Bible Study: Isaiah 5

Today we're not going to be going through and having a sermon on Thanksgiving. That certainly would be appropriate, but I want to cover something else with you, and that is Isaiah chapter 5.

As we saw with the book of Daniel, we're going to see as well, as we continue to go through the book of Isaiah, just how much Christian living is here in this book. So here in chapter 5, and chapter 5 is all that I want to cover with you today. I want to give you the theme of the chapter and some deep, deep background to the chapter. The theme of chapter 5, at least one of the things I'm seeing in chapter 5, is how the riches of God's grace was being squandered by God's people. The riches of God's grace was being squandered by God's people. And certainly, brethren, none of us want to be in a position where you and I are squandering the grace of God. We're going to see that in chapter 5 of Isaiah today. God is going to articulate the many sins of his very blessed people. God will use the parable of a vineyard, a failed vineyard, and how he's going to have to work with his people in terms of correcting them for squandering the great grace they've been given. Now, in terms of deep background to chapter 5, as I was thinking about this chapter and what all God had done for Israel, you go back in Israel's history as a nation. You see the awesome promises to Abraham before there was in Israel. Awesome promises to the family of God that eventually found their way to Israel. We see the freedom that Israel and Judah were given, as they were one nation there at the beginning, as they were given freedom from Egyptian slavery during the time of the Exodus. We see the loving care God had for his nation in the wilderness, such things as giving them the manna and the quail, such things as the pillar of cloud, the pillar of fire. We see God's grace in terms of the victorious conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua. We see God's the joy that God gave the people as they when they first were moving into the Promised Land had homes that they did not build, were eating crops that they did not plant. We see the joy that that presented to them. We see the patience of God through the rebellion during times of the Judges, the glorious rule during the times of David and Solomon, and so forth. So in the history of Israel and Judah, when they were two nations, we see that they were the recipient of the abundant grace of the great God.

In Isaiah chapter 5, we see how Israel responds. Israel turned their back, their collective backs to God with a litany of sins, for generations. How did Isaiah respond to that situation? Well, Isaiah sang a song. He sang a song to Israel, to Judah. Israel was about to go into captivity in the next 20 years, so it was still a nation at this particular point when Isaiah was writing. He sings a song, and that song is divided up into three portions. And we're going to go through those three sections today. Verses 1 through 7, if you're outlining the chapter, is warning number 1.

Warning number 1. Israel's sin will be exposed.

Verses 8 through 23. Warning number 2. Six woes, or six warnings, are given to God's people. And in the last section, verses 24 through 30, warning number 3, God's judgment is coming.

Now, as I was looking at the material and going through this last week, I couldn't help but think of something that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. Let's turn over to 2 Corinthians, because this is going to be the Christian living point that I, at least I, draw from this section of Isaiah. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 1.

I'll cover this more in detail at the very end of the sermon today. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 1.

We then, as co-workers together with him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain, not to receive the grace of God in vain. What does that mean, to receive the grace of God in vain? When you take a look at the end of the age and the Christian church, the true Christian church at the end of the age, we do see where too many of our brothers and sisters have received the grace of God in vain. We see that in Matthew 24. We see that in Revelation chapter 3. We see that in Luke chapter 18. Any number of places where people either are falling away or they just simply are not growing, they're not as close to God as they should be, and so forth. So we want to examine that later on in the sermon today. Let's now turn our attention. Let's go over to Isaiah chapter 5. And we'll go through that very first warning, which is verses 1 through 7. Israel's terrible sin is going to be exposed. Isaiah chapter 5 verse 1. Now let me sing to my well beloved, a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard. Now the Bible does interpret itself, and we drop down very quickly to verse 7. Verse 7. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant. He looked for justice but behold oppression, for righteousness but behold a cry for help. So when Isaiah here is singing, you know, he's singing this song. He's trying to make points as he's singing this song. His well beloved is God the Father. Now in your notes, if you want to take this down, you might find it to be interesting as a part of an ancillary study later on. But there are other times that God refers to his nation as a vine. You've got that in Psalm 80 and verse 8.

You've got that in Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 21. You've got in Hosea chapter 10 in verse 1. And you've also got it in Matthew chapter 21, starting in verse 33. So here we've got the beginning of this song.

