Today's church is filled with "happy" messages that are disguised as "gospel" messages. But often times, these sermons fail to bring the hearer a proper view of God. God is a God to be feared and this ought to terrify us because we are sinful.
Happy messages that do not convict people of their sins are not gospel messages. The gospel of Jesus Christ only makes since with the backdrop of bad news.
This is what Isaiah gives us here. The text is filled with joyous, happy news. But this news has as its context a God who is to be feared, because he is not a god like the nations have.
Anyone in need of comfort is in need of Isaiah's words in this text. Yet, beware, for God will only comfort you if you need comfort, and part of this means you need to be ready to repent of yours sins.
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Doug Van Dorn is the founding pastor of Reformed Baptist Church of Northern Colorado. He is a graduate of Denver Seminary, and he and his wife, Janelle, are proud parents of two daughters.