Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 6 again it says, but now had he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises. Let's pray. Glorious God and Heavenly Father we come before you this morning and again we ask oh Lord that you be pleased to meet with thy people this morning. As Gordon had said often, oh Lord, his prayers, he would cry out and say, Lord, we want to hear a sound from heaven this morning. You be pleased to speak to our hearts, Lord, and may thy spirit accompany you word as it goes, that you would cause it to be implanted in the hearts of those that are yet outside Christ, oh Lord. So God, we ask that you would feed us from the finest of the wheat. We need some honey out of the rock this morning and the blessings of your word. And so meet with us, Heavenly Father. We want to hear from you, O God. Bless your word. For we ask it in the blessed name of your beloved Son. Amen. Please be seated. We return to our studies on Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant. Seven things that we have set forth before you. We've already seen the first four points and we'll pick up on our fifth point this morning on the procurement of the covenant. This will be our seventh study on the subject of Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant and again I remind you that in verse 8 of Hebrews 8 we are reminded that that we're told that this is the new covenant that is based upon better covenant and better promises. Quickly Under our first point, on the plan of the covenant, we saw that this new covenant originated in eternity past in the eternal counsel of God and was set forth by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. In our second point, on the plurality of the covenant, we saw that the seven covenants in the Bible, starting with the everlasting covenant again, then came into the Edenic or Edenic covenant in Eden with Adam and Eve, then all the way to the fulfillment of our Lord Jesus Christ and the establishing of the new covenant. And then we spoke thirdly on the philology of the covenant and by this I mean again this word philology means the study of record to establish the authenticity of the original form and determination of the meaning, which in our case is the word covenant and we look to the Word of God to give us this authenticity which we saw. And then where we have spent most of our time the past few weeks is our fourth point which we have been speaking on the promises of the covenant which they were extended because I did add four sub points under this one in verses 10 to 12 of Hebrews 8, where we saw a new revelation in verse 10, where it says, I will put my laws in their minds and write them in their hearts. We saw a new relationship, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And then we saw, thirdly, a new realm in verse 11, and then concluded with, last week, with a non-remembrance in verse 12, or two weeks ago, in verse 12, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their shanty iniquities will I remember no more. And so this brings us to our fifth point again, the procurement of the covenant. By the word procurement I basically mean the aspect of obtaining or seeking to obtain. And so the question is that how does one obtain or enter into this blessed new covenant? And the answer is by faith. By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The invitation, the call to come to Christ is made in the scriptures Christ made many invitations in the Gospels. As you read the Gospels, you see that. And throughout the Bible, we see this a lot. Many times I like to end my sermons from Romans 10, where it says, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture said, whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. for there is no difference between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all then that call upon him for whosoever should call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved and therefore the procurement of the covenant is by faith coming and trust and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ in the grace of salvation now I beg to remind you that the Bible was written to show us who God is but also to show us who His Son is and how He left the glories of heaven and He came and He robed Himself in flesh to go to the cross for the purpose of attaining salvation for sinners. Well, the Bible is also written to call sinners to come to God for salvation, to come again in repentance toward God and in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1st Timothy 1.15, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. And then in 1st Timothy 3.16 he says, and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. What? That God was manifest in the flesh and so forth. And so again, the Bible is also written to point sinners to God, to Christ, for salvation. Again, our Lord was constantly calling sinners to salvation when He came to earth. As a matter of fact, there in John 5, in speaking to the Jews, beginning in verse 33, you don't have to turn there, I'll read it to you, it says, to kill him, but yet he makes this powerful point. He said, but these things I say that you might be saved. And he speaks about John the Baptist, that he was a burning and shining light, and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John, for the works which the Father had given me to finish the same works I do bear witness of me that the Father had sent me. And the Father himself which had sent me had borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape, and ye have not. in it his word abiding in your heart for whom he had said you believe not search this scripture for in them you think you have eternal life there they which what testify I mean that's what Christ said the Bible is written to give a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ But then he concludes with these words, these sad words. I can just see him