Answering The Call

Answering the Call: Isaiah's Commission and Our Response

Bible Passage: Isaiah 6:1-13

Summary: In this passage, Isaiah experiences a profound vision of God's holiness and majesty, which leads to his self-awareness of sin and subsequent cleansing. This prepares him for the divine commission to deliver God's message to a resistant people.

Application: This sermon illustrates how God calls each of us to serve, despite our shortcomings. It encourages believers to recognize their own unworthiness yet embrace God's grace and mission. The call to serve might be uncomfortable, but trusting in God's empowerment can help them overcome fears and doubts.

Teaching: Isaiah teaches us about the holiness of God and the serious nature of His calling. It highlights the importance of repentance, the transformative power of God's grace, and our responsibility to share the Gospel with others, even when the task seems daunting.

How this passage could point to Christ: Christ fulfills the prophetic role represented by Isaiah, stepping into the ultimate call to redeem humanity. His life and work embody the purity and holiness of God and demonstrate how He equips His followers to carry the message of salvation into the world.

Big Idea: God’s call empowers us to overcome our inadequacies and proclaim His truth in an often resistant world.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the historical context of Isaiah's ministry and the themes of judgment and hope within the book of Isaiah using your Logos library. Look through relevant commentaries on Isaiah 6 for insights into Isaiah's experience, as well as the significance of the seraphim and Isaiah’s cleansing. Also, examining the various interpretations of the meaning of the 'desolation' laid before Israel could provide depth to your message.

1. Vision of Divine Holiness

Isaiah 6:1-4

Perhaps you could explore Isaiah's overwhelming vision of God in the temple, emphasizing God's unmatched holiness. This vision highlights our own human shortcomings in contrast to divine perfection. It sets the stage for recognizing our need for God's grace as Isaiah does. The majestic imagery encourages worship and a deeper reverence for God, compelling us to respond in humility and openness to His call.

2. Awareness and Cleansing

Isaiah 6:5-7

You might consider focusing on Isaiah's immediate recognition of his unworthiness and God's gracious response. Isaiah's confession and the subsequent cleansing by the seraphim illustrate that acknowledging our sins can lead to purification and readiness for service. This point affirms that God does not call the perfect but purifies those He calls, equipping them for His purposes.

3. Responding with Readiness

Isaiah 6:8-10

Maybe you could delve into Isaiah's readiness to accept God's call despite the daunting task. This passage underscores the willingness required to respond to God's commission. It's a call for us to be available and courageous, trusting in God’s purpose and strength to face resistance. This encourages believers to respond with "Here am I, send me," even when the path seems challenging.

4. Faithful Amidst Desolation

Isaiah 6:11-13

Perhaps you could reflect on the difficult message Isaiah is charged to deliver. The looming desolation speaks to the reality of judgment, but also glimpses of hope—reflecting Christ's ultimate message of salvation amidst judgment. This point brings attention to the perseverance needed when sharing the Gospel, focusing on faithfulness to God's message regardless of visible results, trusting that God’s plans will ultimately be fulfilled.

Throughout history God has been calling on people to do His work.

Moses

In the Bible, Moses encountered God in the burning bush. While he hesitated, feeling unqualified, God reminded him that He equips those He calls. This pivotal moment shows us the importance of responding to God's call, regardless of our insecurities, and stepping out in faith knowing that He will provide the strength and resources needed to fulfill His purpose.

Theme Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

In this vision that Isaiah had, God showed Himself to him in a spectacular fashion. And as far as I’m aware of, every time God showed Himself or His presence to men, their reaction was the same. Paul, Moses, Isaiah all felt very human when they saw the glory of God. I’m sure we would be no different.

God was asking Isaiah to go to his people with a message. His message was this; verse 9 He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;

Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

10 Render the hearts of this people insensitive,

Their ears dull,

And their eyes dim,

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

Understand with their hearts,

And return and be healed.”

Many years later Paul used this scripture in Acts 28 verses 25-27. This was when he finally arrived in Rome after being shipwrecked on the island of Malta. He went before the leading Jews there and reminded them of this prophecy from Isaiah.

The point I want us to notice here is Isaiah’s reaction to God asking: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?

Isaiah doesn’t ask “where”, “how long” or “what would it cost me”. He simply said “Here am I, send me!”

How much better our churches, our families, our nation and the world if all Christians had that attitude! When God calls and we say, Here am I, Send Me!

a. Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? God looked for someone to send. He wanted someone to go.

i. How strange it is for God to ask a question at all! What does God wonder about? What questions would He have? What does God not know? But God was asking for a person because God wants to reach the world, and He wants to reach it through willing people. It isn’t that God doesn’t know who these people are. It is that God is waiting for ready hearts to reveal themselves.

ii. How strange it is that this God of majesty, sovereignty, and power asks for volunteers! He could easily create robots to do His work or command angels to carry out His will. But God wants willing, surrendered servants. Have you been waiting for God to force you to serve Him? He looks for volunteers.

c. Here am I! Send me: Isaiah emphatically answered God’s call. He did not hesitate. Isaiah wanted to be the answer to God’s question.

i. What created this kind of heart in Isaiah? First, he had a heart that had been in the presence of God. He had a heart that knew its own sinfulness. He had a heart that knew the need among the people, the need for God’s word. He had a heart that had been touched by God’s cleansing fire. And he had a heart that heard God’s heart to reach the nations.

d. Send me: This meant Isaiah was submitted to the LORD in all his service. He didn’t even say, “Here I am, I will go.” Isaiah would not go at all unless he knew he was sent by the LORD. Many are quick to say, “Here I am, I will go” but never wait for the LORD to send them.

Are we doing what God is calling us to do or are we making excuses?

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”

John 4:35

This was Jesus talking to His disciples after His interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. But I believe that Jesus is speaking to us today!

He’s saying look out at your neighbors, the people in town, your employees. They’re hurting and looking for answers, and you have the knowledge about Jesus that could change their life.

Children: You would do well to adopt this mindset as well. When mom or dad asks you to do something, say “Here Am I, Send Me!”. Even if it’s just something small that mindset will serve you well as you grow older.

Thine for Service song