The one whom Isaiah has loved here is God. The vineyard is Israel. He's planting this vineyard. We keep on going here in verse 2. He dug it up and cleared out its stones and planted it with a choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst and also made a wine press in it. So he expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. So in planting the vineyard, God was very careful. God was very careful to make sure the vineyard had every opportunity to produce the highest quality fruit. Brethren, as we go through this, as I've made mention in the past, as we go through this, I want you to think about you. I'm going to think about me. We're going to think about ourselves here and how God has worked with us, how God has called us and given us every opportunity to be successful as Christians. God was very careful with Israel. He's being very careful with you and I, making sure we have abundant grace to take care of the needs we have. In verse 1 here, it says that the vineyard was on a very fruitful hill.

Very fruitful hill. We know that Israel was given the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey, symbolic of the kingdom of God. Just as God is working with us, God is giving us a tremendous opportunity to be in his church, where the Spirit of God flows and the truth of God is taught, Sabbath after Sabbath. Verse 2 says, he dug it up and cleared out his stones. So God is cultivating, removing from the land anything that would obstruct the growth of his vine. Just as God will help you and I to get out anything in our lives that obstructs our growth. Now we've got to work with God in that in that regard. You know, we're in partnership with God to clear out the stones, to clear out the things that would cause us not to be able to grow. God's going to do everything he can do. He's going to take care of his responsibility. Now the question for us is, are we going to take care of ours? So he dug it up and cleared out his stones and he planted it with a choicest vine. The choicest vine. You are a choice vine. You have been chosen by God. You have been called by God. You have, many of you have been baptized. You've had hands laid on you. You've have received God's Holy Spirit. And one of the choicest blessings that we have is the blessing of having God's Holy Spirit and a blessing of knowing God's truth, the blessing of knowing God's law, and how we have that Spirit that helps us understand that law. And how we have that Spirit of power that helps employ that law in our lives. So not only did God dig out the stones, the impediments to growth, He gave the choice vine. He gave His law to them. It says here in verse 2, He built a tower in its midst for protection. Now I'm speculating here, but perhaps this tower refers to the temple. It was God who protected His people. And here we have God's church that gives us spiritual protection as we come here Sabbath after Sabbath to understand the truths of God and to employ those in our life. It says here, He also made a winepress. And so we expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. So there's a winepress here, basically two portions of a winepress. There was the area where the grapes were smashed, and then the juice of law went into the second area of the winepress, where the juice was collected. There was a mechanism here, just as there's a mechanism for God to work with us. We call that the challenges of life. We call those trials and that sort of thing. It produces fruit in us. And God was hoping for great fruit, for good fruit. But it says here at the end of verse 2, but it brought forth wild grapes. Wild grapes.

Now, in the original for wild grapes, the original says stinking, stinking grapes. Stinking grapes. I'm not going to turn here, but in your notes, if you want to put the Isaiah chapter 65 verses 1 through 5, God there again is cataloging some of Israel's sins, Judah's sins, and talking about how they were a stench in his nose. A stench in his nose.

In your notes, you might also want to jot down Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 through 21, the fruits of the works of the flesh. You might want to jot down in your notes Matthew chapter 12 and verse 34. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

So the whole society of Israel became an unjust society. And then we see something to me that is very interesting. Starting here in verse 3, verse 4, Isaiah 5 verse 3, in that whole inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge please between me and my vineyard. Oh, inhabitants of Jerusalem. You know, it's interesting, brethren, when we're looking at prophecy, there are times when Jerusalem represents the southern kingdom as its capital, but there's also times when Jerusalem represents all 12 tribes. Here I believe it represents all 12 tribes. So he's talking about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah. So both nations, I believe, are being referred to here. Please judge between me and my vineyard. Here we're going to see a father discussing a situation with his kids.

