The God We Worship: God is Holy

Isaiah 6:1–7 “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.””

Big Idea: God is perfectly holy, and rightly worthy of our worship.

INTRO

“Last series answered what we believe. This series answers who God really is, not who we imagine Him to be, but who He reveals Himself to be.”

Isaiah doesn’t meet a casual God. He meets a holy one.

Point 1: God Is Completely Holy

Isaiah 6:3 “And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!””

Explanation

God’s holiness means He is:

Set apart

Perfectly pure

Completely unlike us

The angels repeat “holy” three times—not because God is kind of holy, but because He is infinitely holy.

Illustration: The Sun

Say:

You can enjoy the sun, but you don’t stare straight into it—it’s too powerful.

God’s holiness is beautiful, but overwhelming.

Truth for teens

God is not a bigger version of us. He is totally other.

Point 2: God’s Holiness Exposes Our Sin

Text: “Woe is me! For I am lost…” — Isaiah 6:5

Explanation

When Isaiah sees God clearly, he sees himself honestly. Holiness doesn’t lead to pride—it leads to humility.

Isaiah doesn’t compare himself to others. He compares himself to God—and falls apart.

Illustration: Bright Light

Say:

Dirt is easy to ignore in dim light—but under bright light, everything shows.

God’s holiness reveals what’s really in us.

Truth for teens

Seeing God clearly always leads to seeing ourselves clearly.

Point 3: God’s Holiness Makes Grace Necessary

Text: “Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” — Isaiah 6:7

Explanation

God doesn’t lower His standard. He provides cleansing.

The burning coal shows:

Sin is serious

Forgiveness is costly

Grace comes from God

Illustration: Fire That Cleans

Fire can destroy—but it can also purify. God’s holiness doesn’t just expose sin; it removes it.

Truth for teens

Grace only makes sense when holiness is taken seriously.

Gospel Connection

This holy God did not stay distant.

Jesus stepped into our world, lived perfectly, and took our guilt so sinners could stand forgiven before a holy God.

One-Sentence Takeaway

God is holy, and that holiness both humbles us and makes grace glorious.

SERIES SETUP (VERY IMPORTANT)

End with:

“If this is who God is—holy and glorious—then the way we worship Him matters.”