Separation of Holiness
Notes
Transcript
Holiness of God
INTRODUCTION
Stuck at home for the third time since March with at least one more quarantine coming.
People are dying. People are rebelling. Nation is divided.
Where is God?
Introduce “Rend the Heavens”- How do we live when God seems distant?
Uzziah= 52 year reign as King- a good king.
He dies from leprosy as a result of God’s judgment
52 years- first transition in leadership in memory of most.
-compare to over 100 years since last American pandemic- 1918 Spanish Flu.
Nation questions- Where is God? Does he care?
READ Isaiah 6:1-8
1 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.
2 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.
3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 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!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
PRAY
3 Reasons God Seems Distant
God is on Throne (1)
God is on Throne (1)
Isaiah 6:1
1 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.
Chaos in our world does not mean chaos in heaven.
Lot of questions about presidential transition.
America’s transfer of power. It is lined out and clear.
Israel did not have a clear transition for such a time.
Who is in charge? Who is making decisions? What if an enemy attacks now?
God is on throne. That’s the only power that really matters.
God is All Powerful (1)
God is All Powerful (1)
Isaiah 6:1
1 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.
Train of Robe- filled temple- showed great power.
God is strong enough to handle this transition.
Colossians 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
People believe that God either can’t help or refuses to help.
God is either weak or not holy.
Not only choice- God loves us by giving us a choice and disciplines us to help us make good choices.
God is Holy (2-8)
God is Holy (2-8)
3 Reactions to God’s Holiness
Worship (2-3)
Worship (2-3)
Isaiah 6:2-3
2 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.
3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Worship does not equal Singing
we sing songs we like/ worship is about pleasing God not self.
Worship despite uncertainty and chaos- worship is not based on physical blessing.
Perspective Change (4)
Perspective Change (4)
Isaiah 6:4
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Understanding of God’s holiness.
“smoke”- Shekinah glory- above Ark in Tabernacle.
Showed God’s presence to Israel while in the wilderness.
Easy to miss God in a fallen world.
Response to God’s glory- Seraphim
Humbling of self (covering face and feet) (2)
Loud thunderous worship.
Repentance (5-7)
Repentance (5-7)
When we compare ourselves to holiness of God our only hope is repentance.
Isaiah 64:5-7
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
Leads to forgiveness (6-7)
The cry of Jesus- “repent”
Acts 3:19
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
Coal= blood of the lamb
Romans 5:9
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
“for I am ruined”= humbling of self- realization of failure.
Repentance involves surrender (8)
Isaiah 6:8
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
NT mark of a disciple= take up cross.
leave all behind.
Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
ILL- Police in drive at McAlester.
Police with gun- easy to surrender- no choice.
God does not force surrender.
His holiness draws us to surrender.
CONCLUSION
God’s holiness brings a separation between he and man.
He provides a way to bridge the separation through Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have you surrendered to God’s pursuit of you?
