I Purify You

Context

Sermon Series. Last Week, Jonah, “I Will Deepen Your Love.”

This week: Isaiah, “I Will Purify You.”

Isaiah was a prophet. Ministry: speak the word of God to rulers of God’s people. Active during in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isa. 1:1; 740- 681 BC). Isaiah had a long ministry, around 60 years. His book is long, 66 chapters. Scope of his prophecies extensive. He offers warning to Judah about trusting in God, rather than forming alliances with foreign, pagan powers. When the kings don’t listen to him and God subjects them to the power of their enemies, Isaiah assures them that God’s judgment is temporary. Looking into the future beyond his own years, Isaiah predicts that God will restore the people from exile, rebuild temple worship, and even send a Messiah who will redeem the whole world.

Today’s lesson from chapter 6. King Uzziah has recently died (8th BC) Foreign powers are threatening Judahs borders. Isaiah — maybe 20 years old — has an experience that shapes everything else in the book: sin, fear of judgment, purification.

Text

Isaiah 6:1-8 “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!” 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.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for u…”

Introduction

Number one block: I feel unworthy. Supposed to speak the word of God. Don’t read my Bible. Be spiritual, don’t pray. Serve, but I don’t really make the time. moral example, but don’t step up.

And that is just failure to good. What about the bad. Profanity, substance use, sexual behaviors, hate, violence, bigotry, lying, materialism____

I have a lot of reasons to feel unworthy.

Today’s promise is God’s answer to that feeling.

Exegesis 1 woe is me!

Isaiah is a young prophet. King Uzziah has recently died. The king’s death was unusual. It was accompanied by sudden affliction of leprosy right on his forehead — a judgment by God inflicted upon him for his sins.

Jewish tradition speculates that Isaiah, among other prophets, may have been able to prevent this course of events by being more vocal toward the king. But Isaiah had been silent. Perhaps too timid, too uncertain, too inexperienced.

Now the death may have weighed on his mind. What kind of prophet am I? Worthy?

Then he has a vision. Sees God. high and lifted, robe. seated=king and judge. The ever-living king. Who never dies. The king of kings, and lord of lords.

He sees angels surrounding the throne. Seraphim. Fiery one. Six wings, feet, face, flying.

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts

holy = utterly separate and above anything mortal or sinful. 3x = the absolute highest and most apart.

hosts = of angelic armies, of spiritual power. Omnipotent.

In the face of fiery, absolute perfection and power:

Isaiah decries his own sinfulness and the sinfulness of everything that he is a part of: man of unclean lips, from a people of unclean lips.

unclean lips: anything we say or don’t say about you falls short! Lips reveal the heart, impure heart!

Woe to me!! This is BAD!! He is fearful of being consumed.

The presence of the holy God reveals all impurity and unworthiness. response: Woe is me, fear.

Implication 1 woe is me!

We come to worship. We read our Bible. Jesus’ words. We encounter holiness. Some sense of it.

Unworthiness is not an inappropriate response. It is not uncommon.

Even for us Christians.

Awe toward Jesus.

Peter and the miraculous catch of fish: depart from me, Lord, I am a sinful man!

Paul, encountered the risen Lord and was blinded, Who are you, Lord? Chief of sinners, I am!

It is okay: Woe is me, I am a sinner of a sinful world.

Previous example: Smelly after a hike, sinful as I live in and as part of this world. YET there is purity, an absolute good — God

could be bad news…woe to me, I’m going to be destroyed! but Isaiah is not vaporized Or cast out…

Exegesis 2 here I am!

Isaiah is not destroyed.

He stands. Dirty, mortal, small, before the great throne. Panics, crying out! Woe is me! Mine eyes have seen the glory!!

God sends a Seraph. Takes a coal, hot coal, so hot that even the fiery hands of the Seraph employ of tone. The angel touches Isaiah’s lips. Isaiah might have been recoiling from that!

Miraculously not hurt, but healed. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.

guilt — the objective fact of blameworthiness AND emotional burden.

atoned for — a sacrifice has been applied to you. Payment for your moral debt.

The fiery coal to the lips represents purification. As fire purifies metal, Isaiah is purified. His lips are made clean, but as the lips reveal the heart, so also his heart is purified.

God has mercy on Isaiah and makes him worthy to be in God’s presence.

Isaiah fits in with God and the heavenly court. Clean in the presence of clean, pure among the pure.

Implication 2 here I am

As it was with Isaiah, so it remains with us today.

