Your Guilt Is Taken Away

Epiphany 5, February 4, 2007

Text: Isaiah 6:1–8 (9–13)

Other Lessons: Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 14:12b–20; Luke 5:1–11

Sermon Theme: We, like Isaiah, tremble in the presence of the holy God, but God cleanses us with Christ’s body and blood.

Goal: That the hearers would not despair over their sin, but rejoice in their salvation in Jesus Christ.

How dare you stand in the presence of the GOD who is three times HOLY!

How dare you look upon the GLORY OF THE LORD with unshielded eyes!

How dare you enter into the presence of the KING of KINGS clothed as you are-in sinful attire!

I.

When Isaiah saw God in all his splendor, majesty, and glory, he was not amuzed. He didn’t experience an emotional high from his personal encounter with the almighty God. His reaction was one of fear, humility, and reverence:

fear, because he knew that he was a sinner in the presence of the most holy God. And nothing unholy can stand in his HOLY presence;

humble reverence, because he was in the presence of his Lord and Creator in all his heavenly glory.

Isaiah fully expected to be struck blind, or even put to death because he suddenly found himself in the presence of the great “I am,” No wonder he reacts with words expressing truth: “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” (v 5). Isaiah saw what cannot be seen by unbelievers because it remains concealed from their eyes. He saw what he truly was—a sinful human being amongst a sinful people. Isaiah had nothing to merit the favor of God. He had nothing to appease God’s wrath or otherwise earn forgiveness. No, he stood before his God in naked shame.

Isaiah was literally brought to silence as though dead. And in the Gospel, Simon Peter experienced the same in the presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ. After the miraculous catch of fish, Peter fell down before Jesus and begged, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Lk 5:8). This is the reaction of those who get even a small glimpse of the divine nature of God. It is a fearful thing to be delivered into the hands of the almighty God.

But what about you? You dare to come to this holy place. You dare to stand on holy ground. You come here and dare even to call upon the HOLY NAME of the Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, how is it that you dare to do this without shame, humility, reverence and awe do the most HOLY GOD? How dare you presume upon our God, expecting HIS DIVINE FAVOR! You are in the presence of the same God with whom Isaiah could not abide. Do you not realize that you are not worthy to be in the presence of the HOLY ONE? How dare you sing the song of the angels or approach God’s heavenly throne? Do you not know that you stand before God naked in your sin? Yes, we all dare to do just that-not out of our own worthiness, but out of the worthiness of Him who stands sinless before the HOLY GOD-Jesus Christ!

II.

As it was for Isaiah so it is also for us. An angel, a servant of the MOST HIGH GOD, comes forth to touch our unclean lips with the burning remnant of the burnt offering that cleanses us from our guilt before God.

Yes, you have had your guilt taken away because of the sacrifice of Jesus! Yes, you, too, have been made clean. Yes, you are clothed in the robes of Christ’s righteousness. Yes, His Holy Spirit breathes into you the power to believe and gives voice to your confession that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16).

This Jesus, who is God in the flesh, is not yet revealed to you in heaven, but in the humiliation of the crucified Christ. His cross being the only door to heaven. This Christ is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of all people. Through the cross, Jesus opens the door of heaven to you. And whoever sees Jesus on the cross sees the almighty God.

It is because of Him that we no longer need to mourn our sins, for just as Isaiah was made pure by the burning coal, so the holy angel touches us with the holy fire of God’s wrath through the written Word. This is the conduit for God’s grace to touch our lips and tongue in the Sacrament of the Altar. This Word works to purge us of our sin, and makes us holy and righteous in God’s sight. Yes, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY” are you because of God’s gracious and sacrificial offering of His own Son Jesus Christ.

So how is it that you and I dare to stand in the presence of the HOLY GOD even today? How is it it is that your tongue is loosed to sing God’s praise and tell of his glory. You no longer have to fear, for you have received his blessed Absolution. How do you know? Because you have already, this very day, heard Jesus say, “I forgive you all your sins.”

So how is it that you and I dare to stand in the presence of the GOD who is three times HOLY? And how is it that we dare to look upon the GLORY OF THE LORD with unshielded eyes? And how is it that we dare to enter into the presence of the KING of KINGS? It is only because He has touched us with His grace and clothed us in the sinless attire of His own Son! Amen.