With his kids. Now, this last week was Thanksgiving, and most of us were with family. And we enjoy being with family. But notice the lament we see in verse 4. What more could have been done to my vineyard, God says? As a father speaking here, what more could I do for my kids? I gave them every opportunity. I gave them every advantage. I was their God. I gave them my law. I led them. I fed them. I did all that a father could do. What more could have been done to my vineyard? That I have not done in it. Why then, when I expected to bring forth good grapes, did I bring forth stinking grapes? Why? Why? You know, brethren, not long ago we finished up a series of parenting classes here in the Chicago congregation. And I really enjoyed it. I think that the group responded very well to our classes. We had a number of presenters present various aspects of parenting. It was very interactive. I was very taken with watching you as mostly younger parents. The desire of your heart was to be there, to be able to teach your children properly, to be the best moms, to be the best dads, you know, the networking that you were doing. To me, it was just really a beautiful thing to witness. But over the course of my ministry, there's been so many times when parents have felt so down, so discouraged, because they have raised their children and their children no longer attend services. I can relate to that. Neither one of my kids attend services. I relate to that. Now, does that make me a bad parent? If your kids don't come, does that make you a bad parent? Does it make God a bad parent when God had to work with Israel and Judah the way he did? You know, you think about that for a moment. God as a parent, perfect in wisdom. Are you perfect in wisdom? I'm not. God as a parent, perfect in love. Are you perfect in love? I'm not. God as a parent, perfect in the ability to give gifts at the right time, the right way. Can we always do that? No. God who had the ability to read hearts, read minds, change courses of history and all those kinds of things, we can't do.

And yet, his kids didn't stay in a church, a lot of them.

Our God is a loving Father, very successful Father, but not all of his kids are even going to be in the kingdom. Not physically speaking. There's going to come a time where God the Father is going to have to march some of his kids into a lake of fire. Again, does that make God a bad parent? No. Now, am I saying that we as parents, that's impossible, us for do things that alienate our kids? Of course I'm not saying that. Any one of us can do those sorts of things that alienate our kids. But the idea here is that our kids have free moral agency. Free moral agency. Israel, Judah had free moral agency, and they didn't want to follow dad or dad's ways.

I simply say that for all of our parents who I know sometimes just feel so guilt-stricken that kids, all the kids aren't coming to services. My feeling, but my two, and perhaps those of you who got yours, is that God's not done with them yet. Just like God's not done with me yet. Just as there's those little orange barrels around Randy Delosandro, you know, work in progress, like we see on the highways, same thing is true with my kids. Same thing is true with your kids.

We need to be praying, because just because our kids are in church today doesn't mean they're going to be in the church tomorrow. Again, we've got to be very careful with that, and watch ourselves with all of that. So God is asking, what more could I have done? I've asked that of myself. Many of you parents have asked that of yourself. What more could I have done?

Verse 5. And now, please tell me, please let me tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away its hedge and will be burned, break down its walls, and shall be trampled down. God doesn't want to do this, but there comes a point where sin has its consequences.

We saw in verse 2, where God had placed a tower in its midst for protection, there comes a point where God says, you know, I can't protect you any longer. You've made bad decisions. Those bad decisions have consequences. And as a result, I'm going to remove my protection from you. Verse 6. I will lay at waste. It shall not be pruned or dug.

There shall come up briars and thorns. I also command the clouds that no rain will come on it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts of the house of Israel and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help. So again, in your notes, you might want to put down Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28. The blessings and cursings chapters.

So that's the first section of the chapter, verses 1 through 7, the warning number 1. Israel being warned about their sins. Their sins are being exposed. Now we go to the longest portion of the chapter, verses 8 through 23, warning number 2, verses 8 through 23, where six woes or six warnings are given.

Now we see in the book of Revelation, three woes there. We see a first woe, a second woe, and a third woe. Those happen to be the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets. The last three trumpet plagues in the book of Revelation are stages of world war. They're all called woes. We're seeing six woes here. So despite God's loving care, the people are bringing forth not the pleasing fruit of righteousness, but the bitter fruit of sin. First woe is in verses 8 through 10. Let's just read this. First woe. Verse 8. Woe to those who join house to house. They add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land. In my hearing the Lord of hosts said, truly many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones without inhabitant. For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homeward of seed shall yield one ethith. So the first woe here is an indictment of those who monopolize land ownership. Monopolize land ownership. Government takeover of land. People with lots of money taking over land. Manifest destiny and all sorts of things.

