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ISAIAH 1:18

"REASONING WITH GOD"

I. TO WHOM IS THIS INVITATION GIVEN?
        A. We often feel ourselves outside the boundaries of God's grace.
                1. I've gone too far.
                2. I knew better.
        B. "Children who rebelled against Him," verse 2.
                1. The cry is not made to complete strangers.
                2. Those who had been nourished by Him.
        C. "Worse than animals," vs. 3.
                1. We hear of beastly crimes.
                        a. I don't know of animals who do such horrible things as man
                           is capable of.
                        b. If you had an animal that did such things, you would shoot it.
                2. At least the ox and donkey recognize their source of provision.
        D. "Loaded with iniquity," vs. 4.
        E. "They had already been chastised," vs. 5.
                1. From head to toe, their bodies covered with bruises.
                2. Still they stood there in rebellion.
                3. How long would you put up with a dog that refused to obey you, that
                   attacked you?

II. THE INVITATION, "LET US REASON TOGETHER."
        A. Today we live in an era of non-reasoned religious experiences.
                1. I don't know why I feel so peaceful after looking at my navel for an
                   hour, chanting ohmmm.
                2. Man is encouraged by the prevalent philosophy of the day to take a leap
                   of blind faith.
                        a. Blind faith not a biblical term.
                        b. God's way is reasonable.
        B. God has given us strong reasons to believe in Him.
                1. To study the intricate forms of life with their complex designs more
                   reasonable to believe in a designer that random selection.
                        a. The apostle Peter speaks of men who are willfully ignorant.
                        b. So the geological column is woefully lacking in transitional
                           forms between species.
                                1. Rather than consider reasonable alternate views.
                                2. Create new preposterous theories.
                                        When Dr. Kornberg, a Stanford U. physician, says
                                        that, "evolution is beyond dispute, it's a fact." 
                                        He only disqualifies himself from reasonably judging
                                        any evidence because of his prepositional bans. He
                                        places himself in the category of those of whom Paul
                                        spake, "professing themselves..."
                2. The prophecies give us a strong reason to believe.
                        a. That God was speaking.
                        b. That He knows what He is talking about.

III. WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ABOUT? "THOUGH YOUR SINS."
        A. That destroying blight in your life.
                1. Is it reasonable to choose a few moments of pleasure and an eternity in
                   hell over a few self denials and eternity in heaven?
                2. Is it reasonable to gamble with eternity?
                        a. To take a chance God is lying.
                        b. The Bible is not true.
                        c. Jesus was a fraud.
                3. Is it reasonable to reject God's offer of mercy and forgiveness.
        B. The word, scarlet, has the idea behind it of double dyed. The material left so
           long in the dye so as to permeate the very fibers.
                1. Has sin taken a complete hold on your life? Does it permeate the fibers
                   of your being?
                        a. I have good news for you. You may be as white as snow, before
                           you leave.
                                Is it reasonable to reject such an offer?