looking at the Jews right in their eyes, looking at them and saying, and you will not come to me that you might have life. And that is the problem of man. They will not come to God. God has made everything possible for sinners to come to him freely in the grace of salvation. But that heart is so bent upon sin that they will not come to have life. If you look at the scriptures, the word of God, the laws are constantly commanded to look to Christ, to believe in Christ, to embrace Christ, to come to Christ, to lay hold of Christ, to be persuaded in Christ, to trust in Christ, to call upon Christ, come to him for salvation. Why? Because he is the only savior of sinners. And again, as he says there in John 14, Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me. And then in John chapter 7, in verses 37 and 39, in the last great day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried, if any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth in me hath the scripture that saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But you must come to Christ. Even at the outset of his ministry, there in Matthew 9, when he's about to call, Matthew, he says, for I have not come to call the righteous, but what sinners to repentance. And to the end of his ministry in Luke 19 10, he said, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. And therefore, the Bible is written, not only to declare the glory and sovereign of the omnipotent God, But it's also written regarding to show us who his beloved son is and what he did for us upon the cross. But also, my dear one, it is written to call sinners to come to him for salvation. And therefore, faith then is the means of procuring or obtaining the blessing of the new covenant. I wish it was simple and easy in the sense that I could just tell you, just do some good work. If you do so many works and we put a number, he says, you'll make it to heaven. Just follow these religious rules, you'll make it. Or just join the church. Or let me just baptize you and I'll get you to heaven. I wish I could tell you that, but that'd be a lie. That would be a lie. Or just do so many works. So many religious rites and it will get you to heaven and you'll be part of the new covenant and be brought into the kingdom of Christ. No! You must be born again. You must come to Christ. to understand that at the very moment of salvation, you are birthed into the kingdom of God, which again is being born again. But at the same time, you enter into a covenant with God, which is the new covenant. Then, we have seen. That this new covenant is completely different than the old covenant, which was based on what? On worth and obedience, which people still try in our day to get right with God by some worth and obedience. That's the old covenant. But in the new covenant, God has done everything needed for the salvation of sinners. Christ has fulfilled everything needed in the new covenant, which is, again, established upon better promises, thus a better covenant. What is needed of man? is for man to see their sinfulness, to see their loss and stay, and to look to God for salvation. And again, I call this a two-fold look that is needed. An inward look to see within your heart your sin that has separated you from God, but then also, secondly, an upward look to Christ for salvation. You know, the book of Isaiah begins with a call to come to God, to look to Him for salvation. It says in Isaiah 118, come now, let us reason together, said the Lord. Though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. That's what God does when He saves a sinner. And then of course, there in Isaiah, we also have that famous text in Isaiah 45, where Isaiah says, assemble yourself and come, draw me together, for there is no God else beside me, a just God, a Savior, there is none beside me. And verse 22, look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else. Why would God make such an invitation? Well, because we are lost in our sins. Again, everyone born into this world is lost. None is exempt. And this is why God makes this invitation to those of you this morning who have not yet come to Christ, His beloved Son. The blessing of this invitation, as you can see very clearly, is that this salvation that is offered by God, it is free. You don't get too many things free in this world, my dear ones. It won't cost you anything. It is free. In other words, God has provided every mean needed to pay for your salvation. Therefore, the invitation to come is free. Again, it's not a religious Dutch treat for everyone has to pay for themselves. No, that is found in religion. We're doing all kinds of religious ceremonies and work. But here, the invitation is free. It is gratis. It's free. I want us to look at a particular text which also includes the covenant, the everlasting covenant. And I preach in this text before, but nevertheless, it is a precious text which speaks on the freeness of salvation. Please turn in your Bible to that blessed chapter of Isaiah 55. Again, we're speaking about or regards to the procurement of the covenant. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55. Notice what Isaiah says. He wants to get your attention. Ho! I love that. Ho! Everyone that's thirsty, come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat. Yea, come. Buy wine and milk without money, without price. Why? Because it's free. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfyeth not? Religious work will never satisfy you, nor God. Hearken diligently unto me. Eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Here it is. Incline your ear, and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live. And that's a big and. and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercy of David. There you have it. This is the aspect of the procurement of salvation. That you must come in faith to God. I want you to take your pen, your highlighter, your pencil, whatever you have and I want you to circle the word come in this text. you notice carefully that is inserted there four times. Again he says, ho, everyone that thirsty, come ye to the waters. And he says, and he that had no money, come ye by a knee. And then again he says, yea, come. Buy wine and milk without money and without pride. And then the verse three, the fourth come, incline your ear and come unto me. Here in your soul shall live. When you come to God in Christ, he will save you. And what does He say? You will come and what? And your soul shall live. You'll be brought from deadness to life in the grace of salvation, in the blessed work of regeneration. And what does God say? And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of God. Can you imagine that God would come and make a personal covenant with you? as an individual in the grace of salvation. We have spent our whole life sinning against God, taking his name in vain, cursing his name, threatened, drawn underfoot his law, having no concern for God. But yet God, in great mercy, and in goodness, and in love, he looks down to men and says, if you come to me, I will save you, and I will enter into a covenant with you. Your soul will live. Why would you want to walk away from that? Why would you want to walk away from that that will give you eternal life? That you can know that the very moment you die, you'll go with God. Sadly, so many people trust in religion. They trust in the good works, in the baptism, whether it's infant baptism or not baptism. I don't care what kind of baptism it is. It will not get you to heaven. Because salvation is not based upon water. It's in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so sad that people look at all these things, and they won't do one thing for you. But I can point you to whom? can give you new life and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Incline your ear, come and you will live. Again these four comes in Isaiah 55, 1 to 3. All of them in the Hebrew language They are in the imperative. And that is so important because God is not asking you this morning if you feel like coming. He's not begging you to come. And He's not wishing, you know, kind of wringing His hand in heaven, going, oh, I would just hope some of those people who are trying to just come, oh, please, somebody would come. No, no, no, that's not the God of the Bible, my dear ones. He's not begging you to come. He's not wishing you could come. He's not hoping that you come. He's commanding you, come! Come! Come to Christ this very moment. This is a direct order from the captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ. Come! The necessity to come is set forth again in the call, and thus, We see so clearly, so simple, that Isaiah 55, 1, 2, 3, we see what the freement of salvation gave the freement of grace. Or if you wish again, the procurement of the covenant. And all of this again is set forth in the call to come, the invitation to come, which again the result of coming and being safe and entering into an everlasting covenant, or if you wish, the new covenant. Four times, come, come, come, come, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even as your mercies of David. What precious words. of our great God to poor and dying sinners. What a glorious invitation by God. And I know that sandwiched in between these four comes are two specific questions that the prophet Isaiah, or rather God through the prophet Isaiah I should say, causes man to see the vanity of rejecting the free gift of God by laboring in religion, by looking to other things than the Lord Jesus Christ. By laboring to obtain salvation by their own efforts. But this laboring will not satisfy one bid. Notice what it says in verse 2. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and the second question and your labor for that which satisfied not. Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and your soul shall delight in fatness. Thus incline your ear come to me and your soul shall live. I beg to remind you also that the Lord Jesus Christ also dealt with this with the Jews. Remember what he told the Jews there in John chapter 6 and verse 27. He said labor not for the meat which perisheth but labor for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of Man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed. Labor not for the meat which perisheth for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life again which the Son of Man will give you. Okay? but bless his words of Christ and of course then they say unto Christ what shall we do that we might work the works of God Jesus said unto them this is the work of God that you believe on him who he had sent and so again Isaiah makes that plea to come to come to salvation incline your ear come unto me here and your soul shall live and I that is God and God alone not religion not this Baptist church not any Baptist church not any church but God alone and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sheer mercies of David and so again what a merciful and gracious act of God upon sinful humanity again who have cursed his name in vain and trampled under foot his law, who have no regards for the Lord Jesus Christ, yet God in great mercy calls sinners unto himself. Will you not take heed to this call? It reminds me of that hymn that we sing every once in a while, Pass Me Not. May these words prick your heart this morning if you are outside Christ. It says, Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry, while another thou art calling, do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry, while another thou art calling, do not pass me by. Let me at thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief, kneeling there in deep contrition, Help my unbelief. Trusting only in thy merit, would I seek thy faith. Heal my wounded, broken spirit. Save me by the grave. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry. While in others that are calling, do not pass me by. Oh, will you not this morning cry unto the Lord to save you from your sins? Oh, would you not call upon the Lord that while on others He is calling that He will not pass you by this morning? Do not. Oh, my dear one, do not. Do not cry unto Him. Do not pass me by. Because you never know when God will give you the last call. And you never have the guarantee that you'll wake up to see another day. How do you know that this is not the last call for you if you're outside Christ? Do not walk out of here without calling upon the Lord to save you. You know, when you look at the Bible as a whole, from beginning even to the end, in Revelation 22, and we like to sing there in Revelation 22, where it says, where the Spirit and the bride say, come. But even in the book of Genesis, the first time The word come is used. It's in Genesis 7. And it was in the time of Noah when God was going to send an awful flood where millions were put to death. And it was a glorious invitation to come. And the call went out. Noah went out constantly calling people to come. But they mocked him and laughed him to scorn. And in Genesis chapter 7 verse 1 and verse 16 it says and the Lord said unto Noah come thou and all the house and to the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation and in verse 16 it says and they went in and they went in male and female of all flesh and God had commanded him and the Lord shut him in. Noah didn't close the door to the ark God closed, God shut the door to the ark. God told Noah to come. Noah came, and he was delivered from impending doom. This morning, I hope God is calling you. He is calling you through this message. He is calling you through this sermon to come, to come. to deliver you from impending doom. Our Lord Christ says to you this morning, come unto me, all ye that labor in the heaven laid, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me. I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your soul, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And so the Bible again is full of the call of God to sinners to come to Him for salvation. And of course again we see this glorious invitation in Isaiah 55, 1-3. Now I also remind you that Isaiah 55 is also closely connected with the previous chapters as it flows, I'm talking about 55, I believe it flows from what Isaiah began in chapter 52 or the end of chapter 52-53 about the person and work of Christ in the atonement And then in 54 it speaks of the effects of the, I believe the outgoing of the gospel, not only to the Jews, that is to the Jews first, but also to the Gentiles. So Isaiah 53 begins with Isaiah confessing and displaying his heart regarding the unbelief and dullness of those that are yet lost. You know when Isaiah begins 53 it sounds like he's making a complaint to his God. I can almost say I know Isaiah is feeling too well. Isaiah said, who has believed our report? Unto whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? You pray Sunday in, Sunday out, and it says Lord. Has anybody heard the report? And Isaiah again sets forth that spiritual juxtaposition where he puts the importance of revelation that is revealing and faith set forth together in the grace of salvation. Belief, the report, the message. And what is this report and message of Isaiah? And what is the report and message this morning from this pulpit? It's the free salvation of God. The invitation of God that your soul may live. Which is again the call of the new covenant set forth in the gospel to come to Christ who is the mediator of the new covenant. Again I love what Isaiah says there. He says who have believed I will report. Why? Because it was not just his but it's to all true ministers who God calls to preach this blessed message of salvation by grace through faith. And then Isaiah in the rest of the chapter 53, he shows us the work of Christ in his atonement and this is why salvation is free because of what Christ accomplished upon the cross as set forth in Isaiah 53 but then also in what in the application of the atonement that is being set forth to you this morning to come and lay hold of that. Again I bid to remind you that our chief text says, but now had he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is what the mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises. Herein we see again the work of Christ in his mediatorship. He says, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. What a precious promise from God we saw last time. Because of the work of Christ. Again it's depicted by Isaiah in Isaiah 53 that God will forgive our sins. That God will be merciful to our unrighteousness and God will not remember our sins anymore. Why? All because of what Christ accomplished upon the cross as set forth by Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 53. Again, Isaiah 53 speaks of that work of Christ in his atonement. And in particular, how God the Father was satisfied. And so now, God can be, what, the just and justifier of all them who believe. As we're clearly told there in Romans 3, It says, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption of Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. There we have it again. The freeness of salvation in Christ. Being justified, how? Freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation. How? Through faith. in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remissions of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Will you not believe in Christ this morning? Will you not come to Christ this morning? Again, after writing such gracious words, in Isaiah 53. It perhaps seems to me that Isaiah's excitement is so overflowing that it continues into Isaiah 54 as though he sings with great joy because of the effectual result of the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ and the global effect of the gospel to the whole world ushering in also the Gentiles. in