In your notes, I'm not going to turn there as an example, but you've got the example in 1 Kings 21 of evil king Ahab who wanted a plot of land. He went to the owner of that land, asked to buy it, and the owner didn't want to buy it, had been in his family for years and years. And so what did Ahab do? He simply took it. He murdered the landowner and took it. And so this is something that God says is a woeful practice. Are we seeing that today? You know, last time we were together we were going through Isaiah chapter 3 and 4, but in chapter 3 especially we saw just so many headlines in Isaiah chapter 3. So many of those verses there we just saw taking place in our society today. We're seeing the same sort of thing here. Now in verse 10, 10 acres of vineyard shall yield one bath.

So we're looking at roughly 10 acres of land producing six gallons. How little is that for 10 acres of land?

In a home where of seed you yield one eitheth. So here we're looking at about six bushels full of seed producing a half a bushel of produce. Just miniscule quantities here. Much like the way they were growing spiritually. Much like the way they were growing and following God. God was giving them tremendous grace. They were squandering that grace. That grace was being given in vain to them and very little was being produced. The second woe verses 11 through 17. The second woe verses 11 through 17.

And here God talks about, through Isaiah, the profligate lifestyles, the self-indulgent lifestyles of the people. We're not going to go through this whole section.

Verse 11. Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may follow intoxicating drink, who continue till night till wine inflames them. Now here we're talking about alcohol, obviously. But think about our society today. The passage in more and more states of legalized marijuana.

And the woes that come from that. Substance abuse.

And the woes that come from that. Verse 12. The harp and the strains, the tambourine and the flute, the wine are in their feasts, but they do not regard the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hands. I want you to zero in on that phrase in their feasts. Their feasts.

The word for their feasts is Strong's number 4960.

It means a drinking.

It's not the same word that God used for his feasts.

Their feasts are as strong as 4960. In Leviticus 23, the word for feasts there is Strong's number 4150, Moed. God's feasts. So God here is saying there's a difference between this nation's feasts, you know, their Christmases and their Easters and all the various things they do, and what God asks or tells us and commands us to do in Leviticus chapter 23.

So that was the second whoa. We move over to the third whoa, verse 18.

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as if it were a cart rope.

So here is an analogy. By analogy, the people have so much sin that wherever they went or traveled, they hauled their sin behind them like it was a cart. Very colorful description. They were making evil their life's work.

They were making evil their life's work.

Verse 20, the next whoa. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. See any of that today? You see any of that today? The distortion of good and evil, moral failure of the land, of the people?

You know, again, as I was thinking about our society today, I started writing down some of what I see in our society, and you see it as well. Adherence that God's definition of right and wrong is now called intolerance.

You know, you obey God, do what he says, as a matter of right and don't do what he says is wrong or sin. You're called intolerant. Traditional values are labeled backward and repressive.

The patriarchal family is called chauvinistic.

I remember growing up, now I'm going to date myself here, how many of you remember the TV series Father Knows Best?

Notice nobody with dark hair raises their hands.

Today, when you're watching TV, it's not Father Knows Best, it's the little nine-year-old who knows best. You know, our society today has it backward. It's, you know, Dad is a bumbler. He's an idiot. He's a buffoon. He doesn't know what's up and what's down. So the patriarchal family is called chauvinistic.

Opposition to murder of the unborn is branded as anti-choice. Or restricting a woman's freedom.

Rejection of homosexuality is called homophobia. Hate-mongering. Bigotry. And acceptance of all views except the belief in absolute truth is referred to as being open-minded. Progressive. We've got a political party here that likes to call himself progressive. People need to study what that means. The history of the progressive movement in this country. The denigration and marginalization of husbands and fathers is called equality. Promiscuity and perversion of every form is lauded as freedom and self-expression. Homosexuality itself is labeled an alternate lifestyle.

Support for abortion is called pro-choice.

Do I need to go further? We get the point. We see, as we look in Isaiah, our day today. We see our day today. Let's move it down to verse 21. The fifth woe.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight.

People who are self-important in their own eyes. In your notes, you might want to jot down 2 Timothy 3 and verse 7.

Always learning, never able to come to the truth. Always learning, ever learning, never able to come to the truth.

