God's Majesty, Mercy And Mission

It is the only way to worship. It is the only way to join in praise and adoration. Otherwise, we will just become people with bad attitudes, people who want to argue and fight and people filled with divisions and anger. And all of that is the way of the world. Not the way of God.

III. Thirdly, Isaiah shows us our God is a GOD OF MISSION.

"And I heard the voice of the LORD saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me." - Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)

We see from this overall passage that God is a God of Mission

a. He is a God who seeks to give all of humanity a new heart, a new spirit - the fire of coal for Isaiah and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon His church. He is the God who seeks to restore relationship.

b. He is a God who seeks to allow us to join in relationship and in praise and worship.

Notice the major transition that takes place in verse 8. Before this verse, the prophet is filled with awe coupled with remorse. He is unable to even speak to the LORD or to join in His praise.

However, fast forward to verse eight. Following the cleansing, the fire touching his lips - the Prophet is able to not only hear from the LORD, he is invited to join the LORD in His Mission of sharing the news of redemption and reconciliation with the people of Judah.

With the barrier of sin and guilt removed, there is a flow of information and an experience of holy relationship. No longer does the Prophet shy away. No longer is the Prophet overwhelmed by his lack of cleansing. No longer does he speak of his unclean lips. Instead, through a clean heart and mouth, he speaks up to join with God in being His spokesperson.

The invitation to be God's spokesperson appears to be an overall call to commit oneself to be with God. Already, we know that the seraphim were constantly proclaiming the holiness of God. And now the prophet believes that he too, will be able to share God with his people. He accepts the call and the commission.

He is a man on fire. And a person on fire for God can do amazing things. History is full of such individuals, men and women like Paul, Polycarp, Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Susanna Wesley, Charles and John Wesley and George Whitfield.

George Whitefield is such a fascinating case. Whitefield was not born in the church. He was born very much outside of the church. Whitefield grew up in a saloon, in a tavern, and he, he knew nothing in the days of his youth but the seamy, sordid side, the gutter side of humanity.

But Whitefield was a man who was baptized in the fire of God. And what a fire God put in this man's soul. David Garrick, the great English actor, said, "Oh, that I had his voice and his dramatic gestures." David Garrick said, "He could pronounce the word of Mesopotamia and bring me to tears." John Newton, who, who wrote “Amazing Grace,” John Newton said, "I don't know who is the second great preacher in England, but I know who's the first, George Whitefield."

When George Whitefield was preaching in Philadelphia, Francis Hopkins and Benjamin Franklin went to listen to him. They had heard that he makes an appeal for money for the Lord, so Francis Hopkins said, "I am going to leave everything I have at home so I can't give anything." And those two men stood there and listened to Whitefield. And Benjamin Franklin, as he heard him, resolved first, "I'll give him my coppers." And as Whitefield continued, Benjamin Franklin said, "I'll give him my silver." And then as he continued, Benjamin Franklin said, "I'll give him my gold." And when finally the collection was taken, Benjamin Franklin gave everything that he had. And Francis Hopkins, the great legal jurist and essayist, having left everything at home so he wouldn't give, listening to George Whitefield, he turned to a neighbor and said, "Neighbor, lend me some money. I have to give."3