The Year King Uzziah Died

Thesis: Seeing the Lord and not ourselves is the key to worship.

Intro.:

1. Have you ever been surprised at what people hear at church?

a. Kids hear things differently, often in humorous ways.

1) Illust. Some children were once asked to draw a picture of Jesus. Boy drew a plane. Pointed out God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Pointed to cockpit and said, "This is Pontius, the pilot."

2) Illust. Children have a way of hearing songs differently also. One little girl was concerned about whales because of the song, "Sad, sad that bitter whale." A little boy was convinced there was going to be a cross-eyed teddy bear in heaven named "Gladly" because of the song, "Gladly the cross-eyed bear" ("Gladly the cross I'd bear).

b. This AM we want to talk about what we see at church and how it is important to see the right thing.

2. We're going to look at two seemingly unrelated stories from the OT and discover that they are subtly tied together.

a. Relates to what we ought to see when we go to church.

b. The first story is found in 2 Chron. 26 .....

I. THE NON-VISION OF UZZIAH (2 Chron. 26:1-23).

A. Introduction to Uzziah (1-5).

B. The success of Uzziah (6-15).

1. VERSES 6-8 ................. Foreign affairs.

2. VERSES 9-10 ............... Domestic program.

3. VERSES 11-15 .............. Peacetime army (no cutbacks!)

C. The downfall of Uzziah (16-23).

1. VERSE 18: Only priests could offer incense (Num. 16:40).

2. VERSE 19: Raging against priest & 80 courageous men!

3. VERSE 23: Uzziah was buried "NEAR" his fathers

II. THE VISION OF ISAIAH (Isa. 6:1-4).

A. Don't miss the phrase, "In the year that King Uzziah died."

1. More than just historical data.

2. "Uzziah" became symbol/byword for something ("Benedict Arnold")

B. What did Isaiah see? (What a contrast with Uzziah!)

1. What are we supposed to see when we come to church?

2. We should come to church expecting to catch a glimpse of God!