Dropping down to verse 22 and 23, we see the sixth woe. Last one. Woe to men, mighty, at drinking wine. Woe to men, valiant, for mixing and toxicating drink. Who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away justice from their righteous man. Corrupt justice. Corrupt justice. Just this morning, I was looking at an article, it was an editorial, about what's happening in our colleges. We've got a number of our young people going to school. Going to school is a wonderful thing, a good thing. We want to prepare for the future. But it was just the person who wrote the op-ed was talking about what it's like for our students today to go through higher education.

To attend class and have the lecturer have a certain bent when it comes to social issues.

How many conservatives are out there? How many liberals are out there? Research was done, according to this author, that the ratio is 13 to 1. 13 liberals to each one conservative. And of course, you and I, we see that all the time when we take a look at the TV news or the print news, print media, where we see, again, evil being called good, good being called evil. We see that. And that's why so many of you enjoy homeschooling. Because you see what's happening in the schooling systems, and you say, I don't want my precious little child to have that funneled into their minds.

And so, so many of you school at home.

That brings us to the last section of this chapter, verses 24 through 30, warning number 3.

God's judgment is coming.

Verse 24. Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so the root will be as rottenness in their blossom will ascend like dust, because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel. So notice the word picture here. As fire devours the stubble. Fire will go through stubble very quickly. I mean, we're seeing some of that nation, well, especially in the state of California, as fire just ravages all the countryside there. And perhaps you've seen some of the photos from space, like I've seen, where they show you before and after shots. Here's this section of California, relatively green. Here's after the fire, all black. Ash. Devastation. And so the fire devours very quickly.

Why? Second portion of verse 24. Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts.

We've kicked God out of our schools.

In some places, they've kicked God out of some of the churches. Because they've rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. There's a reason why these things take place.

Dropping down to verse 27. And the final result.

No one will be wary or stumble among them. No one will slumber or sleep, nor will the belt on their loins be loose, nor the strap of their sandals be broken, whose arrows are sharp. Talking about the enemy that's coming to devour the land. And all their bows bent, their horses hooves will seem like flint, their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring will be like a lion. They will roar like a young lion. Yes, they will roar, and they will lay hold of the prey. And they'll carry it away safely, and no one will deliver. No one will deliver our nation.

In that day, remember we talked about certain phrases that are key to the end of the age. This is one of them. In that day, they will roar against them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold darkness and sorrow, the light is darkened by the clouds. So, brethren, again, as I was reading this chapter, it just struck me how God's people here in ancient Israel, Judah, were given so many blessings. The grace of God was poured out them in tremendous quantity. And it made me think about what I see when I look at the end-time prophecy for God's Church. There is a New Testament spiritual lesson for us to learn today. It's in the form of a question. I've already asked it. I want to spend the last part of the sermon going through that with you. How does a Christian squander the grace of God? How does a Christian squander the grace of God? We go back to Isaiah 5 here in verse 4.

Notice the Lament of God. What more could have been done? What else could have been done? What else could I have done that I haven't done? When I expected to be giving all this grace to my people, all this good to my people, it brought four things at stake. We've read 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 1. We then, as fellow workers together with him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Not to receive the grace of God in vain. The word vain there in 2 Corinthians 6.1 means to receive empty without content, without result, useless. My way of thinking, squandering the grace of God. I was taking a look at Merriam-Webster's dictionary. Under the word squander, they gave a couple of definitions. Number one, to spend foolishly, dissipate, waste, squander a fortune, they used as an example. To squander a fortune. The second definition, to lose something such as an advantage or an opportunity through negligence or inaction. Now, there are all sorts of things that I can discuss with you today about how does a Christian squander the grace of God. But I'm going to just focus on two. Two things. How does a Christian squander the grace of God? Number one, by wasting God-given time. By wasting the time God gives us. Remember, Merriam-Webster in their dictionary said, squandering a fortune. Now, we're not rich people, but God has given us a fortune. In a sense, He's given us, each of us, a 24-hour day. We all get the same 24 hours. What are you going to do with yours? What am I going to do with mine? Are we going to use it profitably, or are we going to squander it? I've used the example before. I'll use it again back when I was in sales. I was talking to my supervisor and telling him how I spent the week. He didn't care for some of the time I'd spent some of my time, allocated some of my time. He said, Randy, you've got to remember something. This is when I was very early in my sales career. He says, you've only got so many hours in a day when you can be in front of a decision-maker. Yeah, you're covering four states, and there's a lot of driving, and this and that, and the other, but you've got to make it a point to get in front of as many decision-makers and spending as much time as you possibly can in your week. That point was never lost on me from that moment on to make sure I optimized my time and didn't waste the time. I read something that I want to relate to you here. I didn't write down who I got this. I should have. It talks about the value of time, starting with one year and going down to one millisecond. To realize the value of one year, ask a student who failed a grade. To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. To realize the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize the value of one day, ask a daily wage earner with several children's mouths to feed. To realize the value of one hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who missed the train. To realize the value of one second, ask a person who just avoided an accident. To realize the value of one millisecond, ask a person who just won a silver medal at the Olympics. Time is everything. Let's turn our attention to Psalm 39. Let's turn there, please.

