The Atonement of Christ: Isaiah 6

but lGod shows his love for us in that mwhile we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

Introduction

foundations! Jesus

Story

My kids always want me to tell a story to them before bed. I don’t succomb all the time, but sometimes I do.

I’ll ask, what do you want to hear!? And without fail they either request a) The story of how I met Annie. b) the story of us learning about their pregnancy or the story of their birth.

Now as a storyteller I don’t say…

“Well, on October the 6th, I was sitting approximately 3 feet to the left of the couch, when I noticed a 5’7 female with brown hair and blue eyes, take 12 paces across the floor to sit near to me...”

NO! I begin to tell them how I was sitting in my apartment at UGA, the greatest place on earth, when a group of girls came in and immediately one caught my eye. I watched her walk into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and she pulled out her own personal coffee mug that she brought home from a mission trip in Africa and in that moment I was undone! I knew!

And as I tell this story, 2 things happen every time!

First, my kids are invited into a sotry that is bigger than themselves!

It’s so easy for all of us to assume that every story revolves around us, and if we aren’t the center of the story than we aren’t interested. But when I tell my kids this story they are pulled into a perspective bigger than their own!

Secondly, it stirs their affection as it reveals more about Annie and myself!

I begin to notice they nuzzle up a little closer, as they become aware of our affection for one another and them. And they are invited into that story!

Church, God has authored and is consistently telling a story, that if we can but listen will invite us into something bigger than ourselves and stires our affection for Him.

You see, Ephesians 1:8-10 tells us that God has written His Story, which includes your story, “before the foundation of the world.”

Matthew 13:35 tells us that Jesus has come to tell us the story that has been hidden since the foundation of the world!”

And Paul tells us in Titus 1:2, that the Salvation that this story is all about, was written before the ages even began.

What I’m trying to say is that God is a StoryTeller, and He wrote a Story before the foundations of the world that He wants to tell you.

And many of you in the room this morning know this story, and have responded to this story.

If that’s you this morning I pray that as you hear it again, your affection is stirred and maybe even rekindled for the Story Teller.

But many of you may not be familiar with this story, or have heard it but just thought it doesn’t apply to you.

I pray for you today that you listen, and respond and step into a story that is bigger than you!

Exposition

The Exposition

The exposition of a story is the introduction to a story, including the primary character’s names, setting, mood and time.

God’s Story begins in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

God is the primary character of this story. It begins with Him, and as we heard last week not the God of who we want Him to be, or who we wish Him to be, or who we think Him to be. But the God who said, I AM WHO I AM.

And the God of this story is Exodus 34:6 “ merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”

He is Psalm 147:5 “Great, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”

And as we talked about in depth last week, God is Holy. Leviticus 19:2 ““for I the Lord your God am holy.”

And he isn’t just Holy, but HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. Perfect in power, and purity. Absolutely unapproachable.

But He is also Creator, because in the beginning He Created.

He created the heavens and the earth. Day and Night. Waters and Land. All plants and vegetiation, the sun and the moon, the animals of the sea and land, and in all these things were GOOD.

But on Day 6 we read, He created mankind in the image of Himself.

A Created being that would actually reflect the attributes and image of God.

They would rule and reign over all other creation in submission to their creator, and they would be blessed and be fruitful and multiply and as they rule and reign they would perfectly reflect the Creator to all of Creation.

And it was VERY GOOD. It was Very Good because everything was as it should be, and it was Very Good for Mankind because was both naked and unashamed in the Presence of their God.

NOTHING, hindered the access mankind had to their God. IN fact, God openly walked among them, and Adam and Eve could unashamedly see His face, come into His presence, and approach His glory!

The Characters--- God & Mankin. The Setting--- The Garden, but the mood quickly shifted.

The antagonist slithered into the minds of mankind, and whispered… “Did God actually say… Oh no, no, no… you won’t die. In fact, you’ll be like God! He’s just holding out on you. He’s using you. There’s more for you… just take and eat.

And when mankind chose a God of their own imagination, and rejected the Holy Creator God everything changed!

Immediately they were aware of their nakedness. They were aware of how very different from God they actually were.

And the result of this deep exposure to their own frailty, they became afraid and ashamed.

