America The Backslidden

Isaiah 1:1-9

Scripture Reference

Isaiah 1:1-9

Introduction

We gather this morning under a heavy but hopeful word from God. Isaiah’s opening chapter is addressed historically to Judah and Jerusalem, yet its spiritual diagnosis and remedy speak plainly to any nation that once walked with God and has begun to drift away. Dr. Terry LeQuieu takes this passage and applies it to America — not to place the Bible where it does not belong, but to let Scripture help us recognize the patterns of national backsliding, to call God’s people to faithfulness, and to remind us that God always leaves a remnant. This sermon will walk through the declaration, distress, darkness, decay, and deliverance found in Isaiah 1:1-9 and challenge every Christian to be part of the remnant that seeks revival and repentance.

And if you don’t believe it, just listen to all the foreigners that have been here during the FIFA World Cup. They’re all saying the same exact thing. Amen. So grab your Bibles, if you would. Isaiah, chapter number one. Isaiah, chapter number one. When you get there, go ahead and stand with me.

Quote from Preacher

This opening quote from Dr. Terry LeQuieu sets the scene: he calls us to Scripture, identifies Isaiah 1 as the text, and immediately intends to make an application to America. The quote shows the preacher’s pastoral urgency to get people focused on God’s Word and to consider national condition through biblical lenses.

Outline

Declaration: The Vision of Judgment
1. Isaiah 1:1 introduces “the vision of Isaiah” — a prophetic word directed at Judah and Jerusalem in the days of several kings.
2. Application: God’s prophets and men of prudence can see consequences ahead. The Bible calls prudence the ability to foresee evil and hide (cf. Proverbs). We should heed godly warning and act before the wages of sin arrive.
Distress: Children Nourished and Now Rebellious
1. Isaiah 1:2 — “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”
2. Explanation: God speaks with a parental grief — He raised a people and they turned away. Likewise, America enjoyed Godly beginnings and freedoms that were meant for worship and godly influence rather than license to sin.
3. Practical note: When a nation’s children turn from God, the home, community, and public life all suffer. Christian parents and churches must teach and demonstrate gospel life.
Darkness: A People That Do Not Consider and a Sick Head
1. Isaiah 1:3–5 — “The ox knoweth his owner… but Israel doth not know.”
2. Meaning: Created creatures recognize their master, but God’s people had forgotten Him. The people were laden with iniquity, provoking God to anger.
3. Application to leadership: The “head” (government and rulers) can become sick — ungodly priorities in public office lead to national decline. Christians must pray, vote biblically, and consider serving in public life.
4. Heart of the nation: The church is the nation’s heartbeat. A faint church means a weakened nation.
Decay and Destruction: Wounds, Bruises, Putrefying Sores
1. Isaiah 1:6–8 depicts widespread moral decay “from the sole of the foot even unto the head.”
2. Explanation: Open, untreated sin describes a society that not only sins but parades and normalizes sin. Isaiah pictures cities desolate and consumed; applied to America, the preacher identified examples such as legalized immorality, public lewdness, excessive materialism, and attacks on family and Scripture.
3. How it grows: Change rarely comes all at once — one concession leads to another. Cultural changes (school prayer removal, abortion legalization, erosion of biblical teaching) show how an infant neglect becomes an adult disease.
4. Pastoral warning: The church must preach truth courageously, protect children, practice accountability in families, and oppose cultural sins with grace and Scripture.
Deliverance: God’s Remnant Brings Hope
1. Isaiah 1:9 — “Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”
2. Explanation: The remnant is God’s preserving grace — imperfect, few, but pivotal. God sustains a nation by the prayers, repentance, witness, and holy living of faithful believers.
3. Call to action: The way out is confession, revival, and gospel witness. The remnant must not be content to be merely left; they must labor for repentance and revival so that God might heal.
4. Hope and responsibility: God has not finished; He leaves a remnant. We must be part of it — praying, evangelizing, discipling, and living countercultural holiness.

Between the points: This outline moves from diagnosis to remedy. Notice the preacher’s method: identify sin (declaration, distress, darkness), show its effect (decay and destruction), then point to God’s preserving grace (deliverance). The Christian’s work flows from humble repentance to courageous action — personal holiness, family fidelity, church strength, and civil engagement informed by Scripture.

Summary

Isaiah 1:1-9 paints a sober picture: God’s people can become indifferent, leaders can become corrupt, a society can normalize sin, and a nation can decline. Yet God preserves a remnant. Dr. Terry LeQuieu challenges believers: America has blessings and freedoms meant for the glory of God, not for license to sin. The cure is not patriotism alone but repentance, gospel zeal, prayer, faithful churches, and Christians willing to live as salt and light. If the remnant will rise, God can use it to delay or avert judgment and to call a nation back to Himself.

We were made into a free country so we can proclaim the truths of Jesus Christ to a lost and a dying world. Now here, we’re going to look at five truths here in this passage this morning in verses one to nine.

Quote to Ponder

This second quote reminds us of the purpose for national freedom: not license, but proclamation. The preacher then points us to five truths in Isaiah 1:1–9 that diagnose and direct us toward national repentance and revival.

Application for the Week

This week, translate the sermon’s conviction into concrete action. The goal is not guilt but obedience and growth toward mature Christian living. Below are steps for individuals, families, and your local church to follow.

Repent personally and pray daily
1. Begin each day this week with a short confession prayer: admit personal shortcomings and ask God for holiness (2 Chronicles 7:14 is a helpful guide).
2. Set a 5–10 minute “remnant time” daily to intercede for our nation, leaders, law, and the church. Pray Scripture back to God where possible.
Protect your home and children
1. Audit digital devices: remove inappropriate apps, enable parental controls, and insist parents have access to passcodes.
2. Schedule family devotions each evening — read Scripture, pray, and discuss how to live out the Word.
Engage your church
1. Encourage your pastor to preach repentance and to preach Scripture plainly. Volunteer for evangelism efforts and youth ministries.
2. Join or start a small group focused on prayer, studying Isaiah, or equipping families.
Be a faithful witness publicly
1. Live consistently: holiness in speech, work, entertainment, and relationships will speak louder than political words.
2. Write to local representatives, vote biblically, and consider serving in local civic roles. Christians serving in public life can restore godly influence.
Share the gospel with urgency
1. Memorize and use a simple gospel presentation; invite at least one lost person to a gospel conversation or to church this month.
2. Be ready to give a reason for the hope within you (1 Peter 3:15) with gentleness and respect.

Begin small and stay steady. The remnant is not a flash-in-the-pan crowd but faithful saints who persist in prayer, witness, and holy living. If each of us will do these few things faithfully, God can use the small to turn the tide.