Seek ye the Lord while he may be found

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 23 AUGUST 2020 PM

ISAIAH 55 VERSES 1 - 7

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."

We have an opportunity tonight to call on the name of the Lord because he is near.  There may come a time when he will not be near.  "My Spirit shall not always strive with man."  Revelation 3 verse 20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in."  Maybe the Lord has been knocking on your heart`s door over these past days, weeks, months and years and you have never responded, never repented of your sin, trusted him as Saviour and Lord.  He comes again, he is to be found tonight.  He is here tonight to seek and to save that which is lost.

A search that is precious.  This text tells me we are not signing up to a church or a book of rules.  It is telling us to come, to seek after a person, none other than Jesus himself.  1 Peter 2 verse 7 "unto you therefore which believe he is precious."  If you are saved and walking with God then he is precious to you because he left heavens glory, you were on his mind.  He left the praise of angels, came into this sin cursed world and on the cross of Calvary he died for you.  To you he is precious.  Peter said he is to be found.  Think of the man we read about in Matthew 13.   A parable about a man passing a piece of land.  One day he realised there was something about this piece of land that was very precious.  He hadn`t realised it before.  Hidden treasure in the field.  We are not told how often he passed that piece of ground or how often he did it.  He didn`t realise how precious it was.  One day he passed by, looked at it then went out and sold all he had to buy this field.  He was not like the young man who came to the Lord.  He realised he was not saved, still in his sin.  He asked Jesus "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  The Lord spoke of the commandments to which he replied "all these I have kept from my youth up."  Jesus said "take all you have, sell it and give to the poor then come and follow me."  He couldn`t go through with God.  He neglected to see the preciousness of God`s salvation.  Have you neglected to look on the preciousness of God`s salvation?  You have been pointed to the cross.  Jesus suffered and died for you yet somehow you have turned your back time after time.  This verse speaks of Christ tonight.  The God of this world has blinded our eyes so we cannot see the preciousness of Christ.  If this man had this field he would have all he needed for the rest of his life.  If only we could see Christ who came into this world to save our souls.  If only you could see the preciousness of Christ you would have something greater than the wealth of this world.  

It is also a personal search.  Notice the word "ye".  The word of instruction is to be applied individually.  Look at verse 1 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price."  In poverty and hunger we should come.  It is personal to you and you alone.  Paul before Agrippa told how he was on his way to Damascus when God spoke to him.  He thought he was doing God a favour.  He had a licence in his hand to go to Damascus, that if he found anyone who followed Christ, he had the power to bind them and bring them back to Jerusalem.  There on the road to Damascus he met Christ personally.  In the dust of that road he heard a voice asking him "why persecutest thou me?"  Agrippa turned to Paul and said "almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."  Sadly he stopped in his tracks and did not take that step.  Almost persuaded but that is as far as he went.  He was taking it personally on that particular day.  He was not thinking of Festus standing beside him or the counsellors in the chamber listening to their conversation.  Maybe God has been speaking to you and you have been almost persuaded?  Paul could do nothing more for Agrippa.  He could show him Christ suffering and dying for him but he could do nothing more.  The knowledge of my thirst will not suffice for yours.  The Psalmist could say "O taste and see that the Lord is good."

It is a positive search.  The promise is to all who search that they will find.  If you search for the Lord you will find him.  That is the promise for the genuine seeker.  Jeremiah "ye shall seek me and find me when ye search for me with all your heart."  The man in Matthew 13 saw something precious and he was willing to sell all to have that field.  When you look to Christ there is nothing you can purchase, it is a free gift offered to everyone.  "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost."  The disciples looked at the young man who turned from Christ because he was told to sell all he had and give it away.  The disciples asked Jesus "who then can be saved?"  Paul said "for whosoever shall on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

A pressing search.  There is a danger here.  It is a pressing search and we cannot delay - "while he may be found" and "while he is near".  Remember Joseph and Mary when they took Jesus to the temple at 12 years of age.  Mary and Joseph returned home.  Both thought Jesus was with each other but he wasn`t with either.  He had remained in Jerusalem.  They returned to the temple and there he was with the lawyers debating with them.  Is it possible tonight that you think you are saved, that you think the Lord is with you and maybe he is not with you?  The bible says "now is the accepted day, now is the day of salvation".  If the Lord is calling to you will you come?  If the Holy Spirit is showing you your need of salvation call upon him tonight.  You can turn to the Lord, invite him into your life.  Song of Solomon 5 verse 6 "I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; my soul failed when he spake; I sought him but I could not find him, I called him but he gave me no answer."  The gospel is for you, for you to come.  A pardon is offered to you for your sin but you must receive it.  To reject it means no pardon.  In the days of Lot living in Sodom the angels went down to deliver him and his family.  The angels told them not to look back - are you prepared to come and seek the Lord, to turn from your sin and not look back?

A profitable search.  Just as the man found treasure in the field so too you will find Christ and he will be sufficient for you.  Will you seek and find the Lord while he may be found?