Clarifying Moment (Saved to Serve)

Attention Grabber

sometimes life will give you a clarifying moments

When a Loved one is in a hospital - that argument you had is not so serious any more

if your life is truly endangered, like a gun pointed in your face - material things are so important anymore, just take the money

these clarifying moments will put your priorities in order, and do it in a hurry

in clarifying moments, it becomes evident what really matters

the main thing becomes the main thing

We are going to look at a man who received a clarifying moment

Isaiah 6:1 KJV 1900

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

King Uzziah of Judah was a powerful king, that had a long 52 year reign

So the year he died would naturally bring uncertainty

added to that, a powerful nation, Assyria was threatening the very existence of Judah

And with this backdrop, Isaiah is given a vision of the Lord, sitting upon a throne

a vision of the king that unlike Uzziah, will never die

a king that would reign forever and ever

The Lord reigned before Uzziah, reigned while Uzziah was in place, and still reigns after Uzziah has passed from the scene

that’s clear

Next, in the vision, the Lord was High and lifted up, that indicates

that his kingdom is above all other kingdoms, king of kings

God is totally in charge and unchallenged . . . there is no uncertainty as far as the Lord is concerned

that’s clear

His train fills the temple – this type of train is talking about the train of a robe, the extra fabric added to the back of a monarch’s robe . . .

The longer the train, indicates the more glory was due that person

the more honor was due that person

God’s robe fills the temple, which indicates that there is no room for anyone else’s train: So all the glory is due him, all the honor is due him, all the praise

that much is clear

and the fact that it is a temple indicates to me that the Lord, the God of the Bible, is God alone. There’s no room in the temple for other gods, no room for shared space

He is the true God, every other god is false . . . this is a clarifying moment

In Summary, The Lord our God is unmovable, unshakable, all powerful, his authority is unchecked, and all glory is due him forever and ever and ever . . . that should clarify some things for us

let me help you in case it is still not clear - so many think they are in charge of something

you ain’t running nuthin

you live at the pleasure of the King

the only reason you have food, is because he gave it to you

the only reason you have shelter, is that he allowed it

the only reason you are in your right mind, is that he kept you

you cant live without him, move without him, even breathe without him

I pray that is clear to you

doubting Him won’t change the facts

ignoring Him, won’t change the facts

denying him won’t change the facts

that’s just the way it is

because he sits on the throne, high and lifted up, and his train fills the temple

Isaiah 6:2–3 KJV 1900

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.

God is so awesome that even God’s attendants are awesome

these creatures, these heavenly beings called seraphim, some say a type of angel . . . they have six wings

they use these wings to fly and to cover themselves in reverence before God

Isaiah doesn’t say how many heavenly beings he sees, but they are likely the same four creatures mentioned in Revelation, who also were around the throne, who also have six wings, who also cry out Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, Holy – God is set apart in His own category, none like Him;

so unique that you can’t compare the Lord to anyone

incomparable in greatness, nature, power, purity, and righteousness

only thing you can really say is that God is God

I understand why God said to Moses, I am that I am

Lord of Host - the one in charge of heaven’s armies, legions of angels are at his command

to try to put that in perspective, one angel killed 185,000 soldiers in 2 Kings 19

our God is an awesome God

The whole earth is full of his glory

Evidence of God and displays of his power and magnificence everywhere

His glory is in a grain of sand and in the largest mountain

His glory is evident in a drop of water and in the seven seas

His glory can be seen in the sun, moon, and stars in the sky

His glory can be seen in a world teeming with millions of forms of life

every shade of color we see

every sound that we hear

every sensation we feel

the earth is full of his glory

i hope things are becoming clear!

Isaiah 6:4 KJV 1900

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

and as these heavenly beings are crying out, and answering each other with holy, holy, holy . . . the foundations shake and the house is filled with smoke

these beings are no comparison to God, but THEIR voices are powerful enough to cause an earthquake

many scholars believe their name, seraphim, means “fiery ones” and maybe that is why there is smoke

imagine being in the presence of absolute power, full authority, total glory, pure righteousness . . . with fiery creatures crying out holy, holy, holy, and the ground shaking, and smoke filling the building

I tell you this, every other concern, thought, plan, desire, and agenda would melt away instantly . . . .

things that seemed so important . . . would be so important no’ mo

nothing else would matter but your relation to the one seated on the throne

a clarifying moment of clarifying moments

and Isaiah has a clarifying moment . . .

