Stump

Sermon Title: Stump.

Scripture Text: Isaiah 6:1-8; 9-13

Isaiah6:1-8 NLT Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call *This was written 740 years before Christ.

6:1Itwas in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!

    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

These three stages flowing from the vision of God, -recognition of sin, -experience of purging – riding of our sin by God, -abandonment to obedience and service, must be repeated in us all, if we are to live worthy lives.

If we see God we shall see our sin.

There came on the prophet, as in a flash, the two convictions, one which he learned from the song of the seraphs, ringing in music through the Temple, and one which rose up, like an answering note from the voice of conscience within. They sang ‘Holy! holy! holy! Lord God Almighty.’ And what was the response to that, in the prophet’s heart?-’I am unclean.’

At all events, be that as it may, these are the two thoughts that, involuntarily and spontaneously and immediately, sprang in this man’s heart when he saw the King on His throne. He did not leap up with gladness at the vision. It's comforting and its strengthening aspects were not the first that he saw with his eye, or upon his consciousness, but the first thing was an instinctive recoil, ‘Woe is me; I am undone.’ 

It was not joy that sprang in Isaiah’s heart when he saw the King in all of his glory, and heard the proclamation of His name. It was not reverence merely that bowed his head in the dust, but it was the awakened consciousness of his life, ‘Thou art holy; and now that I understand, in some measure, what Thy holiness means, I look on myself and I say, “unclean! unclean!”‘

God had brought Isaiah beyond the performance of rituals to what the ritual really means.

-Wedding: The ritual of Marriage is wonderful and beautiful but it's two people becoming one over time (not just one act). Growing with each other and with their God.

Infant Baptism: The ritual of Infant Baptism is Baptizing, emerging this baby into the Holy Earthly Church for training and living a Christlike life, with the help of each individual that proclaims Christ as Savior. All are training until they make the decision of salvation themselves. Then it's time to put all that in action and keep learning.

Holy Communion: A wonderful ritual of remembering what Christ did for us. He offered us Salvation by His death on the old rugged cross.

It’s not rituals but what they mean and what they do to help us to know our God in that marvelous way. Only a living faith can give us full participation in them.

Why is it that he speaks of ‘unclean lips,’ rather than of an unclean heart? I suppose partly because, in a very deep sense, a person’s words are more accurately are flection of their heart and life. A person’s character reflects their actions.

Isiah had been cleansed in the Holy Temple of God.

Isaiah6:9-13

New Living Translation

9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.

    Watch closely, but learn nothing.’

10 Harden the hearts of these people.

    Plug their ears and shut their eyes.

That way, they will not see with their eyes,

    nor hear with their ears,

nor understand with their hearts

    and turn tome for healing.”11 Then I said, “Lord, how long will this go on?”And he replied, “Until their towns are empty,

    their houses are deserted,

    and the whole country is a wasteland;

12 until the Lord has sent everyone away,

    and the entire land of Israel lies deserted.

13 If even a tenth—a remnant—survive,

    it will be invaded again and burned.