the grace of salvation. Notice these blessed words of Isaiah 54. It says, Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear. Break forth in the singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child. For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitation. Spare not lengthen thy cord, and strengthen thy stake. And pray that for Hilburn Drive, my dear ones, because I pray that just about daily for our church. That God would extend the courts of his deputation here in this place. Praying that he will break forth on the right hand and on the left hand. And that sea shall inherit the Gentiles and make desolate cities to be inhabited. We can almost feel the excitement of Isaiah because of the power of the gospel. If you recall, Paul would write there to the Romans again and speak of that powerful gospel when he said, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth that the Jew first and all to the Greek. For therein that is in the gospel is the righteousness of God declared. It is declared powerfully. by our great God. And so, Isaiah 55, the invitation is made, because what? It saves. And how does it save? Freely. Come without money, come without pride, laying whole of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, and believe, trust, and praise, lay whole of Christ to be saved. these are precious words also in Isaiah 54 but if you notice clearly drop down if you're still there in Isaiah 54 notice what he makes mention of again Isaiah 54 verse 10 for the mountains shall depart and the hills removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of peace be removed save the Lord that had mercy on thee again covenant of peace Covenant of Redemption, Everlasting Covenant. It is the same covenant, my dear ones. The same one. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts and their minds when I write them, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. And so in Isaiah 54, the hope of redemption is set forth again, ratified in verses 7 and 8, and cemented again in that covenant of peace in verse 10. what a blessing and notice that again in Isaiah 54 we use this last time when we're dealing in verse 11 in the new realm that the Lord will teach us they shall be taught verse 13 and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children and so what a blessing that God will do all this for us in the grace of salvation and so all to God this morning that you would hear God's voice, and I'm not talking about an audible voice, but in your soul, in your heart, that the word of God will be quickened in your soul, in the depth of your soul, that you know God is speaking to you, God is disturbing you, God is showing you something you've never seen before, that you would learn something of the freeness of salvation, and therefore come, come, come unto Him. Again, I love what it says there. in Isaiah 54 and in verse 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with grace, mercy would I gather thee. It's speaking about the effectual grace, the effectual call of God. And I beg to remind you also that the word gather here in Isaiah 55 and verse 7. The word gather is God's effectual call that is cemented in his loving mercies his tender mercies remember brother Gary in Psalm 86 verses 5 13 and 15 for the Lord for thou Lord are good and ready to forgive plenty is a mercy upon all them that call upon thee for great is thy mercy toward me and that has delivered my soul from the lowest hell but thou oh Lord are a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering plenty is in mercy and truth There's no excuse not to come, my dear ones. And then Isaiah 54 concludes with verse 17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment shall thou condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and the righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. The conspiracy and instruments of the wicked are impotent, unless I know that God allows it. But the whole idea is that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. Now it does not mean that no weapons will be forming against you. But the promise is they will not prosper. And Wednesday night we're seeing in Isaiah 33 verses 9 and 10 it says, The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to none, to make the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever in the thoughts of his heart to all generations. And so you see the blessings there. 52, 53, 54. and it brings you right back to Isaiah 55 where the prophet knowing, understanding the power of our great God with great joy now sets forth the freeness of salvation that is seen in the blessed new covenant. Again, why? And the answer can be found in Isaiah 53 and in verse 11. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities. You can see Isaiah proclaim the blessings of free grace. You know, go back to Isaiah 52. I've not read this but I want to read it now. Isaiah 52. For the sake of time we'll just read the last two verses 13 and 14. It says, Behold my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. As many were astonished at thee. He was so marred than any man and is formed more than the sons of man speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ when he was taken to the cross and it was beaten to the pulp that he was not even recognizable. This was God's righteous and holy servant. And in reality what we have here my dear ones now, but I've run out of time, is our sixth point. The person of the covenant is none other than the servant of our great God which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Isaiah 42 quickly and we'll try to wrap this up. Isaiah 42. In Isaiah 42, these precious words. Isaiah 42, Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighted, I have put my spirit upon him. He shall bring judgment to the Gentiles. And he's speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruise free shall he not break, and a smoking flag shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. This is quoted in Matthew He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in the earth and the owl shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched them out He that spreads forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it, he that giveth bread unto the people upon it, and the Spirit to them that walk therein, I the Lord have called thee in righteousness. He will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee, that is give the Lord Jesus Christ for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, to bring out of prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison home. I am the Lord, this is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare before they spring forth. I tell you of Oh what a glorious word we have here. And real quickly in verse 16, and I will bring the blind by the way that they knew not. I will lead in the path that they have not known. I will make darkness before them and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them. Speaking again of the word of God and salvation. These words in Isaiah 42 are quoted by Luke in Luke chapter 1 and Luke chapter 2 so clear. All of this fulfilled in the blessings of the new covenant. And again as the Isaiah word from Isaiah 52, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 54, and then finally in chapter 55 he gets to the chapter and he writes the thing regarding the servant of the most high God. As though he gets so excited, proclaims the glorious gospel, what in the freeness of salvation that he begins Isaiah 55 with, Ho! As though he's saying, hey, you, you, you there, you take notice and behold. Pay attention. Like one commentator said, quote, try to picture this. Here's the Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, standing by the busy street corner of time and in the intersection of life and death. He calls out to the passerbys, hey you, hey you, yes, God himself, he's speaking to you right now. And he is this morning through his word, unquote. John Gill says, the word ho is expressive of calling and carries in it an invitation in which there seems to be a pity of the case of the person's call and that is delivered in indefinite terms and very openly and publicly and has the nature of the gospel called an invitation to the person described as being thirsty." And thus, my dear ones, do you not see the freeness of salvation? Again, it is free. It is free. Free. The freeness of salvation. That you would come to him. Will you not this morning receive the precious gift of salvation? Again, it is absolutely and positively free. You see, it is man that makes it a complex issue. I mean, to receive the freeness of salvation, it's too simple for man. Because men always want to look to the mystic. They want to look to difficult things. They want to look to doing good works or religious works and they're not they're not able to simply believe The aspect of the gospel and I know part of because of the depravity and death and trespasses and sins But it doesn't take away from the freeness of the gospel And so sad that man seeks to work their whole life in labor And in doing so they reject the free gift of salvation and sadly they'll die in that way and go to a devil's hell But in hell it'd be too late because we said many times there's no mercy in hell. There's mercy this morning. Do not walk away this morning without the free mercies of God. As Jeremiah would say, don't trust in lying words that will not profit your soul. No, those lying words will damn your soul to hell. And in Jonah 2, it says, they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies. Oh my dear one, Do not forsake the mercies of God. Don't be like those that Jeremiah speaks of. And so here's the call to you this morning. Come. Come without money. Come without price. Just like the hymn writer that would say again. Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and thou bid me to come to thee, O Lamb of God. I come. I come. And so I bid you again, come believing, trusting, having faith that God will save your soul. Incline your ear this morning. Incline and come to Christ. Because salvation is free. Salvation is paid for. It's free. It's free to all that come because you cannot buy salvation. You cannot purchase salvation. You cannot work for salvation. You cannot barter for salvation. You cannot merit salvation. You cannot obtain your own salvation. Why? Because it is free. And so come. Even now. And we'll conclude with those words in Isaiah 55. After he makes this gracious call where four times he tells you this morning to come. Why? Come, why? Verses six and seven. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous men his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. So there's no excuse not to come. Come, even now, as I pray silently there, call upon God to save your soul. Don't walk out of here this morning because what if this is the last call to you? You don't know that. You better make your heart incline its ear to what God says. It's not a light thing to walk away from the freeness of salvation. Let's pray. O most merciful and gracious God, we come pleading with you. For we know that there are yet some that have not come and yet sit in their sins. That yet you have told us in your word again and again that salvation had been accomplished by your beloved Son. And the only thing that keeps anyone from coming are their own sins. their own pride, their own hardness of heart. And Lord, I pray this morning that you would break hearts, that you would make hard hearts soft, and that you would cause those that are dead, trespasses, and sins to be made alive. May the power of the Holy Spirit come upon 5426 Hilburn Drive this morning, oh Lord. Oh God, save and unmask. Don't let them walk out. After hearing such a message and such warning, move upon them, O God. For we ask it in your blessed and holy name. Amen.