Instead of delighting in the presence of their Creator God, they all of a sudden feared Him because they perceived their own unworthiness to approach Him.

And they hid… And the conclusion of our Exposition here is in Genesis 3:24 “He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

They no longer have access to the Tree of Life, nor the Presene of God. They are barred and undone because of their sin.

But it gets much worse… in God’s Story this is where the Rising Action comes in.

Rising Action

The Rising Action of a good story is made up of a series of events that establish some roadblocks and conflicts that must be overcome, and leave us asking questions if they ever will!

Genesis

In the next Chapter of God’s Story mankind, now barred from God’s presence gets worse!

They murder in Genesis 4, and Genesis 6:5-6 “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”

In the Rising Action every intention of the thoughts of mankinds heart was only evil continually!

And the Holy, Creator God who yearns for his IMAGE to be restored and His presence to be enjoyed is GRIEVED.

So all throughout the OT we see this evil in man’s heart on display.

Violence and sin increase deserving God’s Wrath.

Mankind suppress the truth.

Their hearts grew dark and they became futile in their thinking.

They claimed to be wise, but became fools.

They were given up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity.

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served self rather than the CREATOR who is blessed forever!

In short ya’ll… it ain’t good. All of mankind is barred from the presence of God, and the debt payment required for re-entrance only continually grows.

This is where we left Isaiah last week. Aware of how bad his personal plight is!

Isaiah 6:1–5 ESV

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Isaiah has perceived his own unworthiness and plight.

He sees that even the angels conceal themselves and can’t approach this Holy, Creator God.

In light of His holiness, He is immediately aware of his nakedness, his shame, his sin.

So Isaiah is undone and unworthy to be in God’s presence, and knows it is going to cost him his life.

But are you aware that this Story God has written about THEM, is the same STORY written about YOU.

Turn with me to Ephesians 2.

You see it ain’t just Adam and Eve, or Cain and Able, or David and Bathsheba, or Moses and the Israelites, its you too.

Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins”

Undone. Barred from the Tree of Life. Unworthy to be with God.

Ephesians 2:2 “in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—”

You walk in sin. You didn’t sin back in the day, you brought your sins into TODAY as you walk. Everywhere you go, sin goes.

You do exactly what Satan wants you to do… what he wanted your first parents to do…

“Did God actually say… Oh no, no, no… you won’t die. In fact, you’ll be like God! He’s just holding out on you. He’s using you. There’s more for you… just take and eat.”

He has done this to every one of his sons and daughters, and you’re no different. Your not a Son or Daughter of the Holy, Creator God but disobedient.

Ephesians 2:3 “among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

And in this plight, you just carry out the desires of your body and mind.

God desires you to deny your passion for lustful pleasure, but you just think he’s holding out on you and you carry out not His desires, but your own.

God desires you to control your stress by resting in His Sovereignty, but you run to a drink every night anyway, because that’s what YOU desire.

God desires you to control your anger and jealousy, and strife, but you let it spew out physically, emotionally and verbally anyway, because that’s what YOU desire.

Galatians 5:19-21 is clear! “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

YOU cannot come into His presence. You are barred from entry, and far from being a Child of God’s delight you are “by nature” children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind.

Just like Adam and Eve. Just as they thought they knew more than God in the garden, you too share an arrogance in your natural minds think you know better than God.

So now, when you get a glimpse of the Rising Action of your life… the only proper response is Isaiahs.

Hit your face, and prepare to die.

But we don’t tend to respond that way. In my experience, and I believe supported by biblical witness we tend to respond in one or two ways.

First, we are totally ignorant and oblivoius to the desperation of our situation.

Now if that is you or was once you, its so easy to decive yourself and assume… “My life isn’t in a plight like that” and disengage the story I’m telling you today.

But Paul would say you’re just blind.

Eph 4:18, just darkned in your understanding, and alienated from the life of God because of ignorance, due to the hardness of your heart.

He’d say you’re just calloused.

And the only way to awaken from this spiritual slumber is to get a glimpse of His Holiness.

The blinding light of his unapproachability can “awake, O sleeper, and raise you from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (eph 5:14).

But there is another response that is way more popular in the church, yet is also a very wrong response.

Secondly, we get a glimpse of it and try to fix it.

