back with me to Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah lived about 600 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born. He is known as the most evangelical of all the Old Testament prophets. He spoke of Christ all through his prophecy. It's interesting to note, I don't know if you've ever noticed this before, but we have 66 books in our Bible, 66 books. 39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament. And the way Isaiah was divided up, it too has 66 books. and 39 chapters, and then chapter 40, we have the prophecy of John the Baptist, who introduced the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ, who introduced the gospel of Christ in the New Testament. And if you notice here, in this passage we read in Isaiah chapter 40, that John the Baptist is prophesied of And he asked the question in verse six, what shall I cry? What shall I cry? And if you look at the scriptures here, you see that his message was twofold. He was told to cry, first of all, all flesh is grass. All flesh is grass. What does he mean by that? All flesh is grass. He shows us the brevity of life, the brevity of life, your life, my life, the life of all men and women, how short it is. It's like a vapor, the Apostle James tells us, that appears for just a little while and vanishes away. So the grass springs up in the morning and it's cut down in the evening. All flesh is grass. Have you heard that message? Have you learned that message? Every person here, you live in this world for just a short time, but you're going out into eternity, never, ever ending eternity. All flesh is grass. And then the second part of his message is behold thy God. Behold thy God. I could preach from that, but I would just mention this. John the Baptist, who we see here, is prophesied of. Remember, he's the one who said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Behold thy God. Jesus Christ he is. God manifest in the flesh. But this chapter begins with these words, comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. And I want us to look this morning in chapter 41 at a few verses here which are words and verses of comfort to God's people. If you turn over a page into chapter 41, let's begin reading in verse 8 and read through verse 14. These words of comfort, now these words of comfort are real. Verse eight, but thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend, thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee. Yea, I will uphold thee with my right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded. They shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee. They that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not, I am with thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I will help thee, saith the Lord. and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." Words of comfort. I have three parts to my message this morning. First, I want you to think with me about this. To whom are these words of comfort addressed? These are very comforting words, but to whom are they addressed? To whom is he speaking? Well, there are five terms in these verses that we have read, which tell us to whom these words of comfort are applied. First, in verse eight, Israel. He's speaking to Israel, God's servant. He's speaking to God's servant, Jacob. He's speaking to Jacob, the seed of Abraham. He's speaking to the seed of Abraham. And then in verse 14, thy worm. He's speaking to this worm. Now I want us to look at these names, not as they're given here in this text, but as they appear in the scriptures. In other words, as they first appear in Genesis and then on through the scripture. The first one is the seed of Abraham. The seed of Abraham. What does that mean? Who are these people? The seed of Abraham. What does that mean? Who is Abraham? Well, Abraham, as we see here, God called him his friend. God called him his friend. God chose him and caused him to leave his family and the land of his birth and to go out and follow the Lord. And the scripture says, Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now the Apostle Paul uses that verse of scripture in the New Testament when he is explaining how it is, teaching how it is that men and women are justified before God. Through faith, just like Abraham, he believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. What was imputed? What was charged to Abraham for righteousness? The righteousness of God, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. But here this verse speaks to the seed of Abraham. After Abraham believed God, and then he was afraid that he would not have a seed. Him and Sarah went a long time there, they had no child. And one day, one evening, he said to God, God appeared to him and he said, this servant's gonna be my heir, my seed. And God said, oh no. And he took him out, remember? And he said, look up into the stars. And before that, he had told him, if you can number the sand of the earth, that's what your seed is going to be. It's going to be like the stars for multitudes. Now, Abraham has a fleshly seed, the nation of Israel, the nation of Israel, but he also has a spiritual seed. The scripture in the New Testament teaches us that Abraham is the father of all believers. If you are a child of God today, you are a son of Abraham. You are one of the seed of Abraham. In other words, in Galatians, the apostle said, and if you be Christ, if you be Christ, then are you Abraham's seed. If you are a Christian, if you are a child of God this