Sermon Series: The Nobility of God's Nobodies

The Lighted Mirror of God's Majesty and Holiness

Isaiah 6:1-8

PSBC 10/22/00

In a nutshell: Sinfulness (particularly PRIDE) makes us inadequate to do anything significant in the Kingdom of God. Our sinful and inadequate condition is fully recognized in the light of God's majesty and holiness. When we let God's majesty and holiness dismantle us, we become useful to do God's Kingdom work.

I. Introduction

A. Getting Dressed

I generally get up about 5 or 5:30 on Sunday mornings, and try get to my study at the church by about 6 AM. This gives me adequate time to pray, prepare myself for my duties on Sunday, and go over the message at least twice before I actually preach it. This is a practice I've tried to follow in every church I've pastored. However, there is one thing different here in Palm Springs than in other situations where we've lived. You see, in every other home we've lived, there was a door between the bathroom and the sleeping area of the bedroom–but not in our house here. Here, the two are connected by an open archway with no door.

This presents no problem, unless one of us wants to get ready and dressed, while the other person is still trying to sleep–like 5:30 in the morning on Sunday. So, trying to be a loving, caring and compassionate husband, who loves his wife like Christ loves the church, I try to do as much as I can in the dark, rather than turn on the light and disturb Diane's sleep.

This usually works out O.K., but on occasion it hasn't. In fact, a couple of times... thinking I was looking pretty good (well, as good as I could)..., I've arrived at church and realized that I missed a spot shaving; or I buttoned my shirt one button off from where it should be; or I forgot to button the tabs on the collar of my shirt; or I still had sleep "stuff" in my eyes, or I had a ketchup stain on my pants.

But I never discover my mis-cues in dressing until I walk in the restroom here at church and examine myself in the lighted mirror on the wall. That combination of the light and the mirror always points out my inadequacies from getting dressed in the dark.

B. Transition

I tell you that this morning, because as we continue our series on the Nobility of God's Nobodies, we are going to be taking a look at something this morning that is akin to God's light and mirror.

If you're new to our church this morning, or just need a reminder, the premise of this series of sermons is the fact that God wants to use each one of us, ordinary people, to do Great Commission work in the Coachella Valley and the world. But, as we'll see this morning, He can't and He won't use us unless we fully examine ourselves and fix ourselves... based on what we see in His light and His mirror.

This morning, Isaiah, one of the major prophets in the Old Testament, is going to tell us about the light and mirror of God–he's going to explain them as the majesty and the holiness of God.

And everyone of us in this room this morning is going to have to come to grips with something very important–we're going to have to come to grips with our true reflection in that lighted mirror. And this morning, God is going to call us to examine ourselves in this lighted mirror and determine our adequacy to be able to do Great Commission work in the Coachella Valley and the world. So, with that in mind, please turn with me to Isaiah, chapter 6, and we'll start at verse one...

II. The Majesty and Holiness of God

A. Review of Uzziah

Before I read the first 4 verses, let me give you some background that is important to understanding these verses. Isaiah had been the main prophet of God for a number of years, before we get to chapter 6. A portion of Isaiah's ministry took place during the reign of King Uzziah.

Uzziah began his reign at the age of 16 and continued for 52 years as King of Judah. For the most part, he was a good king and a righteous king. But in the book of Chronicles, we read a very disappointing verse that sets the stage for Isaiah chapter 6.

2 Chronicles 26:16
16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Uzziah became so proud that he presumed he could do anything he wanted to do, even if it meant disobeying God. So, in direct contradiction to God's commands, he attempted to assume the position of priest in Israel. He proceeded to take incense from the altar of incense and attempted to offer it as an offering to God. And God answered this insolence by immediately striking him down with leprosy. And Uzziah spent the rest of his life isolated from the activities of his court, and his family, living the life of a lonely leper.

Because of this, trouble began to brew in the kingdom... enemies were gathering to go to war against the Israelites... chaos was beginning to hit the streets, and the 25 year old, inexperienced prince Jotham, was crowned king.

B. Vision of God at Work

In the midst of this uncertain time in Jewish history, Isaiah was given a glimpse of what was really going on. Look at the first four verses of chapter 6...

Isaiah 6:1-4
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.

Isaiah saw a vision of God sitting on His throne, in total control of the events of the world, ruling in majesty and sovereign authority. Besides that, Isaiah also saw heavenly beings, called Seraphim ("burning ones") encircling this throne of God.

Each of these beings had three pairs of wings:
-With two they covered their faces. This is a picture of reverence. God's glory is so bright and so powerful that they couldn't even look at it–just like we can't look at the brightness of the sun with our naked eyes.
-With two they covered their feet. In the Bible, the feet are a picture of earthly, personal activity. This is a picture of submission. Covering the feet meant that anything these heavenly beings did was brought under the authority and plan of God.
-With two they flew. This is a picture of ceaseless activity and swiftness of service.

