“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)

09/08/2020 – Evening Service: The God who is high and near

Bible Readings:

Isaiah 57:1 – 21, Revelation 4 – 5

Sermon Outline:

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)

15 For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place,

With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

To revive the spirit of the humble,

And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

I  What God says about Himself

II  What God says about His blessing

  1. The transcendence of God.
  2. The immanence, or nearness of God

III  A word of warning

Isaiah 57:20–21 (NKJV)

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea,

When it cannot rest,

Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

21There is no peace,”

Says my God, “for the wicked.”


Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which the other two men met with.330 For it happened that there was then in that place, one Vain-hope,331 a ferryman, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encouragement. When he was come up to the gate, he looked up to the writing that was above, and then began to knock, supposing that entrance should have been quickly administered to him; but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the gate, Whence came you? and what would you have? He answered, I have eat and drank in the presence of the King, and He has taught in our streets. Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King; so he fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said they, Have you none? But the man answered never a word. So they told the King, but He would not come down to see him, but commanded the two Shining Ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up, and carried him through the air, to the door that I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of Heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction!332 So I awoke, and behold it was a dream.

Bunyan, J. (2006). The Pilgrim’s Progress (Vol. 3, p. 166)