Psalm 39.

Psalm 39 verses 4 and 5. Lord, make me to know my end. And what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, you have made my days as handbreaths, my ages as nothing before you. Certainly every man at his best date is but vapor, Selah. Every man at his best date is vapor. We only have so much time. You know, a couple of weeks I'll be one year older in terms of my age. I'll be 67. I'm thinking, you know, when I was growing up, I never minded going through different age cycles.

Never minded turning 30 or 40 or 50. 60 I minded. The reason I minded turning 60 is because when I was growing up, I went to an awful lot of funerals of people who died in their 60s. So I'm thinking, well, no more five-year magazine subscriptions. You know, quadruple open heart surgery. I feel strong as an ox, but who knows? Who knows what's in store in terms of my lifespan is concerned.

But, President, that's true for all of us. That's true for all of us. You know, as I think about, boy, wouldn't it be, you know, I remember people saying when I was growing up, older folks, folks who are younger now than I am, saying, wouldn't it be nice to be able to turn back the clock? You know, those thoughts have come to my mind recently more times than I care to admit. Wouldn't it be nice to take what I've learned in all these years and put it into an 18-year-old body? Now, I know I probably would not repeat some of my mistakes, but I also know, knowing me, I would make new mistakes.

Probably worse mistakes in some ways because I've got human nature. So we must not squander the time God gives us. Romans chapter 13, verse 11. We squander that time, we squander the grace God gives to us. We squander the tremendous tools and opportunities God gives us. Romans chapter 13, verse 11. Romans 13, 11. And do this, knowing the time that now is high time to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. When did you first believe? You know, every year at the feast, you know, I stand up there normally on the first day of the feast. How many is, you know, your first feast? A few hands will go up.

You know, one to ten years, ten to, you know, eleven to twenty years, you go through the whole thing. A lot of people now have been in church 50 years. In this congregation, several generations. I've got several generations here looking at me. Need to pay attention to what God is giving us. Pay attention to the time He's given us. Not waste one second of it. Every second is golden. So how does one squander the grace of God? Number one, by wasting God-given time. The second definition that Miriam Webster gave, and I thought these were helpful from a spiritual point of view, to lose something such as an advantage or an opportunity through neglect or inaction.

So how can we squander the grace of God by wasting God-given opportunities? By wasting God-given opportunities. In preparation for the sermon, I was taking a look at some quotations from some famous people, or at least people who think they're famous. Bobby Unser said this, success is where preparation and opportunity meet. Success is where preparation and opportunity meet. Kyle Chandler, opportunity does not knock. It presents itself when you beat down the door.

I like that. Opportunity does not knock. It presents itself when you beat down the door. Thomas Edison, he knew something about opportunity. He said, opportunity is missed by most people because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work. Opportunity is missed by most people because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work. Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 5. I'll be reading this in New Living Translation. Very good translation. Colorful, really gives you a really good grasp of the Scripture. New Living. Ephesians chapter 5 verses 15 and 16. Ephesians 5 verses 15 and 16. Verse 15, so be careful how you live.

Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Make the most of every opportunity. Simply say, brethren, here for us, let's make the most of every Sabbath day. Every Sabbath day we have such a wonderful experience to be able to come here in Chicago.

Meet in peace, meet in safety. You want the Word of God? We've got Mr. Bradford. He's been doing a wonderful series with his Bible studies before church. I know that everyone can't make that, but if you can make that, it's a wonderful opportunity. He's going to be doing this until the Second Coming, I think. He's marching through the Scriptures. He's doing it very effectively. Those who are going, they really are appreciating his teaching. It's interactive, and he didn't even pay me to say all that.

