Fresh Air Series

Sunday Morning September 9, 2001 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs, New Mexico

Series: Finding Freedom From Sin #6

FRESH AIR

Isaiah 6:1-8

Introduction:

1. While working for a fast food company as the manager, I remember several of my agitated employees deciding to get back me. I was counting the inventory in the freezer and they locked the freezer and turned off the power with me inside. Now I want you to know, that not only was I really cold; but even worse, I was not getting any fresh air in that dark enclosed area. The employees told me later that I was only in there about 5 minutes, but I want to assure you it seemed like an hour to me. When they let me out, I remember how good it felt to breathe that fresh air.

2. Did you know that sin could hold you captive? When sin holds you captive it is like that cold, dark freezer without air, but when you are set free, you get to experience the wonderfulness of the fresh air of God.

3. As a Christian, I want to be in the presence of God, but I have learned that I can’t go to God in my own nature.

4. Let’s look this morning at what happens when we get a breath of the fresh air of God.

5. Turn with me to Isaiah 6:1-8.

I. Trouble

Isaiah 6:1

“In the year the King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.”

A. Sad Situation

1. This was a sad time for the Nation of Israel because Uzziah was one of the good kings.

a) Now he was dead.

b) History would show that Uzziah was the last great king of the southern kingdom of Judah.

2. Isaiah is thinking at this point, “Alright, the good king has died and now things are getting ready to get bad again”.

a) With that in mind, Isaiah goes into the temple.

b) He goes to the proper place, the place where he could meet with God.

3. In God’s temple Isaiah makes the discovery that the true King of the nation is not dead.

B. Situation Solved

1. Isaiah sees God sitting upon a throne.

a) God is on the throne.

b) God is still in charge.

2. Isaiah has already told us not to put confidence in man.

a) Just like Uzziah, we can die at any moment.

3. We as God’s people need to be reminded that God is still on the throne.

a) God still hears and answers prayer.

b) God is still working miracles in lives everyday.

C. Second Discovery

1. Isaiah makes a second discovery and that is: God is high and lifted up and His train fills the temple.

2. God is high and lifted up.

3. God will not and cannot compromise with sin.

II. Truth

Isaiah 6:2

“Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.”

A. Seraphim

1. These angels described here are mentioned only a few times in Scripture.

2. Seraph means, “to burn”.

a) It is the word used in connection with the sin offerings and judgment.

b) The seraphim usually are the angels that search out sin.

3. The seraphim in our text are protecting the holiness of God.

a) He is “high and lifted up”.

B. Sin

1. God will not compromise with evil.

2. God hates sin and in the end will destroy sin.

3. When Isaiah saw God on the throne, it brought him down upon his face.

Isaiah 6:3

“And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

C. Scene

1. God is holy and we cannot just rush into His presence.

a) It is not permitted.

b) So how do we go to God?

2. You go to the Father through Jesus Christ.

a) You can never go to the Father because of who you are.

b) Jesus says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

3. As a Christian, you can go boldly to the throne of the Father, but only because of Jesus.

III. Terror

Isaiah 6:4-5

“At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.”

“’Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’”

A. See Yourself

1. Isaiah was God’s man before this experience, but it had a huge effect on him.