Isaiah 6:5 KJV 1900

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

Woe is me, for I am undone

People talk a lot of noise when it comes to God, very flippant, disrespectful

I don’t have to worry about God sending me to hell, I’m living in hell right now

If I could talk to God, he would have to answer some questions, explain some things to me

It’s nothing new, we even see it in the Bible

Pharaoh, king of Egypt talked that noise!

Exodus 5 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

Even people who believe in God talk noise, Job talked that smack when he didn’t understand his suffering in Job 7:20

(talking to God) If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity?

Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you?

And it is all good when you are not face to face with the Lord, you are Mr. Big Chest right now

but just a hint of God’s divine presence WILL shake you up

In the Bible, people could not even handle the angels, let along God . . . first words always, “Fear not”

The prophet, Daniel passed out when he say an angel

As for Pharaoh, by the time we get to Exodus 12 31b-32b and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said . . . and be gone; and bless me also.

And Job , 40:3 Then Job replied to the Lord, 4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. 5 I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.”

Isaiah’s response in his moment of clarity (like everyone else) – Woe is me, I am undone

other versions translate it is

I am ruined

it’s all over

I am lost

Isaiah is saying, ““I’m doomed!”

I have way overestimated everything about myself, and way underestimated God

I am not even close to being prepared to face God

later Isaiah would say, in trying to help us understand, “our good deeds are like filthy rags when compared to God’s righteousness”

Isaiah says, woe is me, I am undone . . .

because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips:

when things get clarified for Isaiah, he just starts confessing - unclean lips is a phrase used to indicate guilt and sin

we’ve lost the art of confessing, admitting guilt and sin

guilt - I did it

sin - and what I did was wrong

if there is a confession today, it because society pressured us to confess

didn’t want to lose popularity

didn’t want to lose business

if there is a confession today, it’s with conditions

if I offended anybody, I apologize

if there is a confession today, is followed by an excuse

I was with the wrong crowd, I was young, they just pushed my buttons

No one wants to admit that they were just mean, or lazy, selfish, spiteful, racist, didn’t want to have self control, just didn’t care, just plain sorry, just hoping to get by

at your job, When was the last time you heard someone tell their boss, “I didn’t turn in that form because I didn’t feel like it”,

I didn’t finish the task because I didn’t want to put in the effort

I did shoddy work because I was just trying to get by with the bare minimum

I didn’t forget, I was never going to do it

I just wanted to do what I wanted to do, and hope to still get paid

no, people don’t confess

but in this clarifying moment, Isaiah has no pretenses, no conditions, no excuses . . . he simply says, I am a man of unclean lips

“I’m no good”

I am guilty, wrong, I am inadequate, I’ve fallen short, I deserve condemnation,

That goes for the rest of my people as well

Now that’s confessing!

I’m wrong and my people are wrong!

I’m no good and my people are no good!

it’s not popular to talk about your own race/people/family/political group in modern times

But you should realize that the HUMAN race is not any good, and all messed up, all have sinned

give any group power, and they will mess over the other groups, and act like they’ve done nothing wrong

they will do it because of race, language, territory, gender, economics, politics . . . the human race is sinful and full of iniquity

i hope that’s clear

What was the primary factor that caused Isaiah to confess?

for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

notice that God has not said a word

it was seeing God for who He is . . . . having that clarifying moment . . . made him confess

seeing the real deal about his existence brought understanding and clarification

our understanding or revelation of Who God is, always shows up in our actions

When you understand that God is worthy of the praise, you give more praise

When you understand that God sees everything, you do more good and less evil

When you understand how much God has forgiven you, you forgive people easily

When you understand God controls everything, you don’t worry

when you understand that God owns everything, you give more thanks

When you realize that God is generous to you, you stop being stingy

I can tell what you know and believe about God by how you live

Isaiah 6:6–7 KJV 1900

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

With His confession comes a response from the throne

with his repentance

one of the seraphim grabs a live coal, fiery coal, from the altar

the altar - often symbolizing sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins

and touches the mouth of Isaiah with it . . . burns away the sin and iniquity

we see that Isaiah’s confession caused a immediate response of forgiveness!

