Answering God’s Call: From Vision to Action

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen?

3 volunteers

Something that made you go, Wow! That’s amazing!

Illuminations - Reflections of Earth.

In today’s Bible stories - two people who both said, Wow! That’s awesome! when they experienced God.

Isaiah encounters God

Isaiah had an amazing vision.

What did he see? What did he hear?

It’s hard to imagine, and even harder to draw! Even though the vision was very visual.

But whatever Isaiah saw and heard, it led him to confession.

1st volunteer kneels

I’m doomed! he cried. Everything I say is sinful.

Peter encounters God

Then there was Peter who had been fishing all night.

What had he caught?

But when Jesus told him to throw his net out on the other side of the boat, he caught loads of fish!

Peter’s reaction to this miracle was also confession.

He knelt in front of Jesus and said, Lord, don’t come near me. I am a sinner.

Peter might not have had the amazing vision that Isaiah had, but he had seen the awesomeness of God at work in a powerful and practical way.

We encounter God

What’s our response when we encounter God?

When we become aware of the awesomeness of God at work?

Saying Wow! is a good start!

It’s a sign of our worship.

But when we see God at work, it should lead to something else too.

Like Isaiah and Peter, it should lead us to be aware of our own imperfection and sin, and this should lead us into confession.

Peter and Isaiah could not match up to God’s holiness and glory. There is no way any human can do that.

That’s why they were suddenly so aware of their own failing and sin.

Confession is the obvious reaction to encountering God.

It’s a response to the holiness of God.

Confession leads to forgiveness, followed by willingness

Can you remember what happened to Isaiah after he confessed to God?

Isaiah 6:6–7 NCV

One of the heavenly creatures used a pair of tongs to take a hot coal from the altar. Then he flew to me with the hot coal in his hand. The creature touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, “Look, your guilt is taken away, because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is taken away.”

Isaiah’s confession led to God’s forgiveness.

2nd volunteer looks up and smiles.

And can you remember what happened to Peter after he confessed to Jesus?

Jesus told him not to be afraid.

He need not be afraid of God’s awesomeness. because God had forgiven him.

Forgiveness makes us ready to do new things

We no longer feel uncomfortable inside.

We no longer feel estranged from God and afraid of his power.

We can start again, with a blank sheet of paper, as if nothing has happened.

We are encouraged to try again to do the right things.

What did Isaiah and Peter do once they received God’s forgiveness?

They were ready and willing to go wherever God sent them.

3rd volunteer walks on the spot.

They were willing to tell people what God wanted them to hear.

I’ll go! Send me! said Isaiah.

Peter and his friends left everything and went with Jesus.

Are we willing to go and tell others how awesome God is?

When we see the amazing things God has done, or the amazing things he has created, are we willing to tell others who did them and who made them?

When we see God’s holiness, are we willing to respond in confession, by saying sorry that we don’t match up to his greatness?

And how do we respond when we’re forgiven?

Does it make us willing to go and do what God wants, like Isaiah and Peter?

God still calls us.

God still needs people to go and tell people about him.

Are we willing to answer the call?

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