In other words, these heavenly beings–whom some Bible scholars say are the highest order of angels because they hover over the throne of God...
...see the majesty of God–ruling and superintending over all the events on earth–
...and are in total reverence, absolute humility and complete awe of what they observe.
-And based on what they see and what they understand about God, they are eager to carry out God's work.

C. What Isaiah Heard

Now, not only did Isaiah see these beings, but he heard them as well. He heard them singing an antiphonal song about the holiness of God.--"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

I don't know about you, but for a lot of years I tried to stay away from people that used that word, holy. My experience with holiness groups was a bunch of people who were grim-looking individuals who acted like they had swallowed a quart of embalming fluid. Holy people never seemed to have any fun or joy in their lives. But by taking the time to understand the word, I see that that is not the meaning of holy at all.

You see, the word holy is directly related to the word "whole". And whole is a good thing! Everyone wants to be whole–we want to be mentally whole; physically whole; and emotionally whole. And because every person wants to attain to wholeness in their lives, entire industries have developed to help us attain wholeness–therapy, medicine, books, tapes, seminars, conferences and programs are offered to us constantly, in order to make us whole or to keep us whole.

But God is whole without any help. He is perfect, total and lacking nothing. God is exactly what God ought to be. That's what Isaiah is hearing the angels sing about. God is absolutely whole–holy, holy, holy.

D. God's Majesty is Everywhere

In addition, these seraphim declare that God's glory, or His majesty, is everywhere on the whole earth. In other words, everywhere you look, there God is. Scientist and microprocessor pioneer, David Sarnoff wrote the words on the front of your bulletin this morning...

In its early stages, science seemed at odds with religion; but this was merely a token of its immaturity. The more familiar story is that of scientists who become increasingly aware of the mystery of the universe and come to religion through knowledge of the limitations of science. Indeed, how can those who play with the building blocks of the universe, its atoms and electrons and genes, fail to be touched by awe? Every victory of science reveals more clearly a divine design in nature, a remarkable conformity in all things, from the infinitesimal to the infinite. (David Sarnoff, Christian Reader, Vol. 35, no. 2.)

It was this realization that caused Elizabeth Barrett Browning to write...

Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush aflame with God.
But only those who see take off their shoes.
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

So, in the midst of chaos and confusion... In the midst of and uncertain future... In the midst of increasing national and individual fear... Isaiah is given a vision of what is really happening in his and his country's situation. God, wondrous in glory, shining above the brightness of the sun, amazing in His character, praised and acknowledged by the highest of angels, and awesome in His majesty–is superintending the events and circumstances of the world.

III. Isaiah's Response

Now, look at Isaiah's response...

Isaiah 6:5
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."

Friends, underline that word, "ruined". Some of your Bibles might use the word "undone". It literally means: to cease, be cut down, destroy, or be brought to silence.

When Isaiah was given a glimpse of God in all His Majesty and Holiness–its as if the bathroom light came on and all the imperfections, blemishes, sin, uncleanness and crud of his life became exposed.

–He knew he had to cease his pride in himself and his accomplishments
–He knew he was being cut down to what he really was–just a man under the authority of God
–His false sense of independence from God was destroyed
–and His boasting about what he had done in the past was brought to silence

Illustration: Have you ever played with a loose thread on your pants or dress? When I played football at Wheaton College, I was a walk on. I had never played organized football in high school because my small high school didn't offer it as a sport. But because I was bigger than most of the guys and stronger than many, the coaches took a chance on me. To help me gain experience, my first two years, the coaches had me playing both Junior Varsity and Varsity each weekend. The varsity always got new uniforms, and the junior varsity always got the hand-me-downs from the varsity. So I had one really nice uniform and one really old uniform.

Well, I remember one junior varsity game where the offense was out on the field, and I, being a defensive player, not in the game right then, became somewhat bored. I found a loose thread on my pant leg and proceeded to pull it... and pull it... and pull it... And you can imagine what happened. By the time I realized what I had done, the seam on my one leg came completely apart, exposing "the real me" for everyone to see.

I panicked and called out to one of my friends, who quickly ran to the trainer, got a roll of athletic tape and used the entire roll to tape that open pant leg to my real leg, and I played the rest of the game with one pant leg almost totally made of a roll of tape. All, so I wouldn't become exposed.

Isaiah's point is that if we truly understand the majesty and holiness of God, it will unravel our pride in ourselves and expose us for who we really are–sinful creatures who are dependent on God for our next breath.

IV. Forgiveness

A. The Purpose is forgiveness

However, this being "undone" has a further purpose to it.