When we come to Jesus, we are made aware of our sin. That is frightening. But he has mercy on us.

Everywhere Jesus encountered sinners, he pronounced mercy.

Man who is lame…your sins are forgiven you.

Woman in adultery…I do not condemn you.

on the cross…father, forgive them!

Jesus died on the cross to atone for all sin.

He rose from the grave and promised the holy spirit would come.

The holy spirit did come, first pentecost as fire. The emblem on our wall.

The holy spirit, like the seraph, comes to us and offers us the cleansing power of Jesus.

As the seraph used the tongs to provide the cleansing coal, the spirit applies the cross of Christ to us. The fiery presence of the spirit purges away sin.

When are lips are cleaned, we confess Jesus as savior and lord, the cleanest thing our lips can say, our hearts are made pure.

Exegesis 3 send me!

God’s intention is not condemnation toward Isaiah.

Instead he purifies Isaiah and draws him into the heavenly presence.

Isaiah gets to listen in to the divine council.

God Almighty says among all the angels, who will go for us? Who can go to my people, the mortals, the sinners? They need my word. They need me. Who will go as an emissary?

Silence.: none of us can go. They would be overwhelmed.

Isaiah’s first words in the book: here I am. Send me!

Having seen his own sin, having been purified, Isaiah is now filled with desire to serve God…and to serve God’s people!

He wants to be a part of God’s mission — that others may experience the purification he has experienced!

And Isaiah is sent. All the prophecies in the rest of his writings are anchored in this experience.

He writes

About sin: We all like sheep have gone astray - each of us to his own way - and our sins are like scarlet! (Isa 53.

About forgiveness: The virgin shall conceive a child and he shall be called Immanuel, (God with us) (Isa. 7) yet God laid on him the iniquity of us all. By his wounds we are healed, and he makes intercession for the transgressor. (Isa 53)

And about hope: The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isa. 9) Behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered anymore. (Isa 65)

This message of judgment, forgiveness, and redemption, has earned Isaiah the moniker of being the Gospel of the OT.

Implication 3: send me

Today we live under the gospel of the NT.

For we know Jesus, the one of whom Isaiah wrote.

Jesus is the heavenly Isaiah. He is the one who volunteered before Almighty God, saying I will go to sinful humanity. As one of them. I will take away their sins.

When we experience forgiveness of sins, welcome into relationship with God...

Our response should be an eager desire to share in God’s mission.

evangelist for what I love

homeschooling. swimming.

God’s mercy.

God is reaching out to people…who can I send, that they could receive?

I am a human, I am clean, I am willing.

Send me.

Jesus says, I send you, just as I was sent (John 20:21)

Our message is like Isaiah’s, like Jesus’:”

Sin is real, God is merciful, there is hope!

Book of Order: In Christ, we participate in God’s mission ... by proclaiming to all people the good news of God’s love, offering to all people the grace of God, and calling all people to discipleship in Christ. There is no higher purpose.

Conclusion

Biggest block for ministry. I am not worthy. Sinner from among sinners.

Actually a great starting place.

In that encounter: God forgives in Christ. Purifies us. Guilt is taken away, sin atoned for. Formative, all flows from that!

From that re/newed purity: Sends us to share good news of God’s love with others. There is hope.

Prayer

Include prayer of accepting Jesus.

We are sinners. We would be undone unless you have mercy. You sent Jesus to take away sin. We grasp his cross. Cleanse us. Renew us so we can be in relationship with you. Send us out in service to share you good news with others.

Prayer of Intercession

O God most high, you meet us where we live and invite us to be part of your purpose. All thanks and praise to you, for you hear our prayers for the church, the world, and all who live in it.

Eternal God, we pray for the world, that through the reconciling love of Christ our destructive and violent ways may cease, as you bless your human family with peace.

We pray for the mission of your church, that empowered by your Spirit we may proclaim the good news of the age in the world you so dearly love.

We pray for all who suffer, that together with Christ in his suffering we may find healing as he did, as he was raised and exalted in you.

We pray for your creation, that as it groans for its redemption we may care for its well-being through the power of your life-giving Spirit.

We remember before you those who have died and pray for those who will die today, that through your glorious redemption that ends all suffering they may rest with you eternally.

God of majesty and glory, through Jesus Christ you summon us into your compassion for all creation. Renew in us your call and release us from all fear, that we may testify in words and deeds to your steadfast love for all. For the sake of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen .