GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
ISAIAH 6:5-8
I. INTRODUCTION
WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE THE PERVERSE CONDITONS OF MAN HAS CAUSED A SPIRITUAL DRAUGHT, AND A FEROCIOUS FAMINE IN THE LAND. INSTEAD OF MAN TURNING TO GOD FOR DELIVERANCE, MANY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH CORRUPTION, WHILE OTHERS HAVE SATURATED THEIR HEARTS WITH THE DECEITFUL, MALIGNED, AND BITTER TASTE OF SIN. IT APPEARS THAT GODLY ETHICS HAVE EVAPORATED, MORALS HAVE MOVED, AND TRUTH HAS TRAVELLED TO A DISTANT LAND. HOMICIDE, SUICIDE, AND GENECIDE, CONTINUE TO SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE, SCORCHING AND TORCHING THOSE IN ITS PATH. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS A MADE UP MIND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOME ABLE BODIES WHO ARE WILLING TO MAKE A STAND FOR THE GOSPEL. GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY. GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY HE CAN TRUST TO GET THE JOB DONE. I MUST ASK THIS PARAMOUNT QUESTION, CAN GOD COUNT ON YOU?
II. THE TEXT
THE PROPHET ISAIAH RECOGNIZED THE SINFUL CONDITION OF HIMSELF, HIS PEOPLE, AND OF THE WORLD. CONSEQUENTLY, HE KNEW THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO CORRECT A CALLOUSED CONDITION. IN ORDER TO BE USED BY GOD, WE MUST FIRST BE PURGED BY GOD, PSALM 51:7, “PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP, AND I SHALL BE CLEAN: WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW.” ISAIAH RECOGNIZED THAT A CHANGE MUST TAKE PLACE IN HIS OWN LIFE BEFORE HE COULD MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT THE LORD MUST PURGE US OF. ONLY GOD, THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, TAKE A BLACK HEART AND MAKE IT WHITE AS SNOW. HAVE YOU BEEN PURGED LATELY?
OUR TESTIMONY OUGHT TO BE LIKE DAVID’S IN PSALM 51: 10-13, “CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD; AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME. CAST ME NOT AWAY FROM THY PRESENCE; AND TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME. RESTORE UNTO ME THE JOY OF THY SALVATION; AND UPHOLD ME WITH THY FREE SPIRIT. THEN WILL I TEACH TRANSGRESSORS THY WAYS; AND SINNERS SHALL BE CONVERTED UNTO THEE.”
IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST GO THROUGH GOD’S DIVINE RECYCLING PROCESS. WHENEVER SOMETHING IS RECYCLED, IT IS TRANSFORMED FROM WHAT IS USE TO BE INTO SOMETHING NEW. 2 COR. 5:17, “THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.” PLACES WE USE TO GO, WE DON’T GO ANYMORE; THINGS WE USE TO SAY, WE DON’T SAY ANYMORE; THINGS WE USE TO DO, WE DON’T DO ANYMORE, WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN RECYCLED! YES GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY!
III. VOLUNTARY SERVICE
AFTER ISAIAH HAD BEEN PURGED BY THE LIVE COAL, HE VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE TEXT IS THAT GOD DID NOT HAVE TO TWIST HIS ARM. GOD DID NOT HAVE TO BEG HIM. GOD DID NOT CAUSE A CRISIS IN HIS LIFE. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IT IS AN HONOR AN A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD. GOD SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TWIST OUR ARMS, BEG US, OR CAUSE CRISIS IN OUR LIVES TO PRESS US INTO SERVICE. WE SHOULD BE EXCITED AND SAY LIKE ISAIAH, “HERE AM I, SEND ME.”
BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY SIDELINE SAINTS, CONTENT WITH COMING TO CHURCH AND THAT’S ALL. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SIDELINE SAINT? THEY HAVE BIG BIBLES BUT DON’T READ THEM. WHILE WE SIT IN WORSHIP, SUNDAY SCHOOL, BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER MEETING, THEY SIT AT HOME. THEY TALK THE TALK, BUT REFUSE TO WALK THE WALK. THAT’S A SIDELINE SAINT. THEY ARE LIKE THE ATHLETE THAT DRESSES FOR THE GAME, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO THE GAME. BUT GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY HE CAN DEPEND ON.
OUR WORLD IS FILLED WITH THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, AND THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY ARE LIVING ON THE EDGE OF NIGHT, WHILE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH GUNSMOKE, AND MANY FIND THEMSELVES IN THE GENERAL HOSPITAL, BECAUSE THERE IS NO LAW AND ORDER. CONSEQUENTLY, RYAN HAS NO HOPE, IT APPEARS THAT ALL MY CHILDREN HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL BUT ARE LOOKING FOR AMERICAN IDOLS TO TAKE THEM TO ANOTHER WORLD. GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY!
