God calls a Wicked Country back to Him!

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

1. God’s people, Judah as a nation, have turned their back on God
   1. Isaiah’s vision is concerning Judah and Jerusalem 
Isaiah 1:1
   2. God had given them life but rebelled against Him and act as if they do not even know Him Isaiah 1:2
   3. They have loved sin so much that they have forsaken God and He is angry Isaiah 1:4
   4. They have become totally corrupt to the point they are sickening Isaiah 1:5
   5. Truths for us to apply today
      1. This passage is written to a nation that has gone away from God even though there were still people in the nation that loved God
      2. We should recognize that we have been loved and not take advantage of His grace Romans 6:1
      3. Individually we should examine our lives
         1. Are we living in rebellion against our God
         2. Have we turned from the Lord and gone backwards
         3. How is our walk with our God
2. Judgement had already come on their country Isaiah 1:7
   1. It would seem that they would realize their need of God
   2. The country was in horrible shape
   3. Foreigners were destroying it all
   4. The beauty God had given them was all but gone
   5. Our application
      1. We should realize when God is at work in our lives.
      2. We should recognize His discipline in our lives
      3. It is time to remember who has given us everything
3. God was fed up with their worship
   1. There were very few true believers left Isaiah 1:9
   2. God insults them because they are so worldly and treat Him like the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah Isaiah 1:10
   3. God takes no joy in their worship, offerings mean nothing when your heart isn’t in it Isaiah 1:11
   4. He doesn’t want any more of their worthless worship Isaiah 1:12
      1. Their worship was a wearisome trouble for Him 
Isaiah 1: 14
      2. He has no intention of listening to them Isaiah 1:15
      3. We need to examine our worship
         1. Are we coming just like lost people
         2. Are we giving but not from the heart
         3. Are we singing but just out of habit and ritual
         4. How does God feel about my worship
         5. How does He respond when we come near
4. Isaiah calls on them to get right Isaiah 1:16
   1. They should learn to do right Isaiah 1:17
   2. God was ready to forgive, the good news, the gospel
      1. He calls them to come to Him Isaiah 1:18
      2. He just wants them to mean it, to love Him, to serve Him and not just be religious Isaiah 1:19
   3. If they continue in rebellion judgement will come 
Isaiah 1:20
      1. How could God’s people get so low Isaiah 1:21
      2. Nothing was genuine or what it seemed Isaiah 1:22
   4. How do we apply this to us
      1. God has given so much grace and offers it to those who hate Him
      2. Even today we are to live in obedience, we hunger to do right
      3. We want to be what we appear to be not like wine mixed with water
5. God will heal His nation and tells them what He will do
   1. He will get rid of those who refuse to love Him Isaiah 1:24
   2. He will cleanse those that love Him Isaiah 1:25
   3. He will get the government back like it should be 
Isaiah 1:26
   4. He will destroy those that stand against Him Isaiah 1:28
      1. Their old worship will fail them Isaiah 1:29
      2. Everything false will fall apart and leave them with no hope but in God Isaiah 1:30
   5. Our application
      1. We can only depend on the God of Heaven
      2. God will prove Himself to be the One and only
      3. He will bless His people
      4. He will judge those that rebel and refuse Him
      5. The false gods will fail all who love them