morning, then you are Abraham's spiritual seed. You know, the Bible speaks of two Israels. There's a national Israel and there's a spiritual Israel, a spiritual Israel. And this is what this verse of scripture reminds us of. And this is a title that we're given here, the seed of Abraham. Is Abraham your father? He is if you are a child of God. If you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are saved in the same way Abraham was saved. The seed of Abraham. But then the second title we see here is Jacob. Jacob. Now Jacob here is used as a collective term of all of God's children, not just the individual Jacob, not just the grandson of Abraham, but the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. These words of comfort are addressed to Jacob. Now there are three things about Jacob, three things recorded in the word of God about Jacob that are true of every child of God. Everyone to whom these words apply. There are three things which were true about Jacob that's true of you this morning. If you are one of God's children, Jacob, number one, Jacob have I loved. You are loved of God. And his love for you didn't begin yesterday. His love for you is from everlasting to everlasting. That's the first thing about Jacob that is true of everyone of God's children who are loved of God. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God loved Jacob. He loved his chosen people, his elect people. The second thing, about Jacob that is true of all of God's children, you've been found. You've been found. You say, well, I never knew I was lost. Well, you've not been found. That's the sad thing. If you've never been found, you don't think you've ever been lost. That's sad. Because whether you realize it or not, All men, as we come into this world, are lost. You say, what do you mean lost? I mean lost. We're alienated. We're strangers. We're alienated from God, enmity with God. That's what the scripture says. And I want you to look at a verse. Keep your place here. I've got to have you turn here, but look back to Deuteronomy chapter 32. First thing about all of God's children that was true of Jacob and is true of you is that you are loved by God with an everlasting love. And number two, that you've been found, that you've been found. Here in verse 9 of chapter 32 in Deuteronomy, notice what the scripture says. For the Lord's portion is his people. Jacob, there it is, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him. Who found who? People are, we're all bad about this, I guess, but we say, well, I found the Lord. No, the Lord was never lost. It was never lost. He found him. God found Jacob. The Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ said, the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He found him. Where did he find him? In a waste, in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. And I want you to think about this now. He found him. God found Jacob. The good shepherd finds his sheep. Our Lord told a similar parable two times about a shepherd who lost one of his sheep. And he seeks until he finds that lost sheep. He finds him and he carries him home. He kept him as the apple of his eye. He protected him. You protect your eye, don't you? And this is so important, that you be found. That you be found. When you leave this world, you'll never be found. Men are only found in this life. Men are only saved in this world, in this life. Don't believe a lie which Satan has tried to teach people that there's going to be a second chance or there's no hell, there's no eternal wrath of God. That's a lie. You must be found in this world, in this life. Jacob was found. He was found. The Apostle Paul said it like this in Philippians. He said he was apprehended. He wasn't seeking God, and yet God found him, sought him, apprehended him. Have you been found? Have you? Have you been found? Do you know that you were lost? You were made to recognize that, to know that, that you had a need of a savior? You had a need of being found, of being saved? A third thing, like Jacob, every child of God receives a new name. Jacob, that was his name that was given to him at birth, but when God found him, he changed his name. He changed his name to Israel. But I want you to look here, if you're still in Isaiah, turn over to Isaiah 62. Isaiah 62 and verse 4. When God found Jacob, his name, he changed his name. And here in Isaiah 62 and verse 4, thou shalt no more be termed forsaken. Now that was our name. That was your name when we came into this world. We were like that infant in Ezekiel chapter 16 that was cast out. Forsaken, still in our own blood. Forsaken and not been taken care of. That was our name, forsaken. Neither shall thy land anymore be termed desolate. That was true of us also. We were desolate. We could not bring forth fruit unto God. We couldn't do that because we didn't know God. We were desolate. But notice, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah, for thou shalt be married. For the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. Hephzibah, that's your name now. Hephzibah, which means the Lord delights in thee. He delights in his people. You say, well, I don't see anything in myself to delight in. No, I'm sure you don't. I don't either, but he does. He delights in his people. The next term in our text is Israel. And I think of all these terms that to me, this is the most difficult to define. He's speaking to Israel. I know who Israel is, but the name Israel, it's made up of two Hebrew words, which