It’s what the people in Galatia were doing, Galatians 4:9-11 “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.”

They were beginning to trust on their own pious observance of certain days and months and seasons to bridge their gap between self and God.

When somebody asks you, “How do you know you’re a Christian?” Do you answer… “Well, I go to church?”

If that’s what you rely on for your confidence to bridge this gap, I fear you’re trying to fix your plight!

It’s what the people in Colossae were doing, Colossians 2:20-23 “ why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

Don’t do this, don’t do that… THEY HAVE AN APPEARANCE OF SELF-MADE RELIGION!

They look pious. They look good.

I don’t drink. I don’t have addiction. I’m not unfaithful to my spouse. I don’t cheat in school. I don’t cheat at work.

I do pray. I read the Bible. I give.

Be careful… these things have an appearance of religion, but THEY ARE OF NO VALUE IN CHANGING YOUR HEART OR BRIDGING THE GAP!

This is the essence of all world religions.

If I honor these 5 pillars God will accept me.

If I sow good deeds, Karma will catch up and God will accept me.

If I obey these laws, God will accept me.

If I have a particular familial lineage, that will be enough and God will accept me.

If I meditate and contemplate, and fast that will be enough and God will accept me.

ALL RELIGION is man’s attempt to fix their plight.

But you can’t. Nobody can. The gap is too great.

You, and everyone around you are barred from the Presence of God. He is unapproachable by you.

Come to terms with this quickly, and like Isaiah… just hit your face and acknowledge that you are Undone.

So the story is pretty bad so far.

But church, the story is far from over. Remember He has written this Story in the lives of all people, including yours, before the foundation of the world. We still have the Climax!

Climax

The Climax of a story is when the conflict is resolved!

It’s when the hero saves the princess, discovers the buried treasure, slays the dragon,

or as I share with my kids… it’s when I worked up enough courage and overcame the rising action of my own self doubt and fear of rejection and finally asked Annie to grab a cup of coffee!

But God

The transition into the Climax of God’s Story can be seen with 2 Words.

Look with me at Ephesians 2:4 “But God...”

“But God” marks a stark contrast, an abrupt change in the direction of this story.

We must remember, although the Rising Action of sin, and violence, and corruption seems to place man on the center stage, that this story’s primary character is God.

And at the exact moment we feel like the plight of mankind is just too big to overcome, too big of a gap to cover, too big of a mountain to be moved, too big of a dragon to slay, we read…

“But God.”

The Primary Character is back on the scene, and HE Intervenes!

Turn back with me to Isaiah 6 so we can see this story play out.

Isaiah 6:6-7 “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.””

We find Isiah face down, aware of the seriousness of his plight. Barred from the presence of God, and worthy of nothing but death, while God stands above him above utterly unapproachable. Isaiah cannot come to God.

But God… comes toward Isaiah.

At God’s command, a seraphim takes a burning coal and touches the source of Isaiah’s perceived sin, and says… your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for!

All of this was of God’s own initiative.

And He atones… so what does this mean? Atone means “To Cover”

Sin in Isaiah stood exposed, and sin before a Holy God is forbidden. So access to God is forbidden, and barred.

But God comes and “Covers”. He covers the consequence of Isaiah’s sin, He covers the nakedness and shame of sin, He covers the distance between God and Isaiah because of Sin…

He covers him, He atones for him, and once Isaiah is covered and sin atoned for…

Isaiah hears God, and surrenders his will and life for His service. He begins to serve God by reflecting the image of God through His prophetic ministry.

Likewise, your story as Ephesians 2:1-3 says, has left you undone, standing exposed before a Holy God, and sin before a Holy God is forbidden. Access to God is barred.

BUT GOD.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

This God… He is Holy, Holy, Holy, but He is also RICH in mercy and Great in Love.

His mercy is abundant, and He has written a story that reveals how lavishly he extends it.

His love is so great, and He has written a story that demonstrates the depth, and height, and width, and length of His love.

And even while you were dead and undone in your trespassess… He CAME TOWARD YOU.

He bridged the gap. And has made you alive with Christ.

He bridged the gap, by sending His own son.

Romans 8:3 “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,”

You couldn’t do this for yourself… But God in the sending of his own Son did it for you.

Remember, every religion is man’s futile attempt to get to God.

But GOD… the GOD who is “I Am who I Am” has written a story where He comes to you.

You can’t come to Him. But He came to you.

And in His coming to you, He covers you.

Christ has atoned for your sin. He has covered it.

Your sin left a debt that could never be paid by you. Jesus stepped in and said “I’ll pay it...” I’ll cover it.

Your sin required a punishment that was death physically and spiritually for eternity. Jesus came foward and said… “No not them… Me. “I’ll pay it, I’ll cover it.”

Your sin has left you by nature a child of His wrath. Jesus came foward and said… “No, I’ll drink it. I’ll cover it.”

Your sin has left you dead spiritually and barred from the presence of God, but Jesus came forward and said… “No, I’ll take your death, and you can have my life, a life in the presnce of God.”

Church He covered it.

He has atoned for your sins, and consequently…

Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

Colossians 3:3 “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Do you hear the truth in these Scriptures!

At one time, before Christ, you were barred from the delightful presence of God. Unable to enter. He was totally unapproachable.

But God, took the initiative and sent Jesus, and now through Him, because you are covered by Him, you are now qualified to come…

You are qualified to share.

You are qualified to be brought near.

All because the blood of Christ. All because of His Grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

This is all because of Grace. Becuase of HIs Kindness.

He has written such a story that He, as the Primary Character, is the hero.

We so easiliy think that we are knights in shining armor, that rush in to slay the dragon in our own stories… Church we aren’t. He is.

There is nothing that you could have done, or can do to fix what sin has broken.

Again, remember Isaiah, the only reponse is despair and death

But God.

But God acted.

But God atoned and covered

But God has made a way for you to be brought near.

Just as the exposure of your sin before a Holy God reveals only one proper response… UNDONE.

The exposure of God’s grace and love in the sending of His Son also reveals only one proper response… FAITH.

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Faith is a conviction that the Story God has written is True, and that the Climax of that story, Christ on the Cross has atoned for you.

Faith is believing that Jesus did for you, what you could never do for yourself.

We are not saved by doing a bunch of do’s and don’ts, but by grace through faith in Christ.

And that is really, really good news. In fact, it’s the Gospel.

Salvation is in God’s Hands. He took the initiative. He moved toward Isaiah, and he moved toward you in Christ.

All because of “But God.”

Conclusion

This is the story which sets the foundation of our faith.

When Paul says is in 1 Cor 3:11 “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

This is what we mean… The beginnings and bedrock of your faith is founded on the Holiness of God, the consequences of sin, and the atonement of Jesus Christ!

And if you are a Christian this morning and you’ve put your faith in the foundation that Jesus has provided I pray that this story has stirred your affection!

But if you’re not. If you’ve never heard this story, or maybe for the first time you sense conviction that this is true and its time for you to stop trying to fix yourself and trust in Christ. Why Wait?

Do that today. And let me explain how you can.

We are going to conclude today, remembering the “But God” we just learned about in Communion.

So if you’re serving communion, or playing while we reflect go ahead and make your way to that.

Communion is something Christ modeled for us, and told us to do often as we come together. Here at CBC RH we take communion once a month and I can’t think of a better day than today.

Because Communion is a Call to Remember. To remember how God in. Christ has covered us.

The elements of communion represent the great lenghts that God went in bringing you near.

The Bread represents Chris’t Body, that was broken, so that thorugh faith we may be healed.

The Juice represents Christ’s blood that was shed, so that we could be atoned for and brought near.

So, again if you’re already a Christian I want you to use the next several momemnts to really remember Christ’s Atoning Work and let it stir your affection for Him.

But if you’re not and ready to become one, take the next couple of minutes and in your heart and mind lay down before the Vision of God you’ve seen.

Acknowledge that in your sin you are undone and worthy of death.

Then as you feel the weight of your plight, look up and see the Cross. See Jesus atoning for your sin, and God in Christ coming to you. Offering you forgiveness. A new start. A new heart. New affections.

And by faith, say “Yes, God I believe you have sent Jesus to atone for my sin, and want the salvation you offer.”

So take a few moments and let Christ minister to us all as we remember Him.

We are going to sing “In Christ Alone. Verse 2 reads...

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid;

Here in the death of Christ I live.