With repentance comes immediate restoration!

Coming clean allows you to be made clean!

Not waiting period, not probation, no provisional status!

fully forgiven

is this becoming clear?

notice who gets forgiveness . . . the one who confesses, Isaiah (not the people)

and then finally God speaks

Isaiah 6:8 KJV 1900

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

and finally God speaks, God speaks after confession and forgiveness

quick lesson, some of you can’t hear God speak, can’t hear his voice because of unconfessed sins

it’s like if you catch your spouse in the bed, in the act of adultery . . . and the next day they want to go back to conversing just like normal . . . no there needs to be some confessing, apologizing, I’m sorry

I am a man/woman of literally unclean lips

And when God speaks, he is asking a question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

Isaiah responds, send me . . . Isaiah stepped up to the plate . . . that’s the way I traditionally thought about it, but . . .

I just saved someone from ruin and destruction zed questions from God, with a big hint . . . I will not make you go for us, but I did just forgive someone

I just restored someone

I just saved someone from ruin and destruction

so . . . uh . . . anyone think they ought to serve . . . .whom shall I send? . . . .who will go for us . . . hint, hint

Isaiah, in this clarifying moment, does not hesitate, he gets the hint, he understand the proper response . . . Here am I, send me

Jesus

So for those who say they are Christians . . . I want you to realize that Isaiah’s vision is your story

Isaiah is dead and gone, but the same God that Isaiah saw on the throne . . . is still seated on the throne right now

and your lips were unclean too - you were sinful, guilty, unworthy

But when you by faith accepted what Jesus did by his life, death, burial, and resurrection, as payment for you sins . . .

you, just like Isaiah, were immediately forgiven, restored,delivered

saved from ruin, saved from destruction, saved from a burning hell . . . .that’s why we call it salvation

is that clear to you?

so let me ask two pressurized questions: In this world, Who should God send . . . . and who will go for Him

in light of who God is and what he has done, by sending his own son for you, what’s the proper response?

This should be a clarifying moment

You have been saved to do what? . . . . Saved to Serve . . .

every Christian, every born again believer should get the hint and say: Here am I, send me!

This should be so clear that no matter you situation, or condition, or circumstances . . . you proper response is to serve the Lord

Maybe, you’re broke right now.

but The most important question is not when will I get some money

Not how long will I be broke

Why me

The question is, “Will you serve God?” while you are broke

So you’re fighting sickness

The most important question is not when will I get healed

How long will I be sick?

Why me?

The question, is “Will you serve God?” even though you are fighting illness in your body

So you are on the outs with your spouse (child, parent, brother, sister)

The most important question is not when will they act right

Or (excuse the bad English) Why they act so stupid?

not, How can I teach them a lesson they’ll never forget?

but . . . Will you serve God? When others are acting a fool

Don’t get me wrong, all those things are important, and God cares . . . but in light of who God is and what He has done for you, those things are nothing!

is that clear to you?

besides if you seek him first, he will take care of those things

is that clear to you

if you will not, you don’t truly understand who God is or what God has done

For me, getting kicked out of college was a clarifying moment

When I got the academic suspension letter: basically saying you can’t come back here unless go prove yourself to be a good student somewhere else f

I had a clarifying moment . . .

I’ve really messed up, it’s on me - my confession

I have take college seriously . . . my proper response

that light bulb came on and I have had almost all A’s since, even in graduate school

I finally got it, I finally understood the main reason I was at college . . . . go to class, study, pass . . . priorities became straight

My call is to ask you if you finally understand . . . . do you have your priorities are straight . . .

if you are not a Christian, your priority should be getting saved

if you are a Christian, you have been saved to serve