Send Me!
Notes
Transcript
Favorite TV Show: Connections (Explain)
This story of connections begins somewhere in the middle of a long timeline of people:
Edward Kimball, a Sunday school teacher in the 1850s, had a burden for his students. He visited a young shoe salesman named Dwight L. Moody at his workplace and shared the gospel with him. Moody gave his life to Christ and went on to become a famous evangelist.
2. Dwight L. Moody’s preaching touched Frederick B. Meyer, a British pastor, who was inspired to reach more people with the gospel.
3. Frederick B. Meyer’s ministry influenced J. Wilbur Chapman, a young preacher, to deepen his evangelistic efforts.
4. J. Wilbur Chapman mentored a former baseball player named Billy Sunday, who became a well-known evangelist.
5. Billy Sunday’s fiery preaching inspired Mordecai Ham, who became an evangelist and held revival meetings across America.
6. In 1934, Mordecai Ham led a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. A teenage boy named Billy Graham attended one of these meetings after being invited by a friend. Under Ham’s preaching, Billy surrendered his life to Christ and became one of the most influential evangelists in history.
The impact of one faithful act started with Edward Kimball, a simple Sunday school teacher who took the time to share Jesus with a young man. This led to Moody, Meyer, Chapman, Sunday, and Ham, who each played a role in inspiring future evangelists. Eventually, Billy Graham came to Christ and went on to preach to over 215 million people in 185 countries, leading countless souls to salvation.
This chain of faithfulness shows that even the smallest act, like sharing Christ with one person, can change the world. We may never know how far our influence will reach, but God does. Who might come to Christ because of your obedience today?
Compelled by Glory: Send Me!
Compelled by Glory: Send Me!
Today’s message emphasizes how a transformative encounter with God ought to necessitate the sharing the gospel with others. It highlights that our experience of God's grace should overflow into a life of witnessing and discipleship.
In other words: Encountering God's glory compels us to share Christ's love and the message of salvation with urgency and joy.
Short story of a man who encountered God’s Glory,
was cleansed of sin & transformed by God’s grace,
and responded accordingly.
Isaiah…6
1. Awe of Holiness
1. Awe of Holiness
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
Isaiah - experienced God.
On a throne, in His Temple
surrounded by holy seraphim
attending to God & praising Him
w/voices that shook the entire temple
What an awe-inspiring vision!
overwhelming sense of divine holiness and majesty
How would you feel/react, before the almighty God?
Relief, Joy, Fear, Humility, Indifference?
Isaiah’s reaction - vv5-7…
2. Acknowledgment of Sin
2. Acknowledgment of Sin
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
Isaiah’s response: UNWORTHY
Confessed his sin to God Himself
Not in boasting, but in Humility
He knew he was Doomed
He knew no sinful person (NO ONE) can be in the presence of the Glory of a perfect God, and live.
In God’s mercy, one of His attendants, a seraphim purified Isaiah
Addressing His specific Sin
that Isaiah just confessed…
…to the one who had all the right to destroy him!
In the face of God’s holiness,
we too should feel unworthy.
We too should come to Him in Humility
God owed Isaiah NOTHING.
God owes US NOTHING
And yet like God cleansed Isaiah
as he came humbly before our Holy God
Jesus does the same for us
When our sinful selfs come humbly before..
..our Holy God in repentance,
the blood of Jesus cleanses us of our sin.
Jesus is the Glory of God in the flesh
we come to him with great humility.
He could have judged us on the spot…
…But instead, His glory shone w/love/grace//mercy.
He is the ultimate application of a burning coal of Glory…
…to every person who comes before the Throne of God.
We have seen in the last 2 weeks:
God loves us enough to:
Seek us Out
Welcome us Home
Now: to cleanse & purify us of our brokenness
Even in our inadequate & unworthy state
And the big question, is what do we do now?
Let’s look at Isaiah’s response in v8….
3. Answer the Call
3. Answer the Call
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
God asks Isaiah, “Whom should I send?”
Not rhetorical
God had a message for all of His people.
God, as He historically does…
…chose to work incarnately through people
The man who just had His sins forgiven was asked to be God’s messenger…
…to represent God to the people on Earth.
Isaiah = Horshak from Welcome Back Cotter
It wasn’t a question.
Immediate response of OBEDIENCE
Message: Temporary Condemnation..
..that will point to Jesus 700 years later
You’ve experienced God’s Mercy/Grace/Forgiveness
If He were to ask you directly to take a message to the people..
..Would You?
Hide behind your desk?
ReluctantlyEagerly agree?
Response Delayed/Immediate?
Well, God Himself hasn’t/isn’t asking you.
He’s commanding you to do so!
Isaiah's vision shows the majesty and holiness of God,
leading to his commissioning to speak for Him.
The Great Commission commands us to share the love and message of Jesus with all nations,
grounded in Christ's authority and presence.
Mt 28:18-20…
4. All Authority Given
4. All Authority Given
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus’ Authority:
Over ALL Heaven & Earth
EVERYWHERE!
God’s Glory is in Jesus..who forgave you of your sins
YOU kneeling before God’s Throne (UNWORTHY)
…have been cleansed of your sin.
& now Jesus (GOD) doesn’t ask for volunteers.
He commands every disciple/follower/believer…
…do do as He demonstrated.
Share the Good News of Salvation
Make Disciples
Baptize New Believers!
Like the 10 commandments,
..this should not be a duty to be fulfilled in debt…
…but a response of LOVE & Gratitude…
…to our Creator & Savior!
We should be compelled by God’s Glorious:
Love/Mercy/Grace/ & Forgiveness
…to do as He instructs…..PASS IT ON!
We should be FEARLESS in this endeavor.
Our future is secure! (w/God)
No man can harm our eternal salvation
We should be FEARLESS, because Jesus promises to be w/us as we represent Him here on earth.
Jesus backs us w/His Sovereign Power!
as we teach and baptize others
Take comfort that we are never alone in our mission.
Christ’s ongoing presence offers peace and courage to face the challenges of spreading His message in the world today.
Throughout scripture, the holiness of God..
..brings individuals to a point of surrender..
..which points to Christ as the ultimate fulfillment..
..of God's mission.
Jesus, being the embodiment of God's glory..
..and the one who sends us,..
..is central to Isaiah's calling, the disciples' calling….
..and to YOUR calling!
I hope you are encouraged by today’s message,..
..to be passionate about sharing YOUR faith,
Experiencing God’s Holiness, should compel you share that Holiness w/others.
