Here Am I, Send Me

Intro:

If you couldn't tell, am a history nerd, I love history!

Last week we talked about King Hez and The Prophet Isaiah when Judah was under seige. This week we are gonna take a closer look at Isaiah 7 years before the Assyrians took the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity.

Here is recorded history of how things had gotten between God and His people:

Isaiah 1:11–15 ““What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.”

LETS PRAY!

Their hearts were filled with religion, not worship from their hearts. It was the same as it was in Jesus’s day. Look at this:

Matthew 15:8 “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;”

The Israelite’s were great with “Lip Service” but their hearts were a million miles from God

You get an Idea in this next verse just how far removed from God they had become

Isaiah 29:13 “And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me

Wow! God didn't call them His people, He said this people

Hosea a prophet during the same time frame said:

Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

They were great with rituals and doing “churchie” stuff.

Matthew 12:7 “And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.”

But one day Isaiah while he was in the temple courts had a vision from God that would change everything

Isaiah 6:1–4 “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.”

Isaiah was shown a vision of almighty God. Iv’e noticed that many callings if not all start with a vision of our mighty God.

Now look at this:

Isaiah 6:5 “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am undone; 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!”

When we are in the presence of a Holy, sovereign God, simultaneously when we are exposed to His holiness we also are keenly aware of our sinfulness and sleaze.

2 things to notice from the 5th verse. That when have an encounter with God:

Our True Condition Is Revealed In The light Of His Holiness

Isaiah was overwhelmed when standing in the presence of Almighty God, he felt his unworthiness.

2. The Confession Of a Man “Undone”

Many of the greats in the bible felt this “Undoneness” that Isaiah felt. Look at:

When Moses met The LORD:

Exodus 3:6 “And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”

He was afraid to even look at God

When Daniel encountered God, Daniel shook from head to toe:

Daniel 10:10–11 “And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.”

When Peter seen Jesus:

Luke 5:8 “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.””

When John, James and Peter encountered God on the Mount of Transfiguration and heard His voice, it says:

Matthew 17:6 “When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.”

When Paul considered himself, he writes:

Romans 7:24 “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

What about John when beheld the glory of Jesus Christ? John say’s he fell as if dead:

Revelation 1:12–18 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

The initial encounter with God or his messenger frightens most who experience it, but the grace of God is such that this fear is quickly removed as an obstacle. God wishes to interact with his creation.

Darrell L. Bock

When we catch a glimpse of His Glory, we also see our unworthiness.

3. The Cleansing That Must Take Place Before We Are “Sent”

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.”

praise God for the atoning blood of Jesus Christ!

Only after we have a vision from God and our condition is revealed, and we are cleansed from the Holy hand of our Savior can we be Called for His divine service

4. Isaiah’s Commission From The LORD

Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

God is always looking to a fro the earth for someone willing to have the guts to say “Send Me!”

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

Does God see you willing to give your whole heart to Him?

Please remember this:

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called`

David was a murderer, adulterer, thief, and coveted what wasn't his, to name a few. Psalm 51 is a psalm of David’s repentance.

Psalm 51:1–2 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”

and verse’s 9-10

Psalm 51:9–10 “Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Now check out what happens when we are cleansed:

Psalm 51:12–13 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

When we are saved by the shed blood of Christ’s we should be missionaries! Not necessarily over seas, more likely to your family and friends.

Think about the Samaritan woman…after she met Jesus at the well of Jacob, she went door to door in hometown, telling her neighbors to meet the messiah and many were converted to Christ that day!

John 4:28–29 “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”

Then watch what happens:

John 4:39–42 “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.””

And all because of 1 woman's testimony

I don’t want you to be disillusioned, there will be rejection along the way. There was for Isaiah, there was for every prophet ever, find me one that was loved by the people or government? Even Jesus was killed for His message of hope and salvation.

I wish I could tell you that Isaiah’s life was exulted and everything he did was a success and he prospered like crazy, but the truth is, Isaiah was martryd. I’ts not recorded in the bible but Hebrews eludes to it:

Hebrews 11:37 “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—”

In fact we are told in the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud, that Isaiah was was put into a log sawn in 2 under Manasseh's order. Every single disciple except John was martyred.

Many of The greats in the bible had tough roads that cost them their life. We know the apostle Paul was beheaded, John the baptist beheaded, we know Peter was crucified upside down, him and his wife...

Matthew 24:9 ““Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

About now you’re probably thinking wow Pastor Jay , I'm so glad I came today for this!

Human nature is: We want to be popular and well liked, but Jesus has called you for something infinitely better. He’s called us to be joint heirs with Him in Heaven.

Just remember Jesus told us:

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

That just 1 soul saved is of infinite value

God values our soul so much He gave up His only Son to save us.

Genesis 1:26–27 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

When God spoke these words, we entered into a partnership with Him.

He is looking to send you!

John 20:21 “ As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.””

Jesus sent His disciples 2x2

Mark 6:7–9 “And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.”

And in Jesus’s final words He gave His Great Commission:

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Those were His last words, commissioning us to go!

Luke 10:2 “And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Whom God sends he employs, for he sends none to be idle.

Matthew Henry

That’s a sobering thought, we are in God’s employment

Remember we win in the end!

CALL UP WORSHIP TEAM:

IN CLOSING:

The gospel does not fall from the clouds like rain, by accident, but is brought by the hands of men to where God has sent it.

John Calvin

Listen very closely, because the way you answer this will determine the direction for the rest of your life

God is asking you today “Who shall I send?”How will you answer Him? will you say today right now “Here am I, send me!”