How to receive God's mercy

Luke 18:9-17 - Tim Smylie
Understanding ourselves: none of us deserve God’s acceptance – we need his mercy (vv9-14)
Understanding Jesus: child-like trust in Jesus is the only way to receive God’s mercy (vv15-17)

47 - Finding our joy in the Lord

Isaiah 58 - Tim Smylie
When is serious, self-denying worship unacceptable to God? (vv1-5)
- when it’s not accompanied by serious, self-denying care for others.
What are the blessings when our worship spills over into serious, self-denying care for others? (vv6-14)
- close, refreshing fellowship with God and priceless joy in God.

47 - Revive us, O Lord

Isaiah 56:9 - 57:21 - Tim Smylie
How not to wait for God’s new world (56:9-57:13a)
Being irresponsible with our responsibilities (56:9-57:2)
Living like God isn’t able to satisfy us (57:3-13a)
The way of repentance is the way forward (57:13b-21)

45 - Sabbath people

Isaiah 56:1-8 - Tim Smylie
Sabbath people:
Have found our salvation and rest in God, and are committed here and now to the justice and righteousness of his new creation (vv1-2)
Include all those who match the description in point 1 – no exclusions! (vv3-8) 

44 - The Lord's invitation

Isaiah 55 - Tim Smylie
Come to me and be satisfied – you can’t afford it, but Jesus has paid the bill (vv1-5)
Come with total commitment – to receive my gift you must leave everything else behind (vv6-9)
Come and find your greatest joy in glorifying me (vv10-13)

43 - The Servant's success

Isaiah 54 - Tim Smylie
Because of the Servant’s work, God’s people are:
Beyond barrenness (vv1-3)
Beyond abandonment (vv4-10)
Beyond defeat (vv11-17)

Celebrating Freedom

Colossians 2:8-15 - Tim Smylie
True freedom is only found in Jesus Christ (vv8-10)
He frees us from our present slavery to sin and our past record of sin (vv11-15)

42 - The Servant - our Saviour

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 - Tim Smylie
Successful through suffering (52:13-15)
Despised and rejected (53:1-3)
Pierced for our transgressions (53:4-6)
The willing Lamb (53:7-9)
Successful, exalted, and interceding (53:10-12)
 

41 - Wake up!

Isaiah 51:9 - 52:12 - Tim Smylie
Wake up:
To the truth that:
God is committed to us (51:9-16)
God has removed his condemnation from us (51:17-23)
God has a new life for us to live (52:1-12)
a life of royal status, praise, and purpose

40 - The Servant - our example and our Lord

Isaiah 50:1 - 52:8 - Tim Smylie
The Servant is the model for every disciple (50:4-9)
- he listens to, obeys, and trusts the LORD
The Servant is also the master of every disciple (50:10-11)
Like the Servant, disciples look beyond temporary troubles to eternal blessings (51:1-8)

39 - The Servant's reward

Isaiah 49:1-50:3 - Tim Smylie
The Servant’s reward is a people gathered from the ends of the earth (49:1-13)
Our greatest honour is to be part of the Servant’s reward (49:14-50:3) 

38 - Listen to this!

Isaiah 48 - Tim Smylie
The LORD is not defeated by human hypocrisy and stubbornness (vv1-11)
The LORD’s blessing comes to those who trust and obey him (vv12-22)

Can your god carry you and rescue you

Isaiah 46-47 - Tim Smylie
Carrying your idols vs being carried by the LORD (Chp 46)
A miserable end vs final splendour (Chp 47)

36 - A Righteous God and a Saviour

Isaiah 44:24 - 45:25 - Tim Smylie
God’s methods will often be mysterious to us (44:24-45:8)
We could not improve on God’s methods! (45:9-14)
Focus instead on the purposes God has made clear (45:15-25)

35 - I am the first and I am the last

Isaiah43:22-44:23 - Tim Smylie
Weary of worship? (43:22-24a)
The antidote to worship-weariness – remembering the worth of the LORD (43:24b-44:23)
 New beginnings and true refreshment come from the LORD alone (43:24b-44:8)
When we turn from the LORD we’re just feeding on ashes (44:9-23)

34 - Created for my glory

Isaiah 42:18-43:21 - Tim Smylie
A hard truth: You have not served me faithfully (42:18-25)
The truth that matters most: You are my precious people (43:1-7)
The unchanged mission: You are my witnesses (43:8-13)
A new deliverance: I am making a way (43:14-21)

What child is this?

Philippians 2:5-11 - Tim Smylie
The Sovereign Servant
The Sovereign One who humbled himself to serve (vv6-8)
The Servant who was raised to reign (vv9-11) 
 

33 - Behold my Servant

Isaiah 41:21-42:17 - Tim Smylie
Who’s in charge of history? (41:21-29)
The one who rescues history (42:1-9)
Worship the God of history (42:10-17)

32 - Do not fear, for I am with you

Isaiah 41:1-20 - Tim Smylie
You cannot find strength without me (vv1-7)
You will find strength in me (vv8-20)
I have chosen you (vv8-10)
I will make you unstoppable (vv11-16)
I will refresh you (vv17-20)

31 - Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Isaiah 40:12 - 31 - Tim Smylie
Behold your God (vv12-26)
The perfectly capable Creator (vv12-14)
The unchallenged Sovereign (vv15-20)
The fully attentive Ruler (vv21-26)
Rely on your God (vv27-31)
 

Baptized into Christ Jesus

Romans 6:3-5 - Tim Smylie
 
Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:3-5)

30 - Comfort, comfort my people

Isaiah 40:1-11 - Tim Smylie
Sin, failure and darkness are not the end (vv1-2)
The King is coming (vv3-5)
Unlike us, God is always reliable (vv6-8)
The King is mighty and gentle (vv9-11)

29 - The heart is deceitful

Isaiah 38-39 - Tim Smylie
A fresh opportunity for a wholly-devoted heart (Ch 38)
Abrupt evidence of a fickle, selfish heart    (Ch 39)

34 - Taste and See

Psalm 34 - Tim Smylie
 Look backwards with thanksgiving (vv1-7)
Look forwards with wisdom (vv8-22)
Do good (vv9-14)
Depend on the LORD’s care (vv15-18)
Hold on to the Gospel (vv19-22)

28 - The LORD's victory

Isaiah 37:8-38 - Tim Smylie
The real contest: the enemy versus the LORD Almighty (vv8-20)
The way the LORD’s victory is won: in response to his people’s prayers the LORD fulfils his eternal purposes and shows our enemies in their true light (vv21-38)

27 - The voice of the enemy

Isaiah 36:1-37:7 - Tim Smylie
 The enemy’s invitation: “Surrender!” (36:1-20)
“I’m unstoppable – trust me” (36:1-10)
“I have good things to give – trust me” (36:11-20)
Respond to the enemy’s invitation by seeking the LORD (36:21-37:7)

26 - Retribution or Redemption

Isaiah 34-35 - Tim Smylie
 Retribution: an inheritance of chaos and desolation (chp 34)
for those who choose defiance as their way of life
Redemption: an inheritance of gladness and joy (chp 35)
for those who choose holiness as their way of life

25 - Seeing the King

Isaiah 33 - Tim Smylie
 Seeing the power of the king (vv1-16)
Seeing the beauty of the king (vv17-24)

24 - Your kingdom come

Isaiah 32 - Tim Smylie
 
The reign of the King – a kingdom of security, care, clarity, and character (vv1-8)
Wake up from complacency – false security will collapse (vv9-14)
The transforming Spirit brings the life of the kingdom (vv15-20)

23 - In repentance and rest is your salvation

Isaiah 30-31 - Tim Smylie
Going back to Egypt – the attractive option that’s always a big let-down (30:1-17)
“The LORD longs to be gracious to you” – rely on the one who will walk with you and guide you (30:18-31:9)