And then we have fellowship before and after services. Take the time. You know, brethren, it was always amazing to me, no matter where I've pastored. I can pastor a church of 30 people or a church of, you know, back in the old days when I was in Raleigh, North Carolina. The church there was a medium-sized church back in those days. It was a church of 500 people. That was a medium-sized church in North Carolina back in the day. Now, there's a lot of people, 500 people. But you know what you notice? Whether you got 30 people or 500 people, every member has kind of a nucleus of who they know. I can go to a church of 30 people and ask, how many of you know everybody here? It's not going to be 30 people. How do you not know everybody in 30 people? How many people in this congregation know everybody? Know everybody's names? Something for us to think about. Something for, you know, there's an opportunity. God has brought us together as family, as brothers and sisters. Sometimes we want counsel, we want wisdom, we get that from various ones in the congregation. But there may be somebody in this congregation who has just the words you need to hear. But you may, or I, you know, I know all your names, but maybe you don't know everyone, you don't even know who to ask or their names. Something for us to think about. Certainly, we want to take up the opportunity to get a good night's sleep, you know, on a Friday preparation day. Get a good night's sleep. Come to services. Listen not only to the split sermons and sermons, but listen very carefully to the sermonettes. Had a nice sermonette again today by Mr. Bratton-Sevik. Made some very interesting, thought-provoking points. You know, sometimes people think, well, you know, the sermonette, that's just to kind of warm everybody up for the sermon. Forget that! That's, I hope you don't think that way. I've had people say that. Thankfully, not in this church, but I've had people say that in other areas. So, you know, it's just kind of warming me up for the real meal. You know, folks, think about it this way. You and I can turn on the radio and hear a song the last two minutes that moves us to tears. And yet our sermonette men, I can tell you, our sermonette men think very, very, they think very deeply about their material. They ask others for insights and inspiration and help and so on and so forth. They ask God on their knees for help, and they present wonderful messages. They'll go 10 minutes, 12 minutes or so, and they really pack a punch. Take the opportunity to listen to these men. I'm not saying you don't, but sometimes it can be easy for us to say, well, it's just time to, you know, I'm kind of easing into the sermon. Don't think that way. If you do. I'm not saying all of you do. I'm not saying any of you do. I'm hoping none of you do. Carpe diem. Seize the moment. Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 10. I'll read this for you. Ecclesiastes 9 and 10. You know it. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Do it with your might. Don't waste any God-given opportunity as God sheds His grace upon all of us. What did Jesus Christ say in John chapter 9 and verse 4? I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work. John 9-4.

There's a fellow here I'm going to quote. I think you know who he is. His name is Mike Singletary. Anybody here know Mike Singletary? Interesting who feels they can put their hands up for that one. Mike Singletary, a very famous Chicago Bears linebacker.

He made this comment. He said, do you know what my favorite part of the game is? My favorite part of the game is the opportunity to play. The opportunity to play. We have got an opportunity to be here as God's people. Not to play, but to do God's work. So let us prepare. In your notes, 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 15 through 17. Let's prepare. We're doing our spiritual disciplines. Take the opportunities for prayer and study and fast things and meditation. Take that time. Good time. Whatever is good for you. Some people study better in the morning. Some people study better in the afternoon. I've always been more of an afternoon kind of a guy. When I was ambassador to college, the most righteous thing for you to do is study in the morning. Well, in the mornings, I can barely move. My mind is like on four cylinders of the eight, or three of the six, or whatever. Two of the four. It's just not working. It's like somebody poured oil or molasses over cotton. That's my mind in the morning. So I'm not a morning person. I'm really hitting more on all cylinders later in the day. And, of course, I've got an opportunity because of the kinds of work I've done over the years where I can do that. But whatever is good time for you, prime time for you, get in there and do your spiritual disciplines.

Bible talks about how the kingdom of God is taken by force, by violence. It says that in Matthew 11, verse 12. In other words, proactive. Proactive. Take hold of the opportunities as God in His grace gives you those opportunities.

Last scripture for today, 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Very last verse of chapter 15.

Therefore, after all that we've gone through in the sermon today, therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain, is not being squandered in the Lord.