means he will rule as God. He will rule as God. But these words of comfort, they're directed first of all to the seed of Abraham, second to Jacob, third to Israel, and fourth, God's servant, God's servant. This is true of all of God's children. Now listen to me, this is very important. When a person receives the Lord Jesus Christ, We receive him as Lord, that means we become his servant and his savior. That means he saves us from our sins. But you cannot receive the Lord Jesus Christ merely as savior and not receive him as Lord. That's an impossibility. No. All of God's children are servants of the Lord. This is what the Apostle Paul said when he was on that ship and the ship was in danger. You know, he was being carried to Rome as a prisoner and the ship was met out there in the sea and tossed. And he said, the angel of God stood by me last night, whose I am and whom I serve. In other words, whose I am. I am God's, he bought me, he saved me, whom I serve, he's my Lord, I serve him. That's true of all of God's children. And then notice the last one, thou worm. So here we have five titles to whom these words are addressed, all speaking of the same people, of course. All speaking of the same people, but we're all called by these various terms, and the last one is thou worm. Now that brings me to the second part of my message. Why? Why would God's church be pictured by a worm? Why would God's church be called a worm? Well, I have three reasons. First of all, Number one, a worm is a small creature. And the Lord Jesus Christ called his church a little flock, a little flock. Now when the Lord's church is viewed all together as John the Revelator, or John in the book of Revelation rather, as he had the privilege of seeing all of God's children collected, all gathered together, He said, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues. Won't it be wonderful to be among that group? Won't it? Think about that. When we're all gathered there, all of God's children are gathered home, millions are brought home, and Christ in the very middle, the Lamb upon the throne, and all of us singing His praises and shouting hallelujahs to the Lamb who hath redeemed us by His blood out of every kindred and tribe and tongue and nation, a great multitude. But in this world, as we are scattered about over the centuries and around the world, were compared, and compared to the world's religion, a little flock, a little flock. A worm is a little creature. Fear not, thou worm, Jacob. Fear not, little flock. Second, a worm is an insignificant creature. No one thinks much about a worm. Sometimes when I'm working in my garden, I'll turn over a shovel of dirt and I'll see a worm there. I don't think much about it. Try not to kill it, but that doesn't mean much to me. A worm is an insignificant creature. And for the most part, for the most part, as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, not many wise men after the flesh, Not many mighty and not many noble are called. And I didn't say not any, but not many. A worm is an insignificant creature. And God's children, for the most part in this world, are insignificant. And I know there have been some kings, there have been some presidents, and there have been some men who are considered lifted up, and women in this world. But for the most part, God's children have been just common, everyday people. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith? That's what Jane said. Insignificant. And there's a reason for that, isn't there? As Hannah, in her song, she said, he raiseth up the poor out of the dust. He lifteth the beggar from the dunghill to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory. God's purpose, of course, is that no flesh should glory in his presence. A third thing about a worm, the weak creature. A weak creature doesn't have any strength. Look with me to 2 Corinthians just a moment. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. 2 Corinthians chapter 10, in verses three and four, the apostle says, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Now, as a child of God, we are given weapons because we're in a battle. We're in a warfare from the time we're saved until the time the Lord takes us home or brings us home. We're in a battle, we're in a warfare, and he has given us weapons of warfare. But did you notice they're only mighty through God? They're only mighty through God, through his blessing. You can have the sword of the spirit, you can have the helmet of salvation, all of these various weapons, but they're only mighty through God. Why? Because in ourselves, We're weak. We're weak. When Christian, in Pilgrim's Progress, when he came to the Valley of Humiliation, he was almost overcome until he realized that the promises that God had given him in the Word of God, that when he would quote one of them, he started winning the battle. But until he began to quote those promises, claim those promises, he was surely going to be defeated. And when he got the victory there over Apollyon, he goes on into the valley of the shadow of death, and he realizes that the weapons that served him in the valley of humiliation no longer served, that now what he needed was prayer, all prayer. God has given us these weapons, but they're only mighty through him, through his power. Here's the third part of the message. How does the Lord counsel and comfort his people? Well, they're all here in verse 10. We have it all here in verse 10 of Isaiah 41. Fear thou not, be not dismayed. Fear thou not, be not dismayed. Why is it that we should not fear? Why is it that a child of God should never be dismayed? Number one, I am with thee. I am with thee. That's the word of God. I am with thee. Did you know that each person in the blessed trinity is promised to be with us? Here it is, God the Father, I am with thee. God the Son incarnate said, lo, I am with thee to the end of the ages. And he said in John 14, I will pray the Father, he shall give you another comforter who shall abide with you forever. So God, this is a reason a child of God should not fear, no matter what calamity. what trouble that you come into in this life, fear not, be not dismayed, I, I am with thee. This shows his omnipresence too, doesn't it? No matter where you are, no matter where a child of God is around this world, you're never out of the presence of God. I am with thee. And sometimes just having someone come alongside and be with you is a great comfort, isn't it? I've experienced that. I'm sure you have too. You've been in some trouble and things look pretty bad and then someone, a friend maybe just came along and they didn't just come along, God sent them along and they spoke a word to you and you just felt better already. They didn't have any more strength than you have, any more power than you have, but just their company, just their presence was a help to you. Fear not, be not dismayed, I am with thee. Number two, fear not, be not dismayed, I am thy God. And that's one of the promises of the new covenant, isn't it? Not only that he will remember our sins and iniquities no more, but I will be their God and they shall be my people. And really that one promise is all anyone ever needs. If we could just believe that, just get a hold of that. God is my God. Why should I be afraid? Why should I be dismayed? God is in control. God has this all worked out. He knows the end from the beginning. I am thy God. Number three, I will strengthen thee. As I've already said, we have no strength in ourselves. But I look back and I love to read church history. It's been a great blessing to me over the years. I wish I knew more of it. I wish I could remember more than I've read. But I've read of men who, when their persecutors were lighting the faggots, the stuff that they had piled around them, the sticks and the hay and the things to burn, and tied a sack of gunpowder around their neck or something if they were merciful. how those men could sing, sing. And how that one martyr, that English martyr, told his friend who was tied to his back, both of them being burned, cheer up, cheer up. We're going to light a fire today in England that will never be put out. How did they do that? He said, I couldn't do it. One martyr, remember, before he was to be burned at the stake the next day, he had a candle there in his cell the night before, and he tried to stick his finger in there. And oh, he couldn't do it. He did it, but pulled it back. How am I going to face the fire? But he did. And he did it triumphantly. How was that possible? I've read of the Moravian missionaries who wanted to witness and preach to slaves. I believe they were slaves in the New World. And the only way they could reach them, they had to sell themselves into slavery. They sold themselves to become slaves, to be sent among slaves. How did they do that? Paul said, I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me. God said here, I will strengthen, fear not, be not dismayed, I will strengthen thee. Number four, I will help thee. William Carey, who was considered the first of the Baptist missionaries, went to India, remember, in the 18th century. But he is known for this statement that he made, Expect great things, attempt great things. Expect great things. Expect great things. Our God is great. He said, I will help thee and attempt great things. You see someone, they say, well, that person would never listen. That person would never hear the gospel. Attempt great things. Expect great things. You've read stories, and you know this is true. I read a story just this past week about a man in England. He was an entertainer in the pubs, played the fiddle. And he was such a wicked man. Oh, I couldn't even describe the wickedness. the awful life that he lived to his wife and his two children who actually he caused their death by his inattention to them and not taking care of them and just an awful drunk of a man finally ended up in prison. And there was a prison guard there who talked to him about his soul. God saved him. People didn't believe him. His wife, she didn't believe him. But I tell you what, God had done a work of grace in his heart, and God raised him up as a preacher, a lay preacher. God's able to attempt, expect great things, attempt great things. And the last thing, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. This promise concerns his special grace, assuring us of his protection and his preservation. Though through every trial, he will uphold his people. He will give grace. When thou passest through the waters, through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, Thou shall not be burned. The flame shall not kindle upon thee. That's God's promise. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. All my brother and sister in Christ today, fear not. Be not dismayed. No matter what confronts us, no matter what faces us or what we're facing, don't be afraid. Fear not. What more can he say than to you he hath said, you who unto Jesus for refuge hath fled? Amen. Number 298, hymn number 298.