TEXT: Isaiah 6:1-12
TITLE: “Who Shall I send?”
SERIES: Questions God Asks
TOPIC: Evangelism; Faith in God
OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church August 17, 2008
PROP.: God
INTRODUCTION: At this time, our Jr. Church age kids (4yrs - 4th grade) are dismissed for Jr. Church. And Please take the attendance pads and pass those down the pews.
Good morning and welcome!
Today we continue in our sermon series: Questions God Asks.
Questions are a part of our life.
They allow us to discover information: Why is the sky blue? Why do planes fly? What would I look like with a mustache?
Questions help us strike up a conversation! “How you doin’?
Questions help teachers assess what students are learning?
Questions are NOT a part of God’s life.
God knows EVERYTHING there is know! He knows how to split the atom. He knows how many licks it takes to get to the middle of the lollipop. He knows what you’re thinking this moment and what you’re going to be thinking 3 days from now. God, who created the universe, NEVER needs a question mark at the end of any of his sentences.
And yet, God asks questions. Why is that? God asks questions for OUR benefit. Questions that will cause us to reflect on truth. To reflect on His will for our lives.
Allow me to refresh your memories on where we’ve been in this series:
We’ve looked at two questions so far that God asks.
The first question was…
WHERE ARE YOU? (Genesis 3:1-9) This is the most important question that God will ever ask! GOD DESIRES TO BE CLOSE TO YOU! He asked it of Adam and Eve when they were trying to hide from God in the garden of Eden. God desires His children to have a close relationship with Him. And He asked this question not because He didn’t know where Adam and Eve were, but He wanted them to know if THEY knew where they were at!
The second question was…
WHO GAVE MAN HIS MOUTH? (Exodus 4:1-12) This is the question that God asked Moses as God laid His master plan for using Moses to approach Pharaoh, demand freedom for the Israelites, and then lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses felt VERY inadequate, and VERY under qualified. Moses looked at his limitations rather than focusing on God’s power. So God re-assures Moses by asking this question of him; to remind Him that God will equip those willing to be used!
Today’s question that God will ask is found in Isaiah 6:1-8.
Please be turning there as I’ll give you some background information:
It’s a time of turmoil for God’s people. The Kingdom of God is now divided into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
King Uzziah had ruled for 52 years. From the time he was 16.
During his reign:
He successfully defended Judah against attacks from: The ammonites, Philistines and the Arabians. He developed a strong standing army, and rebuilt the nation’s fortification.
He even re-opened the Red Sea port of Elath for his nation and promoted commerce.
Things from a physical standpoint were great! The economy was strong. The people felt protected and powerful. But all of that was about to change…
King Uzziah, has just died.
So that brings us to God’s call for someone who will go and tell God’s message to God’s people. To assure them that God is on His throne. He is not dead. And to warn the people of impending judgment. Let’s read our text for today:
Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 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. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "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."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Put yourself in Isaiah’s shoes. People are fearful and the king is dead. Just when the situation seems hopeless, the REAL KING shows up in all of his glory and asks a question: WHO SHALL I SEND?
Someone had to go to the people and let them know that God was still King and still on His throne. Someone had to let the people know that consequences of their sins and the hope of their faith. Somebody had to take that message!
Put yourself in Isaiah’s shoes. He has received the message that he is to go and proclaim God’s message of repentance and salvation and judgment to the people he is living with. To the people who are leaders in the community. To his neighbors. To his friends. To strangers.
Would you be just a little scared?
Why is it that we as God’s redeemed, as God’s children, as God’s messengers are scared to death to tell others of what Jesus has done for us?
T.S.: I believe that we are scared because we’ve forgotten two powerful truths. Two truths that Isaiah was faced with in his vision that he experienced!
The first truth that Isaiah was faced with is:
I. GOD IS POWERFUL!
A. God’s majesty
Isaiah was faced with the awesomeness of God! He sees God on His throne. He doesn’t have to ask who it is sitting on the throne. He just knows! How does he know? When we read verses 1 & 2, Isaiah knows it‘s God:
Because God was High and Exalted
Because God had a lengthy train that filled the temple
Because God is surrounded by Seraphs.
This is the ONLY time Seraphs are mentioned in the Bible. So not much is known about Seraphs. Only with Isaiah’s help do we have any idea what these heavenly creatures look like: They had 6 wings. A pair of wings to cover their eyes. A pair of wings to cover their feet. And a pair of wings to fly.
And notice how Isaiah responds to God’s awesomeness!
B. Isaiah’s response to God’s awesomeness: (vs. 5)
“Woe to Me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!”
Now we fully understand how awesome the fellowship between Adam and Eve and God as God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the day!
I think you and I have forgotten how powerful God is! Isaiah saw God’s power and Majesty revealed! If we truly understood God’s power, we would do ANYTHING that HE is a part of! And I believe that is why we in part don’t respond to God’s question: Who Shall I send?