Isaiah 6:6-7
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."

The further purpose of being undone is seeking forgiveness. The scene of this vision is the Temple in Jerusalem. And the coal that the angel takes and touches to Isaiah's mouth was taken from the brazen altar in the courtyard, where sacrifices were offered. This speaks of redemption from sin and guilt. And redemption comes at a cost–it takes an atonement–a sacrifice to put things right. This is pointing to the One who would lay down his life so that we might be forgiven. Jesus Christ is that One.

And when you finally realize that God is holy, and His justice demands that a debt be paid for your unholiness–your sinfulness–and you admit to God that you are a sinner and ask for his forgiveness, He takes your guilt away by applying the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to your sin. And by that act, atonement takes place–immediately. That's the entry point to being a Christian.

B. Daily Occurrence

But not only is forgiveness the entry point of the Christian faith, but it needs to be a daily occurrence of the Christian walk, as well. Paul writes...

Ephesians 1:7
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

Friends, never begin a day without thanking God that the wrongs of yesterday are forgiven. Because you asked Jesus Christ to be your atonement for your sin, you can begin each day with a clean slate. The gift of grace that is forgiveness is so precious! When the heart confesses its need for forgiveness, then God immediately cleanses.

Ray Stedman one of the greatest expository preachers of the 20th century, once wrote, "Isaiah heard the praise of the seraphim, and their thunderous song which shook the very foundations of the thresholds. But what did God hear? He heard the faint, fearful cry of a guilty man who was conscious of his terrible pollution.... When God hears that cry, immediately a seraph must stop his worship, leave his place, and minister to that needy heart. Taking a coal from the altar of sacrifice, he touched it to the lips of the prophet, and at once came the word, "Your sin is forgiven; your guilt is taken away." This is the great, comforting word of the gospel.

Now, let's look at Isaiah's response to the exposure of his sinful condition before a holy God, and the immediate forgiveness he received when he asked for it...

V. Ready for Use

Isaiah 6:8
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!"

Illustration: A church was in need of a pastor. One of the elders was interested in knowing just what kind of minister the Search Committee was looking for. So, submitted the following letter, which he wrote, as if he had received it from an applicant.

"Understanding that your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications that I think you would appreciate. I have been blessed to preach with power and have had some success as a writer. Some say that I am a good organizer. I have been a leader in most places I have gone. Some folks, however, have some things against me. I am over fifty years of age. I have never preached in one place more than three years at a time. In some places I have left town after my work caused riots and disturbances. I have to admit that I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real wrongdoing. My health is not too good, although I still get a good deal done. I have had to work at my trade to help pay my way. I have not gotten on too well with the religious leaders in different towns where I have preached. In fact, some of them have threatened me, taken me to court, and even attacked me physically. I am not too good at keeping records. I have even been known to forget whom I baptized. However, if you can use me, I shall do my best for you, even if I have to work to help with my support."

After the elder read this letter to the Search Committee, he asked them if they were interested in the applicant. To a person, they replied that he would never do for their church. They weren't interested in any unhealthy, contentious, trouble-making, absent-minded ex-con; in fact they felt insulted that his application had even been presented.

But, so they could cross him off the list, the committee asked the name of the applicant, whereupon the elder answered, "The apostle Paul."

Friends, the apostle Paul, despite all his inadequacies, was one of the most useful human beings who ever did Great Commission work in the world. The reason why is that he came to the point–just like Isaiah did–where he realized...
-who he was before a holy and majestic God,
-asked God for forgiveness of his sin,
-and said to God, "Here I am. With all my weakness, fear and cowardice, I'm yours. I want to join you in Great Commission work. That's in essence what he tells the Corinthian church in...

1 Corinthians 2:3-5
3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,
5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

VI. Conclusion

Now, we come to you this morning, and your response to the light and mirror of God's majesty and holiness.

God's question to Isaiah is still waiting for an answer, but this morning it requires an answer from you, not Isaiah. He already is on record with his answer.

The question is, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Or to put it in an way that coincides with our church's purpose statement, "Who is willing to do Great Commission work in the Coachella valley and the world?"

For many of you, God is still waiting for your answer. And what you may not realize is that He's waiting for your answer in the present tense, not the past tense. It doesn't matter NOW, what you used to do for God, THEN. What God cares about right now is this...what Great Commission work are you intentionally doing, NOW!

For such a time as this, God has placed you in your neighborhood, in your job, in your community, in the club you're a part of, in the family that is yours, at the restaurant you frequent...for a purpose. He wants the people whom you know, to know Him.

And all that's standing in the way of that happening are five little words that God is waiting to hear from you, "Here am I. Send me."

Amen.

Invitation and Commitment