March 8, 2009
Key Passage: Isaiah 6:1-8 “Holy, Holy, Holy – Our God is an Awesome God!” Ever heard someone say, “When I get to Heaven, I’ve got a few questions for God!?” Well, guess again. I hate to break it to those folks, but I think we can safely say Jesus won’t be doing a Q&A with us sitting in a semi-circle, hands raised. I can only imagine that we’ll be on our knees in praise – and we’ll be blessed if we can utter the words, “Thank you!” If there’s one terrible disease in the church of Christ, it’s that we don’t see God as great and as holy as He truly is. We’re either too familiar with God – kind of like Isaiah, or we have the audacity to call him into question. Heck, this week we even had another in a long list of boneheads raining derision down on our Savior in a debate right here in Birmingham (Christopher Hitchins). Let’s get this straight: He’ll be on His throne ten trillion years from now when all the potshots against his reality will have sunk into oblivion like BB’s at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. God can do anything he darn well pleases. His activity is what it is. There isn’t anything else. Without it there would be no being, including human beings presuming to judge the Creator of everything that is. Like Isaiah, we’d be wise to see God for who and what He truly is – righteous and holy…and to see ourselves for what we are – unclean and woeful, and in dire need of the Lord Jesus! Meeting God in the Temple – A Contrast of Two Different Men, and Two Different Outcomes * Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-22) * Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) 1. v. 1-4 We need to see what Isaiah saw
a. v.1 He saw God’s position – Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus in all His glory. When life seems to fall apart at the seams, we need to remember the God who is in control of it all! b. v 2-3 He saw God’s personality – We need to remember that God’s prime characteristic is His holiness. God’s not described in the Bible as love, love, love – or mercy, mercy, mercy. He is holy, holy, holy. God’s purity makes even the sinless angels blush and seek cover. c. v. 4 He saw God’s presence - If we are saved, we are never alone. Even during the down times of life, we still have the presence of the Lord with us at all times. 2. v. 5-7 We need to sense what Isaiah sensed
a. v.5 He sensed his own condition – As he observes the majesty of God, Isaiah’s immediate reaction is to see himself in a new light. All the agony of life flows from our feeling that we deserve more than we’re getting. Pride is the source of all human evil, while humility is the source of all virtue. Notice how Isaiah immediately humbled himself. b. v. 6-7 He sensed God’s provision – The God who is above all and completely holy, and to whom we are insignificant and unworthy by comparison – that same God knows us, is concerned for us, and wants to cleanse us – IF we’ll come to him in repentance. 3. v.8 We need to say what Isaiah said
a. v. 8 He said, “Here am I – send me!” – Notice the humility here – Isaiah doesn’t say, “Here I am,” – that would be to identity his position. Instead, he says, “Here am I” – he offers himself as a living sacrifice. After seeing and acknowledging God’s glory, his own unworthiness, and experiencing the healing of sin, his heart is instantly responsive. Q: How is your experience with God like Isaiah’s: Awestruck? Convicted? Cleansed? Q: God’s holiness and universal reign awed Isaiah. Which of God’s attributes most impresses you? Q: Upon considering God’s awesome holiness, how will it effect your: entertainment? use of time? the way you spend your money? the way you treat others? the way you worship? Bottom Line: We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and start measuring ourselves by the correct standard. Healing comes when we sense God’s holiness, sense our own wicked condition, and move in humility to serve Him, because He is worthy. Indeed, our God is an Awesome God! |
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