It’s because we don’t visibly see God that it becomes so easy for us to forget the Power, the Glory and the Majesty that God has!
ILLUSTRATION: INTRODUCE CAROL’S VIDEO:
This morning, I want to show you a video. Our very own Carol McClintock is the one featured in this video. I have personally entitled it: Taking a Calculated Risk. And I’ve received permission to share it with you today.
I want you to pay attention. To as much detail as you can!
SHOW VIDEO OF CAROL SKY DIVING
Amazing Carol! Absolutely amazing!
How many of you would jump out of a plane? I think there are some who would rather jump out of a plane than to share Jesus with their friends…or their neighbors…or their family.
But the way I see it, the two aren’t all that different! Both are calculated risks! Both can be a little overwhelming and frightening…but VERY rewarding!
Did you notice someone with Carol? Someone who was in control? The one who was behind her whispering in her ear? The one who was responsible for pulling the rip cord? The one who knew the exact amount of time for free fall. The one who was there showing her how to hold her hands who whispered words of encouragement. His name is _________________________. She couldn’t see him. But she could feel his presence. She couldn’t see his face, but she could hear his words.
You know where I’m going with this. You’re smart. We HAVE to believe that God is in control. That he is with us in the task of sharing His message!
We may not see his face, but we feel His presence. We may not physically see with our eyes God, but we can hear Him speak.
Take a calculated risk with God! I think that when you do, your response will be the same as that of Carol’s. “That was awesome!”
GOD IS POWERFUL…HE’S IN CONTROL…
The second truth that Isaiah was faced with was…
II. God has a plan!
From the time of creation, God has had a plan in place. Being a God who knows everything helps a little bit. God knew that people would need to be told that they have a creator. God knew that America would be in moral decline and would need more than ever, a Savior!
God needs faithful, willing people who will deliver His message to those who need to hear!
A. You are a part of God’s plan
And I want to be bold enough this morning to declare loud and clear that YOU ARE A PART OF GOD’S PLAN!
God has placed you in the job you are in to reach the people you work with! God has surrounded you with classmates who need Jesus! God has encompassed you with neighbors who are lost…who need a messenger. And God is asking you today: WHO SHALL I SEND? God knows who He WANTS to send.
B. God plans are intentional
Nothing that happens, happens on accident. Do you think God just is flying by the seat of His pants?
Do you think that when things go horribly wrong for you that God is up in heaven scratching his head saying, “Hmmmm…Didn’t see that one coming!” Or when things work out perfectly, do you think God was just lucky?
The God we serve is a God of order! In our solar system alone, planets are whizzing around the sun at HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES AN HOUR. Our own little planet orbit’s the sun in exactly the same amount of time as it does every year. It tilts perfectly on it’s axis to provide all four seasons during the year. The earth spins at a perfect rate of time to provide a 24 hour day!
WE don’t have to worry about our planet colliding with other planets in our solar system. We are the PERFECT distance from the sun…not too hot…not too cold. Why? Because God has a plan!
And I want you to know today, that God has a plan for your neighbors, your friends, and your family! God wants to USE YOU to take his message of love. REACH WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED!!!
ILLUSTRATION: Chris & Bobbi Jo. One of the things that I appreciate so much about Chris and Bobbi Jo is that they reach where they are planted. They are going to impact their neighbors for Christ. It happened with Mr. Pete, and Ashley King…they were salt and light to the community of Burnside! And now they are reaching out to their neighbors in Eldon. Chris told me that some neighbors they have been working with just placed membership not long ago!
God wants you to impact those he’s placed in your lives! Friends…family….neighbors…God has a plan…and that plan includes you!
I want you to take some time and read the scripture on screen. Or turn to your Bible and read it out of there.
2 Corinthians 5:11-20
11Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
What does it mean?
Did you catch it? Especially verse 20. We are the ones God will use to send His message…our message is this: BE RECONCILED TO GOD!
CONCLUSION: Did you read Isaiah’s response to God’s call?
Verse 8b “Here am I. Send me!”
Why was Isaiah able to answer in this way? Isaiah saw that God is Powerful and that God has a plan! Today, I want you to know…I want you to be certain…that God is powerful and that God has plan! And the best part is He wants you to be involved! To experience His power. To carry out His plan! That includes reaching a world with the message that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life! That Jesus died for the sins of the world!
This morning, we offer a time of decision. If there is someone here today who isn’t a Christian…who has never been baptized for the forgiveness of sins…I want to encourage you…I want to implore you on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God.
But I also want to open this invitation up for someone who desires to answer God’s call! Who will make the commitment today to share Jesus with a friend…with a neighbor…with a family member who needs it! Come forward and make this commitment known today so we can pray for you! So can encourage you!
Won’t you respond by saying, “Here am I…Send me!” Let’s stand and sing…
