Isaiah: God's Message to a Messed-Up World

By Brandon Lemons

This Sunday, we will begin a sermon series on the book of Isaiah.

Have you ever studied Isaiah? If you’re like most Christians, the answer is probably “no,” because Isaiah is buried deep in the Old Testament. Making matters worse, Isaiah was a prophet, and prophetic books tend to be confusing and gloomy. The book of Isaiah is also very, very long – 66 chapters, which is the most of any biblical book except Psalms.

You may be wondering, “Why did Brandon choose Isaiah?” If that’s what you’re wondering, it’s a great question! When considering topics for an upcoming sermon series, I weigh several factors. The three main factors are listed below.  

What have we studied recently?

Through the course of a year or two, I aim for a variety of sermon series. If we are in a topical series, I will typically look for a book of the Bible to study next. If we have been in the New Testament quite a bit, I’ll strongly consider something from the Old Testament. If the previous series was heavy or academic, I might look for something more uplifting.

During my tenure at Friedens, there have been several series on “minor” prophets, with the most recent being Jonah in 2024. But I have never done a series on a “major” prophet. (The major prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel – are called “major” because their books are longer, and their topics are broader, than the twelve books of “minor” prophets.) Over the last few years, we have mostly been in the New Testament, yet it’s also good to dig into the Old Testament. I think you will be amazed at how much of the New Testament builds directly off the book of Isaiah – all the way from the birth of Jesus to the end of Revelation!

What does the congregation need right now?

When considering what to do for an upcoming sermon series, I often ask God, “What does the congregation need right now?” I consider this question from a variety of angles, such as: Are there topics in the broader culture that are causing stress and confusion? Is there an aspect of theology or the church’s mission that would be good to bolster? Is the Friedens Family well-equipped in practical aspects of the Christian life, such as handling conflict, dealing with hardship and death, stewarding resources, living with character, and pointing people to Jesus? Do we need to renew our focus on Jesus Himself?

There are many reasons I think we could benefit right now from Isaiah. A big reason is because we are living in a chaotic time where morality is fading, people are struggling, and God is being ignored. Isaiah’s era had many similarities, which is why the subtitle of this series is “God’s Message to a Messed-Up World.” It is vital to hear God’s heart when we are living in a tumultuous time. How does God want us to conduct ourselves? What are the pitfalls we need to watch out for? Where is God amid our world’s troubles? What does God say about finding hope? Isaiah may be the most wide-ranging book in the Bible in terms of the topics it addresses, and I think we will find it to be immensely relevant to our lives.

How does the time of year impact the sermon series?

I always consider the time of year when planning a sermon series. For instance, Christmas and Easter always impact sermons; Thanksgiving and New Year’s may as well. Summer makes a difference, because summer schedules mean people often don’t attend as consistently; therefore, it’s best for a summer series to not build on itself from week to week.

As I reviewed the past few summers, I realized I unintentionally started a trend of launching longer sermon series near the beginning of summer: Hebrews in 2022, Acts in 2023, and the Sermon on the Mount in 2024. Similarly in 2025, the upcoming months provide time to dig into Isaiah – which is good, because I don’t think it’s possible to do justice to Isaiah without dedicating a significant amount of time to it. Don’t worry – it won’t be anywhere near 66 weeks long (which would be one chapter per week). Instead, we will study approximately 20 key passages that represent the main parts of Isaiah. The upcoming months will be an optimum time to dig into Isaiah, especially since most parts won’t require knowledge of what came the week or two before.

Conclusion: Isaiah is Exciting!

Scholars call Isaiah “the prince of the prophets” because his book is so majestic, so comprehensive, and so foundational for the New Testament.

In my mind, Isaiah is one of the major “intersections” of the Bible – perhaps the biggest, like the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee – where the Bible’s major themes weave together, where the Old Testament merges into the New Testament, and where God’s work with Israel unites with His mission to the world.

Here are some of the benefits Isaiah offers to us:

• Isaiah reveals the heart of God. It beautifully shows God's justice and compassion – that He is a God who judges sin while also relentlessly pursuing people with mercy and grace!

• Isaiah expands our vision of God's holiness. Isaiah’s favorite name for God is “The Holy One of Israel,” and Isaiah offers one of the most awe-inspiring visions of God’s holiness in all of Scripture (in Isaiah 6), which calls us to worship, reverence, and mission!

• Isaiah convicts us of our sin and selfishness. It is good to be convicted, right?! The answer is “yes” – especially when God is convicting us for our good and for His glory!

• Isaiah highlights how to care well for those around us. It shows that God’s people are to work on behalf of those who are struggling and to make society a place where all people can flourish.

• Isaiah points directly to Jesus. Isaiah contains many of the Old Testament’s clearest and most powerful prophecies about the Messiah – including His birth, death, mission, and kingdom!

• Isaiah unveils God's plan for the world. Isaiah looks beyond Israel to the nations, showing that God’s redemptive plan includes all people and pointing to a future where the earth is filled with His glory!

You can probably tell I’m excited to study Isaiah. I hope you are, too! Please be praying for God to work through Isaiah in your life, in the Friedens Family, and in how we represent God to the world around us!