Close Encounters With Christ

Close Encounters with Christ

Isaiah 6:1-8

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - Oct. 24, 2012

BACKGROUND:

*We have been studying Old Testament encounters with Christ for almost a year: From Adam to Abraham to Moses. I counted around a dozen more personal encounters with the Pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament.

*For example, in Judges 6 the Lord appeared to Gideon, and Judges 6:14 says: “Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”

*If you remember the story, when Gideon started out to the battle, he had 32,000 men in his army, but God said in effect, “That’s too many. I want you to know where the victory comes from.” By the time the Lord was finished sending soldiers home, there were only 300 men in Gideon’s army. But that was enough to defeat an army of 135,000, because the Lord was on their side!

*God can do big things with a little army, and that’s great because it means He can do great things through us!

*In Judges 13, the LORD appeared twice to Sampson’s parents to tell them about their coming son.

*1 Kings 3:5 says: “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give thee.’

*2 Chronicles 3:1 says: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”

*Tonight we will finish this study by exploring one of the most famous OT appearances of Christ. Let’s begin by reading Isaiah 6:1-8.

INTRODUCTION:

*Some years ago, George Barna surveyed adults who don’t go to church. Two out of three said that they would be strongly motivated to come, IF they could truly experience God. Many people are hungry for God. And the best thing that could happen here tonight is for each one of us to have a close encounter with Jesus Christ.

*What happens when people encounter the living Lord?

1. First of all, we discover the majesty of our Savior.

*That’s what happened to Isaiah in vs. 1-4. Listen again to his testimony from these verses:

1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.

2. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!''

4. And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

[1] Think for a few minutes about who Isaiah saw.

*Well, of course he saw God. But speaking of the time before Jesus ascended back to Heaven, John 1:18 says: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

*And in John 5, Jesus said:

36. “But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish the very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”

*In John 6, Jesus also said:

44. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

45. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

46. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

*And John 12:36-41 removes all doubt. There Jesus said:

36. “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

37. But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

38. that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?''

39. Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40. "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart, lest they should turn, so that I should heal them.''