Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

I’ll Go!

Those of you who are a part of our church family know that our team heads out this afternoon to DC to head to Zimbabwe tomorrow.

· Last week, we looked at the need to go.

· We saw the statistics that told us that over half the world has little to no chance of hearing about Jesus.

We saw the statistics that told us that over half the world has little to no chance of hearing about Jesus.

These four folks who are going with us are going to have the privilege of taking the gospel into a village where a church is growing, sharing the gospel with more people, and helping the believers there to grow in their walk with Christ.

· We saw that we have a responsibility to pray, to send, to go because they are dying without hearing about how Jesus died for them.

· We saw that we have a responsibility to pray, to send, to go because they are dying without hearing about how Jesus died for them.

· So what do we do with that?

These trips are hard, though.

They are expensive, they take us away from our jobs and families, and they aren’t always comfortable.

· So what do we do with that?

Why do we do it, then?

Why would we put ourselves through that?

Think about all the sacrifices our other missionaries make.

They leave their families, go halfway around the world, and have to learn a whole new culture and language.

They don’t fit there, and then when they come home, they don’t fit here either.

Why would you do that?

Let’s bring it back on this side of the ocean, though.

We have said often that we need to live on mission, constantly looking for opportunities to share Christ with others.

That can be intimidating and uncomfortable, so why should we do that?

Why put ourselves out there to follow God like that?

That’s the question we want to answer this morning: Why should we go out on a limb and serve God when it’s hard?

In the Bible, there was a man named Isaiah who was specially called by God to tell people his message.

We are going to look at a pivotal moment in Isaiah’s life, where he had the privilege of seeing God as he really is.

His response to God is one that we should emulate, so turn with me over to .

Turn with me over to .

· This morning, I want you to transition from “Why Go?” to “I’ll Go!”

· This morning, I want you to transition from “Why Go?” to “I’ll Go!”

· We are going to take the theoretical compulsion to go on mission with God and put feet on it.

· We are going to take the theoretical compulsion to go on mission with God and put feet on it.

· The prophet Isaiah was faced with this same task.

· The prophet Isaiah was faced with this same task.

· Turn with me over to .

· Turn with me over to .

· Jump with me down to verse 8…

Jump with me down to verse 8…

Before God gives any details about where He is asking someone to go, or what He is asking that person to do, Isaiah responds, “I’ll go!”

· Before God gives any details about where He is asking someone to go, or what He is asking that person to do, Isaiah responds, “I’ll go!”

What could possibly cause Isaiah to respond like this to a blank invitation?

· What could possibly cause Isaiah to respond like this to a blank invitation?

· To find that out, we’re going to look at the verses leading up to that point.

To find that out, we’re going to look at the verses leading up to that point.

· As we do, we’re going to see three reasons why Isaiah would declare, “I’ll go!”

As we do, we’re going to see three reasons why Isaiah would declare, “I’ll go!”

My prayer is that, although God isn’t likely to give us this kind of vision this morning, that as you study this passage today, you will join up with Isaiah’s reasoning and say, “I’ll go!”

· My prayer is that, although God isn’t likely to give us this kind of vision this morning, that as you study this passage today, you will join up with Isaiah’s reasoning and say, “I’ll go!”

· So why, like Isaiah, can we say “I’ll go” when God issues a blank invitation?

So why, like Isaiah, can we say “I’ll go” when God issues a blank invitation?

There are at least three reasons we see in this passage.

First…

· There are at least three reasons we see in this passage.

First…

1. I’ll Go Because God Is Worthy.

1. I’ll Go Because God Is Worthy.

· Look with me at verses 1 & 2…

Look with me at verses 1 & 2…

· From the very beginning of this encounter with God, Isaiah is struck by God’s majesty.

From the very beginning of this encounter with God, Isaiah is struck by God’s majesty.

· Look at the incredible description he gives…He is tripping over words trying to describe the indescribable God!

Look at the incredible description he gives…He is tripping over words trying to describe the indescribable God!

· He sees the Lord, sitting on a throne.

The throne is described as “lofty and exalted”

He sees the Lord, sitting on a throne.

The throne is described as “high and lofty”, raised up to show that he is over everything.

That points us to God’s sovereignty over the affairs of this world.

· That points us to God’s sovereignty over the affairs of this world.

· Remember the special name that Jesus holds?

Remember the special name that Jesus holds?

And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

(, NASB95)

And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

(, NASB95)

That’s one of those phrases we hear sometimes but don’t think about.

· That’s what Isaiah was privileged to see: the God who is the king to whom all other kings bow; the Lord who is above every other Lord, and he saw Him seated on the throne of heaven.

If you gathered all the kings and leaders of the world and put them in a room, Jesus would be the king over all the kings.

That’s what Isaiah was privileged to see: the God who is the king to whom all other kings bow; the Lord who is above every other lord, and he saw Him seated on the throne of heaven, which is the place he rightly deserved.

· speaks of the greatness of our God as King.

It is a psalm that points to the coming Messiah, but it proves God’s power over the nations:

speaks of the greatness of our God as King.

It is a psalm that points to the coming Messiah, but it proves God’s power over the nations:

psalm 2

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them…Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.

Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.

Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled.

How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! (, NASB95)

· He is the King overall, seated on the throne.

He is the King over all, seated on the throne.

Why do we keep going back to Jesus, by the way?

How do we know He was the one seated on the throne?

· Why do we keep going back to Jesus, by the way?

How do we know He was the one seated on the throne?

· Because the Bible says so!

Because the Bible says so!

These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.