAH 8:11-22

The LORD continues to speak to Isaiah, and from these remaining verses in chapter 8 we must draw at least three  powerful conclusions 

1. 8: 11-13 In times of spiritual threat we must guard our hearts and minds by not following a pragmatic route of escape.  Isaiah is warned not to follow the unspiritual thinking of the world around him: “For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

Godly people must learn not to fear what people around them fear. Godly people must fear the LORD alone. They must believe His Word.

 2.   8:14-15: Know that God is either for you or against you. There is no middle-ground: “And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”  The Lord is either a sanctuary or a stone of offense/ stumbling (Gr. skandalon) for all people. In the OT the sanctuary was the holy place where He promised to dwell and where people were invited to dwell under the shelter of His wings. But He is also a stumbling stone for those who will not take Him seriously. 

So too Jesus is there either for our protection or our downfall. The old prophet Simeon prophesied this about the Lord Jesus:  He is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel“ (Luke 2:34).  Many people stumble because they disobey the message about Christ (1 Peter 2:8). To those who believe in Him and obey Him, He will be a sanctuary.   Jesus is either a snare, a stumbling block or a Saviour.  What is He to you? There is no third way, and no one can ultimately get away from Christ. He is the coming Judge!

3. 8:16-20 Hold on to the Word of God and not on to lies: “Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching (law) and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”

When times are desperate it is important to hold on to God’s word. In such times it is important to be aware of false prophets.   What God has said through Isaiah was God’s word.  “The LORD spoke thus to me with His strong hand upon me (8:11).

Note that Isaiah’s family signs and symbols that communicated truth. One of Isaiah’s sons name, (Shear-Jashub- 7:3) promised that there would be a remnant; another son’s name, Maher-Shalal Hash Baz was a prediction that swift destruction would come on Judah’s enemies. It happened while this boy was still a baby who could not yet talk! And don’t forget that Isaiah’s own name means “the Lord saves”, a gospel message in itself!  Immanuel would INDEED appear in the fullness of time   in the flesh (Jn. 1:14, Gal. 4:4) and in the line of David centuries after Isaiah spoke!

Sadly, those who reject God’s word always seek alternative counsel and wisdom, therefore we are not surprised to read that they turned to mediums and necromancers who chirp and mutter (8:19). By so doing they broke God’s law (Deut.18:9-13), preferring to hear a word from the dead over the Word of the Living God.  They were rejecting the law and the testimony (8:20)

In doing so they ultimately lost their heritage, their blessing, and their life. Their unbelief would bring distress, darkness, and fearful gloom in time to come, and if it were not for the amazing mercy of God they would have remained in darkness. So, the words in 8:21& 22 are all too true: “They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”

THE OLD TESTAMENT SPEAKS TO YOU!   

Do not be tempted, like Ahaz, to reject God’s law or the word of His prophets (OT) or like Judas, the final Word that was spoken by Jesus (Hebr.1:1-3), and communicated by the apostles.

If we reject God’s revelation and direction in favor of human saviours or by consulting the dead etc. we will not have light at all but darkness, and the despairing gloom that comes with it.

On Christmas day we are going to take a close look at Isa 9: 1-7, in which we see Immanuel dispelling the gloom of people that have been walking in darkness. We will take a good look at the child with the four Names, in ALONE can be all our hope.

Thank God for Immanuel. Thank  God that  the darkness  cannot extinguish the light. 

Amen!

 

 

 

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[1] See 2 Ki. 16:10-16;18:2 This Zechariah  cannot be identical with the prophet  and author Zechariah, who prophesied around 520 B.C.

[2] The title ‘prophetess ‘ was probably given to Isaiah’s wife here because she was literally the bearer  of the  Lord’s Word, incarnate in her son  (Motyer, p.90)